Monday 23 September 2013

A Review, A Giveaway and An Introduction . . .

Let’s start with the review first . . .
 
I was recently contacted by
 
Daily Craft TV
 
to see if I would be interested in doing a review of one of the online classes.  My schedule right now is humungously busy but once I saw the offerings that they have on their list of quilting classes I just had say “YES”.
The class that caught my eye was this one -
 
 
and the introduction was this:  “Starting with a photo as a template, “paint” a portrait of your pet in fabric with this easier-then-it-looks technique. Jodie steps you through tracing shapes from the photo onto fusible web to fusing them and then finishing the edges to make a unique fabric image of your pet that will surprise you in how realistic it is.”
 
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Anyone who has visited my blog in the past year or so will have met my lovely little Whiskey and seen some of her gorgeous markings.
 
whiskey6 - sunny days-overlaysample copy
 
So I knew that I certainly had a subject that would be perfect for this particular project and decided to jump in with both feet.
 
After watching the very informative and detailed video, and being amazed at how the two instructors put together a simple black and white kittie block and then a tad more difficult dog block, I thought that I was ready to give this a try.
 
DSC_0005DSC_0006
 
With lots of photos to choose from, I narrowed the selection down to two photos and printed them out.  Then I proceeded to use my trusty “sharpie” and outline some of the more distinct areas on the photo.  It started looking like a paint-by-number picture after a while . . . certainly brought back some childhood memories!!!
 
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On Sunday I spent an hour or so finding the perfect fabrics and tracing out a few of the major features for my little Whiskey.  I still have a long way to go and it will be a work-in-progress for a while no doubt, but I think it is safe to say that the similarity is apparent.  There are still some more details to trace out and place, but I think the real highlight will be when I can do some thread-painting and really get in there to make some of the more intricate details.  I also want to find another fabric for her little gold eyes . . . the fabric I used is too orange – so back to the drawing board for that feature.  But that is half the fun, finding the perfect fabrics!!
 
Now for the giveaway . . . Daily Craft TV is offering up a FREE online class for one lucky person who leaves me a comment.  Just visit the Daily Craft TV site and let me know which class you think you would be most interested in.  Are you most interested in Knitting, Scrapbooking, Quilting, Crocheting, Sewing or Papercrafts?  You don’t need to be specific – just let me know what appeals most to you.  I’ll be choosing a name from all of the comments on October 4th – so that gives you lots of time to look around the site and get back to me.  Have fun!!
 
Oh . . . now I have a little introduction to make :0))
 
summer's Boy1 (9) (800x524)
 
This little gaffer is Whiskey’s baby brother . . . he just turned three weeks old on Friday (born August 30th).  He won’t be coming to live with us until the first week in December, so I’ll have to live with photos until I can get my hands on him to squeeze him.  I’m thinking that his name will be “Wiser”, but we will be calling him “Bud” for short . . . of course this is subject to change, but that’s what we’re talking so far.  Isn’t he a cutie!!!?!?!?
 
Oh! (again) – be sure and stop by for a visit around the 26th (this Thursday), as I will have another news flash for all of you.  I told you I’ve been busy, right???

6 comments:

Jennifer said...

You have certainly captured Whiskey's look of curiosity very well, and you haven't yet finished....looking forward to seeing it finished. Little baby brother kitty is very cute!

Anonymous said...

Wow, that looks really neat and when I first looked at it I thought paint by number too lol.
I would do something in quilting for the classes.
smjohns63 at yahoo dot com

Nupur said...

This is the EXACT class that is on my wish list- I'd love to make a quilted pet portrait of my sweet hound puppy Duncan. Thanks for the giveaway!

onehotstove AT gmail DOT com

Jeanette Nelson said...

Getting Started on the Longarm would be my choice. Thanks for the chance to win.

Tina said...

Oh I just love Whiskey's portrait so far! You have done an amazing job! I've always wanted to do something like that for my kitties, but I didn't have a clue on where to begin so I really appreciate the pictures you have shown of your progress. And I just love your new baby kitten - what a beauty! Are your cats a specific breed? They are just gorgeous and so unique but I'm not sure of the breed. (Whiskey has such beautiful, golden eyes!!!)

legato1958 said...

Oh what an artist you are! Your Whiskey is so lifelike already ! Can't wait to see the finished Whiskey.... And what a cutie your little kitten is !!

Susie