The Exhibits at International Quilt Festival

Here are the dolls from the Gypsy Challenge.  They have not been judged yet, so the names and titles are not visible.

The quilts are magnificent.

This is the Best of Show: "Eternal Beauty" by Sherry Reynolds.  I heard her say she worked on it for 5 years!

"When Everyone's Heart Blooms" by Masako Sanada

"I Spy a Mouse" by Cristina Bono

"An Old Woman with Joyous Face" by Marina Landi

"Blue Anemone" by Andrea Brokenshire 

More beautiful quilts (I apologize for not having the artists' names and titles).

See all this year's winning quilts here.

IQF 2014

Another Quilt Festival has come and gone.  This year marked the 40th anniversary of the Houston International Quilt Festival.  The red and white quilt display to celebrate the Ruby Jubilee was stunning.

Of course for me the highlight of Quilt Festival is always the doll exhibits.

In Celebration of the Doll Exhibit:

My piece for this exhibit, "Sunshine Parade":

The Material Girls of Houston portion of the doll exhibits:

I had two pieces in the Material Girls exhibit:

"A Mother's Treasure is Her Daughter" & "Orelia"

The Texas Association of Original Doll Artists also had a display, "Block Party 2", which were dolls featuring a quilt block on some part of the doll.  

I chose to do the tumbling block pattern.

"Circus Tumbler"

Another portion of the doll exhibit is the Treasures of the Gypsy Challenge.  The challenge theme this year was Come to the Mardi Gras.  

This is the Best of Show winner in the Gypsy category, a stunning felted sculpture by Jennifer Schermerhorn:

I didn't  finish my doll in time for the gypsy challenge.  Oh well, there's always next year...

ADAA Conference

I just got back from the All Dolls Are Art Conference in Austin, TX.  TAODA had several tables in the vendor area with lots of wonderful dolls for sale by Neva Waldt, Marlene Slobin, Tina Forester, Adriana Esqueda, Annette Money, Theresa May, Karin Otto-Burfict, and others.  I had to get one of Neva's little flower peeps - he's adorable!

His little head pops up out of the flower - too cute!

I also purchased some great fabrics, trims and doodads from everybody's favorite gypsy, Pamela Armas.  Of course Pamela and her Treasures of the Gypsy booth will be here in Houston in November for the Houston International Quilt Festival.  I always make a bee-line straight to her booth on preview night!

I got some neat things from Jeweled Treasures (also coming to Houston for IQF in November!):  some little blown glass baubles (don't know what I will do with those yet), some wire mesh ribbon, and other little treasures.....

Goodies from Jeweled Treasures

Lauren Vlcek had a great booth with patterns, supplies, and some wonderful cloth nesting dolls.  Of course they don't really nest, but are varying sizes and shaped like the Russian nesting dolls. I couldn't resist.....

Lauren does wonderful faces as you can see.  Lauren taught a class at the conference and I peeked in to see some fantastic butterfly fairies in progress.  I also got to peek in another class being taught by Lisa Renner, who does really interesting work. 

Last, but not least, I picked up some black and white striped fabric from Barb's Quilt Nook which will be perfect for some Halloween dolls I'm working on.

I'm so glad I attended.  It was a fun day.  I saw lots of friends, old and new, and even one I hadn't seen in many years - the wonderful and talented Annie Hess!  Amy Nelson did a wonderful job organizing the conference and says that she already has plans in place for next year's conference at the same location.