Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Cool Collections, "It's not tacky, it's Kitsch!

"It's not tacky, it's Kitsch!" 28" X 32" by LAPaylor
This is my Cool Collections challenge quilt made to showcase my collection of  Flamingos, cows, poodles and Betty Boop.
 I also collect fabric, ahem, so I included some of my vast fabric collection of flamingo/cow/Betty/and poodle related fabrics. Oh my friends, it was hard to cut up those precious never to be found again fabrics! As a wise quilter once said to me, if you put them in a quilt you keep, you'll always have them.
Still...


Anyway, I have included some close-ups of each area so you can enjoy them too!
I started by gathering a few of each items from around the house. I set up a photography area, with a drape of navy flannel and arranged the items in different groupings and took pics.
After looking through the many photos, I chose nine that most represented the collection, nine because nine fit on my three sheets of printable fabric. They faded in intensity during the printing, so I went back in with pen, pencil and paint to spruce them up a bit, note the sparkly red paint on each.
Arranged them on the swirly black fabric and couched around them with one of my collected specialty cords. A problem with this was the couching foot skews fabric but the walking foot doesn't have the hole to keep the cord in place.


I used a double needle on the inner border quilting to make it look kind of Fifties like. It needs more quilting but I quite like the line it has now. A judge would not be amused.
The silver flamingo broach is the one in the photo beneath it. The other embellishments are from old jewelry and broken stuff and buttons collected over the years.
Great to get them out of storage and into the open air so I can look at them!
The poorly done writing on the photos is to look like those Polaroid pictures from the sixties. The multi-colored rick rack is available at any store. The letter beads and sequins along the bottom represent my bead collection.
Straight line quilting in the border because that's what I like these days.

Moovers and shakers is a pic of some S&P shakers, couldn't find my flamingo shakers. The poodle walkers are two Christmas ornaments. Couldn't find my cow pen. DH was upset by the hanging poodle angel pendant. Don't know if that was because it reminded him of moving on, or if he knows Cole isn't an angel.


When I asked DH if the beads were tacky, he started chuckling. I said, be careful....
He said he wasn't sure if there is such a thing as too tacky for me, or if the quilt was so far gone already it didn't matter.

Well, it speaks for me, and I love it and I got to use my creativity and favorite fabrics and share it with my peeps! Winning!
LeeAnna

17 comments:

bearbuster said...

I love it too! It came together beautifully. Your collected fabric around the outside really adds so much! And I love all the extra pins and beads, etc. It's truly a collection of you :) Pat

Susan at TheBoredZombie.com said...

dang it! Blogger keeps losing my comments... or are the moderated? This is a test. this is only a test. If comments are not moderated, and actual comment will soon follow....

Susan at TheBoredZombie.com said...

Nope. Blogger hiccups!

Anyway, what I tried to say was:

I really dig the border and the embellishments! Sometimes a WHOLE LOT of too much is exactly enough, right? I, of course, heart the flamingos and cows too.

I haven't bought cow parade in about 2 years. I have 50 or so that I love, but it may be time to thin the herd. I just don't think I can let go of them though!

PugMom said...

AWESOME! I always love to see what you come up with, you are so creative. I used to collect cow salt and pepper shakers... need to find them a new home... want some?

Jehnny said...

Bahaha, I love it! Not tacky or kitsch, whimsical hehe!

Fort Worth Fabric Studio said...

What an awesome quilt! Love all the little extras you put in there! :)

Thank you for linking up to Fabric Frenzy Friday!
-Lindsey
Fabric Frenzy Friday

Lorna McMahon said...

Oh, LeeAnna! It's perfect! I love the title. You are so right. It is as pleasurable to look upon as it was for you to create. The fabrics are perfect and I love the dark background. Really lets those photo pieces shine!

Elita@Busy Needle Quilting said...

Awww, they are so cute! I think it's wonderful to have all those collectibles on a quilt. You did a great job putting it all together. Well done!

http://www.busyneedle.ch

Michele Lasker said...

Hi. Thanks for sharing your lovely work with us. I love all the bright colors that you are using. Do you ever use batiks or dye your own fabric? Your sensibility with fabric and color lends itself to using both batiks and hand dyed fabric. I enjoyed seeing your work very much.

Joanne said...

Hi LeeAnna!
What a great way to display your collections! Kitch is so in! Mom used to say "less is more". But sometimes more is definately better!
Take care,
Joanne

Shirley said...

We make our art to please ourselves, not somebody else. You have stayed true to your idea and concept...Great piece. You have made your statement and stand up for it, GREAT JOB!!

LA Paylor said...

I often use batiks and my hand dyes. There is a page at the top with several of my pieces and the label at the side will bring up posts on my art. Please view at your leisure! Love your comments!
LeeAnna

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

How beautiful LeeAnna and as always very creative! Thanks for sharing.
Freemotion by the River Linky Party Tuesday

Rebecca Grace said...

This is such a cool quilt! I laughed about the beads... My husband doesn't get the need for beads, either. More is more! :-) I enjoyed your Time Flies quilt, too -- the clock is actually FUNCTIONAL?!! I found you today via Val's Archives linky.

Val's Quilting Studio said...

I always smile when I see your quilts and I can easily see why this one is a favorite!!

Nancy said...

Very nice. I like the embellishments you added.

JanineMarie said...

What a fun way to showcase your collections!