I've been meaning to share this idea with you. When I was teaching at the NC Quilt Symposium earlier this year, I met a woman with painted shoes. That she painted herself!

Turns out she taught classes on shoe painting and one of her students was there. Here's her shoe:

I'm a little fuzzy on the details but as I recall they recommended black leather shoes. You need to scuff up the finish so the paint will stick. Use acrylic paint and put a finish on them when the paint is dry. They said it was a great thing to do to a shoe that was showing some wear. I have some Birkenstocks that I really need to paint.

I used to have a white iron daybed with a white cover on it in this room. I was ready for change and this was a good opportunity to do it. We brought down a twin bed frame that had been my grandmother’s from the attic. I painted it white and then went shopping for sheets (white with dots) and a quilt. I know I could have made a quilt but I just do not have time to piece and quilt a quilt that is going to be abused by both kids and cats. This one was $39 at Target. I got the striped sheets too and put the fitted one on the box spring and the pillowcase on the bed pillow.

Yes, it’s bright in there but it’s not quite as shocking in real life.

There used to be a big stuffed chair the opposite corner of this room. That chair went to Baltimore too – joining our old (but still good!) sofa. I finally got to move the chair below out of the living room and into the bedroom. The fabric on the footstool, that matched the old chair and sofa, was way bad with the new quilt.

I had the pillow sham that matched the new quilt that I ended up not using on the bed. I was going to return it until I realized that I could cut it apart and use it on the footstool.

I’m going to find a colorful quilt to toss on the chair and that should pull the whole room together. On a budget!

I found this photo on Remodelista. Seriously, is this not a quilter's bathroom!

You can use this bathroom yourself if you stay at the Boundary Hotel in Shoreditch in the East End of
London. It makes me happy just to imagine being there! Look close and you can see where they hid the drain in the floor. Lovely attention to detail.

I shopped a bit at an Anthropologie somewhere in Baltimore. It was in a mall – I don’t know which mall. (I was never clear on where north was, there is no way I could find my way back to this mall.) The displays in the store were lots of fun. This one, made from clothespins, was behind the cash register.

What a simple, yet stunning, display! Simple objects used in a new way.

And then there was this map that had been either torn or burned apart. The pieces were stitched in place with what looked like heavy wool thread or very fine wool yarn.

Both of these displays look like “art” to me. Placed in a gallery, I think people would stop and pay attention to them. In a store, used as a display, how often do you think people think “art” when they look at these two pieces? Context is everything – which is something to keep in mind if you aspire to be an art quilter.

When we were in Baltimore last week I spotted these guys. There is a move on in Baltimore to beautify the city with art.

That poor woman is walking right into the toothy mouth of an alligator! Oh no! And the car below is about to be swallowed…

I have a Babylock/Brother Quilter's Choice Professional that I bought in May of 2003 that needs a new home. I rarely sewed on this machine because I only have room for one machine at a time in my sewing table. I realized too late that I don't like to take the time to switch out machines unless I absolutely have to. I have 3 other machines and have simply run out of room for this one.

This machine goes forward and backward only – no zigzag. It is designed for both free-motion and walking foot quilting. The opening is 8 1/2". It has a knee lift.

Here are the feet I have for it.

I have no idea what this machine might be worth so I'm happy to take offers. I can ship it to you! I'm not sure what shipping will be, but I would guess it would be under $50 – maybe under $30. If you are interested, please leave a comment. If you aren't interested but have an idea of what this machine might be worth, please share that info too. I appreciate any help that you can give!

And here are two more images from the folks at ninephotography from the day of the wedding. The green wool tomato is a pin cushion I made from the big wool beads. These photographers are really imaginative!