An exciting new quilt journal finished

Well it's only taken me 3 months!! but I've finally finished my March quilt journal for an Australian and New Zealand swap group I belong to. We are to make a quilt journal for each month, I hit a creative block with March! The technique was "abstract art from a photo" and the theme was "reflections and memories". I haven't created anything abstract, but I've based it round an old photo, and every time I look at it, it brings so many memories back to me. I consider it covers the requirements.

I have not been able to get my mind round the March quilt, I had ideas but no inspiration? No idea of how to put it all together. (Have you been there?) Anyway I was visiting Lynda Monk's blog and read about her method of painting her fabric. Mmmmm... I was instantly inspired to try it out. I have never done anything like this before, never mixed paint with quilted work. So I quilted the layers, painted over them with arcylic paint, 3 layers, attached the photo transfers, and words, and tag. Then I trimmed the piece and sewed it to a piece of black felt. The painted surface is like leather, and is very tactile. I think I like the result. In fact I may try it again at some stage. I think I was a bit heavy handed with the paint and the colour is a bit dark and perhaps a little thick?

The little girl on the left of the photo is my grandmother, and she is pictured with her mother and her sister and brother. Her father was a jeweler in England, and when he died they travelled to New Zealand to start a new life. They had a pretty darn tough upbringing when they got to New Zealnd, and although I never knew my great grandmother, I have lots of lovely memories of my grandmother and her sibblings. The wife of the little boy on the right is the only one still alive and she has lived in England all her life.

Anyway, phew! I'm pleased I'm over the march block, I can now move on!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Carole