Colorful Batiks in the Mockingbird Studio Today!

Delicious!

The Polar Vortex may be outside, but inside my studio when I’m quilting it feels like Tahiti!

Tasty tropicals, fabulous florals, and a rainbow of batiks are keeping me warm while I work on a very colorful project.

Enjoy your day!

#ColorMeCountry; #Batiks; #Quilting

#Artquilts

 

Happy Valentines’ Day Floral Watercolor Heart Quilt

A floral heart to brighten your day!

Just a reminder that Valentines’ Day is only a few short days away! …What’s on the agenda for you on this special day?

For those of us who are looking forward to Spring in a big way, I recently made this quilted wallhanging of a floral heart out of 2-inch squares of fabric. It’s called Butterscotch Heart, because of the warm yellow fabrics I chose for the center. You can find this for sale on Etsy under my shop called Color Me Country, along with other floral watercolor/impressionist style quilts as well.

Watercolor impressionist art quilts are made with a color pallet made up of a whole slew of different fabrics. First, I have to cut fabric into 2-inch squares, then I put the various squares up on my design wall and arrange, re-arrange, re-rearrange, flip, switch, swivel, turn, replace, and replace, and replace them until I’m happy with what I see. I usually like to “live” with the piece like this for a day or so on my design wall, just pondering what I see to make sure I’m happy and satisfied with everything. The danger with waiting at this stage of creation is: A little breeze, a mischievous cat, small children, or a well-meaning visitor can destroy the piece in just seconds flat! For instance, I learned firsthand, don’t place your design wall in direct line with the output of an air conditioner vent — I did, and it blew all my fabric squares off the wall onto the floor. Anyway, once I’m ready to “commit”, I then sew the squares together, and it’s bound and quilted, with a hanging sleeve built in the back for ease of hanging. Viola!!!

This is a great Valentines’ gift, Mother’s Day present, or just a little unique something for that person who loves gardening, flowers, bright colors, happy fabrics, or just to cheer up a corner of a wall.

Cheers to the arrival of Spring-like weather!!!!

If you’d like to book a cabin rental, just let me know…870-491-5151.

Loretta Z.

Thanks for Your Support of Mom and Pop Shops

As the owner of a small business, Mockingbird Bay Resort, I totally appreciate the folks who choose to spend their hard-earned money here with us. So on this beautiful Thanksgiving Day, let me just say a big heartfelt THANK YOU to our awesome guests. Without you, we obviously would not be here.
I guess, I’m just trying to remind y’all this holiday season to look for a small business and spend your money there instead of somewhere else. The power of Local…and Community…and unique independent cottage industries is really cool — so instead of shopping at a giant big-box retailer or franchise chain store, think small.
Oh. And as much as I do appreciate American Express for all they’ve done to promote Small Business Saturday and bring awareness to this issue…If you’d really like to help out the little guy and small Mom and Pop shops, then don’t pay with a credit card at all. Pay with cash. That’d really help.

Thanks! …and Happy Thanksgiving everybody! 🙂

The Art Odyssey Open Studio Tour

Mountain Home AR Studio Tours

Guess what everybody?! We’ve been selected to take part in The Art Odyssey, Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce’s third annual open studio tour — so put May 17, 18 and 19 on your calendar, and stop by to take a tour of our home studio where you’ll be able to see where Val and I work when we make jewelry, lampwork beads, art quilted wallhangings, paintings, all-natural soap, etc.! You’ll be able to purchase our various whatsits, too! Looking forward to seeing you here for our first Open Studio Tour…See ya then!

Handmade Disk Pendants (Re-Purposed, Upcycled, and Green!)

Artsy handmade pendant necklace by Valory7.blogspot.com

Hand-painted artsy disk pendants, refreshingly unique, upcycled and repurposed, and made with love by Valory and me. Let us know your favorite color combos, if you’d like it masculine or feminine looking, and we’ll make one for you! Choice of stringing material — either long black cord, or more earthy textured hemp style cording. They look cool singly or with a coordinating/contrasting “buddy disk” (the smaller disk) on top. Either way, only $11 (currently with FREE shipping) and ready for wearing!

Contact us and get your necklace ordered and on its way! 🙂
Thanks!

Cathedral Window Art Quilt

This was one of my favorite quilts to make… It looks hard, but it really wasn’t.  The fabrics do most of the work.  I was able to incorporate some of my favorite brights!   It’s aptly named “Loretta’s Favorite Fabrics”.   🙂

All My Favorite Fabrics by Loretta Zortman

Disappearing 9-patch Tutorial

See what I’m doing with the Disappearing 9-patch…  🙂

Fun Colors!

Spiral Rope Bracelet

Made this rather pretty bracelet…used a vintage button for the clasp. 🙂

Bracelet with Vintage Button Clasp

Mariner’s Compass Quilted Wallhanging

Rainbow Star -- Mariner's Compass

This bright star is a paper-pieced wallhanging that’ll brighten any corner!

It’s currently for sale in my Etsy store ColorMeCountry where it’s fun to buy all things handmade!

Please also see my Mom’s etsy store Ozark Quilter. She has listed some really cool quilts/wallhangings from her extensive stash to sell, and there’ll be a ton more coming in the near future.

…By the way, she is an awesome artist and master quilter!

Go to Mockingbird Bay Resort’s website.

Luscious Purple!

I love purple…

Here’s a nice little ensemble that I made over the weekend with some really cool purple “chicklet-shaped” beads and different shades of pink/fuscia Swarovski crystals –a set of matching earrings, too. Love these! 🙂

I totally mis-spelled fuschia, people! How could that happen?! Sorry to my pink/purple fans out there! 🙂 I stand corrected.

Contact me, if you’d like to buy these bad-boys for somebody (or yourself) for Christmas! ($28 for the set.)