EAA AirVenture Quilt Block Contest

This is the first year I joined the EAA AirVenture Quilt Block Contest, submitting a the very first quilt block I've ever made in my life!  I thought it would be a fun challenge, and I'm so glad I decided to do it.  Although I didn't place, my quilt block is still hanging on the EAA AirVenture Museum wall with 19 other quilt blocks.  Makes me proud to know my work is hanging up among other gorgeous aviation themed quilt blocks!  Here are a few pictures from when I was at the museum a few days ago...

 Above: Me standing below my quilt block...I'm a bit short to get up any closer to it.  LOL!

You can also view the wall of quilt blocks as well as the winners and honorable mention quilt blocks by going here... EAA AirVenture Quilt Block Contest

EAA AirVenture 2011 - Oshkosh, WI - USA

This week in Oshkosh, WI is the annual EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) AirVenture and Air Show.  (This year is their 100th anniversary, too). 

My dad, Greg Klemp, Sr., owner of Sheer Technologies,  is a pilot as well as a dealer for Challenger aircraft.  He has a booth at the EAA every year.  My parents have a small landing strip in their back yard as well as dad's hangar, which he rents out to other pilots for their Challenger aircraft.
The annual EAA is a big deal to my dad and to many of his colleagues.
Below is a photo of my dad speaking with some visitors at the Challenger booth...   

The following are a few more photos from the EAA, which I attended on their opening day, Monday, July 25, 2011...

USA Navy Helicopter (above & below)

 The Jelly Belly Camper & Airplane (below)

 The plane that broke the world's altitude record (below)

 

 USA Army Drone (above) and a USA Army Medic Helicopter (below)

 USA Dept of Interior (below)

  USA Marines (below)

 Farmer's Air Ship (blimp) - 1 of only 2 of the largest in the world - (below) 

 The Wing-Walking Bi-Plane (above & below)

 Me, standing in front of a seriously cool sea plane! (below) 

Below are some videos from a few performances in the airshow at the EAA...

I've got a few more videos of the airshow, but unfortunately it takes a long time to upload them, so I may have to add them another time, as it's going on 4:30am and I have yet to go to bed for the night!

Bibs, Burp Cloths and Blankets...

All made for twin baby girls ~

Angel's "Traveling E-Reader Hipster"

This was a request from a friend for his wife's birthday. I was asked to put an angel on the front, so I found a clip art image of an angel holding a book...PERFECT! I printed the image onto ink jet printable fabric, then appliqued it to the front of the hipster.

*"Traveling E-Reader Hipster" - *Pattern purchased from and created by BirdifulStitches 

The above photo was sent to me by the recipient's husband...

It shows her e-reader with the hipster.

This is the first time I've ever made anything even remotely like this...it's not perfect, but with practice I'll get it down pat!  I have a very difficult time reading patterns, so I struggled with making this one, then I finally gave up on instructions and ended up finishing it by just looking carefully at the pictures that BirdifulStitches provided in the pattern.  The only thing I had to seriously change was to not make the shoulder strap adjustable.  For the life of me I could not figure out how to do it.  Maybe someday I'll be better at making things such as this e-reader hipster!  ;o)

 

CURRENTLY FOR SALE at Gina's Custom Creations

The following items are currently for sale...

"Holding Cell" - $125

Round Queen Horse Quilt (100" Circumference) - $400

Gina's "Mango Tango" Quilt - $150

Gift Card Heart Pillow (Does not come w/gift card) - $35

Front of Pillow: Above
Back of Pillow: Below

"Summer Romance" Quilted Picnic Blanket - $100

*Shipping costs are additional and are not reflected in above prices.

*Items can be shipped directly to a gift recipient at no extra cost.

My New Business Cards...

I like my new business cards!  Created and ordered through FedEx Office.  A great company to get most, if not all, of your business products through!

Princeton, Wisconsin Spring 2011 Arts & Crafts Fair: My Very First Craft Fair/Booth!

Running on only 3 hours of sleep (because I had to bartend the night before), I drug myself out of bed to gather my things together and head on over to the craft fair to host my very first Gina's Custom Creations booth ever!  I shared a booth with my long time and very good friend Peter Thorson, of Treasured Wooden Creations, Plainfield, IL.  He made the long drive to my neck of the woods to share a booth with me and to help me out with my first craft fair booth, as he's been doing these things for years.  Peter and I met in high school and remained friends ever since.

Here's a few pictures of our booth...

 

 Unfortunately the weather turned ugly on us and it started to rain...we moved things in under the canopy and hung a tarp off the back behind my round horse quilt.  So the last three photos reflect that.
It eventually got so windy and cold out, we had to pack it up and leave.  But, that's the hazards of an outdoor craft fair!  LOL!

I did manage to sell 2 blankets before the weather got bad though!

My EAA AirVenture Quilt Block Contest Quilt Block:

Another quilting contest has fallen into my list of project-to-do's!
EAA AirVentureQuilt Block Contest

I couldn't resist entering this contest when I found out about it.  My dad is a pilot.  He also builds and sells Challenger aircraft, as well as teaches pilot lessons.  He's actively involved in the Oshkosh, Wisconsin EAA every year, and I decided to make a quilt block in honor of my dad.  My dad loves nautical scenes, and especially lighthouses, so I made my quilt block to reflect a vintage bi-plane flying along the seacoast at night, with a lighthouse brightly lit.

Here's my quilt block:

"Seaside Night Flight"
By Gina Klemp-Koston

Unfortunately, since I'm still learning to monogram with my sewing machine,
I ended up getting the monogramming really crooked on the back!
Good thing they don't judge by the back!

I created the lighthouse, landscape, sky background, moon and water from cutting and sewing together fabric pieces that I cut to the shape I wanted.  The bi-plane was actually cut from airplane fabric, then the airplane was appliqued onto the block...the lighthouse and moon are also appliqued on.  

I used silver thread to enhance the bigger stars in the sky, and I used a bright yellow thread to make the light beams from the lighthouse.

This was a fun and challenging project!  Now I just gotta keep my fingers crossed on the outcome!