Because I Felt Like It -- Atlanta Album (This Ain't Baltimore!)

I am really just a country girl at heart. I grew up in Crossett, Arkansas, a town of 6000 people even until this day. Even though I have lived in Hotlanta all of my adult life, I am drawn to all things country.

When I saw the designs that make up Atlanta Album (This Ain't Baltimore!), I thought, "This is as close as I will ever get to making a Baltimore Album quilt!" This quilt allowed me to practice raw edge applique and to do a little color exploration with the various threads. It is country with a touch of Africa. It measures 75 x 96 inches and was quilted by Sylvia Davis.

Atlanta Album (This Ain't Baltimore!) was exhibited at the 2005 Bulloch Hall show in Roswell, GA and the 2005 East Cobb County show in Marietta, GA. Later it won the 2005 Best of Show Award at the Brown Sugar Stitchers Quilt Show. It was selected to be included in the Georgia Quilt Project book that documents quilts in Georgia. The book is due out in November, 2006.

I haven't met anyone who does not love this quilt. It is my pride and joy.

Because I Felt Like It -- Menopause Circles

I was having one of those days -- going from room to room and then couldn't remember why or what I was in the room for. When I saw a quilt with circles on it featured in quilt calendar, it just seemed to capture my mood. Menopause Circles was born.

Menopause Circles measures 56 x 72 inches, and was quilted by Sylvia Davis. It was purchased by a collector in Louisiana. Unfortunately, I keep having those menopausal days. Look for a sequel to Menopause Circles.

Because I Felt Like It -- Flowers Growing Free

I wanted to learn applique. I loved the way the flowers seemed to be growing freely nwithour prearrangement. Flowers Growing Free was born. It measures 84 x 84 inches. Sylvia Davis did the beautiful quilting.

This quilt turned out to be the prequel to Flowers Hoping to Be Free.

Quilts Because I Felt Like It

Sometimes I make quilts for other people. I enjoy giving quilts to people who don't expect them. The joy on someone's face when they realize I spent weeks of my life making somethng just for them is a treasured joy and remembrance.

Sometimes I make quilts just for me. It could be because I am feeling a certain way. It could be because I want to preserve a special memory. It could be because I am moved by a picture or a pattern.

Flowers Growing Free, Menopuse Circles and Atlanta Album (This Ain't Baltimore!) are some of my "Because I felt like it Quilts!"

Heavenly Melody

Heavenly Melody was created specifically to be part of the Brown Sugar Stitchers exhibition of colorful quilts at the Art Station Gallery in Stone Mountain. The design was inspired from a greeting card. The ladies appear to be part of a celestial choir -- hence the name.

Heavenly Melody is hand appliqued and embellished with buttons and rhinestones. It measures 48 x 48 inches and was machine quilted by Sylvia Davis. There is a hanging sleeve on the back and it is signed.

It is on sale for $2000.00 and will be on display at the Art Station Gallery until August 20, 2006. Contact the Art Station Gallery at info@artstation.org for additional information.

Flowers Hoping to be Free

Flowers Hoping to Be Free is on display at the Art Station Gallery in Stone Mountatin Georgia. It is a traditional four block applique quilt that measures 75 x75 inches. The hand appliqued blocks are outlined by red piping and framed by a poinsetta border. The flower centers are embellished with buttons. The back of the quilt is a poinsetta print. It has a hanging sleeve on the back for easy display.

The name comes from the fact that it took the quilter five years to finish the quilt. It was started early in the quilters career and put aside as too difficult. Meanwhile the quilter made Flowers Growing Free which can be viewed at http://www.clarafordfoundation.org/ and then returned to finish Flowers Hoping to Be Free.

This quilt was created by O.V. Brantley and machine quilted by Sylvia Davis. It is signed and sells for $3000.00.

Contact the Art Station Gallery at info@artstation.org for more information on this quilt.

African Canvas Memory Quilt Series

The African Canvas Memory Quilt series is a collection of 100 unique quilts. The quilts are intended to be memory quilts, and the collector is encouraged to add "snippets of his/her life" to the quilt. Each quilt is numbered and signed. The quilts in this collection have been sold to collectors around the globe at the Underground Railroad Quilt Code Museum in Atlanta, GA and on EBAY, as well as, auctioned to benefit various charities.

To view the entire collection visit http://www.africancanvasquilts.blogspot.com. The quilt that started the series From Africa to Atlanta By Way of Arkansas is shown here.

The Office Quilts

When I first began quilting, I was reluctant to display my work publicly. Who would want to look at something I created? The first audience with which I felt comfortable was my colleagues at the office. After giving baby quilts, wedding quilts and birthday quilts and seeing the joy on the face of the recipients, I finally decided that people liked my quilts because they liked me.

That realization led me to create the first office signature quilt in 2001. I just thought that the people who had given me such enthusiastic encouragement should be enshrined in history. Everyone in the office signed a block and Fulton County Attorneys was born.

Later, when our office space was expanded, I decided to make a quilt for each conference room and the reception area. After going to all that trouble, why not have an open house and honor my County Attorney predecessors? So I did.

After every conference room was adorned with a quilt, new staff members felt left out because their name was not on a quilt. This led to the creation of an annual office signature quilt.

Now you know the history of “The Office Quilts.” Here they are. I hope you like them as much as the visitors to our office.

Daily Report Features Office Quilts

The office quilts created such a buzz that they were featured in the Fulton County Daily Report, the legal newspaper for Fulton County. While I know the quilts cannot compare to the master artists that adorn the big law firms, I certainly hope the quilts make visitors to the office feel welcome.

Fulton County Attorneys, 97 x 107 inches. 2001 office signature quilt.

Fulton County Attorney Stars, 68 x 74 inches. 2002 office signature quilt.

Fulton County Attorney Law Library, 104 x 84 inches. 2003-04 office signature quilt.

Will Litigate for Food, 96 x 112 inches. 2005 office signature quilt.

Friends and Foes are Welcome Here, 72 inches x 80 inches. 2003. Dedicated to Judge Susan Forsling.

Martin's Dream, 74 x 87 inches. 2003. Dedicated to Judge Linda Walker.

Life's Twists and Turns, 76 x 99 inches, 2002. Hangs in the reception area.

Evora's Earth

Evora's Earth honors my morther Evora Hicks, who was born and raised in Crossett, AR. She was the mother of three girls -- Rhonda, LaJetta and me.

This quilt hangs in my personal conference room at work to provide me daily inspiration and thoughtful wisdom. It measures 85 x 96 inches and was finished in 2001. It took 14 months to finish this quilt.

Every day of of my life I try to be like her.