Famous Female Faces, AQS Grand Rapids, and a First Place win!

Yesterday I received a phone call from Andrea of AQS letting me know that our Journeys Thru Art entry, Famous Female Faces, had won First Place in the Ultimate Guild Challenge at AQS Quiltweek - Grand Rapids. OMG, I was thrilled! I had to pinch myself (twice) to make sure I wasn't imagining it. I don't care how many times you hear the news that you have placed at a national show, the same excitement runs through you each and every time! Immediately, I called everyone in the group... wow, calling 7 peeps with such exciting news really takes awhile.  I now feel for Andrea as she calls each and every winning quilt personally... whew!

Here is the official listing of all the AQS Grand Rapids winners - Congratulations!!

I can't wait to see them hanging together -- yes, YOU, if YOU are at the show, send pics!!

This project started back toward the beginning of 2014. We were sitting at a Journeys meeting, it was just three of us -- Pam, Natalie, and myself -- and we were casually discussing the project for 2015. Out of nowhere the idea smacked us in the forehead... a face. Okay, more brainstorming, a female face. We were soooo excited (me especially as I had been wanting to make a Lucy quilt for some time). It was almost painful waiting to discuss it with the other members. The idea was well accepted and our 2015 project was planned. A few of us immediately knew what face we would be working on, while a couple of others changed their minds several times. We were not very strict with our rules -- mainly it had to be an easily recognizable female face, and had to fit within the minimum of 30" wide and a maximum of 60" long. We were able to use any technique we chose. I like that they are all different, that bothers some people, but I feel each of us had an idea and a process we wanted to follow. I don't think they would have turned out as awesome if we were all forced to follow the same technique and/or be contained in one specific size.

For those that haven't seen them, here they are:

Lucy (43x53) - Karen Marchetti

Diana (39x38) - Pam Post

Carmen Miranda (31x36) - Marian McCoin

Lady Liberty (38x46) - Natalie Carlton

Mary (36x48) - Nancy Parsons

Pebbles (39x47) Kathy Rentz

Georgia's Pride (49x35) - Nancy Smith

Tina Simply the Best (33x42) - Barbara Lacey

Aren't they just the greatest!! And here is the awesome group of ladies that created these beauties: