I Believe in Angels #18, 28 x 31 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2011. For sale at http://www.etsy.com/shop/ovbrantleyquilts

I believe that I am surrounded by all types of angels who whisper in my ear when the time is right. I like to keep lots of angels in my studio as well as share them with others. After sharing the first 10 angels in this series, I am now working on #11-20. You can find the word “believe” in all of these quilts

I Believe in Angels #18 is an art quilt that measures 28 x 31 inches. The angel is dressed in a batik red robe. The dominant colors of the quilt are purple and red. The quilt is embellished with buttons, inspirational words and a jingle bell to create a sense of music. I did the appliqué on my machine as well as the quilting.

There is a hanging sleeve on the back for easy display and a label that documents the quilt. This quilt is signed on the front and is one of a kind. It is listed for sale in my Studio Store.

Although I did not finish, I made progress. Sorting scraps can be very therapeutic — like washing dishes. It frees the mind. So as I sorted and sorted and sorted, I hope I came up with some new quilt ideas.

How do you organize your scraps?

Blue Heart, 44 x 52 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2012. For sale at etsy.com/shop/ovbrantleyquilts

I guess the cold gray days of January have put me in a blue mood. My first quilt of 2012  turns out to be a blue quilt. (I almost never make blue quilts). I had no particular purpose in making this quilt. As with many of my quilts, the fabric speaks to me. I named it Blue Heart.

After making the quilt, I spent some time adding some hand stitching trying to discern the meaning of this quilt. Hand stitching always clarifies my thoughts.

Blue Heart is listed for sale in my studio store. Let’s hope the weather changes soon.

Life's Twists and Turns, 76 x 99 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2002.

Life’s Twists and Turns is on loan to the Helene S. Mills Senior Multi-Purpose Center.  The Center is located at 515 John Wesley Dobbs, Atlanta, GA.

Martin's Dream, 74 x 87 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2002.

My quilt Martin’s Dream reminds us that we do it for the next generation. Do something today to make the world a better place, no matter how small.

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Subtle Struggle Toward the Dream, 45 x 60 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2011. For sale at www.ovbrant.etsy.com

I am a child of the Civil Rights movement. It is hard to believe that I am only 58 years old, and I attended segregated schools. I grew up in Crossett, Arkansas, and I did not go to school with white children until I was in the seventh grade.

Luckily, my 20-year old daughter can hardly imagine such a thing. She also cannot imagine that she is not pretty. She cannot image that she was born stupid. She cannot imagine anybody thinks she has a tail.  She would not waste one brain cell thinking of such foolishness as my generation did. This is an enormous blessing that I attribute to  the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Because of him, my daughter was  born into a world without limits.  She is free to use her imagination on other things — making a beautiful picture, curing cancer, eliminating poverty, singing classical music, enjoying a wonderful meal in a beautiful restaurant.  You know what I mean, — joyful things instead of hateful things.

Thank you, Dr. King!

Atlanta Album, (This Ain't Baltimore), 75 x 96 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2004

Atlanta Album (This Ain’t Baltimore) returned home this week from an extended stay at the Helene S. Mills Senior Multi-Purpose Facility. The seniors enjoyed having this special quilt brighten their center.

Atlanta Album (This Ain’t Baltimore) is featured in the book Georgia Quilts — Piecing Together a History.  You can purchase this book in my Quilt Book Store.

Subtle Struggle Toward the Dream #1, 45 x 45 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2011. For sale at www.ovbrant.etsy.com.

This is the weekend we pause to remember the past  and to renew our efforts toward a more perfect society. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. got us started. We must finish.

Subtle Struggle Toward the Dream #1 is part of a series of quilts that reminds me that the struggle continues.

Have a Cup of Tea -- There are Plenty More Fish in the Sea, 23 x 23 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2009. For sale at etsy.com/shop/OVBrantleyQuilts

There is nothing like visiting a quilt shop to  get a little inspiration. Recently, I took a lovely, inspiring field trip to Little Quilts quilt shop in Marietta. Little Quilts has always had a slightly different focus than other quilt shops. Like the name implies, it started out focusing on small quilts. Consequently, they carry a lot of small print fabrics.

The other thing I love about Little Quilts is their book selection. It may be the largest quilt book selection in metro Atlanta. Finally, they have a strong focus on appliqué, which I love.

When I made my first small quilt which turned into my Have a Cup of Teaseries, I learned that it is really harder to make a small quilt than a large quilt. However, small quilts are worth the effort because they make great gifts, and they offer the quilter the opportunity to try new techniques without a huge financial investment.

When you are in the Marietta area, make a point to visit Little Quilts for some inspiration.

The quilts will be shown January 21, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. during the Tri-Guild meeting at the Wesley Chapel Library in Decatur. This meeting, which is hosted by the Brown Sugar Stitchers Quilt Guild, is always a lot of fun as quilters from three local quilt guilds come together to share creativity and the joy of quilting.