STITCHED

I have been so busy with costumes, travel, birthdays and preparation I've neglected to mention by biggest project.  Alma Stoller invited me to be part of an amazing new project, STITCHED.  Twenty  fabric artists are creating twenty new online video workshops.  With your paid subscription you can have access to all the workshops and the STITCHED website, including PDFs, 5 mini tutorials by Alma and lots of bonus information. 

My workshop is Mini Treasure Box of Dreams.  I'm excited to share all my quirky, not traditional methods of quilting and create a project that is special to my heart.  My little digital camera died on a hiking trip this summer.  I used this project as an excuse to buy a new Nikon digital SLR.  As I wait for it to arrive I'm working on samples, photos and all the step outs so ready to start shooting when my new camera arrives. 

Houston -- What an Experience!

Twelve by Twelve exhibit from the red carpet

I am still trying to a handle on everyday life after spending four days in Houston at the International Quilt Festival with the Twelve by Twelve exhibit.  Thanks to the Del Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection all 288 quilts from the last four years of our project were on display.  It was truly amazing to see them all in person for the first time.  Plus, nine of the twelve of us were able to travel to the show.  Our remaining friends were there in spirit and as cardboard cutouts.

Brenda, Terri, Kirsty, Terri, Diane, Gerrie, Francoise, Karen, Deborah, Helen, Nikki, Kirstin

I couldn't believe the size of the quilt show.  Deborah measured the convention center on Google maps and it is 7/10 of a mile from one end to the other, a full 3 city blocks.  This small town girl has never been around so many beautiful quilts. Notice the golf cart in the middle of this picture -- that's how big the show was.



Entrance to the exhibit with the Orange Colorplay mosaic



I was bit overwhelmed  spent most of mine time in our exhibit.  It was a perfect home in the middle of everything.  Plus I felt like a rock star signing autographs and loved talking to people about how much fun the whole experience has been.  We had people taking our pictures.  Several times I had a hard time writing my name because of the bright spots in front of my eyes. 

Book signing



I loved how people would look at the mosaics, traveling from one to the next.  When the figured out that each mosaic had a theme or that the same artist did the quilt in the same place of each mosaic they would gain a whole new appreciation and would have to start over at the beginning.  I can't tell you how gratifying it was to have so many people tell us how wonderful the exhibit was.  Quite a few even said it was the best part of the whole show.  Even better than that though, was for so many people to realize that they can do the same thing.  We're not superstar quilters that are better than everyone else.  We're just twelve women who came together for inspiration and fun.  So many people went home with plans to start their own challenge groups.   





The paparazzi



A Halloween Birthday

My daughter's birthday is coming up in a couple weeks.  I'm actually leaving the morning after her big day for the International Quilt Festival in Houston so we are doing her birthday party the weekend before. She decided to go with a Halloween theme.  I am using a print of my "Beware" art quilt for her invitations. I just love the copper wire broom.  I don't know if it will be evident in the prints so I will have to have the original on display. The party is also suppose to include a Haunted House--that one I am going to have to put Dad in charge of.  He always comes up with the creepy, gross stuff.  And I haven't even started thinking about costumes.  How does one mom get so far behind?  Maybe I will have to convince them all to be something made out of cardboard and I can put Dad in charge of that too.

Hand Work To Go

Lately I haven't had any studio time.  It is go-go-go around here with all the activities.  What little time I've had at home, I've spent prepping work to go.  Above is all the bead work that I did on my daughter's birthday present.  She loves to draw, so I made her a journal I keep some of her precious sketches.  I'm still debating between the bottom two.  She loves pink and purple, but I really like the splashes of green.  I have two weeks to decide, so I wont worry about it for now.  I did learn the hard way to make sure the bead container is closed tightly. Whoops. At least it was in the storage area in the door of the car when it opened so the mess was contained.  I think I still have a few spare beads rolling around in there--just in case I need some when I'm out and about.

This morning I'm making a bunch of fabric beads.  I'll then have all the little scrolls to tie with ribbon and yarn waiting in the car for when I have a few spare minutes.  At least I shouldn't have to worry too much about them scattering everywhere. 

I actually have a day at home today.  I really need to do a lot of free motion quilting.  I ran my first ever half marathon on Sunday and hopefully my leg wont hurt too bad to push the foot pedal. 

What I Unearthed

The studio is officially clean, well at least it was when I took the pictures.  I now have space to work and a lot of projects to work on.  I even managed to find a couple projects that I started last winter and literally haven't seen the light of day since. 

One project was based on my Pizza Planet quilt from the Eggplant Twelve by Twelve challenge.  All those squares are suppose to be sewn together and then fabric paper circles appliqued.  I might have time to work on it after Christmas, but something tells me that it might be another year before that one gets done. 

The other was a bubbly circle quilt with the colors I used for the Chartreuse challenge.  That one has a little more chance of being finished since it is simpler.  I think a few of the fabric paper circles were stolen though when I was working on our Orange theme. 

State of the Studio

A pretty sorry state!  Now this would be part of  the reason I have created very little this summer and blogged even less.  As you search through the layers you can find evidence of the Spicy, Gray and Orange Twelve by Twelve challenges.  The boxes in the middle of the room and sitting on the table are from the Bainbridge Artist Studio Tour in August. And the latest layers are finds from my late Grandma's house as we are cleaning it out.  I admit it, I haven't cleaned in months unless you count moving the boxes around to find something at the bottom of the pile.  The kids are now back in school and I have had a couple of weeks to get the rest of the house in order.  I think it is now time to attack the studio.  I really would like to get back in there to work.  I miss my art! But if I don't come back out -- SEND HELP!

Spicy Reveal Day

Today's reveal day again over at the Twelve by Twelve blog!  The latest challenge is filled with Spice -- Paprika, Asafoetida, Cumin and Turmeric to be exact. 

Power



Power
3"x5"

 Don't we all wish we had magic powers.  I could definitely use them to get all the chores done -- nothing too big, just a clean bathroom and Mt. Laundry put away neatly.  And the driving, I could do without the 1.5 hours of driving/waiting for kids every day.  But of course it can't be that easy.

The truth is I know where real power comes from.  I'm just a little too scared to be that vulnerable.  I'm learning to trust, although I've taken a few steps backwards in the past few years.  Today's goal, step out of my shell more.

Spirit

Spirit
3"x5"

When I think of spirit my first thought is high school cheer leading.  "We've got spirit, yes we do.  We've got spirit.  How 'bout you?" No, I wasn't a cheerleader--more of a goofy nerd who was just trying to find her way like everyone else.  But that wasn't what I was aiming for with this little quilt.  Instead, I meant the spirit inside that longs to fly with grace and beauty.  Sometimes I'm not sure if I've really come that far from those days longer ago than I really want to admit.  Other times, I feel much more confident with myself.  But most of the time, I think, I'm just too busy to worry about it much.  For now I will just ride this roller coaster and pray the screams are for joy.

Happy Mother's Day

Mom!  That's me, with my loving husband and four wonderful kids.  I hope all the other Moms out there have the best Mother's Day ever!

Play

Play
3"x5"

I love the bright yellow of this little quilt.  It gives so much energy to the purple and orange--a bit of sunshine shining on all that fun.  I really can't wait for summer so every day can feel like this!  I want to play outside, or at the very least, send the kids outside to play so I can play in my art room.

Flutter

Flutter
3"x5"

Flutter, I think that might be what I have been doing too much of lately.  I feel like I flutter from one things to the next, only without the grace and beauty of a butterfly.  How to make it look easy, that's the question?

Dream

Dream
3"x5"

Dreaming is one of my favorite activities.  I find it gives me energy and inspiration.  I start thinking about possiblities and where I want to go.  I get so excited in my mind that I have to take action.   I'm finding also that my dreams are an indicator of my long term moods. I know I am down in a rut when I don't even have the energy to dream.  So today's goal -- DREAM BIG DREAMS!

Discover



Discover
3"x5"

I case you hadn't noticed, these are my latest series of little art quilts.  I decided to go a little larger, 3"x5" (I know, I went crazy), so I could use my collection of metal letter to spell out larger words.  I could only fit three or four letter words on my mini 2"x3" quilts.  I mounted these on 5"x7" cards.  I thought it would be fun to post them individually and respond to each.  They are saved on my computer in alphabetical order so I am just going down the list.

Today's word happens to be "Discover."  What does it mean to discover?  I'm thinking that it is when you learn, find or figure something out on your own, without someone else just giving you the information.  I'm not very good at listening when someone tells me what or how do something.  Discovery is a much more affective means of learning for me.  It may not always be the easiest though.  Sometimes I have to do things the hard way.  Sometimes I have to do a lot of digging.  And sometimes I am so lost I don't even know where to start.  But it's worth it. 

Dance

Dance
3"x5"

I used to dance throughout the house all the time. Somewhere along the line I got tired. lazy. uninspired. To dance in the kitchen daily sounds like a wonderful goal. Fun, exercise and embarassing the children, what more could I ask for?