I've Been Caught!!!

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm a closet artist. I've felt rather shy about telling my friends and family about this blog. Somehow it's easier to share my art with complete strangers than to expose myself to the people I know and love. Call my crazy--I think the same thing a lot of the time. My dear friend Shannon found this blog while trying to check up on little Maddie. She is now exposing me to Kitsap County. I guess, that's what friends are for. Another friend, Stephanie, even wrote about me for her Art Appreciation class. Thank you guys for all your encouragement, even if you had to search for my work.

These are two more quilts that I made from my paint rags I quilted several weeks ago. I'm working on my skill of sewing triangles without the small pieces getting caught in the throat plate. I also have been working on sewing together curves. Hopefully I will have more time to practice my skills. Currently, life seems to be getting in the way.

Peek-A-Boo Sunflower

I created this quilt for the quiltart Flower Power Challenge. We each took the test "What Flower are You." I was a sunflower. I began by drawing a sunflower with watercolor crayons. I used both the artist quality crayons and my kids Colorix watercolor crayons. I actually liked my kid's crayons better. They made bolder marks. The only draw backs is they are slightly oily and fine details are difficult. I then free motion quilted the drawing. I then cut it apart and added the white window sashing. I really like the fun aspect of the sunflower peeking through the window. I know you would never actually get this view, since sunflowers tend to face the sun. I just have to tell my logical, technically correct side to be quiet. Lucky for me, I now have several bright shiny flower quilts to keep me company when the weather is dreary. This is especially useful since I neglected my garden this year. The only thing I have growing is dandelions, but that's for another challenge.

Look for Me at the Art-O-Mat

I keep forgetting to mention where my little works of art can be found. Look for my "Dreams" in the Art-O-Mat machines at: City Visitor's Bureau in Winston-Salem, NC Erie Art Museum in PA Contemporary Museum Shop in Honolulu, HI Amarillo Art Museum in TX. I would love any feed back from those who have visited an Art-O-Mat machine.

Twelve x Twelve

Diane Hock invited me to join the new small quilt challenge group, Twelve By Twelve. We are twelve artists creating 12" x 12" art quilts based on an inspirational word. I feel totally out of my league with these guys, but I will give it my best shot. Our first word is "Dandelion" thanks to Diane. This is proving to be quite the challenge for me, since the color yellow isn't my favorite and I am finding I can't seem to draw dandelions. The only thing going for me is the fact we seemed to have replaced our lawn with these prolific flowers. We have two months for each of these challenge quilts, so I am spending the first month exploring different ideas and filling a sketchbook. I will then have a month to complete the actual quilt due November 1st. Check out our blog to monitor every one's progress.

Traditional Block?

Does this count as a traditional log cabin quilt block? Maybe from a distance, but the construction methods were anything but traditional. I free motion quilted my paint clean up rags with variegated metallic thread. I then cut slightly angled strips and pieced together log cabin blocks. I have no background in traditional quilting, so I was guessing as to how to do the log cabin. I think I might need to get a book on traditional patterns--the old saying of "you need to know the rules so you can break them." I also made a postcard and ATC with the scraps. I was questioning my sanity when I was zigzagging together quarter inch wide strips--but they were sitting there not wanting to go in the trash. I named the ATC "X marks the spot." These are the pieces of quilted that I started with. My husband was surprised at my choice of muted colors until I informed him they were the paint clean up rags.

I Got In!!!

Contrary Sunflower was juried into the Art Quilts XII show in Chandler, AZ. This is the first show I've ever been accept into. I'm so excited. Now I just have to get to work sewing on the sleeve.

Bits and Pieces for Art-o-Mat

I've been busy creating a new series for Art-O-Mat call "Bits and Pieces." I sewed together the little pieces that I trimmed from my larger quilts and postcards. This little pieces, title "Blowing in the Wind" was born when I realized Contrary Sunflower wasn't standing up straight--of course, after I had sewed on the yarn trim. Out came the rotary cutter and I was left with some long strips edged with eyelash yarn. These came together for some fun mini quilts.

Seeing Sunflowers

Here are two new quilts I made with a sunflower theme. They are made in a similar mannor, but have very different looks.

I enjoy the realistic bright sunny sunflower faces in Field of Sunflowers. They make me happy shining on my wall, especially during this rather dreary summer we are having in the Pacific Northwest. When I was laying out the petals my 4 year old daughter kept telling me I was doing it wrong -- they should only be yellow, not have bits of color poking through. Little did she know what was to come next.

I wanted to try using the compliments to the colors typically seen in nature. I named the piece "Contrary Sunflower" since the colors are so contrary to one's expectations. My husband says the colors remind him of my great-grandmother. I think they look sweet like a lollypop.

To make the quilts, I first quilted the fabric and then painted the backgrounds. I appliqued fabric paper for the petals and leaves. The enters are yarn felted onto circles of wool felt with the needle felting machine. I used ribbon for the stems. Finally, I finished the edges by couching yarn around the edge. I having a lot of fun experimenting with combining fabric, paper and anything else that seems to fit.

The Making of Leaves

I used the sunshine yesterday as an excuse to make some fabric paper and paint fabric. Being able to dry things outside always makes life easier around here. I needed more green fabric paper for my QuiltArt Flower Power challenge quilt. I, for once, thought to take pictures of the process to demonstrate here. I first learned about this technique in Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine and Beryl Taylor's book Mixed Media Explorations.

I first started with white muslin. I coated it with watered down white glue and added scrapbook paper. I thought the clocks would add a fun background layer.

I then added more glue and tissue paper.

Then came the paint. I used several colors of green and teal. I watered down the paint quite a bit so that it would flow across the tissue paper. I work on a piece of plexiglass so that I can tilt the paper, causing the paint to run. The final product is always a surprise.

Here's a little teaser of the leaves that I created.

A Backwards Approach to Quilting

I finished two quilts using the materials I prepared last week. I'm really enjoying this new approach to quilting. First I quilted the fabric. Then I hand painted the pieces. I then cut them up and pieced them together using a zigzag stich. I also included fabric paper that I made in coordinating colors. I love the texture and bright colors in these works. They are also very interesting hanging in a window. The back lighting shows off the pieces of torn scrapbook paper in the fabric paper.

I am working on a title for the square quilt. I made it for the Breaking Traditions Art Quilt Exhibit at the American Sewing Expo. The theme is "Connections." I used the paper and fabric and bright colors to express that although we tend to focus on people's differences, we are all connected in a patchwork and made one family. This is an expansion on small quilt I previously posted. Now I just need a good title and to mail it off. This will be the first quilt that I have exhibited at a major venue. My first public veiwing will be at our county fair that is coming up in a couple of weeks.

This other quilt also needs a name. I made if from small bits of the quilted fabric and fabric paper randomly sewn together. This photo is of it hanging in the window with the sun shining through. I placed it in a frame I had around the house and I love the way it looks -- very professional. Now I am just waiting for my husband to hang it in our bedroom over the computer. I'm sure the bright colors are going to be necessary once the rainy season begins again. Some day I am going to have to start selling my work or get a bigger house because we are running out of wall space.

Makings of an Art Quilt

I have the raw materials prepared to cut up and put together. I prequilted several pieces of fabric and then painted them with fabric paints. I also made fabric paper in cordinating colors. I'm anxious to get to work sewing them together, but I ran out of gold thread. I'll just have to wait until I can escape from home alone to do a little shopping. (Sorry, I have a cold and I'm not feeling ver talkative today.)

Keepsakes for My Kids

I made inchie collages for each of my kids as a way to celebrate and remember each of them at this stage in their lives. I had fun picking out colors, buttons and charms that reminded me of each of them. I was a little limited by the supplies that I had on hand. I would really like to hunt for special little things as we are out and about. I can always make more as they grow. My oldest daught is Isabelle Grace. She loves dinosaurs, catching buterflies and dragonflies, and prefers to swim like a fish under the water. My second daughter is Annaliese Faith. She is a princess who is into fairies, flowers and collecting bugs also. She loves anything pink, purple or pretty. My third daughter is Rosaliegh Hope. Her favorite color is Green. She also like to collects butterflies, but she isn't as good at catching them. She often pretends she is a dog or cat, even to point of wanting to build a dog house and sleep outside. Our youngest is Emitt Isaac. He loves cars, tractors, rocks, building things, and giving big, sloppy kisses. His middle name means Laughter so I added the word laugh a couple times. The kids love looking at them and discovering the things I have added. Someday I will let them hang in thier rooms, but for now I have them in the hallway art gallery so I can keep a better eye on them.

A Child's Garden

My Children inspired these postcards. These days my garden more often than not looks a little attacked. The kids do love to bring me flowers and play wedding. I've learned to relax a little and enjoy the flowers for the few minutes they are intact. When the kids are older I'll have plenty of time for flower gardens.

Leftover Popsicles

I finally have my sewing machine back and have been able to finish some postcards I started using the pieces cut off "Rainbow Popsicles." I tried quilting with bright rainbow thread on some and a softer gray on others.

I have yet to quilt the original "Rainbow Popsicles." I like the bright thread, but I don't know if it would be overwhelming in large quantities--Something to ponder.

Prayers for Maddie Lester

This is a collage I made for my best friend's 3 year old daughter, Madeline. She was born with only half a heart. The first year of her life was pretty rough, including a helicopter ride to the hospital at 3 days old and then a life fight plane ride down to Palo Alto the next week. She had two surgeries at Stanford University within the first few months at of her life with most of her time spent in ICU. Needless to say, she maxed out her lifetime health insurance benefits before her first birthday. After that very scary first year she has been doing wonderful for the last two. She has finally grown and become strong enough for her third surgery which should provide her body with enough oxygen until she is at least a teenager. That surgery is happening as I write. Today is a day of prayer and faith (okay, and a lot of anxious waiting)for many of us who love this little girl.

I made this collage to show Maddie and her mom, Cindy how much I love them. It is filled with little hearts and prayers that God will work a miracle and everything will go smoothly with this surgery. If you are interested you can check her progress at http://www.madelinelester.com/. Thank you for any prayers said on her behalf.