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?

Courage

Courage
3"x5"

Definetly something I need more of!  How I wish I could just do all the things I'm afraid of.  I know that it is too much to ask not to be scared.  Instead, I just want to the courage to do them anyways. Number one fear, rejection.  Now to put myself out there anyways.

Always



Always
3"x5"

 Once again I'm ten steps behind.  So many things I want to do, need to do, choose to do and so many things not getting done.  I'm sure I could be a little more focused in the I choose to do.  I start to feel overwhelmed.  Instead of doing something productive to solve the problem, I take a break and play games on my iphone.  Add in three trips to school a day and checking to make sure the dog isn't getting into trouble outside every few minutes.  Plus, I've become very easily distracted.  I can't think straight when the kids around, constantly talking even if it just to themselves.  Sometimes I wonder if I just need to table the big dreams of being an artist for the time being.  I'm so frustrated with myself for not doing anything well, for letting all the plates crash to the ground.  I miss the early days of creating when I was happy with myself for the littlest things.  If I found a few minutes every few days I savored it, not letting a to do list weigh me down.  I want that feeling back.  I want to feel joy and my art to express it!

Bright Skies at Night

Once again, I've fallen behind.  You know the story -- family, commitments, gloomy days. Oh, and throw in tweaking my back and being down for a week.   At the very least, every day is a new day and I can start again on the right track.  Plus, the sun is at least peaking out from behind the clouds.  It may not have warmed up, but at least there is hope. The last month has been filled with kids on spring break, our latest reveal over at Twelve by Twelve and a spring craft show on Bainbridge. 

Our newest set of quilts at Twelve by Twelve are chartreuse and  very fun so make sure you pop over there to check them out.  My quilt didn't have any deep meaning, I just had fun playing with the color.

I, of course, forgot to take pictures at the Artist Marketplace last weekend.  This was the first year that the Bainbridge Artist Studio Tour did a spring show.  Instead of being spread out in studios all over the island, we were together in the middle school gym.  It was nice to have everybody together and have plenty of space.  One problem though was the lack of cell service inside the building.  Whenever I tried to do a credit card transaction I had to run outside.  I had low expectations of the show considering it was the first year and the weather has had everyone in a bit of a funk.  I didn't feel like heading out shopping, so I didn't really expect everyone else to be in the buying mood.  I sold some cards and 5 books, earning my a profit for the day.  I also made some great contacts.  I received an invitation for a solo show at the Bainbridge Library.  I'm all signed up for next April and very excited!  I met a woman who works for Jacquard, the company who makes a lot of the fabric paints that I use.  She was very interested in my work and the idea of me creating artwork for them.  Plus, I met another art quilter who is interested in forming an art quilt group.  Now, I just need to make sure I follow up on everything.  Truth be told, I have to sneak my computer time this week.  Our family is participating in "Turn off the TV" week and we're not suppose to even use the computer.  I'll call this part of my "job" so I wont get in trouble.

The quilt at the top is the latest in my circle series.  I'm loving the magenta, purple and orange together--so very bright and fun.  I've had the background painted for months, waiting.  I pulled out my collection of fabric paper circles and started playing with colors.  The orange was the perfect compliment for the darker colors.  I added shiny orange thread and this piece of art was born.

Next on the agenda, Easter this weekend and the EtsyRain Spring Craft show May 7th at the Intiman Theater in Seattle.

Every Trip Needs a New Purse!

Last weekend I enjoyed a wonderful time with my best friend from high school, Christina, and her husband, Nate.  Christina kindly flew me down for a weekend away from crazy family life and a chance to spend some time together without my kids, something we hadn't done in four years.   We went out to dinner, tried a yoga class,  and had a three hour lunch at a local winery, followed by wine tasting.  I don't remember the last time I enjoyed such relaxed luxury, although I'm still feeling the yoga from Saturday morning. 

As I was getting ready for the trip last Thursday, I was feeling like my purse was a little tired (I think I had made it before my last trip down there) and too small now that I actually have a cell phone.  I pulled out a large, left over piece of quilted fabric from "Hope in the Storm" and made a simple fold over purse.  I added a fabric paper pocket under the flap to hold my phone and lipstick.  The straps are another piece of the same quilted fabric.  I didn't take the time to measure the strap before sewing in on--whoops.  No problem, I just tied a simple knot to shorten it up.  I added the fabric paper circles on the front for fun and color.  I love how it turned out.  I think I might make a few more from some half finished quilts that I'm not in love with.  Purses seem the perfect way to create something both beautiful and functional.

Now that I had the purse, I needed somewhere to stash all my cards and ID.  Another piece of fabric paper with more circles and I was ready to go.

Spiralling Circles

Here's my latest creation aging in my art room.  I have had this piece of quilted, painted fabric hanging around since October.  I had all kinds of ideas percolating before the Christmas art show, commission, book excitement began.  Finally, my urgent to do list is taken care of and I have a little time to work on all those ideas. 

I quilted the fabric in one big spiral.  It created a bit of a puff in the center, but it seemed to flatten a little with painting. Then, I sewed down all the circles and it reappeared.  Luckily, I think I can flatten it by fusing on an additional backing fabric when I am done, but that will come later. 

I'm currently at the embellishment experimentation stage.  I find it useful to lay things out and leave them for a while to make sure I still like the idea.  Since I don't have a lot of room and I can't hang them on the wall with the embellishments just sitting there, I lay them on large canvases and stack them up.  I find the method works pretty good as long as the pieces are smaller than 24"x24".  The stretcher bars of the canvas create an air space so the layers aren't actually touching.  Usually the stack ends up on the ironing board, but I can easily move it if another project need the iron, or the rare occasion when the wrinkles in his shirt are too much for my husband (Don't worry, he knows how to move things too).  For this piece, I'm playing with flat, circular shell beads in various sizes and colors.  The spiral reminds me of a snail, so I thought the shell was appropriate.  The pastel colors remind me a bit of Easter eggs.  Maybe he will be my Easter Snail.