She

I am busting with pride,  in my daughter.  She not only brought home a report card with a 91 overall average,  but also joined us at Thanksgiving in a skirt she made all by herself.    I am very thankful for her.  She is a really good kid,  even as she acts more and more like teenager every day.   She is intelligent, compassionate, creative,  has a great sense of humor,  and makes me happy.    My hubby is paranoid about her image getting on the internet, so I wont show you a photo,  but I think she is beautiful-  inside and out. 

getting inspiration from others

Last Wednesday at guild,  Pat Pauly was our speaker.   I was familiar with her work and was excited to hear what she had to say,  and see some of her work up close.   She did not dissappoint,  with over 300 slides and a sharp wit, the discussion moved at a pretty quick clip.  Her sense of historical perspective on art quilts kept both the traditionalists and the art quilters equally interested.  The the quilts came out,  and although I thought I had known her work, I was totally enthralled by them in person.  The textures just don't read in reproduction,  and the scale didn't come through either. 

From her lecture and story,  I have taken great inspiration,  and since then have developed several new workshops for venues I have not taken advantage of before,  gotten much of the quilting done on Beautiful Valley,  and been totally recharged.   Imagine what could have happened if I had taken the workshop?  

Style, series, and samples

This weekend, my DD asked me to help her make a skirt.  We went to the pattern books,  and I showed her how to really look there fro something appropriate,  bought two,  and one that I will have to help with alot for next years Halloween Costume,  and came home.    We got the pattern prepped and using some cotton I had got her first garment cut out.    I am really happy that this is happening,   but all my studio time got eaten up.     I have a list of things for the Shoppe a mile long, and the holiday gifts,  this year I need 18 of them.     

I am however still thinking about the series vs. style question,  and I think that working with DD has offered some insight.   She flatly refused to use any fabric or pattern that she did not love.   She wants to learn to sew because the things she wants to wear are not available off the rack.   Her colors are out of style,  her taste is generally out of price range,  and so,  she will get exactly what she wants this way, and she is willing to work at it.    No compromises.   

I have been simplifying,  sticking to written pattern,  and using trendy colors that I would not otherwise, in order to sell a fabric,  pattern,  or teach a workshop more easily.   Maybe that is the mistake since most of my output is class samples.    It may be a better model to run fewer workshops using projects and materials that I love,  and not skimping on the extras I seems to always want to add,  than to run tons of workshops that I am only partly excited about.    Those of you who teach,  what do you think? 

style?

On one of the lists I subscribe to there has been a discussion of style versus working in a series.   I enjoyed the comments but didn't think too hard about it.    Yesterday,  I spent a good part of the day at the Shoppe,  putting many small works up in the gallery that I am willing to sell off to those looking to buy gifts for the holiday.    I realized that many of them have not yet been labelled,  or even photographed.   ( of course my camera is out of batteries when I tried to do that this morning )   And then I need to get prices on them.    The functional works are fairly easy, and formulaic to get priced,  based on size, complexity and technique,    but the Art Quilts are harder.    Original design,  Cost of materials,   labor hours,  and several aesthetic and display considerations need to be taken account of.    And then there is style.    A work that is in someones characteristic style will often command a higher price,  and sell faster.   If selling work is important,  ones style should be developed.   

Advertisers call it branding.   I hope that as I photograph, label, and price these pieces I can see some kind of style that I can develop.  I have not seen many of these works together before, and I complete few pieces that are just for me lately,  so there is a longer period of time between them than I would like.     I really hope to pick up on something that is a unifying factor.     I'll let you know when the pictures are up.  

Costuming and inspiration

Well,  I am busy with getting my daughters Halloween Costume ready.   She of course expects Hollywood level special effects to turn her into Tim Burton's A Corpse Bride.    I need to keep reminding her that it is a claymation/animation, and some of the effects she wants are unrealistic or even inappropriate for a 12 year old to year to a dance in the middle school cafeteria.   Despite the annoyances of this project I do have other inspirations to keep me sane. 

The Art Challenge for guild has me itching to get to work.  It is to be an abstract composition in either warm or cool colors.   I have been working with repeats of a pointed oval shape,  fascinated by it all summer too,  and I think I will play with some mixed media surface design.  I have new texture plates,  some super stencils,  and  new threads I am going to incorporate.     The challenge with this shape is that it all too easily becomes something,  leaf, canoe, flower petals,  so keeping it abstract may become and issue.    I will post more about this as the piece develops,  it is not die till our January Meeting.  

Threadora is here

This lady is a sprite from the Thread Eaters clan.  You can see that she likes thread tangles.   I worked like crazy to finish her over the course of this week,  and I had to fight with her the whole time.   Yes,  she caused quite a few thread tangles and other issues during the creation process.    It has been a long time since I had to work with a deadline like this one and actually finished the piece in time.    It is a big personal achievement.   Come see her in person at the Wiltwyck Quilt Guild show,  Saturday and Sunday in Kingston.   When I have more time I will fill you in on all her details. 

Summer - where did you go?

I have been busy this summer with lots of things,  a trip to New Mexico with my hubby provided a break, and some inspiration,  but I have not yet gotten to work on any of the ideas that got into my sketchbook from that trip yet.   I do finally understand the "southwestern color palette" though.   Still not my fave,  but out there is really works.   I was happy to come home and see greenery,  my lawn - even full of crabgrass,  and large trees.   

I have also returned to playing classical guitar.   It has been a few weeks, and skills  are beginning to return.   It has taken a while to get my finger nimble again and there is still along road to simply return to the level I was once at,  but it feels good.     My return to playing is the subject of the mixed media challenge piece.   I sponsored the challenge based on summer and I had better have a piece done for it.    I was going to do something based on the New Mexico trip,  but all of a sudden the guitar idea popped into my head,  and I even have an old set of strings to use on it.    I'll keep you all posted.     

Art Camp!!!

I am so excited that Art camp begins Tuesday.   I always enjoy sharing surface design techniques with my students,  and this year is going to be especially fun.   My newest favorite technique is flour paste resist with stencils,  and we will be doing that right off the bat.   When you then do normal stenciling with the same stencil, you have a wonderful positive/negative thing going,  and that is neat!!      There are pair of seats still available in class,  so grab a friend,  and join us.     check http://www.villagefabricshoppe.com/    for more details and a supply list. 

Medieval Zentangle

Over the weekend I purchased a used book that is a rare and exciting thing.   It is a facsimile edition of the Book of Kells.  It even has some enlarged details after the main book so there is not the need for a jewelers loop to see many of the intricacies.   I have been studying it closely and it has helped me to begin several new pages in my journal.  

The truth is that I have played extensively over the years with the interlacing and calligraphy in that style.  The beasts and birds have inspired me many times and finally having the whole manuscript in my hands is thrilling.   I took out my micron pens and have been making dragons in that style now for a few days.   The regular patterning and repetitive shapes are very much like Medieval Zentangles.  I get the same quiet and peaceful feeling when doing this kind of drawing.    It just feels good - and it is beautiful.  I think I shall have to develop this idea in cloth and stitch.   

Birthday Present

I haven't posted in a while, but keeping up with the shoppe and other online activities have taken much energy.   I thought I'd say that today is my birthday, and my dear Hubby gave me a copy of Melanie Testa's book,  Dreaming from the Journal Page,   and Sketchbook Confidential 2,  edited by Pamela Wissman.    They are both great books.   I have been working hard lately on getting my own journal/sketchbook practice back in gear and although these books are very different from each other, they both offer wonderful insight to the creative process.  Journal and sketchbooks are very personal and often are never intended to be shared or shown,  so the raw thinking and observing and ponderings that they contain are un-edited and honest.   I feel privileged that these two publications are now in my collection and thank the artists for allowing us to see their inner workings.   

journaling

I am so glad that the journaling group is now started.   Not only are we doing graeat things in wonderful books,   We are having fun, and my personal sketching habit has returned.  I started a new book and it feels great.

Promise!!

I am getting really excited for the Journal Project that will be starting this coming Friday at the Shoppe.     I know that I am the facilitator,  but in prepping for it I have revitalized my own journaling practice and have found some super cool new techniques for mixed media that will work well with journaling.    I even filled my current journal and got to start a new book.  This one has a stunning brocade cover that catches the light in a wonderful way.  The paper is nice, a little tooth, medium/light weight,  can't soak the pages but I should be able to use reasonable wet media,  and they are just a tiny bit cream.   I kind of like that in a book.   It is about 5 x 7, and about an inch thick,  so I can carry it everywhere.   There is nothing like the promise embodied in a new blank book,  now, if I only had a brand new box of crayons to go with it.    Maybe I'll treat myself to a visit to the art supply store over the holiday weekend.

Tiny books

I have recently recovered from a stiff neck that kept me from doing anything for a few days.  I could not turn my head at all.   Super frustrating,  but while I had trouble doing everything, I did realize just how much time is in a day, and more in a night.  I vowed to make better use of my time.   I have been drawing every day, which is helping too.    Getting the drawing muscles back in shape feels good - like the start of a new adventure in a favorite old location. 


I had been thinking about the little books I had those students do ( see the previous post)  and all the benefits.  So I took a small strip of white muslin and folded it up like a fan,  stitched down the center and made a little book that has 8 fabric pages, each about the size of a baseball card.   I left the frayed edges and I have been using a scrap of cardstock to support it while I do little drawings with markers or colored pencils.    There is something really nice about this tiny thing.  It is an interesting object on its own, and with each little drawing I add it gets better.   I may have stumbled onto a good thing.    For me, working on fabric as if it was paper has helped re awaken a part of me that had been asleep fro a long time.   

to sketch for a minute

There has been a conversation going on the Quiltart list about sketching. Very timely for me as I have been trying to get at least some sketching done every day. I have been missing that activity in my life and it is beginning to pay off. Anyway, the discussion on the list has been very interesting, but as always it is punctuated by the "I can't Draw" dilemma. We need to be reminded that sketch and draw are both Verbs. You create A sketch, or A drawing, but without that helper word, they are both action words. The key is to do it. Draw and sketch, doodle, just get your eyes and hands moving even just a minute a day can help.

When I was still teaching Art, I had one middle school class that had a number of particularly angst filled students in it. They almost always had trouble getting to work, so I decided to give them some warmup time. I had each one of them make a small folded book from copy paper and keep it in their bins. At the start of each class I would give them one minute on an egg timer. They could draw anything or even scribble but they had to be making some kind of mark on a page of that little book for the entire minute. They thought I was crazy at first ( and I may have been ), but after a short time, they looked forward to it and even reminded me if I forgot to set the timer. The other part of this little exercise is that I never once asked to see what they had drawn, I simply called them on it if I saw then not mark making during the minute. Small scale and private, those little books began to make a big difference to those students. Not only in their class behavior, but the finished results of the official projects, and the guidance counselor told me later that grades for some of them went up in other subjects as well.

So, get out your egg timer, set it and get your pencil or crayon or brush moving. No one needs to see it.

Empty nest???

I never understood empty nest syndrome until last night. My daughter was out, sleeping over at a friends house, My stupid dog was at the vet overnight for observation, and my hubby fell asleep on the couch during American Idol, so deeply I turned off the lights and left him there. I totally couldn't sleep. I can adjust to missing one of the occupants of my bed at night, but both of them, and knowing my girl wasn't down the hall on top of it. It was weird.

Did any of you notice that Stephen Tyler had on a crazy Quilted vest last night? Are vests coming back? I have lots from my art teaching days that I know my daughter would be mortified if I wore in public. But are they coming back?? I wonder if mine still fit.

Busy Hands and dirty fingers

Please don't misinterpret the title of this post, but I bet it got your attention! It has been a while since I last posted, but I have been sewing away. I finished a Quilt of Valor to give to my brother in law's college friend who came home from the front without part of a leg and an arm. Tragic. I also have been working on some samples for the shoppe, a hand pieced churn dash, that I am making up kits for. It was inspired by the antique top I have that will be in the Signs of their Times exhibits. I will be doing a free demo of how to go about it and they can then purchase the kit with full written instructions if they want to try it out at home. I have also been working on some thirties style butterflies to do something similar with, for when the exhibit covers that time period.

I totally missed the Quilting Arts Reader challenge deadline, not because the quilt wasn't done, but because of a computer issue that made getting the digital submission not possible. But I do like the quilt, and have a larger version on my design wall at home. The Inktense pencils worked just the way I wanted them to. The photo looks a bit washed out on my computer, but I do like the result, and will show you the larger one when I finish it.

Lastly, with the early Spring, I have been doing a bunch of gardening and yard work. I took down two tree that were too big for where they were, and moved a raised bed to a new sunnier spot, and my peas are about a foot tall now. I am so relieved that the cold snap the other night didn't kill them off. I guess they are known as snow peas for a reason.

Screaming Salamander

Snow? Kids home from school? What happened, I thought Spring was on its way. No one around here really knows what to do with this weather. I saw a kids out pushing a snow blower yesterday wearing a t shirt and shorts. No kidding. It's just plain crazy.

I've been struggling with low energy levels for the last couple of days, and maybe it is this weather. It could also be that although I have some good things going, I keep having to put them on hold to sew for customers. Not that I am complaining, I need the income and don't mind doing it, but this piece is screaming at me to get it finished. I am talking about the FIre salamander piece. It only needs to be 8 x 10, and it has been in the works more than a month.

I thought last night I would get some time on it, but while getting the bedroom cleaned I discovered what appeared to be a mouse's stash of seeds and other bits. I am very sensitive to rodent dander and cleaning it up gave me an allergy reaction that took the rest of the evening to get past. I'll try again tonight after work to get going on it. Wish me luck and no more rodents.

Spiders, snakes and sewing machines

This past Sunday, the family and I went to the Hudson Valley Reptile Show. Hubby was on the lookout for suppliers for tarantulas and Liz was fascinated with the snakes. We had fun, she got to hold several creatures, including a five foot ball python. We even got to taste some chocolate covered larva and crickets. Honestly, all I tasted was the cholcolate. The cricket was crunchy. I would eat that again. We all had a good time.

More importantly, I got my main machine back from the repair shop where is was getting a check up, cleaning and servicing. While I was there, I picked up a new free motion foot, I like this one better, it is metal and c shaped, it gives me the right visibility and I am happy. The other one I have came highly reccommended, and is a large plastic foot with red markings on it. I found the distortion through the plastic and the red lines on it to be distracting. Just goes to show that what one person loves, another might not. I digress, I finished the pieceing of the Pretty Patties quilt, and have been trying all day to decide on border options. Of course none of the fabrics in the top are available now in yardage, so this is getting to be a challenge. When I offer this as a class I will suggest that the outer border be chosen first and the fat quarters chosen to support that. If I am having trouble making a choice, my customers will also.

New Challenge piece

Last night was the Feb. guild meeting. It was a stitch in, and besides getting there a bit late, my wrist was sore so I got very little stitching done. I did however pick up the new guidelines for the next art challenge. All about texture this time. I am wondering if I should make the Explorers Challenge fit, texture can be smooth and slimy too, not just fuzzy, or like tree bark. I have to read the guidelines a bit closer, since we missed the discussion, but the way things are going lately, having two reasons to finish one piece could be helpful. Having said that who knows, maybe stronger inspiration can strike.

A more positive mindset

Frustration is a natural part of the process, but it is hard when more than one big thing in life is causing it. First, the dislocated bone in my wrist decided to pop out of place again, Doc can't see me till Monday, so everything I do with my right hand hurts. This means that finisheing several projects that are on deadlines must continue even if the Advil doesn't help. Pain is 90 % in the mind right? I am trying to get so focussed that I don't notice it.

Then, the bicentennial quilt comes back from the quilter, with blue watersoluble marks still in it, and worse, where the blue marks are gone, the red fabric has run onto the white background. I guess I will try to use Retayne, but I ma not sure if I should try to remove the blue first or if the Retayne will take that out too. If any of you have any good ideas for me please share. I will work on my mindset, and perhaps when I am not in anegative place the answer will come.

Broken Needle Day

That sounds kind of a strange thing to celebrate, but translations from Japanese can get that way. February 8 is the festival of broken needles. Japanese women celebrate the significance of needles and pins in daily life and the vital role they have played in keeping the family clothed and warm. Broken and bent ones are laid to rest in a bed of soft tofu and basically given a memorial service. They are indispensable tools and do deserve an honorable send off.

I like the idea of honoring the little things that are important to us as stitchers. Thankfulness and gratitude are very positive and this is a simple way to take a small moment to add a bit more of these to our lives. A fresh sharp needle can make a big difference in how the project goes, the old one gave you good service, say a quick thank you. Every time I begin a new large project I open a new pack of hand quilting needles and discard the rest this way. When the sewing machine misbehaves, I re thread the whole thing and change to a new needle. If you can't remember the last time you changed the needle, may I suggest you do it today.

Disposing of worn out points can be a real hazard to those who empty the trash, and even more to the garbage man. To eliminate the dangers, I use an empty pill/ vitamin bottle that is clearly labelled as "old sewing needles". Keep it near your machine and when you need to discard bent/ broken needles carefully put them there. Once a year ( on February 8 ) I throw out the entire bottle and get a new one for the purpose. I keep one in the classroom of the shoppe too. If you feel inspired, why not decorate the old needle container yo make it beautiful and honor the points who gave everything to make your project. Send me a photo if you do and I'll post it.

What is an Art Quilt?

This definition gets bigger by the minute. SAQA has revised it's version,and it bears mention. You can find more about it on their very good website, google SAQA. I am not totally sure I agree with this yet, but here is the new way they define art quilt. " The art quilt is a creative visual work that is layered and stitched, or that references this form of stitched layered structure." I will have to think about this and I promise to share my thoughts once I formulate them. It has been a busy day.

groundhog day

Like in the movie, if you had today to do over, what would you change? Which person would you be nicer to, what small kindness would you do that might have big reverberations? Why not do them the first time around? The little things that we don't often think about can make a big difference. An extra smile, holding the door for someone, letting that other driver in, there are a million little things, that cost nothing.

The little thing that has made me smile is the return of Audrey, one of my Amaryllis flowers that has come back to life. It is growing at it's usual astonishing rate, almost an inch a day. I know that soon this will mean a stunning and dramatic blossom on my kitchen window. When it dies back, Spring will be close. So here is a photo. I wonder which color this one is ( I have several, and never have had two blooming in the same year ) Have a beautiful day!

Quilting in the snow

Well, it is finally acting like winter. We had a small dusting of snow on Thursday, and it has been snowing lightly for a few hours this morning. Town is very quiet, and it is peaceful. I do hope that the guy who is supposed to be shovelling shows up soon though. I have been in poor shape all week and I don't want to do it myself. This is exactly the kind of weather that makes me want to make hot chocolate or cider and hand quilt all day. Perhaps after I finish the work I have to do I can work on the Quilted Mediation piece. I finished the outlines earlier this morning while I was having coffee and I am liking the design. It is quilted with a brown thread, on a light lavender color fabric. I will now begin adding other colors, with dense fillers by hand in selected areas. Combining the idea of thread painting and the sculpting effects of hand quilting on a semi puffy batting. I really want to work on this now, instead of the other things I should be doing.

Guild last night

Pushed myself to go to guild last night. Happily I was not the driver. About half way through the lecture - which was really good, the dayquill gave out. I am in poor shape today. I have been doing boring paper work most of the day, and have hit the wall. I probably should be working on the quilt I basted yesterday, but I want to use a decorative stitch that is only on the machine I have at home, so that will have to wait. My head is not clear enough to work on too much right now, so I will ramble on here for a few more minutes and hope that my most recent shot of caffeine kicks in.

I have been thinking about my work, not the class samples, but the Artwork. I do have a few things that I can say consistently, I like wonky or free form style piecing, I love the texture provided by hand stitching, and I like the dimension created by quilting with a puffy batting. Thematically, nature serves as my inspiration, specifically, the little things, bugs, plants, critters, and the more unusual the better. It does feel like things are starting to have a more consistent feel. However, the usual trouble is getting time to make more. My resolve to spend time every day in the studio has been shot to H**l this week as I just barely make it through the work day. I have been mostly able to hand quilt a bit each day though. Even if it is only during commercial breaks in the show on the TV, it is still something.

Hand Quilting to the Rescue

I was feeling awful this weekend. The "bit of a cold" I had when I posted last turned into a full blown mess over the weekend. I overdosed on liquids, including home made chicken soup, tea with honey and lemon, and grapefruit juice. Between the caffeine in the tea and the amount of liquids, I slept poorly. I couldn't trust myself to do the cutting on the next quilt I am working on, but I could work on the hand quilting sample for the Quilted Mediation project that will be put on the shoppe schedule in February. As I worked to cleanse myself of the blasted germs, I twice fell asleep on that piece. But with hand quilting, as long as you don't poke yourself with the needle it is rarely a problem.

At any rate, I am feeling much better. I care not if it was the tea, or if it was the Quilting, but I did get alot done, and I like the after effects of the quilting much more than the tea.

Just what the Doctor ordered

It's been a tough week creatively. My back has gone out and I have been fighting some kind of cold. The last few mornings have seen me with scratchy throat and trouble getting going. The same seems to happen when I let myself relax after dinner, so I have been pampering myself with lots of good hot herbal tea, a long soak in the whirlpool tub, and going to bed early. It seems to be holding it at bay. I do have the fabrics picked for the next project at the shoppe, and have designed the quilter's mandala for the Hand Quilting Meditation workshop that will run in February, but that all represents very little actual sewing.

Perhaps that is exactly what is really wrong today. I know I am a better person when I get daily time with needles and thread, a therapy sewing session is needed. Maybe that is just what the doctor ordered.

Stale Shaving Cream?

Over the last few days, much of my studio time has been in organizing, I did however find that painters tape on a home made silkscreen does not hold on for very long. Also that shaving cream can go bad, or actually the stuff in the can that makes it foam can give out. There is lots of liquid left in the can that I have, I can hear it. When I tried to get some out, it looked like milk and was runny instead of fluffy. I can't remember now who it was but someone on location on QATV used shaving cream with acrylics through thermofax screens. Anyway, fresh shaving cream apparently works much better. I will let you know if I get better results any time soon.

New website

As far as I can tell, the new website for the shoppe is live. Now to spend some time getting the word out. I have it networked to face book, and hopefully it will go smoothly to transition from the store blog on blogger to the one on the new website. I'll maintain both for a little while, and I will keep this one too, as I find that I discuss different things here. check out the new site and comment there or here to let me know what you think.

www.villagefabricshoppe.com

Moving a bit faster now

I finished the Buggin Out quilt top last night. It looks good, and I'm trying to decide on a border fabric. When I brought it to the shoppe and laid it out on the tables, it looks really small and I'd like to make it bigger. It is amazing how some bright color and a good accomplishment can help the mental state. I am finding it easier to keep positive today. Hubby is still sick, still don't know what is wrong with the car, but I am feeling better.

The discussion on the Quilt art list has turned to word of the year. I know it sounds a bit conceited, but I think that my word this year is SELF. I need to work on my personal vision, connecting with my higher self, and branding myself ( in the marketing sense, not with a hot poker ) I have struggled with creative block, low energy, and frustration alot over the last year and this year, I will not let others pull me down. I will value those things I do for myself, including yoga and meditation, studio time, playing guitar, and learning to say no to things I don't need to do. I had been thinking this for a few days, and today I got a free numerology reading that stated that 2012 is a personal year numbered one for me. This means a concentration on one's self and new beginnings will be fruitful for me this year. Not that I follow these kinds of things slavishly, however this coincidence seemed to be the universe telling me something. So 2012 is the year of Diana. Watch out, here I come!!!

A slow start

Ok so here I was, ready to get 2012 off to a really positive start, determined to be excited, thankful and creative every day, and wouldn't you know it, on New Years Day, and out of state too, my hubbys car malfunctions. We were on a side street, in a friends development, about 2 blocks from his house, and the car made a weird noise. Hubby pulled over and stopped. We called our friend and walked to his house. The car has now been towed back to our own mechanic, but we still don't know what is wrong. This may be the end of this vehicle, and with no cash to get another we are down to one car until things turn around.

So here is me trying hard to be positive, at least we still have my car. Thank goodeness that the car didn't decide to have trouble on the highway with all those trucks whizzing by, and many great big thanks to our friend for driving us home on New Years Day. Here's to 2012, throwing me challenges already.