Monthly Archives: September 2010

Dear Sewing Machine

Dear Sewing Machine,

     No, I haven’t forgotten about you. I know I was cranky with you last week because there were tension problems. I really shouldn’t have kicked you. For that, I apologize. That was very childlike. Please forgive me.

      I am busy right now working on the West Michigan Quilt Guild  show. I watched 280 quilts being judged over the past few days and learned lots in that process. More later about that. Once the show is over, I can’t wait to get back to work and promise to treat you more kindly and see if a check up is in order. You will  be plenty busy as I am super -over -the- top -inspired.

Happy creating, my friends!

    

Another Artprize Trip

     My car is sick. Really sick but being fixed. My computer is fixed but they deleted my software for the desktop. I have housework to do before I am swallowed up in our guild show. But the weather was— really nice. So for 2 hours, I played hooky. And went back downtown to Artprize. And I am never disappointed.

Enjoy this amazing felted piece which is two stories high at points.

Close-ups of the work-

And then at the walking out on the other side. It is at our new art museum.

There was a great video of her making this huge piece. I want to look her up and just enjoy the process again!

Totally different form this was a pencil drawing which felt life size.

Both of these pieces obviously got a thumbs up from me when I voted today!

Miss Nellie is in the top 100 right now. If you live here and haven’t voted yet, you have until tomorrow for the first round.

Off to bed as tomorrow will be long.

Be inspired by Artprize, my friends!

Fussing Over

    I am so a creature of habit  I didn’t even want to look at how the upload of pictures was changed on Blogger. Such a baby at the end of the week. I am just tired after all my fabric dyeing-labor intensive but I love doing it.

 Beautiful colors-stormy grey, mustard, lapis from ProChem. I decided  to not goof around with trying to mix my own. I really like the grey.

 Two little work of the weeks using Shiva Paintsticks. I have had these paintsticks in a drawer for over two years and why haven’t I tried them before? I enjoyed the leaf rubbing and even tried free motion quilting again on the leaf. That was fun rather than the fighting with free motion quilting I have done in the past.

 More Artprize from the other night.

Also, a nice series of artist lectures sponsored by Kendall College of Art and Design.

 Different interactive art exhibits.

The Scar project was an Artprize entry. It included 500 people stitching an example of their “scar” on a canvas and then journaling. It was really sad but overwhelming to see how eagerly people were willing to jump in and participate.
I am too tired to figure out/ question why I can’t align this so good night my friends. Next week is very busy with the quilt show so I’ll see how the time is for blogging.
Be creative, my friends. 

My Own Little Art Prize

       Artprize begins today at 6:00 pm . All around town for the past week, we have been hearing about it in the paper and on tv and seeing it come together as signage has been put in place. There was even an article about it in the Wall Street Journal magazine this weekend. Lots of publicity this year so it will be busy!

     I hoped to get a head start today by finding a venue to register at, so I stopped by the Meijer Gardens. The entryway is open to the public for the next two weeks and the tour buses were lined up already. Lots of people trying to catch an early peek. When I arrived, the Artprize computers were down-probably overloaded. But then I noticed that portions of the conservatory were closed and lights dimmed. The power was out following a really nasty storm last night.

  

 But I still took time to see some of the exhibits. This was one of my favorites-paint cans. Loved the colors. Each piece identifies the artist and name of the work as well as gives you a voting number for it. You either like it or don’t like it-it’s  a viewer’s choice show. You have to show id onsite to be able to vote. I was finally able to register and hope to go to the opening downtown tonight. Lots more pictures coming the next two weeks of my favorites.

     I came home and put my newly dyed fabrics on the line.

     All darks this time and definitely fall colors.

I was disappointed that more of my fabric didn’t arrive today as it’s really warm here. I need to do the mustard and butter yellows yet. I had my own little art prize party hanging them on the line!

   

Off  to enjoy some art, my friends!

Outside Dyeing Today

     My mom had some minor outpatient surgery yesterday. She is doing okay but all I can say is please wear your sunscreen. And today in the 80’s so am outside dyeing fabric. And yes, I have my sunscreen on! I need to take advantage of the great weather here. I hope to go to Artprize opening tomorrow so lots to share this week.

 Go and be creative,  my friends!

Another Love

     I really do love taking photos. I desperately miss my basic lens from my Nikon which will probably be gone for about another month. I didn’t realize how much I depended on my camera and and used it more than once each day. Those photo moments. Thank goodness for the factory warranty.

 Not only do I enjoy shooting them, but I enjoy organizing them. Problem is that  I have only been organizing them for about the past six months. If you do it right when you download them, you are all set. I have a nightmare of photos that need to be tended and organized.If I just do a little each week, I might be done in another few weeks-maybe ten years is more like it. And then there is editing them. I haven’t spent much time editing them either lately. And that is really pathetic because I have Photoshop Elements on this computer. What a mess!

Round Barn recently renovated in Morrisville, VT

     So my question to you- How do you store your photos? Flickr? Picasa? Computer? Photoshop? So much info and so many places. I don’t even want to tell you what this looks like with my computer. Any info or recommendations would be great.

     Paula’s photo of a Vermont Barn that she made some cool shelves and a clock from made me miss Vermont. And the lack of a schedule. The kids sports and school schedule is hard to get use to again.

Happy sewing, my friends!

  

Don’t Forget IBOL This Year

     I was in a purging mood last week. It all started with the re-do of one of our bedrooms upstairs to make it into a guest room. The bedroom had become a great place to stash everything that was no longer wanted or needed-kids clothes, outgrown stuffed animals, books,etc. It was scaring me. So, I made piles and began bringing things to Goodwill and then revamping the bedroom. Not done yet but  in process and I feel lighter.

     Well it felt so good I decided to do my studio. Empty drawers, throw away projects that were never going to get finished and make huge piles which are again slowly being put away. I even put a large quantity of yarn into piles and boxes .I ripped out half started projects and rewound the yarn. (My husband asked me if there was anything wrong-no I am not nesting,honey, just cleaning).  I try to knit but have currently decided not to buy anymore yarn:). But the point of this mindless but rewarding quest- to organize my life. To clear out the stuff that is undone and making me feel guilty it’s not done. And really doesn’t need to be done. You laugh again.

    At the same time, I received an e-mail reminding me about this project that I did last year- Iraqui Bundles of Love . What a great way to send supplies to someone who will make good use of them. I was able to pack two bundles up-one of fabric and sewing supplies and one of knitting things. Check them out and see if you can help.(DEADLINE: OCTOBER 1).  I also sent some art supplies to our school and the art teacher was very excited. Simple acts and it helped me too.

    However in the process of cleaning my studio- a big confession. I have 14 WIPs -works in progess.I feel trapped with all the tops not done.

Like my daughter posing in a jail cell at the Shelburne Museum.

Trapped.

They were stuffed in baskets and bags and drawers. I was beginning to itch(hives) as I saw the pile.  That is way too many even for me. What is wrong with me?

Off to conquer another scary thing-unfinished tops.

Happy sewing, my friends!

#2 in the L Series

     That is a really lame title. But my tired little brain can’t think of anything else. I was having sewing machine issues so went to newly bought -used machine-but that was having problems too! But my very dear local dealer replaced it with another used machine and this one is sewing just perfectly for me-at this minute. So I just can’t think of a catchy name for this series right now.

     I am continuing blocks with a “L” theme and this time I went much larger.

     The actual sewing together of this one was very challenging for me. Oh alright, that was a polite way of saying it was driving me crazy at one point yesterday. A construction nightmare. I haven’t done inset seams before. Just sewn by hand but not machine. Until this week. And I heard a very distinctive voice, say to a workshop participant this spring-“At this point you should be able to figure it out. I am not going to tell you how to sew it together. You have to find your own way.” Over and over, I repeated those words.:)

So.that is what I did.

Figured it out.  One seam and one piece at a time. I ripped it some seams out SEVERAL times until the top was done.

     And it’s not necessarily any wonder- design wise. But I just feel accomplished because I didn’t give up. Hand dyed fabrics look pretty outside, don’t they? It measures about 32 x 60 unquilted. How does it fit as part of this series? Well…I did follow the “L” motif but I should have played with my original easy design before I jumped into this one. Or maybe not. Maybe it’s an improvisational series.

     Next, I am moving back to machine quilting these last two pieces. I need to add finished pieces to my tally for 2010.

     Happy Sewing, my friends!

The Beginning Work

     It is very quiet here. Drinking my coffee and enjoying the peace, the ticking of the clock and the hum of the refrigerator. Not quite wanting my day to start without them -but it already has -at 6am.  Missing them but relieved for the peace. Always kind of a push pull kind of thing isn’t it? Not quite wanting to start the list of things that is already there and wondering how it will all fit in. And then wondering where the art piece will fit in today.

 And wondering what to share of what I am doing. I did finish the memory quilt. A big yeah! I also pieced the first in my series/study.

It measures about 36 by 36 and I am not going to quilt it yet. I might add another to it but the next in the series…My parameters for the study: play with one block or motif and manipulate it as many times as I can stand it. Don’t need to necessarily like the outcome but just work the motif. Each piece will be individually cut freehand with the rotary cutter-just like this one. Looks like floor tile to me … oops I said no criticizing it , didn’t I? I will show you these along my way.

Also, I am on Work of the Week #2. Parameters on this project:

     1. 4 per month measuring 8×12.
     2. I will start with surface design techniques.
     3. Again, I don’t need to like it, just experiment.
     4. Start with a plain white “canvas”.
     5. No starting it over-finish what you start with.
     6. I may or may not show you them.

That’s it. I will document on the back what I liked and what worked.

This is actually the back which I liked more than the front-the way the paint seeped through the quilting lines.
The front was painted AFTER I did the quilting lines with some Jaquard paints I had in my drawer.

Odd I know . I am not a painter and don’t like the colors or my paintstrokes…oops again…what I do like…what I do like….

I LOVED stitching first and applying color second. Positive is better and makes me feel like I learned something. I guess I need to work on critiquing rather than criticizing my work. That might be the most painful part of this process. Ongoing and forever I guess. Critique rather than criticize.

Off to weed, shop, drive and go to a cross country meet. After I put my hands on some fabric for awhile!

Happy Sewing, my friends!