What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

on offer this week at the creativity round up is drawing on index cards (no prompts), sewing on several projects, and video tutorials.

I started by watching a video on Botticelli and his work Venus. While watching I was struck by the beauty of venus and took out a stabilo crayon and index card to capture the feeling.

a quick line sketch with a water soluble stabilo crayon, then judicious use of a water brush to drag the black crayon into shadows. 

a little white gel pen for highlights, and I just love her. 

next up was a zentangle ...

now, how am I gonna close that box again!?

This week I took a free online paper crafts class at Rebecca Page, as well as sewing a good bit. I'll show you the things I spent time on, so let's start the show! Starting with fabric...

this fussy little star, pattern by Gyleen Fitzgerald ...

Welcome to this week's round up of creative works!

This was one of my index card a day paintings... prompt was "forest" and I painted quick aspens

Mainly this week I either did index card paintings or art quilting. 

(As usual click on a picture to make it larger for detail)

 Recently I found out about two painting link parties on Friday that I am happy to join, so starting next week I will break up the creativity post into two, paints on paper Fridays, Fabric art on Saturdays.

 I finished a project, started months ago as a workshop ...

Index card a day prompt "together

I usually write a poem or small paragraph on the topic, on the reverse side each day... but I just practiced fonts ...

paint over a written list... turns into art

art is a collection of so many decisions.... mixed with a desire to see a thought/feeling expressed  ---LAPaylor

I spent a lot of time finishing up a design that jumped in my mind so much that I needed to stop the presses and make it... Unfortunately it will be my ...

I've been busy. With my gifted studio space I am making good use of it. There's no wi-fi, so I tend to just work and not stop to make videos or write posts, etc.  As a result I've been less visible than usual, which has been a good thing to do from time to time. Regroup, rethink, reprioritize, and in general concentrate on what I like, what I want and less on what I think I "should" be doing. Painting has taken me back to beginner status.  I'm just figuring things out, testing out the materials ...

 Welcome to this week's creativity round up! I've spent creative time drawing, painting, learning via youtube videos, and sewing.  The color pink stood out this week in all areas. 

 Rainbow Scrap challenge  this month is using pink.  I wanted to not only play with scraps but do the table scraps challenge for next week, I started with getting out my stamps and ink to include the word peace... full pic and details of that next week but it is finished, and hanging in the family room

More sewing with scraps caused me to build this piece little bit ...

 First of all I want to say SORRY for setting last week's post  to go off on a Saturday instead of last Friday.  We are in the middle of Fall Rush at work and I'm talking to 55 ladies a day...I swear I don't know  if I'm coming or going!

So this week I had fun!  Social Fun!!  Yes, I said it ....socializing fun!  For the first time, I tried a Sip-n-Paint.  Now, I know this type of event has been around for a while, but I sew ...not paint so I've never tried ...

It was fun to go to the post office this week, as blocks are coming in for our Safelight Quilts. Not only blocks, but ready-to-quilt flimsies, plus two fully completed quilts!! These wonderful scrappy blocks were sent in by Joan Hannes. Thank you!

Then, ten red and white blocks arrived from Carole Leaverton.

This flimsy was given to our guild from a gentleman who wanted to find a charity for his late wife’s unfinished projects. I said I’d take it to quilt, and donate to the Safelight quilt drive. I found some fabric that will work for a ...

I am doing a new 5-day workshop! Improvisational Stitching! But what does that mean, exactly? Well funny you should ask, because I’ve given it a great deal of thought. Improvisational Stitching is what I call what I do when I begin with a piece of fabric, usually a piece of hand dyed linen, with no… Continue reading New: Improvisational Stitching Workshop!

It took me awhile to perfect my technique for making a frame with mitered corners.

It wasn’t the frame itself that I struggled with, but really what was the best way to attach it to my sign.

I like painting signs like these on 1/4″ plywood. The thicker stuff is heavier, and I don’t like the weight it gives my finished pieces (plus it’s not usually as smooth of a surface to paint on!)…but you can’t really nail a frame to 1/4″ ply.

I came up with the following system, and I love ...

Large Silhouette Stencils With Registration Marks

I had some time to myself yesterday while the kids were outside sledding in the snow and felt inspired to do a little painting.

Actually, the truth is, I started this months ago for my youngest and was feeling more than a little guilty that it still wasn’t finished.

I made one for my oldest over the summer and they’re meant to be a set, since they share a room.

We’re a hockey family over here…can you tell?

There’s a video below for those of you that ask about ...

There was a show at the David Lewis Gallery that my husband and I recently went to, which absolutely stunned me. It was one of those exhibits that takes your breath away. A solo show by the artist Thornton Dial. I walked in with no expectations and left profoundly moved. It was a visceral response… Continue reading Thornton Dial and His Art

Well, for the end of 2020, I decided to get my art organized. I had been researching taking photos of my artwork. I had been practicing and trying different things. I finally found what I think is the correct formula for me. Once I did, I set out to re-take all the photos of the artwork I still had in my possession. I spent a long time trying to get it right. I feel like it was worth the effort. I now have photos of my artwork that will print off just right. I also catalogued and made certificates for ...

My husband and I were fortunate enough to be able to self-isolate for much of 2020, so we’ve remained untouched by the Corona virus. Self-isolation gave me lots of time to devote to my art, and I think I made … Continue reading →

After years of avoiding color theory practice (the practice means you have to make a color wheel) I finally broke down and signed up for Jane Davies’ downloadable class, “Unlocking The Secrets of Color.” I have to say that color … Continue reading →

You are all probably growing tired of seeing all the mask tutorials circulating online, but I think we are gonna be wearing them for quite some time. So, why not have a design that is easy to make, functional and great fitting. I am not doing a tutorial here....instead,  I am going to direct you to the site of the amazingly talented Judy Coates Perez where she has posted a wonderful step by step tutorial, includes a link to a video by the original designer and as an added bonus, Judy has designed fabulous fabric that you could purchase ...

 Let's talk about paint, shall we? I did one watercolor on paper this week, but spent an amount of time painting on fabric instead. The above painting was done on a linen white fabric with textile paint.(they are acrylic with textile medium mixed in) 

I used to teach painting techniques on fabric, and have quite a number of different brand paints in my supplies, so I pulled out some that looked like my pink flower series, went outside

in the wild fire smoke (three blazing out of control fires at the moment in Colorado)(people still have firepits ...

This painting is from a photo that I took when my mom visited me several years ago in Nashville.

I started this painting in 2014 and set it aside. It was one my many works in progress that sat around the studio. I have decided that I will finish them all before I start any new paintings. I will still work on charcoal drawings in front of the television some nights with my husband, but no more new paintings until I finish all of them. 21 was the Pebble Creek painting I posted about last week. This is number 20 ...