Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

The few days I've been home have been full. I can't believe I'm ready for another car ride - just to rest!

First pic is a project for a class I just had today with some children at our local Art Association. Only 2 of the 12 children who signed up, showed up but my helper and I had a grand time with these young men: 13 and 5. I showed them the running stitch first, then they choose fabrics to tack down on felt with washable glue stick. Then they used the running stitch to embellish. They seemed to enjoy it. Planning for classes takes time and energy. Even one that looks as simple as this one. I enjoyed the bright colors! Think I'll be making a book cover with these samples.

I quilted my leaf turtles: not crazy about these - the binding is needed. That will have to wait until I get back from a week at Emerald Isle, NC. My husband's family has vacationed there for years and years. We eat well, drink hardily, read tons of books and have a grand time together!

I did bring work to do: postcard thank you notes to write; fabric reproduction note cards to design; bead felting plus seed bead embellishments. Wonder how much I'll get done?????

Have a grand week.

Back Home For a Short While

As you can see, I've uploaded some pics: "Maples" - shown in friend/client's home. "Pair of Pears" and "Apple" - shown in same friend/client's home; "Welcoming Committee" using African fabrics; and more fabric reproduction of original art quilt note cards I just did yesterday; and finally some pics of critter leaf printing I printed before I left for my 2 week trip.

Two art festivals in a row. I met a lot of nice people who stopped at my booth at the Virginia Beach Boardwalk Show and at the Manayunk Show in Phila. My work attracts a lot of attention. I had the privilege of receiving the "Best in the Fiber Category" at the Manayunk Show. Yeah!!!!! My smaller art pieces were popular - small art quilt pieces and my note cards. As a result I plan to create more of the Fabric Reproduction cards for upcoming shows. I've already started. My larger pieces seem to be what brings the folks into my booth. I'm working on ways to market them better - one is to have photos of art quilts installed like the ones I've included here. Another marketing tool has to be a web site. Will be working on that after my family vacation trip next week.

I'll be working on the leaf prints the next couple of days. I'll be keeping you informed.

Enjoying Life at the Beach and ART

Pics of hand dyes and "Palms" card series.

Ahh, what a great weekend! The beach is certainly lovely. Love my morning walks, swimming with my son, and my evening walks with son and his big puppy/dog.

I spent much of the weekend dyeing yards of fabric with my new dyes: burgundy, eggplant, forest green, olive drab, marigold. Did some browns, too (those were mixed and sitting in refrig. I use procion dyes and am rather lazy about the dyeing process. I usually follow Ann Johnson's Color by Accident - value dyeing. I store unused dye concentrate in the refrigerator. Seems to stay fairly potent for a long while. The process is fun until the ironing part. I have never liked ironing. The colors are delicious!!!!! Creating with these fabrics will have to wait until I return from my shows - 2 weeks!!!!

I put an inquiry about how to increase sales on the QuiltArt list and received food for thought. One idea popped up using reproductions of original fiber art. I have used an image a while back of a lighthouse quilt I had made. I printed the image on specially treated fabric, quilted it, embellished with free motion machine embroidery. I did about 5 - and was so bored, I vowed never to do that again. But after reading about reproductions for note cards, I decided to print images on fabric, add torn paper, lace and stitch to note cards - package in 4's - 4 images of a series. Hopefully I can direct folks to these when the larger fiber pieces are out of their budget. I plan to print off a few larger images and mat them as well.

Tomorrow I head off the Virgina Beach Boardwalk Show, Pennsylvania to visit brother/family and mother and then on to Philadelphia for the Manayunk Arts Festival. Jeez, what a trip!

Busy, busy, busy

I've been working hard getting ready for yet another show - well, two, in fact. I'll be heading off to the Boardwalk Art Festival, Virginia Beach, Virgina June 14 - 17. Then after visiting my mom and brother in Pennsylvania, I'm exhibiting in the Manayunk Arts Festival, Philadelphia, PA. June 23 - 24. So, I've been making some of my small pieces that are my "Bread and Butter." I've made 6 small sunrise/beach scenes. The sky fabrics are digital photos printed on specially treated fabric. The water and sand are my own hand-dyes. They're placed in black cardboard frames. I also completed a bunch of my beach scene pins - these are miniatures of my larger pieces. I add free motion machine embroidered palm trees, sea oats, etc. and add a turtle bead. These I sell frequently at a local gallery as well as at art fairs.

As one of the pics show, I've been playing with bleach - actually Clorox Clean Up spray - on black fabric. Wish I documented where I bought that black. I just love the color!!! Will be piecing bits and pieces into a wall hanging! The other pic is a remake - I've been redoing this piece for awhile - think I'm happy with it now. I stretched it onto a wood frame.

I'll be dyeing fabric today. I just received some new dyes I'd like to use in a series of leaf prints.

Back home for a short while

So much to do, so little time!

I'm back home from Atlanta and the Virginia-Highlands Summerfest Art Show. The crowds and weather were good. The sales of small art items were great. I am rich in compliments. Folks seem to like what I do with fiber and fabric. Now, if I can figure out how to sell my larger pieces more consistently, I'd be very happy.

Jim, my darling husband, and I will be heading up to Virginia Beach for the Boardwalk Art Festival, June 14 - 17. That was a very good show for me last year! Then up to Pennsylvania to see my mom and my brother and his family, then on to the Manayunk Arts Festival in Philadelphia June 23-24. That'll be a new show for me. Then home for few days before a family vacation. I am one busy woman! Too busy. Being busy will keep me young??????????

I'll be hitting the studio after my walk on the beach. Maybe I'll have a pic or two later today.