Friday, August 24, 2012

Art-Is-Stick! That's ME!

Hey Friend!

It's only been less than a month that I was here!

I have managed my two jobs and much more.


The title is really: ARTISTIC!!  that's me...but I thought the other title:

ART-IS-STICK  really quite clever for a Friday afternoon...


anyway, in the last couple weeks, I've worked on FOUR quilts!  I'm in the middle of number 5.
('Soldier Quilt' for friend, Lonny, a Marine back from Afghanistan)

It's so cool!  I don't think I've avoided my Studio/Aerie/Garret/need-a-name as much.  I still don't like the color of the walls, but you gotta have money to buy paint, and know what color, and I don't...so there it is

What I'm most proud of, is the 'Soldier Quilt,' which I had an idea to make about 8 months ago.  A caring and patriotic young man joined the Marines, and was sent to Afghanistan.  8 months, and many prayers later, he's back safe and sound (praise God!), and home for a couple weeks vacation.

Friends Joanne and Suzie (above in photo) made blocks, and two weeks ago, I cut the blocks into quarters, traded them all around, sewed them back together and then, with sashing I made, put the quilt top together.  Joanne quilted and bound the quilt, and yesterday, we were able to present the quilt to Lonny.

I was a real moment.  Just for a moment, he was a child embracing his 'blankie'.  I believe this quilt will help heal the ravages of war. 

I'm so thankful to have blessed a soldier.

(detail shot of blocks and quilting)


Now...
Here's another quilt, a sample for Greenbaum's...baby-size--


this is a new line of fabric by MoMo for Moda, 'Oh Deer'--

I quilted scallops onto it, and this is all scrunched up after washing.  Very cute, and now hanging at the shop. (Greenbaum's Quilted Forest-Salem, OR)


I did make two more samples for the shop--but did I take photos?  nope!  so, I guess that'll be another post.

(ha!  and I'm always thinking I have nothing to say!)



Today, I read Julie Fei-Fan Balzer's (Art Journal Every Day) blog, guest bloggers Lori Wostl & Lorri Flint (who started the Art Camp for Women retreats in Colorado), referred to Sarah Whitmire's Soul Journaling site as an awesome free online site for beginning art journalers.  I went over there, and checked it out, and they were RIGHT!

I was inspired to finally, truly BEGIN!

Fortunately, I had in my truck, miscellaneous jounaling items, including a book I'd made about 2 years ago in a class, and had never made a mark in.
I'd recently put the book in my truck to MAKE SURE to use it...


(but I didn't want to 'wreck' it!) 



"CARPE DIEM!"  I say!



So, following Sarah's prompts for Day 1, I tore paper, and covered six or more pages with random paper, glue-sticking along, then let it dry. 


Next, using Sarah's prompts, I wrote on the pages, covering them with my thoughts.  Here are my photos:

 
 

Look!  The 'Process' has begun!
 
I'm WAY excited and thinking that if I complete Sarah's 22 days of
Soul Journal prompts, that art journaling won't be so
'scary' or intimidating to me, and I will finally be on my way.
 
for years now, I've been admiring Art Journals, and been intrigued by them.
 
White pages Would Intimidate me
 
What to Say?
 
Who would Care?
 
How to Keep Up?
 
 
Guess What?  I'll try this and see what happens!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Summer Crazy, Summer Not!

Hi Friend,

I'm really embarrassed that I haven't been keeping up with my blog.  I've been working, and trying to fit in quilting, and friends, and the Sisters Quilt Show, and church, and devotionals, and a couple weekends with my daughter, and Oh Yeah, a quilt class or two, and a paper crafting class or two!


There might have been some sleep in there!

and a doggie parade (last night at Greenbaum's!)



and...

I finally figured out 'Words With Friends'--so I have 3 select friends I currently play with.




If you are a person who is not too competitive, and doesn't have to SMASH someone else in order to win,

we can talk!




anyway, yesterday was August 1--holy COW!  how did that happen?!



I'm not ready for Christmas!  



(I only say that because you and I both know that once it gets to this point--
it's 'just around the corner'!)



                                                              blech!  the commercialism!


it's like biting on a piece of tinfoil!





                           BUT!  That's not what I wanted to write about--


I did something this week that I've always wanted to do...I signed up a couple weeks ago for a Postcard Exchange!




I read a beautiful blog called, 'Kandeland'--written by Natalea Kandefer.
                                  http://kandeland.typepad.com



I don't know where I saw it, or how I got there, but it is fun, and she is a great artist, and I've been reading her for about a month.



Natalea asked for people who were interested in a postcard exchange, to comment, and sign up, and I decided to try it. 


I had an idea to  make my own, and as I did I took photos, so you can see how all the parts came together. 


I was making something out of almost nothing! 

So my little postcards...They're going all over the United States!



New Mexico,

                      Virginia,

                                       New York,

                                                                      North Carolina...


Each person is sending one to the other seven people.  They are to be 'arty' in some way, and have an affirming or inspirational quote.


So here's the sequence...

Old file folders, cut to standard (4" x 6") postcard size...


A really cool vintage image (artist unknown),
sent out by Women Who Create

the colors reminded me of Maxfield Parrish's art--YUM!


I wasn't sure how copied images would work being 'Mod-Podged' onto the
file folder base, but after a 'test' image, it worked fine.

(no smearing of color!)

Two coats of Mod-Podge--ON!





Let's make the back of the card!  Cardstock in a luscious
Periwinkle (matches my House!), cut to the 4" x 6"
size.  I finally got to use my

official 'POSTCARD' rubber stamp!





An awesome quote on Happiness from the

site (arranged by moods and attributes!)



UH-OH!!!




the discovery Tuesday morning, that although I thought I had ALL THE FRONTS, and ALL THE BACKS
together,


I had lost some backs, and had to 'punt'

to make the August 1 mailing date!


eeek!  had to use some renegade complimentary paper on two of them, and remake 3 other backs out of the periwinkle scraps.





I did debate for a time about actually using my sewing machine to
stitch the papers together, and 'grunge them up',
but after the Mod-Podge of the layers, and fronts to backs,
they were really sturdy, and I didn't think it would add to the
effect I wanted. 


AND NOW---

PRESSING

ONWARD!


I used some Tim Holtz 'Crushed Grape' Distress Ink
on the edges to add depth.





Here she is- almost done!




for my last step, I used a gold pen, and inked around the edges,
to top it off!


Can't wait to see what ARTSY THINGS are headed toward me!





Before I Close...


a Quilt from the Sisters Quilt Show...

this took my breath away.



DAZZLING!!!