Rebel Quilting and Mary Jane

I am so honored and excited to have been interviewed by Mary Janes Farm Magazine in Ardis Eckel's column "Every Woman Has a Story." . This is their summer issue, and should be on news stands now. Link here   I had the pleasure of meeting Mary Jane in person last fall at Quilt Market in Houston.  She had a 'Sisters on the Fly' belt buckle, which was very impressive. 

Here's the Table of Contexts and my art quilt "Airstream Dreaming."  Their magazine is terrific - cooking, farming, quilting, DIY, Glamping, etc.  The article is very generous in content and photos of my work!  Whoohoo!  You'll have to pick up a copy to see it. 

This was Mary Jane's booth at Quilt Market to launch her fabric line with Moda "Glamping" and she has also written an amazing book by the same name.  Everything you need to know about Glamping, down to every detail.  Too fun for words!  I want to go glamping with my gal pals!

Pages from The Sketchbook

We're inside my Moleskin Storybook Sketchbook again.  These are one inch drawings.  I carry this in my purse, because you never know when you will have some extra time to draw, like on a vacation, relaxing, or in an airplane, or waiting for your car at the car wash.

Funky Animals

Flowers

Trailer Park

Bowled Over.  Bowls are the current theme for The Sketchbook Challenge this month.  They are very fun to draw

What's for Dinner?

Mostly every night on Facebook, I ask "What's for Dinner?" which is what brought about this special exhibit that will debut at the International Quilt Festival in Houston!  Leslie Tucker Jenison and I are the curators of this exhibit!
 Here is the link to find out all about it.  I want to share with you my entry and how I made it.  I started with a cookbook from my mom's cupboard, and Mistyfused about 10 pages of recipes, from various sections of the book.

I decided that I didn't want the standard round plate scenario, and researched some other ideas like: square plates, lunch box, bowls, bento boxes, take out boxes, picnic, and then chose a cafeteria tray.  I am building it on a Goddess Sheet, that is a silicone sheet made by Mistyfuse

My placemat is this red and white polka dot fabric, which is probably my most favorite fabric on the planet, next to Hoffman Batiks.

I made cuts in the corners, so the tray sections would appear to have depth

Cookbook and finished cafeteria tray

Peas, and strawberry jello

This is where I am now, with veggies, and pizza.  Only have the silverware and napkin to add, and then the machine quilting, and finishing!  I may have to add some buttons around the edge.  What's for Dinner?  Hope you will consider entering this exhibit, so we can dress the table with your quilt!

20 Dresses Wrap Up

Trying out the backing colors - black or red?  Decided on black, since there is so much red already.

Measuring the sides to make sure it is close or right on for 20 x 20 square and it's pretty close

I decided to use zipper trim all the way around the edges, therefore giving me 20 zippers too!

This is the bolt of zipper trim that I've been working off of for a couple of years

The finished 20x20 art quilt for the Quilt Alliance's 20th Anniversary and Contest.  Quilts are due by June 1st, so you still have time to make one. Click here, for the scoop.

I'm a QAM Cover Girl!

I am doing a major happy dance about the fact that my art quilt "Airstream Dreaming" is on the cover of Quilting Arts Magazine - June/July  issue!   I am thrilled, honored and ever so thankful.  A dream come true!  Can you hear me shouting whoohoo!  The Travel issue!  Let's go on an adventure!

My article is in the section "off the page" about keeping a sketchbook for textile artists.  This is a Moleskin Storybook Sketchbook that I carry with me.  It is a unique sketchbook, because it has 1" and 2" squares to fill with your drawings.

'Airstream Dreaming' was made in 2012, especially for the "A Year of Art" fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, that Virginia Spiegel heads up. I have done a series of art quilts based on trailers, which were all created out of drawings in my sketchbook.

Making Emotional Art

Sometimes, I feel like I am losing my voice in my art, mainly because of dealing with the grief of losing my parents so close to one another, cleaning out their house, and then having major surgery.  It has taken me aback some.  I have signs all over my studio reminding me about who I am, words of encouragement that I hope will help me scrape myself up off the curb of life and get me to where I am going.  But, it is challenging, to say the least.

I know that I have a voice in my art, but feeling that it is a bit on the weak side right now. 

Please read this thoughtful post from Kelly Rae Roberts about your voice here

Soon after my dad passed away, I started making prayer flags, for my own healing,and grief, sort of channeling my art.  That was all I needed at the time, was to make something small.

Then we moved our mother into an assisted living facility, where she passed away three months later

Then I joined The Prayer Flag Project  Making these small pieces of art has helped me get my mojo back, art-wise over the last year and a half.

My deadlines are fast approaching, and for one of the projects, I have contemplated doing a quilt about my parents.  The last song my mother sang was "Always."  I asked myself over and over again if I could really do it?  Am I ready to tackle such a highly emotional subject?

  I had saved a few pieces of their clothing.  So, my idea was to make a smaller version of what I had first envisioned.  My sister's birthday was coming up, and I knew she would really love a small quilt about mom and dad.  Small quilt, tons of emotions.  It was a struggle, and at one point, I almost gave up altogether.

 I had a lovely photograph of them, when they were both pretty healthy, and I needed to re-dress them in their own clothing.  The words to the chorus of the song "I'll be loving you always" is a photo transfer on chiffon over a light background.  My mom is wearing fabric from one of her jackets.  Okay, yes, it was hard to cut it up, but it will live on in this quilt.

For some reason, blogger is being quite disagreeable today, and won't let me put a caption under the next photo.  I could not use my dad's Hawaiian shirts, because the prints were too big, but this fabric reminded me of him, and they compliment each other.

The finished art quilt for my sister.  I was determined to just get it done.  However, I came to the conclusion that I am not ready to tackle a larger quilt with this subject in mind.  It was very difficult, and this piece sort of stunned me, for about three days, and I could not do anything but this, think about my parents, talked to them over the course of those days, and cried my heart out.  Maybe sometime, I can tackle this again, but not right now.  It was a learning experience, to say the least.  My sister loved her gift, and we both cried.  I'll be loving them always. Onward I go. 

Spring House on the Havel's Sewing Blog

Learn how to make this 'Spring Bloomin' House' on the Havel's Sewing Blog by clicking here
fun, easy and only 12" square!

In the Studio

I think that during my healing process of my foot, probably one of the most frustrating parts is that I cannot do any heavy lifting, or moving furniture in my studio. Now I am feeling stronger, and more able to do some things. I moved my design table around, so that my back would not be to the front or back doors, and that has been great.

The painting part of my studio was not working, after spending quite a few days stenciling.  I could not see the front door, and therefore could not see who was outside.  A change was near.

My current working space, where I could just let the paint fall on the floor, and not care.  Love that.

I moved my tables around, so that I could have a clear view of the front door, even if I was working on the other side of the table, sitting down.

My print table is on wheels, so that I can stand or sit on a bar stool

Some pretty messy and creative art going on here.  The table is covered with a canvas drop cloth from Home Depot

By having the table at this angle, I can easily access supplies that are in the shoe boxes nearby

Here are some problem areas that are calling me.  I need to find a clever way to store things that I don't use very often.  Where will they go? Soon, I will be reorganizing this section of my studio

and this section - Workshop supplies are piling up and need to be reorganized before July to get ready for Fall workshops/classes

and this section. - Boxes still need to be unpacked and to figure out where it all goes.  I am thinking if I really need paper storage in this part of the studio.  Where will it go?  Condensed?  In bins? 

My Favorite Motif - Houses

It has been rather fun to design a line of stencils with one of my most favorite motifs - houses! There is one stencil with 6 houses on it, available through Stencil Girl Products.  The link is below!  So exciting!

Thinking of the possibilities, as I use acrylic paint on fabric

Here is the 9x12 stencil from Stencil Girl Products

I am having alot of fun using bright colored fabrics and a variety of paint

I think they look rather striking on red fabric - a Hoffman hand dye

This is my new Facebook cover photo

Silver paint on Orange!  More designs and a whole slew of projects ahead!