'Tea Party' in progress

I am working on the left side of my 'Tea Party' quilt (see start below).  Hopefully by tomorrow these items will look like they are in a cupboard. I want to put dancing legs on the cupboard but we will see, as these came out a little longer than expected!  This tea party is going to have floating, dancing, and magical things happening.

This is a project a bee I am, in started last year.  We all choose a theme and then each person made an 'art block' for every other person in the group.  Now, we all have to put our individual blocks together into a quilt that reflects us.  I am incorporating their blocks into my piece.  We are showing these quilts in three shows starting in January, so the 'pedal is to the metal'!  It is really challenging...so keep your fingers crossed for me.  Will keep you posted.

What Am I Doing?

I am trying to postpone working on this!!!!

It is going to be a 'tea party' with a grandma and three grandaughters.  I am sure you can tell (LOL).
I have been doing a lot of it in my head and I can assure you this is far from what it will look like when done.  So while I am 'head working', I have been doing squares for a boomswap which is fun, mindless design. Fortunately or unfortunately, I am almost done with the swap blocks and am now going to have to attacked this more complex project.  Why do I put people in my quilts? People are sooo much more difficult than say, turtles.  I am whining already....

ANOTHER LITTLE QUILT SWAP

Just finished my swap quilt for "Another Little Quilt Swap".  It is a swap that is organized by Kate North, a women from England and is truly international! In the last swap my quilt was received by Kate and I received a quilt from an artist in the Netherlands.  You can find the info on the swap by googling 'Another Little Quilt Swap'. I really enjoy participating in it and the way it is set up is awesome.  Check it out.

Promo done...onto my piece...

I am determine in the next 12 months to utilize the odd bits that I just can't seem to throw away into worthy keepable pieces.  The criteria for the swap this time is just that the piece must be 12"x12".  I had a silk painted face that I had done without any resist, just as a lark when the dyes were out, that was just about the right size. The face was somewhat irregular but something just kept me from throwing her away.  Lord knows I tried, but I just couldn't trash her.  So here she is reworked.  She looks a bit tired so I gave her a chair to rest on.  Hence the name of the piece is "Time to Rest"!

I won an award!

My Houston quilt "Army Brat" won 'honorable mention', so I am of course thrilled!  Still can not post a picture until after the show opens.  Happy dance, Happy dance.

I AM IN !!!!!!!

I recently found out that my piece I was working on for Houston, was accepted.  I am not allowed to post a photo until after the show opens.  Will do so then.  Yay, for me.  If you are able to go to the show, look for my piece, "Army Brat" in the Festival Gallery of Art Quilts section.  Am very pleased.  It was a challenge to say the least because of mechanical problems with my machines.  But I perservered and it was worth it.

Grandkids Turn

So, this is the time of year that I do the 'fall collection' for my grandaughters.  Three weeks later, I think they are going to be surprized and very, very, happy.  At least I hope so.  Of course, I had to make some matching outfits for their doll/babies.  All in all, it was a fun experience and now I will get back to other things.  They will soon be too 'old' for Grandma's clothes and I will miss getting to provide a reason for their smiles. 

checking in....

I have been working a 'bazillion' different things pertaining to round robins and swaps.  I also finally finished the competition piece I have been working on as it was due June 6th.  I am almost caught up except for 4 things I am obligated to do and then I get to pick and choose the next project I will work on.  Hopefully, I will then have more pictures to post.  So, being a picture person, today I am posting a picture of one side of my 'studio'.  It is halfway clean so I am willing to show it today.

Spring has sprung!

Haven't posted in a while but still working, working. Doing several group projects and swaps (isn't retirement grand :-) )...The yard is blooming and am trying to divide my day into sewing time and yard time. Still am working on the competition project but my machine is in the shop this week and I can't post pictures. So, I will post a couple of swap blocks I have done.. for your enjoyment of course! LOL

Create on.....life is about the journey

Hello 2012

Had a wonderful Christmas with all our family together and then took a well deserved break from everything. Now I am refocusing and defining what I need to do this coming year.

I spent the last several years trying to be commecially sucessful and I feel that I lost the 'art' part of what I do. So, having said that, this year I am going to work on thematic exploratory pieces. I have already found a themed competition that intrigues me. The two pictures are the first two steps of the piece. I wish that I could post pictures of the progress and process but the competition states that the quilt can not be published on the internet or shown at any other quilt show. So, after I am accepted or rejected I will post the final project.

At the moment I am just working on the background and the quilt will be quite different when it is done. I can tell you that the title of the piece will be "Hello-Goodbye".

So hello again to you and good-bye for now. di

Fantastic Show!

Southern Highland Guild Show is done and successful! What a fun (and tiring) event. Lots of people and energy. The artwork/crafts at the show were just amazing. Could not have done it without my hubby's help! He does all the stuff I don't like to do as in lighting and lifting.

Would of course change some things next year, absolutely need a rug on that bare concrete but all in all, the experience was a very positive one and didn't have to bring home too much inventory.

Above is the new owner of "Not your Mother's Housecoat". What a delightful lady and she looks fabulous in her new apparel!

Peace and Liberty

I am finishing up different projects for the show in Ashville, This is 'Peace and Liberty'. The main image reminds me for some reason of the Statue of Liberty and the doves of course are a universal symbol for peace. I am now satisfied with this art quilt and hope that it speaks to someone at the show.

Runaway Chairs

This is a little quilt I made for "Another Little Quilt Swap" online. It's title is "Runaway Chairs" and it is only 19.5x20.5 inches. It is done with a raw edge applique technique out of thin strips of leftover fabric.

I thought it came out rather cute and am anxious to see the quilt that I will receive for it in the trade. It is so much fun to swap and this swap is very international. So who knows where it will end up? It will be fun to find out.

There is less than two weeks until the Southern Highland Guild Show, so most of my energies are presently directed at that. After the show, I will be able to do more artsy work and life will be grand. If you by chance come to the show be sure to stop and say 'hey'.

Christmas is coming!

Still sewing on some of the baubles...but I am almost there! My goal was to make a fall quilt and a Christmas quilt. Welllll, here's the Christmas one!

Hot off the Press..."Giving Praise"

Well, this art quilt is done and it's title is "Giving Praise". For some inane reason when I get an image in my mind it seemes to always include these little arm uplifted figures. I seem to have a need to 'praise' in my artwork. So, one must go with the flow and here is the latest wall hanging. I am happy with the intensity of the colors and the outcome. The rings around the orb are chenille, so that adds a tactile quality to my piece and there are little gold dots emitting from the hands of the ladies. They represent 'joy'. If you didn't know what joy looks like, you do now!

I really am working....

I haven't just been playing! My goal was to make 500' scrappie star' ornaments for fall shows. Well, that goal has realistically been modified to 250 and I am almost done except for putting on the hanging ribbons.

The starz were an interesting project in that I promised myself I would spend no extra money on the making of them. I took all my scraps and sewed them together into long strips of ribboned fabric. However, I ran out of material too soon. So then, I recruited scraps from fellow quilters, and batting, and buttons. What a great group of friends. I told three people I needed buttons, lo and behold, I was gifted with over 10,ooo shirt buttons. I was afraid after that to tell anyone else I needed anything!

Every star is different and somewhat funky. I must confess that if I see another scrap anytime soon, I will run in fright. Now back to purses.....

Just for fun!

Am participating in a 'Holiday" block swap. I have done 6 Christmas, and one Halloween so far. Three more Halloween to go and one 'patriotic' block. Then I am done with crazyness and back to work.

Its a nice break from the regular stuff.

MULTI TASKING!

My world!

Sitting at my computer, looking at the projects I am working on and decided to take a pix! This is my design wall and is always busy! After I finish the piece in the middle, I am going to be making more fabric (out of fabric), and trying some large purses. I make small ones out of the coat fabric scraps but have had several requests for large purses. So am going to try the market with large purses. Also, need to make more vests and coats, so me and my production team (Marlys) are kept busy. Just a peek into my world for you. I would show you the rest of the studio but you would take up a collection to get me a maid.....d

One of Three

One of the new vests that has just 'come off the press'...these are made so that you can easily slip them over a sweater. Do not have readily available the photos of the other two...but of course, each is unique. Am sort of getting into the 'dove' image...must be because of the political issues that the world is facing. I suspect you will see more doves. In these photos for some reason, the photo bleached the colors out a little. The colors are magnificent! Just sharing, haven't posted for some time. I am here, I am working, and that is the sum of it. Blessings!

New Coat Done

This coat has been a long time in the making. The cloth was half finished before I had to leave for 6 weeks. I returned and finished up the second panel and sent it to Marlys, who sews the fabric into beautiful garments.

I think you have to admint that this coat came out beautifully and hopefully it will fit its new owner with no problems.

Those of you who have known me a long time will recognize my little ladies of my painting days, rejoicing as always.

As a side note, my coats and purses can now be purchased at the Arrowcraft store in Gatlinburg.

Life is good!

I'm back and at work again!

It has been quite a while since I posted on my site. We had a family emergency and normal life halted for a while. Now, life is returning to normal, everything is fine and back to work.

Here in Sweetwater, TN, a new shop is opening up and it will be carrying some of my work. Mainly art quilt wall hangings and one of a kind ornaments. There will also be a wood artist, ceramic artist, and the owner, Nancy, is a jewelry artist. Wish us luck!

I also am now officially a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and will be showing with them and in their stores. I have many pots in the fire right now so say a prayer for me. Everything that is happening is good stuff, I just don't feel like I have a handle on everything yet..

And for the record, the new store's name is "Nancy and Company" and is at 500 N. Main St., Sweetwater, TN. I will be working on site so that will be fun for me and I hope to meet many of you!

Well, enough for now....next time I'll be more together....maybe!

"Inner Prayer"

Doing a couple of assemblages now in between fabric work. This one is called "Inner Prayer" and I think the picture explains the title. These are very 'folk art' and raw but they seem to have a spirit of their own. It has been alot of fun to work with junk and clay again.

We have been enprisioned by snow for the past week so I have had a lot of time to create. The snow is beautiful but I am so looking forward to the daffodils.

A Break from the Textiles

After becoming possessed with buying handmade American ornaments on Etsy, it came to me that I can make ornaments and I am an American. So a new process has begun! Since I waste numerous hours every night on the computer while my husband is watching TV, I am repurposing those hours into making ornaments out of polymer clay. My goal is to average one a day and sell them to pay for Xmas next year. They are evolving. I do an animal, then a character, and then a face. Time will tell which of the three will take over or whether I will branch out even more. It's fun, and if no one buys one ever, I will have a pretty spectacular tree of my own. Textiles is still my primary job, but it is fun to do some sculpting again.

The MOST important coats of the year!

Here are the pictures of the two coat/vests that I made for my grandaughters...as you can plainly see, pink is their favorite color...these were a joy to make and were well received...now, my third grandaughter wants a painting of a unicorn...if only I can find a unicorn that will pose for me...by Xmas of course....

Big project-almost complete

My most important project of the year is almost complete. Two jackets for my grandaughters...just need to make the detachable hoods tomorrow and they are done. They are pink of course! And they will look like little princesses in them. Was feeling guilty making designer coats and my own grandchildren didn't have a coat of mine... It would have been so much easier to go buy pretty jackets for them, but where would the love be?....so lets hope they fit...will post pictures tomorrow...

Whewwwwww!!!

Show is over. Rachel Clark as our guest speaker was fantabulous....lots of wonderful ladies, shopping, fashion....and just a great time.....it's 8pm and I am going to sleep.....it's been a busy two days....will post pictures later....

(And now, I can get on with some new projects!)

Photo Shoot

Photos at last...now I can show everyone what I have been doing for the last six months. This coming Saturday is the

Tennessee Presents

Textiles show and it is an unveiling for me and my new work...am not nervous at all, just excited....can't wait...here is a sample of what you will see if you attend the show...will post other photos later! Robert Burleson took the photos and they are fabulous. His website is www.BurlPhotoArt.com Hope you enjoy these.... :-)

Gertie

This is Gertie, my own personal 'bag lady'... and she is full of personality. She was created by local metal artist Paul Forkner. She will be following me around to shows and carrying my bags.

I had to share her with you as she makes me smile and hopefully will make you grin also. Like me, she is large and has a presence. How can you not fall in love with her......

Geisha Girl Coat

This is a coat, not a jacket. And it has three geisha girls on it. Don't know how I am going to do the closures yet but I do know I really like this coat.

Everything is coming together. I will post my new 'bag lady' display stand (sculpture) in the next few days...she is a hoot, made by welder and artist Paul Forkner...I think I will call her Gertie......life is good.....

more...more...more

Another added to the stash...this one in person is really rich looking...pictures do not do it justice! Hope I will see you at Tennessee Presents Textiles. Two long coats are in the mix right now. Can't show them all to you before the show...

Twigs

Just finished this fabric for a runway coat and I kind of don't want to cut it up!...It makes two interesting art quilts. The smaller piece is for the back panel of the jacket and the larger will get cut up in four pieces....I think I am going to stare at it somemore and then decide what to do.

If I elect to keep them whole, I will have to make some more material for a 'showstopper jacket'. The problem is I am running out of supplies and the $ to buy them.....life is never easy....

I'm Close( Clothes) to READYYYYY

I am getting ready for the Tennessee Presents Textiles show, and it feels sooo good! I have 12 coats and hope to make 3 more for the event. This is a new jacket and it's SOLD...It was not in my plans to sell it before the runway show but when someone wanted to buy it, how could I refuse? I do make them to sell them. This coat is really spetacular in real life and has such a personality of its own.

The main fabric is done with a collage technique and the design of the coat has a back panel that works really well for an artistic composition.

I embellish the fabric with some chenille yarn, a little thread painting and the funky leather buttons add alot of fun to the whole melange of colors. It also has a turnback cuff adding more color to the mix. As always, I hope that the owner feels really special when she wears one of my 'artwears'.

I will be having professional pictures taken of my jackets before the big show and will of course post them for your viewing pleasure. Not, that I don't think you don't love my blurry ones. Sorry about that, have to figure out my camera's settings. Well, back to work......

Whaaaah

Just to enter new note....tooo busy, tooo much stuff keeping me away from my work...not a happy camper....next week I am locking myself in my house and not answering my phone...if only I could do that!

Tennessee Presents Textiles

Well, we (the Tennessee Presents Textiles committee) are gearing up for an exhibit at the Athen's Living Heritage Museum presenting numerous regional textile artists' work. The exhibit is to showcase a flavor of the upcoming runway show featuring national artwear artist Rachel Clark and hopefully help to sell tickets to the event (November 13th). And ,of course, I am one of the regional artists ,so I have a vested interest in all of this craziness. If you look closely at the pictures you can see a corset, a blue wrap coat and a kimono coat of mine. Sorry the pictures came out so blurry, I must need to readjust the settings on my camera. It has been fun working on this event but now the promoter side of me has to sit back and I need to get the rest of my jackets done. The blue jacket on the manikin in the upper right of the lefthand picture is the blue fabric that was laying on the bed in the picture before this entry. Keeping busy, enjoying life...til next time.....chio

working, working

I am in working mode now! Have a runway show coming up November 13th (Tennessee Presents Textiles) and 'the pedal is to the metal' in getting coats made. Here are three panels of fabric that I just created that will be turned into jackets. My vote is for the brown one. I think I will make it my size so that if it doesn't sell, I can wear it! It has an oriental feel to it and that is always my favorite. Next panel currently on the table to be made is rich chocolate browns and the one after that is bright oranges/reds. The orange/red will probably be a vest/corset. Even I would hesitate to wear too much of this red/orange combo. One step in front of the other and I will wake up one day and my goals will be a reality. This is basically the plan that got me through college. A friend told me that Winston Churchill became the prime minister of England when he was 64, so taking that as inspiration, I've got plenty of time to rule the world.....

'Secret of the Mangroves'

This recently came back from an exhibit in Gainesville, FL. The show was "Quilting Natural Florida II" and had to reflect the natural flora and fauna of Florida. I chose the mangroves for my subject, as I love the abstractness of the roots. Knarled and humped, who knows what goes on in all that sand and muck!

I did alot of threadwork and dying on this piece. And the square in the upper half represents that which we do not know within the known. Hmmmmmm...

Chattanooga Folk Music School

What a fun day yesterday. I was accepted as one of the textile artists that will be on display at the Chattanooga Folk Music School from now until October. I got to see the school and meet the owners. It is a great operation, new and developing. One of the owners Christie Burns was there and her excitement about what they are doing was contagious. They do music lessons on the folk instruments and more. They also have intimate concerts and crazy gatherings from what I could learn. It is so much fun to meet new people associated with the arts and always love the opportunity to show my work. If you live in the Chattanooga area stop by and see the school and of course my art quilts.

Joyce's Coat

Feeling good because today because I finished a coat someone ordered

last December! But life happened and I had some surgery, etc...and bottom line, today it was delivered. I really love the coat and hope that she likes it as much as I do. I don't really think of myself as a dressmaker/seamstress type. Making the fabric and creating an artistic approach to the garment is 'my thing'. As long as I am making something, be it a painting, art quilt or art wearable, I am happy. So today was a happy, happy day and now I can concentrate on my garments for 'Tennessee Presents Textiles' show in November. Hopefully, they will progress a little faster than this project did. :-)

Coat found home....

This is a long coat with heavy Japanese overtures that was just purchased from me. The inside is lined with a golden light brown and has turquiose binding. I hope the owner feels special everytime she wears it!