More QIP

Here's the latest developments on my quilt in progress (QIP)...I knew you gals would guess that acronym right away.


It looks a lot different from yesterday huh? Well I decided to go in a completely different direction than the quilt on the pattern. The long panels weren't doing a lot for me and so I chopped them in half. I did get a lot of panels sewn up yesterday. At the end of the day I had eight panels in all, one having been sewn on Saturday.

I need to make more of these blocks in order for the quilt to be a good size for a throw quilt. I may audition the blocks with a sashing, but I'm sort of liking this look. What do you think? Do you like that I cut the panels down?

QIP

QIP????? Can anyone guess what that means?

Here is my beginnings of the new quilt I started on Saturday, when I went to sew with the girls. I came home with one panel completely done.


The panels measure about 28" x 10.5" and really can be trimmed to any dimension I want. These are sewn on a foundation of tear-away stabilizer. The name of the pattern is Eye of the Fabric Storm by Seams&Dreams. Now I gotta be honest with you...if all I had seen was the picture of the quilt on the front of the pattern, I would never have attempted this quilt. But one of the gals who works in the sewing shop made one up in fabulous colors and that's what caught my eye. I'm planning on making the throw size but not according to the pattern. For the throw size, you need eight panels total plus sashing and borders, but I want to make mine so it is long enough for someone who is taller. I plan to give this as a gift and need the extra length for it.

I don't know yet what my sashing and border colors will be....I'll audition those later.

By the way......who hit the repeat button on the weather? Gosh, we are in the midst of another snow storm, repeat from last week. Hello?????!!!!! I'm getting a little tired of this. I went to go outside and stepped out the back door into....well.....a crotch high snowdrift. Sorry, couldn't think of a better word for that. So guess what I'm doing today???? Yep, sewing quilt panels.

Prep Work 3

Well I haven't made a whole lot of progress on the canvases in the last couple of days. All I've been able to do is sketch the faces on them. Next I'll start painting.


But no painting today! In a few minutes I'm leaving. See, I'm all packed.


I'm going to be sewing with the girls today. We are piecing quilt tops...a new pattern. You'll be happy to hear I'm planning to use many of my fabrics that I dyed with the IDyes. I'll show you the quilt top tomorrow.....maybe.

Have a happy weekend!

News from Two Creative Studios

News Item #1:
Sue and I are working on our second book together. Creative Ways with Books & Journals is scheduled for release in November 2009 and we would like to invite you to submit your work for inclusion in the gallery section of this new book. Submission details are outlined below.

CALL FOR ART!

Creative Ways with Books & Journals will feature a special gallery section of juried artwork that is in book or journal form. We are seeking creative and unique journal page spreads, book forms and art journals. Send no more than 3 images per submission to Sue at suebleiweiss@yahoo.com. Images should be no larger than 72dpi. Please include your full name, location and a brief description of your submission. You can submit as many pieces as you like but please send them in separate emails. DO NOT send any actual artwork until you are notified that your work has been chosen.

If your work is chosen for inclusion in the gallery section you will be required to mail your artwork to Sue for photographing. All artworks will be returned once photos are taken. Selected artists will receive full acknowledgment within the book, a complimentary copy, and a discount on the purchase of additional books. Artists retain copyright of their work. Deadline for submitting photos is July 1, 2009. Please email Sue at suebleiweiss@yahoo.com with any questions.

News Item #2:
I am now offering the Daisy Doodles Quilted Wall Hanging class as an instant downloadable class. This new "Classes on Demand" format is something that will continue to expand on the Two Creative Studios web site. You can read more about Classes on Demand here.

Prep Work 2

I added some color to my canvases. Now they are starting to come to life. When these are dry I will brush on some gesso to tone down the color a bit. I find it helps to sort of blend from one color section to another as well.

Prep Work

Today I am busy getting more canvases ready. Here I'm adhering border paper. It's an ooeeeyyyy gooooeeeeeyyyyy job.

New Mixed-Media Work

I'm just about done with these two pieces. They are both 12" x 12" on gallery wrapped canvas. All I have left to do is apply a sealer to them.



These works will soon be available at BECA Gallery. They will be part of the 12x12x122 Summer Show exhibit. Exhibit dates are June 6, 2009 - July 3 2009.

I will be submitting four art works total for this exhibit. Now I need to think about the next two and what I want to create.

In other news...we are in the midst of a blizzard. So far the local news is reporting we've had a little over six inches of snow. It's blowing very hard out there and once in a while the lights dim a little. I sure hope the power doesn't go out. I heard that most of the roads are closed in the vicinity.

Ouch!

Why Ouch? I fell on the ice this morning and now my left knee hurts. Sigh! Anyway, I thought it might appear as if I'm ignoring my blog, but really I'm not. I have been working on a few things, some I can't show completely yet. Up first is a sneak peek at a mixed-media project I'm working on.


The next sneak peek is my windows-themed Twelve by Twelve quilt. I finished this up over the weekend. YAY! These will be revealed on April 1. Stay tuned!



We are having a very gloomy day today and my photos aren't the best. In fact, starting this evening, we are under a blizzard warning. UGH!

A good part of the weekend I spent organizing in my studio. I had purchased a new bookcase and hubby got it put together for me. You can see I have it all filled already.


While in my organizing mode, I came across this project that I hadn't finished. I thought it might look good on a background of green fabric.


And here is another project I'm slowly working on. I've shared the painting with you recently, but I purchased an unfinished wood frame and painted it up all pretty.

My Feet are Killing Me

The other day I made a folder-folio. I'm going to be teaching this at my local sewing shop next month. For those of you who weren't aware, the pattern and instructions for the folder-folio are available on the Two Creative Studios Free Projects web page.


Oh yeah, did you notice that I mentioned my feet are killing me? Well today I've been an organizing fool in my studio. It really needed a complete make over. I recently ordered a new bookcase to put in the studio and because of it coming this week, I needed to sort, rearrange, and streamline a few things. While in the midst of all this sorting, rearranging, and streamlining, Mr. UPSman drove up and delivered my new bookcase. Bummer! It needs to be assembled. Sigh! I'll have to wait until Friday (hubby's day off), I think, before I can admire it in it's new spot and start using it.

Anyway, enough with that! While I was going through stuff, I found some remaining pieces of black on white fabrics that I hadn't dyed yet. You may recall that a while back I was really into dying fabrics with the Jacquard IDyes. Well I had gotten a couple of new colors and hadn't used them yet. So, I plopped two loads of Idye and fabric into the washer and now have two more stacks of lovely dyed fabric to add to my stash.

Aztec Gold / Brilliant Blue

I really need to start creating stuff with these lovely fabrics. Wouldn't you say?

Adding Color

Over the weekend I played with adding color to my fabric. I prewashed the fabric and cut some swatches so I could test different products.

This first one is textile paints that I added water to so they were very fluid.


Next I used textile paints straight from the bottle and did some precision painting.


Here is a sample using Jacquard's IDye.


And last is a couple of colors of Jacquard Dye-Na-Flow.


This fabric took the dyes and paints just like any other fabric I've used. I was happy about that.

I am offering my fabric for sale on the Two Creative Studios web site. You'll find it in the store, here.

You'll notice when you click the fabric link in the store, that I am showing more designs that are coming soon. Yep, I've been busy drawing and preparing for more. All the designs I've worked on so far are black and white only. I am so in love with the graphic appeal of black and white and then having the option to add whatever color I want, if I so choose.

Thank you to all of you who have left such wonderful comments about my new fabric design.

My Very Own Fabric

Yesterday's mail brought me some joy. A couple weeks ago I sent an image off and in return I got a piece of fabric with my image printed on it. The online company that is doing this is Spoonflower. You may have heard of them by now as I think their reputation is starting to get noticed. They are fairly new, but will do well I believe. Anyway, the gist of Spoonflower is you send in your digital file and you can order custom printed fabric.

This was my first time ordering as I basically wanted to test the waters. I wasn't sure how well the image I had drawn, scanned, and touched up would turn out. I am very happy with it and plan to do more.

I think this design would be great with some paints or dyes added to it. Color it up any way I want to. I never thought I'd want to design fabric, but hmmmm, I may be changing my mind. LOL! Perhaps I'll just be my own personal fabric designer.


And this photo shows more progress on a couple of paintings I showed you the other day. The one on the right is a new painting technique I was trying out. Don't know for sure if I'm thrilled with it or not. I may have to think on it a bit more.


Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Making Progress on the Works in the Making

Hmmmmm, that sure is a long blog post title isn't it? The first photo shown here is my thread snippet container. It is getting mighty full and I keep stuffing everything down and compacting it more. One of these days I'll use it for something. I have used this in the past to make a journal quilt. I used it as the background. It was a journal from back in March of 2007, if you care to scroll through the archives.


Here are some ATCs that I'm working on. The fronts are finished, now I need to fuse on a backing and stitch around the outer edges.


And look at this little guy! I had an extra ATC background and so I made a kitty.


Oh, and here's a photo of something I forgot to show you before. It's a gourd that I'm decorating and I'm still, slowly working on it. Yes, I have several thousand projects going on at once.


Oh, don't forget the real kitty. Abby said she wanted to get in on the picutre taking session too.

Works in the Making

It's been brought to my attention that someone (Hi Judy!!! (grin)) has been watching this space for a new post. Well, being the silly person that I am, I thought I'd give Judy something to see. She told me she didn't mean to be a nag about it, but I didn't consider it a nag, just a friendly hint. I like seeing pictures and new stuff on other blogs too.

So here's what I've been working on. This:


And this:


And this:


And this:

Canvas

Are you an artist who works on stretched canvas? If so, you may be interested in this call for entry. I am assuming that since the call is still posted on their site, that there is still room for artists. Perhaps you'll join me in participating?

More Greetings, More ATCs

Rolling right along with the greeting card extravaganza . . .

Lean

Joy

Friend

Here are more ATCs that I've recently added to my ATC collection. I think I've shown all that I've received, but I wouldn't be surprised if I have missed one or more. My studio turns into such chaos at times that I sometimes find things later after I clean up. So if you sent me an ATC recently and I haven't shown it, please write to me and I'll go looking.

Marina Perez Paris, Janice Novachcoff, Margaret Roberts, Peggy Schroder

Happy Weekend to All!

Greetings!

I'm on a roll! A greeting card roll, that is. I found some blank cards with envelopes that I had forgotten about. Imagine what you can find when looking for stuff in hidden places.

So I got out my papers and started stitching. I made six of these so far and I'm planning more. Fun, fun, fun!

Believe

Bloom

Discover

Laugh

Treasure

Wonder

I am going to put these in my etsy shop shortly. Thanks for coming and visiting me. Don't forget to move your clock one hour ahead this weekend. Spring ahead....yes!!!! Spring!!!!!! I hope it shows up soon.

Art Prints on Sale

I'm having a sale! All of my art prints are on sale in my etsy shop. Visit the shop to learn more. The sale will last through then end of March.

My Long Overlooked Art Journal

A while back, I had started working in an old book that I converted to my art journal. I think there were about two or three spreads done in it and I had wanted to keep up with it regularly, but, ~SIGH~, it was not to be. I found the journal the other day, not that it was lost, and decided to slather some gesso onto the next pages. Then I went to town and did more and more until I came up with this:


I am still hand stitching away on this quilt too. I've been doing a little here, a little there, and one day....I know it will be done.