Interview by Andreea Ayres

I was recently contacted by Andreea Ayres, who just started a new blog launchgrowjoy.com, which is a great resource for those of us who create products for sale and are looking for suggestions about how to market our products. Anyway, Andreea asked to interview me for her "Featured Entrepreneur" column, and she just published the interview here... check it out! And do browse her blog... lots of great info available, so check it out! Thanks, Andreea, for plugging me on your blog!

Clouds

Like most of the country, we have had a little weather over the past day or so. Yesterday morning, when it began to get light, I took some pictures of the clouds and sunrise:

Above, the wind did a good job of tossing the clouds around

If you look closely at the segment of blue sky here, you will see a sliver of moon

Above, looking northwest, the sunrise is adding a nice tinge of color to the clouds

Later in the day we had snow, but the clouds and sunrise were more newsworthy! I feel very fortunate to live in an area where I can go outside at sunrise and get a clear shot of some really spectacular views! Enjoy...

Works in progress

My last blog post talked about my project board... it's where I keep track of what I want to do or try in the near future, usually within the calendar year. Some of these I have tried before, but I want to continue improving my technique. Others are new to me, but I have been wanting to try them for some time.

So... one of the things I have been wanting to do more of is carving stamps to use on my fabrics. I had some already done, but decided to add to my collection. So off to the hardware store I went to get some more plumbers' gasket, which works well for carving. I also went to the 'culled' lumber cart and picked up a small piece of plywood to use for stamp bases, and I also picked up some small pieces of clear lucite, again to use as stamp bases. Yesterday, I decided to test the stamps on a piece of scrap fabric I found in my stash... probably a little busy if I planned to use it, but it's one of those 'ugly' pieces I decided would work fine for a test piece. Here it is:

Top left and bottom left are two new stamps I carved and mounted on chunks of wood I had in the garage. Middle is a set of stamps I carved out of a softer element. I used double sided carpet tape to adhere them to clear lucite, and added a strip of wood as a handle. Top right is a stamp I carved awhile back with plumbers' gasket again, mounted on a chunk of wood, and the leaf at bottom right is carved from plumbers' gasket, but mounted on lucite. I used black gesso applied with a foam brush for my test medium. However, I plan to use thickened dyes when I apply them to fabric for use, as I don't like the stiffness that paints leave.

On to the next project, which actually didn't make it to my project board... hmmmm!!!

Last fall, I went to New Mexico for 4 days with a friend, and one of our stops was Taos, which is a beautiful place. I had never been, but really wanted to see the countryside there and take photos. I believe I posted some when we got back, and one in particular was earmarked to be used as inspiration for a fiber art piece. Here is the picture:

I really love this scene, and started work on the fiber art piece last fall.

First I did a simple line drawing

Next, I transferred it to my muslin foundation

I had several fabrics already dyed that I could use, but decided to do gradation dyeing for the sky and mountains.

Then, once I got to this point, I laid the project aside over the last couple months of the year to work on other things. Today, I decided I was ready to continue:

I had actually fused the mountains and the foreground green piece in place before I stopped, but didn't take a photo. So when I resumed, I fused the middle ground, the horse, and the top of the first tree. Next I will be doing some free-motion stitching to create the tree trunk and branches, then I plan to layer some lightweight handkerchief fabric that has been dyed with the foliage colors. So stay tuned... this project has finally made it back to the front burner for now!

Exciting projects for 2012!

My first memories of doing creative things dates back to before I entered kindergarten... a LONG time ago! My mom was very creative, and she shared her love of creating things with me. But by now, you would think the excitement would have worn off, and I would be a little more blase` about it, right? NOT!! I am getting very excited about the things I hope to do next year... here's a partial list:

This is my project board, where I keep track of things I want to do or try. I left a couple of items on from this year, removed a couple I had completed, and took off a few I decided not to pursue in the coming year. I can always add them in if I change my mind! Topping the list is wholesale accounts - I am hoping to find some shops that want to sell my tie-dye, with the idea being I could focus more on production and less on craft shows, which are a drain on my energy. Next is deconstructed screen printing, a holdover from this year. I was first exposed to this back in '07 when I took a class from Melly Testa, who remains one of my creative inspirations. I have not used the technique since her class, although I did buy a Kerr Grabowski video a few years back. This is a technique that intrigues me, and I really hope to do more with it in 2012.

Next is stamps - carving, block printing with them... my favorite inspiration for this technique is Cynthia St. Charles, who makes wonderful art and landscape quilts and other fiber creations where she incorporates her hand carved stamps into the designs.

Next on the list is batik... I have used this technique quite a bit since I learned it in Melly's class, but I want to explore it further, so I'll be using up a lot of soy wax in the coming year!

Continuing on, the next item is books. I am currently writing a book on tie-dye, and I am also co-authoring a book with my friend Joyce, who is a very successful crafter... the working title of the book is "Biz Book for Crafters and Artisans". We took a little break this fall to do some craft shows, and Joyce has a burgeoning wholesale business, but we are ready to wrap it up in 2012.

Dyed Fabrics, the next item on my list. I have been dyeing fabrics as well as clothing for awhile now, but I have decided to branch out and sell my hand dyed fabrics... after all, I can't use all the fabric I dye, even if I decided to stop dyeing clothing altogether! My hope is to use multiple surface design techniques to make unique cloth for others to use in their sewing projects!

Last on the list is thermofax screens... I have wanted to create designs to be converted to thermofax screens for some time, and just didn't get around to it... you know! Well, I'm bound and determined to try and get some made up this year, and Lynn Krawczyk , also known as Fibra Artysta, has a Thermofax Screen Service. I know a number of others do as well, I just saw hers mentioned on her blog a few years back, so I have saved her info and plan to give her a try.

Needless to say, I'm really jazzed about all the fun things I hope to do next year! So with all this excess energy, I decided today would be a great day to get some cleaning done... and I started with my studio! I'm not done in there yet, but did come up with a way to store my serger thread:

I reuse the containers that our dishwashing soap comes in for dyeing, but decided they are also just the right size for the thread cones, and they are stackable... nice!

Okay, on to the next cleaning project, so I can be ready to start the New Year tomorrow! Happy New Year to you all, and let's make it a colorful and creative one!

Split Rail lap quilt

I finally finished my Split-Rail lap quilt that I started last March! I got partially done with the actual quilting back then, but put it aside to do a number of other things and never got back to it until last weekend. I have decided that I don't really enjoy the quilting process, mainly because I have a regular sewing machine as opposed to a quilting machine, and it's very frustrating to deal with the bulk when you don't have at least a medium quilting arm on your machine! But I got through it, and here it is:

The close-up shot gives a better idea of the colors in the batik fabrics I used... I love these fabrics! And I'm very pleased with how it turned out... just in time, because the lap quilt I made around 2005 is starting to show some wear, and I use it daily! Anyway, just wanted to "show and tell" about my latest finished project!

Merry Christmas!

We don't put up a tree for the holidays any more, but I got inspired this year... we have some giant Juniper shrubs, and I cut some sprigs and added a little holiday color to decorate for the season... just right!

My Christmas Cactus bloomed just at the right time this year... truly a beautiful decoration! And it will continue to bloom for the next few weeks... something I look forward to each year!

Merry Christmas to all!

Hand dyed fabrics

I just added several hand dyed fabrics to my artfire shop... click here to see them! I hope to be adding more after the New Year, so keep checking back! Another goal close to being achieved!