Ruching and Divine Caroline
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
I mentioned in an earlier post that I'm now writing for Divine Caroline - I even get to be "featured":
Isn't that a lovely little box? Especially if you consider I have my 1950's houseblog...it makes me look SO much more sophisticated than I am!
Well, they're featuring me (and Louanne really) on the front page of their "fun" section - here. I rotate every 4 screen refreshes, but that's a crazy quilt block and I get to demonstrate how ruching. I think I might send them a better graphic...the typing illustration that Louanne did didn't really come across, but hey - better than nothing!
I have a couple more articles on there too. It's shaping up to be a lovely site, go check it out!
Labels: Blogging, Crazy quilt
Self Portrait - won an award! :-)
Sunday, January 27, 2008
I did this self portrait a long time ago - my tribute to Andy Warhol - I studied and adore pop art...probably the biggest influence on me. Anyway, today someone stumbled on it and gave me a Garden Gnome award....cool, eh?
The Garden Gnome Award
I love how art gets around on Flickr. I also found in the new statistics area of flickr (found here) that this photo was used on a site as an avatar sort of thing....cool when someone "gets it" eh? Oddly, I'm not at all upset when people use my art, I find it totally flattering....it's neat when someone likes something enough to use it - I figure my art only has a limited following in my own circle...it's neat when it gets around on the net.
Labels: art, photography
What's "on the hoop"?
Thursday, January 24, 2008
I've updated my sidebar with my projects for 2008 - the one that's almost done and been sitting there for years is my Australian Landscape...featuring a gum tree and a million individually stitched leaves. I have done a few hundered of them! Many many more to go:
I'm planning on stitching on this while watching TV....and hopefully get it done. The background is lovely fabrics including the bottom - which is a wonderful black antique silk velvet. Too bad blogs don't have "feel-a-vision". Imagine how lovely it would be to fondle everyone's lovely fabrics?
You might notice I have a new ad network on my sidebar too....I'm going to be contributing to a wonderful site called "Divine Caroline". It's a really nice site and I hope to be writing some fun articles for them...both for this blog and for my houseblog! So, keep an eye out and I'll try to let you know when something new pops up over there.
I'm planning on stitching on this while watching TV....and hopefully get it done. The background is lovely fabrics including the bottom - which is a wonderful black antique silk velvet. Too bad blogs don't have "feel-a-vision". Imagine how lovely it would be to fondle everyone's lovely fabrics?You might notice I have a new ad network on my sidebar too....I'm going to be contributing to a wonderful site called "Divine Caroline". It's a really nice site and I hope to be writing some fun articles for them...both for this blog and for my houseblog! So, keep an eye out and I'll try to let you know when something new pops up over there.
Labels: Crazy quilt, embroidery, UFO's
Absolutely Inspiring
Monday, January 21, 2008
Labels: inspiration
Tacky or Craft? How do you know the difference?
Sunday, January 20, 2008
I'm in the mood to stir up trouble! Not sure why, I woke up in a feisty mood this morning! I'm pondering something tho. As I posted the other day I had a good surf around the net, being in complete awe of some of the art/craft that people do. Amazing.
However, in running Helping Handmade, I'm also made aware that there are a LOT of very very tacky crafts out there. Quite a few of these are done in the name of reusing recyclables, but frankly are they really the sort of things that you will have around your house for years? Does that matter?
What defines "ticky tacky" and where's the line between that and art and craft. Obviously by my link the picture above, I don't consider this box to be "high art". I'm sure it could have a purpose, but it also is akin to things that you are given and in a year or so (when it's safe) they are donated to charity or put in a garage sale. We have a good friend who's mother makes doll tops for air fresheners - some might scoff, but she lovingly puts detail into them and my daughter adored it!
I know the angst of crafters who lovingly make afghans and quilts tho and those end up in garage sales or in someone's basement too. So, how do we increase appreciation, but also draw the line. I hate being compared to a crafter who uses glue and tacky elements to create something....however, I have seen amazing creativity with just a bottle of glue and some paper.
Obviously my mind is not made up on this, but I thought it would be great fuel for discussion. What do you have that might end up in a garage sale and do you think people are gaining any awareness for the work that goes into a lot of craft items?
However, in running Helping Handmade, I'm also made aware that there are a LOT of very very tacky crafts out there. Quite a few of these are done in the name of reusing recyclables, but frankly are they really the sort of things that you will have around your house for years? Does that matter?
What defines "ticky tacky" and where's the line between that and art and craft. Obviously by my link the picture above, I don't consider this box to be "high art". I'm sure it could have a purpose, but it also is akin to things that you are given and in a year or so (when it's safe) they are donated to charity or put in a garage sale. We have a good friend who's mother makes doll tops for air fresheners - some might scoff, but she lovingly puts detail into them and my daughter adored it!
I know the angst of crafters who lovingly make afghans and quilts tho and those end up in garage sales or in someone's basement too. So, how do we increase appreciation, but also draw the line. I hate being compared to a crafter who uses glue and tacky elements to create something....however, I have seen amazing creativity with just a bottle of glue and some paper.
Obviously my mind is not made up on this, but I thought it would be great fuel for discussion. What do you have that might end up in a garage sale and do you think people are gaining any awareness for the work that goes into a lot of craft items?
Labels: crafts, ponderances
Creativity throughout the net
Thursday, January 17, 2008
I have been trying to organizing my blogging - all attempts at which seem to fail. However, I'm going to try to record some of my favorite sites that I visit regularly on the net. Of course these sites range from parenting sites (oooo, found a new one at Geek Parenting) to art sites, political sites and just some regular old popular sites.
Sometimes I really love having a good "surf around the creative net". Wow, awe-inspiring at times! I am amazed at the creativity just oozing out of people. I know I'll find it at some point, but reading blogs sometimes leaves me feeling lacking. And in fact, not quite knowing where to start.
For instance, here's my Mother in Law....who always finds something wrong with her work (grrr). I found her this pattern and insisted she make it for my son:
Isn't he adorable? (Gromit for those of you who are Aardman challenged) She's humble, but I think she did an amazing job! I can't even imagine knitting something like that! Ok, I don't knit and can't imagine knitting...so it's a HUGE leap!
Jude, at Spirit Cloth and What If is just amazing! I adore the style and the look.....her quilts are amazing and her stitching is just fabulous. Mostly I love that she seems to love fabric...you can just feel the fabric through the pictures!
Then as a complete juxtaposition ("big fancy word of the day"...can you tell I have elementary school age kids!) is this LOVELY historical piece from Raciare's Embroidery and Needlework:
I have to say, I've seen things like this in museums, but the concept of CREATING it is amazing. Wow, can't really say much more. Humbling. Check out her website...even the most amazing embroiderer will be humbled. So, I'm back to dig out my ever so humble stitching.
Labels: Blogging, embroidery, inspiration, knitting, quilting
Best intentions day!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Have you ever had a day with 8000 things on your list? Of course you have!
I had one of those today (I'm NOT going to admit how many times that happens in my life) and that was ok. I got a few of them done....but really spent the day just thinking and net surfing and kind of having fun! I'm going through trying to figure out if I want to make one of those 100 things I want to do lists. Still not sure. I think it would be depressing if you don't finish any of them.
The kids and I played with their moonsand. Matey Moo can recite the entire commercial (he's an informercial junkie...it's weird) but the stuff is totally fun to play with. I'd be afraid if I had kids that ate things...but my kids are past that. Anyway, it's totally fun. The consistency of brown sugar and sparkly. A fabulous way to stretch the creativity!
On another note,among my surfing around for new fun ways to post my blog and I couldn't believe I didn't have a Technorati Profile. I'm always amazed when I go to those sites how often I already have signed up (ages ago and forgot about it) - however, this was one place I was not signed up.
Ok, more creative pictures soon....back to the moonsand!
I had one of those today (I'm NOT going to admit how many times that happens in my life) and that was ok. I got a few of them done....but really spent the day just thinking and net surfing and kind of having fun! I'm going through trying to figure out if I want to make one of those 100 things I want to do lists. Still not sure. I think it would be depressing if you don't finish any of them.
The kids and I played with their moonsand. Matey Moo can recite the entire commercial (he's an informercial junkie...it's weird) but the stuff is totally fun to play with. I'd be afraid if I had kids that ate things...but my kids are past that. Anyway, it's totally fun. The consistency of brown sugar and sparkly. A fabulous way to stretch the creativity!On another note,among my surfing around for new fun ways to post my blog and I couldn't believe I didn't have a Technorati Profile. I'm always amazed when I go to those sites how often I already have signed up (ages ago and forgot about it) - however, this was one place I was not signed up.
Ok, more creative pictures soon....back to the moonsand!
Labels: Blogging, motherhood
Gifties and doing some more round robins!
Friday, January 11, 2008
I'm here! And have been diligently getting ready for our next RMCQ meeting - we're doing a round robin and so here are my two blocks. I did a black and white feather stitch and then a silk ribbon feather stitch with the roses to create a spray. Easy and I'm happy with how it turned out.
I tried a different rose on this one....french knots in the middle with a stem stitch going around until it looks like a rose.
And happy happy me, Louanne sent me a book (she was doing a giveaway on her site) and included fabric in it! Whoopee! I love crazy quilters, they're so generous and yummy fabric! Thanks Louanne!
I tried a different rose on this one....french knots in the middle with a stem stitch going around until it looks like a rose. And happy happy me, Louanne sent me a book (she was doing a giveaway on her site) and included fabric in it! Whoopee! I love crazy quilters, they're so generous and yummy fabric! Thanks Louanne!The Helping Handmade site is coming along nicely, I've posted our first class and there will be more coming very soon! Thanks to everyone who has sent in ideas and offered suggestions and thanks to Sharon for giving us a HUGE plug on her site. I've put up a list of our environmental causes and I'm hoping they're the best ones...if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!
I'm so excited about this site....I really made it for people like me, who love to lurk on blogs, but sometimes are put off by how hard the projects seem!
Labels: Crazy quilt, helping handmade
