Finding Balance

Lately I have been struggling with finding balance between “Life” and “Studio”. Do you ever have that problem? I have decided to take each day as it comes and be at peace with it, and maybe, just maybe, I will be able to spend a few hours each week in the studio.

Our new little dog, Oreo, is a joy and has become a great encourager for me to go to the Studio. Everyday he runs to the studio and tells me it is time to work. Unfortunately, most days I have to tell him it isn’t time yet. He just loves to sleep at my feet while I am quilting.

He is such a love and tries to help me work on the computer too.

The latest pieces of work to come out of the studio are this versatile piece, “Fall 2016”. The colors remind me of a Fall morning with the changing colors and the left over colors of summer. It can be hung on the wall or lay it on a table as an accent piece. It measures 8”x17.5” and is available in my Etsy shop.

The big project I am working on is a modern quilt. It isn’t a large quilt, but one that can hang on the wall or accent a table. I used the Rising Star pattern for the blue stars and love the way the triangles are quilting.

I’m off to work in the studio and get more quilting done. Enjoy your day and make it a creative one!

Happy News!

Shattered Curves

This past week has been full of happy news. Last week I received an email that "Shattered Curves" was accepted into the Sacred Threads Quilt Show in Fairfax, VA. This is super exciting for me and I wish I could go to VA for the show. There are so many wonderful and talented art quilters who have pieces in the show. Several are SAQA members and I feel so blessed to be showing with them.

This quilt is also the promo quilt for an upcoming show the Dallas Area Fiber Artists are having in the Watson Gallery at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, Dallas, TX. The show is in September to raise awareness for Alzheimer's. The Dallas Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association is also involved in planning this show. The title of the show is "Let's Make Alzheimer's a Distant Memory". All of the art work for this show will be made to the theme "The Mind's Eye". I know with all of the talented artists in the Dallas Area Fiber Artist and surrounding areas, it will be a fantastic show. Part of the proceeds from the show will go to support the Dallas Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and the Art Foundation of Lovers Lane UMC.

The next part of my happy news is Monday night was the closing reception for the Dallas Area Fiber Artists Annual Show. "The Truck Quilt" was awarded Best in Show! I am still pinching myself to see if it is true or if I'm dreaming. There were so many wonderful pieces in this show, I am so blessed to be associated with so many talented and generous people.

Now, hopefully I will get some studio time tomorrow, along with embroidering labels for Baptism Quilts for church.

Happy Creating!

DAFA Workshop and Being Creative Today!

Everyone is being creative!

Our wonderful Program Director
Linda Disosway

Suzanne Morgan
working on her abstract creation

This past Saturday I spent a wonderful day with members of the Dallas Area Fiber Artists, teaching my Painted Cheesecloth and 12x12 Sunflower workshop. Here are a few pictures of the members and their creations!

Valery Guignon
also working abstract

Valery's painted cheesecloth

DAFA President - Janet Jelen
working on Sunflower placement

Karen Fischer and Pam Patton
sharing creative ideas

My work schedule this past week hasn’t allowed me to be in the studio very much, but I’ve made some progress today and have the basics to three art quilts in progress and the thoughts of several more are written down. Here’s a peek at what I’ve gotten started. Hopefully I can finish these next week before I leave for the Trinity Valley Quilt Show in Fort Worth. If you are in the area, don’t forget to come by, see the show and say Hi!

While I have been working in the Studio today I have been listening to "Sister's Choice" by Emilie Richards. I love her books and to my wonderful surprise there is a quilter in this book. One that, like me, wanted to venture beyond the traditional quilts and enjoyed exploring art quilting. I appreciated the way she expressed the way quilter's are. Paraphrasing, they always have a quilt in process, a quilt on their work wall, a quilt under the needle, quilts in our heads, quilts waiting to be bound, quilting until our final breath. Isn't that how we all feel?

Continue to be creative my friends!

Quilt in Progress

Just thought I would post a few pictures of my quilting and mixed media techniques on my current quilt "Outside In". As I posted earlier, the initial intent of this quilt was to mimic the hydrangea's outside the window, but my husband thinks this quilt looks more like the depth of the ocean. My quilt, I win....it's "Outside In". I'm not done yet, but I"m getting there!

Let Me Interrupt This Time of Creativity to Blog....

I just have to post a few quick pictures of what I'm working on. I have a quilt back hanging on my work wall that is going to be an art quilt for our family room. We have a dark corner and I want to brighten it up. Anyway, it's been hanging for awhile and I have been pondering what techniques I am going to use on it. Well, last night was a turning point and I fell asleep dreaming different techniques to use today. When I was digging through my drawer of textile/acrylic paints and things to use to paint with, I found an empty spool of thread! What a great idea for this quilt! You see, this quilt is going to hang next to a window where you can see all of our beautiful hydrangea's. The end of a spool of thread is similar to hydrangea blooms! I've also pulled out chiffon, organza, organdy, and silk to use to make artful hydrangeas.


Okay, I need to get back to work, but I also wanted to show you the fabric I dyed yesterday in preparation of the next four quilts I'm going to work on. I still need to dye more, but this is a start!

Looking for Stocking Stuffers or Secret Pal Gifts?

We are always running around looking for Stocking Stuffers and Secret Pal gifts that are unique and one of a kind. Do you have a favorite Quilter, Fiber Artist, and family member in mind? Take a look at the hand dyed handkerchiefs and fabrics at StudioJules on Artfire. I've left the Cyber Monday Sale Discount of 20% on the entire stock of Hand Dyed Silks, Cottons, Fat Quarters, Handkerchiefs, Bookmarks, Artquilts and Trims!

Iraqi Bundles of Love

I think I posted this last year, I'm doing it again! One of our courageous servicemen is collecting "Bundles of Love" for the Iraqi people. What's a "Bundle of Love", FABRIC! Here is the link to his website, he is also on Facebook, so just search for "Iraqi Bundles of Love".
IBOL website
I'm spending the day getting ready for a community garage sale and trying to finish a small art quilt. I've worked on this small quilt for a couple of days and have started over three times. I just couldn't get the fabric, batting and fusible to cooperate very well. Kept getting the "wave" or "puckering" effect when I fused the background fabric on. Some people will say it's the batting, I say it's the fusible. From now on I'm only using MistyFuse, the other brands just don't compare!
Have a great day everyone and I'll post pictures of my IBOL bundle and my small art quilts when I'm done!

Weeping Angel Art Quilt

I spent the day finishing up this precious quilt. I transferred the image of the angel from the computer onto Jacquard's Extrav Organza. I hand painted with textile paints over the image, fused MistyFuse to the back, cut the monument out and replaced it with one I cut out of silk. The silk monument has been hand drawn with Fabrico Markers (I love these!). Next, I fused the angel and monument to this beautiful cotton organdy I bought a few years ago at the International Quilt Festival in Houston. I've been saving it for just the right quilt! Okay, anyway, I finished the quilt off with beads and sequins. Love these sequins, they were from one of those little packets you get with a top, in case you need to replace them...yeah, right...they go straight into my stash!
This piece measures 13" x 12.5" and is listed in my Art Fire Studio!