All in a Week's Time....

Newly Released!!

It's been busy around here and in the last week I've...
-Taught a class on my wire flowers at the Studio at Rush Creek (and LOVED meeting the lovely ladies who attended!!!)
-Sighed with anticipation when my advance copy of Sew Somerset came (lots and lots of goodness in there)

-Attended the end of the year picnic at my son's school
-Gone to the hardware stores more times then I'd like  (ok that's a lie I really like going to the hardware store but don't tell my husband... ;)
-Painted lots and lots of beautiful trim white 
-Polyurethaned a door (never done that so it made the list.)
-Started Christy Tomlinson's new e-course, She Had Three Hearts (love it!)
-Raided the craft shelf at my local library
-Painted my newly remodeled bathroom- it's almost finished!
-Took a bath in my lovely new tub
-Wrote an article for CPS gifts issue
-Sent in proposals for a couple of magazines (although that might have been the week before-can't remember)
-Brainstormed ideas for the Sew Somerset deadline coming up in July (thought it was in  June so I got an early start)

at the zoo

-Watched Tron and Tron 2 with my husband (better then I expected)
-Completely enjoyed my son's reaction to the new Kung Fu Panda 2 (he vibrated all the way into the theatre, through the movie, and all the way home- it was THAT good) 
-Went to the Minnesota Zoo and saw the sea otters
-AND got to start reading through my new book, Plaster Studio by Stephanie Lee + Judy Wise (completely lovin' it!)

New book!

*Those were the highlights and what I really really love is that this is a typical week for me. I don't get new books or magazines all the time but I really love how my life is such a mix of home and art.  

The things that really make life good though are the little things, the comments you leave me, the new recipe I tried, the time spent with my son and husband, the fabulous new idea that hit in the middle of the night, and the texts I get during the day from my friends just wondering what I'm up to. It's all so good and I am really so so grateful to be living this life. Right now. Thank you all for being part of what makes it so good. I really really appreciate it. :)

So what have you been up to? Found any cool new art technique? Gone somewhere new? Found something old you just loved? Picked up a killer new book or magazine? I'd love to hear from you- so please leave a comment so that we can know what you've been up to. Thanks!

If at first you don't succeed...

Yay! I just received a notification that my submission for the June issue of Sew Somerset was accepted! Super excited to have this opportunity. And it feels doubly nice since I didn't make it in last time. I guess try, try again really does pay off!

Disappointed- but dealing with it.

Today's an up and down day. Actually, down then up I guess. It started whenI ran over to my local JoAnn Etc. to buy Ruth Rae's Layered Tattered, and Stitched. I had flipped through it before, loved the book, and keep thinking of it so I figure I should hand over one of my 50% coupons and get me one.

Alas, they had every book BUT that one. On the way out I found the latest Sew Somerset on the rack. Instantly a thundercloud must have appeared over me 'cause I just started grumbling because my last submission wasn't in it. Which is a dumb thing to be upset over- cause they might still use it for another issue. I was just disappointed. Besides- I have a BOOK coming out. Talk about needing some perspective.

It came as soon as I got home. First, the issue is great. I love everything in it. They seem to get better and better each time. If my work didn't get in, then at least it's because they has so much cool stuff to put in. Kind of consoling. Then I checked my e-mail. In it I found an e-mail from my editor with a lovely little attachment that made my heart actually leap. It was my book cover!!!! I can't show it yet but it's bright and pretty and will definitely stand out on the shelf. It's so much better than I imagined.

Down then up. I know as an artist that putting my work out there is putting myself out there. Sometimes I face rejection. Perhaps even a nasty critique or two. But I know it'll be worth it. It IS worth it. Every time I write something that encourages someone else it makes it totally worth it. Putting my work out there is the price I pay so that I have that voice. So that it will be heard. Totally worth it!

Tinned Treasures

It started as a challenge to my creativity. I'd asked my Dad to pick me up some old lunch trays I'd seen at a garage sale he'd organized. When he brought over the trays he gave me a box of old cookie tins too. Thought I'd want them too. I think cookie tins are kind of pointless and I really had no use for them- but it's my dad and he'd got them for me so I mumbled thanks and tossed them in the garage. But later I was thinking about art and how really we should be able to make amazing art out of anything. So I started to play around with the tins. I did a post a while back with my first experiments altering their finish. I'd crackle painted one and spray painted another trying to see what I had to work with. Then I dropped it to do the book stuff.

So a couple of days ago when I needed to try and quick come up with a submission idea for the next Sew Somerset my eye fell on the tins and I thought I'd give them a try. Anything can be art right? The tin on the right is my first attempt. I really struggled with it at first. I knew I wanted to use some fabric and wire- :) and I knew I needed to include stitching, and because of the depth I thought it'd be cool to have things at different levels. So those were the parameters.

It turned out kind of fun. The central flower is actually fabric petals that I cut, coated with gel medium and then stuck to a mini plastic easter egg. To attach the wire, I used my handy dandy crop-a-dile and punched holes. The little silhouette at left is courtesy of Singlestone Studios. I was trying to channel the whole cameo look.

So there you have it- a little creativity and now I'm looking at the tins in my garage in a completely different light. Thanks Dad!

PUBLISHED!!!! Sew Somerset June '09 issue!!!

Yay! Last night I found the newest Sew Somerset in my mailbox!!! It's technically been out all day and it's been killing me to wait for my free copy. I wanted to run right over to my nearest B&N and pick it up!! Funny, I've been waiting for so long and then almost lost it at the end! What a great issue though. I love some of the more colorful pieces-especially the cover piece! It's just beautiful! The quality of work in there has been getting better with each issue I believe and this one might be the best yet. You might not want to rush out and get it like I almost did but you will want to look it over if you've an interest in art quilting, fabric, or some unique mixed media.

I have three mini art quilts that were accepted along with a little how-to article. I would have loved to go on about them a little more than I did but they give you a word count you have to stick to. Like the "dream" piece that I told you the background to a couple of weeks ago I think I'll do a couple of posts in the next few weeks explaining some more of the background and inspiration involved in the other two pieces. WHoo hoo!!! It feels very very good to see my work published again!!

Mini Art Quilts: Whoo- Hoo!

Yesterday I received notification that one of my two articles that had been accepted for the June issue of Sew Somerset was moved to the Aug. issue of Somerset Home instead. Very cool because now I'll have a whole new subscriber list seeing my work and I'll get another free issue! Ok, so I could probably drop the $14 dollars if I needed to but it's still kind of cool. :)

I actually got to see a proof of the Sew Somerset article yesterday as well. This will be the second time I've had an article published and it is still such a huge thrill. Maybe there are artists out there that can go on creating with absolutely no validation that their work is meaningful or interesting to someone other than themselves- but I am definitely NOT one of them. I love all your comments, especially the ones that are constructive. They really help me to thrive and grow in my work. Before I started on Etsy I was really reluctant to show my work to anyone. In fact, the few people I did show were pretty ho-hum in their reaction to my wire work. They loved my paintings, my drawing, but the fabric and wire thing just wasn't doing it for them. But here's where obsession can be a positive thing- I didn't care. I loved what I was doing so much that I just kept on doing it. Finally filling the entire house with my work- which then led me to Etsy (I had to clear the house out somehow). :) I don't know if I could have kept on as long as I have though without someone else saying they liked it too. Fortunately, the Etsy community of buyers and sellers have been incredibly supportive. They let me know that THEY liked it too and that has really kept me motivated to continue on creating and innovating. That and my husband has been incredibly supportive this entire time- totally important!

So thank you! And as a sneak preview and to kind of celebrate I thought I would post one of the mini art quilts that will be featured in the June issue. "dream" was created as a collaboration with my four year old son. I sectioned the piece off into 4 boxes and cut out a bird for the first section. Then I asked Jasper what should go in the others. And of course what he says goes.... And that is how this quilt was designed. After the major images were in place I was looking for a way to embellish the quilt. It seemed to need just a little more "something" to make it complete. So rummaging around in my bag I found a wire "dream" I had created for an ornament that was just perfect! I added the tweedle dee dee at the top because Jasper had been watching The Backyardigan's Tale of the Mighty Knights a lot and the "tweedle dee dee" of the flying fairy song was constantly running through the back of my mind. My own little soundtrack for this piece.

So those are a few of the little "behind the scenes" details of the construction of this quilt. I hope you enjoy it!