Arboretum

We had a lovely visit to the Dallas Arboretum last weekend. It was the kick off of their autumn displays including this amazing pumpkin house. Isn't it fantastic!?I always love the crepe myrtle alley. It's beautiful in every season. The blooms are mostly fading, but you can still see some at the top. And how about this little green and orange scene? Inspiring.

What?

I always see this sign on the way to church. I have no idea what "foot detox" is. And I wonder if you need "foot detox," don't you think it might be difficult to "walk in."

Only Joanne commented on my in-progress lamp piece. (Scroll down for details.) I think she might be correct about the size of the lamp. Jeff thinks it's funny what people comment on. Sometimes a post about art generates no comments at all, but if I write about the dog, or new shoes, or grocery sacks... everyone wants to join in the conversation. We bloggers are a funny folk, don't you think?

In Progress

After I finished Blooming Prosperity and hashed out all it's strengths and weaknesses here on my blog, I intended to take a break from larger works and just do a bunch of cute crafty stuff. But, a new idea was stirring around in my head and I really wanted to continue to explore some of the same techniques and design principles I began in the other miserable piece.


So this found it's way up on the design board. A new color way (for Gerrie!) and better contrast.On the left, you can also see the negative cutting of the hand from the previous piece. It's from the silk lining of an old kimono. I'll use it someplace I'm sure.

And then I tried to do some more crafty stuff. But the design board called me back and the new piece morphed into this.

I've been drawn to lamps lately. I love the clean lines of the little ones that you can get at Ikea. And I adore the collection from Artful Home. So I decided it would be an interesting and inspiring shape to include in a quilt. Odd?

Here's my ubiquitous handwriting.

And here I've added some sheer wonky stripes. (Sorry, I should have cropped out the top of that chair. Can you see the one rung that I let Benjamin paint?)I am pleased with the basic composition at this point. I think. It allows for space for some hand embroidery, some fmq, a bit of beaded embellishment and some surface design. Nothing is sewn down at this point. So, maybe I should open myself up to comments, suggestions, criticisms and other thoughts so as not to end up with another failure. (I know, it wasn't really a failure. I'm just using hyperbole.)

Finds

I had a great morning shopping with Becky yesterday. She directed us to Golden D'Or fabrics. Yowza. I'd heard about the whole "Harry Hines Boulevard" area, but I'd never been there. If I ever need an imported hand bag or belt, I'll know where to go.
Golden D'Or is a warehouse style place with a little bit of everything. Actually, there is A LOT of everything. Divine bridal stuff, fleece in every obnoxious pattern you can image, all kinds of home dec stuff and a big bargain room where we spent most of our time.

Here's what came home with me. At the top you can see a navy blue slightly stiff sheer fabric. And in the middle is a striped sheer. Then you see a wonderful blue woven ribbon with a tree motif. (I almost didn't buy it, but Becky convinced me that would be a mistake. She was right. $2 a yard.) And at the bottom are white and light yellow ribbon-like pieces with embroidered circles. (Dandelions?)

You can also see my new Sharpies in the top right corner. I bought that set when all the back-to-school stuff went on sale at Target. (Though I didn't find the cute little alphabet stamps that Rice scored! Boo hoo.)

Coffee

Yesterday, while I was upstairs helping the kids get ready for school, I heard an odd sound from downstairs. I said to Benjamin, "I hope that's not the coffee maker." I took time to put a few more things in order before I headed back down to the kitchen. Mistake.

Before I went upstairs, I filled the tank up with water. I put in the filter and the grounds. I closed the lid. I pressed "start." I did not put the pot back under the drip. Usually, if you just pull the pot out from under the drip while the coffee is brewing, it seals the opening for the time it takes you to pour a quick cup. But, if it remains sealed because the pot was never there in the first place... it fills up in the filter area and spills over the edges -- coffee, grounds and all. And all the way down the counter. Mess.

Not that big a deal. I was able to sop it up with a few towels. Unfortunately, we have run out of laundry soap, so the laundry room smells like towels soaked with coffee -- because in fact, the laundry room is full of towels soaked with coffee.

I leave you with this lovely image which I would have preferred to see on my counter.

You can see more "latte art" on this Flickr page. Wow.

Why Bother?

Barb left a thoughtful and interesting comment yesterday about Blooming Prosperity. (Scroll down if you haven't read about that mess.)

She says, "Deborah, I'm so glad you posted this. It raises a question that I've long had trouble with: Why/how do you finish something that you aren't happy with? I can't seem to do it. I have lots of infinished business lying around, but can't seem to "feel" a good reason to keep going with them. For instance, once everything but the binding is done and you don't like it, why bother to bind it? Is it a sense of completion, or something more?"

Hmmm. I don't know. Usually, I don't bother. I set work aside and move on to something else. I may come back to it with new ideas or it may get buried somewhere in the studio closet. With Blooming Prosperity, I was enjoying the actual "doing." I knew it wasn't great. But I liked making the stitches, digging through the beads and floss, cutting each piece just so. I think the process cleared my mind a bit to think clearly about what I would do next.

That's not to say that it's always worth the trouble.

In fact, what will I do with Blooming Prosperity now? I can't really "gift" it to anyone now that I've said I think it sucks. You know what Sonji would do? Snip, snip, snippity, snip. That might be a good option.

Finished

This is my newest art quilt. It's called "Blooming Prosperity." It's 22 x 14 inches.I used the same techniques and process I used for "Home Grown." And let's just say, I like "Home Grown" much better. Here is my own little personal critique of Blooming Prosperity:

Things I like about Blooming Prosperity:

• It's done. (Seriously. Every completed step along the way is a learning experience and an accomplishment.)
• The sheer fabric I used for the hand.
• The quilted motif of the large bloom that I repeated from the fused elements at the bottom.
• The loose threads hanging in the pink --and gray -- blooms.
• The hand embroidery trailing across the top.
• The overcast stitch along the binding.
• The overall shape.
• Of course, the color scheme -- Hello!! Green and Purple!
• The handwriting in the bottom purple piece.
• Just a few beads and sequins.

Things I don't like about Blooming Prosperity (Goodness... where to begin?)

• The lack of color contrast.
• The weird quilting lines that were supposed to represent lines in a palm and the odd way they extend past the hand figure.
• The over-used element of the hand. And how it looks like some almighty hand reaching down to earth. Odd.
• The wrinkly purple fabric at the bottom -- it wasn't fused to the batting, thus: wrinkles.
• The repetition of that same Y stitch that I have been using ALL THE TIME. You'd think I could come up with another stitch.
• The green block at the top. It's just floating there with no connection with the other elements.
• The static symmetrical composition. Blah.
• I don't even like the title. It's a bit pretentious.

Well, there you have it. I debated about putting this up on my blog at all. I think some artists only share what they consider their very best work. This isn't my best, but I do feel quite confident that I can take the ideas, techniques and process that I used on this quilt and improve on them. And just because I think it has flaws, doesn't mean someone else won't adore it. And certainly there will be people who are annoyed by the same elements that I love.

That's art, right?

Groceries

Don't you just love that section in "Eat Pray Love" where Richard from Texas calls Elizabeth "Groceries"? I've forgotten why he called her that, but it must have been for some profound reason.



I'm feeling quite profound about my own groceries --- now that I have reusable bags! Check me out! Now, I didn't make my own bags like Robin, but I did buy six of these bags from my local store. Obviously, Kroger. They were 99 cents each and I get 5 cents back for each bag every time I bring them back to the store. Claire explained to me that they will pay for themselves after 20 trips to the grocery store.

There has been more and more news about our consumption of plastic bags. Really, it's gotten out of control. So, I'm doing my part. Plus, they are so much easier to pack, carry, and store

I know you're making regular trips to the grocery also. See if your store sells reusable bags. And for goodness sake, if you go to the bookstore (and I know you do), do you really need a bag if you just buy a book or two? Just tuck them under your arm and off you go.

Fiber in Dallas

Look at this crowd!
All those folks flocked to the opening of the TVAA (Texas Visual Arts Association) September show "Fiber in Art" at the Plaza of the Americas. Jeff and the kids and I enjoyed being there. We got to see a few pieces that are missing off the walls of our home including "long skinny." Also known as Four Layered Lily, which had a lovely place of honor just through the door to the back room. You can see it in the back behind the woman in the tan.And here is "long skinny" again with some lovely complimentary pieces. Don't they all look great together? Flo Berry did an amazing job curating and hanging the show. The wonky piece next to "long skinny" is also mine. It's called Shore Lines and has sea shells and lots of beads sewn on the surface.

Mossy Shadows was created using the same improvisational piecing technique and is embellished with stones. I think the charming figures on the podium are by Sandi Wheeler.

I'm so drawn to the idea of three dimensional fiber art lately -- so these figures and the stuffed teapot that Sandi did were very inspiring to me.

I'll be sitting this show on Wednesday from 10 to 4 so I'll have lots more time to study all the work. I'll also bring a sack of magazines and some hand embroidery. Of course... if you're in the area stop by!

Adventures in DFW

I had the most delightful excursion on Wednesday evening. I had heard rumblings about an amazing place in Fort Worth (well... almost in Fort Worth, it's actually in North Richland Hills, but whatever). Something about a mother and daughter team who had a creative, inspiring and quite successful business booming. I got to meet Megan -- the daughter -- at a recent Dallas Area Fiber Arts meeting and I knew I had to find my way to Ten Seconds Studio.


They specialize in metal embossing tools and materials... and so much more! You may have seen them vending at a recent quilt show or mixed media event. They're everywhere!


Then I saw in their newsletter that Michael DeMeng is coming to teach. Wow! That's quite a coup for a little independent studio. You remember I took a class from Michael last summer. You can read about my enlightening and somewhat embarrassing experience here and here. I was not able to take another class from Michael this weekend... but wait...


There's going to be a book signing! And not just with Michael...


but also with Rice Freeman-Zachary! I've known that name for years having followed her work and writing in many of my favorite magazines. (By the way her name rhymes with Lisa. I know you were wondering, because I overheard at least four other people asking about the correct pronunciation.)

And not just Michael and Rice, but all James Michael Starr! I'll admit I wasn't familiar with his work, but I am now! (Be sure to check out his website, it's an amazing scavenger hunt through his work, inspiration and creative madness! Plus, you know how much I adore handwriting.)


The event was a joyous celebration of Rice's new book Living the Creative Life.

Run right on over to Amazon and put it on your Wishlist. Seriously, I'll wait. Ok. It's fabulous. Rice interviewed 15 working artists (including Michael and James Michael... but also others you'll recognize including art quilters Bean Gilsdorf, Wendy Huhn and Susan Shie). The book is full of a dynamic discussion of question like: Where do your ideas come from? Do you believe in the muse? Do you use a sketch book? Plus, the layout of the book is deliciously inspirational. It feels like a journal or a conversation or a scrapbook -- or the very best combination of all of those things. And it's a perfect little square format.... just right for stashing in tote bag along with a sketch book and a bit of embroidery.

It's published by Northlight who also did Michael's book, The Secrets of Rusty Things.

I had a wonderful conversation with Rice about Northlight taking some risks in publishing art/craft/creative books about inspiration and process rather than just recipes and techniques. How exciting. They also did Kaleidoscope which I also adored.

When I arrived at Ten Second Studio, I could hardly get past the entry way which was filled with stunning calligraphy, assemblage and several of Rice's Journal Skirts. Finally I made my way into the studio room which was full of people chatting, drinking wine and perusing all the art on the walls, tables and shelves.

Here are James Michael and Rice before the panel discussion.Isn't that collection of giant metal letters amazing!?!

The crowd enjoyed a panel discussion of "the creative life" including Picasso's assertion to "RISK EVERYTHING!" And the struggle for confidence in the artistic process. And the inspiration of collaborating with other artists.

Following the discussion, each of the artists signed my book and everyone had an opportunity to talk personally with Rice, Michael and James Michael -- and with the others at the event. I left feeling quite inspired.

And I didn't even tell you about meeting some friends for dinner before hand. **Best. Stuffed. Mushrooms. Ever.**

This and That

Check out this blog!

I'm a member of a new small art quilt challenge group called Twelve by Twelve. I am thrilled! You can follow the progress of our first month's creation on our group blog. We're making 12x12 inch quilts using the theme "dandelion." I'm considering lots of ideas --- I think I am feeling drawn to the idea of creating something very simple. Not easy, but spare and carefully considered. I'll be perusing Google images too. Here is one photo that jumped out at me.

Twelve by Twelve will do another quilt with another theme after the holidays. You can also find links to all the other members on the blog. I'm predicting I'll be adding some new *bloglove* to my link list too.

Check out these blogs, too!

My friend Helen has started two wonderful new blogs. We've been friends for 33 years. Her creative blog is called NapArt and is about all kinds of wonderful creative pursuits she explores while her young sons are napping. Her other blog is called God Parenting and includes thoughtful little stories about raising children and how spirit, grace and faith are present in our every day family lives. When Helen and I were little girls going to the Episcopal Church of the Covenant in Junction City, Kansas where my father was the rector, I don't know that either of us might have imagined what our lives (or our church) would be like in 33 years. Girls couldn't be priests back then. And now Helen is a priest and our Presiding Bishop is a girl! Helen also sent me an inspiring little package of left-overs from her latest creative project. What a great idea! Gather up some delicious scraps from the messy table in the studio and send them off to someone to pass on the creative spirit. In fact, I think Helen is interested in getting some series swaps flying through the mail. Scroll down her posts for info.

In the studio...

Here's a little peek at my design wall...Actually, this was on my design wall yesterday. It has since been sent off to be considered for publication. Definitely a creative stretch for me.

Speaking of stretch, I'm off to yoga this morning.

More zine recommendations...

I just got my first issue of Art and Life. I had forgotten that I even subscribed! What a delightful reminder. It's amazing. Beautifully printed in stunning full color and delicious detail. Written almost entirely by the amazing Teesha Moore -- matriarch of so much of the art/craft/independent creative world. I can hardly wait for the next issue.

I also ordered "thr3fold journal" produced by Laura Kemshall, Linda Kemshall and Catherine Nicholls. Laura and Linda are the mother-daughter team that have done a lot of writing for Quilting Arts lately. I've been inspired and impressed by their work and words, so I was quite drawn to this new endeavor that combines an actual "zine" with images and other media on a CD. It hasn't arrived yet, but Sarah got a copy and couldn't stop raving. (Wow... pricey though. The conversion rate is not kind.)

Dog Love

Lincoln isn't a puppy anymore. But, he still likes to be right where the action is!

We think he is so funny. Especially when he sleeps on his back. I've never known a dog so comfortable lying on his back all spread eagle. Like this:

Seriously, he's napping! I totally snuck up on him to take this photo and he didn't even stir. Wasn't it especially considerate of him to make sure his privates were covered up?