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On line course opens August 1st

admin — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 22:58:09 +0000

I am excited to announce that I will be offering my online course titled:

Thinking “outside” the Takeout Box on FAMM (Fiber Arts Mixed Media).

Start date: August 1st the session ends September 30th.

You may sign up anytime between August 1st and September 1st.

I couldn’t resist the temptation to fill the box with something special as well. I have come up with a new term:

for Faux Shushi>Fushi!

This is an additional part of the course but is optional. Four little beaded rolls are held in a small tray that fits inside.

I look forward to conducting this course this summer.

Sign Up

Making Faces

admin — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:27:01 +0000

FACE PAINT CHALLENGE

Susan Sanford of Art Spark Theatre is conducting a FACE PAINT CHALLENGE

Make a face, or more than one, somewhere on the street, or in the forest, vertical or horizontal

I shared this challenge with my granddaughter Madeleine and she willingly jumped at the opportunity.

We spent the afternoon on the beach nearby making faces.

Madeleine, age 8

Wood bark, crab claw , sea shells and rocks

A natural formation of a clump of sand layered over a broken branch from a flower provided the perfect "cat ears".

Madeleine quickly jumped right in hunting and pondering the natural elements we saw around us. She spotted a potential “cat face” in a natural sand formation; adding bits of wood to make whiskers, nose and mouth.

Driftwood

The beach is full of driftwood in all sizes from whole trees to tiny shreds. Madeleine and I discussed increasing the challenge to minimize the number of details added thinking how cool it would be to find one that was already formed naturally. Her keen eyes spotted this face on the end of a large piece of driftwood. Madeleine saw one version that looked like a monster while her Mother Michelle saw a profile of a dinosaur.

What do you see?

Water pipe, poppies and a broken piece of sea shell

While walking back along the street Madeleine spotted a circle shape from a water pipe. Two Poppies for eyes and a broken piece of sea shell for a mouth.

She began to find faces in most anything. This was a fun project which opened her eyes to new possibilities.

Thank you Susan for this idea!

NOTE: You may see Madeleine’s fabulous artwork on her gallery page: Gallery M

Hand Stitching is Equal to Meditation

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 01:18:12 +0000

I am pleasantly immersed in hand stitching. I have discovered that my usual maneuvers in my studio keep me on the move. Rarely do I ever sit down. Sitting during the day is not allowed in my rule book. This has to be saved for the evening when I rest. Where did I come up with that crazy thinking? My cats are so happy that I have decided to take a seat they might actually get petted or allowed to commune with me. My studio is where all my stuff is which is great; but, this also interferes many times. I can get so easily distracted. I am exhausted by dinner time, so I how did I think doing hand work would make sense after a full day?

Lately I have been focusing on hand work. This is a totally different channel. I am out of my comfort zone but for good reasons. I want to explore Slow Stitch/Slow Cloth. I am not crazy about this term but it is the most common that describes a long running stitch that is used many ways. I like the peacefulness that hand work produces. I can slow down in a number of ways. I want to “be in the moment”. It is working. I am calmer than I have been in a long time. This is good.

I have set up a new blog called Zen Cloth which will focus on hand stitching and associated topics.

This is an extension of my dedication of 2010 as “the year of the stitch”.

I am discovering more and more artists that create beautiful and very interesting handwork along with expressive writing. It is joyful to read their comments. Many of them share insight and poetry.

Here is one I discovered today Albedo Arlee Barr is a Canadian artist and her work is exquisite.

Title: beautiful_bones_arlee_barr

Three Courses Available On Line Now

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:00:44 +0000

I have been working for days setting up new pages to offer my courses on line. What a challenge! All three courses are available with two options.

Option 1-Group Session

Sign up for a particular scheduled session to participate with a private Yahoo! group. The lessons are distributed weekly.

Option 2-Private Tutor

Purchase the complete course, download the file and utilize the materials at your leisure. Private communications with me are conducted via email.

I have been pondering about offering private tutoring for a while. Time will tell if this appeals to people or not.

Either way, I am pleased to get the courses set up and change channels to create artwork; working on the computer gets old quick.

My Current Online Course is Delightful

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:25:11 +0000

My online course Textile Art with Pizzazz! is currently running and is totally delightful! I have six highly motivated people attending and they are working like little beaver (artists). Usually the biggest challenge with teaching online has nothing to do with teaching at all. Instead the challenge is to encourage people to interact by posting their progress and showing images of their work. This time around everyone is participating with enthusiasm and joy. I consider this a true success.

The course will be offered again April 1st. You may sign up now. All of the details can be found on the ON LINE COURSES page.

The pictures below are good examples of the kind of work that is produced in assigned exercises. The exercises are fun and prepare for the main design which is called Flora Rosa. The circles are from the color temperature exercise in Lesson 1. The other three show results from a second exercise which incorporates several techniques of applique. Even though some formal techniques are included, people are encouraged to adapt the designs and draw upon their own personal style.

A complete description of this course.

Snow Designs

admin — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:38:05 +0000

Interesting how snow can bring out the designs in common things.

Today I noticed the snow on our metal patio table. Natures geometrical grid. Today it was warmer in Seattle Washington than Tampa Florida. What a switch!

Absent

admin — Mon, 18 May 2009 23:56:37 +0000

I have been absent. In February my husband fell and crushed his left heal. Shortly after that my computer started failing. I am the official NURSE for my husband thus, my time has shifted from my normal activities. I do have a new computer but switching over is such a PAIN! During all of that I was asked to write a new online class for Joggles. I did manage to squeeze it in, barely. I am really excited about it! The subject is a vintage style botanical. The techniques are multiple but mostly center around using Ranger Ink Color Wash on paper and other surfaces. Here is a peak at the finished art work.

22″ x 25

This combination is MIXED MEDIA. There are two separate pieces that are made independently and then quilted together. The flower is an Orchid-Catteleya which is the only cotton fabric in the combination. The other materials are paper, interfacing and organza. This piece was so much fun! I am totally sold on Ranger Ink Color Wash. The results this product can produce are amazing! The best thing about the colors is no matter how many are combined, the colors stay pure and do not get muddy. They come in a small spray bottle which allows for misting several colors to create wonderful nuances.

Close up of upper left

Stamps are used to add text to painted organza and paper surfaces. The word ORCHID is stamped onto painted organza and then hand stitched. Most of the stitching is done by machine. The applique of the orchid is done using my favorite method and a tool I call a “Search Guide”.

A close up of the upper right corner of the base layer

The base layer includes stenciled organza and interfacing. These are quilted together and embellished with buttons. These details are brief as there are many more aspects to reveal. I hope to wet your appetite and peak your curiosity. This class will be available in August. See the new schedule at Joggles.com. See the complete description under my class titled: Vintage Botanical Interpretaion

HOUSE FOR SALE

admin — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:18:01 +0000

My house was listed for sale for most of 2008. I decided to remove the listing and wait until the market recovers.

Out of the blue a Realtor called to ask if it was still available and would we show it to her clients. They LOVED everything about my home; accept the price. A recent bank appraisal stated the current “value”; the buyer agent said the amount was wrong. ” Excuse me?”

After one week of deliberations (not offers) the clients decided to buy another home that was priced less. They will demolition the home and rebuild which was estimated to cost less.

This was a loose/loose situation for the buyers. Now they will experience major remodeling for at least 18 months and as eveyone knows, estimates do not decide the final cost at all!

Rear view summer 2008

Saint Leonard, Maryland

My new mantra:

JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO BUY MY HOUSE…

DOES NOT MEAN IT IS OVER PRICED!

Eventually the right people will come along and truly appreciate what this home offers AND accept the price.

Contact me if you are this person! You won’t regret it.

Mexico in my rear view mirror

admin — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:59:59 +0000

Our family decided to spend our holiday in Cancun, Mexico this year. We just returned but I am ready to head back! It is freezing here! The most amazing element I enjoy and just can’t get enough of is the TURQUOISE water!!!
The kids were cute and well behaved. They loved playing in the fine white sand too.
The entertainment was fantastic. The circus is our favorite performance. The dog act always charms me the most. It begins with a little “creature” that looks like a tiny elephant with a handle to wind up on the side. He walks following the trainer until a whistle is blown and he falls over to play dead. Then the trainer picks him up and winds the handle, sets him down again and off he goes until the next whistle. He walks over a ramp and accurately follows the trainer where ever he goes. Next he reveals that the tiny elephant is actually a French poodle in a costume. Now how does the dog see where he is going?? The next dog comes out in a bikini complete with tassles! A long pony tail and feather boa. This dog walks on her hind legs while jumping over little suspended bars. He is very affectionate to the dogs as he carries them in and out. There are a number of acts that are all quite impressive. I have seen this show several times and never tire of it.
Adios

Snowy Washington State

admin — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:02:11 +0000

There has been an unbelievable amount of snow falling in the Seattle area for the past few weeks. If you can’t beat ‘em….join ‘em. That’s my daughters motto now.

Madeleine~Michelle~Aaron

Christmas week 2008

The snow that fell in the last few weeks in Washington has caused all kinds of challenges! Finally, my daughter Michelle and her husband Greg decided “let’s try to enjoy it”. Just a 25 minute ride from her home is this huge hill with 15 carved out sledding/tubing paths.

And, a pulley system if you get too tired!

Today the forecast includes more snow!

Better keep the tubes handy.