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Archive for the ‘studio’ Category

Clean Sweep

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

I got an early start in the studio today so that I could clean up to start the next project. I started by folding and sorting all of the batiks that were covering every surface. Here are my piles with some semblance of order.

Here they are in their bins and  stored in the Ikea cabinet.

After a good sweeping of the scraps on the floor, I felt ready to forge ahead. First, I had to do some grocery shopping, get in a power walk in the rain and have lunch. Then, the creative block set in. I have had this piece roaming around in my head and showing up in my doodles for weeks. It is my attempt to abstract the hillside housing of Israel.

I decided to go with a simple square in a square — actually a wonky square in a wonky square. This is what I have so far. The fabric is all fused so I will eventually overlap and seal to batting.I used bright blue with yellow for the sky because the sun shines every day in Israel! But, I think I need to vary the sizes a little more.

I am unblocked and having fun with this. I had to quit to come up and watch Top Chef. New season, great food.

And now, a little mom brag. Lisa has one of her signature patchwork pillows in the new Stitch magazine, put out by Quilting Arts.

A Good Mail Day

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

Since yesterday was a holiday for the USPS, I received a pile of birthday cards today. Amongst them was this delicious post card created by my good friend Karoda.This is so beautiful with text, paint, handstitching, yum! Thanks!

And this arrived from Hawaii from my virtual quilt daughter, Kristin. Isn’t this the cutest pin cushion? Thank you!!

It is sitting on a pile of books in my studio. I am going to take these to Powell’s book store to see what I can get for them. I am in the midst of rearranging my studio. I am liking the new arrangement, but it is taking me forever to get it done. I hope to get it in order to start some creating tomorrow afternoon.

Remember this scary site?

Well, look at who showed up on the UPS truck today. She looks like a brand new doll. She had her hair done and got a cleaning plus getting her new arm. She is wearing a hospital gown and wristband and is carrying a get well balloon. How cute is that? Miss Mia is coming after school tomorrow to take her home. Mission accomplished!

A Surge of Energy

Sunday, July 6th, 2008

I don’t know where the past week has gone. When I came home from OCAC last Sunday, I just emptied out my carry all on the wet studio floor because my tools were wet and I did not want them mildewing in case I did not get to them right away. And, of course, I didn’t. After a couple of days with M & M, I finally hit the studio with a surge of organizing energy. Yesterday, I reorganized and cleaned up my little kitchenette, my version of a wet studio. I sorted my art supplies that need washing into the baskets that I purchased last week. I placed them on the counter over the sink area so that I can just throw them in as I wash them.

Today, I spiffed up the studio. The ubiquitous fabric which had been pulled to audition, fabric from last week’s class, etc. I have a couple of days to get some projects done or started. I have a couple of looming deadlines. On Wednesday, I start my second class at OCAC. This time, I am taking a five day Screen Printing Intensive. Woo Hoo! I have been wanting to do deconstructed screen printing, and it is on the schedule.

Today, I also put my Collage Mania goodies in frames. I am going to rearrange some art in the living room so that I can hang these there. I think they all look fabulous together.

From left to right — Liz Berg, Karen Stiehl Osborn and Jette Clover.

Fired Up and Ready to Go

Sunday, March 2nd, 2008

I spent the last two days getting stuff put away and cleaning up my office and studio after my 6 week online workshop frenzy with Liz Berg. I still have to do my final project, but I couldn’t even think in the mess I had created. Mr C came down and swept, vacuumed and washed the floors in my studio.

cleanstudiofloor.jpg

Yesterday, I went bopping out the back door to take Maggie for a walk and tripped over a package on the step. It was from my quilt daughter in Germany, Kristin. It contained a beautiful Polish pottery cross. It is not like any other I have in my collection so I was thrilled to see it. I also loved the card which was designed by Victoria Cole of Two Hand Design.

polishcross.jpg

The family came over for dinner tonight.

sundaydinner.jpg

I made another tagine dish. This was lamb with lots of Moroccan spices, butternut squash, carrots, peppers, onions and apricots. It was sooo good, served over couscous.

lambtagine.jpg

We had strawberries and grapes for dessert, accompanied by Waldmeister gummy gnomes, which were in the package from Kristin, for Mia and Miles. They have the flavor of woodruff, which is used in Germany to flavor May wine.

fruitdessert.jpg

We have had lots of sun over the past week or so. It rained quite hard yesterday, but who cares when you get sun breaks, too.

Twilight House

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2007

It took me awhile, but I finally finished cleaning down here in the studio. For the last couple of days I have been working on reorganizing and cleaning the little kitchen area next to my studio. It is where I do my dyeing and wash paint brushes and screens.

I decided to move my paints to a rolling cart out next to my surface design table. It was too difficult to find the color I wanted in the cabinet. Now I can just remove a drawer out and take to the table to work.

This afternoon, I decided to finish a piece that I started long ago, before I moved to Portland. In fact it was almost exactly two years ago, in a class with Mrs. Mel at PIQF. I did independent study because I had taken her class before.

While perusing calendars in a bookstore, I came upon the work of Ton Schulten. I wanted to try to do some landscapes in his style, but with fused fabrics. So I experimented with making a piece in the class. I had never quilted it. How to quilt it had always eluded me. Today I just decided to jump in and do it. I call it Twilight House.

In December, the High Fiber Diet group is having a show of Journal size quilts at the Unitarian Church gallery in Beaverton. My plan is to make one a week through November.

I am so excited because I have signed up to take a class with Wendy Huhn at the Contemporary Crafts Museum. The class description is:

explore hands-on a myriad of techniques for transferring images onto textiles. Participants will work in small format with a focus on experimentation, transforming ideas into imagery, and developing a personal vocabulary.

Except to report that it is raining and cold, there is not much else to report. Steph and Jack just celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary and they are going on a little trip up to Seattle at the end of this week. I will be packing lunches and doing the driving to and from school for a couple of days.