Leslie Tucker Jenison

Doodling over a collage...

2012-01-28T08:30:00.002-06:00

Good morning! Please stop by the Sketchbook Challenge blog to see the step-outs for creating a similar project. The great thing about using ephemera from an old trip or simply taking used papers (think junk mail and more!) from around the house is that it instantly takes the fear of the blank page away.

Stop by and take a peek!

Foto Fiber 90 Fundraiser for the American Cancer Society

2012-01-25T08:00:00.001-06:00

We less than a month from our 2012 fundraising event for the American Cancer Society! Please stop by Virginia Spiegel's blog to get all the details. Since the first event we have raised over $200,000, and every cent goes to the American Cancer Society.

This year Virginia has invited a number of artists to contribute three "bonus packs". When you make a donation to the ACS you will be gifted with a photo and a bonus pack chosen randomly. Please stop by

Virginia's blog for all the details. The gold donor day is Wednesday, February 15th, so mark your calendar! Foto-fiber day is Thursday, February 16th.

I will be showing my studio bonus packs as the weeks unfold. Below is one of the three I am donating.

Each pack includes the equivalent of 2 fat quarters of hand-dyed & screen printed cloth

(either cotton, silk, or a cotton-silk blend)

and a framed mixed-media "mailart" collage!

Stop by Virginia Spiegel's blog today!

2012-01-24T12:44:00.000-06:00

I am the featured artist today on Virginia Spiegel's blog. Check out my messy studio!

Luren's textile installation

2012-01-21T11:50:00.000-06:00

My oldest daughter, Luren, has a design/finish business called XOXO. She does a wide variety of things, and among them is the occasional design installation for weddings. I'm showing this particular installation because a) it is created from textiles and b) she finished it here in my home studio before driving several states away to install it for an outdoor wedding.

and here they are, under construction....

the backyard garden was the best place to re-sort the panels as they were being constructed

Foto Fiber 90 Fundraiser for the American Cancer Society

2012-01-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

We are less than a month from our 2012 fundraising event for the American Cancer Society! Please stop by Virginia Spiegel's blog to get all the details. Since it began, we have raised over $200,000, and every cent goes to the American Cancer Society.

Virginia's blog for all the details. The gold donor day is Wednesday, February 15th, so mark your calendar! Foto-fiber day is Thursday, February 16th.

I will be showing my studio bonus packs as the weeks unfold. Below is one of the three I am donating.

Each pack includes the equivalent of 2 fat quarters of hand-dyed & screen printed cloth

(cotton, silk, or a cotton-silk blend)

and a framed mixed-media "mailart" collage!

More Mason Bees On The Way!

2012-01-13T08:00:00.005-06:00

bee fabric

(so it is sort of fiber-related LOL)

I love bees, especially Mason Orchard bees. These bees are larger than honey bees, very docile because they do not live in a hive complex (so they don't protect a queen). Unless you aggressively interfere with them, they are gentle. They are great pollinators so they are a wonderful asset to the garden. I became more interested in bees after the colony collapse syndrome several years ago. I saw a dramatic loss of bees in my own garden. I worried about it.

So I decided to do what I could to increase my little bee population around here. Enter the Mason bees.

My first attempt to restore bee activity was just short of a failure, thanks to an attack upon my fence-mounted bee skep by fire ants (ugh). Last year I hung a bamboo bee skep in a tree and put a water trap above it, so the nasty fire ants would drown before they got to the bee larvae. It worked, but the bamboo skep didn't fare well over time.

This year I'm adding a more substantial bee house. I think it is officially a house, or a condo, don't you?!

I'm ordering more bee larvae to insert into the house. I know there are bees around because they did use the tubes inside the skep, but I want to be sure I have bees.

The fence skep would work in an area that wasn't plagued with fire ants. Unfortunately, this did not occur to me until too late.

I got this house here.

bee larvae inside these tubes can be ordered from High Country Gardens

out of Santa Fe. A wonderful nursery!

Foto Fiber 90 Fundraiser Studio Bonus Packs!

2012-01-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

We are just over a month from our 2012 fundraising event for the American Cancer Society! Please stop by Virginia Spiegel's blog to get all the details. I hope you will participate. I have been part of this wonderful grassroots effort since the beginning. We have raised over $200,000, and every cent goes to the American Cancer Society.

Virginia's blog for all the details. The gold donor day is Wednesday, February 15th, so mark your calendar! Foto-fiber day is Thursday, February 16th.

I will be showing my studio bonus packs as the weeks unfold. Below is one of the three I am donating.

Each pack will have the equivalent of 2 fat quarters of

hand-dyed, screen printed cloth (cotton, silk, or a cotton-silk blend)

Each pack will have a framed, mixed-media "mailart" collage!

This could be yours for joining the fun and making a donation!

Quilting Arts TV Series 900

2012-01-09T08:00:00.001-06:00

Available for pre-order here

Pokey and I on the makeshift "set" at the Cincinnati quilt festival

In Series 900 I did a demonstration of paper to cloth lamination, and showed some of the uses for the resulting imagery.

Great graphic prints on linen towels

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

I just love hunting for great things on Etsy! Recently, I was on a quest for (actual) linen t-towels, so I headed over to Etsy to see what there was to be found. I am so glad I did! Take a look at these cool linen towels that just arrived at my house! I love them.
The shop owner is Cherie Interro, from Melbourne, Australia. You can see her shop here.

Foto Fiber Fundraiser!

2012-01-04T08:00:00.001-06:00

Foto/Fiber 2012
90 Photos AND 90 BONUS Fiber Surprises
Beauty and Mystery Unite to Fight Cancer
Gold Donor Day - February 15, 2012
Make a minimum donation of $100, choose a photo by
Virginia A. Spiegel, Karen Stiehl Osborn, or Cynthia Wenslow
and choose a Fiber BONUS by a specific artist
from the following list of fiber artists.

Regular Foto/Fiber - February 16, 2012
Make a minimum donation of $50 and choose a photo by
Virginia A. Spiegel, Karen Stiehl Osborn, or Cynthia Wenslow.
Your Fiber BONUS will be chosen at random for youfrom the following list of generous fiber artists.

Artists donating Fiber BONUS include: Natalya Aikens,
Frances Holliday Alford, Pamela Allen, Liz Berg, Sue Bleiweiss, Nancy G. Cook, Jane Davila, Vivika DeNegre, Diane Rusin Doran, Jane Dunnewold, Jamie Fingal, Leonie Hartley Hoover, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Lyric Kinard, Susan Brubaker Knapp, Lynn Krawzcyk, Jane LaFazio, Susan Lenz, Jeanelle McCall
Linda Teddlie Minton, Karen Musgrave, Gail Myrhorodsky
Karen Stiehl Osborn, BJ Parady, Cate Coulacos Prato, Yvonne Porcella
Wen Redmond, Sue Reno, Lesley Riley, Cynthia St. Charles,
Susan Schrott, Suzanne Silk, Lura Schwarz Smith (with Kerby C. Smith),
Sarah Ann Smith, and Terri Stegmiller

Introducing: 8 That Create!

2012-01-03T17:45:00.000-06:00

For a while now I have been dreaming of working with a diverse group of artists who are interested in seeking out, organizing and creating venues for group exhibits both in person and online. And so towards the end of last year, Jane Davila, Jamie Fingal, Gloria Hansen, Sue Bleiweiss, Liz Kettle, Carol Sloan, Kathyanne White and I teamed up to form 8 That Create. Our mission is to support each other in our individual artistic journeys and to provide inspiration to others through our group exhibitions, publications, website and blog.

We’re already starting to prepare for our first live group exhibition for later this year (details on that later) and we’re working on an online exhibition of work around the theme “empty spaces” which will debut in March. We’ll be blogging about our 8 That Create initiatives on our group blog here. We’re all very excited about our group and we’re looking forward to sharing our journey with everyone!

This is such an exciting beginning for the new year. I feel that this collaboration will greatly enrich my artistic life.

I hope you will come along for the ride!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T01:20:00.000-06:00

I am bursting with excitement at the possibilities that 2012 holds! I feel energized, ready to get into my studio and make art, and I look forward to crossing paths with many of you throughout the coming year.
I spent New Years Eve quietly at home with my husband. Part of that time was spent working in the studio and contemplating the previous year. I feel so grateful for all the opportunities that came my way in 2011. I taught at a number of wonderful venues, filmed a workshop dvd for Interweave, and contributed work to the upcoming book, The Sketchbook Challenge, among other things. It was so much fun to meet and work with so many great students. I managed to make some of my own work, too, but it was admittedly a greater challenge because of all the travel.
The Sketchbook Challenge continues in 2012! I hope you will consider joining us for the journey. Several new contributing artists will be joining many of us who remain. The year promises to be at least as great as the past one. We start off with the theme of "Doodling" for January. Who doesn't love to doodle?!
Are you a person who sets new goals at the beginning of the year? Perhaps spending more time drawing could be one of them. The SBC has been a great and positive influence for me, personally. I think it might be the same for you!

On a completely different topic: I spent some time at my friends' new property near San Antonio. I was so inspired by the beauty and unusual rock shapes on the land. I thought I would share a few recent photos with you. I hope you will enjoy them.

I grew up in the midwest and all the rivers had muddy water.

Look at this water! Gorgeous! So are the mallards!

Can you see a gorilla face in the rocks?

Spanish moss overwhelms this gigantic oak tree.

Huge cypress trees line the edge of the river.

This is a huge branch of one of the biggest live oak trees I have ever seen.

Ahhh! Life is good.

A fun and funky gift

2011-12-31T08:00:00.001-06:00

I decided to give each of my daughters a cooking apron adorned with a drawing turned into a thermofax screen. These were very well-received by the girls and so easy to make.
The first two images were drawings made from old photos, and the third image was created from a drawing made by one of Claire's friends in honor of her 21st birthday.

Luren, on a swing at her grandparents' house (age 4)

Nattie, bucket on her head (age 2)

Claire (right) with her friend

After burning the screen, paper is removed, edges taped.

The taped screen can be stabilized inside a frame or simple stabilized on the edge by hand.

The gift(s) of art

2011-12-26T15:49:00.000-06:00

All my husband and I wanted as holiday gifts from our children was some of their art. We are so fortunate to have 3 children who happen to be multi-talented artists. In addition to some crazy and silly gifts, we got some great art!

Two tiny companion paintings from Natalie.

She remembered that I was excited about my first spotting of a Painted Bunting

in the garden this year!

These are 3x4 inches each, gouache, framed.

Among other things, Luren made each family member a magical Hogwarts-esque wand!

Here is mine!

Claire, who is minoring in photography @SUNY Purchase,

took these silver gelatin photographs, developed them, matted and framed them.

Here she is, with her head inside a rusted old Chevy on our friends' property,

with her Hasselblad.

Among other things, I was gifted with this fantastic wig.

I wore it all day long!

I wouldn't mind having white hair if it would ever turn white!

I admit that this wig had a lot of room at the top. I think I looked like a cross between

Marge Simpson and Marie Antoinette.

Holiday Table

2011-12-24T22:00:00.000-06:00

One of my beloved activities around the holidays is preparing a beautiful holiday table. I try to do something different every year. This year, I created 5 small bouquets in my new bird vases. As always, the best part of any celebration are the faces you gaze upon around the table!

Luren

Claire and Tim

Natalie

Once again, I'm thankful that I worked at a florist in college!

We enjoyed these little bouquets throughout our holiday mealtimes.

Along with them I placed a few of my favorite glass pieces, beach glass,

and pottery shards, and my mother's crystal candle holders.

Texas "Air Shark"

2011-12-17T13:50:00.000-06:00

Living with a guy who invents things for a living is never a dull experience. Sometimes he brings things home that really shake things up. For the dog. Take the "Texas Air Shark", as a friend aptly named it:

The dog must be thinking, "Oh, you have GOT to be kidding. First, the squirrels.

Next, that monster that sneaks around in the pool (the polaris). Now this?"

Our dog is fearless. So what if this thing is 10 times bigger?!

Yeah, that's it. Come a little closer. Go ahead: Make my day!

She moves in for the "kill".

It is a shark-schnauzer-smackdown!

Funky Day of the Dead Wallhanging

2011-12-11T08:00:00.001-06:00

This is a prototype for a class proposal. I had fun making it and thought I would share it with you.
I did a LOT of hand-stitching and embellishing on this, and just a little machine-work at the end. It was fun! You probably know by now how much I adore skeletons. The quilt back "panel" and stitched sleeve on the previous post was created for this quilt (dimensions 16"w by 20"long).

all the fabrics were fused prior to cutting.

I used the Go! cutter to do the wavy black and white ric rac.

The babies, buffaloes, hippos, sushi, and plates (I can't explain this combo) were glued on.

Worry dolls were hand-stitched, as were the buttons. Free-motion on the black felt.

The lotteria card...well, keep your fingers crossed on this.

The heart is glued on!

Quilt "Sleeveology" (or, how to make a hanging sleeve for a quilt

2011-12-10T08:00:00.002-06:00

It has been my experience that people are freaked out by the prospect of making a hanging sleeve for a quilt. No matter that the quilt has taken weeks/months to construct using exquisitely tiny pieces. Never mind that multiple layers of dye and paint were used to create the cloth that the quilt was made from. Nope. It is always the quilt sleeve that seems to be the last straw. Perhaps this will help.
See, making a sleeve is not difficult.
How wide is the quilt? That is how wide your piece of cloth should be for the sleeve. It is best to use a high thread count cloth to make a sleeve. Sleeves take a lot of abuse when they are in a show, especially if the quilt is going to travel. How well you construct your sleeve will reflect how nicely the quilt will hang.
Cut the cloth the width of your quilt by 9 inches.

My quilt is 16 inches. I cheated and cut my sleeve "tube" about an inch shorter than the actual width. This is acceptable, but not much shorter than this.

On each end of what will be the sleeve, fold one-half inch (wrong sides together), fold again,

and press. This creates the finished edge of the sleeve. Do it at both ends.

Now, with the right side facing out, fold the length of the sleeve and, at the FOLDED edge,

stitch a 1/2 inch seam using the basting stitch (longest stitch length possible on your machine).

This creates a "tuck" which assists in the quilt hanging properly without puckering backward.

Here is the basted "tuck".

Now, I am folding the length right sides together, and stitching the edges to create the

"tube".

Whew, something must be wrong with my tension. Look at that gather in the seam!

Anyway, it is stitched. Now, I will turn the sleeve right side out.

Here I go....

Once it is turned right side out, roll the sleeve so that the tuck is directly over the seam.

Press with the iron to hold the sleeve in this position.

Oops. My basting stitch is coming loose! Too soon!

Okay, now I am placing my newly created sleeve on the quilt back. I am placing it one inch from the top edge of the quilt back. I want to position it evenly between edges. Pin in place.

Now, whip stitch this baby into place, top and bottom, and I recommend stitching downthe inner edge of the tube that fits against the quilt back.

You want to take care to go through enough of the quilt back that you have a good grip without penetrating through to the surface of the quilt. I usually stop every 4 to 5 stitches and take a lock-stitch.

I don't want this thing to come off. I have had it happen, people. I got a quilt back after traveling for about a year and a half and I was horrified to see that a third of it was loose. Ugh!

Now, I only use cotton thread on my quilt sleeves. Those babies aren't going anywhere!!

Okay, I cheated and sewed this one on with the machine because I'm putting this panel on the back of a quilt that needs extra "support". More on that later, but here you can see that the sleeve is, indeed, securely on the back. Once the sleeve is stitched into place I removed the basting stitch that created the tuck. See how the tuck has created a space for the rod to slide through?

If that tuck was not in place, the quilt would draw back around the hanging rod. It really makes a difference. Trust me: I have struggled to hang plenty of quilts that do not have this tuck. They simply do not hang as well without it, and often it is difficult to get a hanging device through the sleeve because there isn't enough room.

So, wasn't that easy? Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Also, I demonstrated this in a segment on Series 700 of Quilting Arts TV, if you want another source!

Making a Quilted Pillow and Cloth Gift Bag

2011-12-02T08:00:00.005-06:00

The San Antonio Modern Quilt Guild had a holiday gathering and, for those who wished to participate, a "pillow exchange". I haven't made a pillow for ages so I was looking forward to it. I should have stepped this out from the beginning, so forgive me for not thinking ahead.
I had a pieced top that I wasn't sure what to do with (it was an experiment) so I decided to quilt it to use for the pillow. Rather than putting a backing on it, I decided to quilt the top using only a low-loft batting. My thinking was that it would be softer and more pliable this way.
After quilting the top, I measured it for the pillow form and cut the length I needed. Because I planned to fold one edge over, envelope-style, I took this into account. I fussy-cut the exposed end and satin-stitched the exposed edge. The inside edge was folded over just enough to hide the edge, then stitched into place before the sides were sewn together.
Once I determined the needed length to accommodate the pillow size I folded the right sides together and pinned. Before stitching, I finished the opening edges. Once the sides were stitched together I trimmed the corners closely, then turned it right side out.

Just turned right-side out. You can see that I created a "flap" for the finished edge.

The buttonholes are asymmetrical, and I had to custom create the holes because of the huge

diameter of the buttons!

I like the wavy, lacy effect of the double satin-stitched edge. I decided to

do two layers of the satin stitch so it was nice and thick.

Back

Detail of button and flap

Inside of flap

I created a cloth "bag" which is actually another pillow cover!

A sale tag, which I had previously monoprinted and inked

I used double-sided tape to stick one of my MOO cards on the reverse side of the sale tag.

I like this card: it is a detail of a collaborative acrylic painting

The pillow is "wrapped", then tied with a length of sari silk yarn.

Hint: this is a fun and easy way to utilize a few "UFO"s you might have laying around. I had such a good time making this I think I will make a few more!

A Walk In The Woods & "Tree Poses"

2011-11-29T12:47:00.000-06:00

On the day after Thanksgiving my family took a walk in the woods close to my in-laws' home in north-central Iowa. The weather was cool, but not wet, so we struck out for a long walk.

See the flood line?

some sort of mushroom and moss

Claire gets a few shots

We embellished the mushroom with a few walnuts

hollow trunks make good drums

used walnut

We meet some riders along the trail

Tree Pose #1

Tree Pose #2

Tree Pose #3

Pincushadillo!

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

Please stop by the Sketchbook Challenge blog to see how I created this imaginary animal: my sweet little

Pincushadillo!

Viewing A Painting: Sketching in A Museum

2011-11-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

Viewing A Painting: Sketching in A Museum

Leslie here. Last month I traveled to the Netherlands with my husband, who had business in the area.
One of our favorite things to do is visit the amazing art museums. Among the treasures in the Mauritshuis Museum in Den Haag is a small painting by Carel Fabritius called "The Goldfinch". I'm captivated by this small painting, which the artist painted shortly before his death in 1654. I can't explain what it is about this painting that draws me in. I just know that it haunts me long after I view it.
This year, I took my sketchbook into the museum and spent a bit of time doing a quick drawing. I think that, while viewing the painting as I draw, I go deeper into it. I'm looking at the nuances of the painting in a different way because I am drawn into the shapes and I look more carefully at the cast-shadows.

Later, in my room, I took my small box of gouache paints and continued to work. I began the drawing on a gessoed page that had splatters from the adjoining page. I like the imperfections they create under the painting.

Since I had some letter & number stencils in my little travel kit I decided to paint the artist's name and the date the painting was created. There are a few things wrong with the size of the perch, as compared to the original, but I'm not concerned about that. For me, the joy was in the seeing, the drawing, the painting.

Have you ever taken your sketchbook into an art gallery to draw from a painting or sculpture? I'm interested to read about your experiences.

Thankful.

2011-11-23T08:00:00.009-06:00

Here we are, at the beginning of another holiday season. For those of us who have lost loved ones, it is often bittersweet. I want to tell you how thankful I am to have been given the opportunity to meet to many of you, to share in workshops and meet at festivals, to work with you at events for the Alliance for American Quilts, to laugh and be silly with you.
My cherished memories of family carry me through the sadness of missing those that are gone.
I am so grateful for my own family. I'm pretty sure I married the coolest guy on the planet.
And, it goes without saying that I have the most awesome daughters. What's a mother to say?!
My family-in-law is the best a woman could wish for.
My friends. There are no words.

I'm thankful for my health.

I'm thankful that I have the gift of time.
Everything else that I have been able to do flows from these things.

My late parents

my beloved late sister

My grandmother, the seamstress and quilt maker

My uncle Ralph, whom I lost this year.

He walked me down the aisle in 1982.

Who ARE these kids?!

Thankfully, I've been married to this guy for 29 years as of 11/27.

A father-in-law with a sense of humor that never disappoints!

THE most loving mother-in-law a woman could ask for...

and three daughters that mean everything to me.

Luren

Nattie

Same girls, a few years later.....

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

Scenes from the last (ever) MIU "Surviving The Runway"

2011-11-20T21:36:00.000-06:00

I didn't realize it until we approached the end, but the era of "Surviving The Runway" is over. Over the years we have watched and judged as people were given some very odd assortments of materials and asked to make a prom outfit, revisit the 80s, design millinery for a royal wedding, and more.
Here are a few shots from the Houston event:

Hard at work creating a fabulous hat fit for

a royal wedding!

It's just a shame that the judge/assistants don't have any fun...

here is Melly Testa and Judy Coates Perez.

Melly has a lot to dance about!

Now, if only she could figure out how to keep her glow bracelet

stylin over her face....

Here are a couple of contestants

"strutting their stuff" on the runway

Twice around the perimeter of the classroom,

and the fearless judges are watching closely

Here are the judges L-R: Jamie Fingal, Cheryl Sleboda, Jane LaFazio,

Melly Testa, Pokey Bolton, Judy Coates Perez, and myself

Rocks and Coffee "cracks"

2011-11-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

By now you know how weird I am about looking at the effects of pressure on things. I can study rocks endlessly for the effects of the power of water on them. And then, I can be amused by the imagined "cracks" in my lovely cup of Cappuccino!

these were taken near San Antonio on the edge of a river.

Limestone is everywhere in this part of the world.

I love the bore-holes the water makes.

...and then there is my delicious cuppa!

Announcing the Sketchbook Challenge Book!

2011-11-10T08:00:00.002-06:00

Most of you know that, since January 2011, I have been a contributing artist in The Sketchbook Challenge. The project was developed by Sue Bleiweiss, and the idea was to inspire artists to work in their sketchbooks, and to share their work with others through an online photo site. Major retailers of art supplies have donated some amazing prizes for those who participated.

Every month one of the contributing artists announces a new theme and the blog is used to provide a variety of art pieces and tutorials to inspire the participants.

Sue approached a number of artists, including myself, to contribute artwork for her newest book, "The Sketchbook Challenge". I was thrilled to create a number of pieces, one of which is on the cover (on the lower right portion, it has schnauzer stamps on the right edge).

Although the book will not ship until next summer it is available for pre-order it on Amazon.com.

Sketchbook Challenge at Make-It-University!

2011-11-05T20:00:00.000-05:00

If you were in Houston, you might have seen some of us today in the Make-It-University area doing the Sketchbook Challenge Round Robin workshop! We taught from 1:15 to 2:15 this afternoon in Make-It-University in the exhibitor's area of the International Quilt Festival. If you signed up to participate in the workshop, you were one busy person! We gave each participant a goodie bag filled with wonderful mixed-media items.
After this workshop, Jamie and I worked in Open Studios. I love having people stop by and visit. I demonstrated more gelatin plate monoprinting and had a lot of fun talking to all that stopped by.

Woo Hoo!

Here are two shots of the fast-paced MIU event:

I wish I had been able to take more photos during this wild event! I know others did (hello Sue Bleiweiss) and when I am able, I will add more shots. Four instructors demoed a different technique. Students had about 12 minutes at each station. Crazy fun! We did gelatin plate monoprinting on 2 types of paper and 2 types of cloth. The students got some amazing prints using a variety of unconventional tools. You know me: what did you expect? Something "normal"?!

Musical Chairs class (Thursday)

2011-11-05T18:00:00.001-05:00

Our students were so much fun! Here are a few shots of the progression of their two canvases:

Images from Quilt Festival

2011-11-05T12:27:00.000-05:00

Greetings from the lobby of the Hilton Americas in Houston TX. I have had some technical difficulties during my stay (read: I can't get on the internet in my room and I am too tired to come down to the lobby at night!) so I am waaaay behind in posting.
It has been a very exciting and busy festival. This is my first experience as faculty for the Houston show. I can't say enough wonderful things about the two days of classes Jamie and I taught together (Thursday and Friday). Our students were awesome, full of creative energy and fun. We are about to teach at Make-It-University and Open Studios this afternoon. The Sketchbook Challenge Round Robin workshop is going to be fabulous!

Here are a few scenes (and you know I will post more as soon as I am able):

The art of spoonology: Lisa Ellis in-training

Wednesday morning: a field trip to InSight optical, an annual excursion!

We Like.

Wednesday afternoon: my QSOS interview (done by Jamie) for the orientees

for the Alliance for American Quilts' project in conjunction with

Lone Stars III: Texas Quilts from 1986-2011

I have 3 pieces in the book!

My mug-shot for the interview, which will be archived in the Library of Congress

Opening night: L-R Kathy York, Sherri McCauley, Jamie Fingal, and myself

posing in front of our Tactile Architecture entry, "Artist Village".

We are thrilled at the way it was installed for the show. Woo Hoo!

? I have no explanation.

It seemed like a good idea at the time!

Kathy York with her gorgeous quilt in Quilt Festival/Quilt Scene magazine!

The "girls" strike a pose at a Dinner At Eight dinner.

Judy Coates Perez, Kathy York, and Frances Holiday Alford in background

More spoonology: L-R Rachel Parris, Sherri McCauley, and Jane LaFazio

"Dreaming in Canvas: The Painted Quilt" workshop photos

2011-11-04T20:00:00.000-05:00

Day-long workshop #2 in Houston was "Dreaming In Canvas: The Painted Quilt". Once again, our students inspired us with their willingness to step out of their comfort zones and try something new.
Here are some shots of the progression of their canvas painting, followed by images of their fabulous quilts!

Covering the canvas with broad marks

smaller tools create more detail

monoprinting on paper along the way

Adding white, then black paint and more detail

all the hands that worked on the painting

detail of one canvas

detail of the second canvas

Part of the class poses with one canvas...

and then the other

painted canvas (pre-fused) was cut and fused onto black felt

the students worked on Husqvarna Viking machines to create unique quilts

The quilts were beautiful, and every one was different!

Here is Maggie Winfield's fused quilt

Our students pose with their completed quilts!

Simply stunning!

A "Funscription"

2011-11-03T12:00:00.002-05:00

Many of you know that Jamie and I like to have fun wherever we go. My motto, and I believe I can speak for my teaching partner, is, "Don't Postpone Joy". With that in mind, I decided to dispense a few "prescriptions" at the International Quilt Festival in Houston this year:

These will be given to our workshop students.

We hope they will be filled with fun after our day-long workshop(s)!

Orchid "faces"

2011-11-01T08:00:00.003-05:00

Is it just me (probably), or can you see faces in these orchids? I realize I have an active imagination, but I saw faces everywhere when visiting the American Orchid Society Members' Meeting, Show, and Sale here in San Antonio. This was a "first" for me. I love orchids, but don't have much experience raising them.
I attended the show with someone who has a vast amount of experience raising orchids, and she recommends what she calls "benign neglect" as the best strategy toward them.
I came home with a few really cool examples, so we shall see. While touring the show I saw some really cool imaginary faces in some of the displays. Here are a few:

Beautiful Rust

2011-10-28T16:44:00.000-05:00

I love the way abandoned things deteriorate. While I might not be as fond of this if it were on blocks in my next-door neighbor's front yard, I love how this old car looks. Found on the recently acquired land of a friend, this old 30s-era Chevy is simply wonderful to look at. I may have gotten a bit carried away with my photographs, but I was fascinated with the combination of rust and what appears to be lichen. And, check it out, there is a cactus growing on the fender!

The Sketchbook Challenge Comes to Houston!

2011-10-27T11:22:00.000-05:00

If you are coming to the International Quilt Festival in Houston next week, I hope you will consider signing up for the Sketchbook Challenge Workshop that will be taught on the floor in the Make-It-University area.

Here's the plan: Sue Bleiweiss, Jamie Fingal, Jane LaFazio, and Judi Hurwitt and I will be teaching on Saturday, November 5th, from 1:15 to 2:15. We will teach several techniques, round-robin style. The participants will be divided into groups and move from table to table to learn some great techniques.

You won't believe all the goodies in these beautiful, custom-printed tote bags! Don't miss this great opportunity to join in the fun. You must submit your name in advance in order to be eligible to participate, and you must be present when your name is drawn. The cost to participate is a bargain at $15. The contents of your workshop tote are worth more than that!!

Check out this awesome tote:

The Power Suit Challenge

2011-10-22T08:00:00.003-05:00

Power Suits:Art Quilt Challenge

104 Quilt Artists Interpret the Theme “Power Suits”

Alexandria, Virginia, September 28, 2011 - On October 22, 2011, over 100 art quilts based on the theme “Power Suits” will debut at Artistic Artifacts in Alexandria, VA.

When a local tailor contacted Cyndi Souder to offer her his outdated fabric swatches, a quilt challenge was born. Teaming with friend and associate Judy Gula (owner, Artistic Artifacts), Souder developed a theme, packaged swatches, and offered them for free to interested quilters. Distributing challenge packets at quilt shows, lectures, and online through their blogs and websites, Souder and Gula invited quilters to express their take on Power Suits through their artwork. The resulting quilts address such diverse topics as politics, family, worklife, playing cards, and super heroes.

Says Souder, “These are not your grandmother’s quilts. These 18” square quilts address a wide array of topics and work on a variety of levels. The theme seemed to have universal appeal and our quilters had a lot to say. We were wowed each time we opened another package.”

Take a look at the website!
www.PowerSuitQuilts.com

When I received the invitation to participate, all I could think of was the movie, "Working GIrl", starring Melanie Griffith. So, with that in mind I created a quilt entitled,

"The 80's Power Suit: She Works Hard For The Money"

detail

To create this quilt I visited a Goodwill store to find an "80's-era power jacket": large shoulder pads in a bright color. I used a shirt and tie from my old office-wear. Wow, did I struggle with how to manipulate this under the machine! I could have used an industrial-strength sewing machine for this project due to the thickness of layers and the materials involved. Maybe I'm just a masochist, but I had a great time figuring it out and I am very happy with the results: the quilt says what I wanted it to say. Please take a few minutes and stop by the website.

Lisa Quintana was kind enough to permit me to repost one of her photos that was taken at the opening reception. Please stop by her blog to see even more great shots of the reception and some close-ups of other quilts. She agreed to let me post this photo, which shows my quilt hanging on the lower row:

A New Label Trick (for me, at least)

2011-10-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have a bit of back-of-the-work vanity. I admit it. I'm not the quilt/mixed media police. It simply pleases me to have a finished piece that looks nice and neat on the back. When possible, I try to put a nice-looking label on my work. I discovered something that I want to share with you because I think it is fantastic!

I had several framed or mounted pieces that needed labels. I decided to use some of my mini-MOO business cards. I also used clear, self-adhesive mailing labels (the same size as Avery 8660tm) which fit the mini-MOO cards perfectly and showed my artwork through the label! I am so excited about this little discovery. To fasten to the back of the art I used double-sided tape, which is archival, to adhere the moo card with label to the surface of the work.
Take a peek:

this label....

is on the back of this!

More images in and around St. Petersburg

2011-10-16T07:46:00.000-05:00

The Art Cloth Network meetings continued today, and the evening was topped off with a lovely pot-luck supper hosted by Linda Dawson's local surface design group. It was a really fun evening!
Here are a few shots from the day:

The Chihuly Museum entrance

St. Petersburg loves their dogs!

St. Petersburg FL and the Dali Museum

2011-10-14T06:24:00.000-05:00

I am visiting the beautiful city of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the annual Art Cloth Network gathering. The reason we are meeting here this year is that it is home to fellow-member Linda Dawson.
We start our meeting tomorrow, but today we had the pleasure of wandering around a bit. We walked the lovely shoreline near the yacht club and ended up at the Dali museum. I must admit: Dali was never a favorite artist. Surrealism interests me, but I have never understood it. I can't say for sure that I understand all of it, but I will say that seeing this amazing collection has really cemented a new respect for Dali and his work. There is nothing like seeing the progression of an individual's art to better understand them. The museum does that in a similar manner to the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam.
The museum is structurally beautiful with a style that befits the work inside.
Here are a few shots of the area:

I love the juxtaposition of the natural and man-made shapes

living wall near the entryway

inside the museum

Is it me, or does this look like a dragon face without skull or hair?!

Review of Collage on Color (new e-mag from Cloth Paper Scissors)

2011-10-12T08:00:00.003-05:00

I love the idea of e-mags. I'm a magazine junkie with a very eclectic taste: I subscribe to architectural and design mags, cooking, art, garden, and even a couple of pop culture rags. I love them. Up until recently I loaded half my suitcase (and remember, I only carry ONE BAG when I travel!) with books and magazines to entertain me during the flight, late nights in a hotel room, etc. I love them.
I love my ipad because I can compress an armload of print media into one little tiny cute device. So, I was a bit frustrated when the e-mags began to emerge from Interweave because they weren't compatible with the ipad, at first, through no fault of theirs: there was a long history of discord between Apple and the creators of Flash, the technology needed to drive a lot of media imagery.
I'm not sure which magic want the folks at Interweave finally waved over their products, but I rejoiced when I discovered the new issue of Collage in Color and Colorways were ipad-friendly. Yay!

If you are an ipad owner, or even if you aren't, I encourage you to consider this new phenomenon because it is a magazine and oh-so-much more! There are loads of interactive features in this issue, and I will assume this will be standard in all future issues, as it is with the Quilting Arts version, "In Stitches".

I took some photos so you could get a sense of how simple this thing is to use. If you are an ipad user you are already familiar with how to load an "app" onto your device. That is a necessary step when purchasing for the ipad that is not relevant to regular mac/pc users. No biggie.

Here is my ipad screensaver (one of my quilts) with a few of my apps.

Collage in Color (3rd row, 2nd from right) and Colorways (3rd row, right)

icons appear as CC & C

To open, simply touch the app icon with a finger tip

Here is the welcome screen

Here is a sample of the first page of one of the articles

Another page that links the user to a variety of options

I love the look of this page! When you click to the page, the

combination "dials" for you!

...and when you enter, this is what you see.

To get to each video, simply touch the desired video with a fingertip

Another colorful article.

See my finger on the lower left portion of the screen?

To move back and forth between articles, touch the lower portion of the screen and scroll buttons appear

on each edge, taking you back and forth.

At the beginning of the e-mag, Jen Mason gives a very concise, easy-to-understand video tutorial on how to navigate the e-mag. Trust me, this is a good investment of 10 bucks. There is a lot of information, it is visually stunning, and it is something great to have along for travel, sitting in your car waiting for your kid's piano lesson to be finished, or wherever else you find yourself with a bit of time on your hands. I plan to be a regular subscriber!

I purchased "Colorways" but haven't opened it, yet. I'm saving it for my upcoming trip to Florida. As soon as I have a chance to play with it and read the articles I plan to review it.

Let me know if you have tried this e-mag, or any other.

Revisit Your Work

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Recently, I pulled out 4 pieces in a series called "Urban Activity". All of these pieces were created for a specific show which required the work to be mounted on 8-inch squared canvas frames. I created these mixed media quilted pieces, but two of them weren't really "finished" and I couldn't see what they needed.

I decided that the reason these two pieces were not pleasing to me was that there was no obvious focal point. I added to each of them. I am now very satisfied with them and believe that the general look of them, as well as their uniform size, unifies them if they are to be hung together, yet each can stand alone.
Here are the four pieces. The last two were the ones I worked on. Unfortunately, I cannot find a "before" image of the third piece before I added to it, but I will show the before and after of the last piece.

I added the 3 round objects on the right side of this piece.

Before...

After. I added 3 vintage keys, which allows the eye to travel

around in the piece.

Some things are worth re-working. I wish I knew when to do this and when to walk away, but it is a good exercise to bring unloved pieces back to the studio and try to look at them objectively.

Do they have a good value scale?

Composition?

Is there a focal point?

I am getting better at asking myself these questions on a regular basis, but sometimes I can't see the forest for the trees. How about you? Have you ever revisited a piece that you aren't satisfied with?

Fiber Artists of San Antonio 2011 Juried Exhibition Opening

2011-10-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Ilse Aviks was the juror for the 2011 exhibition, which opened this evening at the beautiful Gallery Nord.
The diverse, lovely exhibition will be hanging through the month of October, and I strongly recommend you try to stop by if you are anywhere near the city.
This gallery is really a perfect spot to feature long pieces, which can be hung in the central portion of the gallery. They add to the experience of wandering through the beautiful work. This year did not disappoint. I can't even name all the pieces, and I didn't try to photograph everything. I want to share just a few shots from the opening reception. I would like to go back during the earlier part of the day to see the work in different light.

by Laurel Gibson

(the lengths of color are embroidery floss!)

Lisa Kerpoe

(art cloth mounted on canvas)

I was very amused at how fascinated many people were with the back of my quilt!

It was fun to have this quilt ("What Remains") free-hanging in the gallery.

This was taken from the upper level looking down into the main level

Susie Monday's quilt (left on wall) won first place. Susie's other quilt is on the right side.

Follow Your Heart

2011-10-06T16:25:00.001-05:00

The following is an excerpt from the weekly mailing of one of my closest friends, Karen Rowinsky.
This will resonate with everyone, but particularly with artists.

Follow Your Heart and Intuition

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.
Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results
of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions
drown out your own inner voice. And most important,
have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.
They somehow already know what you truly want to become.
Everything else is secondary."
-Steve Jobs

The world has lost a treasure. Steve Jobs was a creative genius,
a visionary, and above all, a wise and compassionate man. He had much to teach us. Of all the quotes posted on the internet, in his many tributes, I like the above.

So many times our own inner voice is drowned out by others; our loved ones', our friends, our leaders, or even people we don't know who shout their views through the media. Faced with the volume and amount of opinions of others, we often lose our confidence in our own values, beliefs, ideals and ideas.

Self care is about trusting, listening to, and honoring your heart and your intuition. The next time you doubt yourself, think of Steve Jobs and his courage to listen to his inner voice.

Karen is a gifted therapist and one of my closest friends.
She lives in the Kansas City-area. She is a member
of my "chosen" family.

Drawing With Kids

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

One of the biggest thrills for me is to draw with little kids. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to hang out with some of the coolest kids around: the youngsters of people who work with my husband.
Recently, a few of us were at a restaurant together. If you have a couple of pencils and a notepad, you are in business. The imagination of a young child is truly inspiring. I treasure the drawings I receive from them!

My friend Alex drew this cool dinosaur

my friend, Sarah (L) and myself looking at some butterflies.

Sarah always draws my curly hair.

Artistically Speaking Airs Today!

2011-10-02T08:00:00.004-05:00

I will be the featured guest on Artistically Speaking Sunday, October 2nd, (That's TODAY!) at 5:30 CDT. I need your moral support! Please tune in!

PS-We will be giving away a free copy of the Sketchbook Challenge e-zine during the program for someone in the online chat room, so log on!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/artisticallyspeaking

The following is an archive of the show. Click the link to listen!
Artistically Speaking with Leslie Tucker Jenison Smarties 10/02 by AS Rebecca Parsons | Blog Talk Radio

On an entirely different note: don't forget that Lyric's "Bead It Like You Mean It" dvd is still being talked about and chances

to win are still happening on these blogs:

Oct 3 Carol Sloan http://carolbsloan.blogspot.com/
Oct 5 Sue Bleiweiss http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog/
Oct 7 Jill Berry http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/
Oct 10 Jane LaFazio http://janeville.blogspot.com/
Oct 12 Tracie Lynn Huskamp http://thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com/

If you have decided you want a copy and don't want to wait, here is the link:
http://www.lyrickinard.com/bead_it_like_you_mean_it_.html

Guerilla Knitting Outside the Culinary Institute in San Antonio

2011-10-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

I adore this sort of thing:

Laurie Brainerd's new quilt series

2011-09-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Laurie Brainerd is an exceptionally talented artist and maker of contemporary quilts who has just recently begun her journey into surface design on textiles. Laurie and I were formerly partners in the short-lived Fiber Artspace venture at the Blue Star Contemporary Art Complex in San Antonio.
In her recent newsletter (which I encourage you to subscribe to!) she wrote something that truly resonated with me. Because I feel so strongly that this is important I asked if I could share it here.

Laurie is a planner. She is one of the most (if not THE most) organized people I know! Her words are compelling because, in our artistic lives, we are often surprised at where the journey can lead us, if we remain open to the possibilities. Asking "What if?" is often the first step into a great adventure with new possibilities in your work. Read on..

Following the Energy
This summer, I have been working with new materials and new techniquues--new to me that is. I had a crisp idea that was so strong that I was naturally compelled to follow it.

The idea was about representing happiness. It seems that I have figured out the formula for my own happiness, and since that is where I am at right now, naturally that is showing up in my artwork.

The finished, but unmounted piece below, is my first happiness quilt. The blocks represent the different aspects of our lives that we learn to balance and adjust for maximum well-being. From personal experience, I know that sometimes a block has to be removed altogether, others are perfect just the way they are, and the rest need to be adjusted. And this process never ends!

So, while I was dye-painting the fabric that was eventually going to end up as happiness blocks, I noticed the interesting patterns left on the sheets that I used as drop cloths. I found it so interesting, that I added a layer of cotton fabric to capture the dye that drips through the silk/cotton blend fabric that I'm painting on.

I even had to start a new top piece in order to finish a lower piece. Now I'm not so sure which fabric is the product and which is the by-product. I have definitely found my happy place--the land of happy accidents.

It is amazing what you will find when you follow your energy or intuition or inner guide--whatever you call that special knowing. One simple idea for me has exploded into more ideas than I can count. I have had to start writing them down.

I just find it really fascinating how one starts in one direction thinking that it is somewhat of a destination, but ends up being just a mile marker on the journey. And just a corner around the last destination is an even richer view.

Please visit Laurie's website and blog for more inspiration!

Tune in to Artistically Speaking this Sunday!

2011-09-29T14:18:00.001-05:00

I will be the featured guest on Artistically Speaking this Sunday, October 2nd, at 5:30 CDT. I need your moral support! Please tune in!

Sketchbook Challenge e-zine!

2011-09-26T08:00:00.001-05:00

Here's Some BIG News!

The first Sketchbook Challenge E-zine is now available for purchase!

Available for download right now for only $9.99!

The Sketchbook Challenge E-zine is 83 full color pages of creativity, inspiration and projects!

Click here to peek inside!

What you’ll find inside...
Learn how to draw a pinecone with Jane LaFazio
Exploring Text Collage with Kelli Nina Perkins
Make a Scrappy House Quilt with Jamie Fingal
Working in series by Jane Davies
Make bad art with Lyric Kinard and become a better artist
Sue Bleiweiss shows you how to make a sketchbook sleeve
Carol Sloan shares her remedies for blank pages
Take 5! with Carla Sonheim
Screenprinting for the Mixed Media Artist by Leslie Tucker Jenison
Take your sketchbook out to eat with Susan Sorrell
Stacked Journaling with Judi Hurwitt
Learn how to use your inner GPS to create journal pages with Violette
Learn a trio of pamphlet binding stitches from Diana Trout

Important information regarding printing this document for binding:This e-zine has been formatted for on screen viewing. If you want to print a copy to have bound then you must scale the document to 90% to allow for a wide enough left side margin. In the print box, select the scale option and change it to 90%. Please print a test page first (we recommend page 5) to make sure that the setting is appropriate for your printer before printing the entire document.

The Sketchbook Challenge E-zine is in pdf format and include step-by-step instructions and full-color photo illustrations. You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher to be able to open the lessons. Adobe Acrobat Reader is a free software that you can download from the Adobe Website.

POST A REVIEW AND WIN A PIECE OF MAIL ART!

Post a review of the sketchbook challenge e-zine on your blog or website and we'll enter your name into a drawing to win a piece of mail art from one or more of the Sketchbook Challenge artists! Send a link to your published review by 12/1/11 to sue at sue@suebleiweiss.com to be entered into the drawing. Winners will be announced in December - good luck!

We Need YOU!

2011-09-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

This is an all-star team already, but we will need many more volunteers! Depending on how many morning and afternoon sessions each volunteer takes on we will need between 22-48 volunteers per day. So I need your help with recruiting! Please help us by circulating this call for volunteers to any websites, blogs, lists, newsletters, FB pages, cork boards or refrigerator doors you manage or contribute to.

I am attaching the following:

"We need volunteers" event graphic —gif format
"I'm volunteering" graphic—gif format
Publicity text describing our search for volunteers (long and short versions included)--pdf format
Volunteer flyer—pdf format

The "I'm Volunteering" logo can be used on your own website, blog, FB page that tells everyone you are volunteering. Please direct all potential volunteers to this page on our website, which contains a link to our volunteer registration survey:

http://www.allianceforamericanquilts.org/qsos/2011IQFinfo.php

Let me know if you have any questions about this publicity. Any help you can provide in spreading the word is much appreciated. I'll also be distributing a press release widely on Monday. This will go to media outlets, guilds and AAQ members. I will also make posts to FB, Twitter and our website. Other ideas? Please let me know!

"Bead It Like You Mean It" dvd review & giveaway

2011-09-18T08:00:00.003-05:00

I was honored when Lyric Kinard asked me to review her wonderful new dvd, "Bead It Like You Mean It" and participate in a blog hop and giveaway. In addition to being an artist whose work I admire a great deal, Lyric is truly an excellent teacher. After viewing this dvd I can tell you that it was time well-spent! Are you a bead collector? Check out this little teaser on YouTube.

I must tell you that everything I know about beading (up until watching Lyric's dvd) I learned the hard way. When I think back to one of my first beaded quilts, a small journal quilt that was LOADED with heavy beads and traveled to several quilt show venues for a year, I am a bit mortified. When the quilt returned home there were beads that were barely hanging onto the surface of the quilt. Yikes! Oh, how I wish I had watched Lyric's dvd before that quilt left my studio! I would have known the proper way to secure heavy beads to my quilt surface, how to protect bead thread from those sharp-ended bugle beads, and more. I consider this dvd a visual reference guide and "how to" for beading.

"Bead It Like You Mean It" is an excellent dvd for everyone from the novice beader to the experienced bead artist. Techiques include learning basic beading techniques to more complex configurations, all demonstrated in a clear, concise manner. Information is included about choosing beading thread, needles, and other helpful tips. I feel certain that there is somthing here for even the most experienced bead artist. After watching this workshop I now know how to create beaded bezel cages to house a cabochon! Woo Hoo! And, the best part about it: Lyric explains the process so clearly that I had no difficulty understanding the steps.

I appreciate how the workshop is divided into chapters. It is so much easier to refer back to a specific technique. The workshop is well-edited with two camera inputs: one of the instructor and her work surface, the other a close-up from above her hands, allowing the viewer to really scrutinize the technique.

Hats off to Bonnie McCaffery, who is the videographer of the dvd.

Another stand-out demonstration is Lyric's technique for attaching beading to a finished quilt in a manner that completely hides the knots and beading thread on the front AND back of the quilt!

Now for the fun part: I have a copy of "Bead It Like You Mean It" to give away on September 24th!

For a chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment on my blog about your last bead-related project. How did you use beads in the project? I will draw from the list of comments and the lucky winner will receive Lyric's dvd!

Please stop by the other participating artists on our blog hop:

Sept 15 Larkin Van Horn http://blog.larkinart.com/
Sept 16 Susan Sorell http://www.creativechick.com/blog/
Sept 19 Kelli Nina Perkins http://ephemeralalchemy.blogspot.com/
Sept 21 Sharon Chapman http://wildflowerhouse.blogspot.com/
Sept 23 Leslie Tucker Jenison http://leslietuckerjenison.blogspot.com/
Sept 26 Carla Sonheim http://carlasonheim.wordpress.com/
Sept 28 Gloria Hansen http://www.gloriahansen.com/weblog/
Sept 30 Laura Wasilowski http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/
Oct 3 Carol Sloane http://carolbsloan.blogspot.com/
Oct 5 Sue Bleiweiss http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog/
Oct 7 Jill Berry http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/
Oct 10 Jane LaFazio http://janeville.blogspot.com/
Oct 12 Tracie Lynn Huskamp http://thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com/

Don't forget to leave your comment here for a chance to win!

Thanks for stopping by.

And the winner is: Cat Stone! Thanks so much for leaving comments, everyone! Those of you who did not win, don't forget to stop by Lyric's website to purchase your copy of "Bead It Like You Mean It"! I hope you will continue to stop by my blog, too. It has been a pleasure. Leslie

Amsterdam/Den Haag/Delft-Day 7

2011-09-13T16:21:00.002-05:00

Tim left the show early today so we decided to have a little adventure. He really wanted to visit Mauritshuis museum at The Haag, and Cheryl and I tagged along. Later, Cheryl took the train back to Amsterdam to meet her husband and Tim and I went on to Delft.

not many of these old windmills around any more!

A beautiful day in Den Haag

We were fortunate to see this on exhibition before the official opening

I have seen several of these small knights atop houses in Delft.

I wish I knew what they are called.

So we walked into old Delft square and.....a carnival!

Delft Square is always full of surprises. Two years ago,

we were able to watch a huge bocci ball tournament,

followed by several wedding parties.

The people of Delft like to have parties!

It was crazy and surreal to see all this American stuff in the middle of Delft.

This was so crazy and ironic.

We had dinner at Den Waag, then meandered back to the train.

It was nice to walk in the rain.

It is beginning to look like fall here.

A few leaves starting to kiss the ground.

Tomorrow we leave for home.

Thanks for traveling along with me to the Netherlands.

I look forward to returning again next year.

ltj

Amsterdam Day 6 Random images

2011-09-13T06:21:00.000-05:00

The following are images I captured while wandering yesterday in Amsterdam:

cool "animal" sculptures created from scrap metal,

seen in what looks like a community garden

This sculpture installation resides inside the Opera House lobby

amazing

weird seed pods laying on a metal grate

Verzetsmuseum (The Dutch Resistance Museum)

2011-09-12T16:45:00.002-05:00

Thanks to someone on Facebook I was made aware of a special exhibit at the Verzetsmuseum about embroideries done by women held captive in camps during WWII. The museum was so interesting and informative in all respects. Our first interaction was with the most unpleasant, authoritative woman at their front desk. Unbelievably brusque and rude, to the point of making us laugh. Aside from that, the museum was full of very poignant, bittersweet memorabilia, and we were educated about the resistance in a way that made this part of history come alive.
I was, of course, particularly moved by the samples of embroideries made by women held captive. I simply cannot imagine being in their place, but somehow the story of how they held onto their sanity came alive through seeing these small works. I took a sampling of photos so I could share with you. It was unbelievably touching.

The description below this image is of the woman featured here.

What a gutsy broad!

The "Winter Help" project was a propaganda move on the part of

the Nazis to improve their image with the Dutch.

women began to take threads from sheets, edges of garments, anywhere they could

get them, and steal a needle from their repair kits from their workloads for the Germans.

Any small bit of cloth and thread was used to create their embroideries.

With this small defiant act, they found a way to express themselves.

description below

this bra was made by piece-mealing together bits of cloth. It is

embroidered with the symbol of her work camp.

Westermarkt observations/purchases

2011-09-11T11:41:00.000-05:00

plastic and knitted finger puppets. Had to have them.

Dinner at the Sea Palace

2011-09-11T11:15:00.000-05:00

The Sea Palace restaurant was the setting for the Newtek international dealers' dinner this year, and, luckily for us, it was a short walk from our hotel. A beautiful restaurant with truly delicious food. A good time was had by all.

Jim, standing on the deck of the third level.

It was a beautiful evening to be outside.

Tim and Rex.

My place card.

Some of our table mates

More of the party

Pauline, from South Africa, next to Franck

Tim hits 'record" and slowly turns the camera around on the server

Leslie & Kiki

Jim shows his almost-finished pizza oven!

A first: a scallop dish, served in its own shell

The beautiful night sky with a full moon

outside on the deck after the rain passed

a few of the stunning floral arrangements in the restaurant

heading back down the stairs (Tim and Franck ahead)

More Amsterdam Day 4

2011-09-11T10:55:00.000-05:00

Here are some random images from the day yesterday:

one of my favorite houses in the city,

just across from the Rijksmuseum

Leidesplain, a great place to people-watch

Apparently, Mickey is having a bachelor's party!

I guess if you don't have a car to hang advertising on,

you resort to your bike seat!

small watercraft transitioning under the roadways

I keep walking by this spot. What does it mean, I wonder?

Amsterdam Day 4 (Saturday) To the Van Gogh museum and a nearby park

2011-09-10T12:44:00.001-05:00

I've been to the Van Gogh museum numerous times before and it never gets old. There were some new exhibits this time, as well the recently restored Bedroom in Arles painting. There was extensive documentation on the restoration process, which was fascinating.

A calliope situated near Centraal Station as I was departing on a tram

It was such a lovely day.

Many people were taking advantage of the weather and spending time in the park.

How cute is this? Look at the baby's little bike seat on the handle bars!

Inside the Van Gogh museum, a special exhibit on the underpaintings and substrates of

Van Gogh's work. Very interesting.

Read below:

Van Gogh's back

The trees are among my favorite paintings.

I just can't get enough of them.

"Almond Blossom"

This painting reminds me of Yvonne Porcella.

"Field Under A Stormy Sky" (1890)

This reminds me of the Flint Hills of KS.

Newly restored "Bedroom at Arles"

a replication of the room

info about the restoration and color matching

Another wonderful surprise was a special exhibit of vintage posters.

Amsterdam Day 3 (Friday): wandering aimlessly

2011-09-09T16:44:00.000-05:00

I felt better today so I was ready to wander a bit with a friend who came over with her husband from the US. We decided to hit the Albert Cuypmarket (an open street market in the south part of the city). This was a very interesting assortment of food, clothing, sundries, and cloth. I was most interested in the fish market because, after all, we are near the North Sea. I love to look at local food/produce.
Here are a few random images from the day:

The tram schedule at Centraal Station

a portion of the street market

live crabs

somone's future fish stew/stock?

a bizarre mosaic near the market

a funky little tea shop, where we hoped to get lunch but they only had cake & tea

Bird cake, anyone?

This reminds me of die-cut felt

Love the name of this tea (Earl Gray in disguise)

From the market we took the tram to the Flower Market. I love this place. I am always frustrated by the ridiculous FDA regulations about "certification" of bulbs. Translated, that means the growers must pay exorbitant amounts of money to "certify" their bulbs. Since it is so expensive they choose to certify a very small amount of their produce. Therefore, one cannot purchase just anything to take back to the US. Why is it that I always want what I cannot legally have? Forget the cannibis starter kits, here is what I want:

so many bulbs and most of them will not grown in Texas.

Aren't these Gerber daisies amazing? The chocolate centers just killed me!

I'm certain this is a Mandrake from the Harry Potter movie.

Isn't it?!

See the hook at the top of the building on the left?

This is how people move large pieces of furniture into their homes!

Bells on the side of a building...

Another street scene

? I don't know why....

I see this every time I'm in the city: the facade of a Catholic church,

which seems so odd: why a parrot?

Another church.

The wires above the metro train

...more later!

Amsterdam Day 2 (Thursday)

2011-09-08T18:01:00.001-05:00

I doodled and painted during the afternoon.

A collaged view from my hotel room window....

I stuck close to our hotel today for 2 reasons: 1) it was raining. A lot. 2) I, er, needed to be close to a restroom. That is all that need be said about that. Since I'm an RN and therefore a walking pharmacy, naturally I had all the over-the-counter remedies for said affliction. By late afternoon, I was regaining my confidence. So much so, that I was convinced to go to a Thai restaurant with a bunch of Newtek people. Perhaps not a completely wise decision, but whatever.
The rain stopped and the evening was absolutely wonderful for being outside and walking around.

Two mounted police stand quietly across the road from a trannie or S&M bar.

I didn't get close enough to be able to distinguish.

Actually, I'm not sure I could tell if I were looking in the windows.

I really liked the outfits some of the patrons were wearing, though.

We passed that store again that has the cool masks.

Seriously, any place that has a David Bowie "Ziggy Stardust-era" mask

for sale has my vote of confidence.

I shot photos without a flash. Sorry.

This is a "love lock" on one of the canal bridges.

It made me wish I had brought the ones that Luren gave us for the holiday.

This cat is guarding a closed restaurant.

The wall of the Amsterdam Museum of Natural History, circa 1660.

It was formerly an insane asylum.

A very popular "coffee shop" across the road from where we were walking.

A typical street scene in the Leidsplein-area.

Lots of restaurants and most of the side streets are off-limits to cars.

Here I am with my favorite guy.

Arriving in Amsterdam

2011-09-07T17:20:00.001-05:00

Tim on the train ride from Schiphol airport into Amsterdam

I am tagging along with my husband to Amsterdam. His company has a presence at a big computer trade show, IBC, and I have had the pleasure of coming here with him several times before. Because of this opportunity, the city of Amsterdam has become a favorite destination. The people are gentle and friendly. I love the feel of the city, the mass transit, the ability to get lost and not feel afraid. I love to wander and do a lot of photography, people-watch, and dream.
We didn't do much today because neither of us have the ability to sleep well on a long flight. We checked into our hotel and lapsed into a jet-lag-fueled altered state. We should have stayed upright and pushed ourselves through this first day, but neither of us had the stomach for it.
This evening we ventured out for dinner with some other Newtek people. The rain stopped and we
had a leisurely walk through the city afterward.

one of the many beautiful canals in the city

we walked past this strange shop filled with crazy masks!

I must go back....

Take-Along Quilt

2011-09-07T16:58:00.000-05:00

This is such a good idea. Many members of the San Antonio Modern Quilt Guild are pitching in and making quilts for the Bastrop fire relief effort. Malka Dubrawsky kindly contributed this pattern for the Take Along Quilt. Please check it out:

The Take-Along Quilt

Traveling in One Carry-on Bag

2011-09-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

I'm getting ready to leave on a trip. Believe it or not, I do know how to travel light! You just can't base it on photos of all the "stuff" I haul with me to quilt festivals or mixed media retreats:

These are different festivals, and not all this junk is mine, but you get the idea

It looks like I don't know how to edit my packing.

Read on...

If someone had told me 10 years ago I could travel overseas with one carry-on bag I would have laughed! I always took more clothing than I needed, along with too much of everything else. A few years ago I traveled with one bag for the first time, and I swear I won't ever go back! Many people have asked how I do it, and since I am packing for this trip I decided to photo-document the process. Here goes:

I use an Eagle Creek "Load Warrior" 22 inch carry-on. It weighs 6.5 pounds empty.

The empty bag....nothing fancy here

Since it has a retractable handle, I pack small items in the ridges such as my umbrella,

anorak, and a small roll of t.p. (my experience in Europe is that toilet paper isn't a sure-thing).

For the first time I will be carrying a large digital SLR camera and 2 lenses. These additions have presented a packing challenge! I broke the camera down into the smallest components for travel, packing the body in a foam envelope.

Each lens is packed in a sock!

all my clothing is in this packing envelope, also made by Eagle Creek.

I have 2 pashmina scarves, 4 tops, 1 pair of slacks, 2 skirts.

I carry one extra pair of shoes.

Note that everything is neutral but the pashminas. Each item works with everything else.

It all dries quickly. I still might cull a couple more things from the pack...

This cube (also Eagle Creek) holds a couple changes of underwear and socks,

a foldable water bottle, quick-drying towel, 1 moleskin notebook, a packet of watercolor postcards,

a small set of watercolors, & double-sided tape.

I write and send postcards to myself as I travel.

It is a treat to receive them after I get back!

This is my "liquids" clear plastic bag, found at the Container Store.

The surface-area is the size of a one-quart ziploc, but this bag has a base so it holds more.

I purchased several one-ounce flip-top bottles for shampoo, etc., and I have several packets of Woolite for washing out my clothing as needed.

This is what I pull out for my friends at the TSA to look at when going through security. Grrr.

Another of the plastic bags holds all my cords. Sheesh.

I can't help it: I'm a nerd.

My cute little MacBook Air in a lovely red Speck protective cover.

I just bought the padded Incase sleeve. So cute! So lightweight!

(I ditched the sleeve because I don't need it) Now I carry my ipad, too.

The liquids case and the laptop are situated on the surface so I can quickly pull them out to go through security. Grrrrr. Oh well......

See how nicely it all fits inside?

For this trip I plan to use a small daypack and travel wallet in lieu of a purse

since I'll be carrying my larger camera a great deal of the time.

My dog is not happy to see the suitcase.

Don't worry: she stays with close friends of ours who

spoil her rotten while we are away!

Quilt Article in Texas Monthly!

2011-09-05T08:00:00.005-05:00

Texas Monthly Cover

September 2011

Karey Bresenhan and Nancy O'Bryant Puentes received some great publicity for their new book, Lone Stars III: A Legacy of Texas Quilts, 1986-2011 in Texas Monthly. The article is an eight page spread called, Common Threads, in the September issue. My friend, Kathy York, has a quilt featured in this article: Little Cities. It was published as part of the article on the book, on p. 151. The article talks about the book and shows a preview of 10 quilts.

I am proud to be part of this book, as well. I am a co-creator of several quilts that will be featured in the book, due to be released at the International Quilt Festival, Houston, in November 2011.

Dogcentric

2011-09-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Our little miniature Schnauzer happened to be with my husband one day when one of his employees, a professional photographer, was preparing for a shoot. He got Bizzi to "strike a pose" for him. I think this is an excellent photograph.

Scenes from CREATE!-Part Two

2011-09-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

Samples of Artist Houses accordion books, among other things!

Our second workshop was "Artist Houses" folding accordion book. The first half of the day was spent learning gelatin plate monoprinting with the new Gelli Plates, and creating fun foam stamps. The students had a set of pre-cut Hoffman fabric to work with, as well as paper tags and other miscellaneous found papers. After monoprinting a variety of cloth and paper, the foam stamps were used over the surface of the monoprints.

A colorful array of monoprinted cloth, stamps, and used paper towels

(which we later fused with Mistyfuse and utilized in the projects)

here are a few of the items used for gelatin plate monoprinting

Cindy Kuo works on the layers of her house. Doors and windows

were created from a combination of color laser copies of photos, as well as

unique printed papers and more.

cloth and paper were fused with Mistyfuse, then cut to the needed sizes

houses were stitched onto window screen

Here are Cindy Kuo's houses.

She was excited to do some hand-embellishment and therefore opted to wait

to finish her project at home

Sandy Mayfield and Debbie Pine hold their nearly complete artist houses

Scenes from CREATE!-Part One

2011-09-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here are a few scenes from our workshop, "Aprons As Personal Armor", at the CREATE mixed media retreat in Chicago:

The students worked hard to create unique aprons.

Everyone got a great start on their projects!

Sharon Davis had a colorful palette of fabrics,

even a custom print from Spoonflower based on a drawing by her son!

Hiliary Ayer and Sue Sulaiman share a laugh during class.

Our classroom looked like a fabric explosion had occurred in it. Yay!

A passerby asks to try on my apron

After class we attended a reception for the workshop instructors

Jen Mason welcomed all the teachers.

Fun!

Sculpture in the Chicago Midway airport

2011-08-31T08:00:00.002-05:00

I wish I had stopped to get a better angle on this sculpture. I thought this was absolutely gorgeous. Each piece is suspended from a wire from the ceiling. A close-up reveals that the bird is actually composed of tiny red aircraft: antique to modern-day models.

Tank

2011-08-30T21:24:00.003-05:00

Tank is a desert tortoise that has been in my late Uncle Ralph's family for around 50 years. I first met Tank when I was 14 years old, visiting my Aunt Nadine & Uncle Ralph's home in Southern California for the first time. I have seen Tank each time I visited, unless it was winter, when Tank was hibernating.
Tank, as it turns out, is a girl. Oh well.

lunch time

She is fond of flowers and bright toenail polish.

A Great License Plate seen in the CREATE mixed media retreat parking lot

2011-08-29T10:54:00.000-05:00

Why Be Normal?!

2011-08-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

While teaching at CPS CREATE! in Chicago I had the pleasure of dining with good friends:

L-R: Cheryl Sleboda (aka Muppin), me, Jeanne Palmer Moore, and Jamie Fingal

This makes me laugh every time I look at it.

Too bad we weren't having any fun.

Apron As Personal Armor

2011-08-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

We will be teaching a full day workshop called "Aprons As Personal Armor" at CREATE mixed media retreat in Chicago. The idea of the workshop is to use the apron as a framework for a fun means of self expression. This is my second apron. I have one additional embellishment to add: a piece of trim with large grommets will run across the front of the apron at the waist. I plan to put colored "loop clips" through the grommets to hold my scissors, etc. An additional image will follow when this has been accomplished.

Artist Houses Accordion book

2011-08-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

Here is my house book, "locked" with my old house key!

Jamie and I will be teaching a fun mixed media workshop in Chicago at CREATE called "Artist Houses",
which uses a variety of materials and techniques. The finished project is an accordion book that can be mounted onto chopsticks to stabilize it as an open book.
Here are images of my house "pages" I'm rather pleased with how they turned out.

one finished side

...and the other!

Seen in my hotel room at the Hilton Fashion District

2011-08-21T22:29:00.000-05:00

This is not a very good photograph, so I will apologize in advance. Still, I loved the sentiment and thought it worth sharing. It reminded me of the legacy of stitchwork and how much pleasure we all derive from it.

Moos and Doodles

2011-08-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

gouche & marker on paper treated with absorbent ground

As part of the Sketchbook Project (this is the one out of Brooklyn that uses 5x7 moleskin journals) my 2011 theme is "The Writing On The Wall". I took my journal to New York and worked on a few pages, or at least, started them, during our board meetings. I find that my level of concentration and retention of information is heightened when I am drawing or doodling. The theme of my 2011 journal allows me to continue my fascination with graffiti and doodling, all in one.

text printed onto cloth, gouche, Sakura pens, markers

canvas monoprinted with acrylic paint, Sakura pens

I love making Moo business cards. It is such fun to upload digital images of artwork and other crazy things, and people seem to love them. While I was hanging out with members of the NY Metro Mod Guild during their sew-in at City Quilter, one of the participants wanted to play with the cards so we laid them out on her work table. These cards include photographs as well as details of artwork.