Home from California

Here I sit trying to make believe that I am not exhausted from traveling all day Monday. It seems like a much longer trip coming back and my mind is too befuddled to figure out why right now :)

Anyway............. We got there and did some stuff that needed doing right away - registered at the hotel, picked up the tuxes, etc.

Then we got together with the kids at their house. They were very wowed, pleased and excited about the wall piece I did for them :) Not that it would be bragging, but can I now say, "it is in a private collection?" LOL!

I had to stop and work on the barn all day yesterday - today too, so that first line I wrote, just mentally put it here too :)

The next exhibition by the Gallery in Concord is called " A Child At Heart" I have plenty of thoughts bouncing around and will start the piece next week, or whenever the barn is done, this week. I still need to do two reviews before I am considered a "full juried member" for my fabric, so I wonder if entering this is a technicality or not. Why? Them's the rules, that's why. I will find out for sure though.

I started working on a new business card - I am never satisfied, I guess. :)

I have some leaves that I would work as silk screens that I may have to send to my friend so she can do this for me and charge appropriately. I scanned these before it got too cold and I know I can use them in my work, so................ may as well. Then it gives me an excuse to go over her house and play too!

New Venue!

I have four pieces accepted to show/sale at Handworks Gallery in Acton, MA! It is pretty exciting and I am looking forward to a long relationship with them. You can see the pieces on my stitched stories page. One piece, Dwarf Iris, will be in the "Expressions of Love" Exhibit running Feb. 3rd through the 25th. You just need to see the show! So stop on by and check out the "Expressions" people have on display.

Seeing as I will not be doing the show (Merrimack Valley Artisans) this year due to my son getting married the same weekend (do I need a hat?) I needed somewhere to show my work and this is a great fit.

BUT, that doesn't stop me from making things, so I have three peices in the works and I have shown them here in the not too distant past. I will be working on them and others as we travel on in time.

My studio is a mess again...........who did that to it anyway? Today is a bit of straightening out and then more creative work (cut, cut, pin, sew, etc.) One of my tables is underutilized, so I thought I would see what I could do about that too. Why is it that when you get everything "just right" you run out of space for anything else? Funny that, eh?

Handbags and Hatboxes and Stiff Neck - Oh My!

Yesterday morning, stiff neck ignored (bad idea, by the way) I sent off my Bohemian Waxwing to NY for the exhibit. That is a milestone for me - never sent any of my work away except to the jewelry publisher - but that doesn't count. This is for a real genuine exhibit and I hope I sell it too!

I finished my hatbox I was working on for my red feather hat I had made for the wedding. Now it has a home.







I have also been working on another handbag which is my own design - I call it Squares and Sticks. It is in a fairly vibrant color scheme. I will do the next one in the orangy/greeny/browny colors of the squares and sticks - 'cause I like it. This bag is smaller than the others I have been making. I was getting the feeling that I had been making suitcases (LOL!) not really, but being a small person, I usually like smaller sized/scaled things, so here you have it.

I also have a black and tan/gold one, a multi-color one, another purple one, brown and teal and blue. I don't think I have enough time though.

Today I plan on getting out some silk scarves and dyeing them. We will see how the dye fairies think of me being so absent :)

Sewing adventures - I'm on the "I need express"

My only show is coming up fast, so now I need to do all kinds of stuff for it. I have been making hand bags, but need more than four.............don't you think?
I need to do more scarves before there aren't any leaves and things left for printing. I need to test some coating stuff for my silk bowls. I need to go faster or get more hours in the day. I have also been mentally planning my booth layout - no jewelry this year - it's all at the galleries.

So what do I do amongst all this stuff? I get more fabric for an apron. My old one has pooped out and just isn't "right" anymore due to a large hole worn into it. I got some weird asparagus fabric and some loud binding fabric and will whip that up today in between learning how to make labels for the artist groups postcard mailing.

I also could have had a job at a not so local jewelry store - which is why I don't have one. It's just not close enough for the bother. I'm not big on traveling through snow and ice to get there so - I just don't need it. Why do I put myself through this every once and a while? I have no idea, but will probably continue to do this - maybe to prove to myself that I exist? (sort of like pinch me to see if I am alive)  :)


Next week I have a meeting with the Gallery Committee at the new LNHC headquarters to learn from "Dan the Man" how to assemble the new gallery walls we have to work with.
The new space is so nice - very modern and museum like. It will be a pleasure to be able to set up exhibits there.

ACCEPTED!

One of my bird pieces, 'Bohemian Waxwing," has been accepted into the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Exhibit, Birds in Stitches!


This piece was inspired by a photograph of this beautiful bird. It was hand appliqued, bird, branches and berries, hand embroidered, machine "thread painted" and machine quilted.


All in all it is a successful piece and I am quite proud of it.








Here's the shows announcement!

My day out

The weather broke and the humidity went away just in time for me to go the the League Fair. It was a great time seeing all my art friends and colleagues and enjoying the beautiful scenery too. The sculpture garden was a delight, as usual.

I went earring shopping - I know, I can make my own, but I wanted some that I couldn't make, like glass and polymer to add some blues and reds to my wardrobe. I ended up with three pair blue, one red and one turquoise and green. All nice, all artisan crafted - not Chinese!

There were many varieties of arts represented. Going with a shopping purpose was one of my best ideas, though. I didn't get distracted and wander aimlessly :)

If you have a chance to attend this, then DO. It is on until Sunday at Mt. Sunapee Resort, Newbury, NH.

Purple Clutch Bag

Here's the second bag I just finished. It has a silk flower too!

This one was interesting to make too. It will be at the Merrimack Valley Artisans display in Andover, MA and Chelmsford, MA  libraries from August through September along with a couple of other things I have.

Scarf page is up and running!

I got that done in between cooking yesterday. Any suggestions on how to take better photos of scarves? They are so long!

I got a Call for Artists yesterday for the League Exhibit which will be in the new building. Photos for the post card are due June 24th. I may take some today. This would be for my jewelry, not the fabric work. Now what to submit.....not sure, I need ot look around and see what I have for sale.

I think I have a buyer for the machine. Should be picked up today and if so, well..........that's done!

This just occurred to me............I wonder if one could use a salad spinner for small dyed pieces to wring out the water while rinsing. Maybe not enough velocity? Just looking for another hand :) I looked up that spinner on Dharma and it is mainly for wringing water out of already washed fabrics. I guess the salad spinner should be used for .............salad!

Enough said.