"How Does Your Garden Grow?"

"April Love"(4"x6")

I hope the saying “better late than never” applies to this piece, because it was supposed to be my entry for the April postcard challenge theme, “How Does Your Garden Grow?”  It’s now almost June, and the garden should be in full bloom; however, my little art piece, much like my 
backyard garden, grew v-e-r-r-r-y slowly.

I used a method that Jill Buckley has written about on her blog – I scanned a black-and-white sketch onto pre-treated commercial fabric and then colored in the design with Tsukineko ink pens.  I added some machine quilting and French knots, and the edge is satin-stitched with 40-weight rayon thread.

This method brought me back to kindergarten days – I love coloring, and now that I’m a big girl, I can even stay inside the lines (most of the time).  I can’t wait to try this again.

Diane

Of Fiber Art and The Bare Necessities

"Just A Doodle: #12"

Not long ago, I emailed my dear friend and fellow blogger, Jill Buckley, to whine a little.  I was lamenting the fact that the routines of life were interfering with my ability to make art quilts as often as I’d like to; I can’t seem to figure out how to get everything else done, like laundry and dishes and cleaning and exercising and grocery shopping and buying underwear (a hateful task), not to mention spending quality time with hubby, who does so many of the mundane tasks around here and who is feeling a bit neglected lately.  
“What am I doing wrong?” I asked Jill.

I received a beautiful and thoughtful email in return; Jill wrote:

“I guess you have to ask yourself what YOU want to be doing.  Are you happy with the amount of artwork you are currently producing?  Why do you create?”

Jill told me that she spent many years working incredibly long hours being excessively productive, and that now she is content “just letting it happen.  Did I accomplish much today?  No, not really, but I did play a little, and some new ideas are bouncing around in my noggin.  One day they will leap out and become something for real.”

So I DID ask myself what I want to be doing, and the answer came back that, although I’d love to be producing more fiber art, this is my life right now, and I need to embrace it.  Being a woman of a certain age and having found my passion only recently, I think I’m afraid something will take it all away.

Therefore, starting today, I am adopting The Buckley Mantra: Play each day, one at a time, and celebrate that which emerges.  Do something related to fiber art, even if it’s only fondling the fabric.  My best stuff will probably happen when I’m relaxed and playful (Jill’s words).  Every day that I can stitch or draw or paint is a good day, and I am a lucky girl.

And I have clean underwear.

Diane

I'm Finally Playing With A Full Deck!

Sylvia Thomas, one of the wonderful people at the American Quilter’s Society office in Paducah, sent me an email a while ago, requesting permission for AQS to use images of two of my latest quilts on their promotional items.  I was over the moon, to put it mildly, and last week I received these items in the mail: a deck of playing cards with details of “Pieces of Dreams” on the box and on the backs of the cards, and luggage tags with a detail of “Color My World” on the front.  What a thrill!

The cards and tags were offered for sale at the AQS shows in Lancaster and Paducah, and, although the tags are currently sold out, the decks of cards are still available; please contact AQS directly if you’re interested.  I’m thinking these will make great stocking stuffers at Christmas, if I can wait that long.

Diane