The Art Is In The Cards

One of the talented members of ARTAA, Francelise Dawkins, recently demonstrated to the group her method for creating art cards to sell at gallery shows.  The results were so dynamic that I decided to try my hand at making them using Francelise’s techniques.

I began with note cards purchased at Target; I chose brightly colored cards with coordinating envelopes, since I thought they would complement the colors in my wall quilts.  I printed photos of the quilts onto matte photo paper and sized each one so that approximately one-quarter inch of the card stock would frame the picture.  The photos were adhered with rubber cement; each card was then hand-signed, and a label was attached to the back.

The cards have a much nicer look and feel to them than the ones which I had previously printed directly onto card stock; the quilting stitches are much more visible, and the variations in the hand-dyed fabrics show up nicely as well.

These art cards are available for sale at my Etsy shop; please drop by for a visit.  And do check out Francelise’s beautiful fiber art here and at her brand new shop, Feenex, located in Saratoga Springs.
And, as always, my thanks for taking this fiber art journey with me.

Diane

I'm a Shop Owner!

Citrus Grove, 12" x 12", ©Diane Evans

I’ve heard so many people talking about the terrific web site, Etsy, and the wonderful handcrafted items that are available there.  So, after some enjoyable exploration and a purchase or two, I decided to open a shop of my own.

My plan is to offer many of my small creations (such as the one pictured above) for sale on the site, and I’m discovering that it’s a fairly easy process to post the items.  An added benefit is that I’m learning to use my camera more effectively, since photos of the pieces are such an important element in the presentation.  My Sony CyberShot and I are getting along pretty well, and I’ve found that a tri-pod is an invaluable assistant.

Please stop by my shop for a visit; the link is here.  And, if you find something you'd like to purchase, I know I'll be sending it to a good home.

Diane

Hearts for Linda

One of the members of our fiber art group, our dear friend Linda Shea, is leaving New York and moving to sunny California.  The group decided that each of us would make a fabric square for her, using “heart” as the theme and creating it in our own individual style.  Hopefully, after she settles in to her new home, she will assemble the squares into a quilt of memories of her friends at ARTAA.

I have a special passion for feather-stitching, and feather motifs lend themselves so easily to the shape of a heart, so this is the design that became my contribution to Linda’s quilt.  To give stability to the fabric square, I fused it to Pellon Shirtailor® interfacing; the design, which had been drawn onto tracing paper, was then transferred to the fabric with the aid of my trusty light box.  The piece was then free-motion stitched using Sulky 40-weight rayon threads.  I had an embroidery hoop waiting in the wings, in case the fabric showed signs of puckering, but I needn’t have worried – the interfacing did its job beautifully.

Linda, I hope you know that our hearts will be with you always – you are a treasure.

Diane

Christmas in July

I think that the last time I was this excited after opening up a box was Christmas Day – just look at what I found inside the box that arrived from England this week . . .

I ordered a messenger bag from Tracey Pereira through her blog, and it’s here!  I absolutely love it!!  The bag is beautifully constructed and is every bit as wonderful as the photo depicted it to be; I plan to use it as a carrier for my laptop. 

And the special little surprise tucked into the package was this sheet of hand-dyed pre-cut feathers – these were just too special for words.  Tracey said that she remembered how much I love this motif and decided to include these little treasures with my order.  My mind is going through a dozen possibilities for giving these gorgeous pieces center stage in a new quilt – this is going to be so much fun.

Do visit Tracey’s blog and check out the other messenger bag designs there.  And my heartfelt thanks to you, Tracey – you made my week!

Diane

"Ding, dong, the quilts are done . . .

Which new quilts?

Commission quilts!

Ding, dong, commission quilts are done!”

“Simple Gifts” ©2010 36” x 36”

 Yes, they truly are finished.  I’ve received my final payment from Gary, and I will be delivering the pieces to him tout de suite.  I've gone back to working on my NUTs (Nagging Unfinished Tasks) and my QuIPs (Quilts In Progress).  It feels good to be playing with bright colors again -- I was starting to get withdrawal symptoms from not spending enough time with my friends Fuchsia and Chartreuse.

 

The machine quilting on “Simple Gifts” was kept, well, simple, to reflect the Shaker style, and I used a neutral thread to enhance the colors of the quilt, rather than contrast with them.  And, yes, there are three more quilts just like this one at home.

Creating these wall quilts provided me with great experience and increased wisdom.  My thanks go out to all of you who have followed me on this journey and who offered sage advice when I needed it – I do so appreciate your support.

Diane

"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