I mentioned in my last post cleaning out and selling on the Quilters Flea Market Yahoo Group and E-Bay.
I have also just added items to my Quilting/Sewing Stuff for sale page here on my blog. There is a link at the top of this page. Lots of vintage fabrics, blocks etc and more to come so check back! If there is something you are interested in, please e-mail me to see if i is still available. More to come, today is a big cleanout organize day!
I recently entered 5 of my quilts into the Northeast Arts Council Show held in Standish, Michigan every January. I have entered this show on and off for the last 7 or 8 years. It is not huge but it is well done. The show is held in an old church that is now used as the Arts Council Center. Most of the quilts are pretty traditional. I love traditional quilts and usually enter quilts appropriate to the show. This year I decided to enter a few of my art quilts. I wasn’t sure how well they would be received but I ended up taking home 5 ribbons! Here is a picture of three of myquilts hanging together. You can see the Pomegranate is very traditional, green and red applique complete with trapunto, but the other two are decidedly more contemporary.
The miniatures were displayed on glass shelves in a glass display case so this pic is not great:
And this one was just about to be taken down at the end of the show so that explains the stuff pinned on top:
After picking up the quilts, my dear daughter and I headed over to the local A&W for a float. Isn’t she lovely?
And here is a picture of the dreary Michigan winter that I am quite tired of by now:
It just looks cold, doesn’t it? I haven’t blogged anything in a while, life has intervened. So I guess this long post with pics is my attempt to make up for neglecting the blog. It is also cover for the fact that I haven’t gotten much sewing done lately.
I am making some progress at cleaning out the sewing room still. It is very hard for me to work in chaos. I am working very hard at simplifying my life this year and one of my goals is to make a serious dent in all the stuff I have accumulated art/sewing wise. I have a certain amount of cleaning out I want to do every week and for the most part, I have kept this goal pretty well. Although I better get to work now or I will miss it for this week! Until next time…
Categories: Contests · Goals · Ladders Series · Miniature · Traditional
I got this idea from Lisa Call who listed 100 things she accomplished in 2008. I thought it was a great idea but doubted I could come up with enough things I accomplished this past year to even make a list! I am not sure can come up with 100 things like Lisa did, probably not even close so I decided to include things I learned as any lessons learned are definitely accomplishments in my book:). Since my blog is for my fiber arts, I am trying to keep this art related.
Even as I write this, I am mindful that in and of myself, I can accomplish nothing but all I am and all I do I owe to the Author of Creativity, my Lord and Savior, Jesus.
Here goes!
1. In April, I had my first solo show at the Saginaw Township Hall.
2. In June, I won the Rehman Special Merit Award at the State of the Arts Saginaw Township Art Show for my piece “Une Semaine.” This is the second year in a row that I won this award for an art quilt in this show that included many works in oils, pastels, sculptures, watercolors etc. Included a cash prize as well….woo hoo!
3. In November, I had my second solo show, again at the Saginaw Township Hall. I got this opportunity as a result of my winning one of the major awards in the State of the Arts Show (see #2 above).
4. I finished over 40 new pieces this year.
5. I learned to create a web page and created one for my art quilts in March. Sadly, AOL Hometowne closed and given that I no longer had free hosting, my web page is no more. I learned a lot though!
6. In December, I started my blog and managed 15 posts in the first month.
7. I entered and sent off two quilts for the “My World in Black and White, Revisited” challenge issued by Annie Copeland through the Southern California Fiber Arts Council. This is the first time I have entered a juried art quilt challenge and learned a lot about taking pics of quilts, entering, shipping etc.
8. I learned to hand dye fabric and dyed appproximately 150 yards of fabric last summer.
9. I learned to make a quilt without measuring anything….this might not seem like much but it was HUGE for me! Here is the first piece I made this way, it is called “Reflections.”
10. Sometime in the spring, I joined the Quilt Art list and have learned a ton!
11. I learned that even after owning three Berninas, I prefer my old Singers for piecing, especially my 1955 Model 201 and my cute Featherweights 
.
12. I’m learning to cut fabrics with my rotary cutter and NO straight edge. I have a ways to go in this but I am learning and getting happier with my results.
13. I knitted mittens and hats for my kids as well as over 30 extras for kids that would not have any otherwise. It is COLD in Michigan!
14. I learned to knit socks and made 10 pair! Okay, maybe not art, or is it art for your feet?
15. I used Seta colors and made sunprints for the first time.
16. I made my own business cards.
17. I learned a lot about giving and receiving critiques on the Southern Cal Fiberarts Yahoo Group. Thanks Annie!
18. I bought my first piece of art from another artist.
19. I sold some of my work at my show!
20. I redesigned my sewing room, bought new wire baskets for my fabric and sorted it all!
21. Last January, I won 5 ribbons at the Northeast Arts Council show.
22. I learned new ways to hang my pieces, including using canvases and framing some pieces.
23. I learned how to start and manage a Yahoo group.
24. I made and donated several miniatures to the local Habitat for Humanity auction.
25. I discovered blogs and learned more than I ever would have thought from all the generous art bloogers out there who so willingly share their expertise. I made many new online friends in the fiber arts community online. You are all amazing!
Okay, not even close to 100 but I am pleased. Here’s to more learning and growing next year!
Categories: Goals
