She Brews

Signing In......

Long time--no write.......I have been on a long trip Up North for shows. It really cuts into my working time---I lost five days of working because I didn't have time to prepare things to the point I could take them along and work on one of the processes.........

For my vintage rubber stamp obsession, my hubby spotted this nice set at the Flea Market and purchased them for me...........

I found these wonderful 'shabby chic' type stretched canvas' with pseudo frame for one dollar each at some outlet type store in Woodruff-Minocqua area. They have a picture underneath the quiltie I laid on the canvas. I haven't yet attached it in this photo, but I eventually handstitched the quiltie to the canvas.......I was really happy with the look for these particular quilts.........

These are the latest from my cabin series.......they are a little smaller--8 X 10----and I didn't do all the piecework that I did in the larger ones. The postcard is the normal size and I treated it as if it was being sent in the message I embroidered on it.......I have several ideas for this style........

I will try to post again before leaving if I get some more interesting work done.

Art/Craft show reports......

I know my booth pictures look pretty much the same, but, really they are new. It was great weather this weekend, but the wind really got to us on Sunday and Monday. I am pretty happy with the weekend---after all the days, it added up to "pretty good".

I have to leave again tomorrow for another five days---which really cuts into my working time---so, I have to come up with something to work on while I am gone......I have Artarama the next weekend, and I really want to be ready for that.

I sold my new fabric collages and I am so happy about that. Either people really noticed them and liked them and purchased them---or, they didn't get that they were really fabric and the process I took to make them.......Both the loons went the first day.......that surprised me.

I just wanted to check in---I have been gone for so long. Maybe I will take pictures while I am working today and blog before I leave again. Thanks for the visit---I really appreciate the company! Happy crafting/arting!

Would I be anything other than me?..........

Hearing Dave Matthews in my mind.........

I am thinking about giving up sleep------just to some how garner more time.......what I should really give up is eating------probably would give me more energy in the long run....lol.   While I am juggling these two propositions, I must tell you that I am leaving on a long art/craft show run. I will be back Monday nite, but I leave again Wednesday for another four days........so little time to create.....I am worried about this......I wish I had work to take along, but I didn't even have time to get anything like that ready......

This is what is waiting for me when I get back.........

This, too.......Yeah, you are right, it needs some attention. I am planning on doing a real overhaul when I get TIME.....ah, that "winged chariot" that eludes me.....I know we all have the same amount, but, I feel it running ahead of me and looking back and laughing mischieviously.....arggggghhhhh........

Often, people ask me, do you ever run out of ideas? No. I run out of time. One idea always holds hands with another. THey run together and play until I can get them made....and sometimes they morph before I get them done.....

I am hoping that I have a really good weekend----I will try to post on Wednesday...
Until then, take care and keep arting/crafting til I get back.......

Rainy days and Mondays

Yeah, I set up for an outside show today-----but, after fighting the wind and the rain-----we surrendered......*sigh*  I did sell one of my new fabric collages though before we broke down...(jumping up and down, yeah)....the one with the red canoe that everyone liked on Flickr. Well, everyone, that is, three commentors.....lol. I have such a BIG following......

I am getting a little more detailed with the trees. I am breaking out a little in this project---I think you will see some growth for me....

This is much like the one I sold, except that I put a red canoe in the foreground.

I am excited about doing some more. I have a four day show this weekend with the 4th of July and I hope to have some more done for it. I sure hope it doesn't rain anymore for this........
Let me know if you like my new stuff. I would love feedback. Thanks ahead of time.

It happens............

crap.
oh, well. a Sunday off. it happens.

Fabric Collage and Vintage Hankies

It's such a large piece that the detail gets lost in this photo, so I will show each corner separately.

I embroidered on the hankies' natural pattern and it gave it some life and continuity to the rest of the piece.

As probably most fabric people do, I have a large collection of buttons and always look for a way to use them....usually, I don't like the addition---the risk of looking too crafty vs art----but, I think it worked this way....

Here you see Annax' beautiful calligraphy numbers on the cloth tape she sells in her etsy. 

I think this should be cute hanging in some little girls room. Okay, back to work.
Thanks for stopping by.....

In the Pink today

It didn't start with the scraps this time. It was yesterday when I was upset about not getting to use my iron and air conditioner----and found valuable time that I couldn't use the way I wanted to......In organizing things, I came upon a hankerchief of the Dionne Quintuplets, the first set of five babies. They were born May 28, 1934 and remain the only set of quintuplets that are all girls. This interests me, of course, in the light of my niece, who gave birth a little over two years ago to sextuplets.

This was the very beginning, deciding on the little pink and blue pieces.

This is about 16 x 20, so it will be hard to show the whole thing at once and get the details. Now, I sit back and see how I can bring these two pieces into one......

I just keep adding little details until it seems to feel complete and connected. Here, you see a close up of Anna's calligraphy on ribbon tape I purchased from her etsy store.......

I will try to get a picture of the whole thing, but I am not done embroidering on it, so I didn't do it yet. I was just so excited to move from the subject matter I have been doing, and see it work......what do you think?

Ideas and not enough time

Since the air conditioner in my studio overloaded the circuits and kept blowing the fuses, I had to quit working while really feeling inspire-----I hate that! It takes so long sometimes to get into a rhythm.....I have enough natural interruptions during my working time......

Because I am self-employed, I have the luxury of dropping everything for people, which, I consider high on the important list of priorities----so, if someone calls and says "meet me at Starbucks" (Rob, I miss you and Andrea), I am there for some good banter and coffee. And if, my kids come over for some conversation, my door is always open---for who knows how much of that we will get?

Therefore, when nothing like that is going on, I like to do double-time so I don't miss the time when it comes. So, I was a little upset today when the air conditioner kept blowing fuses---I could not use my iron, and I could not work in the heat....arghhhhhh!

I suppose I should have showed you this before I got this far, but I didn't realize I hadn't taken pictures The difference with this one is that I got a quilting foot and a free stitch foot from Cutfinger and I got to experiment with them. It's a little more difficult to work with the free stitch, I don't have the control, but I can tell when we make friends, I will love it. The quilting foot and I united right away!

I have three more of these to finish up and then I have some great ideas for companion pieces. I can't wait to try them. THe first picture is of the tub of blue pieces I cut out ahead of time. I have a green one like it. It made me go through my fabric and pack up a few bags that I really don't like any more. I will take them to the flea market on Monday. Someone will enjoy them.
ps. does anyone read this? just wondering :)

Hookey Pay Day

I made some good progress today, so I consider my change of plans a good thing. It didn't rain hardly at all here, but I think they may have gotten some rain up north.
I revised the last few pieces I made and here are the results.

I felt that the other version was too cramped and needed the free space of the sky and grass to make it. Because this worked so well, it gave me the idea to add to the other three pieces that I made.

Adding the calligraphy, to me, clinches the deal. I hope people will like these at the next show. I really want to bring something new and I hope this works. I am enjoying using up all those small pieces I just couldn't bear to throw away.

I don't have the old barnboard for all the sizes I am doing, but I think the barnboard just makes the picture complete. I wish I could just carry those frames, but I have lots of frames to use up.

How do you like these new pieces?

Playing Hookey

I thought this was a good word for today, but Hookey according to wikapedia means skipping school---only. Well, I am supposed to be doing an outdoor craft show, but the weather looked threatening and we are spent......I will be working in the studio however. So, I am sorry if you looked on my schedule and wondered where I was......

Here is a process of a few more cabin pics I made this weekend. They are pretty small though, so I am thinking of adding them to a bigger picture. The last cabin picture I did with the four cabins, I made twice the size since I took a picture and I really like the look.

In this picture I tried to differentiate the roof with a light thread, but didn't like how it looked after I put it in, so I removed it. I do like the way the spun yarn represents the lake. I think it is a good choice.

I am thinking that the pictures will get more detailed and say more as I work with them and get comfortable. I wish they didn't take so long, but, I am enjoying working with a different medium and find it hard to get back to paper......

I want to have a good representation of this fabric collage for the Artarama, so that is my goal. Well, back to work......