May Madness & Inspiration

Another month is coming to a close and many of us are excited about the upcoming 3-day weekend. Well, maybe excited is too strong a word for me personally. Last weekend we began hooking up my new computer, which seems simple, and yet, it's not done. But in anticipation of the new flat screen monitor, I decided to rearrange the studio for the zillionth time. And as with the computer, this too is not done. Instead the entire 500 square feet is in total disarray. Every flat surface is covered with piles and stacks, and I can't find anything. Just this morning I wanted to trim my bangs and couldn't find a pair of decent scissors. This from a woman with over 2 dozen pair!!

Now I'm thinking to myself that I've made a mistake. I don't like that 7' farm table with the intense purple legs sitting out from the wall, dividing the front of the room. And besides, after I put everything back on it, there's nowhere to put the computer! Not to worry, I like the push & shove of it all. So tomorrow while the plumber and electrician work on the master bath redo, I'll be working on a redo of my own upstairs. (Just between us, I've got the 2-hour season finale of Grey's Anatomy on the DVR in the family room, which means I need to find something tedious I can carry in there and sort while I watch that, but then seriously, I'll be back at it with a vengeance!)

Mother has bought me a Singer sewing machine so I can make more of the Fabric Persona Journals like the one I made at Art & Soul with Keely Barham. And she's invited us to come for Sunday dinner, spending the night & playing dominos, before sending me home with my new toy. And that means I've really got to make the hours in the studio count tonight & tomorrow!

Wish me luck and check back for progress reports.

And Happy Memorial Day! I'll be having homemade ice cream, hot dogs & watermelon. Here's wishing more of the same for you!

Creativity Abounds Photos

If you read my recent post about playing with watercolors & inks, I mentioned creating little cards. And finally, I've got a photo to showcase that post! Better late than never, right?

Life with Machines

Everyone knows I've been struggling with my computer forever, but I have a new one on the way!! Vijay was kind enough to find me a computer online, send me the link, and help me select just what I needed. It's hard to be his designer and not be able to communicate with attachments, photos, etc., so it was a win-win situation for both of us.

Thanks Vijay!!!!!

For those of you who've known me forever, you know I don't sew. Just last night Clayton was sewing a button on the sleeve of his suit. But I've got big news to share...last week at Art & Soul in Hampton VA I took a class with Keely Barham and yes, I made a doll and a fabric journal with quilted & embellished covers! How does my quilting look? A first grader could've done better. And when I went to the sewing machine to construct my doll from multiple fabrics I did everything wrong. Most importantly, I forgot to leave an opening to turn it right-side out. And that meant cutting stitches which continued to come out up the side of the doll as I stuffed it. Next I forgot to snip into the stitched seam on all the round areas, so I had to unstuff it, turn it inside out again, and start over. When I finally took a needle & thread to close my huge opening, my horrible stitches looked like I created a little Frankenstein. Not to worry, I attached a row of beads all along that side to hide the stitches. Nothing would stop me from completing that doll and finishing that book. So when you see it, please ooh and aah as you laugh, because that's what I'm doing everytime I look at. And as soon as my new computer gets here, I'll post photos here.

Lots of fun in that class. Lots of talented women. And lots of inspiration for those of us who don't even sew!

Bangles webisode aired today

Today the first of two webisodes aired on TVWeekly, showcasing not only the fabulous bangles I've been designing for the last 9 months, but Judi also held up a bangle I'd made featuring butterflies & polka dots. Pretty exciting to see even though I wasn't mentioned. The possibilities for these wooden bangles is endless and I hope everyone will try decorating a few for themselves.

While I've been away at Art & Soul Vijay has shipped me more bangles and this time included two printed fliers, one of which will be available in all Hancock Fabric stores worldwide along with the bangles themselves. I have to admit seeing color photos of my finished bangles and my step-by-step instructions is a joy, but seeing my name in print as the designer was just what I needed today.

I'm teaching a class in June at StampFest in Orlando, where my students will get to decorate 3 bangles with different techniques I designed, and I'm really looking forward to that! I received lots of positive feedback in Virginia last week because I wore 3 of my designs together every day.

If you haven't visited the website yet, please do. There are quite a few photos shown on my designer gallery page. http://www.DiyBangles.com