waiting for the muse: episode bedtime churchyard

(borrowed from Oh Joy!)

I’d like to quit the supernatural roles and play just an interesting, down-to-earth person. Bela Lugosi

Thread Nest

The little picture above is from Terry Jarrard-Dimond's latest project, a blog called 'Thread Nest'. She interviews people who work with threads (like who doesn't!) and has them send in pictures of their 'nests'. When she contacted me I told her I don't have a nest, I have a whole DUVET of threads and sent along pictures to prove it . It's fun seeing other peoples collections so I linked to the main page above and HERE to my new page. Fun idea, Terry. Thanks!

I met Terry in our Dorothy Caldwell class a few summers ago at Quilting-by-the-Lake and liked her immediately for some of the funny cartoon stitching she was doing to answer assignments. When I saw her regular work I was blown away and have been an avid fan ever since. Her main blog is

Studio 24-7 , aptly named because I think that's how much she works!

Now, you may notice that I have mistakenly removed all the little gadgets I had listed in the left hand pane as I was simply trying to add in the Thread Nest. POOF, they were instantly gone and I thought perhaps I could reclaim them on my way-back app. I guess not. They are gone into the ethers, I almost cried. That led me to discover that my backup gizmo has been pumping along doing nothing for lord-knows-how-long. But it took hours to scan and check and rebuild it all and still, nada. I have two lousy little paragraphs done today, and it's taken hours.

And I guess I need a new backup drive. Drat.

Money down the toilet.

In the Good News column, I actually got more work done today in the studio, measurable stuff finally. I got the binding machine sewn on the Golden Apples quilt, brought it home with me to hand sew it down this weekend. It is done except for that.

Then, on the wee black quilt I actually BASTED that thing and ran a few rows of machine quilting across it and did't bunch up or buckle under the needle. Since I still have a few things to hand sew on the surface I could only do half of it, but it is working and I am so pleased that finally a task wasn't hideous! Of course I'm not done yet and I do still have to go in the opposite direction with my stitching which could go horribly wrong. (Actually I might do the second pass at an angle so it looks like baklava...) But for once I am happy. I will get that applique done and finish the quilting Monday, perhaps even get that bound too.

I added another layer to the top of the little box I'm making, a smaller layer that just fits inside the bottom so it now works as it should. I may add another second layer to the top to fit down even better, or I am just declare it done- we'll see how it all fits on Monday when I can force it a bit more- I was scared to push too hard with the still damp glue today.

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Covey's 1990's seven habits of highly effective and successful artists are:

7. Willing to view art as a business

Successful artists see themselves as business people. They understand that other people who they are connected with in the art world are also business people and they conduct themselves in that manner too. Now more than ever in today’s marketplace art is a business. Art is a competitive business and an artist will learn how to successfully operate it as such or they will eventually fail.

As I said previously, there are other habits and traits of successful artists beyond what I have outlined above. But I truly believe that if an artist is talented and applies these 7 habits to their craft, they will be successful.

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Next thing I must cover is a little review on a book I was sent from the publisher the other day,

FABRIC SURFACE DESIGN by Cheryl Rezendes, Storey Publishing, 2013. When I ripped it open I was surprised to see another surface design manual, until I opened it and started flipping around. This is different, folks, and I know you will want it when you catch a copy! As I went through I kept thinking that this is how I would have written this book- it all looked so much like the lesson plans I spent hours preparing when I was an art teacher. Each one of her 'lesson plans' is clearly and concisely written giving lots of room for personal explorations. There are pros and cons listed for each technique, and all that I looked at were geared to beginners listing materials and equipment that is easily accessible and inexpensive. That doesn't imply this book is meant for just beginners because there are so many techniques described within that even old established artists can learn a few things! All these surface design ideas are also applicable to surfaces beyond just fabric and they can also be layered with each other for different effects. Each chapter has an overview, followed by an 'Exploring the Possibilities page, and then several techniques within that. The whole section is then followed by full pages of artists profiles who are well known for particular techniques, with examples of their work.

The good things about this book all the background information, explanations are simple and straightforward, and she encourages individual experimentations. Various art principles are scattered around when it's important to make a point, but for example, rather than do chapters on color theory, usually the beginning chapter in books of this sort, she says to simply use the colors you like best and learn 'theory' as you go. There is then, way at the end, a chapter on Basic Color Theory. There if you need it! Genius.

In the back of the book are Resources for every source mentioned in the chapters. Following that is a Reading List for additional information- many written by the artists whose work is featured in this book. If you are looking for a typical how-to book, this isn't for you. If, however, you want a handy encyclopedia of many different printing and painting ideas, this is the book that belongs on your shelves.

Available from Amazon, here. Send along an email if you have any questions about it.

So today I will keep i simple and only do one topic- how's 'bout FISH? I don't think we've done fish before, have we?

Love these recycled fishes- I think they were made with old wool and sweaters.

(UPDATE- They were made by Mimi Kirchner, find more here!)

Anne-Catherine Becker-Echivard places real fish from her fish monger on doll parts to recreate, amuse, and in a way, criticize/satirize aspects of human society. European bred and born, Becker-Echivard could easily be a character in a Julie Delpy film– charmingly dedicated to absurd yet accessible content with an undeniably curious or obsessive edge. For instance, after the setting and shooting is done, this Parisian artist tops off each project by eating it for dinner, stating, “It is the perfect recycling of art. Nothing is left over – and I can live from it.”