Why I Craft and Why Our Yard Looks Like Crud

No one....I repeat NO ONE can spend as much time reading library books as my darling husband. This post has made me ask what he's reading tonight and I seldom do ask so that's good. Communication is good and blogging encourages discourse. This isn't the only time I've shot him so engrosed in, well tonight it's "something about a pale horse." And he loves to play WaR-Kill R-b-Killed X-box games too, but I prefer the reading...it's so much more peaceful.

As a self-proclaimed and publicly-proclaimed computer geek, you would think he'd help with this blog but he contributed nada....well, with the exception of this inspiring post. If he would help me, don't you think this text would be appropriately left justified rather than centered? (*Update: I figured out the justification all by mySelf!) And what about that ugly webring banner crammed up under my StitchTherapy title box?

This is a hard to write tonight as he's now attached to my shoulder reading what I'm writing about him. Ahh Ha! Blogging also sparks his interest in my activities! I love my little family... And that includes you too Chloe who is watching my every stroke!

Now back to freemotioning my big ole quilt.

Obsessed with Dyeing

My latest dyeing experiments turned out kewl. The gold and burgandy splashes with little dots is my favorite. I tied aquarium rocks in three sections and sprinkled on the activated dyes. The one with the big circle in the middle that looks like a solar eclipse with little red explosions around it was done by putting a big bunch of dried pinto beans in the middle of the wet fabric and tying and dyeing. Now I MUST make something out of these things.

Self Portrait

Not the curviest babe in the bunch but still....I feel like she looks sometimes. Hair all draggin, arms a dangling...homemade boobs a....oh yes, the boobs were improvised since I thought she needed womaness. This pattern was rather manly and not in a good way. I can't seem to finish her up and add accessories like a necklace, bracelets, give her a decent hair style. Things I should be doing for myself!

Hand-Dyed Fabrics

My latest thing is hand-dyeing fabric. I'm going through a sick obsession with this stuff and it just will not stop. The last two weekends I was up until after 2 am adding colors, squashing and rinsing these things, letting those mosquitos feast on my face. I'm taking another Quilt University's cotton dyeing basics class. My family wishes I would cook something other than colorful fabric, wash their clothes rather than colorful fabrics....but I say look at the pretty things mommy made! But don't drink that pretty bucket of fun.

I've signed up for two Houston Quilt Fest classes in Oct/Nov. I'm having a panic attack in fear that Hollis Chatelain's dye-painting class or Carolyn Fallert's curvy piecing class will be full and I will have to walk up and down the George R Brown listening to those women rave about their classes.....think good thoughts...it's going to be ok. **Update: I'm IN! Confirmed for both Fallert and Chatelain's classes!

SeamStressing

Tonight when I was SeamStressing about my sidebar that fell to the bottom of this page. For days I was baffeled. I posted in the "Help Me I'm a Newbie" figuring maybe weeks from now I might get a response but by then I would have bought an HTML for Dummies book. A nice man http://20stickyposts.blogspot.com/ who doesn't even work for BlogSpot Inc. responded within an hour and it's fixed. It's these little things that people do that make me smile.

What scares me about this is that I'm a little enthusiastically emotional at times and thought it would be a good idea to post my daily ramblings online. Yes, I can go back and edit it but ....what if I think its profound today and completely embarassing while I'm at work the next day. Maybe the nice man will email me how to edit this stuff from my phone.

Chloe Dancing Queen

This child is almost 7! Er uh...that child over there next to me, the adult woman in the picture with the flowers. Gosh she's pretty and so smart. I'm not so bad myself! I'm sure glad I'm the only one reading this.

Live every day and every minute. Kiss your babies and breathe them in. Tell your friends you wish you could do more for them, to make up for all they do for you. Or maybe you should just do more for your friends, instead of telling them you wish you could.

Mary's Blog

Mary has a blog! http://marywig.blogspot.com/

Mary is now putting her beautiful doll Cordelia in dangerous situations! Check her blog on WIGWAM under "Blogs I Read"

Look for a new expose on my friend Mary who is an up and coming mixed media artist. She has some exciting publications coming out of which I cannot speak of until they happen so disregard my last comment of her work. Just know that she is to be a household name in the mixed media arena and her friend Cordelia is already very much in demand as well.

Big OLE Quilt In Progress

The BOQ (formerly the BAQ) title is self explanatory. I was warned by the awesome staff at Sunflower Quilts http://www.sunflower-quilts.com/ to pay to have this sucker long-armed. But NOOOO...my "can-do" self thinks "Why not! How hard can it be? " I should be finished right around Chloe's wedding day...(she's 6 now) My dear friend Mary was absolutely correct in her assumption about my constant thread breaking. Must use same BA Thread in bobbin as well as top.

My first REAL Art Doll! Pattern by Patti Muderas Culea

Making art can be trying at times but at least when I mess up on a project, there is nothing I can screw up so badly to cause it to be wiped off the face of the earth! Unlike blogging...where I've learned I can create a post complete with text, photos and links, spending over an hour only to #$%up and erase everything forever! Sweet. - Her entire costume was plain white silk pieces that I dipped and dye-painted using Jacquard's Textile paints. I learned all of these techniques from a Fabric Painting class at my favorite virtual quilt college: www.quiltuniversity.com

Don't ya love her shoes!! She is Patti Culea's beginner doll from "Creative Cloth Doll Making" http://www.pmcdesigns.com/


Compare her to Patti's cover doll: http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1564969428/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-7023182-2386269#reader-link

My soon-to-be published and fiber artist friend Mary insists I make her panties. Apparently, these mad doll-making women in our club www.materialgirlsdollclub.com assault dolls regularly by yanking up their skirts inspecting for undies. Shame on them! It's too hot down here for hose OR panties dammit!

Now I think we need a new digital camera. I've taken about 40 pictures of her this morning and finally get halfway decent resolution. My hubby oh so thrilled that I now have a blog and I'm naturally techno-challenged. If I can operate an electronic sewing machine and figure out linings on tiny doll shoes, I can do this too....with him as a consultant.

Ramblings in middle of the night

Ok, it's 2:40 in the am and I feel the need to post on my new blog. I've been trying to learn how to join an art doll or quilt related "ring". It looks like your blog has to be good or something to be in each club. Maybe my writing skills will improve.

After work today I quilted on my new mammoth quilt and finished my Patti Culea doll! I'll post her tomorrow as well as my transvestite doll (my really first doll) and my quilt in progress.

Doll in Progress

This is a preview of my first real doll from Patti Culea's book "Creative Doll Making" I painted her face and silk costume using Jacquard Textile paints. Once I get her thread wings on, repair her arm and finishing touches on her cute as hell silk shoes...I'll show you the whole doll!

Chloe and Zoe's art quilts

CLICK IMAGES TO MAKE THEM BIGGER
(Click on images to enlarge)

The girls painted muslin last night using my Jacquard Textile paints. I heat set them and quilted them up over night. Chloe expressed anxiety about my stitching on her work but was pleasantly surprised when I finished it. Her profound text reads, "Don't Blame Me...Blame the Heart" (I didn't do it).

Quilt for Chloe - 30's reproduction squares

I made this one from 30's repro fabric squares and added machine applique on the borders. The picture doesn't do my curly free-motion stitching justice. This project was made entirely out of quality cottons from ebay and quilt shops.

My First Quilt

I was inspired to make this after watching an effective demonstration at Houston Quilt Festival 2003. This girl whacked, shuffled and sold me on the kit. So I bought the ruler, the pattern and not enough fabric to do it. Talk about proud when completed! We use it daily and love it. Though, the colors are very strange. Mom said "It's a Mardis Gras quilt!" Yeah, yeah that's what I was aiming for, sure. Self Question: Why do I always put purple and green together? It's also a combo of really cheap fabric cottons with quality pieces. And for some reason I used purple and green flannel for the sashing? Oh well, it all gets better from here!

From "Fun With Fusibles Class"

I made this mini quilt from "Fun with Fusibles" online class. I love www.quiltuniversity.com classes!

You HAVE TO CLICK on THE PICTURE so you can appreciate the fine free-motion stitching I did on this!

Blog Birthday

My first post is born!

Creativity IS my recovery and my joy.

Recovering from what you ask?

Laundry List of stuff I'm Recovering From:

The daily grind, wretched grief, past traumas.

I began sewing a few months after the death of our infant son Weston in April 2003. An urge to sew things compelled me. I saved up and bought a computerized sewing machine. I made a few dresses for my then 3-year-old and made myself a few blouses. Once I innocently attended Houston Quilt Festival in 2003....I went completely insane....but in a good way. I've always been creative but never committed to it on a regular basis until I realized the healing I gain and the joy it brings me. I've since converted my son's nursery into my art studio where I now spend glorious hours creating.

I believe the creative act fills a missing/damaged piece of me and helps get the pain out and into something positive and beautiful....exept for those "dark" works which are beautiful but in a scary way!
OK...
What I like to make so far: quilts, collage, and the latest...artdolls.

*NOTE: I did not make the butterfly. Walt Whitman did.

On with the show....