Some of my recent creative energy

I made all of the above Fabric Postcards for a swap group I belong to.

The first one is Winter Landscape, I finally got to use that fun sheer fabric with the shiny silver stars on it.

the mountains are a piece of fabric I found at the local QS, and I put some lace "trees" across the bottom for dimension.

 The second is a one on one swap...I just loved the "flowers" that showed up in the batik piece I used for the background, and dragonflies are my signature.

And the last is a Snowbird for the snowbird swap , I wasn't sure what anyone expected but I only kept thinking about my neighbors  in Virginia that as soon as the weather turned cold headed to Florida calling themselves Snowbirds , flying south where there wasn't any snow.  This one has her ticket and suitcase and is ready to go.

I love creating the fabric postcards, I am expanding them into birthday cards and anniversary cards now.

So much fun and people love getting them...  Enjoy

Don't sweat the small stuff, Create it....We can do whatever our hearts desire

When My husband first started going for his cancer treatments in 2006 I knew there was no way I could sit for hours on end doing nothing , I am just not that type and reading doesn't cut it either.  So I put a bag of magic together that I could sit and sew small pieces of Art in those many long hours.  This picture is some of the many Fabric ATCS  I created and gave away to the people I met who were either going through treatment or supporting someone who was.  I have no idea how Many I made in the 3 years we fought the battle.  I even did some small quilts by hand and one larger piece for a auction for the CARING HOUSE in Durham, an adult cancer care house.  So why am I sharing this today.  Because even tho John and I lost his battle with the Beast  almost a year ago ...people are revving up for relays for life and other cancer support events.  If you can't give money do the next best thing give a piece of art they can sell or your time.  You will feel a wonderful sensation in whatever little thing you can do.  If you are blessed enough to meet a survivor then take in that blessing and enjoy the gift they have received.  If you meet someone like me who lost their love and soulmate just take our hand and say nothing  or give us a hug.  There will never be words for the pain we feel...and no we never get over it.  As people so often tell me lately, well its been almost a year , John would want you to get over it.  What, you want me to forget the most wonderful thing in my life next to the birth of my children or the family I was blessed to be born into.  It can't and won't happen.  But I will find a path in my life that allows me to continue on ,  Part of that is finding a way to get my store back open and I have decided when I do , the basis of the store will be spontaneous learning...taking classes when you have a couple of hours one day...instead of waiting 6 weeks.  I used this in my first bead store and will now expand it to every medium I can do, and there are many plus get other artists to come in and teach.

But there will be one more thing anyone who is fighting cancer or is a cancercaregiver will be able to come in and take classes for free.  They need that creative outlet , Fighting any illness is hard , but the battle with cancer does not play fair, it makes you sick, even if you are not the one with cancer. It causes you stress and worry beyond your control , that you cannot show the one who has cancer , you must always have a positive attitude.  One of the things that came out of John and I's battle was I wrote a simple cancercaregivers journal with things caregivers need to know.  I want to get it published but right now I am trying to figure out how to do that.  I want it to have fabric quilted covers so that it will give comfort in just holding it.  and pages for those scary thoughts to be written down so you can get rid of them.  In Order to get this done I have decided in 4 weeks I will be placing ATCS on my etsy store and Fabric Postcards all the money I raise from those special items I will use to make up as many journals as I can and get them to people who need them.

So don't sweat the small stuff Create it.   Please check back and when I have everything ready I want all of you to help me get the word out.  I try to never ask for anything ...but this is one time I need help to get my dreams to come true.  Blessings to all of you and always remember to ask for a Miracle .

Why make ART QUILTS????

Many people look at my work and say oh those are nice...but what are they????

I proudly tell them Art Quilts and try to educate them as to what they are and how they are made.

I still receive a quizzed expression on their face , so I ask why .
Their response is well if you are such a artist why not do paintings with oils, acrylics or watercolors.  The same design would look lovely that way.  that way???

What makes my way wrong...or not to their liking...Does Fabric make it less art ???does fabric mean its not acceptable as art.

I love my art quilts and making them because I love the feeling of the fabrics and the look of the fabrics , the textures the way maybe a piece will cause a little pucker , making it not perfect,,,but I can't make it perfect , only God can make things perfect.  

Native American Artists always make a "mistake" in their designs on purpose.

When you create a Art Quilt you are taking something you had no control over the color or texture(Commercial Fabrics) yet it inspires you to put it together with other pieces that somehow emerge themselves into something beautiful and glorious.  but then sometimes they turn out a little funky , and wonky... but they will bring a smile to those who see them.  I love to hand stitch some pieces such as the parrot I have included the pic of ...I spent an entire weekend  finding the right fabrics then designing and cutting out the pieces then hand sewing them to the bacground and finally hand quilting the entire piece this one was 20 inches by 24 inches.  I didn't have a sewing machine to do any of the work.

Look at nature and the multi color crazy patterned fish you see ,,,are they any less of a fish  because of their individualistic coloring. 

That is what Art is all about , the individual soul being opened for others to see and feel and bring a joyful smile to their face.

So why do I make Art Quilts because my soul demands it and I have no choice but to listen as it allows my heart to heal (never completely) and my life to go on with a meaning all its own .

Think outside the box and Paint with some fabric today.  Having a creative block ...go outside with your camera and just start taking pics of interesting things,  don't allow yourself to think why in the world am I taking a pic of that then when you  get back inside just pop them on the computer and you will I am sure find something that will blow up that creative block.  Have a great day