Embellishing

A book I made for a colleague's retirement gift is featured in the current issue of Cloth Paper Scissors e-newsletter, Embellishments. If you aren't a subscriber - it's free, so do it - here's the link:

http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/qallc/newsletter-archive/cps92.html

Janice is a Master Gardener. She and her husband, Mike, operate a Christmans tree farm in rural Lawrence County.

News and Reviews

News:
1. Cheryl and I each received a proof of The Book to fine-tooth comb for things like the renegade e. It looks great and I truly hope you like it! There were some parts that made me laugh out loud.

2. After much deliberation, we have chosen an HVAC company to replace our old unit. We will have air conditioning by week's end. It hasn't been too too bad here, but the humidity is beginning to increase, as it does this time of year here. Funny side effect - the girls and I freeze when we go anyplace with AC. I need a sweater for Barnes and Noble.

3. Driver's Ed - 5 classes left - I am not in a panic anymore.


4. Gas prices are out of hand. A guy in line in front of me at Kroger was talking to the checker outer and made the Comment That I Hate - "Well, gas is $10 a gallon in Europe." Hey, dude, look at your driver's license. Look at your address. It don't say Europe. It says IN-DI-ANA.


5. If you are in a long line at Target or the Supercenter and a new check out is opened, the person who has been waiting the longest has the right to be first in the new line. That means the person who is closest to checking out, but still has all of her or his stuff in the cart. This is a friendly reminder for someone who probably doesn't read my blog. It is summer, people, and I'm only trying to save some toes in flip flops from being run over by that lady with all the Popsicles and clearance beach towels in her cart.


6. Next Sunday at this time, I will be in Jemez Springs, NM at the lovely Hummingbird Art Camp. Here is the project I am doing in my classes this year, whole thing and a detail:














Reviews:

Two more new books for you:













100 Artist Journal Pages
by Dawn Devries Sokol
and
True Vision: Authentic Art Journaling
by L.K. Ludwig

These two books about art journaling came out at pretty much the same time and cover the same topic, but, boy, are they different!

1000 Pages is like Pokey Bolton's 1000 ATC book - no commentary or explanation - just 1000 pages from actual peoples actual journals. In the ATC book, there are 10 or 12 pages of techniques, but in this book there are only two pages of prompts for how to get started. I did not see anything about materials or technique. There are more than a few monolithic girls with wings. I think it was a virus that went around a few years ago. I am curious to see what emerges next in our little community.

True Vision includes something less than 1000 journal pages, but Ludwig gives us information on kinds of books to use, how to use our materials to create art within the confines of a journal and words from the makers of the journals she features. This is my favorite part - reading the maker's own words about her journal. My favorite one is
Bee Shay's Rothko journal. She has taken a book of Rothko paintings and worked over and around them to create a journal. LOVE IT.

That being said, I am slightly uncomfortable looking at other peoples journals. I think it's none of my business. They offered them for publication, so I suppose it's okay with them if I look, huh? I wonder how the idea of maybe getting published changes the way we work? Writing the book changed me for sure. I don't make anything without thinking about how I could write instructions and choosing materials that I know are readily available for everybody.

Just Trying to Be of Service

As you know from our last visit, I have more than a few hours on my hands while my darling firstborn is further ripped from my arms. I really want to use my time wisely and, possibly, help others. My blog readers came to mind. How could I use my waiting hours to benefit all four of us? I have time to browse and sip a Starbucks at Barnes and Noble, so I have time to do

BOOK REVIEWS!

I am not really a writer, much less a real book reviewer, but I can read. I will give you the unsugarcoated truth about new mixed media books. Let's start with Diane Maurer Mathison's new book, pictured at left: Collage, Assemblage and Altered Art: Creating Unique Images and Objects.

1. The Cover - I like it - it has that matte finish that looks a little upscale and the primary color scheme is always appealing to me.
2. The first image, even before any words or anything, is one of Dan Essig's Bridge Books. That says "Quality", right there.
3. In the first section of the book, devoted to collage, Mathison uses a lot of French words, which I also love. Words like - papier colle, grattage, brulage and fumage. It sounds classy.
4. There is a good recipe for paste flour to make paste papers. I have done it before and it's a lot messy fun, but I did not have a recipe.
5. The Assemblage section features work by people you might know - Michael Demeng and Carol Owens and by people you might not know, but should, like Greg and BJ Jordan. I have some earrings they made - love them.
6. The Altered Art section held a pleasant surprise - the mind-blowing genius of Julie Leonard and Dan Essig - two artists I seldom see in the ocean of mixed media. They swim in the deep end, baby. You haven't seen altered book like this anywhere else.

This book contains projects, techniques and lots of images I hadn't seen before - refreshing. It would be a nice addition to your art library.

Driver's Ed.

As I told you last time, Whit is taking driver's ed for the next couple of weeks. We are driving to Bloomington for her classes, about 35 minutes away from home. We're in Bloomington a lot for shopping and sports stuff so it's not like a foreign country or anything. Her classroom bit is for 2 and a half hours every day and the driving part adds on two more hours every other day. Tuesday was classroom only, so I had to amuse myself for a couple of hours. Not much is open at 8:00am, other than Starbucks, so I sat in there and sketched for an hour, then I went to Hobby Lobby and then the bookstore - my 3 favorite places - but I did not enjoy myself at all..I was overcome by thoughts of my impending obsolescence. This model of time killing would not work eleven more times. Yesterday was her first driving day, so Mommy had FOUR AND A HALF HOURS to fill.

I graduated from Indiana University in 1989 and have since taken a few classes there. This summer Courtney is doing IU Track Club. It's for kids from 4 to 18 and they work out at the IU track - super nice just like I would expect from a Big Ten school - and get coaching on their events from IU athletes and area high school coaches. That's 4 nights a week for an hour and a half. I have been parking at the track and taking walks down Fee Lane and through the arboretum. Yesterday, after dropping Whit off, I decided to walk off some of my anxiety and take a full walking tour of my Alma mater. I put in about 5 miles on the landscaped paths shaded by hundred year old trees. That place is beautiful and quiet this time of year. I saw few people - the summer school students, high school kids on campus for some kind of camp, tiny shriveled professors carrying briefcases equal to their own weight. I crossed Indiana ave - going officially off campus to check out the store hours for Pygmalion's Art Supply - the only real art store in town. They don't open until 9:00. I 'll go back another day. It's a mom and pop joint with a cat or two sleeping on the counter and every kind of art thing you could ever want. Back on campus, I passed the Sample gates, the law school, geology, biology, music - all those places I knew in a former life. They still looked the same. The speed at which time moves is relative - very slowly for limestone buildings with Gothic arches and very quickly for daughters who can't possibly be old enough to drive a car.

I had to take Court back up for Track Club last night and put in a few more miles - about 10 total for the day. It's my new way to cope - exhaust myself.

I guess this is about the middle...

of summer vacation and the middle of my 6" quilt challenge. I think this is number 26 in my petunias by the front door. It's been a while since I blogged because I haven't anything artwise to really talk about. I'm planning and making, but I don't have anything else I can show you today. This little Q has the reverse applique circles like the purse I showed you last time. I have been playing in the dirt just about every day. Some years I don't do any flowers, others I do tons; this year is an in-between year. It's manageable.

I am finding it very difficult to focus on the positive lately. This started a couple of weeks ago when a particular thing I had been looking forward to for a long time turned out to be somewhat disappointing. I don't think it was anybody's fault. So there's that, plus the overwhelming feeling that my girls are leaving me, and soon; Whitley Taylor starts Driver's Ed Tuesday. She has her permit and everything. Courtney is growing like a weed - she passed her big sister - and she got Heidi Klum Season 4 Finale Bangs cut this week. Between them, they put in 60 hours on the soccer field in a week's time. They ran a 5k yesterday. Court won the women's race with a fast 21:57 and Whit was second with a 22:33. That's Whit in the green. Okay - so that's positive. Court has on the brite yellow. Her Heidis are pulled back. The girls are always a positive.

The big thing that has me distracted is that the Crane Household is in need of a total Heating and Air Conditioning System replacement. I have had a parade of estimates, ranging from 48 to 68 hunnerd bucks. It's so stressful trying to make the right choice and pick a reputable company who will service the thing and not cheat us. I go back and forth from panic attacks to nightmares. YES, you're right, I should be thankful that we can afford to do this.

I had a minor Bad Thing happen on Friday. If the disappointment scale is:

1 - A shoulder shrug and an "oh well"

10 - Complete heartbreak and tears for a week -

this thing was about a 2. I got my contributors copies of the 50 Nifty Beaded Cards pictured above and MY NAME IS MISSPELLED EVERY SINGLE TIME - 4 - IT APPEARS IN THE BOOK. I DON'T HAVE AN E ON THE END. EVERY BIT OF COMMUNICATION I HAD WITH LARK WAS SPELLED D E B B I ! EVERY SET OF INSTRUCTIONS I SENT THEM SAID: DESIGNED BY DEBBI CRANE.

How did this happen? Yes, I know, shut up Debbi. Lots of people would be happy to be published at all.

Nonstop Begonias

These flowers have always been some of my favorites to look at, but I have never had much luck keeping them alive. They seem very finicky about water - easily drowned, easily parched. They require too much babysitting for my taste; I need a sturdy, self-sufficient petunia or Gerber daisy. J.R., however, bought me two hanging basket of the Dreaded Begonias for Mothers Day. Why in the world would you buy THOSE for ME? I asked him. His answer: They're pretty. I was pretty sure they wouldn't be alive when I got home from my week at Arrowmont, but here is proof. They look great. I had a weird dream in which they turned from red to orange.


Here are four more of my daily art quilts. I recently had a "discussion" with a person who works in another medium about these quilts. He was sure they were too small to be real quilts. He thinks it won't be a quilt unless I sew them altogether. Is there a size requirement that nobody told me? My definition is three layers, stitched or fastened together in some fashion. The one that says 19 was made the week of our 19th anniversary. The lower right hand corner features a Sublimely Stitched poodle.

About Arrowmont:
This was my sixth visit as a student to this heavenly place. Cheryl and I took another printmaking class, this time with Diane Fine.
For some reason, I did not take a single photo this time around, but Cheryl did, so scoot on over there to check out some images. One of the best thing about Arrowmont is getting to meet incredible artists from all over the place who are making amazing work with conviction and passion, but are not well-known in the mainstream of everyday culture. How is it that I know who Jessica Simpson is dating - BTW , what has Ashlee done to Pete Wentz? He used to be such a cute little punk. Now he looks like a housecat -and have never heard of Michael Mocho or Jennifer Angus?

Want to see a preview of a supergood book coming out this fall? Check this out and use the arrow at the top to flip thru a few pages. http://interweave.richfx.com/catalog_interweave/MixedMania/index.aspx

I made this purse yesterday. I saw some reverse applique on Rice's blog from the Alabama Stitch Book - I took a peek at the book on B&N on Sunday and it looks good, I may have to buy it - anyhoo, I wanted to give myself a little tutorial on reverse applique, so I made this. Why would I make something this big and involved with my beautiful Kaffe Fassett fabrics for a stinkin' self-imposed tutorial? I seem to have lost the concept of a rough draft. I want to use my precious studio to make real things, not to make practice things. Using fabric I love and don't have much of is also a great motivator to produce quality. I made a pattern, cut out the pieces, made the reverse applique panels, laundered them to get them deconstructing and them assembled the bag. It is quilted and fully lined. It has a magnetic closure.

Fabric keeps calling to me. I really love the design piece of making - having an idea, drafting a pattern, working thru all the steps in my head and on paper and then making turn out right, well-made, neat and strong. I needed to learn reverse applique for an upcoming project that my break a little ground for me. I am still in the thinking and drawing part of it, but I'll keep you posted.

The problem with having a successful day of making yesterday, is that I want to make something else today instead of clean my house. I was sweeping the patio this morning and discovered a dead bird.

Surprise

The new Quilting Arts was in my mailbox today! Look on page 74 for my True Colors challenge quilt.


I saw David Cook on Regis this morning. He went on a date with Kimberly Caldwell. Remember her from season two about a million years ago? Sorry, Cheryl, I think she's the president of Cougars for Cook.

I just read that Jessica Simpson is dating Jared Leto. ick.

Summer Has Begun

Here is Courtney from her 8th grade honor night last Wednesday. She got 6 academic medals, 4.0 all three years and the scholar athlete award. Whit got the same awards last year. Courtney and McKenzie Isom were the only 2 eighth graders with perfect attendance all three years. What else do they have in common? They are both the children of art teachers. Please God, Anywhere. Anywhere but home with an art teacher.

We are very proud of her. And she looked cute.

Thursday was the last kid day. I don't think anything else happened. Friday, on the other hand, was busy and sad. We had a retirement lunch for my dear friend and colleague, Janice Cain. I hate thinking of our art teacher meetings without her next year. She is always a voice of calm and sanity. I had to close down two art rooms and organize all my materials for next year. I brought home an empty plan book. It would be so cool to start the school year will all my lessons planned.

Saturday and Sunday - regular days. No win for Danica. I did think there might be a throw down after that guy hit her. We'll make a redneck outta her yet! I don't like the other girls for some reason - Sarah and Milka.

Monday - today - I spent the morning disturbing earthworms and rearranging rocks to get the right amount of fung in my schway. I dug up a perrennial bed, got rid of some things, added some new, transplanted some stuff from other places in the yard. In my containers, I went color wild this year - hot pink, red, lavendar, orange, yellow - all together. Then we went to Bloomington. Michaels first - I FINALLY HAVE SOME FLOSS AND HOOPS SO I CAN STITCH SUBLIMELY!!! I bought a bunch of hoops so the girls can get in on the fun, too. I want to start one tonight. Then TJMaxx, Old Navy and Kohls - the girls wated new swimsuits. Both found one that looks really cute. It's easy to look good in a bikini when you are 15 and have a six pack.

We finished up at Sams and Kmart and bought a darling flatscreen for the family room - only 26" - but a good size for the room - with a dvd player. Kind of a present for the girls for doing so well in school this year.

Arrowmont is only two weeks away!

Good Book

I had read about this book a couple of times, but did not intend to buy it. It sounded silly and I do not need another diet book to join Jorge Cruise, Dr. Phil, Dr. Ian and Bob Green on the shelf. THEN I found the Craftsanity podcast on Itunes. I listened to lots of episodes before listening to Janice. I didn't want to listen to a diet show. Boring.

And what if she was right?

I finally listened to her. Janice Taylor is funny, bright, kinda irreverent and right on the money. I got the book. Our Lady will never see Dr. Phil's book shelf. Every diet book I've ever read makes sense, but they never resonate with me. That's because I've never read a diet book written by an artist.


Visit www.ourladyofweightloss.com for more info.

Me & Allison

I did it. Yesterday I made an Alison Willoughby skirt. I didn't started until about 2:30 yesterday afternoon, but once I got into it, I was on a mission. Friday was Courtney's 8th grade trip. She had to be at school by 5:15 on Friday morning. They went to Cincinnati to the Aquarium, a museum and a Reds game. She did not get home until a little after 1:00am Saturday. I was pooped. Slept in until 8:00 Saturday morning then had to run a school-related but boring errand. Court got up just before noon and we all went to the shop about 1:00. By the time we get there and I talk to JR and get things organized, it was 2:30 when I went upstairs to the studio.

In the book, which I have studied at length since my mom got it for me in Chicago, Allison does not do a great job of explaining the closures she uses. All of her skirts are wrap-arounds. From the instructions in the book, it looks and reads as though she ties a lot of them closed, with long ties attached to the ends of the wrap. No mention of making a button hole in the waistband and running one tie through it and then tying to the other - this is my idea of a wrap skirt. In some photos, you can see a sort of hook and eye closure hold the overlap into place and she has a section on closures, but I can't see what she means. I sent her an email with some specific questions about my skirt. One thing - one some of her skirts the embellishment is thick all over. Do you account for the overlap somehow? Seems like two layers of the "stuff" would be bulky and me booty doesn't need to look any bigger. I sent the email weeks ago and never got an answer. I get it. I know she's an international textile arts superstar and really busy. So I had to improvise.

I took my black and white polka dots and hacked out a simple a-line shape. I did not measure. I hacked away. I check it for length ( the skirts in the book are mid-calf. Mine is about knee-length) and sewed one side seam together. Then. I drew the biggest circle my compass would allow. I sketched a couple of concentric rings larger. I wanted the Explosion to be running off the skirt. I took a strip and started sewing, making the pleats as I went - no measuring or pinning - just pinch and hit the accelerator. It was helpful to draw a sewing line for myself for each row. I had started the button thing with about 100 buttons. I stitched it into the middle before the next to last row. The last row - a kiss of Kaffe - couldn't resist was stitched over the raw edge of the button fabric. I filled in with a ton more buttons to hide the seam.

This one has the lowest common denominator waistband - elastic. It's easy and adjustable. I am still trying to get it just right. It needs to be tight to support the weight of the Explosion. I want my skirt to stand up when I do. I wore it to church this morning with a black tee and a plain denim jacket. And my red patent peep-toes. It makes a noise when I walk.

This project would be rated N, as in Not for Beginners. The pleats are a challenge to make and this is complicated by dragging, pulling and muscling all that fabric under the needle. I will make more Allison-style skirts. I want to have that "art teacher" wardrobe for next year. You will never see me in a polo and dockers or a jumper and platter collared blouse. I heard Rice Freeman Zachary say once that when she got into her 40s she started wearing whatever she wanted. I think I'm there.

Nineteen - I think.

I think this the nineteenth weekly six-inch quilt of 2008, which is my fifth (and last?) year of doing Art Every Day. It's no secret that I have stru ggled with this year's daily assignment. I am not proud of what I am producing in this venture. Everything else,my real art, is fine; I am making stuff that I dig. There's the problem, right there. I view my daily art as different than my other art. The daily art is a dare to myself to look a daily challenge in the eye and refuse to blink. I ain't blinked in over 4 years and my mind is beginning to wander.

I liked both the ANTM finalists this time. Glad Whitney won, though. My girls are hooked on that show. MTV runs a marathon of some season every Saturday and they manage to watch at least a few epis. Our David Cook is looking into the abyss and I fear he will win. I thought David A was picked from the gate to win, but now there's all that stuff with his dad. Hmm. Did you see that Survivor last Thursday when those girls chewed Erik up and spit him out and he never saw it coming? It was a beautiful thing.

I still haven't stitched submlimely. Maybe this weekend? IDK - One of my most favorite art teacher colleagues is retiring this year and I am making her a paper doll set with a bunch of crazy costumes of things she might like to do now that she is free - like ballet and riding a Harley. I need to get that done and make a cute case of some sort. AND THEN I want to finally finish my Allison Willoughby skirt in time to wear to the honor program on the last day of school. FIve more kid days, six more teacher days.

New high school soccer coach for the girls. Conditioning starts June 9. That is a good thing. I have a major project planned for myself for summer break, too. I might keep it to myself; I might tell you. We'll see how it goes.

Gas is 3.95 here. HATE that.

Thank You

Thank you You-Tube for making it so much easier for me to waste time.

Check out "Charlie Bit My Finger-Again" and "Star Wars According to a Three-year Old"

Courtney also found a darling Korean toddler singing "Hey Jude" that we have watched about 47 times.

Good Press

http://www.tmnews.com/stories/2008/05/09/news.nw-389276.tms


Courtney is quoted in today's Bedford paper. Yesterday her middle school did a 5k - the whole school, about 700 kids, plus teachers, aides, cooks and the principal. JR and I volunteered to be course pointers.

When Court got to me on the course, about a mile in, she was all torn up, bloody and muddy. Her arms and knee were drippy and she was in pain. She told me she fell down.

After the race, I got a closer look. I guess things got hectic at the gun and some kids who did not belong at the front of the pack gummed up the works and Courtney wound up on the ashphalt. There is a foot print on her shirt and it ain't hers. Her left forearm and hand are chewed up and so is her knee. She has other little hunks taken out here and there. It probably cost her the race, but she got up and kept going, so I count that as a victory. She doesn't want to wash the shirt she had on - she is too proud of the skid marks and blood stains.

Oh yeah - Whit's high school had the end-of-year academic convocation yesterday. She is in the Top Ten of her freshman class.

I guess we ain't ruined 'em yet.

Thinking of Penland

Yesterday was a terribly rainy day. Mid-afternoon, I opened my classroom door to the outside and looked towards the hills to the west. The trees are a juicy green now and a little bit of a misty fog hung over them. It looked like June 2004, Penland School of Craft. I haven't set foot in North Carolina since then.

I was 37 when I went to Penland. I went to take a class called "Spinning, Carving, Paring" taught by Dan Essig, Jim Croft and Shanna Leino. I have not seen any of the three of them since then either. I got there on a scholarship, with a recommendation from the mack daddy, Dan, himself. I did not belong there. I was not 22. I was not trying to decide between RISD and SCAD. I was married and, therefore, not interested in the cute guy teaching iron. I am not a vegetarian. I don't have my BFA. I have kids. I spent most of the two weeks I was there asking myself what I was doing there.

I had the full support of my husband. He and the girls were fine. I felt stupid and old. There were four students in the class older than me, but they were old enought not to care, like 50 or 60-something.

Dan, Jim and Shanna - geniuses, all three. Convicted of their work, passionate, brilliant. They are my book icons, idols, heroes. I know I will never be there. They see clearly and communicate. I am working thru smugded glasses with one eye shut and I haven't learned my whole language yet. I am 40.

This is one of the forty-two books I made during the two weeks at Penland.

From the other side of the Finish Line

Okay - I did it - all 13.1 miles of it. In 8 less minutes than last year. I had hoped to take off more time, but I had a couple of problems that slowed me down (I mean other than that I am a slow runner). JR got me a pair of fancy Thorlo running socks and the toe seam kept grinding on the end of my left big toe. I had to stop twice to take off my shoe and fix the sock - grr. The other thing was a cramp in my left calf that kinda crept in and out. Oh well - I live to run another race, I guess. Saturday I felt pretty bad. My plantar facsitis was completely riled up and my head was pounding. Sunday was still bad on my heel. Today, I feel fine, only a little bite in my hamstrings.

Last week sometime I ordered those embroidery patterns from Sublime Stitching as a present for myself, a reward for doing the Mini. If I hadn't finished it, I would have had to give them to somebody else. I got them today! So cute! Can't wait to start! I went to the supercenter after school and art lessons to get some bleached muslin and an embroidery hoop. I told you they stopped carrying floss. Well, they didn't have a hoop either. What in the world? So now I can't stitch sublimely until I make a trip to Bloomington. You better belive I am going to stock up on floss and hoops! I wanted to do one on my next 6" quilt that I start tomorrow. Should I jump in without the hoop?

This is the quilt I finished today. It is made properly. The stamped images (Teesha Moore) were appliqued and then embroidered onto the brown and black check fabric. Then I made the sandwich with the backing fabric - a purple and orange tie dye - and batting and then I quilted it by hand. The binding is just a buttonhole stitch. I like it. Pretty much.

I want to talk about meaningful things here, but I seem incapable at the moment, and have for many moments.

It smells so good in my yard right now. All sorts of things are budding and blooming. The trees are full enough that I don't have to look at my neighbors' houses and it really feels like we are out in the country. We have less than three weeks left in school. And then it's official - I am the mother of two high-school students.

Why did that cute boy marry Mariah Carey?

Gut Check

The One America Mini Marathon is less than twelve hours away and I am having serious doubts. I am on the verge of a panic attack - the one where the bones in my arms dissolve. What if I forget and leave my timing chip at home? What if we have car trouble or a wreck on the way? What if we can't find a parking place? What if I don't beat my time from last year?

I am reminded of last year's race. I called my mom afterward and told her I was done. She asked me if I was in the hospital.

David Cook For Third Place

Okay, Amurica, it's time to vote. David Cook MUST go out third. Third is the AI Sweet Spot. You're not Clay Bacon, I mean Aiken, AND you don't have to give all that cheddar to the Simons. Archuletta - I don't care if it's spelled right - can win. Rat's Nest Boy (Jason) can have second.
The Indy Mini Marathon is THIS Saturday. Last year I had no idea what to expect, so I was nervous. This year I know exactly what to expect, so I am nervous. Wha? Now, you gotta know, I am a slow runner, but I have taken two minutes off my mile since I started running in January '07. That's progress. A little bit, anyway. I have a certain pace in mind as a goal. When I get there, I am training for a marathon. I am thinking it will take me two years from now to get there. How's that for a longterm goal?

I had a couple of disappointments last week - nothing major, just a crack in my

heart, not a full-fledged break. I haven't really talked about them to anybody much. For a couple of reasons. I don't want anybody to tell me I deserved them and I don't really like to share this kind of thing with people. I'd rather be the Happy Art Teacher.

In case you were wondering, I got an A in creative writing. Here are a couple of my latest quilts. The green one is my favorite so far. I am in love with Kaffe Fassett - his fabric anyway.

Have you seen www.sublimestitching.com? THE best, most unlamest embroidery patterns EVUH. I'll give you the skinny when I get my patterns next week. The only downer for me is that my local craft store - the Supercenter - does not carry embroidery floss. I will have to go to Bloomington or Mitchell. Can I afford to embroider if driving is involved?

My Reading-for-Fun Brain has recovered. I read all of Paula Deen's memoir Sunday and Monday. It was good. I liked the part where she talked about writing her first book and how nutty it was working with editors and having to really measure things and write it just so. I could relate. Mixed media art is a lot like cooking.

You'll soon see just how similar they can be.

Creative Writing

My creative writing class is over - HALLELUJAH! One of my classmates shared this poem with me and it is too good not to pass along:



Introduction to Poetry

Billy Collins

I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide
or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,
or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.
They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.

Earthquake!

And a happy Friday to you, too! What a rude awakening we had this morning at a little after 5:30. My husband said, "What was THAT?" And I'm like, "It's an earthquake." Totally calm. Nothing damaged.

I am in complete disbelief that Chicago was an entire week ago. The Series of Fourteen and Accompanying Display Piece is almost done! I keep coming up with more and better ideas for it. Need to quit and call it done. Maybe begin on the 2.0 version. Nope. I have a few other projects to chew thru first. Speaking of projects, I haven't been showing you my dreaded 6" quilts. Not into it. Still doing it, but not into it.

The Series of Fourteen has really challenged me to create content in the books. I used to think that my books had to be transcendent on purpose...that I had to come up with some Grand Truth and share it. I have recently decided that it's not the case. I have decided to say whatever I need to say without worrying over it's importance. It will resonate with some, not with others. Some people like Nicholas Sparks; some people like Henry James.

My hills and hollers have started to wake up green this week. I took a few snaps for one of the books. The next photo is a limestone bench. I love the swag and tassle detail. The last picture is the "logo" for a retirement party. I made it for the centerpieces, t-shirts and buttons for the guests. They are two ladies I teach with. They plan to do a lot of shopping in their newfound free time.

Back

I'm back from Chicago! My mom and I spent a whirlwind two days at the Donald E Stephens Convention Center. I taught at CPS's MIU and demo'd in Open Studios and my mom made friends with everybody there. I saw some familiar faces from last year and met lots of new, sweet people who said very nice things about my work. That always completely humbles me and I appreciate every kind word more than you know. My class was full and everybody produced a canvas book. I hope my students enjoyed it as much as I did. That hour flew by! I also taped a little seggie for Pokey's TV show. I was a nervous wreck, but I think it went okay. Here are the fabrics I bought, all fat quarters. I was a pretty good girl, considering the amount there was to choose from. I also bought some super fine glitter and a bunch of fibers. My mom bought me the Alison Willoughby book and I cannot wait to get started on some skirts. A great book and the skirt pattern is included!

Since I gave you a snap of Whit at track, here is one of Court high-jumping.

Track is wack!

Whit's first high school meet was Tuesday and it was fa-reezing! She didn't own navy compression tights. Could not wear her blacks because of uniform color. She did 4 events, was a nervous wreck and had a mini meltdown. My feet did not feel warm until 5:30 Wednesday morning.

We spent Wednesday evening searching Bloomington for the above-mentioned navy blue compression tights, size extra small. I was NOT going to have her suffering cold again! Found 'em finally, with one small problem - they only had mens. The extra small worked okay and Thursday night's meet went much better!

Today, all three of us ran a 15k - 9 point sumthin miles! The girls were fast and I was faster than usual. I take that as a good sign for the way things will go in the upcoming week.

Art Show Monday - set up all day, visit with parents in the evening for a few hours. Assorted track meets and practices, a couple of soccer trainings and two matches.

CHICAGO FRIDAY AND SATURDAY!!! I am getting all my kits ready for my MIU class and scrambling around, but I know it will all get done and everything will be fine.

Inspiring - Inventive -Indianpolis

We went to the IMA yesterday to see this show. It was SO good. Lots of designers I don't know and some from the usual suspects :Gaultier, Versace, Dolce Gabanna, Vivienne Westwood. This demin dress was my very favorite thing. I was plesantly surprised at the amount of repurposed fabrics turned into dresses and suits. The denim is all recycled. As for the rest of the museum, the girls wanted to start on the third floor - Contemporary Art and work our way down thru Asian and African on level two, then European and American on level one. Courtney was DONE by the time we got to European Decorative Arts. She practically ran thru that gallery. Neither one of the girls much cares for contemporary stuff. They caught me studying a 4' periwinkle square canvas and had a fit. But really, they love a musuem and a book store, so I can't complain too much. Speaking of book stores, we visited the museum gift shop and they had loads of books. I looked at the Allison Willouby skirt book and was impressed! She's like a sister, y'know - An Interweave Press sister, that is.

The last dress here has a paper skirt. We had such a great day.

Today, Whit had a date at 8:45 am - Conner took her to run the Habitat for Humanity 5K in Bloomington. Last night I dreamed she beat him by 10 minutes. They ran together in real life today. I guess he's okay as a first boyfriend. I had to get in 8 miles today. I did it and then was ruined for the rest of the day. Too tired to get any good work done in the studio. I felt like I would have wrecked stuff instead of making good progress. I'll get some things tonight that I can continue on tomorrow. Back to school on Monday, for something like 7 weeks. It will fly. The girls have track meets, I have the Big Elementary Art Show, Chicago and training for the Mini, which is only 5 weeks away.

Happy Spring Break!

1. We are watching the most frightening show on TV - JOHN AND KATE PLUS EIGHT. Why doesn't this show have one of those viewer warnings at the beginning? Something like:

The following program contains graphic images of a control freak mom, her Swiffer and her brood of eight in various stages of potty training. Scenes featuring the dad may incite rage in otherwise calm individuals. Viewer discretion is advised.

Tonight they went to the Crayola factory. They went to the hands on part of the factory where the kids could make projects with Crayola crayons, markers, clay and stuff. Kate told them they could only do crayon things. No markers or paint or other "crazy" stuff. She told those tiny littles that they had better not get anything on their clothes. Whoo hoo - fun mommy.

And the dad? Not exactly a ball of fire, that one.

2. It has been snowing on and off for the last two days. Winter backlash.

3. Got the Studio Ish of CPS today. Kim Sherrod has a lovely article in there. And I live in Indianapolis.

4. Went to Bloomington today. Hobby Lobby has HPP and I needed to get a couple of things for some step outs for The Book. The girls found a few spring tops at the mall - all cute and on sale.

5. The latest Courtneyism- we were at Burger King and she was reading her cup. It has a long essay on the back about the wonders of choosing your own drink, blah, blah, blah. I heard her say "top secret fascination" . What?

She was reading a sentence that says something about..." you can have your top securely fastened or go without a lid..." .

6. The Book is on Amazon. It's real. It's happening. Cheryl and I have not been on the premier episode of "Punk'd: Mixed Media Style".

7. Yesterday, I tried to read a book for fun. The Secret Life of Bees. Could not do it. Creative Writing has eaten the reading-for-fun part of my brain.

8. I have not had a Spring Break Starbucks yet. Maybe tomorrow. The girls are working at the shop the next few days to make some $$ for IU soccer camp. Tomorrow is Big Cleaning Day for me. I have this fantasy that I can get all the step out artwork done by Wednesday afternoon and in the mail. Maybe it's a dare, not a fantasy. Hmm.

9. That is an old picture. I am cold and it is about New Mexico, which sounds warm to me.

Fourteen In Progress

The Series of Fourteen is in full swing and I find myself stealing every odd moment I can to work on them. I was so distracted by the thought of these books lying idle that I got up an hour earlier than I needed to this morning to get a little done on them before church. I snapped this pic when we got home. Creative Writing homework due today, so I have to get that done before I can play books this afternoon. My goal is to have seven of them done this week and then get the other seven and the round display box done over spring break, march 24 - 28. We aren't going on a trip. The girls have soccer a couple of times and Whit has track practice three times - and the Crane sisters do not miss practice. The girls and I are planning a Day of Culture, however. There is a special fashion exhibit on loan from LA at the Indianapolis Museum of Art so we're going there and having lunch at Pannera (Panera?) whichever. And I want to clean and clean. The time to really clean - scrub baseboards, clean out closets, get rid of stuff - that's a real luxury to me. I am in that mood to get rid of all that is unnecessary in my life. Less distraction from the really important things, less to clean or launder, less to dust. My eyes long to see clear, empty space with no disorganized piles scattered here and there.

Just a Question

HOW in the WORLD does ONE innocent little book become a series of FOURTEEN? What is wrong with me? Why can't I leave well enough alone? Do you think I am posessed?

Oh, yeah, and the series of 14 will be displayed in a round fabric box. I had to use a compass and a ruler for that pattern.

Breathing Again

I feel like I'm able to breathe again! I didn't realize how many things I had going on until, one by one, I see them ending. I think The Book is officially written and rewritten and tidied up, thanks to Darlene. We didn't email a single time today. I hope I get to work with her again. Yes, I'm saying that I want to do another book. I loved the entire process! Thinking of projects, making them for the first time ever in the world, writing the instructions; I love that stuff. It was like writing complicated lesson plans. And it's March. The month of Spring, Spring Break, Easter and the beginning of soccer season. And more light. I've missed the sun terribly.

This is the canvas book I'll be teaching at MIU in Chicago. I will be demo-ing these little beauties in Open Studios, too. I'm working on a bunch of variations. That's another thing - I am ON FIRE to make stuff. I designed and made an entire 6 x 6 x 12 fabric box in one day (Saturday) to house my year-long project 6 x 6 quilts. I'll show ya that later.

This is from a couple of weeks ago, I think. This one might be my favorite, so far. It's called "Walt Whitman" because I read something for my creative writing class where the author quoted him and Courtney was studying "Oh Captain" in literature. She informed me that it wasn't about a ship at all. So he was on my mind. "I contain multitudes" is the quote that keeps running thru my brain, like the last song I hear on the radio before I get out of the car at school. Hey, Uncle Walt, leave me alone for a minute, will ya?

I think this is the only finished quilt I haven't shown you yet. That orange, shiny thing in the middle is a leftover hunk of paper fabric -CPS Issue 1-that I made for the True Colors challenge for Chicago. I made a totally orange quilt, very Heatherette inspired. Found out Friday - I'M IN! It was one of the most fun (funnest) things I've made in a long time. It turned out better than I envisioned. I rarely like things I make. I can't show it to you, though. Sorry.

Marching in

Where in the world have I been for the last 2 weeks? Right here. Doing homework of one kind and another. My eyes have been so full of necessary words that I couldn't stomach writing anything I didn't absolutely have to . Here are three of my 6" quilts. The only one I want to talk about is the one on the right.

I know blogdom has been waiting with baited breath for my commentary on the whole Kelvin Sampson circus, so here it is:

I was worried when they hired the guy. He had been in trouble at Oklahoma for the same kind of thing - breaking rules about recruiting. But the university president at the time, Herbert, wanted him, or so I hear, so he got the gig. And big surprise, the cheater cheats. IU has a new pres - McRobbie, an Aussie, strangely enough, who inherited this mess. I think this whole episode proves that women are better equipped to be university presidents and athletic directors than men. Every intelligent woman over the age of twelve knows exactly what the little quilt says - once a cheater, always a cheater.

The ticket on the quilt is from the home game right after the allegations came out - Sampson was booed when he came out. I thought it was so hypocritical. Everybody liked him fine a week before and they knew he was a cheater when he got the job. Why is everybody actin' so high and mighty now? Hoosiers - what are you gonna do?

Cheryl and I have been eyeball deep in edits for the book, and I must say it's coming together very nicely, thanks to out wonderful editor, Darlene D'agostino. She has facilitated a great dialogue between the two of us in the book. It sounds like us talking on the phone or emails.

I'll be back at MIU this year and Open Studios at the Chicago Quilt Show. Can't wait. I had so much fun last year! I will be posting the projects I'll be demoing in the next week. Check out the CPS website for more details on Chigaco. I have dreamed about shopping for fabric in that incredible place all year! There was one fabric covered in tiny Eiffel towers that I was too tight to buy last year and I have kicked myself daily for it. This year, I throw caution to the wind...for a day or two, anyway.

Cheryl and I will be teaching at Random Arts in Saluda, NC May 30 and 31. I can absolutely promise you will laugh alot and make some fun projects. I cannot wait to Cheryl again in person and celebrate finishing The Book! Join us!

Yesterday, the girls and I ran a 10k - only 6.2miles, but 10 sounds so much better. Courtney smoked it in 48:15, Whit had a 53:11 and me...? Friday night Courtney was talking about her goal for the race. She wanted a 48 or under. She said to me, "You don't really have a goal for it, do you mom?" I informed her that I did indeed have a goal - to finish vertically. It's slow and it's ugly, but I did it. Today, she started hounding me about working harder to get faster.

humor not art

Courtney wanted to make banana bread from scratch. I never have, but I told her she could try it. She looked thru a stack of cookbooks and picked a recipe. She made it herself, no help from mom. After it came out of the oven, she asked Whitley if she wanted to be her

TEST HAMSTER


Whit said,
"Do you mean guinea pig?"

Snow Days

There was no school today. Not much snow last night, but a layer of ice. When I went outside this morning, it was like everything had a crisp sugar shell. J.R. had a little surgery on his face this morning. I went with him and worked on some editing stuff for The Book while I waited. I went to the shop with him afterward to make sure he was okay. I took along a couple of projects and made good progress on them today.

Just got the call -no school tomorrow. It has been icing and snowing on and off all day and it didn't get above freezing so the ice layer has only thickened up. It's probably getting heavy on some branches and power lines. I'll have time to get today's projects done! Time has been hard to come by for the last few months.

Registration for Arrowmont opens tomorrow. This photo was taken last summer. Kate had us tack our prints to the wall as we worked. I am thinking this was probably Wednesday. Cheryl and I will be back, together at the Red Barn. Printmaking again. I LOVED printmaking and I can't envision ever having the equipment to do it at home. Not to mention the cleanup. It's hard to believe I haven't even seen Cheryl since June 9. We wrote a whole book together over the phone and email.

I'm still in the creative writing class and it's still hard, but it's getting better. We have certain assignments where we can write about anything. I am writing about art and the artists and teachers I have met over the last five years. Here is an essay I wrote this past week. The chapters in the textbook were about writing poetry. As I read them, I had the idea for this piece.

The Green Spine

It was lying there on the table with all of the other examples of hand-bound books made by the instructor. All the bindings had names: Dot-n-Dash, Single Signature, Five Station Pamphlet. He said to look at them when we had a chance, to get ideas and see how they are correctly made. I needed to examine his craftsmanship. He had scolded me earlier for going over a cut twice with my exacto knife. This book had a green kangaroo hide spine and marbled end papers. I picked it up to examine the careful stitches binding page to cover. I opened it. He said to look at the books. I am sure he said to look at the books.

I flipped through a few pages. My eyes fell upon one stanza of the poem inside and I read something I will always wish I hadn’t. It wasn’t any of my business, but he told me anyway. I didn’t want to know, but I do. I was ambushed by a poem.

That book wasn’t a book. It was a tool. Or a weapon. It was his axe and, baby, he was grinding it. Rightfully so . Why do we have to write about bad things? Is it so we can say, "See. I’m over it. I’m so over it, in fact, that I don’t care who knows!"? Is it so we can say, "See, I told you I was damaged and here is proof."? Is it so we can say, "This bad thing happened to me and I want you to hurt, too."?

The poem in the green spine book had the last effect on me. I hurt for him. I’m sorry he’s ever had a day of pain. I wish I could make it leave him alone so he wouldn’t have to waste his soft, creamy German Ingres paper on letter-press printed poems about it. I had known the instructor for one day when I read that bit of that poem. I can’t cry too much about it being unfair, can I ? I only read about it. I didn’t go through it. I can’t empathize. I’m not saying he shouldn’t write about it. I’m saying I wish I’d had a choice about reading it.

What’s he supposed to do? Put a warning label on it? That would work. It’s like that journal that says "Keep Out" on it. It’s the one you really want to snoop into.

What does it mean to openly tell strangers something personal? Is that the ultimate creative freedom, to be completely unbound by some idea propriety? If this is the test, I shall never pass. I figure everybody’s got bad stuff and mine isn’t anything new or cute or interesting, so I’ll keep it to myself and write about something good.

The instructor who made the green spine book is very well-known in the book community. I am sure many others have read the poem, but I have never heard anyone talk about it. The last I knew of him, he had fallen quite ill. I hope is well and happy and never thinks of the green spine book.