Flowers fading? Make a mandala

got roses?

make a temporary mandala!

watch my Rose Mandala video

CRAFT NAPA art retreat recap on Video

Pokey Bolton and me.

I taught at CRAFT NAPA this year, the inaugural retreat put on by the fabulous Pokey Bolton. (Pokey is the founder of Cloth Paper Scissors, Quilting Arts magazine and Quilting Arts TV.) 

I've taught at many art retreats and this one was outstanding. Pokey put so much love and care into all facets of the event. From the planning, to food, to activities, events, goody bags and even the signage. 

And the students who attended were loving it! Everyone was there to learn and have fun. It was just a delight!

I created two little videos, from the event.

A video of my one day workshop of Sketching and Watercolor at CRAFT NAPA January 2016

And here's a video of the rest of the CRAFT NAPA retreat and the two other classes I taught, Garden Patch and Text on Textiles.

I love this!
The top image was taken at the Long Beach International Quilt Festival in 2009. The one below, at CRAFT NAPA in January 2016. (In the lower photo, that's Melanie Testa, Jamie Fingal, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Pokey Bolton, Judy Coates Perez and me.)

+++++

I'll be teaching Garden Patch, in a three-day version, at Bishop's Ranch in Healdsburg, California, June 12-15. Click here for details. 

Garden Patch (14x13.5 inches) by Jane LaFazio 

Garden Patch: Coral and Green (12x12 inches) by Jane LaFazio

Garden Patch: Winter Garden (12 x 8.5 inches) by Jane LaFazio

Garden Patch: City Blocks (12x12 inches) by Jane LaFazio

from my sketchbook ~ part three video

The next video in the series:

Part three ~ continuing with my little book

See part one here.
See part two here.

my ONE WORD for 2016

I found my word. I met Carrie Bloomston at CRAFT NAPA and immediately liked her.

So I bought her book "The Little Spark ~ 30 ways to ignite your creativity" and even though, I feel my creativity is definitely on fire, I got something very important from the book. My one word for 2016.

Carrie wrote:
"We are too forceful and have lost the grace and flow. Conversely, if we are too relaxed and not putting in enough effort, then might be sloppy, lackadaisical, careless, or lazy.

Grace comes from not only being filled with purposefulness and spirit as we work, but also enjoying the moment and being present with the process. Grace is the hinge between effort and effortless.

There is a moment in our creative flow in which we are utterly absorbed, content, focused and present with the moment and everything in it.

Grace comes from within. A balance of ease and grace with work and effort."

Thanks dear Carrie will helping me get clear with my 2016 word.

So now, I want to create something that will remind me of my word all year long. 

Here are some of my ideas:

• create a journal page
• paint my word on a ceramic cup (go to one of those paint your own pottery places)
• order a custom bracelet or ring with my word
• create an artsy tag for my car rear view mirror
• get a tattoo
• create a little stuffed felt pillow with my word
• carve a stamp and use it
• make a prayer flag
• use your word as your computer screen saver (Thanks DA Best for the idea! Now we both have my Grace image above as our screen savers!)
• make it your password for the year

Do you make something to remind you of your word? Please share your ideas. AND you may win a copy of Carrie's book. I'll choose on winner on Monday, January 25, so check back her on January 26 to see if you won.

The winner of Carrie's book is DA Best! please contact me with your name and address.

(And that is me in the photo.)

It's MY day on Creative JumpStart 2016!

Today is my day on Creative JumpStart 2016! What? If you have already signed up for Creative JumpStart, you'll see my video today! 

I'm very excited to read what you think about my project and my video! I hired a professional videographer to film the tutorial and I am so proud of the result of my 11 minute Creative JumpStart video. I really think you'll learn from it and be inspired to try some of the techniques I share on the video.

Behind the scenes filming my video. BeBop on set!

If you haven't signed up, you still can. Creative JumpStart 2016 is 25 inspirational videos by 24 artists. You can download each and every one of them and keep them forever! And you'll have online access to the videos until November 2016.

A sneak peak at one of the pieces from my video

Winsor Newton products were used in my video

Sign up now for Creative JumpStart now and for $50 you’ll get:

• A series of 25 technique based videos from 24 artists from around the world.
• Downloadable videos – download before November 2016 to keep them forever.
• Information about new creative and innovative products and techniques you might not have used before.
• Inspiration to jumpstart your own artwork.

Creative JumpStart 2016

French Flight ~ featured in "Storytelling with Collage" by Roxanne Evans Stout

"French Flight" (13x13 inches) $275. by Jane LaFazio

I'm thrilled to be able to finally share this little quilt with you. I created it especially for Roxanne Evans Stout brand new book, "Storytelling with Collage."

Storytelling with Collage by Roxanne Evans Stout 

"French Flight" by Jane LaFazio page 52 in Storytelling with Collage by Roxanne Evans Stout 

I really love this piece. It's made from vintage lace and napkins and an envelope, fabric from Paris, a and a a watercolor I created of a little bird. 

detail of "French Flight" by Jane LaFazio page 53 in Storytelling with Collage by Roxanne Evans Stout 

detail "French Flight" (13x13 inches) by Jane LaFazio

detail "French Flight" (13x13 inches) by Jane LaFazio

detail "French Flight" (13x13 inches) by Jane LaFazio

The free motion stitching is of a peony, (my favorite flower, discovered while I was visiting France) and of a fleur de lis.

detail "French Flight" (13x13 inches) by Jane LaFazio

I got a digital copy of Roxanne's book, which made me even more excited to get a hard copy. It's a gorgeous book filled with Roxanne's unique and sensitive art work. Totally inspiring!

From my sketchbook ~ part two video

in progress ~ by Jane LaFazio

Here's PART TWO ~ Orange Page video, showing how I illustrate and create the pages of a small book. Follow along! I don't know how it will end up either!

If you missed PART ONE ~ the Pink Page video click here.

Stay tuned for more!

From my Sketchbook ~ part one video

 pages from my sketchbook ~Jane LaFazio

I bought a package of Khadi colored paper, recently, and decided to try some different techniques. The paper doesn't take watercolor well, so I'm playing with color pencils, dip pens and a  Sharpie poster paint pen. 

Color pack of Khadi papers

I'm not quite sure where this project is going, some kind of hand made book, but I thought you'd like to follow along in a series of videos. Here's PINK PAGE part one VIDEO:

Stay tuned, more videos to come!

ONE WORD for 2016

photo by Jane LaFazio

For the last few years, like many others, I've been choosing one word for the year. ONE WORD to focus on. One word to stay with me all year long to encourage something in me. A word that will help me move forward personally, professionally or both. A word that, when I think of it, helps me to be a better person. 

All this in one word? Yes.

My word for 2012 was Preparation. A good word. I wanted to be a better teacher and consequently better prepared. It worked. I used it as an action throughout the year.

My word for 2013 was LOVE.  A good word, no question, but maybe too broad? Not specific enough? Here's the journal page I created for LOVE. 

My word for 2014 was CLEAR. Clear, as in clear, uncluttered spaces to work in. Clear, as in clear skies, clear sailing ahead. Clear, as in a clear mind. It was the most useful and powerful word I've chosen so far. I referred back to it all year long, and kept it in sight. 

My word for 2015 was Cherish.  Another fine word, but in retrospect, not enough action in it. (You can see what I created for CHERISH here. And here is the word I was going to choose and a tutorial for you.)

So what's my word for 2016? I will unveil it the week of January 11th. An illustrated version of my 2016 word for the year. 

So, what's your ONE WORD for 2016?

Below are some posters I created of the words my blog readers and facebook friends shared with me. Maybe your word is in there?

One Word 2013 (poster by Jane LaFazio)

One Word 2014 (by Jane LaFazio)