Houston Quilt Festival

"Surviving the Runway" with Jamie Fingal, Cheryl Sleboda, Melanie Testa, Pokey Bolton,
Judy Coates Perez and Leslie Tucker Jenison.

Home from the Houston International Quilt Festival with 60,000 of my closest friends.

I taught two classes. One  3 hour workshop on machine needle felting, using the Babylock Embellisher. Here's the student work:

                  

          
I think it turned out great! And if you missed the workshop, here's a link to my tutorial on machine needle felting, my way.


I also saw lots of friends....

Mary Fisher and me

Carol Bostian Hensley and me

And I taught a full day class on Recycled Circles. It's always fascinating how everyone's work turns out the same, but so different. 
                               
I had dinner with friends. (Friends with spoons on their noses.)





I did Open Studios at Make It University.

I shopped. (bought a Laga Designs wallet to match my purse.)

Taught with my fellow Sketchbook Challenge artists at a Make It University.

and most importantly, laughed with good friends!

Pokey Bolton and Melanie Testa

Pre-Holiday Tutorial Blog Hop!

Come back on November 9 for a tutorial on these "Sketch & Stitch Gift Bags"

Texas Autumn ~ sketchbook page

Pages in my mixed media sketchbook.......(You saw the one on the right here.)
          
The page (on the left) started with writing, drawing, doodling, stamping. (Can you tell that I did this page under the influence of the Jesse Reno workshop I took recently?)

Then I drew the Texas Red Oak Leaves and painted away the background, the negative space, but there wasn't enough contrast.

I painted the background with a brighter, stronger orange. I'm calling it finished!

Book Review: Anne Lamott "Bird by Bird"

 

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

I enjoyed this book soooo much that I was inspired to write a book review of it for you.
It's a laugh-out-loud, get a tear in your eye, underline multiple passage and fold over the edge of the page, honest, endearing, instructional, well-written book. I pretty much want Anne to be my BFF or at least be a student in her writing classes.


I especially enjoyed how she wrote in a real voice. Sarcastic sometimes, or silly, or even ending a sentence with 'ha ha.' I love that. It's how my BBF would talk to me!


As you may know, I write articles for magazine and books. It's hard for me. Lots of chocolate is usually involved to ease the stress. Anne's book spoke to me regarding writing...



Start with a "shitty first draft." 
She'd "...write a first draft that was maybe twice as long as it should be, with a self indulgent and boring beginning, stupefying descriptions..." "The next day, though, I'd sit down, go through it all with a colored pen, take out everything I possible could.."
"Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something--anything--down on paper."


Her thoughts are on writing...yes, but they apply really apply to making art.  

"So you must risk placing real emotion at the center of your work. Write straight into the emotional center of things. Write toward vulnerability. Don't worry about appearing sentimental. Worry about being unavailable; worry about being absent or fraudulent. Risk being unliked. Tell the truth as you understand it. If you're a writer, you have a moral obligation to do this And it is a revolutionary act--truth is always subversive." 


"...if you are writing the clearest, truest words you can find and doing the best you can to understand and communicate, this will shine on paper like its own lighthouse. Lighthouses don't go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining."


and to life!
"It's like singing on a boat during a terrible storm at sea. You can't stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship."


"..because helping each other has made their hearts get bigger. A big heart is a both a clunky and a delicate thing; it doesn't protect itself and it doesn't hide."

color palette generator

To much fun  Go to http://bighugelabs.com/colors.php and download your photo and they created a color palette. Way fun! (I do a screen capture, then copy it into photoshop, and save as a jpg.)


If you were going to make art from one of these color palettes, which would you choose? 

Dia de los Muertos

Exactly one year from now, November 2012, my artist friends and I will be teaching a mixed media art retreat in beautiful San Miguel de Allende and celebrating Dia de los Muertos! You can read about our retreat here on our Tesoros del Corazón blog.