Friday, March 24, 2006

Spring is here: Fun with images


It must be spring - time to start playing with color again! This is an image that I added the lime background using Picasa's tools, then I added the text in Microsoft Paint - these will be perfect for my new "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" mixed media pieces that I'm working on...

I just recently discovered "Paint" - never thought I would actually have anything that cool with only Word 97...

Recently on the Quiltart list, artists have been talking about using paper on their quilts. Tissue paper, cardstock, watercolor papers. I have printed this image and many others out on 90 lb. watercolor paper that I picked up at an office store - it came in a pad, so I had to cut it down to 8 1/2 x 11 to fit the printer...

Yes, spring is here (by the calendar, at least)!!! Getting ready for my first art festival/fair/show of the year. I'm grateful that the Midway Village Fiberart Show here in Rockford is only one day this year, and that it's INSIDE !

It also (sale) means it's time to sell some inventory (sale) Please check out my other blog: http://julainesart.blogspot.com ~ I have some other pieces that need to be cleared out of my studio and suitcases...so I'm having a SALE now through April!

Here's hoping that springs brings renewed creative energy to all! The Chicago show is in 2 weeks, and that will surely generate some good energy too ~

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Older and newer

Newer: This is called "Beauty is Not a Number" - the inspiration for this quilt came from listening to a woman's story ~ that beauty should not be measured by the fact that a woman has 2 breasts, one breast, or none...and getting away from the notion that size dictates everything...

The breasts are represented by buttons, cuff links, a rhinestone belt buckle, and EKG patches ~ the image is printed on cotton, and then has a layer of a sheer novelty fabric over the image, as does the whole piece. Actually, the background has 2 colors of the novelty fabric. To represent scars, I satin-stitched curved lines inside the "chest shapes"...

I made this mini-quilt, which is 10 x 14 inches, after talking with someone who was recovering from mastectomy surgery...I was also thinking about a friend, and fellow quilt artist Bea Zammuto, who died last February...

This quilt and other small works can be seen on my other blog: http://julainesart.blogspot.com

And below, something a little older...

Friday, March 17, 2006

No one has seen this - it had never been photographed before today. It has been displayed in my son's room (he likes my art-nice teenager!) - it was my first piece that I created 5 years ago...It is called "Red Spiral"

Many layers of different fabrics, either all red, or with red in them - satin stitched with variegated rayon thread, and then reverse appliqued - 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 inches...

On of the reasons for posting this was to challenge myself to FIND any pieces of the fabrics I used in my stash - and I've found three so far!

Saturday, March 11, 2006

It was a night

for creativity! I hosted a "Fiber Postcard Workshop" Thursday evening for six very talented women ~ some were artists, and some had never done anything like this before. "We need to do this more often in the church." Some of the postcards are for the Fiberart For A Cause fundraiser (see the link to the right) and others will be part of an art display during the Easter season at our church, Emmanuel Lutheran, in Rockford, Illinois...

The gal in the middle is a new mom, and she would love to have a slumber party/creative night! Well, I will be the "mom" for an upcoming Jr. High lock-in (the care and feeding of 12 teenagers, and keeping them inside, while our youth director does the activities), so this would be a great idea for the same night, and maybe some of them would want to join us (???)

On a personal note, I have just 3 more postcards to send to Virginia, since she has "cut me off" - she didn't want me to get burned out, so I have to stop at 38... recent ones are on my other blog, of which I have donated some: Julaine's Art for Purchase

I also realized that I have an upcoming fiberart show on the first Saturday in April. And what's happening the weekend after that? THE INTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL-SPRING EDITION IN CHICAGO !!! I'm going in with Bonnie Saxby (see link to the right) and am looking forward to many things happening there. Quilts, VENDORS, more quilts, VENDORS, the Quiltart reception, which is always a fabulous gathering, VENDORS, VENDORS, VENDORS...

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

New business card!

I did it! I did it! I got this label software, and after many hours of fiddling with it, I was able to create a new business card. I love the font (Manera) and I decided to put my Small Wonders '06 piece on it...crass commercialism here? Gee, I guess I should bring a few to Chicago with me -

I printed them on glossy photo paper (7.99 for 15 sheets) that I got at Walgreen's. I knew that I didn't want a name brand to avoid the printing that's usually on the back of the sheets. The weight is good, and they look so classy...

On another note: I've donated some of the postcards on my other blog to FFAC - Posted by Picasa