Six More...

Wrist Pin Cushions, that is ~ check my gallery blog to see them in all their glory. 10.00

Julaine's Gallery of Artful Adventures

As promised - my Wrist Pin Cushions

Seen at the Friday Night Sampler, and...the Virtual Studios for Cloth, Paper, Scissors MIU! at the Chicago Festival ~

Click on over to my gallery blog - Julaine's Gallery of Artful Adventures
to purchase any of these pretties ~ 10.00 each

The Virtual Studio Artists

Very creative sisters here! Deb Silva of Creatively Amused
and Artella!, and Judy Coates Perez of Painted Threads
were among the wild women of MIU's Virtual Studios at IQF-Chicago...

It was not easy coming back to real life.












Rah, Rah for MIU! Here we see Kelli Perkins creating her incredible paper beads - when she came to join us, it was very busy, so I didn't get a chance to talk more with her -

Back from Festival

Here we have the lovely Cheryl Prater of Prater Poste and equally stunning Debbi Crane of Paper Doll Post who along with me were sharing an area for the Virtual Studios gig for Cloth Paper Scissors® at MIU! - I simply must do this again, as it was a wonderful experience and feeling like a celebrity does the soul good once in awhile...

I didn't get a photo of Virginia Spiegel. Darn.

Ready for the Friday Night Sampler! I had prepared five step-outs to demonstrate how to make my funky wrist pin cushions to lots of enthusiastic quilters. My helper chick, Becky (aka Vanna White) did a fantastic job of keeping the biz end moving along (see photo below of her).


She had artfully arranged everything on the table - looks good!





And here she is...we got a bit goofy after I paid her for services rendered...it's not what you might be thinking, lol.












What to do in your hotel room when it comes time to make your favorite guacamole, and you can't find the knife you packed?




You reach for a pair of scissors, of course. I wonder what people who don't sew do in this situation?





Side note on the pin cushions for all of you who have been interested in slapping one of these on your own wrist or the wrist of a loved one. I came home with some pretty ones and will be listing them on my gallery blog later today. A huge thanks goes to Pam who writes Pin Cushion Genius! : PaMdora’s Box
If you're listening, Pam - watch your mailbox...

What am I taking to Chicago?

Here's a piece that I felted yesterday using that new Viking machine at the Jo-Ann's that I work at - the gorgeous fibers started out as a novelty eyelash yarn that I knitted with gigantic needles. I laid it out on top of this purple crushed satin and covered it with Sulky Solvy. Julaine, start your engine! It took no time at all, and when I was finished, the Solvy just had tons of pin holes in it...reusable, yes!

I'll be bringing this piece to my gig for Make It University™ with Cloth Paper Scissors®
to see what else I can do with it.

Come see me there: I'll be in the Virtual Studios area on Friday, April 13th from 10-noon, and 1-3 pm.; and on Saturday, April 14th from 10-noon, and 1-3 pm.

Note to Lynn K: we have to get ourselves one of these machines, right??? Maybe we'll check the Viking people at festival ~

Note to Becky B.: you know who you are - we are going to have a great time...

On the MIU faculty (beware)

First, Cheryl Prater makes me add her blog to my links (all right, actually she added mine to hers first, so I was obligated)...

NOW she wants me to mention that she was the cover girl for Cloth, Paper, Scissors in the January/February issue with her "Sixtopoly" article (very cool, btw) ~

I don't know what happened when I added the extra words after Prater Poste
but everything went goofy on me. Does anyone out there have the html letters/code for "centering" stuff?

I'm going to offer her a challenge (evil laugh coming out of my mouth)
...I'll let you know how she responds...

UPDATE: Cheryl sent me an "MIU or Bust" bumper sticker to put on my very own luggage (art shop on wheels)

Rosemont

How many tote bags does one fiber artist need?

I have made many - and still use most of them.

Needed (wanted) a new one to take to Chicago next week for the festival, so I thought I would use this Alexander Henry print (found on the big cotton wall at the store). It's called "omodaka" and it's perfect for embroidering...loosely stitching by the lines of the gold bursts on it, I used 9 colors of DMC floss and am almost ready to sew it together. But wait...what shall I do with the back? I really don't want to leave it plain, even though it is really neat fabric. Quilt it?

Virtual Studios for Make It University™ with Cloth Paper Scissors®
at IQF: I will be showing a technique that's related to my article in CPS coming out next month. The times for my "studio" ??? Friday, April 13 at 10 & 11 am.; 1 & 2 pm., and Saturday, April 14 at 10 & 11 am; 1 pm. Be sure to stop by! Here's a list of the incredible artists that will be there too: Pokey Bolton, Judy Coates Perez, Deb Silva, Virginia Spiegel, Cheryl Prater, Debbi Crane, Kelli Perkins, and Lesley Riley. Think surface design - embellishment - mixed media...it's going to be a blast ~

I Want One...

Uh-oh, I should have never tried it out last night...while on my supper break at work, the new Huskystar EM10 Felting Machine was calling out to me, "Come and have fun - see what everyone in Europe (and here too) is talking about." At the Jo-Ann store that I work at, there is a Viking dealership, and they just got this little fun-master in, so it's been bugging me for a week.

I want one!!! The manager said I could bring in a project, or play with it whenever I wanted - oh no, now there's a coupon for an additional $100. off through this weekend. Hmmm.....

It's Monday - anyone need a joke?

Irish Viagra (sent to me by a friend today)...just the joke, not the Viagra...it is still March, you know, that's why this is in green...


An Irish woman of advanced age visited her physician to ask his help in reviving her husband's libido

"What about trying viagra?" asks the doctor. "Not a chance, she said. He won't even take an aspirin."

"Not a problem", replied the doctor . Give him an "Irish Viagra. It's when you drop the Viagra into his coffee. He won't even taste it. Give it a try and call me in a week to let me know how things went."

It wasn't a week later that she called the doctor, who directly inquired as to progress. The poor dear exclaimed, "Oh, faith, bejaysus and begorrah! T'was horrid! Just terrible, doctor!"

"Really? What happened?" asked the doctor.

"Well, I did as you advised and slipped it in his coffee and the effect was almost immediate. He jumped straight up, with a twinkle in his ey, and with his pants a-bulging fiercely! With one swoop of his arm, he sent the cups and tablecloth flying, ripped me clothes to tatters and took me then and there, took me passionately on the tabletop! It was a nightmare, I tell you, an absolute nightmare!"

"Why so terrible, asked the doctor, do you mean the sex your husband provided wasn't good?"

"Twas the best sex I've had in 25 years! But sure as I'm sittin' here, I'll never be able to show me face in Starbucks again!"

Quilting Arts - page 97

She's been to Chicago, Houston, Massachusetts, and now she's home again...

In the soon to be out April/May issue of Quilting Arts, there is a gallery article about the Small Wonders exhibit that the IQF has sponsored for the past 8 years, and they chose some from the 2006 exhibit for the article.

And...while showing this to someone today, I was offered a solo exhibit in 2008! Thank you, Kiki of Kiki B's !!!

Happy Birthday, Johann

Ahhhhhh, Bach! Your music made my errands today so wonderful - nice weather - windows partially down - thanks to WNIU 105.7 on my car radio button...

F words

Funky, Fun, Fabulous, Forty of them, and my Favorite: FINISHED ...

March 29th update: Wendy told me there's 350 people signed up for the Samplers, so now we have a new "F" word: FIFTY PIN CUSHIONS finished ~

My wrist pin cushions for the Friday Night Sampler at IQF coming soon to Chicago. I will demonstrating how to make these and will have them for sale, along with one of the supplies that is not readily available in local craft/Fabric stores.

Update: Felicia of Fluffy Flowers
says "Fantastic"...














I became reacquainted with embroidery Floss, and even making French knots. I Found this great website that has video tutorials on embroidery stitches - NeedleNThread - Tips, Tricks, and Great Resources for Hand Embroidery

The Auditions

This was fun! I'm working on my demo for the
Friday Night Sampler - IQF Chicago in April...

I'm presenting my funky wrist pin cushions, and how to create them during the demos. I have heard that I'll only have about 10 minutes for each one, so I'll need to plan some "step-outs" like they do on all those crafty type television programs. What a rush it will be!!!

I enjoy the auditions - planning what fabrics go together, but...

After the red hat ladies invaded this galaxy (and others I'm sure), I have a terrible time putting red and purple together. I tried here on a few of them, but every time I look at them, I get frustrated - - -

Do you experience this too in your life, where you just can't seem to get past the fact that something so trivial has ruined it? Another case in point for me (and this is NQR, by the way): Although I tried to like the movie "Anger Management," when the men were singing I Feel Pretty, I was really ticked. That ruined the image and beauty of Natalie Wood singing the song in West Side Story.

Anyway, if you're planning on coming to Chicago for the quilt festival, sign up for the Friday Night Sampler. Lots of great presentations await you!!!

MIdnight Vigil at the Bead Tree

Lots of beads...little bits of fabrics as accents this time...

This is the small piece I created for the proposal I sent to Lark Books- they are putting a book together on beaded quilts, and asked me to submit...

Update: not accepted - boo hoo ~

Mardi Gras at Emmanuel

Sunday was our annual "Feast of Fools" celebration at church. Here we see the lovely blonde Brenda (one of the high school youth) sticking her tongue out during the lasagne meal, and the children donning their hairnets and getting ready to perform a skit with Jason...remember Gladys and Tyrone from Laugh-In??? The kids and a few adults had a lot of fun bopping him with purses...in another skit, yours truly played Edith Ann...and that's the truth (insert raspberry)