The Anniversary

"Ancient Flames ~ New Flames" is now hanging in the sanctuary.

















"The Stars Project" - 125 stars with names of the ancestors written on them. Accent stars created by the artists in the church. Suspended by 2 floral rings, each is attached by monofilament line.















A detail photo of the stars taken from the bottom, looking up.


















One of my accent stars, with a small postcard of Emmanuel from the early 1950's attached to it.

The last group of notecards

She's Traveling Again

"Green Goddess Dressing" is on her way to Quilting Arts, LLC ...

The green lady in all her naked glory will be included in an article about the Small Wonders exhibits which will be in the April/May issue.

She was supposed to arrive yesterday, but was delayed for some reason that made no sense to me - it made me a little nervous...tomorrow, they said.

When I hear that she's safe in Pokey's hands, I will breathe again...

Wednesday's notecards

Still having fun with these...and I only have 6 blank cards left ~

The whole process of creating these notecards has given me more ideas for future quilts than actually doing small quiltlets and postcards. Interesting - I'll admit that it's been quite freeing to not agonize over thread color, or go through every bead container for once. I've been writing in my journal about all of this, so I dragged out an old journal from 10 years ago when I was heavy into appliqueing. When I started back then, I stitched mostly geometric shapes to make it easier. As I read through my notes and thoughts from back then, I realized that it was more than wanting to keep it simple. As my applique techniques became very good, I found that I still preferred the simple shapes.

It seems that in the past 6 months or so, these simple shapes have been creeping back into my work.

More notecards

When I got home from work tonight, I had one thing on my mind (for a change). More notecards...

These are my favorites so far...the paper underneath the embossing are cut outs from an old calendar of Van Gogh paintings.

We have a winner in the "Tyvek, Anyone?" challenge! Debbie of DubiQuilts - Quilts and Fiber Arts
was the first person to comment on yesterday's
post - congrats!

Now be sure to check back...there's a lot more stash to go through - you never know when I may find something else to give away ~

Mommy, Baby, and Quilt

Here's mommy Rebecca, and Bronwyn holding the quilt ~

All is right with the world...

Bronwyn's Joy

"surrounding the child, released by the woman, return to the elder" ~ the butterflies on the quilt appear to be fluttering around the flowers ~ each of the blossoms is made up of 3 hands.














a detail of the knotted pearl cotton, some sewn on buttons ~

















a detail of one of the butterflies ~


hand-dyed cotton lawn, commercial cottons, rayon thread, buttons, beads, swarovski crystals, hand-dyed pearl cotton Artfabrik: Extraordinary hand dyed fabric and threads
quilted with a straight stretch stitch (2 forward stitches, 1 backward stitch),
30 inches by 48 inches

This quilt was commissioned by my sister, Sharon, as a gift for her grand-daughter. I shipped it just in time for Christmas, and I can't wait to hear about the unveiling...

Cell Structure and Green Goddess Dressing

A teen's science project: goofy/creative! Jason used my ultra thick embossing enamel, a Smartie candy, a mint, and some ABC gum (already been chewed) ~ I laughed before I told him it was great...





















My "Green Goddess Dressing" quilt from the Small Wonders exhibit is back from Houston ~ Karey and company are very careful about how quilts come back to their makers ~ it actually arrived last Friday (5 days after festival), but Fed Ex refused to give it to Jason because he is under 21 ~ I was impressed...on Monday, I was home when it was delivered ~

Vadmal Vases

Vadmal is the Scandinavian word for felted wool - even though I am starting with wool felt (wool and rayon) from the fabric store, I dyed it, batched it, and washed it...when it came out of the washer, I lost 50% due to shrinking, but it was considerably more fuzzy - Ah ha !!! So, that combined with the fact that I have only norske and svenska blood cursing through my veins, I thought I was entitled to use the term...these organic shapes that I have made are beautiful, but need a name - envision them with twigs, flowers, etc. coming out of them. WHAT DO YOU THINK ??? - any ideas for what to call them ?

Newest Work - Summer 2006

Been a while since I've posted new work, so here we go...

For your viewing pleasure (I hope), here are the photos-

Framed 5x7 collage called "Flames of Nature's Passion 1" - quilted with colored staples, of all things!!! Oh, other elements - cotton/rayon background, silk roving, copper wire on a twig, flower charm ~

My 80th ruana garment ~ dyed sueded rayon with an interesting closure made from novelty fabric and a jade bead!

"Women Having Fun" series piece ~ 7x9 inches, proclaiming "must...buy...shoes"

Update 7/17/06 - *I'm in the process of listing these and other works in my Etsy Shop*

Misty Black Fuse

Time to play with Esterita Austin's Misty Black Fuse ~

Parchment paper on the bottom, a strip of the Fuse, a thin layer of bronze dyed mulberry silk roving, more parchment paper on top ~

Iron ~

Gorgeous ~

Hardware Girl

Yeh ~ she's mounted on silk, adorned with snaps, a stretched out coiled bracelet, a button, a zipper thing, an un-coiled earring, strips from the back of a bra (painted pink), a couple of washers, and her stiffened wild hair is tied to...you know those hoop earrings that have dangling beads hanging from them? Well, these had little copper discs that I had to take off...save those for later. Beaded safety pins, of course. About 8x10 inches, isn't she cute?

Ready for bundles!

This has been a wonderful process. I discovered design elements on printed fabrics that I had not noticed before. Many prints can be jazzed up a little. I know I described some of the cutting of the fabrics as fussy, but now I'm using the word carefully.

I know the cat is out of the bag, sort of, now that I've included a photo of each element! Shhh-don't tell, okay? For anyone who receives a bundle, under each layer is supposed to be a surprise, a mystery - bringing back that feeling of wonder that a child has. Joyful anticipation...beauty...color...design... All things that we, as artists who work in this incredible medium get to experience.

So, what's in the bundles? There's rice paper that has been backed with interfacing~monoprinted leaves from hand-carved stamps~printed cotton with fusible on the back~cotton batik accented with Lumiere, and then cut into oak leaf shapes~hand dyed silk with free-form leaf shapes drawn with pastels~rubbings with stamps and Shiva oil paintsticks on cotton~hand made paper~embossed copper strips~tied together with dyed cotton floss, with a leaf bead added.

UPDATE: They are available on my "Julaine's Art for Purchase" blog - 12.00 - how's that sound?

Julaine's Art

Watercolors~Ebb and Flow

Yesterday's PAQA meeting was great! Many water challenge quilts were showcased, along with some other incredible art ~ everytime I've gone in for a meeting has been such inspiration, and there are always new people coming. It's been 5 years since my introduction to this group, and I have never regretted it.

This was my offering for the challenge - I took these photos Tuesday night, and properly said goodbye when it went into Frieda's box! On to Duluth, the Fine Line Creative Center, and other venues unknown-maybe 2 years before I see it again, unless it sells...

The Shiva'd Lutradur worked out great, although it didn't want to fuse easily...a little fabric glue helped! The quilt is about 15x17~

The Earth Day Quilt is finished!

Actually, it was finished about 2 weeks ago, but my computer decided to go crazy, so...

I named it "A Celtic Blessing" because the inspiration had come from a poem from John O'Donohue (see detail of poem in earlier post). I can still hear his soft, lilting voice reciting this when he was in town a few years ago, speaking at Rockford College. Interesting, full-circle thoughts: the Earth Day event that I created this for was also at the college. Lots of compliments - that always feels good...

Side note - I sold two smaller pieces at the celebration: "Pinned"~a small goddess quilt, and "Breaking Forth with Color"~a piece representing native grasses...they both went to good homes!

Finished with 4 hours to spare!

It wasn't until I started adding beads that a title finally came to me...

~The sky is blue because "IT DIDN'T GET AN INVITATION TO THE BLUE LEAF AND BUBBLE PARTY"

I surprised myself, finishing it with four hours to spare - the deadline is midnight tonight by e-mailing Tristan Blakeman (our host from Quiltart) with jpegs and a statement -

I shouldn't, but what the heck! I'm going to treat myself to a nice bottle of wine. Time to go now, before the grocery store locks up its "fruit of the vine" section.....

Why is the Sky BLUE?

I don't know yet! This quilt is for the "Why is the Sky Blue" challenge that started on the Quiltart list. I've been living in the kingdom of LURK on this one - I let it go because I was working on another deadline, then...

There were 49 artists who posted photos of their quilts...all incredible - they were looking for a "50th" one - twice in one night I awoke, went to my studio...went through fabrics each time - the next day I knew I'd better do something about it, so...

I asked permission to participate (after the deadline,) and Mr. Blakeman said okay! Still have to bind and bead, but I can do that in time for Sunday's deadline...Taking it into the PAQA meeting Wednesday for help with the title ~ 

Can you believe I won some chocolate for this quilt?...and below, a picture pun! ~ It's 2:15 in the morning!!!

Way back in '02, the ladies of PAQA in Chicago, set up a challenge! To go outside of your comfort zone, and create something that was a challenge to you. For me back then, it was many things...free-motion quilting, painting fabrics, working with sheers, and putting it altogether to represent "A Master's Work in Fiber - Starry Night"...

The size is the same as Vincent's interpretation of that night from his past. He painted it when he was living in the asylum. Depression and anguish, they said. The year was 1889.
Many things I have learned this year, after celebrating my 50th birthday back in January. Even though all my creative sides have come full circle and everyone tells me how much I've grown as an artist, sometimes you just have to "get it" yourself. I am a firm believer in these facts: that depression and illness can be both a hindrence AND a help in your ability/drive/passion to create - for me it was a brain aneurysm 4 1/2 years ago; joy and energy can hinder/help; and what about anger?
These emotions and life experiences are from an exercise in the book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain"...of which I am using in my journaling class. Very powerful.

Getting back to the quilt, I actually got some votes on this - enough so I could pick out a prize...I went right for those Chocolate Rum Balls. But, alas, they were gone before I got home, so I couldn't share with my husband and son. Bad Julaine.....

And now, on a lighter note, check the pun below!

Leaf Study 8"x10"

This is one of the quilts in my "Leaf Study" series. Starting with my hand dyed cotton sateen, I rubbed Shiva Iridescent Paintsticks on top of the cloth, with my own leaf stamps underneath. This is such a wonderful process, almost magical. I place the stamp where I want it under the fabric, put a few pins to hold it in place, and then.....RUB AWAY ! The image is suddenly there - but then I have to be patient (tough one for me) and wait for the paint to dry in 24 - 48 hours ---

Who knew that when we did rubbings in elementary school, it would end up being a very cool way to add surface texture to FABRIC !

As I'm writing this, I realize that blogging can be like journaling - you know - that hammer on the head experience we all have - I'm thinking about all the times that I have included leaves in my work. I have lots of leaf beads, 5 rubber stamps that I have cut with leaves on them, and I love stitching individual leaves on my quilts. Guess who's the last family on our block to rake in the fall?

Time to explore this a little deeper, to find out why I'm so drawn to them.....

"How Beautiful are the Feet" no.4

Everyone loves my "feet" quilts. This one was in the exhibit "Keiko and Friends" at the Fine Line Creative Center in St. Charles, Illinois this spring. Laura Wasilowski was the curator and put the whole exhibit on her website (www.artfabrik.com). The no.2 in this series, complete with tatoos, a bunion, toe ring, and a winter leg (sorry no image yet) went home a couple of weeks ago with a podiatrist! She gets to help me with one of the design elements for the next one, no.5.....
The third one in the series is going to given to my son's friend for awhile for her bedroom wall. She observed me working on it 3 years ago while we were up in Canada at a family camp with our church, and was fascinated with it -