100 Days of Doodling

Last year about this time I, like everyone else, was beginning the pandemic lifestyle changes. Like many artists I was not really feeling a call to create. The need to turn my brain to something other than pandemic news was there, but there was no creative fire being lit in any direction.

In order to keep muddling through I decided to just do a little doodle each day. I dug out some index cards, cut them in half, along with a variety of black markers and pens and set off.


In this way I doodled my way through spring and into early summer. These little drawings kept me going until I found my way into on-line workshops that sparked a bit of creative electricity.

I knew that something small could lead to something big, something to just keep a toe in the pond.

The collection of cards hangs in a prominent space, but it is wild to lay them all out and see where my mind went and how many marks could be conjured out of thin air.

As the year progressed I happily found inspiration in things big and small.

I'd love to see something that kept your creative energy flowing during our crazy time.

Disappearing Act

Hi All!
It is hard to believe that it is December already, and even harder to believe that I have not been sharing all that I have been up to since September. It has been hard at times over this period because I had injured my back and am only know getting relief.

It has also been a pretty creative time for me, too. Since last May I have been taking a few workshops relating to metal and resin work, and taking a college sculpture class at Paducah Art & Design.

The biggest change brought about by all this infusion of 'metal stuff' has been the building of a metals studio in my basement. There is plenty of room down there so back in July I had my trusted handyman Bob begin the transformation process by installing new lighting and separate circuits to handle my kiln.... yes, folks my kiln. The first thing discovered on putting up the lighting was just how much the floors needed to be swept.

With lighting up, clean up done the space was fitted out with an exhaust system and a new sink installed. Purchases made of enamels and equipment -- (a new close bond with the UPS guy) and the play began.

This is what the space looks like -- one side for enameling -- the other for metal working.

and, the pictures below are some of first pieces that I have made.

When I began this newest journey I had wanted to mix these in with my textiles. Tomorrow I will share a bit of what steps I have taking to mix it up with these 'little metal' pieces.

Art & Healing

I have been floundering since loosing Edgar and have been trying to find something to get me moving again. It made me think about the loss of another beloved little soul - Vincent. Vinnie, like Edgar is one of those fur babies that always will be with me and when he passed there was a long suffering in my personal work, but I remembered what really pulled me through was making a memorial quilt for him.

This thought immediately made me feel like I had a purpose...making an Edgar quilt. Like Edgar himself the quilt will be larger than life. Then while chatting with my sister she asked me if I was going to use velveteen -- soft like the boy himself. 

Well, I think you can see where this is going. I haven't been in my velveteen bin for quite a while... such a perfect place to begin... thinking and developing ideas on just how to create a proper memorial quilt for Edgar.

Out came the bin and I couldn't believe what I found as I pulled, sorted and remembered the history of all this fabric. A considerable amount of the velveteen had been manipulated while in my Tuesday art group. There were pieces that were: Dyed, painted, waxed, stamped, indigo dyed, and bleached.

All of this fabric and leftover bits and pieces held memories of so many projects created over the years & also hold the promise of all infinite possibilities of things to come. Just what I needed.

Who knew what memories, wisdom and experience was in a tub of fabric?

Thank Goodness for Sketchbooks

You know the saying, 'When it rains, it pours"?
Well, this week I received two requests to participate with quilts in some fun projects. Naturally, they both had very short deadlines... so I had to think about whether I could meet the deadlines, or decline.

As luck would have it, I knew that I had a good start on a design for each sitting, waiting for me in my sketchbook. I was able to use  a couple of the 5 minute - word sketches from the 30-day challenge last year.

So, taking these two sketches -- and turn them quickly into designs, and say yes to those deadlines.

The word for day here was 'summer', but the flowers I chose to quickly sketch that day worked nicely into a quilt design that will show up soon on a very special project.

 And for the second project I used the sketch below.
The word for this day was 'bridges'...
and since the theme of my drawing was the bridge going over the river between Paducah and IL it was the perfect start for a 'River-themed' quilt.

The design I came up with is below, and I am pulling fabric for it today... but, I am happy that I have a bunch of possibilities to kick start designing.

I'm looking forward to digging through those silk bins.

This is one of the flying geese bridges that are close by and inspired the original 5 minute sketches. This single one crosses the Tennessee River and there is a double on that crosses the Ohio.

Happy Stitchin!

Quilt Market = COLOR Adventure

I have made it home from a fun filled, time exploring all things new and new to me at Fall Quilt Market. There was a game plan to check on certain - must see - products, but other than these I was on the look out for inspirational color.

At market so many fabric companies are there sharing their latest, but most include a bit of a 'how we got here' view, or a lookie, lookie at just what colors are 'in'! It is one of the things I love, so I thought you might want a peek, too.

Mind you there were 25 rows of vendors and an awful lot of color that had to be left behind, but I hope this little peek has got you thinking of all the new possibilities.

Happy Stitching!
~Rose

Word Worthy

Words have always held a place of high reverence for me.

The right ones can get you in and out of trouble before anyone even knows what happened.
The wrong ones.... well, the wrong ones are hard to take back, hard to move beyond.
Then all the words - right or wrong - can get your mind spinning off in ways that you never imagined.

A great writer makes a person - whether some one in the past, or off on some distant planet in the future, become. You form a vision of them, their lives take on a dimension, all from the words.

Aristotle once said,
'The word is the sign or symbol of the
impressions or affections of the soul.'

I love writing, but really I love where words take me visually, so lately it seems I have been off on a word study of my own --
more on the forms off the letters themselves at this point.
Like SPIRIT, in January,

and the #loveletterhearts to celebrate February.
Then, in March many of you joined in the 21-Day Creativity Challenge where one 'word' that could help you be creative everyday.

It's amazing just how many different ways one word can be seen and shared.

Looks like in April there will be more words -- as I continue working on bringing you all an entire alphabet to use for your own 'words'.

Here's a bit of a teaser.

Stand by for further teasing...
I hope that you enjoy the ride and in the end find some 'word worthy' stitch-portunites along with me.

Be Creative Everyday

Being creative every day is a way to keep our brains charged and ready for the infinite possibilities that come our way. (in other words – to stay sane).

It's important and not as hard, or time consuming as you may think. How? 5 minute quick sketches, is how? That is sketches, not stretches - though you will be stretching your mind and imagination. I've been using these 5 minute sketches myself, over the last several years as a tool to kick start -- well, myself. They have proven to be effective and fun, and some have made their way into quilt designs - in fact there's at least one quilt designs that came about from this exercise that became a quilt in my latest book.

They are not meant to be pretty finished drawings --
just quick sketches that get things out of you head and onto paper.

So are you ready to let your imagination take flight, and you're ready to get a jump on creativity, I'm ready to be your work-out buddy!

Join me for the
21 Day Springtime Creativity Warm-Up Challenge!
In 5 minutes a day you’ll:

• improve your drawing skills
• loosen up-get your mind open for the day
• increase your creativity
• get your imagination stirring
• and, possibly produce new concepts

Here's how the challenge will work.

Each day there will be a new WORD (or phrase)
I will post them on my blog and also on our FaceBook Group page.

That’s your queue to grab your sketchbook or some paper & a pencil
1. Then draw anything/ everything that comes to mind when you think about the WORD.
2. STOP at 5 minutes.
3. (optional but highly desired) Snap a picture of your drawing and post it to our group page on Facebook.

Join in by sending me an instant message on FaceBook–
I’ll then send you an invite-and you’re in!

Are you needing a NUDGE?

How about a book give-away?!?

Join me on this challenge,
and for every time you post a picture of one of your own 5 minute work-out drawings to our group FaceBook Page,
your name will be entered to
win a copy of my book Design, Create, Quilt

(After all, it was in this book that
I first suggested these ‘artifying’ exercises).

The challenge begins
March 21st
and runs through April 10th
The drawing for my book Design, Create, Quilt
will be on April 11th.

Making a List & Checking it Twice

I was reading a newsletter from Jamie Ridler, one of my favorite creativity bloggers and ran across a reminder about artists dates.

I read her words and thought – WOW! how long has it been since I took myself out for a few hours of venturing or delving into something just for myself?

In LA it seemed much easier – so many choices,
and yet there are plenty of choices in Kentucky,
but I just haven’t thought about it such a long time.

It is time to draw up a list..

One with places near and far –
with inside opps
a few outside opps  - with snow and without…

Do you know what I mean by an Artist’s Date?
It was many years ago now that I was introduced to the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. A well written artist’s guide to daily living and finding inspiration. For me I walked away with a couple of item – morning papers and the artist’s date.

Morning papers, where you just write --- whatever pops into your head first thing in the morning. This can help clear your head, identify new ideas, and generally loosen up.

and, the Artist’s Date is just what it sounds like -
permission to take time out for yourself.

I took myself out yesterday for the first of many such outings I am planning.

even the snow did not keep me away

the cart's first offerings

 

need a solid?

time to head to the cutting table - bolts falling out of cart

 

the write up....

I'm filling pretty inspired!!

How bout you?
Got an idea of a fun place for your own Artist's Date?