Bluehaven Studio

Life is a Verb Book Signing

This afternoon RandomArts hosted Patti Digh, author of Life is a Verb, 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally. 

After Patti read several delightful segments from her book, she was gracious in answering many questions.

The story I enjoyed the most was the story of how the art got into the book.  It started when someone sent Patti a card she made to remember one of the essays.  It gave Patti the idea of featuring the art of people who read her blog in the book.  In response to her note inviting art for the book,  she received over 120 pieces in two weeks.  The book was originally going to be done in black and white.  Once the publisher saw the art that came in, instead of choosing 37 pieces, the decision was made to include it all  and to do the book in color.

The sharing and laughter continued even after all books were signed. Thank you Jane (on the left below) and Patti for an inspiring afternoon.  

I had bought the book last December on the recommendation of a friend.  I was very excited when I started reading it, but it got put aside during the holidays. I am eager now to get back to it. 

Sweatshirt Jacket Class

When Bob bought me a sewing machine a couple of years ago, I was interested in using it for fabric and fiber arts projects.  I had no intention of sewing clothes for myself. And, I still don't have much interest in that aspect of sewing.  Last year I did try to take a basic class at the local Tech, but even though the teacher guaranteed she would be able to teach me to fit a pattern to myself, her guarantee failed.

Recently, I saw an advertisement for a sweatshirt jacket class at My Quilt Shoppe in Hendersonville, NC:  "Turn an ordinary sweatshirt into a beautiful jacket using cotton fabrics, batiks or flannels."  I decided to sign up.

The preclass assignment was to cut 1/4 yard of eight different fabrics into various specified sizes of squares and rectangles which are then divided into four sets.  One will be for the front of the jacket, one for the back and one each for the arms.

I decided to try to use fabric I already had and chose some light blue batiks.

 

I started yesterday afternoon and finished tonight cutting my fabric.  Three sets are bagged with the fourth one ready to be bagged.

 

I'm ready for class and looking forward to Wednesday. 

Domino Pendant

Last month I left a comment on RCS Creations blog.  I was surprised and delighted when I was notified that I had won the giveaway in celebration of the 200th blog post. 

The art on this sweet pendant created by Artcy Lucy is done on a miniature domino, 1-inch long and 1/2 inch wide. Isn't it adorable!

 

Visit Artcy Lucy's  blog to see more of her "modernly vintage art."

Woven Book Cover Class

Jane Powell posted pictures from the recent Woven Book Cover Class on her Random Notes blog entry, Sunday, January 18.  It was another great class. 

After we agreed to be chaplains for the Knitting and Quilting Retreat at Kanuga, I was afraid that I would have to miss the class, but I was able to get there for part of the day and was even able to finish my book.

We each started with an Italian text block to which we added covers to support the woven piece that were were creating.  We wove fabric strips, ribbons and fibers and then fused them together.  On top of that we were able to add additional fibers. I added torn pieces of fabric with words to mine.  That was then covered with a layer of polyester organza, pinned and stitched in any pattern we wanted by machine.  I chose a circular pattern.

 

After the stitching, we used soldering iron or heat tool to burn away some of the organza to distress the cover.  The last step was sewing on a transfer done with a product called,  Extravorganza.  I had chosen a picture of myself at age three dressed in my flower girl long dress, accompanied by cowgirl hat and gun and holster set. I was told that if I was a good flower girl during the wedding, I could have anything I wanted. What I requested was the cowgirl outfit.  I said that I was tired of having to be the indian when the neighborhood boys played cowboys and indians.  I love that spunk of that "little me" and hope to carry her spirit into my art work this year.

Kanuga Knitting and Quilting Retreat

This was the fifth year for the January Knitting and Quilting retreat at Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, NC.

My husband and I were asked late last week to serve as chaplains for this year's retreat when the chaplain that was originally scheduled had a death in her family.  

Kanuga holds a special place in our hearts from attending special events there for over two decades so we were happy to be there for this creative weekend.

Despite the cold weather and loss of electricity for part of the weekend, it was a delightful retreat.  Attendees included young and old, female and male, designers and novices.   Some folks who attended are artists in both mediums. 

Knitters and quilters share in common a love for color and texture and working with hands.  The "show and tell" session on Saturday night was incredible.

Sunday morning before the retreat ended with worship in the chapel,

we were treated to a beautiful snowfall.

 

It was an inspiring weekend in every way. 

A Prompt a Day Art Journaling Class

I have been a journal keeper for three decades, but art journaling is fairly new to me.  I've been dabbling at it off and on for the past several years.  For the past year I have been doing an art journal exchange with my online friend, Connie.  I met Connie in person for the first time in June.   We are both working in Moleskine journals and we mail them back and forth, taking turns working in each other's journals.  It has been great fun and I am learning a lot.

As part of my renewed commitment to my creativity, I signed up at the last minute for an online art journal class, A Prompt A Day that started January 1. Read more about this course:   Kelly Kilmer Artist and Instructor: ANNOUNCEMENT: ONLINE CLASSES!!!!  

The class is great, but until today I had not found the time or energy to get started.  Today, I finally got going.  I spent the entire afternoon playing with paint, doing the background painting for the pages for the first ten days. Mixing paint is new to me, but it was fun experimenting with Kelly's process for layering paint.  

I really like the idea of doing one art journal page a day and that is why I signed up for Kelly's course, but I'm pleased that I have been patient with myself; and, I hope to complete the pages and be caught up by this time next week so that I can be current with doing one page a day.  I'll going to try to post my daily pages as I complete them.

Random Arts

In our tiny town of Saluda, we have a wonderful creative resource, Random Arts, Assorted goods for creative mindfulness, owned and operated by Jane Powell.  It has been a primary source for me of not only instruction, but also inspiration for the past decade.

I have lost count of how many classes I have taken at Random Arts, but I have never been disappointed.  Jane's own classes are fabulous.  I can't wait to do the Woven Book class I signed up for today. In addition to her own classes, Jane brings in other wonderful artists each year.

On Fridays in January and February, Jane is hosting "Fridays Unfinished for Free."  It is an opportunity to have a "finish a project playday."  I did not get to go to the playday today, but I signed up for next week. 

While at Random Arts today, I also picked up my packet for the next collaborative journal project, "Sweet Tweets" which you can read about at Random Notes blog.  I can't wait to get started on my page. 

Below are pictures of the front and back of my journal page for the last collaborative journal project sponsored by Random Arts. The leaves are real fall leaves that I dried.

 

Daily Creative Time

I love the energy of the beginning of a new year.  Although I do not make specific New Year's resolutions any more, I do take time to reflect in writing about my hopes and aspirations for the new year.  One of my intentions for 2009 is to spend time daily creating.

Over the past couple of years, my husband and I have both been exploring different artistic mediums.  Even five years ago, I would never have imagined that we would re-purpose the office over the garage and make it into our studio. Many of the bookshelves have now been cleared for art supplies. I think I've sold off more books than some small libraries have and still have a ways to go. Desks have been moved out so sewing and art tables could be moved in. 

My husband and I both know we are blessed to have the luxury of having this kind of space.  This is the year I'm going to take advantage of it.