Postcard Quilts

Last night at Mary's River Quilt Guild there were two speakers, one who did a slide show and a demonstration of postcard quilts.  Her's were actually mailable, which is so cool.  Although I've never mailed any of mine, I have made quite a few and I can't help but love almost all of them.  Which of course makes it difficult to part with some.  All are 4" x 6" finished little quilts with bound edges.  I sold them in black shadowbox frames that I purchased from American Frame Co., but last time I looked I couldn't find the same frames for sale, which is disappointing because I would love to pick up where I left off and produce these one-of-a-kind little pieces of art and sell them in galleries again.  The last gallery I sold them in was on the Oregon coast where they were priced at $70.  Of course, after commission and supply costs (mostly for the frame) I think I made about $25.00 each.


The thing from last nights speaker that perked up my ears was when she mentioned that she sends them to grandkids and how much they loved them - hmmmm my gramma heart was telling me to do just that and very soon.


But here's a sample of my quiltart postcards (introduced to me in a workshop 10 yrs ago, by David Walker )   I apologize - I'm still trying to figure out how to take great photographs.  Some are ok, but some are barely passable.   While I'm making excuses. . I'm having a heck of a time with blogger's photo placement.  Sometimes it just has a mind of it's own!

The first one above says "Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see"

The one on the lower left says "When someone you know becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure"  and the one lower right was made when I found out that I would be a grandma for the first time.  It was a reminder to me to pray for that little one because there were challenging circumstances!  There still are - and my granddaughter is 9 years old now.  

Above it says "Art washes away from the Soul the dust of everyday life"  And then there are the postcard quilts that are unfinished.  I posted two here.  To the right it says, "Complete forgiveness is Memory without the Pain".  

I unearthed several of them a couple of months ago and it was such a pleasant surprise.

When we move into the new house in a few short months, that's what it's going to be like when I can finally unpack everything that's been in storage for the last 7+ years.  I think we even have things in storage that were brought from the Philomath house's attic.  Mike has said for years that when we finally have a garage sale, it's going to be a BIG one!

And then there's this last one.  I think I like it so much I may be keeping it for myself!  "Creating my own reality with art"

I Can't Draw . . . . but if I practice I will be able to draw - so can you!

I use to say "I CAN'T draw" or "I even draw really bad stick people" and I had the drawings to prove it!  But I firmly believe that creativity and talent all start somewhere and if we have the desire, and we practice (a lot for some of us - me included) and keep practicing. . . then we develop talents we didn't have before!  OK so what about natural talent you ask?  Well, then I'd say that some people are naturally gifted and I don't have time to delve into that right now, but basically I put all gifts into one big God box!


So I've always wanted to paint.  The I discovered that to paint I'd most likely needed to draw or sketch.  I took one drawing class, oh somewhere around 1998 and found it challenging, but even I was amazed at what I could accomplish with a little instruction.  I look back at my classwork and for the life of me, I can't remember how I did some of those drawings.  But they look pretty darn amazing to me now.  Too bad I didn't continue to practice, because who knows I might be pretty darn good right about now!  Ah well.


Last week another opportunity to learn to draw came about by reading our local Alsea newsletter and reading that someone in our community was offering public art classes.  Every Saturday evening from 6-9 and for only $7 a class.  The fact that he and his wife had painted signs for local businesses gave me an idea of their expertise, but it wasn't until I googled him and checked out his web site  www.danandmaehitchcock.com/ (if you don't want to see nudes then don't click on "Dan's Art" but do check out the murals) that I saw what an amazing talent the had.  Actually it's he and his wife Mae's website and art.  His name is Dan Hitchcock and he's self taught!  I'm not sure about Mae, if she's self taught also.  Anyway, I couldn't wait for the first class.  So here's my class projects.  1st one is using a grid to transfer lines.  I liked the picture I picked out to use, but I think a face or a person's form would have been a bit easier.  With my picture I wanted to finish with paints or watercolor pencil, but I may do some of that later.

This second class sample of the first night we were suppose to draw a head form that was sitting in front of us on a table.  Mine looks ridiculous.  It looks like an alien to me!  This will not be finished!

OK, on to something I've been wanting to paint for some time.  My favorite coffee cup.  I call it my comfort cup because it's big and the colors really please me, every time I use it.  What I did was take a picture of it then change it to gray scale on Picassa.  After I printed it out, I remembered something from my last drawing class and I traced the cups lines with a graphite pencil.  Then I laid that drawing face down onto watercolor paper and burnished with an old spoon.  When I lifted that picture from the wc paper, there was a light pencil image of the cup.  Then I proceeded to go over the lines once again, then I used Staedtler watercolor pencils to color in the cup.  

After everything was colored in I used a fine tip brush and carefully went over the pencil and there I was Watercolor Painting!  It truly was just filling in the spaces and kinda like paint by number without the numbers.

After the painting was completed the last step for the cup was to go over the black lines one more time with a black pen.  I used a Precise V5 roller ball black pen.

It's not a perfect match by any means but it does give me the same visual satisfaction as the real cup.

Here's the completed painting.

The title was done with a Sharpie marker the exact same color as the inside of the cup.

And I can't tell you how happy this makes me.

Too Cool Not To Share!

I thought it time to share this cool resource that I stumbled upon.  It's called "Creative Catalyst Productions Inc."  I actually was looking for a past painting teacher Lynn Powers, from whom I first took a watercolor painting class at the Benton Center in 1998.  It's something I would like to do again.  So I googled her name and came across her new venture with her husband (they live in Albany) and wowza - take a look at what they are doing, right here in my own backyard!!!  http://www.ccpvideos.com/

I've known about this site for a couple of months and really thought I'd purchase a few of my favorite artists ( ANN BALDWIN / SHERRILL KAHN / LESLEY RILEY / CLAUDINE HELLMUTH ) DVD's, but not until I'm employed again and can afford even that.  But think of the tremendous opportunity this is. . . . workshops are getting increasingly more expensive and this option is affordable to say the least!!!

BUT. . . . the surprise that I had today is that you can also RENT these DVD's too, right on your own computer.  http://www.artworkshops.tv/  Check out the freebies!

The Sherrill Kahn screen-prints below are from one of the freebies that I watched today!

I think she's at the top of my favorites list!

I've taken a workshop from her in person and I've used her painting on fabric techniques more than any other.    She's also on of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

So what are you waiting for. . . .  go check out these DVD's.

Let me know if you find anything you like!

Quilting Magazines - Ooooh La La!

This is the quilt magazine cover I'm lusting over right now.  I want to create something with its feel, vibrant color and zingy style.  Simple huh, but oh so cute!

I’m blessed to be leaving this afternoon for a woman’s retreat at the coast this weekend, but all of a sudden I want to stay home and play.  That’s not unusual, but what is, is that I’ve been in a non-producing place for some time now.  So I collect magazines, peruse blogs, get inspired and frustrated all at the same time.  I know there are other people that can probably relate to this.  Maybe, there’s even a self-help group I can join?  If you know of one, email me!

I'm still dreaming & waiting for the day that I can move into my new room (a.k.a Studio).  We purchased the wood flooring last weekend for the whole house, which has to be acclimated to the interior of the new house before Mike can install it.  Then the floor finisher comes in to do his thing.  Then the last step before moving in will be to have carpet installed.  We're thinking another two months!  But wait, we have a nephew getting married here at the property on May 15th. . . maybe waiting till after that is a good thing (but I'm also thinking that we can use some of those young muscles to move some of the heavy stuff before or after the wedding.  A small price to pay for camping and spending the weekend here, wouldn't you say?)

I have been playing around with dryer softener sheets (I first used these in my 1st Starbuck's Quilt in 1997) but now I'm printing on them.  Also playing around with face wipes.  Seems like this is all coming around again right now.  I'm seeing it on lot's of blogs and in mag. articles.  Reminds me of the saying "Nothing is new under the sun", we just rediscover with a twist.

Speaking of the Starbuck's Quilt. . . I'm not yet ready to post the art quilts I started doing in 1997 while a member of Tactile Expressions, but if you want to see a few things I've done you can take a look here. . . . http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chris-Fegles-ArtPlay/243989502476?ref=ts  go to "photos", then "other works"  There are a few things there, certainly not all the stuff I need to dig up (photos mostly, because a lot of   my quilts have been sold)  By the way. . . I'm about ready to put the first Starbuck's quilt up on Ebay with a minimum bid, in order to get the funds to trademark a term.  Yes, that's what I said!  We think we have a great idea and really want to market it asap, but not without trademark protection first.  And with me still being unemployed, I either need to sell plasma or sell a quilt to get the extra funds needed to pursue this frivolous idea.  And to end this post. . . these are the covers that I almost want to frame!  I love the colors!!!

Did I mention that these are all going to the retreat with me?

Of course I'm still dreaming!

Colorful and Different. . . I love that!

I was getting dressed earlier and thought of my new socks and had to post a picture.  Then that led to taking another picture, and then finding another one that I thought fit in the "Colorful and Different" category. . . . way side tracked AGAIN!!!  But let's proceed with the original thought. .. . .. . ..  Here are my birthday socks from my son and daughter-in-law.  I just love them for their outrageous design, pattern and of course the color.  By the way, if you love them as much as I do - you too can own them if you live locally.  I found them at "Sibling Rivalry" in Corvallis.

 

and they're much too special to cover up with any shoes, so that means I will always have to wear them with my black Birkenstocks.  Of course!

and thinking about color - I have to show you this picture that I took while playing around with my webcam as I was play acting.  Yes, that's what I said.  Here's a photo of me pretending to be a famous artist (why else would I have such a posed photo).  But let me explain a thing or two.  It started out to be an experiment with my hair.  Lately I've been sick of it and I thought that I'd try and do a hair-pulled-back photo (I haven't done that look since grade school) to try and analyze my facial features so that I might begin to have an idea of what I think I'd like to try as a new hairstyle (way too sidetracked that day too!) and down the wandering path I went. .. . .. . I ended up having too much fun and the resulting picture is part of that.  Oh, and the other photos. . . . only a few close friends got to see the whole slide show.  Anyway, I got out one of my funnest and wildest jackets that I wear in spurts, on occasion, and it made me realize how I love that jacket!  Why I love that jacket.  It's not a jacket that many people would wear, well except for an artist type/wanna-be-artist like me.  I love it's color, the design is wacky, wild and free.  That's what I love about it and that it's very different - like me ;~)

Sometimes I can't believe I'm putting this stuff (thoughts and photos) out there for anyone to see.  Yikes!

Sisters Quilt Show Years

I unearthed some photos of the Sister's Quilt Show, many, many years ago when it was still relatively on the small side before the crowds overtook and it became almost unbearable to attend.  Notice the older location of the store!  Certainly not the first location because that was practically a tiny hole in the wall.  But boy how it's grown in size and notoriety! 

One of my entries for the block contest and I happened to win the top too!

 

That's me in the HUGE bug-eye sunglasses, dressed very appropriately in my stylish quilt show t-shirt!

View of all the entries that year.  Opps, sorry no quilt top photo.  When I find it - I'll post it.  I think I still have the top.  I may have ripped off the binding fabric (I remember thinking about it) because in my opinion, well let's just say I didn't like it.  Never thought of actually finishing it either.  Those were the days when machine quilting was talked about out behind the barn and with a whisper so no one else would know you were one of those kinds of girls!

 

This was another of my block entries one year.

Yikes, it that the same t-shirt?  Must not of been able to afford a new one that year.

You can see there were many more entries than the previous year.

I think this is a photo I received of the winning top, that I didn't win.  Someone must have snitched on me that I didn't do the last one justice, that in fact I down right may have ripped it apart.  Oh my!

Oh, this little quilt was really a favorite of mine.  I've always loved little nine patch quilts.  Here it is hanging inside at the Sisters Show and I can't tell for sure, but I think that's some sort of judging sheet with a ribbon.  How nice.  I also think this was a class sample for Jessie's shop Quiltwork Patches, when I taught machine quilting there.  Boy, that was when I still lived in Springfield and drove up to Corvallis to teach.

OK - here's a workshop I took in Sisters from a woman and I can't think of her name right now.  I'll come back to this when I do.  She did fabulous quilts where she hand painted some of the fabric and made quilts around it and with it.  I absolutely loved her work.  Bought her book too!  It must be in all that stuff I still have stored.  This was what I worked on from a photo of my husband fishing in Alaska.  I recently came across this piece and have it around.  Has it progressed from this point in the photo you ask.  (I just took it out to look)  No, it's still at this point.  Is it something I think I'll finish someday. . . . well, yes.  I still have an interest in it and I know it will be a beautiful wall quilt someday.  Unless I die first.  But I think it would be perfect to hang in our new house, especially since we have that fishing theme going on!

New Directions

Our move from Marcola to Philomath happened around Dec. 1999.  The first photo is of me in my new "quilting room".  It's the first time I didn't have to sew off the dining room table and I didn't have to put my toys away after playing!!!

Another thing just crossed my mind, which I think I'll mention here.  Prior to moving from Marcola, Mike had been commuting to Corvallis for about 2 years.  So we were use to the area, had already changed Dr's because of insurance, knew the area for shopping, etc.  Not only that, Corvallis had a quilt shop.  Quiltwork Patches is where I found my 1st quilt shop teaching gig.  Jessie hired me on to teach machine quilting, and in the photo below you'll see one of my new (then) class samples that hung in the shop to advertise my class.  I loved that little quilt.  I wonder if I still have it around?  (since I drafted this post I've found it safe in storage)

I'll probably find a large number of things when I tackle the huge piles of plasic bins of stored fabric. . .  supplies, half finished projects and so forth,  in the next few weeks.  I'm sensing a renewed energy to go through things, sort, organize and eventually set up my new studio space in the new house once we decide to move in.  Now I'm just waiting for the wood floors and carpet to be installed.  Soon, very, very soon!

This quilt is all machine pieced, machine quilted, fused applique and has button embellishments!  This quilt was set to be made into a pattern and I think it's still worthy - I should put in on my list again!

This quilt was designed with a vision of my imaginary beach cottage, hanging above mantel of the painted white brick fireplace.  Fabrics were chosen based on the theme "sand and sea".  Machine pieced and machine quilted with a few seagull motifs, and real sea shells stitched onto the bottom border.  It remains in my private collection.  I still love this quilt.  Especially those aged antique blue reproduction fabrics.

One of the other cool items that I collect and have an embarrassing number of in my personal stash, is old flour sacks, feed sacks, and sugar sacks, and some misc. cotton sacks with graphics on them.  I pretty much stayed away from the florals, although a have a few of those as well.  I am always attracted to the graphic designs and the text for some reason.  One day I plan to photograph and catalog my entire collection.  One day!  Below on the left is a quilt that I designed for a friend around her favorite feed sack.  I've done a couple of these and called them "kitchen" quilts.  Karren, didn't I make this one for you???  Below on the right is the first one that I made for myself.  It's still in my private collection and as all the others, it's one of my favorites too.  The two photos below these quilts highlight the flour sack panel on the front (one of the keys to finding an approx. age to a sack is that, like this one, there's no zip code and the weight is 98lbs).

 

                    
This quilt was machine pieced and machine and hand quilted.  I chose to hand quilt the sack in the center of the quilt because it was one I really loved for it's graphics and it's aged color.  In the next photo of the back of the quilt, you can see another feed sack that all of the graphics, lettering, all except that red barn shape has dissapeared.  This type of sack often ended up being used as dishtowels or being made into aprons, or even clothing of the unmentionable type!

Here's a close up of one favorite graphic that has been replicated on many, many signs and other such memorabilia.  That pointing hand!  I love it.

The next quilt below was made as a dining room quilt for our Philomath house when we first moved in.  Somehow this quilt and myself ended up getting an interview and front page photo in the Benton Bulletin.

I think it also won a couple of ribbons, one at the Benton County Fair and one at the State Fair.

This quilt and the next quilt were both machine pieced and machine quilted.  The challenge with the one below was piecing all those little blocks and it really felt like quite the accomplishment when I'd finished that one!

The next quilt down also won some ribbons, but I can't for the life of me remember which one won what.  The joys of getting older I guess.

I think in these days I had little idea of what an "art quilt" might mean or maybe I hadn't even learned the term yet.  Probably I had admired some artistic types of quilts, but was so intimidated by my lack of artistic expression that there'd be no way that I'd ever dreamed I'd be doing and loving the stuff I drool over now.  No way.

The little quilts below measure about 12x12 or 14x14 - they're small and they were made for class samples at Jannilou's Quilt Shop in Philomath.  I had many happy years there teaching small quilt design, but mostly teaching free motion machine quilting!

Here are some happy little Christmas themed quilts.  I believe they were also class samples - - but on second thought they may have been made to sell.

Now this quilt. . . . I don't believe it's ever made it past this design board.  I think this was from a Roberta Horton Workshop at the Old Mill School but I may have to edit this once my memory comes back.

My, my - what a journey back in time this was for me.  I think this could take quiet awhile for me to journal all my past quilting memories and projects.  It's kinda like an archeological dig, unearthing little bits and pieces.  What a slow tedious process.

My Birthday Present This Year!

My husband surprised me with this sweet little gift last Friday.  What a treasure!  I had never heard of Singer Featherweights in "celery" color.  It was cool looking it up on the Internet and I can tell you it was a rare find, especially in the shape it's in. . . (well, I guess I should say after he oiled the heck out of it and worked on it).

I have to mention that when he first got it, he took it in to Jannilou's and Jan and Lou both gave him lot's of information, advise and encouragement that all it really just needed was some loving care and a good oiling!  Jan told me later that as they stood there talking about it, Mike wondering if it would ever really run again, she kept at the hand wheel, encouraging it to move and slowly it did start to budge.  That's all most of us need most of the time. . a nice gentle hand and an encuraging budge!!!  Thanks again Jan and Lou!

So as he gave it to me he told me the story about bringing it home and how at first it wouldn't work and how he had his doubts about it running at all.  But the good news was that it had been in storage for many, many years and wasn't hardly used by it's previous owner.  The case is in great shape (but lacking the key) and the accessory box with it's parts, is in great condition too.  The owners manual is in perfect condition!  Take a look. . . and might I add what a lucky woman I am to have such a wonderful husband (who also happens to collect a few of the black Featherweights along with me)!

Bad News - Good News

Well, the bad news is that the carpet layer came yesterday and talked Mike out of laying the old carpet in my room.  Berber is harder to seam and this would have needed multiple seams to make it work.  More seams, more time, more $$ and he said if it were him he wouldn't use that carpet piece because of the wear.

And Mike and I were both so excited to have me move in and have a special place to start creating in.  But the good news is that all along I resisted the idea of installing the old carpet then later having new carpet in the hall butt up against the old.  I wanted all one carpet so that it would all flowwwwwww and look like a new house should look.  Another kink in the (carpet at all in that room) thought process, is that I do plan on painting in that room.  Painting on fabric, painting on paper and whatever else strikes my creative urges.  I was wondering if linoleum wouldn't be better with an area rug over by the guest bed.  Guess I'll just have to be really careful or take the dye paints out in the garage with a large tarp.  I'm sure I'll work it out somehow.

So, for now I have to wait to move in and will continue to daydream about what it will be like to finally be all set up and working down there.

This is the view out of the South window, looking out over the Alsea River at the bend.  The day I took this photos it was busy with fishing boats passing by, lingering in the favorite hole at the beginning of the bend.  Through the double windows I have a panoramic view to the West, East & South East.  I love looking across the river at the pastures and the hills.

A Dream Come True

It's way past time to update this blog and I have big news!  After over 6 years building on our new house my husband is installing the temp. kitchen cabinets (old ones taken out of the old MH we tore down), installing the new appliances that we bought about 4 yrs ago, and soon we'll get the county to sign off on the building permit!!!  We think we'll be moved in by the end of March. . . but the other big news is that tomorrow a carpet layer is coming to install the newish Berber carpet (that we also salvaged from the old place) upstairs in the second bedroom (aka my new studio - playroom - whatever) and I'll be setting up shop this week.  It's an approx. 19' x 15' room that will have a guest bed in one corner, but the rest is mind to set up tables, a desk, book cases, storage cupboards, and too many tubs of fabric.
I plan on having a dedicated spot for my sewing machine, a painting area, and plenty of room to invite a few friend over to be creative!  A dream come true - it really, really is.