Mr. Sunshine

Mr.Sunshine - 2012

Wowzers! This art quilt took way longer than I had anticipated. I originally wanted to do a series of sugar skulls with different bone tones. I may still continue to slowly work on that series, but I have seriously missed my personal November deadline.. My pregnancy exhaustion mixed with two active little girls has required I slow way down. It's been a great test of my patience and I'm glad I saw this through to the end.

It is a collage applique style with shimmery tulle machine quilted on top. Lots and lots of hand embroidery on the face.

Really enjoyed working with such bright colors and a primitive design. The more I shut off the parts of the brain that tell me what is trendy and I listen to my inner voice, the more fulfilling my work has become.

I can't wait for 2013! I have a number of collage series that I will be working on. I have 4-5 macabre carnival sketches that I'm itchy to sketch on fabric. I'm going to also try moving my art quilting style on to wearable goods by request.. i.e. clutches, scarves, and more. And I have bought a TON of silk painting supplies and I'm so excited to jump in and learn something new. I haven't found too much current information on silk painting or in combination with applique quilting, so I'm planning on documenting my fails and scores on the blog in the hopes of helping others.

What Happens To A Dream Deferred?

Have you ever had your greatest desire answered but were too blind to see it? The path to success is winding, bumpy, emotional, and mostly behind closed doors. All my life I've wanted to be an artist. In high school I was on that path.. then there was college, graduate school, marriage, babies, and more. A dream deferred. Then the dream changes.. and changes once again. 

Rather than talking about what I want to be, I've decided to just go do it. I'm putting on some blinders for the first time in my life. Looking past the quick immediate gratifications, to be in and enjoy a dream delivered.

We have been vacationing this week and it has helped clarify so much. I've laid out my plans for 2013.. It includes some fabulous events, starting homeschool with my adorable daughters, lots of projects for those I love.. and art. Lots of of it. Lots of surface art quilting. 

To kick it off early, two of my pieces are in the National Arts Program and will be on display for the month of October.

Don't deffer your dreams for too long or lose sight that they may already be in your grasp.

Dresden Challenge - SLMQG

I have been a member of the Salt Lake Modern Quilt Guild for almost a year. I've met friends, learned new techniques, been inspired, and most important - been surrounded by others that understand a love of fabric.

The SLMQG came up with a challenge that has taken on a life of its own. We were tasked with creating a Dresden quilt, inspired by Darlene Zimmerman's amazing template.

What did I make? 

I made an art quilt inspired by Dia de los Muertos. I love Day of the Dead! My husband is of Mexican heritage and it is important to me that our daughters embrace their Latin roots. Day of the Dead is NOT Halloween. It is not scary. It is a joyful occasion when families remember and celebrate those that have passed. Decorations are bright, cheerful, and yes lots of skulls.

Why did I make an art quilt? I quite often struggle with my love for true art and what is considered mainstream. I have boxes full of patterns from designers that appeal to the masses. And I love them.. However when I create, many time I'm trying to express a feeling, a thought.. something that may speak to only a few. But do these two loves always have to conflict? I don't think so..

So the challenge to me was to use this amazing Dresden template - something that would be a great tool for all quilters.. and make something that spoke from my heart. Something that I consider beautiful and unique.

On my quilt I have a folded rose with skull..

Lots of hand embroidery

Free motion quilting and lots of painting..

I hope this inspires you to try creating a bridge between traditional quilting with art quilting. Darlene Zimmerman's template laid the foundation for a perfect Dresden circle. It created a crucial base for my art quilt. I can't wait to play with this more! This template also makes a fabulous mini tree skirt, which was my original idea.. Come back later this month and maybe you will find a Halloween tree skirt using this same template!

Home is Where My Heart Soars

This is my third year participating in The Alliance For American Quilt's yearly quilt project. Each year the AAQ picks a theme for the project. The quilts are auctioned off later in the year to raise funds and the first prize quilt artist wins a Handi Quilter. Amazing, right? Each year I look forward to this challenge as I really try to push my personal limits.

Last year one of my quilts was dedicated to the loss of a pregnancy I experienced between having my two daughters.

This was one of my first art quilts that I really shared myself and put my heart into. I also bought this at the auction later that year and have it in my studio; it was much to personal for me to permanently share.

My inspiration last year was a personal loss, my inspiration this year was the birth of my first daughter. As many of you know, my amazing Kiddo was born with symbrachydactyly. To be perfectly honest, four years after her birth this condition has little to no impact on our lives. She is beyond beautiful, smarter than the average four year old, and has a determination that rivals her mother. I don't worry too much about her. However, when you become a mother, you have decided that a piece of your heart will forever walk outside your body. And when you become a mother to a child that the world will deem "different", in many ways you become a mother to all children that are "different". Even though Kiddo's difference hasn't yet altered her life, my heart reaches out to all children that will blaze a more difficult path.

As a parent we often want to share our personal interests that we love with our children in the hopes that they will have interest in it too. Kiddo is already fascinated with art, quilts, and working with her hands. I've wondered what would I have done if she had been born in such a way that sharing these interests would have felt impossible. I hope that I would have reached beyond myself and made it possible.

This year my quilt is dedicated to all those young lovers of art and quilts that do not have sight. Each room of the house is adorned with a braille label created with french knots. There is a physical clay piece embedded in each room in a trapunto style with more hand embroidery to make the texture obvious. Each room was fusible appliqued and machine stitched. I embellished each room boundary with more hand embroidery to accent its separation from the others.

I present, "Home is Where My Heart Soars"..

The door that leads to Home..

Love..

The Spirit that allows us to fly..

To Create..

Nature..

Music..

The house roof is layered with lace and free motion stitching. Never in a million years could I imagine wrapping a traditional binding on this quilt. I did a very small zig zag on the perimeter. Then I embroidered a back stitch and crocheted a single crochet into each stitch. I wanted the edges to be organic, soft, and yielding.

It's easier to see my free motion quilting from the back of the quilting (and yes, I still have to add my sleeve and label..)

My quilt was a labor of love and I hope that it speaks to you. It really is one that best appreciated in person and with touch.

Did you enter? I would love to see what "home" meant to you.

Where Does Inspiration Come From

There are times when I'm flooded with ideas. They always seem to hit me at inopportune times..like when I'm trying to fall asleep, driving Kiddo to school, or in the shower. And there are plenty of times when trying to think of something new and creative is painful and my brain stalls. What do I do? I look for creative prompts and try to work past it.

I'm so glad Project Quilting is back in full swing. Kim has worked at hard at creating an atmosphere that is welcoming and encouraging. The week long challenge is never long enough for me to complete what I envision, BUT it gives me incredible inspiration and a safe place to try something new. Whether you are a novice or experienced, modern or traditional, you have to give it a try.

This week the challenge was to be inspired by architecture. I had a number of ideas, but they always ended up being too literal. The week was coming to an end and I had nothing to show for it. On the way to Kiddo's school I was listening to The Muppets soundtrack and racking my brain. This started a very long train of thought..

..The Muppets.. "The Muppets Take Manhattan" movie..famous New York buildings..

The Empire State Building... "Sleepless in Seattle" and the Empire lit up with a heart for Valentine's Day..

Valentine's Day.. love.. so in love my with my husband.. haven't painted much since I fell in love with my Hubby...miss painting.. favorite artist Van Gogh..favorite painting "Starry Night"...

Does everyone's else brain work in such crazy ways?

So.. what I came up with is to take a spin on "Starry Night".. something romantic and something that focuses on the beauty of architecture instead of nature. 

I wanted to try a few new techniques as well. I had recently read about an alternate to using fusible when working with appliques. The main idea is to over saturate the fabric with starch and lots of hot ironing. It worked great - really cut down on fraying with raw edge applique, considerably cheaper, and pretty quick.

Here is a picture of where I started with the simple appliques..

 And then I decided that I wanted to play with painting on fabric. It would be crazy to try a Van Gogh and not have any actual painting.I worked with both fabric paints and acrylic paints mixed with a textile medium. I have lots and lots..and lots to learn. BUT I had soo much fun and will do it more in the future.

 Then it was time for lots of free motion quilting. Some with colored thread, some with different colored bobbin thread, some monofilament.. You can't learn if you don't take risks and put yourself out there.

 And here is my completed quilt. I love the warmth and love that emanates from this piece. It just makes me happy to look at and it made me happy to make. In my opinion, quilting should be a release and not a source of stress.

 I have a love/hate relationship with the heart.I feel it's distracting,but it was the source of inspiration and it felt necessary to keep. I hope Van Gogh isn't turning in his grave.. hope he would enjoy a more romantic take on his breathtaking work..