Inspired

fully captivated by the art of Brody Neuenschwander

obsessing over up-cycled men dress shirts 
(a little more about the trend here,  here and here) and circular vests.

(my take on the up- cycling trend: sleeves were sewn-together to make a skirt and a flower broach.)

 and just fond this really cool step-by-step craft site.

Inspired

Art Quilting Studio

Over the last few months I have been scouting innovative art-quilters for
Art Quilting Studio as it will return as a semi-annual publication in June of 2011.

As art quilting is my passion it has been a Joy searching the internet and quilt shows for artist to fill the pages of the new upcoming issue of Art Quilting Studio. Each semi-annual issue provides detailed photographs and instructions to fuel artists and quilters to delve into emerging trends in art quilting. Artists and quilters from around the world will be featured, as they showcase innovative surface treatments and quilting techniques.

I invite you to submit your artwork and leave your link on this post to share your work.

Artwork submission is due by January 15, 1010 for the June 2011 Art Quilting Studio and you can find out about Submission Guidelines by Clicking here for more details!

Art Quilting Studio

Inspired

by:
Antoni Tapies
Cy Twombly
Anselm Kiefer
Mark Tobey

and fully charmed by:
Louise Bourgeois
and her image and they way she portrayed her life and art.
(this is in french you can view a interview of her in English here)

Inspired

Prudence...

Well here she is...
My little Prudence.
she is about the size of a newborn at about 20 inches long.
I had some issues as to what I wanted her face to look like and in the end I went with a primitive Raggedy Anne type look, my thought was that she could have seasonal outfits.
I found that after over a 15 year hiatus as a doll maker that doll hair can no longer be found at my local craft shop so I had to improvise and craft her hair out of supper thick yarn.

and as you all well knew she was going to get a poetry dress all her own....

her dress reads:
“My mother says I must not pass, Too near that glass; She is afraid that I will see, A little witch that looks like me; With a red mouth to whisper low, The very thing I should not know”

I will fully admit that when I came up with her legs and high healed button up boots that I impressed my self a little... I would adore my very own pair of striped poetry tights!

And here you have Prudence all dressed up for the witching season!



If you would like to try your hand at doll creating you will find a very simple doll pattern in my my book "Layered, Tattered & Stitched".
Happy Creating!

Prudence...

life...

I love this little guy! he is forever by my side.

I have became a domestic goddess over the last few weeks.
There is something about the fall that puts me into 100% nest mode! I have been reorganizing my house, cooking and cleaning and doing all things domestic.

(more details here)

case at hand this dress:
I made it for myself last week, I drafted my own pattern and I am very pleased how it turned out. I even had a chance to where it out on Saturday.
I will fully admit that when it comes to most things arty and crafty I am 100% fearless, how ever ask me to sew something wearable and all of my insecurity's start running wild!

I think its good to have a few insecurity's if we don't take them to serious: as they can keep us on our toes striving for more. I really do need to take a few more sewing classes, so I can improve on my skills and grow so I can move into the direction of sewing more clothes.

we all have directions that we want to take, we all have to find new challenges to help us grow. we must not allow our insecurity's to take charge of our creativity.

so I invite you to ask your self this question:

what do I need to do or learn to grow in my creative life?

life...

Working on dress for me....

Adjusting the ruffled collar detail now.

Working on dress for me....

Shop order going out....

I have just as much fun packaging as I do making what goes inside!

I use my small fabric scraps to make jewelry bags and little pillows to hold them on.

then use ink and rubber stamps to embellish.

Happy Creating!

Shop order going out....

on news stands now.

I have 4 workshops in the new somerset workshop volume 7.
In this book I cover free-motion stitching and surface treatment along with how to make a book and how to make a frame out of acrylic and how you can make your little stitched dress with words.

This summer I traveled with my singer feather weight down to the stampington headquarters
to take the photos of these step outs.

you can order your copy of somerset workshop here.

on news stands now.

Witch hat.

Witch hat.

Cutting table view

What little witch does not need a hat?
a rotary cutter and mat really makes cutting a breeze!

Cutting table view

Desk view...

I really like how her legs came out with the words on them I am now stitching tiny mother of pearl buttons on her boots to complete them.

Desk view...

Sewing this now...

Words for her story dress.

Sewing this now...

Desk view...

Working on leg details.

Desk view...

Cutting table view

Every girl needs a dress!

Cutting table view

Desk view...

Arms attached... Feet and head next.

Desk view...

Desk view...

Stitching face on.

Desk view...

Desk view...

Painting the doll legs.

Desk view...

Desk view

Stitched body.

Desk view

Altered desk view...

Stitching up the body.

Altered desk view...

going back...

I was working on this doll last night...
it reminded me of how I used to craft in my early 20's
I raised my children following Waldorf principals: for the most part we would learn things through songs and doing all things by hands to enhance the magical way that young ones see the world. As I labored yesterday stuffing the small body parts of the doll last night it reminded me of when my kids were very small and I made hand crafted dolls from natural fibers for them to hold and when they got a little older together we made almost all of there own toys (the only toys that we did buy for them were hand made to help foster the knowledge of creativity and a can do attitude in my kids... we even used to make out own crayons!)

my children are now young adults but I am glad to share they still still enjoy the process of hand made in there life.

Happy Creating~

going back...

Shop orders...

Ready to box and ship off.

Shop orders...