messy work table photo collaboration reveal day! :)

Here we are - time to show off your messy work tables! :)

Being an artist is a gift but let's face it, its not neat. And where other people see complete chaos, we see a lovely pile of potential.

Today I'm showing you the current state of my work table and so are the artists listed below. Don't feel bad about having a messy work space - show it off as a sign of creative productivity and happy happenings! Enjoy!

 

And here is my messy work table to start us off. This is a combination of creating 15 new pieces for an exhibit and launching my first online class. Happy stuff going on! (Just for the record? This does drive me nuts. But I refuse to feel guilty about it - I work, I trash it, I make it a total mess, I clean it up and then start all over again. No guilt. Just creating.)

And here are the other artists who are willing to show off their space in all its cluttered glory. Please stop by and visit their blogs:

Holly McLean

Mary Cottingham

Joy Manoleros

 Judi Hurwitt

Kathy Schmidt

Deb Harowitz

Linda Marcille

Jacqueline Bryant Campbell

Jill Eudaly 

Jenice Jones

Ronni Hunter

Cheryl Sleboda

Carol Swallowcliffs

Ann Brauer

Susan Brown


Elaine (quilterelainesblog)

where i stand sunday

The petals from the tree feel like a whisper, a brief pause that demands attention. I want to hold them in my hand, hold onto this burst of beauty and piece.

Where I Stand is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing. Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on. The ground we tread on has its own stories to tell. 

living it

March has been a marathon. I've been mentally prepared for it since the beginning of the year. So many deadlines are converging at the beginning of April so that means every second of this month counts in a big way.

My studio looks like a bomb went off in there, I haven't done any laundry beyond what I need for the next week in nearly a month, grocery shopping has been spotty and I've learned to speed shower. Two more weekends to go and then...what?

There are more projects on the books but at a slower pace. I stepped back today and wondered - would I be happier if I were less busy? Would I be happier if life worked at a slower pace?

No. I can say with absolute certainty - no.

Because all of these things revolve around art. Making it. Teaching it. Writing about it. Living it.

How can I be unhappy about that? How can I want to stop that? Life would be so much less without art. I'll take whatever it is willing to offer.

destruct-o box experiment update - with a twist

 I've been giving my destruct-o box (that simply refuses to destruct in even the slightest way) a thinking about.

Here is the latest development in its decay:

 Thrilling, eh?

I guess I build 'em better then I thought. The whole goal of the experiment was to document it as it broke down. But since its not really doing that at any pace that is interesting (at least interesting enough to post on the blog on a regular basis), I decided to give it some friends that may be more obliging.

I don't know if I've ever shown you this fellow? He sits on the post right above the box:

 I've always thought he is kind of a grumpy looking fellow. Of course, he is wired to the post with rusty wire and his light behind him burned out long ago (maybe he just wants a new night light). He's got some nice wear on him, though, doesn't he?

I decided he could use some cheering up so I made him the keeper of the fabric:

I wove four pieces of fabric underneath the wire and then clipped them with a clothes pin. I don't know if that will be enough to make them stay but we should find out soon enough.

Perhaps the fabric will yield more interesting destruction patterns. Here he is with all his new treasures:

 Can't tell if he's happier or just plain thinks I'm a weirdo for sticking fabric to him.

We've got tons of birds around (sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock out there), maybe they will wander off with some of it. We're also due for rain today so let the games begin...

fly tribe shoe shots blog hop

When I posted about the Messy Work Table photo collaboration (there's still plenty of time to get in on it so don't be shy, click the link to read about it), I got an email from Mary over at Fly Tribe that's she's doing a fun project too!


And when I read what it is, I simply couldn't resist. Here it is:

Its a big long list of people taking pictures of their feet - cool!!! :) Go check out her blog post here to see the list of everyone who participated so you can enjoy all the standing around the internet that there is to be had.

And here is my contribution:

Its one of my favorite Where I Stand shots. Deep rich color, cute shoes, lots of texture.

Thanks Mary for hosting such a fun hop! :)

where i stand sunday

The calendar and temperature do not match. Life is rioting around me, pushing up through cracks at my feet, singing above in branches above my head - swirling into a joyful noise as the world wakes from a light slumber.

Where I Stand is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing. Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on. The ground we tread on has its own stories to tell. 

even bing crosby loves thermofax machines!

My love of thermofax screens is a well documented thing but when a fellow addict pointed me toward this video, I just thought it was so great!

Even Bing Crosby loves thermofax machines! :) I love the little song he sings about them...

"the printed stash" giveaway winners! :)

Today we announce the winners of the giveaways for the students who have registered for my class, The Printed Stash. :: There's still plenty of time to register, visit my original post to learn all about the class and the FUN we're going to have! :) ::

 I've got three giveaways so let's get to it!

Giveaway #1 is for a 6"x6" Gelli Arts plate:

 And the winner is Elizabeth Shaver! :)

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 Giveaway #2 is for two thermofax screens and two bottles of paint in the colors of your choice from my etsy shop:

 And the winner is Sandra Gregg :)

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 Giveaway #3 is for three fat quarters (shown below) dyed by Cathy Arnett:

 And the winner is Janet Moran :)

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Congratulations ladies! I'll be in touch to get your mailing address. Can't wait to meet everyone in class!!!

MESSY WORK TABLE photo collaboration

Last September Seth Apter hosted an online photo collaboration that I just completely fell in love with.

He called it Paper Stacks and the challenge was simple: post a photo on your blog of a stack of something on a certain date. He collected all the participants names and posted a list on his blog so you could troll through everyone's photos looking at their stacks.

Its been on my mind lately so I sent him a message and asked him if he would mind if I did an offshoot of the project. He graciously said yes so I'm excited to announce the

MESSY WORK TABLE photo collaboration!

  (This is what my work table looked like a few weeks ago. Its worse now. You'll see...)

Here's how it works:

1. Take a picture of your worktable in your studio. Don't clean it up. Leave it in all its cluttered glory.

2. Post the photo on your blog on Monday March 26 and title the post "MESSY WORK TABLE photo collaboration"

3. If you are participating, send me an email before then at FibraArtysta@earthlink.net with your name and link to your blog so I can build a list to post here on March 26 for everyone to find you.

I don't know about you but my work table is always in some kind of disarray - and I think most of our's is. I've decided to love it with all its flaws and glory and creative mayhem.

I hope you'll do the same - messy work tables unite! :)

P.S. Feel free to repost this on your blog if you'd like to help spread the word!

where i stand sunday

I am in love with everything color has to offer.

I'm a helpless student, drunk on all the possibilities.

I want to submerge myself in every nuance that surrounds me.

Where I Stand is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing. Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on. The ground we tread on has its own stories to tell. 

giveaway #3 for "the printed stash" students! :)

Okey dokey, here we are at the last giveaway announcement for anyone who registers for my class, The Printed Stash:

The original post explaining everything about the class including how to register - including Giveaway #1 - can be found here.

Giveaway # 2 can be found here.

And here is Giveaway #3:

Giveaway #3 is three fat quarters of hand dyed fabric from The Funky C Fiber Spree. (Seriously drool worthy, aren't they?)

I'm a big believer that you should use whatever fabric you have. So that means if you have a big stash of commercial fabrics, you can use them for surface design. There is no law that says you have to work with hand dyed fabric. But I'm a sucker for hand dyes and can't pass 'em up so I thought this would be a nice treat.

You have until March 14 to register for my class to get in on the giveaways. Class begins on April 1 but there is no deadline for registration (just a deadline to go into the drawing for the giveaways). The way STITCHED is set up is a learn-at-your-own-pace series of workshops so you can join in any time you like.

Hope to see you there! :)

making a pillow without a pillow form

I've got a thing for pillows. How about you?

But I get bored with the ones I can get at the store because they just don't have the kind of feel that I like. So in the midst of my weekend, I found myself needing a diversion to take my mind off some less pleasant things.

Nothing works better for me then a crafty kind of project. And I decided I needed another pillow. Problem was that I was lacking a pillow form. Being a fairly stubborn person, I dug around the studio and came up with a solution that I think it kind of neat so I wanted to share it with you. :)

Here's what I made:

The red center panel was printed with this thermofax screen. Its a fun one, I can tell I'm going to use it on all kinds of projects.

The rest of it was made with commercial fabric from my stash and polyfill. Yup, you read that right - polyfill. I'm really digging that part, means I can make any size and shape pillow I want for way cheaper and I can make it as squishy or firm as I prefer. (Might be a good way to make a doggie pillow too!) All good things when it can be tailored to your needs.

Its super super easy to make this so I thought I'd step it out for you. Give it a try! :)

1. Screen print the center panel on your choice of fabric. (This design would look good over top of a commercial print too in a contrasting paint color. Its got so much fun movement!)

2. Decide how big you want your pillow to be and cut the borders wide enough to help you get there. My pillow is 14" wide but I've got the urge now to make a GIANT one now.

3. Sew the borders to the center panel after your print has dried. I ran several lines of blue stitching around it to bring out the color of the paint, just a nice little detail.

4. Cut the backing piece to the final size of the pillow and stitch the front and back together. You can do what I did and just sew them together so the edges stay raw (I do love a good raw frayed edge of fabric) or sew them together right sides together and then turn them for a crisp edge.

5. Stuff away with polyfill! :) I cut a slit into the back piece for stuffing (and then stitched it closed after I got the firmness I wanted) but you can also leave an opening along the seam to shove the stuffing in and then just whip stitch it shut.

I find these little projects a great break from the bigger ones. Just something fun to add a dot of interest in the hustle and bustle. Plus you end up with something you can use - doesn't get much better then that! :)

the spaces

She's learning the spaces she leaves

Have their own things to say...

-Ani DiFranco

I'm always working to fill, fill, fill. Fill the time, fill the canvas, fill the to-do list.

Its easy to skirt past the spaces. The little places where life percolates in quiet concentration, waiting for its chance to break free and move into action.

This is the way its been in the studio the past few weeks. A frantic dance of filling and a gentle stepping back to breathe in the spaces left behind.

Its music, fate, comfort, the place I belong.

giveaway #2 for "the printed stash" students! :)

In case you missed it - and I'm not really sure how you could have since I've been shouting it from the mountain tops for days now :) - I'm teaching an online class called The Printed Stash that begins on April 1:

Its a technique class on Thermofax Screen Printing and Gelatin Plate Monoprinting. Go check out my original post on it to read all about it and how to register.

If you are among the first 20 students to register before March 14, you can get in on a drawing to win one of three very awesome giveaways to help you along your way in the class!

Giveaway # 1 is shown in the original post and today I'm showing you Giveaway #2:

Giveaway #2 is your choice of any two thermofax screens and your choice of any two paint colors from my shop. Fun, right? :)

Giveaway #3 will be posted here on March 9 so check back to see that. 

I can't tell you how excited I am about teaching this class!!! (Okay, okay, maybe you've noticed since I can't shut up about it.)

I decided to start a Pinterest board for it as well so if you are a student, your work can be posted up there and if you're not, then you can drool with the rest of us. :)

Its right up there on the top row, the first board. So if you're interested in some serious eye candy (the board will really start hopping in April since the class goes live April 1), please follow the board to keep up with everything.

More soon! :)

studio sunday - remnants collage parade & magazine winner!

I know today is usually Where I Stand Sunday but I've been working my behind off in the studio and thought I'd mix things up with a Studio Sunday post instead. :)

But before I get going, let's announce the winner of the Spring Studios issue giveaway:

Congrats tiedyejudy! :)

Back in the studio, my space looks like Remnant Collages have exploded all over it.

Not a bad thing mind you but holy cow, what a mess. But the things that come out of that mess are always loads of fun.

I pulled out a stack of thermofax screens and printed everything within an inch of its life:

These collages are beyond addictive. I love 'em. I don't think I'll ever get tired of making them.

Here are several smaller ones in a pile:

And Beast #1 and Beast #2 are nearly finished. I'm still fussing with them.

Especially this one. I've already added some more printing since this photo was taken, I love the circles but I want to push them into the background a little bit more, they are too in-your-face.

I may have occasionally sighed loudly in Jackie's direction for making me work this large (the April show is  a duo of our work) but honestly? I'm totally loving it. (Make sure you follow the link on her name over to her blog, she's been posting detail photos of her work that will be in the show and its really beautiful.)

I was at the art store the other day and nearly walked out with a canvas that most likely would not fit in my car (realized that after I was driving away.) Next time I have a coupon to get it cheaper and a friend with a mini van, I'm going to get a monster canvas and start chipping away at it.

Photos completely suck and that's why I'm starting to take my work to a professional photographer. I've given up on the torture of trying to get things just so. So in two weeks I'll be dropping sixteen pieces off to get good photos (super excited about that!)

I have a few things to do on about three more pieces and need to paint out the edges on several of them and wire and label them all up. Luckily that is brainless work that I can chip away at during the week.

The studio is hopping, such a good feeling! :)

take an online workshop with me at STITCHED! :)

Okay gang, we had a little bit of technical difficulties there but I hopped on and here is all the information about STITCHED and my workshop there! :)

**Please read through the whole things, its a bit long but there's lots of good information in here and there are THREE giveaways that you can qualify for so you need to read all the way to the end to find out how to do that! :) **

Earlier this year, the fabulous Alma Stoller invited me to become a member of the STITCHED workshop family. To say that I am thrilled is a complete understatement!! :) I've been receiving requests from all over the country to teach and have had to say no (with a heavy heart) because it just doesn't fit the way I live right now to travel to teach. So teaching online was much on my mind and Alma has helped me reach that goal by inviting me to join STITCHED.

STITCHED is a collection of video workshops - 20 to be exact. When you register, you have access to all 20 classes until January 2013 so you can take your time to peruse each one and work at your own pace. Each video workshop has downloadable PDFs so you have handouts to keep the class material fresh in your mind. :) There are boards for each class so you can socialize with other students and ask questions of the instructor, its a really unique experience.

I'm really excited to bring my workshop, The Printed Stash, to the collection:

The Printed Stash

Thermofax Screen Printing and Gelatin Plate Monoprinting

with Lynn Krawczyk



This is a technique based workshop. In this one hour long video you will learn the basics of Thermofax Screen Printing as well as more advanced concepts like printing layers. We'll talk about what images work best, how to choose colors and the depth that can be created with this process. We'll also learn Gelatin Plate Monoprinting. We'll create positve and negative prints, learn how to transfer your own doodles and drawings to the plate and how to use the plate on projects you already have in progress. While we won't work through an actual project in the workshop because its centered around teaching skills, we will talk about the different ways you can use the fabric you create by looking at various examples.

Edited to add 04 march 12: You will need thermofax screens and a gelatin plate to take this class. Both are inexpensive tools. You can get thermofax screens here and a gelatin plate here.

The best classes I've ever taken have been ones that teach me skills that I can use and adapt to my own way of working. So that's how I structure my classes and that's what The Printed Stash is about.

My class doesn't go live until April 1, 2012 but you can begin registering now for it. Why would you want to do that? Remember I mentioned giveaways at the beginning? Well read on to find out what the deal is. :)

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How much does it cost and how do I register?

Its $89. For all twenty classes. Yup, you read it right - that's only $4.45 a class! Its a totally awesome deal!

Alma has made registering super easy too. All you have to do is use this link below to get to the STITCHED registration site:

Click here to view more details

Its super important that you use that link to register because when you do, Alma will know that I sent you. With that list is how you can get in on the giveaways!! :)

Once you are on the registration site you will be able to read about all 20 workshops offered.

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Giveaways :)
You all know how I love to share. :)

And since I'm so excited about being able to connect to you this way, I'm doing not one but THREE giveaways. The first 20 people who register using the link above will go into the drawing for the giveaways.

The first one is posted below. Giveaway # 2 will be posted here on my blog on March 5 and Giveaway #3 will be posted here on my blog on March 9. I'll announce the winners on March 14 so there is plenty of time to get your items before class starts.

Okay, so here is giveaway #1 - a 6" x 6" Gelli Arts Plate!

How cool is that?? :) The other two giveaways will also provide items to use in conjunction with the workshop. I'm just sooooooo excited!!! 

I know this is a lot of info and tons of exclamation points and all kinds of happy happy but this is something I've been wanting to do for a long time and its such a gift to be able to do it through a wonderful community like STITCHED. I hope you'll join me there! :)