etsy link love - the mount royal mint shop

I adore being part of Etsy. Its like a craft/art rave 24/7. There are so many talented artists on there that one of my favorite hobbies in the evenings when I'm unwinding from a long day is to surf the site, its like my own personal gallery walk. The thing that always strikes me most is that these are artists that just a few short years ago I would never have heard of or seen or gotten to talk to. And that's one of the biggest things that endears Etsy to me.

So I thought I'd share with you some of the artists that I've fallen for. I think you'll find them just as charming as I do. Please do visit them and admire their work, its all wonderful. :)

**All photos & listing descriptions are copyright of the seller & have been used with their express permission**

This week I'd like to introduce you to the Mount Royal Mint shop.

 

Sabina is a full time artist living in Montreal Quebec and she has linked spirituality to her intricately detailed, hand sewn felt bear sculptures. (She was recently interviewed by Etsy as a Featured Seller, you can read the full interview here.) 

There are zodiac bears:

 zodiac spirit bear - Cancer - month of July

this guy here reps the month of july and the cancer crab. crab symbolism includes protection, rebirth, and deep emotions. crab people are usually sensitive people who are very guarded. It takes a long time for the crab person to trust others. crab teaches us to shield ourselves when necessary, but not to let our emotions get the better of us. 

And bears handsomely decorated in costume:

spearhead spirit bear - animal soft sculpture

a dusty brown spirit bear from the spearhead mountain ranges. he lives high on the peaks of the glacier where he watches over the lone goat pass. he has a sandy coat and a rich red belly. spearhead bear is detailed with grey felt fragments and colorful embroidered lines and designs. 

And spirit bears to guide you:

natural spirit bear - felt bear soft sculpture

The spirit bear is very special. he is not blonde, nor albino. he is black. a black bear with a unique gene. (science calls it "degenerative" but spirit bears prefer softer terms)

Due to his earmarked appearance, spirit bear holds a prominent place in the mythology of the Canadian First Nations.

They are serene and beautiful, bearing the hand of the maker in a wonderful way. Its a clear connection of spirituality and the art of handmade. Please visit Mount Royal Mint to see more of her work.

i {heart} bad art

I love making mistakes.

No really, I do.

This quote from Albert Einstein puts it into perfect perspective:

I've been experimenting a lot lately. Most of it has not worked out and I'm totally good with that. And yes, that is said minus the eye rolling and heavy sarcasm.

Here's the thing, when I mess things up its because I'm just playing. There's no pressure, I don't care if there is a mistake, I don't care if anyone sees it. Most of the time I'll toss it in a pile to get cut up for a collage and over-printed later on. But some of the stuff I've been making lately have been real dogs and they are now firmly acquainted with the trash can.

I'll never learn anything new or feel excited about my work if I don't goof up and experiment. So that's what I'm doing. Making really really really bad art.

And I love it. :)

wordless wednesday

photo copyright Lynn Krawczyk, 2012

video inspiration

I've been finding myself trolling around looking for new ways to keep my creative curiosity ramped up. Looking outside of the fiber medium seems to be doing the trick, its helping me see things in a new way.

The medium is not the key, the way it touches our hearts and minds is. So I thought I'd share some of the things I've been finding interesting and inspiring with you here on the blog.

This video is very meditative and I've gone back to it many times to play it. I think you'll dig it - enjoy!

please allow me to introduce you to...

I'm still catching up on introducing you to the groups I write about for my Quilting Arts column but I want to make sure I cover them all. The newest issue of QA is about to hit the stands but these groups are from the October/November issue and they are pretty nifty.

And really, the nicest things about magazines is that they never expire, its indefinite inspiration. :)

The October/November issue covered several different groups and each one helps you learn how to start your own group. If its something you've been thinking about but weren't quite sure how to go about it, two groups have plenty of advice to get you on your way. The other two groups in the article offer insight as to how they've managed to keep the members showing up and connected.

Sisters in Cloth from Connecticut was formed when Diane Wright was a newbie in town and wanted to connect with like minded artists.

The Creative Crones of studioQ in Texas came together when they broke away from a larger guild. They talk about creating a specific topic group, something more focused.

The Batty Binders in Ohio have been meeting for 17 years and they site one big reason: unconditional support. Learn about their "batt signal" and how they came together to help a member in need.

And lastly, but most definitely not least, the group Five in Maine uses the internet to keep their group going strong. They've created a unique blog called And Then We Set it On Fire (don't you just love that name??)  to document their surface design adventures.

As always, its always a pleasure to get to know these artists. Each group seems like a lot of fun (if I could spend my whole life touring the country interviewing artists I would be in heaven) and I think you will love them to! :)

what's in a name?

I've been thinking about names a lot lately. (And the photo above is kind of out of place with this post but I hate posting without pictures and its kind of a nifty saying, isn't it?)

When I got home from IQF Houston, I felt an overwhelming sense of clarity. Mostly that a lot of things I've been thinking about changing for the past year need. to. happen.

One of the things that has been kicking around in my head is the name of my business - Fibra Artysta. I thought we'd talk about it because I think as artists we don't talk about business things often enough. If the idea bores you, I'll post art stuff in a day or two. :)

Its constantly misspelled (can't say I'm surprised), frequently mispronounced and really, is it descriptive at all? I've had this nagging worry that people are associating it with the Fashonista trend. And recently I noticed that someone else is using a name that is nearly identical and when I saw that, I knew it was the Universe knocking me over the head and saying "Do it already!!"

So I am.

And for the record? "Fibra Artysta" means Fiber Artist in Polish. When I was first starting out I was an addicted mixed media girl. I still kind of am but my focus has finally settled on printing fabric and hand stitching so the name just doesn't excite me anymore.

After many really bad ideas for a new company name were scrawled in my notebook, I finally settled on one: Smudged Textiles Studio.

Its a little goofy, a little serious, quite friendly and it reflects my focus. I'm a little bit in love with it. :)

I read a lot about from the experts about what to name your business. The overwhelming verdict was to use your name - meaning I should use Lynn Krawczyk. And I thought about it, I really did. But there is a faint idea creeping around the edge of my mind about creating a collective of surface design artists at some point. I don't know what that will mean, how it will be executed or when it will happen but if the idea is there, I'll listen. That meant choosing a more general name that could include several people so that's why I picked Smudged Textiles Studio.

So now the hard work begins. I've resisted the idea of re-branding my business for a long time because wow, its going to be a big pain in my behind. To take the sting out of it, I've decided to hire Holly Knott to design a big girl website for me. I think I hold my own well enough fumbling through websites but I'd like one that is well designed and has things that require code and graphic design and well. That's more then I can do. Add to it the fact that it takes an extraordinary amount of time (do you have any idea how much fabric I can print in the time it takes to build a website??) and it was kind of a no brainer.

The process will take a while. I'm hoping to be completed by late spring next year. It will mean asking you to follow me to wherever I move (not sure yet if the blog will be relocated, decisions decisions) and that makes me a little nervous because I love you all. But I think you'll like the new digs when they're done.

So a new name. Such a small thing to open up the doorway to new beginnings. :)

red & white quilt auction stamping out hunger

See this beautiful quilt?

Its going to feed hungry families in Southeast Michigan.

How? Its up for auction on ebay and all of the money raised in the auction is going to the Gleaner's chapter of Southeast Michigan.

With the holiday season coming up, a lot of us are turning our attention to gift giving and celebrating with family and sitting around the living room watching tons of bad T.V. (which is personally on my list). But you know, its not so easy for a lot of people out there. And Gleaners is working darn hard to make things better.

The quilt was made by the extremely talented members of the fiber art group I belong to, Running with Scissors. Deb hatched the idea, the red and white fabric flew, the sewing machines whirred and viola!

Here's all the details on it:

Running with Scissors,  our fiber arts group from metro Detroit worked together on this beautiful red and white quilt.  We volunteered our time and materials so proceeds could go directly to Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan.  

Our members pieced quilt blocks in rows of alternating red and white, which we then assembled in a rail fence pattern.  We added a few diagonally oriented blocks for a little zip and interest.  We achieved a nice variety of prints thanks to everyone digging into their fabric stash for red and white quilting cottons.  The quilt top was sent out to a local artisan and professionally quilted.  One of our pro members bound the quilt with a durable dark red cotton binding.  The backing is the same dark red cotton (see photo).  This quilt has been laundered to show off its lovely quilted texture.  We hope the owner of this quilt will use and enjoy it to its fullest, just a little TLC is required--gentle washing in cold water. With the first few washings include a few color catcher sheets, just to be sure the red fabrics will bleed.  We will include these sheets with your purchase. 

Quilt size:  Full/Queen    78" x 93"
Made with quality quilting fabrics
Batting is 80/20 cotton/poly blend
Free Shipping

Here's a close up, its really nice:

I love the scrappy look, don't you? Its very cozy. And with winter knocking on the door, it wold be a great addition to the couch in front of your fireplace. Or even gift giving - that would be great!

There is a list as long as me of all the good reasons to go visit the auction and bid on this quilt. The auction runs until November 22 so there's plenty of time to consider and get to know it.

I hope you'll fall in love with it and help RWS help Michigan families have a good holiday season! :)

the battle begins

Here is my foe:

That is the studio's response to a year of chasing deadlines and an extraordinary number of projects. It has slight battle fatigue.


Here is my weapon:

And there are reinforcements waiting in the wings.

Let's see who wins the battle....

it was a whirlwind

You know how when you plan something for a real long time and then it finally arrives and it flies by like its hair is on fire and its heading toward the nearest water source?

Yeah, that was International Quilt Festival in Houston.

Quick. Over in a blink of an eye. And alllllllll kinds of fantastic.

I'm finally coming up for air today. Managed to find the top of my print table in my studio and my writing desk (I'm tempted to just walk in every day and admire it, its a lovely thing). I came back from Festival with some clarity. Some things about my art business have been picking at me and I'm ready to change them. And I want to try some new things. Much pondering to be done but in the meantime, I thought maybe I'd show you some pics I snapped along the trip.

(If you follow me on Instagram (you can find me under "girllovespaint", you can see all the photos I took, some of the quilts in exhibits.)


I was oddly fascinated with the light tunnel at Detroit Metro Airport.

 * * *

We stayed at the Hilton and felt stealthy since we got the James Bond room (the little voodoo guy is Hank, gifted to me by Leann. I took him along on the trip for some quirky photo ops).

  * * *

 We ate outstanding Mexican food.

 * * * 

I stayed committed to NaNoWriMo and started writing my short story collection out by hand since I left my laptop at home.

  * * *

Kate and I traveled together to Festival and we found coffee refuge in the hotel restaurant (she is even more obsessed with coffee then me if you can believe it). Apparently Starbucks has taken over the world and it was difficult to find anything that was not it. But we persevered and drank many pots of non-Starbucks goodness.

  * * *

I did some serious shopping on the vendor floor. This is my favorite new studio friend.

It might be a little bit before I can set it up, need to give the studio some serious layout consideration but I think we will be enjoying many fine hours together.

* * *

I visited my favorite fabric vendor, Akonye Kena (don't see the fabric on their website but trust me, its gorgeous and drool worthy and I'm making really good friends with it).

 * * *

The Hilton's food wasn't cheap (we won't discuss the cost) but they distracted you with cute presentations.

  * * *

 I did my Open Studios demo sponsored by Craftsy (more photos to come later, Kate snapped away for me).

My demo neighbor was Pokey Bolton, here she is showing her thermofax screen love.

I managed to paint a fly's wings (look really closely). The little bugger sat there and squeegeed them off with his legs. He managed to fly away after a couple of minutes.

   * * * 

There was a cupcake food truck right in the food court area. We thought it was a stroke of genius.

  * * *  

I discovered these fabric organizers. They've given me incredible hope that I can finally create order in my studio. A box of them is whisking its way to me as we speak. I'm sure I'll blog about them again.

There was more but those are the highlights. And they are pretty good ones. :)

My primary focus right now is to tidy the studio so that I can work in there without feeling like I want to set it on fire. Back to the office tomorrow for a couple of days and then this weekend is for cleaning. I'm looking forward to it and to having enough mental space to get back to blogging! :)

come visit me at "Open Studios" at Houston IQF!! :)

 

I just got a brand new batch of business cards. I'm a little in love with them because they feature my Remnant Collage series and its satisfying to see them all lined up in a row like that. I ordered a larger batch then I normally do. Why you ask?

Because I'll be doing a demo in Houston at the International Quilt Festival! :) Here are the details:

OPEN STUDIOS AT IQF-HOUSTON SPONSORED BY CRAFTSY

 

In case you aren't familiar with either Open Studios or Craftsy, allow me to explain.

Open Studios is a demo spectacular that happens at the International Quilt Festival. Professional artists demo a wide range of techniques and if you're attending festival, you can wander right up the table and watch and ask questions and just generally have a blast. This will be my third time doing Open Studios but first time doing them in Houston and I couldn't be more thrilled to be participating in them at the mother show of IQF.

The demoing fanfare of Open Studios is being hosted by Craftsy. Craftsy is an online host to a really impressive array of online classes. Wander on over to their site, its really awesome! Open Studios and Craftsy is a great collaboration!

I'll be at Open Studios on Saturday November 3 from 10am-noon demoing Shadow Printing. 

That's a printing technique that creates a layered facade on fabric similar to the way shadows layer themselves over things. I'll also be showing how to do layered printing on fabric and flinging paint about at random. (Don't worry, I won't get any on you.)

If you are coming to IQF-Houston, please do stop by and say hello, I'd love to meet you! Plus there are TONS of awesome demos going on the entire time, stop by Pokey Bolton's blog to read the full schedule. The demo stages are located near the food courts.

Here's a peek at what I'm taking along for samples. Hope to see you there!! :)

surrendering to the flow

I'm a planner. Its engrained in me like my fingerprints, I'm always looking for a way to plot a course and organize the direction of what I do.

But lately I'm learning to let go. I'm realizing that not knowing how everything will go may be the way things should be.

I used to think that I had an end goal, a specific place I wanted my life and my art career to end up. As I putter along, from one project to the next, I'm learning to embrace the unpredictability of it all. I'll be honest, its not easy. Its like staring at a blank page and trying not to fill it, to allow the uncertainty of the vastness to loom large.

Somehow it feels like things would be easier, less stressful if I just allowed them to take their own course. Rather then struggling against the flow, trying to control the direction of things. Because the actions I take with my art are enough to push it forward, to continue its growth.

Perhaps the surrender is what its all about.

please meet "the thursday art group"

I'm a bit behind in introducing you to the fabulous groups I write about in Quilting Arts and its something I intend to correct.



The September/October issue of QA featured the wonderful Thursday Art Group. These women are delving into art history in a truly dedicated way - meeting once a week to wander through the past and trace how art has evolved over time.

They are a fascinating and extremely talented group. They've gained a deeper understanding of the art world through their work and it has allowed them to become more confident in their own art making.

And they keep a blog to share their studies with you, its a great read if you are interested in following along - I'm a faithful reader, love what they post. Its a fantastic way to learn more about the history of art!

where i stand sunday - in love with autumn

There isn't a single thing I dislike about this season. Its rich. In color, smell, temperature. Its alive and electric and it permeates every aspect of life.

 I see it from my studio window, leaves turning dark and moody with thick color.

 

 Its in my cup, pumpkin spiced tea warm and intoxicating.

Vegetables dressed for the occassion.

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. 

where i stand sunday

The sun seems to hang sideways, transforming true color into something electric and poetic. The sky was shrinkwrapped in grey today, everything felt altered, more intense and washed out all at the same time. Its unsettling to watch nature rush forward, the season has a mild shade of violence at the edges. An ending that comes on schedule without regard for anything else.

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. 

a small change of plans - etsy shop notice!

I spent this past Sunday knee deep in the pile of debris I so fondly refer to as my studio and office. (I swear, if I don't tame this soon, I'll find myself on Hoarders screaming "That's still good! Put that back!")

Its thrown into sharp relief that deadlines are approaching and I need to be much more focused about where I spend my time. When this happens, I begin to ruthlessly examine things. Sort of like lining them up against the wall and firing my "You can wait!" gun at them.

Back in this post I outlined the new schedule for my etsy shop over the next few months but its pretty apparent that I need to revise that even more. Because as much as I'd like to, I've yet to find a way to cram more hours into the day (trust me, I'm working on it).

So to make things easier on Jackie and I, I'm switching things up a little bit again - but in a way that I hope you will find exciting. 'Cause I kind of like it, seems like a nifty idea.

The shop will be closed December 2012 and January 2013, reopening on February 2, 2013. During the month of November 2012, the shop will not stock any thermofax screens but will feature artwork that would make wonderful gifts for the upcoming season from myself and Jackie.

Hear that? Pay attention - NO THERMOFAX SCREENS FOR THREE MONTHS. That means get them by October 31 or pine away until next February.

Here, let me list it out to make it clear:

November 2012 - Awesome artwork by Lynn and Jackie for gift giving - no thermofax screens

December 2012 & January 2013 - CLOSED

February 2, 2013 - shop reopens with all thermofax screen options available for your screen printing pleasure.

No, this is not being done to drive you mad - but rather to keep us both sane. The project that I'm working on that has prompted this decision is a tremendous amount of work and I want to give it my full attention because I'm thinking you all will love it as much as I do once its complete.

So get the screens while the getting is good! I'll still be blogging and facebooking and online all over the place, just not selling thermofax screens duirng that time period.

Thanks!! :)

"color + stitch" at the 2012 ASE

A couple weeks ago I taught my new class, "color + stitch", at the American Sewing Expo in Novi, MI. Kate (always an incredible sport and help) and I shuffled into the expo center super early (we didn't mind too much, we had coffee) and began setting things up.

I admit, I always get a little nervous before class. Mostly because my teaching style is a little more on the relaxed size. I'll boss you around as much as you want me to but for the most part, I give you all the space you need to do your own thing.

Turns out the bunch that showed up for class embraced it with style and boy, did we have a good time. As proof to their adventurous spirits, here is the class sample that the demos were centered around:

And these are shots from class of the awesomeness that everyone made:

 (I've noticed that I make weird faces when I talk. And there always seems to be a camera around when I make them. Oh and also? I'm quite short.)

(We made a mess. Although no one got paint in their hair.)

Not a single piece made looked exactly like the class sample. It would have been totally cool if there had been but everyone watched the demos and flung paint about in a way that suited their own artistic eye. Love that! 

I had a blast. :) I slept thirteen hours the following day but still, a total blast in every way. I so enjoy teaching, I wish my schedule allowed for more of it. But rather then lament over how rarely I do it, I'm thankful for the times when I can. :)

where i stand sunday

The rain throws the colors into a riot of saturation. I can't help but loose myself in the flow of layered liquid and the discards of the slumber season. Everything so easily gives up its grip, letting things be as they should. They fall because they should. They let the life color drain away to be replaced by the burning transition because they should. They offer a beauty that only decay can offer, rich and deep and endlessly fascinating.

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. 

odd habits

Behold - the chaos that is my studio.

I posted that picture on my facebook page and most people didn't think it was so awful. Truth be told, its not as bad as it could be. After all, you can actually see the things that the floor is made out of. I consider that a step in the right direction.

There has been some cleaning. Minor. Enough to make it look more inhabitable. (Truth be told, a friend was coming over for the first time to see it right after I shot this snap. I swear, nothing makes you clean quicker then company.)

I've realized that I have a long list of studio habits that basically converge into an all powerful series of ticks that lead the studio to look the way it does above. I wondered if maybe I'm not alone so I thought maybe I'd post a few of them here (insanity does love company).

1.  There is no need to redefine the word "floor".  Finished with that fabric? Throw it in a downward direction. Need to move that paper? Introduce it to the fabric you just finished with. Its like trying to make a mixed media piece beneath my feet. That or I'm just trying to make myself taller.

2. Two bottles of glue is plenty. Not five, not seven and certainly not ten. (We won't say where my count is at.) Its also perfectly acceptable to use up a whole bottle at a time. We aren't running a glue museum here, after all.

3. Just because its a flat surface does not mean it needs a pile. Or does it?

4. Books bearing titles such as "Declutter in 30 days" and "100 ways to stay organized" only work if they are removed from the plastic they were shipped in and read. Simply owning them does not make your organized.

5. Same goes for the twenty stacks of post-it-notes. Possession of organizational items is a mental band aid only. (See photo above.)

6. It is unacceptable to clean your paint brush on the carpet. Period.

7. The pet's fur does not count as a duster. You may not use them to rid the room of dust bunnies.

I've accepted this room is what it is. But its still curious to me how it gets so chaotic. Its like a cocoon of creative madness. Maybe not such a horrible thing after all.

Although sometimes I do feel that I need to leave a note with a rescue squad in case I need to be rescued. You never know what could be lurking in one of those piles...