Wen Redmond class

I'm happy.

Saturday, I took a class with Wen Redmond. It was a great class.
She teaches strip piecing techniques that Nancy Crow teaches in her improvisations class. So it was a recap for me, but what a good time to take that again. It was refreshing and something I can use to my advantage now. This will fit nicely into my new look.

The Apples and Crafts Fair in Woodstock, VT was a wonderful experience. I sold many quilts there. I am now proceeding into two more crafts fairs. The Saturday before Thanksgiving, I will share a table with my fiber artist friend, Rosie Birch, at the Holiday Craft fair held at Thetford Academy, Thetford Vermont. Then, I share a booth with my woodworker friend, David Fall, at the Woodstock Inn's Holiday Craft Fair, Friday and Saturday Nov, 27 & 28.

Stop by to see me! : )

"Live for the moment"

M

Yesterday was fantastic! I was able to embrace the goddess. In turn, as promised, she was generous.

I'm creating again today. I had the usual start with the "avoidance dance" but I have transcended. I continue on track with the same piece as yesterday. I hope to have it completed tomorrow.

Back to work!

"It is the function of creative men to perceive the relations between thoughts, or things, or forms of expression that may seem utterly different, and to be able to combine them into some new forms - the power to connect the seemingly unconnected." - William Plomer

O.K., A panic attack in the middle of the night is pretty distressing, but better to have one several days before a deadline when there is still time to do something about it, right? Right.

So, last night my "to do" list got a subset "to do" list. I am in the fine tuning mode of the count down. The list seems so logical, too. How can that be in the middle of the night?

I am sewing right now and I love what I'm doing, but it scares me. I am scared of how it is progressing. It looks so good! Yes! Wow! What do I do now?

Oh no, I feel like I'm in the beginning stages of hyperventilation. I am afraid of my inner hidden creativity. Oh baby....don't do that! Don't go there! If I succumb, it will be complete shut down and the lights go off. I'll end up spending the rest of the day doing laundry or something mundane like that.

No! Open up and let the goddess of creativity embrace you. She is gentle. She is kind and you deserve to feel the nurturing caress of the creative spirit. Push through this, you can do it! Steady....steady....

O.K. bye.

Ah Ha! Another sunny day, distracting in all its charm. The fall colors are teasing me by peeking through my studio window in all their vibrancy! It's Fall!

Today is a get down to business day.

With several deadlines looming, I am currently preparing for the Apples and Crafts Fair happening in Woodstock, VT over Columbus Day weekend. I also will have work in the upcoming local fibers show at Creare, Etna, NH, and the teachers exhibit at the Hanover Branch of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen.

Time to get to work. See ya!

"The greatest challenges facing both the arts and education are how to navigate the perilous course between adventure and discipline; how to respond to tradition without either rejecting it or becoming its slave." - Robert W. Corrigan

Monoprinting on Fabrics this weekend!

This photo is from SculptureFest. Taken by Valley News Photographer Jennifer Hauck

It's beautiful outside today. I love the fall weather. It's hard to be inside doing things when I'd rather be outside. Ah, well. Class prep takes a little time....

I'm teaching "Monoprinting on Fabrics" this weekend at the League of NH Craftsmen in the Hanover NH fibers studio. It's a two day workshop, with day one, learning and day two, open studio with the instructor. I love this kind of workshop because people really get pumped up learning the process and the second day is so focussed on getting work done.

As I teach, I "see" stuff happening in the work and try to encourage my students to take a new direction. I only make suggestions, but when taken, I love seeing the student take it beyond where I imagined it would go. That's what keeps me teaching, for sure!

Enjoy!

This is one of the first prayer flags I made over the summer. It is a monoprinted piece of sheer fabric, yellow, with a little Shiva oil stick added. The small white rectangle in the upper left corner is a poem that I printed on fabric through my ink jet printer. I sewed it on by hand. The main word painted on is "Away..."

Quote for the day:

"Remember, too much relaxation isn't a treat for you - it is self-abandonment"

- Mary Hayes-Grieco, the Kitchen Mystic

SculptureFest 2009

SculptureFest 2009 is going on now. The opening reception was September 5th. This photo shows the Tracy Penfield dancers moving through my installation with yardage that I monoprinted for them to dance with. It was awesome!

June 7th, 2009

Hello.
Well, it's been awhile since I have stopped by here. Ah, I've been busy. Life gets in the way sometimes. My daughter graduates 8th grade this year! Wow!
I have been sewing, and Monoprinting, using the League of NH Craftsmen Hanover Fibers Studio. I'm making art dolls, pine sachets and quilts with my monoprinted fabrics. I am feeling good and positive within the process of making art. It just feels right. Here's what I'm up to....

My Upcoming events:

Wednesday, June 24th
3 - 6 pm
Hanover Farmers Market, On the Green, Hanover, NH
I will be Demonstrating Monoprinting under the League of NH Tent
I will have small items for sale, so stop by, just to say hi!

Saturday September 5th,
Opening Reception
SculptureFest 2009
I will have a Prayer Flag installation there. Come see it!

Weekend of October 10th & 11th
Apples and Crafts Fair
Woodstock, VT
I will have a booth of special Handcrafted items
Art Dolls, Coffee cup cozys, sachets, art quilts, pillows

Lots to prepare for and look forward to. Come by to see me and tell me if you read about it here on my blog.
Keep on doing! Enjoy the spring.
Margaret

March 12, 2009

Sewing, sewing, sewing.
I have been sewing.
It's been nice, but where does the day go?
I have made a couple things to donate to my daughters skating program. It's been a good exercise to get me going again. I have enjoyed the process. I am starting to create more smoothly now. I have "things" in mind to create, as well as preparation for upcoming classes I will be teaching.
The flyer has come out for the League of NH Craftsmen. I am teaching three one day classes in the Hanover studio space. Mono Printing on Fabric, will be held May 5th and the 16th. My Beginning Art Quilt Class is Saturday June 6th.
My life is now all about teaching and sewing, quilting and being creative.
It's really good. So, why do I feel guilty about it?

March 9, 2009

Hey there,
I had a great weekend. I was sewing, talking sewing, talking future plans, acting on future plans, dreaming of future plans. Making lists!
Now to Act.....
Today I sewed. Oh, it feels so good to be sewing. I love the process. To get outside of myself and stretch the imagination and creative side of myself. It was like a great big yawn and stretch. I feel good, I knew that I would!
So today, I moved forward. One step at a time.

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
Begin it now."

M

March 4, 2009

Today I'm setting up my sewing room again.
When I go away to retreats, I take my lamps and surge protector and other things from my studio, so it's time to get my studio situated to work again.
Time to move forward with the sewing side of my life.
Time to make a commitment to myself.

"Until one is committed, there is hesitation,
the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative and creation,
There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which
Kills countless ideas and splendid plans:
The moment one definitely commits oneself,
Then Providence acts too.
All sorts of things occur to help one
That would never otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
Raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen
Incidents and meetings and material assistance
Which no man (or woman) could have dreamed
Would have come his (or her) way.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
Begin it now."

--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1794-1832

O K
I'm outta here.
M

March 2, 2009

Hey there, long time, my blog friends!
I've had quite a rocky start to the New Year. Lots of stuff happening in my life that I won't go into.

The biggest change for me in 2009 is: I plan to pick up on my quilting career and really get serious. I just got back from my sewing retreat on the cape. I'm feeling refreshed and renewed and ready to start sewing/working on some new projects. Yeah!

Another tidbit: I'll be teaching some courses this year.
I have proposed two courses for the spring at the League of NH Craftsmen in Hanover, NH. One class is monoprinting on fabric and the other is a beginner art quilt course. I am available to travel in New England, so if you know of any guilds or shops interested in having me teach, let me know.

I'll also be working on getting a website together for myself this year.

I just found out my camera is broken, so when I replace that, I'll be able to add/update the pictures here and also for my new website.

So Happy New Year!
My last fortune cookie said:

"All your hard work will soon be paid off"

I hope it's true!
See ya.

December 2, 2008

Yes, I have still been playing with my fabrics and sewing.

But, I have been a little frustrated with it. I have days where I just can't get things right. I can't "see" things, I can't sew things, it doesn't naturally flow out of me. This usually happens when I haven't sewn for awhile. I need to break back into the groove and it's painful.
But I'll get through.

News - I have two quilts at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Hanover shop now.

I aspire to more...thus I will continue sewing.

B4N
me

November 6, 2008

This Barack Obama
quilt by
Susan Shie
is available for sale
at the SAQA Silent Auction
November 10, 2008
Check it out!http://www.saqa.com/newsebulletins/Squares08_1a.aspx


Hey!
I'm sewing!
Did you hear that?
Yup.

Those upholstery gems are calling out to me and casting their spell. Right now, I am sewing together several yummy tidbits. I hope to "play" with them later (Cut them up and move them around, mix-n-match). It's a good process. I find I'm not so worried about ruining them this way. They are not targeted for anything, therefore there is no fear of loss or waste. And if by chance I make one into something that is stunning...then that becomes, evolves into something larger and more finished.
Thus the creative process begins.

October 22, 2008

"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try." ~ Beverly Sills ~

Ah.

I realised the other day I'm starting to sound like a broken record. "Get in the studio...." "Get inspired...." "Do something...."

Yeah, I do have a strong feeling that I will be disappointed in the results of my efforts because I have alot of funky ideas I want to try right now. There are too many floating around in my head. I see myself starting something cool and having things go wrong in the middle of it. I'll be saying, "no, wait...I wanted to do this...." and then it will rip! Or the fabric will melt under my iron, or pucker, or shred. It's these thoughts and my time contraints that keep me from diving right in.

Yeah, Yeah, excuses, excuses.

Once while I was searching for some elegant mantra and elaborate mind boggling insight, my stepfather gave me these simple words of wisdom, "Just do it!"

What it means is: Take your head off. Unscrew your brain. Replace faulty battery, if battery operated. (Check for charred firewood and ashes otherwise) Press reset button. Rescrew on your brain. Put head back on. Proceed with caution until warmed up. Beware of squeaks.

I don't want to be doomed. I'll give it a try....tomorrow!.

October 21, 2008

One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries." -A. A. Milne

OK, I found a quote that justifies my studio condition. I agree that whenever I start to tidy up, there are little jewels of fabric hidden underneath that distract me from my cleaning. Those little "teasers" that I leave out for myself, that end up getting covered up with other clutter, are quite wonderful.

Right now, the piles stacked on top of everything are the new upholstery fabric swatches and are they ever yummy! Oh, where can I put them where they won't get lost? I want to start sewing them right now.

Gotta go! sew!

October 15, 2008

I went into my studio last night and stood there looking. I have a lot of cool stuff in there, and boy, it needs to be tidied up. It has been too distracting these warm sunny fall days. I've been outside gardening.
I have a few things up my sleeve to start on. I hope to get my camera in on the action this fall/winter to post what I'm doing.

Today's fortune cookie:

"You will be called upon to help a friend in trouble"

I hope it's someone who needs fabric...I can help out there and be helped at the same time! Less Stuff!

October 13, 2008

What a weekend! Wow. The weather was just great! Blue skies, spectacular fall foliage, and I gardened most of the weekend. I spent most of my two days outside in the warm sunshine. Just what I needed to raise my spirits!

Well, not exactly.... There is more!

My friend called me to tell me she had extra upholstery fabric books, would I like some? Say what?

So last night, I sat in my living room pawing over several books of upholstery fabric. Oh, I was in heaven. Later when I went to bed, I found myself drifting off to sleep feeling the waves of new found creativity.

There is a feeling that comes over me, I'm not sure how to describe it, of knowing that I can create something from these fabrics....it's a confident feeling, of seeing the unseen, understanding it and knowing that it needs, at some point, to come out of me.
That doesn't describe it really, but if you've ever felt the creatve wave...I think I'm reaching a crest. I'm hoping to ride the crest soon. I am really happy about it...'cuz man, it's been a long time. Metallic threads, upholstery fabric here I come.

It was a rest and renewal weekend with fabric being a cure!

October 10, 2008

"Difficult and painful as it is, we must walk on in the days ahead with an audacious faith in the future." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

There has been alot going on in my life that is painful right now. My life seems to match the economy in many ways, in a spiralling downward pattern. Where is the leverage I need to stand tall and perservere? Maybe in my art.

I need to obtain the audacity of faith in color, composition and tactile, creative oblivion right now.

Spirals, yes, they do appear in my work. I've always seen them as rising up though. It's funny, how we percieve things, huh?

October 9, 2008

"Your spirit of adventure leads you down an exciting new path"

- fortune cookie

Well, it's been awhile since I updated this blog. Summer has come and gone. The fall brings the annual Creare quilt show (hallway art show in a local business) which usually is a nice show. I have four pieces there, including "Continuing Convergence". I enjoy having the opportunity to hang my work with more traditional stuff. I see things differently in every place I hang my work.

I had a chance to see the World Quilt Expo and that was reviving. I bought a bunch of YLI metallic threads in a broad assortment of colors and now I have to use them. My palette is complete, it's time to work on inspiration.

The fall certainly has its vibrant palette.