Seeing the Forest and the Trees

This is the forest of trees that I created then decorated with the INchies made by the INchie Divas in the yahoo group that I lead. Each small 1" x 1" work of art became a tiny ornament for the fabric trees.


We create this tiny masterpieces with a theme in mind then the hostess collects and returns them to each artist. What fun we have creating and sharing.

I wanted to create something different for the "Holiday 2010" swap so designed the tree from muslin, painted the muslin, sewed it together, stuffed with poly fill, glued to a plastic bowl painted black then attached miniature ornaments and the tiny works of art.

ENJOY, my friends!

Autumn In My Garden

Here are some pics of my garden:

RECYCLE, REUSE, RECREATE.......

This is my project today. I am getting ready for International Quilt Houston.

Using snippets and bits I love to create fabric then transform it for use in various projects. Today I am making quilt squares.

The snippets and bits are the "trash" from other projects. I save the smallest bits of threads, fabrics, silk florals, glitter, lace and any other item that would otherwise end up in the trash.

As I work on a project I keep a ziplock taped to the table and just drop all the snippets in it as I go. Once it is full I zip it up, toss it into a tote, take another ziplock and start to fill it. This keeps my snippets separated by color just in case I want to make a certain color of fused fabric.

Using a bonding technique with Steam-A-Seam2 I then bond all the little snippets onto unbleached muslin. Once I have finished making the square of fabric (usually a 18 inch square) I lay it aside until I need a piece of fabric for a project.

The 18 inch squares can be cut into various shapes or sized. The following are quilt blocks I am making from some of my stash of fused fabrics.




As you can see the larger 18 inch pieces have been cut into smaller pieces then used to create a square for a quiltlet.

This is the piece I posted previously. It is almost completed. The hand dyed velvet edging needs handsewn on the edges then it will be finished.

The backing is is a coordinated fabric that I sewed the small fused pieces onto. Since the fused fabrics consist of several layers no quilt batting is necessary. It is naturally padded. I sewed along the edges of each small fused piece thus no extra quilting is needed either.

EXCITING TIMES.....

.....abound. Tracie and I spent the weekend sewing madly creating items from her new line of fabrics that will be unveiled at International Quilt Market - Houston later this month.

Here is a sneak peak of her "Nature Inspired" fabric line. FabShop News Trade Magazine has dedicated a whole editorial page in their latest issue highlighting two of Windham Fabrics new lines....Tracie Lyn and Paige Stanley Miller were the honored designers.



Those of you who are going to International Quilt Market Houston must stop by and say hello.

Tracie's fabrics are as beautiful as the paintings she creates. Now you can make yourself a throw pillow, apron and many other projects using her lovely designs.

Way to go Tracie!!!! I am VERY proud of you and know you have worked VERY hard!

Much Love!

A Week in Paradise

In September 2010 Tracie and I had the privilege of teaching in Orvieto, Italy at an event organized by Adventures in Italy (Bill and Kristin Steiner). After arriving in Rome we rode a train to a most captivating town located high on a plateau. As it appeared on the horizon we were in awe of its beautifully ageless architecture. Orvieto took our hearts and minds back hundreds of years while our eyes absorbed the artistic creations spanning generations of a people that love their heritage. Every street and building was a tribute to the past. It was apparent that loving hands had cared for every stone, door and design in tribute to the ancestors who had painstakingly carved each one.




Not only did Bill and Kristin greet us with open arms of friendship but every person we met along our journey did the same. Smiles accompanied Italian greetings sprinkled with broken English as each Orvieto native aided us in finding our way around the city.





Passing through the enormous gates to Instituto San Lodovico involked a peace beyond description. As we entered I turned to Tracie and said, "I feel as though I am entering heaven." That peacefulness filled my heart the entire week.








Each day of the week the students and us spent time in the studio creating then toured the city to explore and marvel at its history and beauty. Bill and Kristin planned an activity every day. These included cooking with a famous chef, touring a vineyard, shopping at the market and, of course, eating Italian cusine.



Saying goodbye to the view from our window left us sad yet filled with gratitude that we shared this experience together.


We hugged one another then with tears in our eyes we whispered, "Farewell", to the city that had captured our hearts.



As the week came to a close, Tracie and I were invited to return in 2012. Needless to say we are thrilled at the possiblity of returning to this paradise. Going to Italy was a dream we never thought possible. Now to think of returning is exciting to say the least. We would love to have you join us. If you have ever wanted to see the creations of the Great Masters this is the perfect opportunity! Make plans now to ensure you will be part of this adventure.

We look forward to sharing this experience with you.

Marylin and Tracie Lyn

STUDIO UPDATE....

The latest news on the new studio is that the drywall guys have the walls and ceiling finished. The ceiling has the "knocked down" finish. Hubby has primed the ceilings.












Yesterday we went to the paint store to select the colors. I decided to step out of the box and have the ceiling be a color. The color selected is "simple violet" which is a very light shade. The walls in the walk-in closet will also be this color.











The color for the walls in the studio will be "Pleasant Violet" which is a shade or two darker than the ceiling. Originally I was thinking yellow but as I was looking at colors the violet kept catching my eye. So I thought I can use yellow for some of the accents in the room.

Hubby is priming the walls today....soon the color will begin!

All is taking shape and the excitement is building.

Stay tuned for more updates.......

Quiltlet Finished

Here is the finished quiltlet for International Quilt Auction. It is called Floral Fields. Has a fabric background with silk flowers handsewn on with small seed beads giving a dimensional effect. The grass is yarns also sewn by hand to create the hill and valleys as well as small mounds of grass. It represents fields of flowers with a small pond and white clouds in the summer sky.




Here is a closeup:

DREAMS DO COME TRUE

Currently my studio is a spare bedroom which has been stripped of all bedroom identity to become a place where I spend my time creating. Of course, I have way too much stuff so it is overcrowded and cramped. Here are a couple of pictures:















For many years I have dreamed of having a studio with plenty of room and good storage. Well, that dream is close to becoming a reality thanks to my fantastic hubby. He has been working to add a space to our unused basement for me to use for a studio. When I retired the gift from him was that he would build me my dream studio. Keep in mind that this was a totally unused area in our basement that was crammed with just plain "junk" and old keepsakes.

While it was basically a clean slate for building a studio it required a lot of prep work before he could even begin. It had to be cleared, wired, framed and drywalled. He began by giving me measurements for the area and I did a rough drawing of how I wanted it to be. Then, he began. The new space is a little more than twice the size of the space I curently have.





















We cleared most of the collected junk from the area. Some large items had to remain and he has worked around them. This, I am sure, created many a challenge for him.




I wanted to share some pictures of the process with you, my friends. This is my hubby working away creating my dream room a little at a time:






Here is a view peering into the walk-in closet! Yes, I will have a closet, approximately 6x8 feet with shelves where I can store my fabric so I can actually SEE what I have! No more digging through storage totes to see if I have something!! Yeah!!















A couple of views of the sheetrock completed. Today he has completed hanging the sheetrock.
















While there is still a lot to do, I am THRILLED to see the studio taking shape.

Many tasks to be completed: finishing the sheetrock, painting walls, wood trim installed and painted, recepticles to be installed, lighting, building cabinets and putting in the work island....and all the finishing touches. Can hardly wait for sharing the completed project.

I am still undecided on wall color and the rug for the reading and office area. And I need to decide on the desk, chairs, filing cabinets for the office area. We will be hanging a television, DVD player on the wall to prevent using valuable table top areas.

There will be a couple of small chandeliers in the studio. Here is a picture of them:



Hopefully, I will be set up in the new studio before the holiday season! I have a lot of ephemera, fabric and just plain "stuff" to sift through before moving into the new studio. Besides getting totally organized is at the top of the list and I am sure it will be quite the task.

I will keep you posted.

Just enjoying a summer day........

catching bugs and hopping in the grass.



Looking around to ensure that all is safe.





Oh, I think I see a small grasshopper.
I will quietly step closer...














THERE it is!!!

















UH! OH! I think I hear Mom. I'd better head back to the woods.




I was just enjoying a summer day chasing bugs and playing in the grass.......Here I am, Mom. Coming........

This was the scene from my kitchen window. Usually we see Mom and Dad with babies but today the Young One was playing alone.

Making An Apron

Sewing away making aprons. Thought I would share some pics.

Having Fun Today......

playing in the studio. Making INchies for the swap with the INchie Divas. Deborah in Port Townsend is hosting this time around and doing a FABULOUS job. This is the greatest group of artistic talent and I love sharing our creations.

Will be getting these in the mail tomorrow.



Decided to create a small piece of fabric to put the INchies on. INchies will be attached to the back then off it goes to Deborah.















Here is a little fun kitty to hang on the door or some other fun place.





Feeling very PINK today, can you tell?

Have a great weekend!

Long time no posts.........

I know I have been silent for a while but have been busy revamping myself. Trying to decide my artful direction, sorting through much much art stuff and trying to get things out of the way of hubby who is building me a new studio. It is totally from an unfinished area in the basement and is requiring framing, wiring, building cabinets etc......

Basement is a mess with years of "stuff" but he is hanging in there. We have been busy picking out light fixtures, deciding what will go where, what is needed, etc.

Due to the astute observance of our youngest son I will have a walk-in closet in the studio. We were originally going to have the door in one area but he pointed out that there would be pipes in the way of the door. So after "suggesting" we relocate the door he observed that there would be a much wasted space in the unfinished area of the basement.......just the space for a walk-in closet! Yeah!!!

Etsy shop has been begging for items for a couple of years as working in my audit manager job and teaching at retreats just gave no time for creating. Hope to unveil some new creations soon.

Here is a sneak peak at the "mess" I've made sorting in my current studio:






Space is too small and I have way too much stuff.








Stay tuned for more news on the future of my artful direction, etsy redo and the new studio which I am hoping to be using by the fall.

Please stay with me, dear friends, I will soon be announcing a new direction, plans for etsy....WOW! retirement does get one to thinking.........

Quilt Chicago 2010

Today, Earth Day, is the perfect day to share my experience at Quilt Chicago. Classes and demos all focused on eco friendly projects and recyling to create items that make great gifts for friends.

Ending a whirlwind week in the Windy City was bittersweet. Classes and students were terrific. Talent was overflowing. Friendships, old and new, filled the week with joy, fun, sharing and laughter.

Fabrics in the Dyeing in the Kitchen were dyed using edible dyes from the kitchen cabinet and veggies for stamps to create unique designs. Skittles, M&M's, carrots, celery, cauliflower.....what fun!























Cloth Paper Scissor's Open Studio was the perfect place to demo these gift tags made from snippets and bits. Previous creations yielded these tiny pieces of scraps that became lovely gift tags.




In the Saturday Sampler I demonstrated making notebooks using more snippets, bits, leftover ribbons, silk flowers and small notebooks. These are a fun, easy way to make a special gift for friends. Recycle, recycle, recycle.....











Sunday Shuffle gave me the opportunity to demo paperbag wallets......another great recycle project.