Branching Out

I am excited to tell you that I have a line of embroidery designs with Global Artisans. They also have an incredible variety of colors in their perle cotton #8 embroidery thread. These are kits that available on-line or at quilt shows all over the country where they are a vendor. They will debut at Quilt Market in Kansas City this week in booth #2207. These designs are favorites from my sketchbooks. Here is the link to the site Global Artisans

The Great Studio Purge of 2019

I am not going to lie, but major purging is hard. I am trying to simplify the contents of my studio, way before my lease it up to make it easier. Moving furniture to one area to sell.

The piles to sell, especially some of my fabric collections. At least it’s in one area.

This section looks pretty good, except that I really need to sell the fat quarter bundles on that wire rack

This wall has been totally simplified. All of my little treasures and collections have moved home

Sewing area is ready to begin again

My stash has been greatly reduced. Some beloved collections still remain, plus my own lines

Still tweaking this area. I think my Sizzix Big Shot Pro will move into this space between two wire shelves

This is the big mess. Paints and supplies. This week this will get cleaned up, so I can start a big block printing project.
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A view from the back to the front 

Studio sale info. My last sale to just get it done. 

In the Garden

In California, we are having a super bloom from all of the rain. Our roses have never been this healthy and gorgeous. Sharing some up close blooms taken with my iPhone 








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We had a bit of rain last night and I love the scent in the air and the drops of rain on my garden. April showers bring May flowers!

Simplify

There comes a time in life you have to ask yourself ‘am I ever going to use this?’ In most cases, the answer is no. I admit that I am not working as much as I used to, and taking more trips to see family which is more important than being in my studio. I began the difficult task of purging and had a sale. That was just stuff on the edges. Now the big work begins. I want to simplify my life. 

I bought this cabinet at Ikea a couple of decades ago in the ‘as is’ area and had it in my house and two studios worth. Cleaned it out. It had a selection of some of my favorite things. Furniture is a big thing to move when the time comes to give up my studio, so I might as well do it now.


And it’s gone to a new home! Woot.

My inspiration wall took some time to gather all of those pieces of art. I felt that I needed to take this down and take part of it home to see if it would fit. 

I love all of my things around me, so I hung some of my work, and it will be easier to pull off the wall than all that little stuff. I also sold a cabinet that was where those red chairs are now.

Oh the out of control stash. I have found that I use a lot of my own fabric lines to make quilts and other projects, so it’s time to clean this out. 


These are all Ikea shelf units. The units on each end, i’ve had since the 90’s. They are toast. Held up by the pieces around them. I am cleaning them out first. The middle shelving I bought when I moved into my studio in 2012 and they are bolted to the wall. They will come home with me, when the time comes. I still have more to do, but at least now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I consolidated all of my buttons into these small plastic jars and they fit perfectly into my parents spice rack! 

In about 2003, I bought 7 pounds of mother of pearl buttons at Festival in Houston. It’s down to one big jar. 


That big jar is now a small jar and the collector MOP buttons is on the left. Woot. Onward and upward.

Rolling Cart Re-Do

It started out as a sewing supplies cart that I stenciled when I first moved into my studio over 7 years ago.


Now it’s going to be a drawing and painting cart that I can store all of my watercolor paints, pens, rulers, sketchbooks, and painting notebooks. Everything in one place and I can roll it to where it needs to go. I used acrylic paint with StencilGirl stencils. I wanted it to look old and messy. Mission accomplished!

This is going home with me, since I do all of my drawing and painting at home. The cart is from Cost Plus Marketplace. Onward and upward. 

I am consolidating my studio. Today I cleaned out this cabinet and it felt so good to just get it done. I had this at home, and in my former studio, before moving it here in 2012. 

And a friend and her daughter came by to pick it up for her home studio. I am delighted! One down, and so many more to go. 

Rolling Cart Re-Do

It started out as a sewing supplies cart that I stenciled when I first moved into my studio over 7 years ago.


Now it’s going to be a drawing and painting cart that I can store all of my watercolor paints, pens, rulers, sketchbooks, and painting notebooks. Everything in one place and I can roll it to where it needs to go. I used acrylic paint with StencilGirl stencils. I wanted it to look old and messy. Mission accomplished!

This is going home with me, since I do all of my drawing and painting at home. The cart is from Cost Plus Marketplace. Onward and upward. 

I am consolidating my studio. Today I cleaned out this cabinet and it felt so good to just get it done. I had this at home, and in my former studio, before moving it here in 2012. 

And a friend and her daughter came by to pick it up for her home studio. I am delighted! One down, and so many more to go. 

Spending my afternoons drawing and painting

For the past six weeks, I have been working half days to heal my recently dislocated hip. Since I am not the kinda person who is good at relaxing and laying on the couch, I decided to draw and paint in my Moleskine Watercolor Notebook about every afternoon. I was sitting and relaxing,  sort of like having quiet time. 

A patchwork house 

Havel’s Sewing tools. I just love their products 

Our words can light the darkness. Maybe we can bring our country together with kindness

My hands and the stories they can tell

A contemporary house

A grid drawing the painting, following the straight lines with overlap. I am liking this series and plan to explore more grid patterns using this method 

Another grid with different shapes. I love the look of this one


And then filling the painting in with ink (Sharpie Ultra Fine Point). This reminds me of some of my fabric designs.  Please do not copy my work in the post. All rights reserved. 

The Great Studio Purge of 2019

Time to dig in and clean out. I am in the process of consolidating my studio. What do I not need? 

I simply have too much fabric that I am never going to use. Since I’ve been a fabric designer, I have used those fabrics in my projects, instead of going to my large stash

Sorting buttons, beads and stuff. It’s a good sit down job, since I am still technically resting

I don’t think I have opened this cabinet in a year. Clean out time
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I have a lot of thread. And since I only use black thread in my work, it’s time to clean it out

Fat quarter bundles from Hopscotch and Sewing 101 are set aside to sell


The contents of the red cabinet is all mixed media supplies which have been put in jumbo ziplock bags

Who knew? So much stuff.

Almost ready for my Studio Purge Sale