See my Power Suit Quilt in Alexandria, VA!

My quilt “Armored and Ready/All Systems Go” is part of the selected Power Suit Art Quilts hanging at the Del Ray Artisans Gallery in Alexandria, VA.  If you are close by, please check out the show!  It runs from today (March 1) to March 31.  

Del Ray Artisans gallery
at the Nicholas A. Colasanto Center

2704 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301-1124

Thursday:  Noon to 6 pm
First Thursday (May-Sep):  Noon to 9 pm
Friday:  Noon to 9 pm
Saturday:  10 am to 9 pm
Sunday:  Noon to 6 pm

Free admission, Open to the public
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This N That #36

Bastet, the Duchess of Mean (my baby, who will be 11 yrs old in July)

So, what has been going on?  EVERYTHING, which means I feel like nothing is getting done.  How can you do everything but get nothing done?  I don’t get it, but that’s how it feels.  Every spare moment I can steal away is to make something, so I’m hopeful I can get back into a groove of blogging, creating and other stuff.  San Diego Comic Con is approaching, however….
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July 21st is the big reveal for a cool new project I finished and sent away.  Stay tuned for that!  It’s about the only quilt I have gotten finished lately.
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I got two rejections this past month and while I was half expecting the one, the technology related one kinda, sorta, really… stung.  It’s not going to deter me from entering shows, since my piece Dunkelheit got such nice reviews in Rhode Island.  But I thought I would pass along that I do in fact get rejected from shows just like a lot of other folks, and yes, it stings.  I’m trying to be a big girl about it, and grow a thicker skin.  
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I taught at the Riverwalk Quilters Guild’s famous schoolhouse meeting night and got to show some cool vintage smocking techniques to about 100 people!  It was great to share these techniques with people and show how they can be used in their quilts. 
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I’ll be posting more from “Home Sewing Made Easy” this week.  I know you have been waiting! 

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Fiber Art Divas Show October 22 to 30, 2011

My work will be in the annual Fiber Art Divas show which will be held October 22 through 30 at the Naperville Fine Art Center and Gallery, 508 North Center St., Naperville, IL. The show will feature one-of-a-kind art incorporating techniques such as art quilting, wool felting, knitting, mixed fiber, silk painting, and more. Items on display will include wall art, fiber sculpture, jewelry, and art-to wear. Several items from various artists will be available for purchase.
The show represents the work of the Fiber Art Divas, a local group of fiber art enthusiasts who meet monthly to share ideas and explore new techniques. Several of the group’s members are award-winning or published artists.  Theme challenges from the past year will be featured along with other work by the artists.
An artists’ reception, open to the public, will be held Sunday, October 23 from 1 to 4 p.m.  Demonstrations of various fiber art methods will be held Saturday, October 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and during the Sunday reception.
 

Show hours are Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 1 to 4 p.m., Monday 7 to 9 p.m., closed Tuesday, Wednesday through Saturday noon to 4 p.m.  Admission is free.

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Houston Wrap-Up (and survival guide)

I have been back for a few days and am barely re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, I was riding so high after Houston.
First off, I want to say hello to you if you are a new reader to my blog.  Hello!

Second, I know you want the show and tell of the remainder of the shopping I did in Houston.  Here goes!

I adore vintage linens.  I especially love getting a great deal on vintage linens, such as half off!  Two lovely crocheted edge pillowcases and a machine lace linen towel with my maiden name initial on it.


More fabric? Of course, and when it’s as adorable as this, HOW can you pass it up?  Absolutely wonderful Japanese kawaii (cute) characters and those little chubby babies!

I walked past a booth with vintage pincushions at least 10 times.  On Thursday I spotted this lovely porcelain one.  I thought “If it’s there Saturday, I will buy it”.  It was, and it’s now going to have a home in my studio, and will look great when my mini makeover is done.


I love mixed media supplies, and this shade of blue spoke to me.  It’s from Seditious Seraphim, and those ladies are a HOOT and a half.  I loved talking with them.

I go to a lot of tradeshows, and I love blingy things.  This zippery thing is a lanyard for your tradeshow badge! So clever!  I got it from the MistyFuse booth. 

Now…. SURVIVAL AT THE SHOW…..

This was by far the best giveaway at the show.  Bernina was giving these away and I made immediate use of it and throughout the entire show.  Water fountains were pretty plentiful in the convention center.
Here are my tips for surviving a big show like Houston:
-Wear the best most comfortable shoes you own that you have at least walked or stood in all day.
-Take lots of breaks.  Plan time in your day for just sitting, like a class or make it/take it, because you need time off your feet.
-Drink lots of fluids!  The convention center is very dry, it’s the conditioned air.  You need extra water….
– …which means you should find out where the bathrooms are.  I suggest the ones on the 3rd floor.  They are the least busy and have little to no lines.  The ones on the show floor were the worst.
-If you don’t like being jostled on the vendor floor, go early or go late.  See the quilts during the busy mid morning to afternoon hours. 
-Decide early if you are going to eat at the convention center or not.  If you are not too pooped, walk out of the convention and seek lunch closeby.  There were fewer lines etc. … BUT t’s not necessarily cheaper.  When I went to the LOUD pants Luncheon, the Chinese buffet we had was about $8 not including tip.  The con center had meals that were about $9.  Save yourself the walk for the extra buck and eat inside the con.  I found the food to be ok, and better than ANY convention center I have been to for a comic book show.  At those shows you survive on soft pretzel and hot dogs.  At the quilt show you could get salads, baked potatoes, stir-fry, or even BBQ sandwiches for $9.  Quilters, you don’t know how good you “got it”!

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