Journal
Random Musings on Art and LIfe
In Part 1 of my Silhouette Fabric Test, we talked about stabilizing fabric for cutting without adding stiffness to the fabric. Today, we’ll look at fusible stabilizers and then compare the options. [Tweet “Fusible web is a great stabilizer for cutting fabric with a Silhouette.”] The next step in my fabric cutting test was to…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] One of the big things I wanted to understand about my Silhouette Cameo cutting machine was how to cut fabric. At the conference I attended, and in the instructions I have read, everyone called for stabilizing the dickens out of the fabric (making it more like paper) before cutting it with the machine. But…
While I was preparing a lesson for a recent class, I decided to paint up some panels for a new computer tote. I wanted something with a lot of color, and I found this piece of hand dyed fabric in my closet and decided it had suffered in the purgatory called my stash…
One of my favorite things about working with Paintstik Rubbings (and teaching you to use them!) is that we can make rubbings from just about anything that is reasonably flat and has a texture. Including glass. [Tweet “See how you can save Grandma’s pie plate on fabric.”] During one of the recent classes, Kathy Maras…
Do you ever have an idea for a project you are working on – but hesitate to check it out because testing the idea could destroy all the work you have already done? I often find myself wanting to play it safe rather than pushing ahead with something that might be really cool. The nagging…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Almost 3 years ago, I made a lovely bag from some of my painted fabric. And, for the first time, I added pieces of Kraft-Tex to the corners to corners of the bag to protect them from wear and tear. (See Kaleidoscope Bag post here.) Just last week, as I was posting this link…
Several years ago, when Zentangles were very much in fashion, I designed a set of rubbing plates I called Doodles. Many of the designs were divided into sections instead of having one distinct design for each plate. [Tweet “Build your own textures with Rubbing Plate Surgery!”] My favorite plate in the collection is the one…
As a teacher and a Creative Mentor, I’m always encouraging you to Try Something New. And you know what? It’s good for me to take a dose of my own medicine! So… On a recent “sisters” trip to California, I arranged a private class with Oakland artist Zahava Sherez. I met Zahava during my travels…
Do you ever open a fortune cookie and see something that makes you sit up and take notice? This bit of wisdom found me after dinner a few years ago – and I still have it posted right next to my desk. For me, it’s a valuable reminder of the long path I traveled the…
As I have been preparing to teach my new Whole Cloth Collage with Paintstiks and Textures course, I have been trying to pin down an answer for an interesting question – what exactly is a Whole Cloth Collage? According to our friends at the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a collage is A) an artistic composition made of…
We arrived at our friends’ ranch on Sunday, and I took advantage of a beautiful Monday for a walk about. Our time “at the ranch” is my favorite time of year. If I were to pick up and move to another place in the US, I expect it would be to this corner of…
For the past 18 months, I have been working on a major art quilt project. Her name is Bailando en la Noche, or Dancing in the Night. I chose her name because the medallions evoke the swirling skirts of Mexican Folk Dancers under an exuberant night sky. [Tweet “Check out “Bailando en la Noche” –…