Paper Quilt Challenge

Are you up for a challenge? I am. "Quilting Arts Magazine"http://www.quiltingartsllc.com is doing a paper quilt challenge for their upcoming show this April in Chicago. The theme is TRUE COLORS. Since "Quilting Arts Magazine" and their sister magazine "Cloth Paper Scissors" are two of my favorite reads, I've decided to take up the challenge and make a 12" square mixed media paper quilt. Not an easy task for a left brain individual but something that is fun if not frightening. It gives me a chance to play without constraints. No rules, just let your creativity flow.
As not to reveal too much, the above is a picture of a portion of my progress thus far. All I can say is that the theme is a diversion from the cold and snowy weather outside my front door.

BRRRRRRR!!!

This is the answer to what to wear when going outside in frigid weather. Yesterday the temperature outside was 8 degrees with windchill at -20 below. My DH needed to shovel our driveway from 5 inches of snow. He dressed appropriately; a little scary, don't you think?

Quilt Studio Companion

Most of the time before the creative side of my brain can function, I have to be in the "ZONE". It's a time when I can focus and be without distractions. That usually means, shutting the door to the attic studio, turning off the telephone, turning on some great WAUS classical music, and shutting out the rest of my world. Unfortunately, sometimes, being in the zone can be a lonely endeavor. But, I am not alone. I have a creative studio companion called "Charlie". Charlie is a chicken made from a pattern by Eleanor P. Bailey. The bright colors of Charlie can perk up any dreary day and put a smile on my face. Every creative place needs a mascot, your silent partner when you are in the "ZONE".

Inspiration

Sometimes on those depressing Midwestern winter days when the skies are permanently gray and it's rainy, it good to have something that inspires you to create. I have a collection of kimshee jars filled with threads, ribbons, floss, buttons and rubber stamps. The colors of ribbon, thread, and floss are bright and colorful and just looking at them makes me smile. They represent endless possibilities of things to make and inspire me on those dark, and dreary days.

Work in Progress

My current undertaking is to finish my wallflower quilt. I embroidered several flowers onto some hand dyed fabric from Cherrywood Fabrics. I love the look of this cotton; it looks like suede! I needed some additional yardage as the original pieces of fabric were purchased in Chicago several years ago as a scrap bag. There are presently 12 or 15 embroidered center blocks. Haven't decided on whether this will end up as a wall hanging or a large bed quilt. During the dreary days of a "perma-gray" winter, it's nice to work with some bright colored wildflowers.

A New Year Resolution

The holidays are packed away and I'm into an organizing type of mood. I've cleaned up the quilt/art studio and even my work table is empty. As I go through some of the UFO's of last year, I often wonder "what was I thinking". Art is a "try and see", "success and failure" pursuit. Not every thing I start ends up as a masterpiece and everything tried should not fall into that category. Failure is part of the process. It is the doing that is important. Inspiration comes slowly and from different aspects of life. The hard part is putting the inspiration in a viable art form. Ideas constantly swarm in my head but sometimes get stymied along the way. I think this years resolution will be to see the glass has half full instead of half empty. After all, art is a process of self-expression and it is the process that is important, not the end result.