Funky Art Queen

Shew! It has been a busy week! Now I am happily sitting here updating my blog while drinking a nice steamy cup of coffee. I just devoured my Curated Quilts magazine. It was my first. I only ordered one to try it out to see if I enjoyed it and the answer is a big yes. I am definitely getting a subscription. This magazine was filled with beautiful quilts, a few patterns and lots of education. I will be looking at it and reading it over and over until my next one arrives.  Back to the busy week. I worked a few days at the quilting studio (my fun retirement job). I got to finish quilting the above quilt there as well. I am calling this quilt "In the Spirit of friends". I was inspired by a piece I found in a Quiltmania magazine called "The Sum of Us" by TOWRAGS group. I was particularly drawn to the star like blocks and so that sent me on a study to see what those were called. Friendship blocks! I made quite a few of those types of blocks for this red, black and cream c...

I entered my first quilt challenge this year! I was inspired by a friend of mine that had entered this challenge so I decided I would give it a try. The challenge is called Pantone Quilt Challenge 2023 and you can check out all the yummy shades of magenta at #pantonequiltchallenge2023 on Instagram. This challenge is hosted by  Sarah Ruiz of https://saroy.net/ and Elizabeth Ray of https://www.instagram.com/elizabethkray/?hl=en When I learned about the challenge, I headed over to Missouri Star Quilt Company online and purchased the Kona Crush for this piece. I was not sure what I wanted to pair it with for several days until I finally decided on several tones of greens.  So I started out with these pieces. I had always wanted to see how to make the flying geese in a curve. I managed to figure out a way by using wedged pieces in between each "goose"? I have since learned that there is another way by using Foundation Paper Piecing. All the things we learn with each quilt, right...

Here is a little update on the Bargello Pattern I posted about last time. The quilt is not complete as you can see. I have basted the round Bargello on this blue printed fabric. I created one border and I'm still working on the inner corners and there will be more border. It was very fun to make and I am pleased with it. Here are some pointers.  Use the organization tags provided for your fabric choices.  Use the organization tags provided for the Sets.  Remember the pattern makes 2 of these Bargello rounds. Set A is the first one and Set B is the second one. So keep it all very organized.  Don't move fabric around while cutting wedges...you might forget what was the top-this is important- I accidentally did that on set two when I was trying to find comfortable position for cutting-somehow I turned the fabric all the way around and it totally messed up the illusion-luckily I had enough fabric to cut out another set. Pay attention when you start to cut each set ...

A couple of times at the quilting studio I heard someone mention a style of quilting called "Bordello" or at least that is what I thought I heard. So yesterday, I decided to search for definition online. Apparently a bordello is a brothel. I'm not going to lie, my first thought was why they would name a pattern after a brothel? LOL Really. Then, I decided I must be saying it wrong. A little more searching led me to the correct spelling of this word. BARGELLO! I love the sound of it. So I had to know what exactly this word meant. It is pronounced like "Bar Jello". It is from a needlework/embroidery design laid in stitches that create kind of a flame or zig zag type pattern. The name originates from a series of chairs found in the Bargello Palace in Florence, which have a "flame stitch" pattern.   This is a great example of how when we expose ourselves to one type of craft and take the knowledge into another craft. In this case quilting. I wanted to try ...

 Wow, I can't believe this blog is still here! Oh I admit I have checked in a few times to view a memory or a post I recalled writing from time to time. You know, life. There is no way I could tell you everything that happened from my last post until now.  Nor could I tell you all the different creative adventures and turns I have taken. All I can tell you is where I am at now.  I love where I am at now in my creative journey. First, we no longer live in West Texas. We transplanted Austin way in 2014. My career as a nurse brought us here and we absolutely love living in this area.  I opened an Etsy shop after we got settled here and started making tutus and baby shirts/bodysuits and all kinds of custom gifts. I dabbled with that for a while, more like a hobby and outlet from the stress of work. I finally started figuring out how to succeed in my shop daily and truly, if I had worked at it....I could have had a successful business. But, I was so bored with making the ...

The top handbag is my most recent piece of art. LOL.   Sewing on "marine vinyl" is not for the weak hearted. I had to "google" every trick in the book. You need to understand some of the basics of Vinyl before you start a project. I'm telling you this because I started the project before I knew.....which is typical of all of my projects. First, let me just say that vinyl is sticky and does not like to feed forward. It sticks and refuses to move without feeding with your hand from the back side and pulling from the other hand from the inside. Plus, after much research.....I learned that you must get a teflon foot which helps to feed the material through. You can also tape your foot with scotch tape-but the teflon foot was like 3.00 and well worth it. You will also want to do some trials on some pieces of the fabric (vinyl) that you are going to use to test out the tension and stitch length. Apparently, the weight of your thread is important, and you wa...

So, now I think I am a handbag designer. LOL. Lately, I have been obsessed with purses and handbags-making them.  What better way to feed your obsession than with Pinterest . Handbags are so personal to us girls. I think it is funny that we cradle them like a baby when it is r aining-so they don't get wet . I also think it is funny that people spend thousands of dollars on designer handbags. I could never do that.....the most I have spent on a purse is about 400.00 for a Brighton purse-and that was a moment of weakness that I really needed something special. I could not do it alone-so I recruited my husband (via telephone) to give me his support on this purchase since I was emotionally spent during a work crisis.  But, I treat this object like a baby and I find myself protecting it from the rain.....any hardships that would hurt my baby. It is just weird......but satisfying.  Every woman should have a purse/handbag that makes her feel special....secure and o...

Clay Bunnies I have not stopped creating or thinking about creating wonderful things. I seem to spend so much time at work that I can't get to my crafts. Art is where I go in my mind when everything else is kind of crazy. Lately, paper clay has been my art form. I have all kinds of pieces I have sculpted that need painting. I have ideas for more pieces in my head. I need to get my journals out to sketch out my ideas so as not to forget. Anyway, here are some little bunnies. I am liking blacks and whites, tans and browns lately.....lines, dots, patterns.   We are so excited lately around the Chandler household as we are going to have our second grandchild. She is due Jan 15th. They are naming her Charlotte Rose! That is so beautiful to me. I can hardly wait to meet my little granddaughter. She is going to be born in Spain which starts her life out really cool don't you think?  We had our one year anniversary of our move to Austin, TX. on December 24th this year. ...

Since we moved to Austin, I have not been able to get my groove on with my crafts! I have dabbled a little in my journals and started a couple of acrylic paintings. I just don't have all my stuff organized! I may work on that today! I'm feeling like messing with some paper clay today. I started a new board on pinterest for clay art and so I have been getting all kinds of inspirations. So, maybe soon I will have something to show you! We bought kayaks last week and we were really hoping to try them out today but it is raining! Poo! It just may be a weekend in the house! We will see.

City Night Life!  Lesley Chandler 10/15/13 

I spent most of the weekend on journal art. I have been thinking about why journaling is good.  What is the point? It occurred to me that if you need a point....then it is not art! So I'm settling into the idea that this is what IS my creative place right now.  So, I go there....and do what I feel.  I ordered some journal supplies today.....and I'm excited about that.   I'm also thinking about journal prompts....things that will inspire us to get into our journals today.....

 I have spent a lot of time playing in my art journals today.  Like I said before, it seems like I always go back to journal art.  I enjoy getting into the acrylic paints and looking at pictures and whatever I have saved up to add to journals. It may not be any real ART, but to me.....it is something I will love to look at later. I love going back and looking at all of my art journals.  I have many MANY of them. Some of them are crazy-frightening entries.....but others are  happy and pleasing to my eyes.   I journal when I am happy, and I journal when I am sad, angry, excited.....pissed! So, if anyone ever reads all of these journals.....they will see that I am a woman just like most.....struggling everyday with work life, family life, and life in general. I am trying to figure out who I am and what it is I am supposed to do in this life. The only thing that makes me different from most, is that I chose to document my feelings through creative journal...

Seems like I always go back to my journals and mixed media. It is where I am most comfortable. The more paint, glue and craft supplies the better! I have been in a creative funk lately....but, I was inspired when I looked at journal art on Pinterest today.  So, I got out my paint and began....sometimes I wonder why.....what is the point?  I quickly put silly ideas like that away.....That is the Point....there is no point....just create....just feel and do what comes to you.  Some day, I believe it will all make sense.  I also worked on some Pallet art signs today. My hubby found some pallets and disassembled them for me to create some signs. I made two over this long holiday weekend. (Labor Day) and I enjoyed that.  Here they are. 

Happy New Year 2013! I'm glad to say the Chandler Clan survived another year without too much bruising or scars-lol.  2012 seemed to be a challenge in so many ways but I choose to look forward with hope and prayer that this year will be FABULOUS!!! We are starting a new chapter in our lives. This chapter is nothing like we had planned for the past few years.  But God laughs at us when we tell him our plans right?! LOL I am happily jumping back in to my creative journals.  I have enjoyed working in them and find it to be my "therapy" in so many ways.  The collage above is a collection of some of my more recent entries. I'm finally feeling the colors again!  Looking forward to a day with my daughter shopping and attending the Peddlers Show in Midland to see all the wonderful things that people are creating these days.  I hope you have a lovely day too.

I dug through my old cedar chest yesterday and found all of my journals.  This is a picture of most of them.  I did not include all of my calendar books and idea books.  Good gracious! I did not know I had so many! So many of them have tons of pages that need some love.   I decided to work in the one in the front with the hand on it.  It is an old art book I picked up at a garage sale once.  I gesso the pages and layer, layer, journal, layer! Here are two pages that I completed yesterday.  Or, I should say, here are the reasons I did not get all my household chores done! LOL I have another couple of pages ready to work on tonight to bring in the New Year.  I hope you all have a safe and happy new year.  2013-Bring it!

  Oh and I have this diagram:  Step One: OK-Here is everything I have.  I do have some ink that I ordered "Gamblin Etching Ink" BLUE! It does not seem rusty much.  Just a little where the nuts/bolts are (the impression screws) but I can turn them.  The I have not tried to move the roller hooks.  So do I clean it? I found some instructions somewhere last year on line by Jack Gifford "secrets of a Kelseyman" and it instructs how to clean with a bit of a process but doable.  1 gallon vinegar, 1 qt lemon juice, one guart of oil (what kind of oil), 1 can of laquer thinner, and a pump type oil can, large square container, heavy plastic garbage bags.  See how I got bogged down. LOL I don't have "furniture" for it. Oh and I purchased some letter stamps. I will take a pic of that. No special paper. I purchased some last year when I was getting started and ended up using it for other art. LOL I figured out how to take off ...