More Ten of Hearts hearts

Working away in the studio today. Here is part of what I got done, both  groups are from sets of hearts for the class at Art Unraveled where we will swap hearts and attach them to fabric pages, making a book called The Ten of Hearts. I have 4 sets done now, so I am done with this part of getting ready for this class. Some are backups, just in case they are needed last minute.
The top set is made out of gessoed canvas that I tried out some tangles on.  I quilted some fabric and sewed the canvas hearts down and then added a rhinestone heart. The rhinestones look better live.
The second set is pattern tissue that I stitched multiple layers of onto some sturdy paper. The base is a Hambly transparency sewed down to a piece of lettered canvas. After stitching all that together, I sewed on a little pair of Tibetan silver scissors. The scissors move around still since they are just sewn with a loop stitch.

Zentangles: I'm Hooked!

I have a confession. In the midst of everything else, I now have another love: tangling, making zentangles, hitting paper with pen, two of my very favorite things. Long story short: The first zentangles I made I wasn't very happy with. I put them away with the idea that I MIGHT get back to them. They kept calling, but I didn't answer. I just decided it was something I wasn't so great at. Then one day, they called louder, and I looked at them again. They looked better than I remembered, and I picked up my pen again, and then things got a little crazy. I started carrying them with me to work to do on breaks and at lunch. The kids saw them and asked about them. So did adults, and then at request, I found myself showing them how to get started. Making zentangles saved my life the day I was stuck in 7th grade and "plan A" fell through. They L.O.V.E.D. them, and I figured out a way to teach more kids. If you ever want peace and quiet and are surrounded by 30 people your height who can quickly make plans on their own that you might not approve of, if you have nothing structured for them to do, I highly recommend them. The mandala is one I was able to do while the 7th graders were doing the same. The colored ones and the first two frames below are ones I did with 5th graders.

Review item for anyone who doesn't already know;  I am the product of an artist/musician father and a librarian mother, so you know what happened next. I had to find a way to organize all my favorites, and last night, a plan all came together. First of all, I am now keeping a rolodex card for each design I know, which makes a handy way to find them all quicker than digging through other things. I had the cards started a few weeks ago, but they are rightfully organized now. In true librarian style, they are alphabetized by name with a reference on back to where I can look should I need a refresher later.  Then I put the big ones in a 7X10 book I bought with paper as close to true Zentangle paper as I could find in an appropriate size. I tabbed sections for frames, mandalas, and more standard zentangles. My mother would approve, I know.

I have plans for other ones floating in my head. Ones that don't have to be as kid friendly. Paper in my Zentangle journal and news pens await.

There is one more confession. While taking a few days during the week for myself this week, I booked a trip back east to become a Certified Zentangle Teacher. I thought the certification might come in handy should I ever decide to step outside of the kid zone to teach. I am almost giddy about it.

The 100+ Scarves Update, Finally

Someday I swear I am going to figure out how my brain works and how I prioritize. I have been really busy on a million things, but I think everyone else has as well and yet they post on their blogs. A number of people asked me about seeing the scarves, so I took a few photos. Here are some. I sold enough to pay for all the yarn, but I still have scarves for next season as well since the ice skaters didn't need them all.
The first photo is at home when I was sorting them all out by style and price. The rest is at the skating competition. There are scarves with traditional ends, some with different fancy crocheted fringes and some without since I didn't think the guys and non girlie girls would like that sort of fringe. I also made infinity scarves that are a continuous loop like the Style E one in the photo, in different lengths and widths. I also made some button up ones for people that just like one around their neck and not hanging out or bunched up in their coats. I was hoping to see what the most popular was, but I seemed to sell a pretty equal number of each. I guess that's a good thing.
Warning: this is going to make me sound like a grandma, but I am. I am now making dishcloths to wash dishes with, by popular demand. It started with my niece telling me about them and wanting more, then it was one of my daughters. I was told they work better than anything you can buy, and they do. 100% cotton and all that texture makes washing things off a breeze! I haven't counted, but the pile is growing and I have already given them away to so many people!
I am also busy at work making my item that will be a donation for the Art Unraveled raffle, the item that will be given away at a drawing during the shopping extravaganza, more inchies and more hearts for the 10 of hearts class.  They are all in the works. I work and let things simmer and then go back. Sometimes I wish I could start and finish before picking up a new project but I also think things turn out better when they simmer most of the time.

Inchie Swap Closed

Our swap is closed now. We have reached capacity before the deadline. It will be so fabulous to see them all. There may even be some made of clay this year, and I have never seen clay ones before. Can't wait!

Inchie Swap Update

If anyone still wants to play along, (See details in the previous post.), there are a few openings left. Over 20 spots were filled in the first week. I can't wait to see what everyone made, and I look forward to putting them in the new book I'll be making!

It's Time for A Swap

I will be hosting an inchie swap for Art Unraveled 2012. I will be making an evidence book of AU, based on my AU ’12 class,  Funky Book of Memories and Evidence!, and want inchies to be included in my book. If you would like to join in, here’s the scoop. You DO NOT need to be enrolled in this class to participate, and you can use your inchies however you wish, of course. You may submit them by mail or in person and pick them up in person or have someone who will be attending AU pick them up for you. I will not be mailing them back out. More detail on that follows. If you are not familiar with inchies, “google” inchies and click images for a plethora of amazing examples. You can also see an example of a page from another evidence book I made from a now defunct event that I included above.

Deadline to sign up: Saturday, April 14th, 2012 11:59 pm Mountain Standard Time or whenever 30 people have signed up, whichever comes first.
Deadline for submitting inchies to me:
Option 1 by mail: Arriving at my mailbox no later than Saturday, July 21, 2012.  NO exceptions for mail due to my preAU and packing schedule. PRETTY PLEASE DO NOT REQUIRE MY SIGNATURE FOR DELIVERY OF INCHIES.  I have a locking mailbox where my mail is delivered that only postal employes and I have access to, so packages should be safe. Package confirmation is ok, but not required. I will email each participant individually when his/her package arrives. I will email my mailing address to participants when I send out the exact number of participants.
Option 2 in person: I will be at the Meet the Artists Event at AU on Monday, July 30, 2012 which starts at 7 pm, and you can turn them in to me there. I will stay until the end of the event, whatever time that turns out to be, since it varies each year. After this, no more inchies can be accepted due to the pickup timeline.
When to pick up your inchies:
Option 1: If you are in the Funky book class, I will bring your inchies to class so you can incorporate them into your book, if you wish. I can also give sets to participants who are willing to pick up inchies for friends at this time.
Option 2: If you are not in the class, you may pick them up from me after class from 4:30-5:00 in the Funky Book classroom that same day or from 6-6:30 pm on Sunday, August 5, 2012 in whatever classroom I will be teaching my Painted Totebook class. Classrooms will not be known until the event  starts, so please check the schedule  at AU which is conveniently posted in the registration and check in area.
Option 3: If none of the above are dates and times when you or one of your friends, you can pick up your inchies at AU, let me know privately by email, and we can try to work something out. I will be in and out of the the hotel several times during the event, and we might be able to meet up at breakfast or after another class, for example. There are no options outside of the AU event for pickup.
Number of inchies to make: This will depend on the number of participants. I will collect information and email everyone no later than Tuesday, April 17th before midnight MST with the exact number to make. The maximum number will be 30 participants, so 30 will e the maximum number of inchies to make.
Size requirement: Inchies, by definition, are 1 inch wide by 1 inch high. In addition, for this swap, inchies may NOT be more than 1/4 inch thick, including embellishments such as beads, buttons, charms, etc. This is so they will fit in a book for people who wish to do so. If you have any embellishment dangling or sticking out from your inchie, that component may not be more than 1/2 inch off the edge of your inchie.
Materials to Use: Anything goes that fits the size requirement. For example, you may use paper, fabric, metal, wood, and paint, crochet, sew, draw, glue, whatever you wish. You must do something to the inchie. For example, if you start with a square of watercolor paper, you could paint or draw on it, start with a piece of metal and glue something on, or if you start with a piece of fabric and embroider on it. You may not simply cut out a square of paper, metal, wood, etc. and consider it done for the purposes of this swap. Inchies you submit may be identical or different, your choice.
Theme: There is no theme or color requirement. Again, anything goes. If you wish to incorporate the 10th anniversary of AU, go for it, but this is NOT required. I would like each artist to feel free to work with something they are comfortable with or push themselves, whatever works best for individuals.
Packaging: Put each inchie in a small envelope or little zip type bag with your name on it, so recipients can identify you as the artist. If you wish to include your email address or info., you may, but it is not required. Put small envelopes or baggies into a larger zip type bag or large heavy duty envelope with your name and email clearly marked on it, so I can return the swapped inchies to you in the same larger bag or envelope.
Questions: If you have any questions before signing up or along the way, please email me at janeeileen@hotmail.com.
Who Should Sign Up: Please sign up only if you agree to the guidelines and will make every effort to honor your commitment. Starting early is always a good plan in case life happens. In the event of an unforeseen emergency that would prevent you from following through, PLEASE email me, so I will know there is a problem. There may be someone willing to take your place, and I will make an effort to find a someone, so that we do not have participants without inchies in return for all of their efforts to make this swap a success.
How to sign up: Email me directly at janeeileen@hotmail.com. All email addresses will be kept confidential. Emails I send to participants will be sent BCC:, so addresses are not ever shared.
HAVE FUN IF YOU SIGN UP!!! I WILL SEND A FEW REMINDERS ALONG THE WAY.

Busy-ness, Rambling, and Dreams

How long has it been since I posted last? Too long, really. But I have been sidetracked.  To make a long story short, I have been bitten by the crochet bug. I have played around with crocheting many times before, never really reading a pattern, just making things like afghans and teddy bear sweaters in pieces that would be the same as a pattern piece I saw in my mind and then stitching them all together to make whatever I wanted. To make a long story short, the time came when I told myself that I needed to learn the names of the stitches and at least try to read some patterns. I chose to teach myself by looking in books. I learned to embroider this way and have learned as much using this method as by having people teach me.  I crocheted on some journal pages back in the fall which I think may have been the kickstarter, but that has spread, since Christmas, to handwarmer type mitts and about 90 scarves which are going to be sold and help out an organization that helps young figure skaters and hockey players raise money for tournaments and such. It has been such great fun. I just bought gobs and gobs of yarn and made each one up as I went with different sizes, styles, and color patterns in a variety of stitches. I don't think I have more than one set of twins scarves. The event is next month, so I am really in high gear now.
I have managed to do other things as well, outfits for preschool western week, working on my plethora of items to sell and donate to Art Unraveled for the shopping extravaganza and the silent auction, and my first set of hearts for the Ten of Hearts class.  Here is what they look like. I made a few extra so even the last picker gets a choice.
I wish I was better at taking more pictures of what I do on a weekly basis.  I really want to blog with more of them, but it seems that the process always takes precedence over the picture taking at the end. I have undertaken a big big project inside my house that is 90% done. I am good at setting goals for myself. Maybe I should set taking more pictures as a goal when the house project is all done. Can't make any promises, but a girl can dream, right?