Mellow Yellow?

... not for me. These are the last of the dyed fabrics.  I am just not a yellow person but I realized that I had no yellow in my stash so I did a fat quarter gradation. Most of these will probably languish in my stash pile. Two of these fabrics came off the bolt with imperfections so I cannot unload the set, pity.

I will do more dyeing later in the week. I think I am going to go back to crossovers. I really love the way they came out, AND I have gotten requests for them before I have gotten them up on my other blog. That will happen later... for whats left.

Move over Snow dyers!

I didn't have snow and I didn't freeze my fabric but I did get similar results from my efforts at multi color dyeing. I wanted some deeper colors so used full concentrations for most of the pieces. I did try for some lighter values as well but will do more of those another day. I finally got these washed out and ironed. Enjoy.

More fabric

I did some black/gray gradations. I like the darker values but the lighter ones have too much mottling for me. I have yellows in the wash and a bunch of multi colors washing as well.  Enjoy.

Snow envy

I need to preface this post by saying that I do not really miss the snow. That said, I AM envious of being able to play with the snow and do some snow dyeing. It sure looks like fun. I might try some in my freezer. Reading all about the fun everyone was having motivated me into doing some of my own dyeing. I did some crossover colors and have more waiting in the wings. I have a black/grey gradation about to go in the washer. I will post photos as I get more done but this is a busy weekend for me so probably not much more till Tuesday. In the meantime, here are some photos of what I have done. I love these. I just have to decide which I will keep and which I will sell.

Playing the UFO game

I decided to participate in Quilting Arts fix the UFO game. This is my first ever attempt at an art quilt. It has been languishing in the closet for some very obvious reasons. It is pretty bad. If one of their geniuses can make a silk purse out of this sows ear, I will be very surprised... shocked would be closer to the truth.

The sun is shining and I am in a good mood. My DH will be home on Thursday.

Flowers in your face

I have been plugging away at this piece... has no name yet. I got all the flowers machine stitched on and have been doing lots of hand stitching. French knots get old really fast. Trying to figure out exactly what I am going to do with this when it is done. I am hoping to have it ready for quilting next week. I don't even want to think about that yet!
The rains from California arrived here in Arizona over night. We had torrential downpours most of the night along with thunder and lightening.... pretty weird for this time of year. After overcast skies this morning the sun broke through and it was lovely.... then I heard this weird noise and looked out the window to see hail.... with the sun shining! Did not last long and no damage. We need the rain desperately but I wish it would come in small doses instead of flood stage all at once. I think we get more later in the week. At least we are not shoveling snow.

My daughter adopted the cutest kitten... 9 weeks old. She says it has been growing in the past week. I think she wasn't being fed enough. Turns out the kitty is picky about food, so as of today she has a bunch of new stuff to try. My daughter doesn't know that cats train us... not the other way around! Welcome to my world where Sammy runs this house.

Sneak Peak

I am finally feeling human after being laid low the past week by a bad head cold. I can only hope I licked this one and it won't develop into something worse.
I have been trying to work on a piece I started at the end of the summer but got put on hold. I have been making some progress and yesterday and today feel like I am heading in the right direction with it. Here is a sneak peak. I am doing both hand and machine work on this.
I am really trying to focus more and find that a schedule works best for me.  There have been some discussions of late on other blogs about finding time to work on art. For me, if I don't have a block of time penciled in I find a zillion excuses for doing other things. I find that a set routing every morning really helps. After I get up, I peruse the days news and my email, check on my Google reader for the blogs that I follow which have been updated, check into Facebook and see what is new there and now have added Twitter to this routine. By now I am awake enough to eat some breakfast. I cannot drink coffee (caffeine does not like me) so I don't get that jolt in the morning. Now I am ready to face my studio and what ever I have on tap at the moment. I try for a minimum of 1 hour a day. Thankfully, when I get in the groove that can easily stretch into many many more hours. Some days it means I may be just doing some clean up... I tend to work in a chaotic state and my space looks like the latest tornado blew through. I get easily distracted by the latest and greatest techniques or books I want to read. Focusing on finishing things rather than just starting them is my goal for this year.

21st Century

I have officially entered the 21st century... I opened a twitter account! Why?? That is a good question and I hope it doesn't wind up biting me in the ass. The reason: On a lark a few months ago I responded to a call for entries into Curate This! 2010. I entered one of my still life pieces and this morning I got a notification that it was accepted into one of the venues... I do not know which one yet. After a moment of euphoria I read the rest of the email and it was suggested that entrants have twitter accounts. So after taking a deep breath and asking for some advice, I took the plunge. I feel like a fish out of water here but I guess I will learn the ropes as I go. Not sure what I am going to tweet as I cannot imagine that anyone is interested in my going to the grocery store or going to play bridge or any of the usual mundane activities that fill my day. If you are really hard up for entertainment, my twitter address is http://twitter.com/sherrylbuchler. I suppose I will add this to the sidebar on the blog.. maybe later.

It's raining, it's pouring

.. it is rainy season here in Arizona and we need these rains desperately.... OK, so a day or two would be good but forecast is for all week! It is also the time of year I scalp my rosebushes so I get lovely blooms and growth in the next few months. Roses bloom here all year round although the high yield is usually spring and fall. I severely cut the canes back (it hurts me) and I am richly rewarded.  Won't be able to spray till the rains stop. Here is a photo of the last of the roses before the haircut.
Last week was spent working on my pansy quilt for my 2nd class which was yesterday. No more photos till I finish it.. hopefully this week. I really did learn a lot from this class which will be useful for other projects.
Today is a busy day. It is install day for the new frame for my sewing machine and a new cabinet ( I was lucky enough to sell my old cabinet to a girlfriend who has a winter place here and needed one). My sewing room got a (necessary) clean up so we could move things around. .. found stuff I forgot I owned! Hopefully, I will be up and working by this evening although using the frame will be on hold for a while since Ned is going out of town and the machine is too heavy for me to lift on and off myself. This is OK because I have a lot of other projects in the works that need my attention.
Other (not) fun thing to day is a visit from the exterminators... seems like the treatment for termites that was done several years ago did not work so well... when we moved stuff around in my sewing room we found evidence of termite damage in the baseboards. Not sure what exactly this entails at this point but thankfully we do not have to pay for it.

Since there isn't much I can do today, I made some pumpkin muffins... yummy. I love Trader Joe's. I stock up on the mix (yep, I am lazy) before Thanksgiving because it is only seasonal. Today was a good day for baking.

Geisha's

This is the year I have decided to buckle down and do more than just piddle. I want to work on my techniques and get more serious about my art.  This piece, The Path Not Taken, is the first of I hope several larger (for me) pieces that I hope to complete this year. It is 42" x 45". I would like to be able to enter some shows, other than local ones, so I need to focus more on actually working on my art. I am happy with the way this one came out, including my stitching. The majority of fabrics in this quilt are my own hand dyed and Shibori pieces. There are 3 small pieces of commercial fabric and one small piece of silk from Jane Steinberg. I have done some hand embroidery on here as well as machine stitching. I think I threw everything at this! It is appliqued with trapunto,  and stenciled using paint and paint stiks. The piece has a story but I will save that for another time. I have screwed up my courage and have entered this into 2 shows. I could use some luck.

Chained to my sewing machine!

I have spent the last 2 days working on my class project so I do not fall behind. I finished all the piecing today and get to start on some of the thread work to hide all the mistakes! I might actually be ready for class 2 next week! It actually looks like a Pansy. I was very leery about the colors I picked out as I did it on the fly. Turns out I am quite happy with them.

So far I have been able to stay focused on a project....but this is only the 1st week of January! I am hoping to really do some quality work this year rather than just playing around. It's time I got serious if I want to advance. 

First post for the year 2010

If the first couple of days of the new year is a harbinger of what it to come, then overall, I like it. I have managed to sneak in a book, Steve Berry's new one, "The Paris Vendetta". Not nearly as good as his others, but not terrible. I think he is beginning to fall into the the same formula rut some of the other big authors have. Oh well, it is not as if I do not have enough to read! We went to see a hilarious movie with Meryl Streep... "It's Complicated". We laughed ourselves silly.  The end is a bit bittersweet, but good. I took part 1 of a 2 part class my girlfriend is teaching locally. It is upside down applique with lots of thread painting to come. While I haven't used anyone else's pattern in years, I thought I could learn a bunch from this class. I have lots of homework before the 2nd class. This is going to be a Pansy.. of course my colors will have no resemblance to anything she had in mind! I need the free motion practice and the thread painting practice.

I am looking forward to a productive year with lots of opportunity to learn and advance.

Happy New Year 2010.

Ringing out the old

Today is the last day of 2009. Tomorrow we get to start fresh. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my friends, both real and internet for stopping by and reading my blogs. I especially want to thank those who have left comments. I wish everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year. May 2010 be the year that your dreams and wishes come to fruition.
This year has been a good one for me and I look forward to even better things in 2010. I was lucky enough to turn some internet friends into real friends and I hope to do more of that. I took some new workshops and learned new techniques to be applied to my work. Some work for me, some don't, but the journey is always fun. I got to make new friends and reconnect with some I had previously met. I had a piece published in a national magazine and had several pieces in galleries and juried shows. I sold art and fabric I had dyed.  I am looking to do more of that in the coming year. I have been trying to focus more on my work and raise it to a higher level. I need to work on the pile of stuff I have started before I start more. I love the creative process, not so much the finishing process. My quilting has improved and while it won't win any awards, at least I am not embarrassed by it and I no longer have anxiety attacks. My strong points are still my designs and color.
My daughter Robin and son-in-law Brett are thriving in their new home. I am very proud that she pulled off her first Thanksgiving dinner with extended family without any hitches. Everyone got along very well and there were no tug of wars. I look forward to more of those.
Thanks to Facebook, I have reconnected with some lost cousins that I have not seen or spoken to in ages. Hopefully in 2010 we can do it in person. Facebook has also allowed me to make some new friends I would not otherwise have had the opportunity to connect with. I even connected to a High School English teacher I always loved and admired.
As I get older the years seem to wiz by faster. It seems only a few months ago I was celebrating 2009. I am not sure where this year went but it sure did go by fast. I am sure there is a ton of stuff that I can not recall at the moment that I would have liked to have mentioned. We can just chalk that up to .... hmmm... old age? I don't feel old although 2010 will see me celebrate my 60th birthday. Hard to imagine.
I would be very remiss if I did not mention the terrific support I get from my husband, Ned. He cheers me on when I have gotten it right and offers critique when I need it. He doesn't balk too badly when I ask for outlandish things. He takes an interest in my art even though it is not his style and lauds my achievements in public. He is my number one cheering squad. I would love him anyway but it is a nice bonus!

Here's to great opportunities in 2010.

Sherryl

Special treats

Many of us have made lots of online friends but how often do you actually get to meet them in person? I had the good fortune last week of turning an online friend into a real life friend. Carole Grant and I have taken two online classes from Pamela Allen and we hit it off from the beginning. She lives in BC, Canada in the summer and winters in Palm Springs, CA. We tried to hook up last year as we were driving through but it just didn't work out. This year, Ned and I were spending a week in Palm Springs at a bridge tournament and Carole and I made a firm date to meet for lunch. She picked a wonderful place to eat and we sat outside and enjoyed the fine weather. We talked and talked! After lunch we took a walk and window shopped and talked some more. We found we had a lot of things in common and just enjoyed each others company. The afternoon reinforced the friendship that had been building for the past two years. Carole gifted me with some of her work and and extra pair of surgical scissors (you can read her story on her blog). We are now planning to meet up at least once a year to do something.

Meeting Carole was the highlight of the week but the bridge was decent as well. We got to see some bridge buddies we haven't seen in a while and spent time with some friends as well. Lots of our local bridge club players were there also. Thursday night is the Art Festival in Palm Springs and they close down the main street so vendors can set up booths. The smells from the food were delicious and if we hadn't had a reservation already for dinner we would have pigged out on street food. There was some interesting artwork, lots of jewelry, the usual handcrafts (good and garbage), and wonderful people watching. The pet dogs were out in force... some were dressed up in coats and boots (I kid you not) and some were being pushed in doggie strollers. It was a fun evening.

I have a piece I need to finish up before the end of the year and then I will decide what I want to focus on for 2010.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season.

Wrapping up the week

Over all this has been a good week. Sammy got a great gift in the mail.. his very own quilt filled with catnip. Stacy Hurt asked for some help to defray the cost of surgery for one of her foster kitties. I made a contribution and while she offered a "gift" in exchange, I specifically told her that I didn't want anything. She already had her hands full with 2 sick kitties. Well, she didn't listen to me, and not only that, she had to have done a bit of research to personalize the quilt. Here are the photos of the quilt and Sammy enjoying it...or guarding it? Thank you so much Stacy.

I have spent the week trying to work on a quilt I would like to enter into a show. It didn't start out as a possible show entry and when I finally went to read the instructions, I found out the quilt was too small! I had to find a way to creatively add to the piece so it did not look like an afterthought or a mistake. I came up with an idea and it has taken me a full week to get it right and now I still have to finish it all by the end of the month and photograph it. I might just be able to do this! Sorry, no pictures.

On a really bright note, as a combination Chanukah, Anniversary, and Christmas present, my DH got me a frame for my sewing machine. In order to fit it in, we had to do a massive reorganization of my studio space. I suppose everyone should do this at least once every 5 years... the length of time we have been in this house. There were things that have never been moved... Oy, the dust bunnies we found! Now everything is clean and rearranged... who knows how long it will take for me to find things... especially since not everything is all put away yet. I did fill up a large black garbage bag. I didn't know I collected so much crap.

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season no matter what you celebrate.

Lots to be thankful for

We went to NJ to celebrate Thanksgiving with my daughter and son in law in their new house. She had 17 people and all went well. The food was delicious and the company was fun. Of course I left my camera home... dumb. I still have some really good friends in Jersey that I miss and we got to see them as well, although not quite as planned. Ned and I were supposed to have dinner with one of the couples... lobster was on the menu.. but Ned came down with some 24 hour bug and we had to cancel at the last minute.. bummer. Their daughters got to eat the lobster and thanked us profusely! Another event was the wedding reception of one of my oldest and dearest friends.. She got remarried... and I am responsible since I introduced them to each other. How cool is that? We spent a lovely afternoon with the skyline of Manhattan for our view and the weather cooperated. It was sunny and warm. She could not have asked for a better day in November. On Monday I got to spend time playing with a Rayna Gillman in her studio. I worked on some scarves and although I have not finished them, they have lots of promise. Monday night I made dinner for my daughter since she had to go back to work. I really do miss seeing her on a regular basis. We may have to rethink staying in Arizona. Tuesday was travel day home. Today is catch up day and hopefully I will get back into a routine by tomorrow.

Stitching, stitching, stitching

I have been doing lots of hand stitching on my Geisha piece. It is coming along nicely. I might actually get this one done! No picture as I am thinking of submitting this somewhere... if I can get it done. I am almost ready for the quilting and I know what I am going to do. I CAN do this!

On a more humorous note.. I was taking a break and decided to check out my SPAM folder. Today's haul was offering me better meds at lower prices... wonder what they think I am taking? Or maybe they are suggesting I should be taking something, hmmrrph. The other one was offering to increase my size... wonder how they knew I had just been to the doctors and found out I was 1/4" shorter than I was a few years ago....

Have a good week.

Heide part 2

I washed out and ironed the fabrics we did yesterday. Some I like, some will be finding other homes. I did quite a few 2 yard pieces so these are bigger than I am! I had some problem getting them up on my design wall to photograph... they are not straight. We worked on mutli colored pieces in dark values, medium values, and pastels. I was pretty surprised that some of the ones I didn't think I would like, I do. I used sateen and lawn plus I threw in 2 silk scarves just for the heck of it. Hope you enjoy.

2 day class with Heide Stoll-Weber Part 1 of 2

I was lucky enough to take a 2 day dye class with Heide locally here in Scottsdale with 12 other women hosted by Marla Hattabough at her studio. 2 days was definitely not enough time with Heide and I will look forward to a longer class one day. Day 1 was spent doing crossover gradation dyeing. What fun!  The colors are all yummy too. We started with 2 1/2 yard pieces and we all dyed 6 of them to be divided up at the end so we all had a set. I could stare at these for hours. The weather was spectacular and we did most of the work outside. Poor Heide thought 80's was too hot.

                                                                These are all the crossovers                      

Our hostess Marla

mad scientists

                                                        Lunch time!

I am in the process of washing out all the fabric I dyed yesterday. These will all be multicolors. From what I can see so far they are gorgeous. More later.

Roses

My roses have decided to bloom again. This one is the forerunner.. the others all are budding. Strange time of year but I am not complaining.