the Last Two

I have been participating in a yearlong swap of arches with members of the Textile Challenges group that is led by my friend, Carol T. Taylor. While I ran behind almost every single month, I am so excited to announce that I have completed all twelve of my arches before the year is complete! Hurrah for me! an even louder Hurrah for everyone who participated in this swap!

My November arch is for Hannah Katarski of Australia. I decided to go with Hannah's suggested theme of Renaissance, using the rich and sumptious wardrobes worn by the royalty in those days for my inspiration. I call this arch "A Renaissance Abstract." I hope you like it when you see it in person, Hannah. If not, send it back & I will make another one for you (teasing!).


My last arch of this yearlong swap is for the person who sent me my very first arch -- Gillian Beadman in the U.K. Gillian requested trees, seahorses or all things relating to Egypt .... my original plan had been to do something along the Egyptian lines, but as you'll see below ... those plans have changed.


This is "Sea Critters" in progress -- I meant to photograph more of the layering steps, but I always forget to do the in-between steps ... maybe on another project. Above is the arch after creating the background: a multi-layered affair using foil candy wrappers, batik cottons, fibers, and assorted colors of tulle (from pale green to deep navy blue). After layering, futzing, and relayering some more, I added the seahorse which I cut freehand from a metallic green fabric then stitched down into place. Below is the finished arch, which looks pretty much the same except for the beaded&embroidered tiny goldfish, beaded airbubbles and embroidery outlining the sea horse.


Gillian, I hope you like your 12th arch! I did enjoy making it for you and it is now in the mail and on its way to your home.

Now I'll wait patiently for Carol T to finish my last arch -- no hurries and no worries Carol as I know I will love whatever you create!

an old trade and a new one

Here is my September arch for Kate N. which I call Out for a Stroll.

Kate's arch features a portion of an old Valentine card, assorted candy wrappers, sheers and sparkly voile fabrics, glass beads and fun stitching. I hope she is pleased with it!

Here is a view of the back. This is one of twelve arches I have swapped with my Textile Challenges group. Well, it's one of 10 as I have two that I am still finishing.

Below you may recognize one of my BJPs from last year, Cooler Days Ahead. This is going to Susan Lenz for her Cyber Fyber exhibit. This exhibit has three main components, one of which will feature all the fiber art postcards that she has received from her internet trade. If you are interested, there is still a little time to join her show, click here to learn more. I am trading for her postcard #223 in her second round of postcard trades.


Susan is also trading Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) for her gallery show. I have made Spirals especially for Susan and her growing ATC collection. I am trading for her ATC #139. Click here or here to see other ATCs that are still available.


On Saturday, January 17, Gallery 80808, site of the Cyber Fyber exhibit, is hosting an ATC Trading Day. I am sending in a few to trade (maximum is 3), including this one, Space.



Here is a peek at the back of my Space ATC.
I am keeping this ATC for myself, perhaps because it still needs a name.


If you are interested in the gallery's ATC Trading Day, mail your ATCs (no more than 3) to arrive by Jan 17, 2009 (include stamped & self-addressed envelope to cover the return postage). Perhaps you will receive one of mine!

BTB show extended

Our Beyond the Borders "Unifying Threads" exhibit at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft has been extended one more week. It will be in place through December 28. If you are in the area, be sure to come see it!

The HCCC gift shop has many unique hand-crafted items that may finish up the last of your holiday shopping too.

Cyber Fyber fun!

I've found a new internet inspired Fiber Art show, Cyber Fyber exhibit curated by Susan Lenz in Columbia, South Carolina.


CYBER FYBER is an exhibition of international fiber art scheduled for January 8th through 20th, 2009 at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios, 808 Lady Street in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, USA. The brainchild of Susan Lenz, this exhibit will focus on the supportive, global community of fiber artists with whom Susan regularly shares new techniques, contemporary approaches to textiles, and finished work by Internet websites and blogs. The exhibition will include three primary areas: Fiber ATCs (Artist Trading Cards); fiber postcards; and the work of several invited artists. The exhibition will also include FIBER DAY and ATC trading day. From the beginning, Susan Lenz is documenting CYBER FYBER on a blog/journal.

In Susan's own words:
When I first introduced CYBER FYBER on February 2, 2008 I had 163 Postcards and 130 ATCs. Before this time I'd never made an ATC and had only made seven or eight postcards for a few Internet friends as surprise Christmas presents two months earlier. I honestly thought it would take all year to trade this number but within six weeks all but about six ATCs were gone! I had to make another round of cards! As a result there are 267 postcards and 163 ATCs in CYBER FYBER. Most of the ATCs are gone. There are still postcards left....but WOW....the numbers are staggering!

Intrigued, I had to take a look and found both a postcard and an ATC to trade for. If you are interested in joining this show, take a peek at both the available postcards and the available ATCs. Remember Postcards measure to be 4" x 6" while ATCs are 2.5" x 3.5" Hurry as time is dwindling .....

"Cooler Days Ahead" is my piece that I have decided send to Susan, in trade for one of her fiber art postcards.


If you want to join this show, start by looking through the postcards/ATCs still available for trade, choose one that interests you -- then follow Susan's directions:
post a message at that postcard or ATC site stating "this is the one you want!" then email Susan directly with your snail mail. She will reply, letting you know you have made contact. Then simply mail your postcard &/or ATC so that she will receive your package in time for the fast approaching show.

Only one of each (postcard or ATC) can be traded, as this allows for a greater diversity of artists in the upcoming show!

wandering ...

Recently I wandered away from Houston ....

heading northward into bonafide winter weather!


I landed in the lovely town of Banff in the Alberta Province of Canada, specifically at the Juniper Hotel


Isn't this a lovely location for a wedding, an outdoor wedding?


Yes, it was a bit nippy -- but oh, it was so gorgeous!
I learned later that Elk were wandering by on the nearby frozen lake.

Have you ever ... ?

I saw this Meme on Beadnik's blog upon returning from my sister's wedding and I had to play along. I did resist the temptation to add #111: Been in an Outdoor Winter Wedding in Canada (it was a tad chilly, but oh so worth it!)!

How many of these have you done?

Feel free to play along..this is one of those lists....mark the things you've done in bold:

1. Started your own blog2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo / or Played a solo in a band
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karioke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury (almost did)
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day
101. Seen more than 5 movies in one day
102. Spent a night in jail
103. Ridden a unicycle
104. Slept on the floor
105. Passed out drunk
106. Cheated a railroad company
107. Lied about my age
108. Been South of the Equator
109. Seen an erupting volcano
110. Been to Japan

P.S. Fellow bloggers, feel free to play along -- simply copy & paste, re-doing the bolds to reflect the ones you have done. Leave me a note if you do play, so that I can come and read your list!

Ocean View arch

Today is the end of the Amnesty for our Textile Challenges group and I've had some success at completing several ongoing late projects. Here is my October arch for Judy B who requested "trees, leaves, oceans ..." which I chose to combine into one piece named "Ocean View."

The ocean is made with many colors of blue tulles, catching colorful foil candy wrappers underneath; the sky is a commercial cotton (rather sunset-looking, I thought); the beach and the palm tree are three upholstery scraps; and the palm leaves are blend of a shiny metallic green fabric with two shades of green tulle.


For the back, I selected this multi-colored Hawaiian print because I thought Judy would enjoy the colorful blossoms and leaves on it.


One more overdue project is my Spider Web ATC -- soon to be winging its way to a new home with Annette in the UK.


All this frenzy of work and I am not totally caught up. How can that be? My remaining list of "Must Do's" includes:
1) to mail the five completed amnesty projects tomorrow (as I type this, only two are packaged and ready to go).
2) to finish my September arch for Kate (while it is coming along, it is demanding a few more bead embellishments now) .... and it needs name ... and last of all, I must decide what to use for its back and finish it!
3) to design, create, complete and mail my last two arches for our yearlong swap: November for Hannah and December for Gillian.

I feel that I have made some great strides in the right direction .... Thank-you for your patience, everyone! And thank you Carol T for the Amnesty protection, as it was the perfect "kick in the tush" that I needed!