Texas Art Asylum

The Texas Art Asylum is a gathering  place for overflow items (donated from individuals and businesses) and all is available for purchase for creating new recycled art or perhaps is stated more clearly on their home page:

Cool stuff for creative reuse!

This crafty enterprise is located at 1230 Houston Avenue, in Houston, Texas 77007 (conveniently close to I-10 and 45).
Hours are posted on their webpage, and so is a lot of other fun information (such as what artifacts they are accepting, what classes are on the schedule, and FAQs). 

A great new discovery and one that I can hardly wait to see in person!  I believe I that there is a special rate for teachers too -- gosh, this could be the best reason for returning to the classroom!  Woo-Hoo!

"Which Dress ..."

The winners have been announced for the 2010 Heart, Hands & Heritage: The Patchwork Soul of Women quilt competition.

The quilt receiving the most votes is:

"Which Dress Would You Like?"

by Laura Casmore

The second place quilt is:

"Starry Nights"

by Catherine Waltz

Third place is by a friend of mine:

"Craft and Soul"

by Patricia A. Hinojosa

There are many other great quilt in this exhibit and you can see them by clicking here or by visiting the exhibit while it is  open at Rice University (open Oct. 21 through Nov. 19, 2010).   Click here for more information in this exhibit.

Hearts, Hands and Heritage

I have just learned of a new quilt exhibit at Rice University here in Houston.  The exhibit is called ...

Hearts, Hands & Heritage

The Patchwork Soul of Women - 2010

Exhibit: Thursday, October 21 - Friday, November 19, 2010
Awards Ceremony & Panel Discussion: Friday, November 5, 2010
This quilt exhibition is produced and curated by Rice University Ph.D. student, Aundrea Matthews. A reception and panel discussion consisting of leading scholars and practitioners of the art of quilting represent two of the event’s primary offerings. The exhibit will introduce visitors to a collection of powerful works of art that illuminate both the spiritual and personal experiences of women. Our goal is to illustrate a broad range of artistic techniques and inspirations, shed light on the lives and experiences of quiltmakers, and examine the role women have played in education, politics, religion, the arts, business, the family and much more.

      ***      ***      ***      ***      ***      ***      ***
At the moment, there is an online voting process going on to determine which of the entered quilts will actually be accepted into the exhibit.  You (as a member of "the general public") can vote for the quilt of your choice from September 20, 2010 (noon cst) to September 26, 2010 (noon cst).  So, let's take a break from whatever you are doing and click here to look at the entered quilts and select your favorite one.  Then vote!

You can also click here to learn more about this exhibit at Rice University.  This exhibit is part of the H.E.R.E. Project -- Houston Enriches Rice Education --which was founded in 2007.

Just another reason to come visit Houston!

IB♥L II: Give A Little

I have just learned that the IBOL guy is at it again!
and I quote:

The Iraqi Bundles of Love project has shifted back into gear, with IB♥L II: Give A Little. The current effort, IBOL 2.1, runs through September, with a due date of Friday, 01 October, 2010, for getting bundles into the mail. IB♥L II: Give A Little is in support of Salah ad Din, in northern Iraq, and includes the area in and around Tikrit.

It is time to share the wealth with an impoverished country continually under fire .... for the small price of $12.50, the flat-rate postage for a US Postal System box overseas (well, to an APO address), you too can share your overabundance with women in another part of the world who excel at making the most of the very little that they have while living in a war zone.

I am talking about Iraq and the renewal of one soldier's efforts to leave a country with gifts for the needy there.  Perhaps you remember my posts of last September about IB♥L which stands for Iraqi Bundles of Love.  One soldier, commonly known as "The IB♥L Guy" asked for sewers and quilters back home if they would send a small bundle of needles, fabric and thread to him which he would then place in the hands of an Iraqi family.  His request reached the eyes and ears, via the internet, of thousands of open-hearted women and men .... and packages flooded in, far far surpassing his wildest expectations!  Read back through my posts (start here) or go to his blog:  http://ibol.wordpress.com/ to read more there.  He is also on Facebook (isn't nearly everyone?)  Better yet, join the spirit of IB♥L II, and Give a Little ... or give a lot!

Click here to see the 2-page pdf flier the IB♥L guy made for this year's IB♥L II: Give A Little.

For more information on what to send, click here.  Think: large pieces of fabric (soon to become clothing or bedding or curtains or ....) and toss in thread and needles too.  Be generous -- you'll feel so much better!

For more on how to bundle it, click here.  This make it easier to unpack and deliver, once your IB♥L has arrived.

Now move fast -- the deadline is Friday, October 1st, 2010.  All IB♥L packages must be postmarked by Oct 1st to arrive in time for delivery.  I'll write more soon, but need to gather some fabric to share with another .....



By the way, last year, this group effort sent 3,445 bundles to Iraq.  Wonder if we can top that this year?  and if so, by how much?  (IB♥L II count is 59 so far ...)


Are you wondering if this IB♥L story is a scam?  If so, click here -- or think of this:  You probably have more than you need, right?  Does it really matter who you are gifting it too?  You can choose to mail a bundle to IB♥L or donate your extras to a local charity ..... or both!

Dream Time Graffiti

dream time graffiti #1

by

Lynn Krawcyzk

This is the newest fiber art hanging in my home.  I love it!  Lynn Krawcyzk is the curator of the Breaking Traditions Art Quilt exhibits which I have participated in for a few years.  She is an amazing artist working in fiber and also has a photography series,  Where I Stand, now entering its third year.  If you haven't browsed her website or blog, check it out!  If you like this piece, I have good news - there are two more available for purchase (unless someone else has snapped them up before you!).  Click here for the direct link to her blog post showing the dream time graffiti series.

Big Foot, framed!

Here it is ... my quilt to trade in Another Little Quilt Swap #4  hosted by a friend in the United Kingdom, Kate North.

My original quilt to trade turned out to be too small as per the guidelines posted for this fun swap, so I got creative and built a frame around it ... using slices from another project.  May I present to you ....

Big Foot - Framed

The center of this quilt is "Big Foot, the Foot" from my "Big Foot" journal quilt series which began in April 2007.  Click here to read more about those beginnings.  The frame is made from pieces of "Sitting on Top of the World", whose story is here.  Both quilts are favorites of mine, but I am excited to be swapping this quilt, "Big Foot - Framed", for a new treasure!   This quilt measures just under 15" x 20".

a close-up shot

This detail photo shows the thread stitching and creative fabric piecing and overlays to create the tree and the background landscape.  The flower stalk is a three-dimensional embellishment of flower petals and leaves attached with Sulky threads.

BJP 2008

My webpage is up in the 2008 BJP Member's Gallery featuring the first eight months of my face/profile BJP series.  It is great to see them all together & quite a motivation to finish the final four!

Take a peek by clicking here or browse the entire Bead Journal Website more slowly by clicking here, which is the entry way.