pink crayon studio

final fabric frenzy

2009-11-13T13:10:00.008-06:00

She who dies with the most fabric wins!

I have a "shewhodi" card at Oklahoma Quiltworks. When you buy fabric, they stamp your card and you get free stuff when your card is filled. Actually most quilt shops have these cards and I need a filing system in my wallet to keep them all in order.

These cool prints came in the mail this week.

Click on the photo to enlarge and see details.

I was leaving the quilt shop yesterday...empty handed...

...until this pattern reached out and grabbed me.

The green is more lime green but for some reason (lighting) it appears to look muddy.

...then I had to add the sister prints.

That's it.

No more new fabric ...

...until next year.

Can I do it?

Sure gonna try!

This is the black/white/purple wall hanging from yesterday.

back and label

...no artful weekend for me...I am cleaning up the fabric mess I created this week.

collections

2009-11-12T10:07:00.008-06:00

Ah, day four of fabric frenzyness.

...there is a method to my madness...

I'm a collector.

And these are some of my fabric collections.

...cherries! they make me happy.

black and white

I am a huge collector of black and white fabs.

My quilt guild in Maryland had a challenge every year and one year it was to make a wall hanging in black and white and one other color. I used purple and did both sides. I'll show it tomorrow.

beach prints

I stock up on these when I find them. My peeps back home are always wanting a bag in beachy style prints

...cupcakes in the making...

These are prints resembling cake and rich frostings. I have started this cakey quilt but have a long way to go. But the material is there.

...did someone say cake?

Yep, have those too.

And then there are my favorite fabric designers...

I love...

Kaffe Fassett

Tina Givens

Martha Negley and all those yummy rich Westminster prints.

The above photo is also a quilt in the works using the desiner prints of those I mentioned. It's a drunkards path pattern.
I shouldn't single out my favorite designers because there are many more.

In case you are a non quilter and are wondering why so many quilts are just started and in the works at the same time....I can't really say why...but it's what we quilters do.

These are a few snippets of collection fabric's. I have bins of these.

Other collections include...building materials (pun?) bricks and others that resemble building in a city. I want to make some city scapes.

Prints with text and writing on them for a journal quilt book in the making.

Polka dots...who doesn't love these?

Flowers in larger scale to cut out and use on my rag bagz.

The list goes on but you get the idea...I do have some structure here. I just need more TIME!

So needless to say that I am never bored...and that's a good thing.

Tomorrow...

selvages and what to do with them...

Have a terrific Thursday!

day 3...fabric frenzy

2009-11-11T08:54:00.005-06:00

First of all I must give a huge shout out to all of our Veteran's!!

Thank you all!

Now back to the material business. Hi! I'm Suze and I am a fabriholic....a real material girl.

Now I am being told that I need a 12 step program for my problem...and my DH agree's.

Today I am touching on the subject of why we buy this beloved fabric.

Is it really an addiction?

I buy what I love... it might be the color...

...I collect greens.

It may be the print...

...or it may be what I know I will need in the future.

I make rag bagz and I collect for that. Crab fabric and ocean prints, things that people are into.

I have a long to-do list of things I want to accomplish and I think I have enough supplies to last me until I die and I hope to be able to use it all before that happens.

The thing is that you have to buy the fabric while it is being printed. Don't think you can come back six months later and still find the print you loved but didn't purchase.

Ways to purchase...

You have to love today's technology. You can buy fabric in your jammies...and I do. It's as easy as pushing a button on your computer.

These on line companies have my number and they use it. Always letting me know when there is new stuff and discounts.

Last week at lunch, my friend Jan asked me if I knew that there is New York City subway fabric.

What?! Where?

Here it is and it didn't even take a week for me to score it.

...and in three colors!

Whilst shopping on line at the City Quilter I also found this fat quarter bundle of New York inspired prints. Had to have these too. (Love the taxi print:)

My favorite quote...every day that I buy fabric is a good day.

DH's favorite...what are you going to do with that? Or ...you already have all that material at home!

Yes, I do. BUT I don't have this material.

Are you understanding now?

It's a good thing.

I tell him I am not out drinking or on drugs.

And I am always prepared for projects when they pop up. I don't have to go out and search for the perfect fabric..it's here...I just have to find it.

Tune in tomorrow for "collections"

stashing your stash

2009-11-10T09:57:00.008-06:00

The definition of stash is to put away for safekeeping or future use.

Today I am showing some of my fabric hideaways.

Baskets!

....a good source of storage ...

I found this metal one at Target.

It's good because it lets the fabric breathe.

Color coded for easy access.

...hanging from the rafters.
This is a bag of selvage edges.
In certain circles I am known as the selvage queen.
I will touch on that in a later post.

...bins in the attic.
Sorry for the low quality photo...poor lighting in the attic.
We have two attics and both contain bins of fabrics.

When we moved here a little over three years ago I had 49 of these large bins of fabric.

I have since weeded out and donated a good amount of it.

...another basket.

Guest room closet.

...and the garage.

We have two garages and yep, both are storing more fabric.

There are a couple more places...not so picture worthy. I have the slide under the bed bins under all of the beds. These serve as a double duty. They keep the cats out from under the beds. For some reason they like to get under there and lie on their backs and claw the bottom of the box springs. Crazy cats.

Tomorrow's topic...

...Why we buy.

Have a great Tuesday!

fabric hoarding 101

2009-11-09T18:05:00.006-06:00

I have been challenged!

It seems that not everyone believes that my fabric stash is real.

Soooo...this week I will be devoting my blog posts to fabric and what I do with it.

So on Friday I was wondering if I could squeeze out 100 more different prints for my quilt.

I did that in the first hour. The laundry basket (above) is what I got out of 8 full hours of rooting around in the studio closet. I lost count but believe it has to be 300 different prints or more.

They are paired up to make one block using 2 different patterns per square. And some left over for the other quilt.

...a material explosion!

Yep, I took a perfectly (semi) organized closet and created this mess.

And what fun it was.

I found so many patterns and prints that I had forgotten I had.

...and Harley, the studio cat approves.

Tomorrow....where to stash your stash.

weekend update

2009-11-06T12:24:00.005-06:00

After a long painful week (multiple mouth x-rays and giant needles in my foot) I am ready to have a fun weekend!

It's once again time for the Girlie Show.

It's not what it sounds like.

It's a fun art show put on by all girlies.

I believe there are 44 vendors this year...

I can't wait to see what they have in store for us.

Last year I had to have this one of a kind bracelet.

It's one of my favorite vendors called Skip to my Lou.

She makes amazing new jewelry designs from old vintage bits and pieces.

...then there is my other project.

...the ever growing quilt in progress.

The table is filling up and I want to completely cover the top.

My goal for this weekend is to seek out at least 100 new fabric designs.

I have to find these in the house...no new purchases.

Think I can do it?

We'll see on Monday.

SP out!

Have an artful weekend!

kitty playtime

2009-11-05T07:33:00.005-06:00

Yesterday whilst getting ready in the bathroom, Miz P was torturing my plant. A favorite pastime for her.

....the sunlight was pouring in....

I like Autumn in Oklahoma.

It stays pretty sunny whereas back home on the East coast it gets very cloudy and dark and then so does my mood.

...trying to hide?

...don't even think about it!

Quilt update:

Yesterday I cranked out another 178 different squares.

Today I will add some more.

Then over the weekend I will scavenge some more packed away goodies.

It's like opening your stocking gifts on Christmas.

I love simple pleasures!

Happy Thursday wishes!

a new challenge

2009-11-03T10:22:00.003-06:00

My newest project was sparked by our President's challenge quilt for this year. We are to make a 40 by 50 inch quilt using what we already have on hand. No buying anything NEW. Well, I have been going through my fabric stashes for the last month and I must say that I do have an impressive amount of yummy material.

I plan on making the challenge quilt (two sided) BUT I also want to make a king size quilt for my bed. So for the last couple of days I have been arranging my squares in color combinations.

...so far...

...I have put together 244 blocks...
...using 488 different prints.
...no repeat patterns.

And I thought my memory was failing me. I know by the end I will have a couple repeats here and there but it will be hard to spot. I keep finding more fabric here and there in boxes and under beds, it's like finding a hidden treasure. DH found two big plastic bins in the attic last weekend...more fun to be had!

...sew something pink today!

Halloween treat

2009-11-02T12:34:00.004-06:00

My treat for Halloween came in the mail from a friend.

A box of assorted art goodies...way better than any candy!

....and calorie free...

Thanks Debbie!!

...one of my favorite things in the box?

Bulbs! Vintage Christmas and flash bulbs.

So I needed a box for them ...right?!

Right!

Like my new lunch box?

It's the itty bitty size that tootsie rolls come in.

I put my crayons there to show the size.

...and this is the back.

trick or treat

2009-10-30T12:24:00.008-05:00

This evil pumpkin has been shining all week in my front window.

...a page from the new junque journal.
I made the skull stamp from an eraser.

...a cute ATC from Brenda Wright.

...and what is Halloween without a couple of black cats!

Harley (above)

...and a young Miz P.

I thought that the girl on this journal had a ghostly look about her.

She is stamped on a piece of copper that was once a roof on a bird feeder.

The wood from the feeder had rotted away and I carefully removed the copper pieces that formed the roof for future art projects....only to find that DH had thrown them in the trash!!!

Luckily for me (and for him!) that I found them in time. They were perfectly aged...what was he thinking? Oh well that's another story.

HaPpY HaLLoWeeN!!

art bits

2009-10-29T10:45:00.006-05:00

Been working on this girl.

I gave her some tiny ear lobes...

...and some gem earrings.

...her extra long neck sports an elegant floral tattoo.

I need to work on her hat and make a few changes to the background.

Then she should be all set.

...another junque journal page.

...do something pink today!

ATC's

2009-10-28T10:25:00.003-05:00

I am sooo running late this week. It's one of those dreaded weeks you have, filled with doctor appointments, dental stuff and taking in the car for a check up. One more day and the rest of the week is all mine! Then I have to finish up orders...but next week is mine?

These are the trades I received in the Artist Trading Cards swap at the Paper Crown.
It amazes me how everyone is so creative but in a different way.

I love them all but this one is a favorite, created by Nancy Knox.

...I think you know why.

I also like the saying.

Next we are making ATC's for Christmas.

Have a great Wednesday!

friday junque

2009-10-23T11:11:00.006-05:00

Yesterday had me busy working on a new junque journal class sample. Here are a few of my favorite pages.

I used altered clothing tags to spell out the word junque.

...one of my favorite sayings...

...here I altered one of my new Stampotique rubber stamps.

...do something creative everyday...

...it's true...

...the end..

back cover

Have a wonderful weekend!

rainy and cold

2009-10-22T09:48:00.003-05:00

It's day two of rain and now it's gotten colder. It's downright dreary today and I have tons of stuff to do and can't get motivated.

So I dug out this picture with some sunlight shining through it. That is a British robin. They are smaller and rounder than our robins here in the states, and so cute!

I forgot to post this photo with the others from Central market.

I thought it was funny.

This is how they sell their coconuts....

...ready to drink.

I purchased this sewing cabinet at the thrift store for about $15.

I had some purple paint and thought why not?

I changed the knobs on the front and added a cat and now it's good to go.

Sending good Thursday thoughts!

28

2009-10-20T10:16:00.006-05:00

We celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary on Saturday.

We traveled down to Dallas to eat at a favorite restaurant.

Of course we had to visit Central Market.

I'm like a kid in a candy store in that place!

The fruits and veggies are my fav's with all the color and textures.

I have never heard of dragon fruit but it was a beautiful pink shade complimented with lime green leaves.

...pretty bumpy beauties...

The picture doesn't show but these grapes were about and inch and a half in diameter.

We ate some on the way home.

And the happy couple having dinner.
Yep, we are getting old....eating dinner while it is still light out.

Sending terrific Tuesday wishes!

friday musings

2009-10-16T10:19:00.006-05:00

Well, the clouds have lifted a bit and we saw a little sun yesterday. I'm not so sure what today is going to be like....but I don't care...it's FRIDAY!!

So when the rain finally stopped I went out and picked this pretty bouquet of Cosmos and Zinnia's.

I've been playing with my crayons. Caran D'Ache crayons....they are heaven and that is the only thing on my Christmas list. I want the box with all 84 colors! It is $165. but I found them for $135. I told DH I only wanted a box of crayons and he said great! Then I gave him the facts and he scratched his head and told me he can get a box of Crayola's.....

....anyway, I used the crayons to create these hearts on fabric, then stitched them free motion style.

Whilst cleaning out the garage I found an old paper mache' pumpkin, so I painted it. I used some industrial strength paper towels to give it a bumpy texture in spots. Then I gave it a rusted star necklace to top it off.

Happy weekend to all!

outside the studio

2009-10-13T16:16:00.004-05:00

It's been cold, rainy and too dark here to take any photographs. Maybe tomorrow.

Have you seen Kat Von D's new do? She has gone blonde! I think her hair looks better dark but she is still very pretty.

...did you know?...

Well...we had a waiter at Red Lobster named Elvis so....yes Elvis is alive.

...COLOR something pink today....

freaky friday

2009-10-08T23:09:00.002-05:00

Almost forgot these guys.

I found this perfect skull stamp whilst on vacation in Washington. It came in a set but it was what I was looking for. There was also a really creepy spider stamp and the nice girls at the store removed it for me.

Then I had to make 10 of these ATC's for a swap at the Paper Crown.

I found paint sample chips that said Bone China, Antique Bone and Bone White and stamped the skulls on. Ripped them up a bit and stitched around them. The base for the ATC was a playing card so I painted them black and then distressed them using a high grit sandpaper. And I put a gleam in his eye with some black vintage glitter.

They were fun and I can't wait to see what I get in return.

I want to thank you all for the nice comments about my new haircut. I guess I will be keeping this one for a while.

I am posting my friday blog early...have labs to do first thing in the morning.

Enjoy your holiday weekend!

...a few more...

2009-10-08T10:40:00.004-05:00

A few more items from the weekend....and a special birthday wish to my cousin.

Happy Birthday Gail!!

She is celebrating being 75 years young today.

After making her birthday card, I made a couple of new pages for my junque journal.

My next junque journal class at the Paper Crown will be in November on the 12th at 6:00 PM.

....have a great Thursday!

weekend art...day 3

2009-10-07T12:21:00.006-05:00

Some more weekend art.....

...started a new girly painting...

....made a new art clock....

...close up...

used my alcohol inks

Oh, and I got my hair chopped off.

It's so much cooler now without it being on my neck.

Best Wednesday wishes to you!

card art

2009-10-06T10:17:00.004-05:00

Last weekend in the studio, I created some new cards....

... this was a thank you card for a special person.

...close up...

...and of course...

I played with my collage papers.

Believe it or not...I still needed more recipe boxes to store my ever growing stash of odds and ends.

Have a great Tuesday!

monday skull review

2009-10-05T13:00:00.003-05:00

I had a very artful weekend...so each day this week I will reveal something artsy I made over the weekend.

First of all...you may have noticed another new banner. It's for the month of October. It's my Halloween banner. Remember these plain white skull buttons I made last month?
I liked them but they were lacking some color.

So I spiffied them up a bit....using my alcohol inks. It was so much fun I wished I had made more of them. Now I feel they have some personality.

...here are three of my favorites.

Happy Monday!

happy friday

2009-10-02T09:43:00.003-05:00

This week I had a special bag to make.

....it's a Frida bag.

...accented with Day of the Dead...

...and she loved it.

Week complete!

....Bring on the weekend...

Have a great weekend!

dark?

2009-09-29T23:40:00.003-05:00

This is my newest painting and I knew I was holding back on the pretty girls and needed to cut loose and get grungy....so I inked and sanded and....well...take a look.

It's hard for me and I am taking baby steps. Showed it to DH and he stared at it for a while and then started to laugh. He said it looked like something my oldest daughter would do when she was in high school....but he said he liked it. I'm not so sure.

...close up with less light.

He said it was so Goth...well, isn't Halloween just around the corner? Geez! Well, I like her and look out on the next one.

Happy Wednesday :)

birthday wishes

2009-09-29T09:56:00.002-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLE!...hard to believe my Grandson is a teenager...

September is a month full of family birthday's. Both Grandson's, daughter, son in law, a couple niece's and throw in a couple of wedding anniversaries....and I am broke. Best wishes to all!

I made this altered book for my niece.

...it has a surprise inside...

happy tuesday wishes!