Look What I Found

If you have read some of my recent blog posts, you know that I discovered a robin's nest containing four beautiful aqua-blue eggs just outside my bedroom window. Look what I discovered this morning...

I was excited to find four little robins waiting for their mama to bring food. The mother flew up with a worm while I was taking the picture. She didn't take very kindly to my interruption. I'll keep you updated on their progress. Spring (and new life) is a beautiful thing.

Beth/Lyric Project Week 9 (Unity through Proximity)

As a reminder to those of you that don’t normally keep up with my blog (if you do, skip to the next paragraph), I have started a project that I’m calling the Beth/Lyric Project. In the spirit of the movie “Julie/Julia,” (i.e. Julie working through Julia Child’s cookbook) I have decided to work through the exercises in Lyric Kinard’s “Art + Quilt, Design Principles and Creativity Exercises” book. My goal is to get at least one of the exercises done each week. I’ll be posting my progress on Sundays. I’d love for you to work along with me. If you decide to do that, please post and let me know how you’re doing—send pictures too! If you have trouble leaving a comment on my blog, email me at bschnellenberger@gmail.com.

This week’s exercise deals with “unity through proximity.” I know, I know...I'm late in getting this posted. Actually, I'm late in getting it finished. I have been gone a week and had no time (no machine/fabric/stuff) to do it. Anyway...I had to choose five different fabrics, cut a random shape from each one, and arrange them on a background. The goal was to try to create unity through proximity only. This is the result of that part of the exercise.

In looking at the piece, I was to ask myself the following questions:

• “Is the piece unified or does something look out of place and make you uncomfortable?”
• “Will adding or subtracting an element help to create a unified whole?”
• “Is there repetition of some element, shape, color, or line?”
• “Will adding or removing up to three elements help unify the piece?”
• “How can the element of line enhance the unity of this work?”
• “Will the addition of embellishments add to or detract from the unity of this work?”

After considering these questions and incorporating some of the suggestions, this is the result…

The instructions asked us to “refine” the piece a bit by adding or subtracting elements (up to three) or repeating some element, shape, color, or line.

While I was working on this piece, I added until I liked the piece. I obviously didn't count how many elements I added or subtracted. I thought the blue piece was too dominant, so I added the purple pieces. I like the diagonal flow of both pieces. I thought the first piece had too much empty space. Sometimes, I don't give my pieces a place for the eye to rest--they get too busy. I do think stitching and/or embellishment might add to the harmony of the work, but I simply didn't have time to do it this week.

Next week's exercise is on "Unity through Repetition." Come on...do it with me. It is on page 55 of Lyric Kinard's "Art + Quilt" book.

Heading to Fort Smith, AR...Still in Search of Fiber Art--Lost IPod

I'm heading to visit my son in Fort Smith, AR, today. I would LOVE to find some fiber art exhibits to view or a good quilt shop (well, any quilt shop for that matter) while there; however, I'm thinking my chances of finding something like that are not great. If any of you know of anything I should check out while there, please send me an email at bschnellenberger@gmail.com. There is one shop there that I haven't had a chance to check out. I'm hoping it is a quilt shop, but I'm not sure. If I find anything interesting, I'll post it.

I'm still working on finishing the hand applique on my "Coloured Oak" art quilt. I'm almost finished. I'm going to have to go thread shopping, because I don't have thread to match a couple of the colors. I'm also working on some "faces" for another quilt I have in mind. If I get any of them finished while I'm on the road, I'll take a pic and post it too.

Oh...here's a little story to let you know there are still honest people in this world. Last night Nate and I stayed in a hotel in St. Charles, MO. I left my IPod and accessories in the room. I didn't discover that I had left them till this morning. I called the hotel, and they said they'd check. I never really expected to see them again; however, they called me back and said they had them! How lucky can I get! They had gotten shoved to the back of the room safe. I didn't see them when I removed the other items from the safe. Now, that restores my faith in people acting honorably (at least for today).

Busy Looking For (and Finding) Some Fiber Art

I was lucky enough to actually find some fiber art in St. Charles, MO, while I was there. I ventured down to the historic part of St. Charles and checked out the Foundry Art Centre. I had seen a couple of wonderful fiber arts exhibits there prior to being here this time, so I thought I might be lucky enough to find a good exhibit. I knew, at the very least, that I could observe some working artists (pottery, painting, jewelry, sculpture). In their Gallery I & II, there currently is an exhibit called Fiber "Twenty Ten." The exhibit contains quilts, some 3-D fiber art, and some mixed media pieces. It will be available for viewing till May 14 with an opening receiption being held on Friday, April 16, 2010, from 6-9 p.m. Check out their website for more information (http://www.foundryartcentre.org/) I asked permission to take some pictures to share with you on the blog and have some pictures I'll download as soon as I get a chance. ...so, stay tuned...

While I have been gone, I have been working on an enlarged "Coloured Oak" applique art quilt. I got it put together (and I use that term loosely) before I left, so I'd have some hand work to do in the hotel and the car. I have gotten several of the "bands" hand appliqued down. I threw it over the couch in our hotel room and took a picture with my cell phone. I can't do any photo editing with Nate's little laptop, so this is a "raw" picture; it distorts the quilt a bit (and the "wild" couch in the background doesn't help it), but here is my progress so far...

I am enjoying the hand applique.

Beth/Lyric Project Week 8--Value and Hue

As a reminder to those of you that don’t normally keep up with my blog (if you do, skip to the next paragraph), I have started a project that I’m calling the Beth/Lyric Project. In the spirit of the movie “Julie/Julia,” (i.e. Julie working through Julia Child’s cookbook) I have decided to work through the exercises in Lyric Kinard’s “Art + Quilt, Design Principles and Creativity Exercises” book. My goal is to get at least one of the exercises done each week. I’ll be posting my progress on Sundays. I’d love for you to work along with me. If you decide to do that, please post and let me know how you’re doing—send pictures too! If you have trouble leaving a comment on my blog, email me at bschnellenberger@gmail.com.

This week’s exercise covered “Value and Hue.” I was instructed to “cut several 2” squares from one medium-value solid fabric. Try to find a pure hue, no tint or shade.” Now that was a challenge. After looking through my stash, I chose a hand-dyed blue. I went to my color wheel and looked at the “pure” colors. This one most closely matched the “pure hue” blue on my color wheel. I then had to find contrasting colors to the blue and gather all the values from very light to very dark to use as backgrounds. I had done squares in my exercise on “Color Relationships,” so I used circles this time. I placed the circles on these fabrics to see how different background colors change the perceived value of the circles. I really think I already learned this back in my exercise on “Color Relationships,” but it never hurts for important points to be reemphasized.

The actual exercise consisted of cutting strips of three different background fabrics and placing the circles on top of them. I picked the combinations that made the blue appear to shift in value as it was paired with each background. I really felt like the pale yellow in the center made the color look darker, the purple showed a medium value , and the red/pink fabric gave the blue a lighter value. I did take the photograph outside, because light makes a huge difference when the pictures are taken.

I’ve made it to Chapter 3—“Building Your Vocabulary: Principles of Design.” The next exercise is called “Unity through Proximity.” I’ll be at my son’s in Arkansas over the weekend, so my exercise won’t get done till I get back. That gives you over a week to get the project done too. Join me…the exercise is on Page 54 of the “Art + Quilt, Design Principles and Creativity Exercises” book.

I Won! I Won! Check Out the Shiisa Quilt Shop in Bloomington, IN.

I have a couple of things to share with you that I'm really excited about. First, my quilting tip was published in the new American Patchwork and Quilting (June 2010, Issue 104) magazine. I know it is a little thing...but I'm still excited. I really appreciated the fact that they sent me a free copy of the magazine in a manilla envelope before it appeared in the stores. Second, I won a fat-quarter bundle of fabric from the Shiisa Quilt shop in Bloomington, Indiana. I am a fan of Shiisa on Facebook, and we were asked to write a review of the shop. I love the shop, so I thought that was an easy task. My review was drawn (randomly) to win one of the FQ bundles. I'm picking it up on Tuesday. Of course, I'll take a picture and share it with you when I get a chance. Check out the shop if you get a chance. It is located at 2536 W Industrial Park Dr., Suite 5, in Bloomington, IN. If you need to call them, their number is 812-333-8311.

I have a Beth/Lyric Project exercise due tomorrow. I'm not sure I'll get that done. My husband is home, and we are going out with some friends. He'll also be home all day tomorrow. Since he isn't home very often, I really feel like I ought to spend a little time with him. Sometimes life intervenes on "deadlines."

I'm also working on my small painted whole-cloth quilt (in my previous post) and another piece. The "other piece" I'm working on is a piece that I had previously done. That finished piece measures 12" X 12". I'm enlarging that to make a more substantial piece (approximately 31" X 31"). I'm hoping to get that ready for the hand work portion before we leave to visit our son in Arkansas. That way I can work on it while I'm away from home.

Try something new; work outside your comfort zone. It will re-energize your creative spirit.