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100% of the time

I am a recovering perfectionist.
Today, I realize that I’ve been in relapse for the past several months. My body and mind is feeling the stress of this annoying alter ego. Its time to slow down.

I’m reminding myself, I can make mistakes and survive. I am human. I live and learn, but I will keep moving forward. I realize that negative emotions reflect my values. If I get mad, sad or scared about something, it is because its deeply important to me. And its OK to feel these things. You can’t go through life always being happy. Life is messy and complicated, with frequent unexpected curve balls. That’s what makes it all so interesting and entertaining.

So on rainy days like today, I remind myself that its OK to seek quiet. And I remember what my dad once told me, “Don’t worry. Things have always worked out for you.” So I’ll be quiet and not worry, because so far he’s been right 100% of the time.

Here with me

How’s your January going? Between weather events and facing some difficult challenges, I’m happy to say goodbye to January. Goodbye and good riddance. I’m ready to start over and begin some new adventures.

I’m optimistic that February is going to be good, because that’s when the Feb/Mar 2018 edition of Quilting Arts Magazine hits the newsstand. Since I subscribe, I’ve already received my copy and perched on page 82 is another article written by me! I’m so very excited!

I’ve known about this for a little while. Over the summer, I wrote this article and the one in last month’s edition. I use to work for a publishing company and they always advised us not to talk about an upcoming publication. You just never know …. until you’re in print, anything could happen to stop publication.

I submitted both proposals early last year and waited several months before I heard anything from the editor. I was so overwhelmed and honored when editorial director, Vivika Hansen DeNegre, sent me 2 congratulatory notifications on the same day. Both articles were accepted! I completed both by the end of September. I also prepared samples to show my process and sent them off to be photograph. Yes, I was busy those few months, but I couldn’t let you know. Now it seems like so long ago and seeing them in print is surreal.

I’m excited that I can finally tell you about it and hope you get a chance to read the articles. I still have copies of the Dec/Jan edition in my Etsy store and I will be adding copies of the Feb/March edition very soon (I’ll even autograph them if you like). These publications, along with some other changes I’ve made in my life, mark the start of a new direction for me. I’m looking forward to this journey and I’m glad to know you’re here with me.

I’ve been published!

Quilting Arts Magazine
Dec17/Jan18
Cover Artist
Click Here to Get a Signed Copy!

Bring. It. On.

What the heck? It seems like last week I was working on this pinecone art quilt (pictured) and I just walked away for a brief moment. Today, I’m back in my studio and its still where I left it, but several weeks have past. And… now I’m living in an entirely different year. I don’t understand, where did the time go?

Well of course I understand, life gets in the way. Its just crazy how it can do that. Now with December holidays and the winter bomb cyclone behind me, I’m ready for this new year.

In the past, I’ve made resolutions and chosen a word to inspire me through the new year. Unfortunately, six weeks into the year I usually have forgotten my resolve. This year, I’m just going to keep on keeping on; more time in the studio, more time seeking teaching opportunities, and more time enjoying life.

Bring. It. On.

Put yourself out there

It has been over 10 years that I began reading Quilting Arts Magazine. It has always been my bucket list dream to grace the pages of this inspirational publication. I came close in 2012, when my pet portrait of my dog “Storm” became Mr. September of their calendar.

Since then, I pondered to myself, what do I have that’s worthy of their reader’s interest. I use a lot of tools to create my art, but everything felt ordinary. A few years ago I began experimenting with Prismacolor pencils on fabric. I was so impressed with the depth I could create (my piece “Silenced,” on my home page, was enhanced using them).

I’ve been asked several times by artists I admire, “Why aren’t you publishing?” I had no answer. Early this year I decided to take their challenge and submit a proposal to Quilting Arts. To my joy, they accepted. This summer I wrote the article and created the supporting artwork, I’ve been waiting to share the news since July.

Having worked in the publishing business for many years, I was always told don’t talk about it until its in print. Anything could happen along the way. Today I got the OK to share the news, but to my surprise I get to share even bigger news. My summer tanager gets the limelight as the cover artwork. I cannot explain how amazingly surreal this is. Dreams come true when you put yourself out there.

See my artwork at your local newstand
Quilting Arts Magazine
December/January 2018

Stop playing

No matter how accomplished you get in doing something, I believe there is always room for improvement and growth. Maybe some people can admit that they’ve reached the pinnacle. Not me.

The world is constantly changing. People’s interests change, fashion changes, and new technologies are created. If I could say I have it all together, I suspect in a few months…maybe a year…what I do would become out-dated, old, and uninteresting.

So my issue is to keep figuring things out. It’s a difficult process, because you can never stop, even if you get tired. My feelings right now are I need to improve my quilting skills.

I have a fancy machine, but that doesn’t do the work…my hands and brain do. Lately, I’ve noticed that when I quilt my pieces I fall back into what’s comfortable. I’m bored.

Recently what has wowed me in other quilts is the beautiful mixture of different motifs on one quilt. The backgrounds are rich with varying designs. That’s what I’m loving and want to do. I’ve been trying to think what’s holding me back and I realize its time. I don’t allow myself time to play … play feeds inspiration. Play also allows you to try something new without worrying about failure; “Oh well, I was just playing.”

This week I played. The results aren’t typical for me, but I was able to experiment with some new designs. Then, because that wasn’t special enough, I experimented with Derwerts Inktense pencils to add some color. I won’t show you the fails, just know that there were a few.

My take home message from this is to allow yourself time to play and experiment. You don’t have to be so serious about everything you do. Just remember as this applies to our art: “we don’t stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing.”

Bid on Me!

I belong to SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates). This organization has provided me with a lot of information and encouragement over the past several years. For the support they give me, I like to give back to them. This year, I am again participating in SAQA’s annual benefit auction.

Earlier this year, I made a 12″ x 12″ quilt that is similar to my quilt “Silenced” (pictured on my home page). Both of these quilts feature my rendition of the now extinct Carolina Parakeet. These birds were the only indigenous parrot of North America. They once flourished in the old growth forests along rivers and in swamps. They could be found from Southern New York all the way to eastern Colorado.

Whenever I talk to people about the Carolina Parakeet, they question me by saying they’ve seen parakeets living in their yards. How could that be? The parrots they’re actually referring to are called monk or Quacker parakeets which are considered a feral species. Feral species, including “feral” cats or dogs, were once house pets that escaped that now live and breed in the wild.

With these quilts, I hope to educate people. Maybe by seeing my quilt with cloth parakeets, I can start a virtual discussion with the viewer. Maybe we can find a way to stop further losses. At the minimum, I hope the viewer finds a visual place to pause and imagine what life use to be. I hope whoever sees this finds peace.

You can own this quilt
“Carolina Parakeets”
by bidding on it during the

SAQA Benefit Auction

Bids on this quilt will be open Sept 15- 24
For more details visit www.SAQA.com

Keep looking forward

Doors have been opening for me lately. I think that’s definitely a circumstance of me knocking on them and putting myself out there. I also think it’s because I’ve started putting my aspirations first. For the past year, I’ve been focusing on self-development. I’ve pondered my dreams and wondered how to get them to come true.

For over 10 years, I’ve had a bucket list dream that always seemed to fall just a little short of reality. Although I did try, I really don’t know why I didn’t try harder. I suspect it was the perfectionist that lives in my head. She likes to tell me that things need to be a certain way before I can put it out there. I call myself a “recovering perfectionist,” but that doesn’t mean I’m recovered.

I’m not too concerned that sometimes my alter-ego drives my thinking. Right now that pesky little voice has put me somewhere that I’m pretty confident about. I’m ready for this and its all because she used to tell me “not yet.” Maybe that’s the key to our dreams, maybe we need to be ready for the next step. It doesn’t mean give up. It does means continue learning and developing yourself, because with knowledge comes confidence. If life doesn’t seem to give you want you dream, keep trying, keep looking forward.

What are your priorities?

There is no lack of things to do in my life right now. Boredom is not possible. However, what I’m finding is a level of overload. It’s the “T-word” again … specifically time management. We all need to juggle home life with our creative journey. And, some of us also have the added factor of outside employment in the mix. I’m interested in a lot of things and want to do them all. I’m realizing, I can’t, especially if I want to do them well. For example, even though I would love to do some wood-working projects a-la Roy Underhill (PBS’ Woodright Shop), that’s just not an option.

I have goals and deadlines on my calendar, they take priority above the creative ADHD I sometimes have. I’m in a good place, but realize I must compartmentalize my life to make it all work. I have to say “no thanks” to some of the things that sound cool and fun, but just don’t fit with my current plan. Focus, girlfriend…Focus. My message (to you) “breathe and achieve.”

Remember, seeking balance is a decision and finding calm fosters creative inspiration. What are your priorities?

Have the opportunity again

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to travel to Herdon, Virginia to be part of the Sacred Threads Artist Weekend. Sacred Threads is an art quilt exhibit held every other year which focuses on the spiritual side of making quilts. For this juried exhibit, artists were asked to submit quilts with statements that explain their story.

This was my first time entering this exhibit. To my great honor, my quilt “Soar” was accepted.

It’s always a treat to visit the exhibits where my quilts hang, but this time things were different. The emotional energy that’s in the building can’t be explained. Most quilt exhibits, you look at a quilt and move on, but in this exhibit you’re compelled to read the stories. More than once I was moved to tears reading the artist’s intent. Lisa Ellis and her team of volunteers also produce an audio tour of stories told by the artists and there’s the book, a big book, of all the quilts and artist statements. I didn’t have time to read all the statements while I was there, but I did buy the book and plan to read every one. I had the most fun, stalking fellow artists and asking them to autograph my book. It gave me a reason to have dialog with these talented people and personally learn about their artistic motivation.

During the weekend event, there was a special gallery viewing in which the artists stood by their quilts and talked about their art. Due to the traffic flow of show, I found my best observation point to be across from my quilt. I enjoyed the opportunity to observe people’s reaction to my piece. I had a great vantage point to see people’s reaction without them knowing I was there. I found that a lot of men were attracted to “Soar’s” large osprey wing. That intrigued me. Was it the size? Visual impact? Or that it didn’t look like a traditional quilt? I didn’t ask, but its an interesting tidbit for me. If you have the time to visit this week, I encourage you to go. If not, it will be 2 years before we have the opportunity again.

SEE MY QUILT “Soar” at the
Sacred Threads Exhibition
July 7, 2017 – July 23, 2017
Floris United Methodist Church, Herndon, VA
www.sacredthreadsquilts.org

Make excuses

There are days when I wish I had more confidence. I’ve come a long way over the past decade, but I still haven’t eliminated self-doubt. I take comfort in knowing that I’m not alone. What I’ve learned is that I should own up to it and work through it. It’s like the book, “The Little Engine That Could.”

On those does that the negative speak takes hold, I remind myself to step back, take a breath and say, “I think I can.” Then I drive forward. “Onward>>” is my new personal catch phrase. Just don’t stop trying.
“I think I can.”

Yesterday was one of those days. I was struggling with some background quilting designs. I wanted to kick it up a notch, but each attempt didn’t give me the joy I was looking for in the quilt’s design. But I didn’t stop. I kept trying. Change the thread, change the pattern, change the attitude … “I know I can.”

By the end of the day, I felt the confidence and said, “I thought I could and I did.” Who knew it was as simple as a pre-school storybook? Always remember, in life we have 2 choices: *Make progress or *Make excuses.

SEE MY QUILT “Soar” at the
Sacred Threads Exhibition
July 7, 2017 – July 23, 2017
Floris United Methodist Church, Herndon, VA
www.sacredthreadsquilts.org