Lent - A time to subtract & a time to add

Hello Cole Here -

I am an Episcopalian and we are Lentan people.  In the past few years I have tried to enter this time of stillness with both subtracting some bad habit stuff and adding something to focus on.

I am subtracting - drive thru food!  I hope I can stick to this

I am adding - projects that I have put in the someday pile.  This is my year for everything in it's place.  I hope to finish the studio and start the pantry in the next 40 days.

My first project was to make sauerkraut. So this Ash Wednesday I cleaned up my crock.  Bought a couple heads of cabbage and started some Kraut!

40 Days - What could you focus on?  What would make your life easier & better? What have you put in the someday pile?

Much LOVE!

2011 Collected & 2012 Began - Part 3

Cole Here - Metal work done.  Now the rubber meets the road.  I am writing this in hopes that it happens in my own space.  "do what I blog, not what I do"

Tackling the bags of supply's a jumble after the Christmas dash.  Are any of you like me an in the insane rush to get handmade commissions & gifts made you now have no idea where your supply's actually are.  Cultivate is my word for my work in 2012 but "EVERY THING IN IT'S PLACE is my phrase for my home in 2012 (& Yes my studio is in my home... so no excuses).

I went out with my art sisters for holiday lunch this week and everyone was saying that they are the only ones who go into their studio so that is where the christmas presents are stored, wrapping, and in general piles.  Except for Sister Darcie - who let's just say - is a super hero of organization.  She has a small but mighty studio and keeps it neat.... I need to work on it!

So step one - WADE IN.... survey, breath and set a 15 minute timer.  Garbage bag in hand, and basket of doesn't belong here in the corner & goodwill bag in the other corner.  Start by cleaning out a path & table work area.

Step Two - Continuing to work in 15 minute incraments until you need a break, drink or just to sit down....

Step Three - keep your goals in mind.  Brenda Dayne from Cast On podcast (yes - I do not knit but I listen to a knitting podcast - I love her what can I say)  does an "annual airing of the stash"  I love this idea.  What do you really have, what can you make?  Try taking the first three month challenge.

• Challenge - Do not enter a craft supply store from Jan - March.  Works completely from your stash.  
• Air your stash
• Make project bags where you can gather all you need for a certain craft.  
• I make supply suitcases - one for felting, one for altered book journaling,

Tomorrow - Keep working on the studio!

2011 Collected & 2012 Began - Part 2

Cole Here - Now you have written down your UFO's, Successes & Learning you want to hold onto... and set free the projects that you never need to see again.  Today is looking 2012 beginnings and direction.

Five Medium Focus - I am one of those artists who just will never be able to pick and stick with a medium... so I pick five each year to stick with for that year.  This helps me limit my range and learn and work more deeply in these arena's.  Just from a stuff management perspective - I don't go shopping and have random stuff end up in my cart as much.  And I can put away supply's in deep freeze storage if I know they are not my focus that year.

• What are your five mediums?  Mine are acrylic painting (stick), Mixed media collage (stick), Rug Hooking (Stick), Sewing & Quilting (new to me), art journaling (new to me)

Project Focus - What projects are you going to attempt.  I try and list all the idea's I would like to fit it.  Last year I had twelve that fit into each month.  I finished 10 of 12 and one is left in UFO's and the other has been set free from 2011.

• What is your project focus?  A few of mine are Encrusted Baby Quilt (art quilt), Jenni's Sign (acrylic commission), Susan's pillows & painting Commission (rug hooking & pillow), Judy's Dog Flower Commission UFO (stained glass - because it is a ufo)

Learning Focus - What do you want to learn this year.  A magazine subscription you just must have, classes you always wanted to take?  I have often related my obsession with the library to a masters degree.  With as much learning as I do each year for free I feel like am working my way through an 'Handcrafted Masters'

• What is your learning focus this year?  Quilting, Quilting, Quilting for me - I am working on getting a new sewing machine and would love to USE every feature on the machine in the first year.  I am hoping to really learn what it can do!

Marketing & professional Focus - Shows you want to enter, blogs you want to start, stores or galleries you want to hang in.  Where is your focus?  How are you going to make the time for marketing?  

• Shows I want to focus on - 
• Blog Plan for 2012 - at least once a week for the year.
• Podcast ???
• Stores & Galleries - 
• Submissions - 
• Taxes & Billing - Smash taking over in 2012 Awesome!

Tomorrow - Tackling the studio!

Belly Casting - Oh how I love it!

Cole here -
Belly Casting is a rare and genuine way to memorialize an especially precious time in life.  Don in the last weeks of pregnancy, I cast your belly , bust and belly or bust, belly and sholdes for a forever sculpture.  Display in a nursing corner, in your bedroom or make a unique bowl that you know the true shape of.

I have heard of women using theirs to hold all the precious bits from the first weeks of the babies life as a time capsule.  The cloths they came home in, pictures & notes from friends.  We love our belly (hubby loves looking at it and remembering all we went through)... and our little one loves to hear the story about when Momma's belly had Squirt inside!

Contact me if you would like this special item as part of your birth experience - cole@woohoocreative.com

From the Library - Elm Creek Quilt Series

Cole Here-   I am an audio book reader!  I love that I can craft, paint and drive and still read!  I am also cheap... so most of the time my audio books come from my library.  I have been listening to the Elm Creek Quilt series for about two years.  I just finished The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini.  It is the 17th book in the series.  I absolutely loved this book.  Here is Jennifer's website -www.elmcreek.net.  The Union Quilters takes place during the Civil war and is an interesting account of how northern women got through this time in American history.  I cried four times during this book and was surprised by my own response. 

My favorite character is Gerda!  Thank you Jennifer for years of entertainment and being an inspiration for great business marketing- books, fabric, patterns & tours.  If you have any idea's for other crafty reads please let me know.    



I started with The Christmas Quilt and wish I had started at the beginning of the series... I love to sew but have yet to make a quilt.  I love these books because they combine my love of all women's handiwork and the history that is stitched into each of her stories.  I would recommend you begin at the beginning of the series - Here is info pulled from Jennifer's site about how to read the series -

Should I read the Elm Creek Quilts novels in the order you wrote them? If I read the Elm Creek Quilts novels out of order, will I still be able to understand them?

If you want to read the books in the order I wrote them, read them in the order listed above. However, since I wasn't planning to write a series, I have written each book so that it stands alone. On my book tour, I often hear longtime fans tell new readers that the books should be read in the order I wrote them, but other readers have told me that they have read the books out of order and were able to follow everything just fine. Ultimately it's up to the individual reader. Please note, however, that later books inevitably give away events that occurred in previous books. If you would like to read the books in something approximating chronological order, please note the following:

• The Christmas Quilt takes place in the interim between The Quilter's Apprentice andRound Robin.
• The Sugar Camp Quilt is set in 1849-1850, so it takes place before the events chronicled in Gerda's memoir in The Runaway Quilt.
• The Quilter's Homecoming is set mainly in 1925, but it branches off from a storyline introduced in The Christmas Quilt.
• The New Year's Quilt immediately follows The Quilter's Legacy.
• The Lost Quilter begins in 1859 immediately following the events chronicled in Gerda's memoir in The Runaway Quilt.
• A Quilter's Holiday takes place while Bonnie is in Hawaii in The Aloha Quilt.
• The Union Quilters begins in 1861 and runs mostly concurrently with The Lost Quilter.
• The Wedding Quilt takes place after A Quilter's Holiday and The Aloha Quilt, with flash forwards to the year 2028.

The Union Quilters, The Lost Quilter, The Sugar Camp Quilt, and The Quilter's Homecoming work particularly well as stand-alone novels and can be enjoyed as your first Elm Creek Quilts novel or at any point in the series.

FROM THE WEB - CRAFTY CHICA

Hola ~

I am inspired by Kathy Cano-Murillo aka the Crafty Chica. CraftyChica.com | Official site of award-winnning artist and novelist, Kathy Cano-Murillo.

I will devote the next few blog entries to all things Chica-ee. Go check out her fabulous site and be inspired yourself.

Mother's Day Mayhem!

My Mother's Days have been interesting in the past, but this one topped all the rest. The first mother's day - when I was pregnant... & on bed rest sucked. The second mother's day was a little better - my bestie art friend Darcie & I went to open studio tour.

This mother's day I got breakfast in bed, flowers, the cutest card ever from Baby J, and even an immersion blender! Then I went out with Darcie again... and we were undecided on what to do. So we went to a bookstore - an awesome bookstore that sells books by the pound.

We asked the owner what they do with the books that just aren't sellable.... We have large recycle bins. As artists we feel the need to recycle too - can we peek through your bins (4 pallet bins that is) - "SURE" music to our little ears. We went dumpster diving for books, collage material and the like.

IT WAS THE BEST Mother's Day EVER! Followed up with sketch books, fraps, books & tattoo sketching.

Wacky Art Party

Art Party in Ravensdale! Had a great time and created a Clepto bird - "Clepto-a-dodo" now can be seen at Gallery 3 in Puyallup.

http://www.ravenstonearts.com

They host classes & a monthly art parties. Check it out. So cool.

NEW ZEALAND OUR FATHER - PRAYER BOOK - Altered Book

I found a cool board book and covered it in black & white gesso... then thought of what it might be. Over a year ago I started a daily habit of prayer and have since wanted to gather my favorite prayers in a personalized art book. I am working on this project for the month of May. I found this amazing prayer and think it will be the first page text. let me know if you have interesting transfer techniques to get the words into the board book.

A version of The Lord’s Prayer

from The New Zealand Prayer Book

Eternal Spirit,

Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,

Source of all that is and that shall be,

Father and Mother of us all,

Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!

The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!

Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!

Your commonwealth of peace and freedom

sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.

In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.

In times of temptation and testing, strengthen us.

From trials too great to endure, spare us.

From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,

now and for ever. Amen.

ARTIST TOOLS - Dover Images

Dover Pubulications - http://store.doverpublications.com

If you haven't poked around on this website yet - go do it! I often check out Dover books from the library and I even own a few books. I love this resource for artists.

How I use the images~

• I love taking the old architecture images and pulling out details to inspire stamps & stencils. I like to tweak the image to my liking. I often make both a stencil and a stamp so I can use the images both in the positive & the negative.
• Sometimes practice my drawing skills by copying images
• Use patterns in my rug hooking. Often I am trying to find interesting border patterns for rugs I hook.

Here is an image of the favorite rug I have done so far. I call it a celtic family rug.

EASTER & ARTIST CRUSHES!

Happy Easter! Had a great morning at church. Everyone loved the prayer flags and we had three baptisms this morning and I even learned how to ring the bell at church.

Sundays are my day to profess my love - for blogs & artists crush on.

Short but great list-

• http://web.me.com/annebagby/Anne_Bagby/home.html. Anne Bagby has inspired me to use layered paper. And given me my favorite new tool in the studio - DELI PAPER
• http://www.stephenbwhatley.com/ Yummy color and astounding paint.

FROM THE LIBRARY - Illuminating the Word

Illuminating the Word : Making of The Saint John's Bible, by Christopher Calderhead, ©2005

Secret of Kells project continued-As I bounced around the library search engine this book popped up, called by most "the American book of Kells" I was intrigued... This is the backstory on the Saint John's Bible commissioned by Saint John's Monastery in honor the Millennium celebration.

The book of Kells inspired me as a history, but the artwork in the Saint John's bible got me to thinking about how I could illuminate the word in my own life. It is a great and interesting thing undertake illuminating the biblical text by hand in a era of very little being done by hand. A modern day Scriptorium was born and letter artists came together to illuminate.

Why? One of the monks explain "The word becomes sacramental. It is not just a text, it is like the Eucharist: A visual image of the Word." Engaging people especially young people to encounter the scripture in a new way.

I am feeling inspired... off to the studio.

From the Library - The Book of Kells

The Book of Kells: Reproductions from the Manuscript in Trinity College Dublin, ©1974

Secret of Kells project continued ~

This is a beautiful book that I flipped through then more intentionally sat and took out my sketchbook and here are the results. Very little of this could be considered copies. This is meant to be more of homage to the book itself, than a copy. I am always trying to bend drawings to make sure I can then use those in my original artwork.

· HHistory of the Manuscript - Said to be of the Early Middle Ages, it is a Gospel Text, in Latin long lines, written on calf vellum, the age of the pages had a beauty to them, I loved the stitching that is visible in the high res plates in the book. Quills were the tools for both the text & illuminations. Other tools they were thought to have - rulers, set-squares, compasses, and early french curves. Housed in Trinity College in Dublin (Check Dublin just got a star next to it in my travel journal).

I loved the illuminated Celtic beginnings, knot work and crazy creatures. It is a stunning achievement of precision craftsmanship.

INSPIRATION FOR THE FLAGS~ I put an alphabet together to work on the prayer flags… loosely based on the text in the book of Kells.

Tomorrow the St. John’s Bible – Yummy book.

Secret of Kells inspiration- peek into my sketchbook

After watching the movie a lot... I have been sketching with Kells on the brain. Here r some of my sketches from the movie. Tommorow I will share the book of Kells...

INSPIRATION FROM NETFLIX - The Secret of Kells

Directors - Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey ©2009

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485601

I adore this movie and so does my 2.5 year old (yes he is a little young for it but he loves it… he calls it his tiger one). I have had the opportunity to watch this movie a lot lately. I mean a lot. Did I mention almost daily…. Now I sit back with my sketchbook and watch with artist eyes.

It is beautiful – I did an imdb search and was disappointed to not see any more by the director or art director. So then I went to the library and looked for the Book of Kells, And found a beautiful book about it. I also found a book about the making of the Saint John Bible. Funny moment with this film, my painting partner Darcie & I often trade tips on "art obsessed" movies, books & the like. She said she saw something animated that I simply must see and I cut her off and said "Secret of Kells." We laughed and put it on the TV as we crafted away.

I wanted to start a prayer flag project and over the next week I will show you how the Secret of Kells inspired me to do more research then eventually do an illumination project of my own!

BLOGS I LOVE TO VISIT

On a lazy Sunday I love to stroll craft/art blogs I love... here is my current crush list

• http://www.oneprettything.com/ -OK this one I stroll everyday!
• http://www.terribleyelloweyes.com/
• http://alisaburke.com/home.html
• http://kollaj.typepad.com/
• http://www.teeshaslandofodd.com

For a short post - this took me a long time... yep got caught in the idle surf of the web again. Thank you to all those artists and crafters who are so generous with sharing their work. I aspire!

A rainbow of leaves in Fall

My lovely sister-in-law doesn't believe we have fall leaves in Rainy Seattle. Wow - do we ever this year. It has been a great year for amazing color. I went on quite a few walks with little man and snapped photos. I had the thought of trying to find the entire rainbow in leaf color. Enjoy!

Walking the Labyrinth

This year has been such an amazing year of spiritual growth for me. Do in no small part to my labyrinth devotional. I have been walking a beautiful labyrinth at St. George Episcopal Church in Maple Valley weekly since early spring. It has expanded my creative life and helped me leap my creativity into high gear.

My practice usually includes praying with a question as I start walking toward the center. I feel the Holy Spirit surround me and capture the answer to my question. I love spending time in the center in peace. As I head back out from the center I pray in thanksgiving and for my family and friends.

As it gets cold and wet I find I am trying to fit it in only when it is dry and sunny…. Then I had to walk when it was wet. Yikes – harder to not rush through and get back in the car.

Then I thought of Mary, yep the “on the donkey “Mary, a question came to me what was her path like? I found myself slowing down and pondering her path, I even began to hum Silent Night.

I will bring this walking meditation into all my holiday preparations and celebrations. It is a great pause in the swirl of the holiday season.

The If Project

"What If …. There was something that someone could have said or done to have helped you that may have prevented you from getting where you are now, what would it have been?"

A simple question asked to a group of inmates in a Washington women’s prison. Answered 240 times in essay form at theifproject.com. I heard from the co-founder and a graduate of the program tonight at St. George’s Episcopal Church.

It was an eye-opening experience. Seeing women who look like me, locked away, who have never been asked - how did you get here, what advice to you have for children, what would have made you path different? What if?

As I listened to these fabulous women speak, I thought about my own life, what if my path wasn’t as supported, what if I was not raised in the bedrock of my family, but instead on shakier ground. What if I had not married a kind, gentle and loving man? What if?

I was humbled by their stories and by their essays – what if? Please take time to look at the website www.theifproject.com. I hope to do some volunteer work with them soon.

The thing both Kim & Miss B came back to – was to listen to children, come along side and support them as a caring adult, show love, honest true love.