My Etsy shop is open.

     Yesterday I had an enjoyable day was with the group of ladies who gather on Fridays to chat, eat and do hand work of some kind; knitting, embroidery, crochet, sewn down bindings hand piece or applique.  You get the idea.  We do our own thing.  I took my little box of Hexies I've been working on for years to keep my fingers busy.  If this becomes anything, it will require me working on it for many more years.

     One of the ladies reported that she had just sold a quilt from her Etsy shop and we were all happy about the amount she sold it far.  I hadn't considered Etsy as a place where I would consider placing my work for sale.  But her report gave me pause and I decided to open a Etsy Shop to sell my quilts instead of opening a store through my website which I had considered doing.


     Working with their site was easy, really easy.   So far,  I've got about 17-18 items on the site.  I am planning to add others as well as kits and patterns and some supplies, at least the stuff that my student ask, " Where can I get that?". 


     Nothing ventured, nothing gained I say, so I will see how this goes.  Self promoting is key to selling I know.  So I began by putting my Etsy Shop on my blog.
It was easy to do that.  The Etsy site walks you through it.  Ta-da!  Now I need to see if I can link the Etsy shop as easily to my website "contact me" page. 


     I finally  got the last quilting done on the piece that has been on the HQ16 for months.  Blocked it, trimmed the excess, but have not trued the sides and corners yet.  Depending if it will cool enough to use the raised tables in the garage on Sunday or Monday, I will get  around to doing that.  But more than likely I will get this piece sandwiched and quilted instead.  It measures only 15" x 20" .  I painted while I was in Virginia at the Girl Friends Retreat.

     Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend and Holiday.  Honor all who have served.
And be careful if you are on the roads or in the skies traveling.

I've had the creative dahs

since I returned from a very enjoyable week at the beach in Virginia. It's been a while since I have had this feeling of wondering in the desert without knowing where I was going or in what direction to turn.  I am still working on this piece that has been under the needle for months. 

I think I spoke of getting rid of my website, but changed my mind and updated it instead.  I left out a listing of the workshops I teach because I have not fully made up my mind about if I want to continue doing so, although I do know for sure that I don't like getting on planes  to do so.  I still have one commitment in the Spring of 2017 to do.
     Because I have been stumbling around mentally and creatively, I thought I needed to get back to basics.  Long years ago I did the 12 weeks as set out in the Artist Way and for a long time after I began each day with Morning pages and I did Artist Dates but not once a week as advised.  I have slowly over the last few years gotten out of the habit of doing both.  So today I decided that I would begin again.  I also decided to re-read the book.  One chapter per week.  12 weeks and hopefully a change or a clearer artistic direction.
     I also determined that I like sitting in my front room, the one that faces the street to do my Morning pages  It is a nice bright room and I do love the sunshine. 

  I can see the side garden of my across the street neighbor.

     Because I am a fan of Jane Dunnewold I decided to order her newest book.  It came today and I am in a state of joy.  I think it will be a good partner for the Artist Way and how I am trying to deal with my creativity draught. Cab not wait to sit down with a cup of tea  after dinner and begin reading it.  Let's hope there is some insight I can garnish from her words. 

     Another  nice surprise came in the mail today.  It was a package that contained 2 yards of fabric.  There was no explanation in the package for why I got it, but I have a feeling it was sent by a fellow quilt artist who I gave some advise  to about a project she was working on  a couple of weeks ago.  She had a length of this fabric with her and I commented that I liked the pattern, or rather I like all the circles and had thought about buying some for myself  when I saw it in a booth next to mine when I was vending in Venice Beach earlier in the year.  Not knowing then what I would do with it I stopped myself from handing over the bank card. 

Having  it here in the studio, I'm still not sure what I will do with it,  Just looking at it for now is good..

Derby Day

     You can take the woman out of Kentucky but you can not take Kentucky out of her heart, especially on the first Saturday in May.    I never think of horses or the races any more.  It's been forever that I was conscious of what the name of the most favorite horse running is.  My husband was a racing fan and while I didn't bet do more than let him place a $2 bet on a horse with an interesting name for me I did  attended many races with him in Kentucky and in other States if we happened to be close to a track when we vacationed. 
     Philip read the racing form and I read a book.  One Summer day when we were at the race track in Saratoga, NY I sat in the picnic area at a bench under a tree and hand pieced some of the blocks for this double bed size quilts you see below.   This was one of my first efforts.  It is hand pieced and hand quilted, which is what most quilters did in the early 80's.

  

  

     Not sure when I did this one and can't go look on the label to see since I no longer have it.  This was hand appliqued with my hand dyes and  hand pieced border piece border and hand quilted. 

 

     This one is not for Derby, rather it commemorates  the first time the  Breeder's Cup was held in Louisville, KY.   The Breeders Cup is a fall racing event.  I think they still hold it but  it has been years since I paid any attention to horse racing as I said. 

     I was just feeling nostalgic today as I was up dating my website and came across images of these three quilt and  I let my mind wonder to the connection they have in my life.   So I thought I would share them with you all.  If you bet, I hope you have the winner.