Quirky Quilted Journals and a Tote

You can see the newest tote bag here, but you just can't tell that it IS a tote bag because it's stuffed under the little quilt. Anyway, there it is, with my own art work on it this time. I don't think you can read them here, but the prices are shown inside the Magic Eight Balls. The tote is the thing in the lower right side above.

And there it is again with the shoulder strap actually showing, that black-n-white thing with the blue flower sewn on. It's amongst the older quirky-quilted journals that Brennis wanted to keep at the gallery.

Crazy Pam's Discount Quilties! Come ON Down!


Get 'Em While They're Hot!

Gallery Submissions in Process

So I finally got back down to 2nd April Galerie (209 6th St. NW, Canton, Ohio 44702) to pick up my previous submissions that had not sold and drop off the three completed quirky-quilted journals that I had lying around, and a new quirky-quilted-and-fabric-collaged tote bag which I can't find any pictures of now, ratzen-fratzen...When to my utter amazement and delight, Brennis Booth, one of the the wonderful people who run the place, suggested I leave all the old quilty journals along with the 3 new ones and the tote bag, but maybe lower the prices. He said people are very interested in them, but when they see the prices they just move on.

"Interested?" I perked. I had not heard the part about lowering the prices at first. All I heard was that people like my stuff. Of COURSE I lowered my prices! Even with all the work, blood, sweat, and tears I had put into each soul-healing morsel of nummy-ness, I decided to drop the prices so that my babies could more possibly find new and loving homes.

The kicker is, I had in my purse, the quilty square below. While Brennis was generously helping me re-price my pieces, I pulled it out and asked him if he had any ideas for a use for it. He suggested I mount it and frame it inside a shadow box. He wants me to make a few more of the sqares and bring them in in shadow boxes to hang in the gallery side of the, uh...gallery. (My journals and totes have been in the gift-shop side of the gallery.)

"Oh my!" says I. Yes, yes, yes! what a great idea. I must feel so guilty about sewing and art-ing all the time instead of keeping house, that my syuff is almost never made as just something to look at or hang on the wall. It's almost always made into a "useful" thing like ajournal or a tote bag or a dolly. I don't know if you can imagine how validated I feel to know that something I make is going to just hang there and look pretty. Whether it sells or not isn't the issue. That it's appreciated enough to hang in public in an actual gallery has me walking on air.

The above is the square I showed Brennis. It's about 9" x9".

And this one is a next one I am making for the galley. It's not all the way stitched yet. The background fabric is an old curtain that I got at the Hartville Flea Market last weekend. To die for, no?

And this one is the third one for the galley. This one is my favorite so far. Mommy likes herself some circles, babies.

Night Shots

Sexy Tote

Over the long weekend I made this adorable tote bag from a pattern. (Notice the printout of one of Teesha Moore's fabulous quilty books hanging in the back ground. I like my cubicle to be festive.)

Shimmy, Shimmy, Shimmy

Here is a hip scarf/belt I made for belly-dance class. It's very jingly. It makes me happy to be able to wear some of the pretty beads and bangles that I have been collecting for a long time.

My Own Wee Wonderful Garden

I found a pretty spring flower called Osteospermum at the Wal Mart. They didn't have much else for this early in the season, but these were really bright and cheerful looking. I planted them in my back-patio flower box, then I added some moss and miniature goodies for fun.

Those bare twigs will be a lovely lavender plant again soon.



As for the FRONT yard, this is what we woke up to last week:

Apparently the Pickard "triplets" are attracting some negative attention. Unless, hey, is it cool to be tee-peed nowadays? I don't know.

Sampler

Here are a couple of journal pages I collaged. I scanned them before I decide to add more stuff, like writing and drawings, maybe embellishments. I like them just the way they are for now, but they aren't precious. They are for playing with.

Here are some recent play-time results. I made them just to be playing with fabric and color. Not all are fabulous, in fact, some are VERY not fabulous, but all were made with process in mind, not product. When I look at them and touch them, my mind and heart remember what it was like to take a leap of faith, be messy, and just create without fear.
They make me a little uncomfortable. Which is how it felt to make each one...uncomfortable, and then either delighted or not. They are "through" pieces, not "end" pieces. A sampler, if you will.

A Few Pieces That Went to 2nd April Galerie

Brennis was taking care of his baby nephew when I showed up for my appointment with my suitcase full of goodies. That's the purse (both sides) sitting in the baby's bouncy chair.And that's one of my dolls. She's not my favorite, but I had such fun making her. I hung her on the wall in my cubicle for awhile. People had many reactions to her, not all of which were bad, so I decided to take her with me when I went to the gallery to show Brennis my work. He liked her. I hope she finds a good home.

I Got Gallery Space!

Brennis Booth, at 2nd April Galerie in downtown Canton, Ohio on 6th Street right by the Canton Palace Theatre: Thank You!

Brennis saw one of my funky fabric-and-found-object-with-wild-quilting purses one day and told me, "That will sell!"

I brought him a suitcase full of stuff I had made, and he took it all for his gallery: 9 quirky quilted art journals, 2 mini pill-box journals, 3 art dolls (one of which you see here), and a really funky purse.

I am walking on air. I hope the goodies sell quickly. I have SO much fabric to use. And pay for. Which I already bought.