Dreamland

A to Z.

My creative habit:  Mentors have been very important in my creative growth.  I had two growing up:  my mom, who tried every craft at least once (and that was the 70's, so we had supplies for everything from macrame to God's eyes -- remember those?), and my neighbor Ann, whose artful environment I coveted.  (They even had one small cabinet whose surface was entirely handpainted with leaves and flowers -- and a little scene of their family gathered around a table.  I have a photo of it and it still inspires me.)  As an artist, I feel so lucky to have had two more mentors:  Katherine, who will listen to me at 7am or 11pm or over a 3-hour coffee break (when we were in New York together, we never got more than six hours of sleep); and Susan, an amazing quilt artist and teacher who is being awarded the Textile Center's Spun Gold Award this week for her lifetime achievements in fiber art.  Lucky me!

Last chance!

The first twelve to purchase my new Quote of the Month Club get free shipping -- only three left!  (If you notice shipping charges listed in the item description, you'll know the last three were already scooped up.)  Quote of the Month will be available for purchase through the end of December.

A to Z.

A creative habit I wish I had:  I admire anyone with the ability to exhaust an idea.  My friend Marjorie told me about the time she was obsessed with squash -- drawing them, painting them, finding inspiration in the color, shape & texture -- and I was jealous of her ability to focus.  I am usually working on about six things at once, related or not.  I love the idea of being able to squeeze every last drop from one (juicy) subject.  I would love to hear from anyone who operates this way!

Inspiring reading, part two.

Brainstorm by Eric Maisel  The books I've read by Eric Maisel so far tend to be a little too self-help-y for my own taste, but there's always a really helpful nugget or two to be had, so I keep seeking them out.  As someone who actually schedules time for brainstorming, I thought his idea of "productive obsessing" was worth looking into.

Letters to a Young Artist by Julia Cameron  I checked this one out from the library, but quickly realized I need my own copy (so I can underline and write in the margins).  You could read this in an afternoon, or a few pages at a time over years.

Sew Wild Alisa Burke's commitment to her art amazes me.  I think, talk, read...she does.

Three Dimensional Embroidery and Experimental Textiles  Eye candy.

Simply Imperfect  This is a revised version of an earlier book, The Wabi-Sabi House, and probably my favorite in this stack. "Wabi-sabi is a state of mind: living modestly in the moment, stripping away the unnecessary, finding satisfaction in everyday things."

Block Party  The story of a virtual quilting bee -- with pretty pictures.  My favorite is the Wonky Triangles quilt.

Textile Designs  This one has been in print almost twenty years and is considered the bible of pattern design.  I've been doodling a lot lately, trying to develop some patterns I can use as stencils or screens.  Resources like this one are fuel for the fire. 

Inspiring reading.

I've been so inspired by my non-fiction reads lately that it will take me two posts to get through it all!  Some are new, some have been around awhile, some have been around a long while:

Art Saves by Jenny Doh.  I bought this one sight-unseen, because the title was so intriguing.  Now I am wishing for a whole afternoon free to devour it.  Although I know in my heart that art and beauty are as necessary to life as food and shelter, it is my biggest struggle to remember that day in & day out.  I ask others how they can be aware of human need and suffering and still put one foot in front of the other; I asked my art mentors last week, and then my friend Lisa, who replied, What would the world be like if everyone was an accountant?  Would you want to live in that world?  (For the record, Lisa is an accountant.) 

Molas!  I wanted to give myself some historical context for all the hand-stitching I've been doing lately.  Molas are the original reverse applique.

The Splendid Table's How to Eat Weekends  I don't listed to this NPR program all that often, but I loved the first book (How to Eat Supper); it's a cookbook you can curl up with.

Sewn by Hand  How could I resist a title like that?

Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts  This book was published a few years ago.  I'm more interested in Kelly Rae's artistic journey and comments on creativity than I am on the mixed media techniques. 

The Artist Unique  The subtitle of this book is "Discovering Your Creative Signature," which is pretty compelling stuff.  The book is actually more about hands-on techniques and individual stories; not my favorite, but worth checking out from the library.  Who doesn't love to read about women making art on their own terms, successfully?

Winners.

With 33 responses to this week's giveaway, I thought it would be fitting to draw 3 winners instead of 2:

Madelia:

WOW! I would love to win oe of these qoute packets. My favorite fall food is Arroz con pollo caldo (chicken and rice soup. It makes you feel all warm and cozy.

Erin:

My favourite fall food is soup. All kinds of soup. But especially butternut squash. Or leek & potato. Mmmmm....

Lanie:

I love absolutely anything with pumpkin in it, but my favorite is pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! :)

Winners, please send me your mailing address:  lettergirl66 {at} gmail {dot} com.

I wish I could send a card to each of you!  So many yummy fall foods:  soups, stews, chili, apples, sweet potatoes, squash. I am always looking for new recipes so feel free to share!  Here is one I posted a few years ago that I still love at this time of year:  Baked Risotto with Butternut Squash and Prosciutto.

Next week I am looking forward to sharing some books that have inspired me lately, and a few more pages from my A to Z journal.  (I'm in the home stretch!)

A to Z.

My creative habit:  I have a friend who takes a creative field trip every month.  Remember field trips?  When you got to escape the same old - same old?  I don't schedule them regularly like my friend does, but I do like to squeeze one in now & then for a little fresh air and inspiration.  My favorite creative field trips take me to art museums, used book stores, and those little boutiques that have everything from jewelry to teapots.  (The displays at Patina and Bibelot are always worth the trip.)  Do you have a favorite spot for a field trip?

Quote crazy giveaway.

You may have noticed I've gotten a little quote crazy lately -- what with the new calendar and the Quote of the Month Club. Well, unpacking this morning from Rachel's Holiday Boutique (a splendid time), I found that I have a few quote cards leftover...and it would be so much easier to mail them to you than it would be to find a place for them here. So leave a comment on today's post before Friday, and then I'll draw two winners, who will receive 3 quote cards each. Tell me your favorite fall food!

New: 2012 Calendar.

New in the shop:  a handlettered desktop calendar for 2012!  Each 4x6 card features a quotation embellished by hand with watercolor and/or glitter.  And when the  month is over, you can reuse the card:  send it as a postcard, trim it down to fit a square frame, or attach it to a handmade greeting card or scrapbook page.  I've made a limited run of 50 and will be selling them this weekend at Rachel's Holiday Boutique...when they're gone, they're gone.  I hope I remember to save one for my own desk!

A to Z.

My creative habit: 

Go away.

Work on something else.

Clean studio.

Take a walk.

Organize stuff.

Come back.