This n That #3

WOW. I like the "This n That" posts because they give you snippets of what I am doing, and also get these ideas out of my head. You know, those little things that say "I should really blog about this, my art friends and family would want to know this!"
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Check out my POLL ----->>> Vote vote like a baby stoat!
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I have just reached 90 craft and art blogs in my art and craft blog reader folder. I seem to add another 2 a week. I have to cull a few for not updating for months on end, and I guess I'll find them again if they come back to "blog life". Would you want me to share my list sometime? This is not the list of cute pictures, LOL cats, or comic book blogs, but blogs that I read regularly that inspire me.
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So I have just purchased "The Creative Habit" by Twyla Tharp. I am over halfway finished with the book, and am really enjoying some of the concepts. I am not a trained artist. I never took an art class past grammar school. This book makes me feel that I am one of those who can call herself "an artist". It's got exercises that really make you think about how you approach art, no matter what kind it is. I've suggested DH read it next, for his writing and movies, and of course, his miniature painting.
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I did spend the weekend in Indianapolis last weekend at the ART FOR ALL 2009 event sponsored by ATCSforAll.com, in which we took classes, traded ATCs, drew in each other's journals, and laughed and just had a great time! I'll post my lovely cards I made in a separate post Sunday. Here's a photo of the art room.
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I bought the Lonely Island album, and it's hysterical. Love it...

This n That #2

I like the idea of the "this n that" blog posts... It keeps me in the habit of blogging as I come up with ideas, and I have to admit, I like blogs that update often.
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So I'm trying to decide "where this whole crazy art train is going". See my poll over there? =====>>>>> Please click on a choice and help me figure out what to do next.

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We had a speaker at guild last night, and while I am happy to have seen her work, I wasn't thrilled with some of the "message" she had to say about art quilts and quilt "artists". If we make quilt art, aren't we all artists? Does it really take art training to be a true artist? I think not....
She also had something slightly negative to say about art quilts that have over the top embellishing. As someone who has made that kind of work in the past, why potentially alienate your audience by dissing it in your lecture?
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it's official... I'm the new president of the Riverwalk Quilt Guild of Naperville IL.
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If you ever clog up your toilet.... (Hey, it happens!), pour a bit of dishwashing liquid in the bowl, let it sit for a bit, plunge a couple of times, and viola! Seriously! I know from experience!
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Made some "glue stamps" but am not too good at stamping with them yet. See below!

Unusual Animals

Can you believe it's June already? I can hardly believe it. I'm almost halfway through another year of weekly quilts. I had a tough time deciding on a theme, so I went with an odd one.
I've been researching unusual animals for possible theme inclusion, and when I happened upon the narwhal, I knew this was it for June. The hard part is that I will be away 2 weekends of June, so I had to thin of something simple.
This weekend really disappeared fast... I spent most of Saturday drawing and painting ATCs for my weekend retreat in 2 weeks. Sunday was supposed to be a Mustang only car show with my dad and brother (both own Mustang Cobra cars... one day...) but it was "rained out" and I spent the time washing and hand waxing my car (a Saturn) instead. It never really rained, and I have a nasty "cloudy day sunburn" to show for it. So.... back to my narwhal.
I drew exactly 3 of these before it was right, a drawing in my bedside drawing pad at night, then the ATC, and the mockup for the fusible for this piece. I do love him, he's just so cute.
Narwhal's tusks were hunted by Vikings and often sold a fake unicorn horns, worth about as much as a castle in Medieval times.

This and That

Ever get an idea out of your head, executed, and then find yourself a bit drained to even begin the next project? That's where I am right now. The "big" quilt is done. So now what? The next ideas are forming, but taking their time.
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I am planning a trip to Indianapolis soon with the group from ATCsForAll.com, and I've been feverishly working on ATCs to trade there. I'm super stoked to be taking the various art classes there... And I get to meet all these folks whom I'd only "met" and know virtually.
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I got a netbook, because while I love my Blackberry it doesn't "do" internet the way I need to. Forums, and other sites like that, they don't operate the way they need to for me. So a netbook solves lots of littel travel internet problems for me. This will allow me to keep up with Quilting Arts' Forum, ATCsForAll, plus my various facey-spaces and tweetspots. Now my favorite part will be getting a purse big enough for the netbook. I should make a swanky quilted cover for it.
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I'm also working on a new blog header for up there... It's so bland...

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This is my 250th blog post! It's my goal to post more often now.

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What do you think I should work on (in a meta sense): Patterns for things like the Japanese Dolls and Monsters? Or work on a lecture about my small works to do a local lecture circuit? I put a poll to the right... Give it a try for me?