Join the Tour! The Fabric Printing at Home Blog Tour Starts Tomorrow

If you haven't seen my promos on Facebook, I just wanted to let you know that the Fabric Printing at Home Blog Tour starts tomorrow, February 1 and runs through February 14.

I've asked 13 other FABULOUS fiber artists (see list and dates below) to join me on the Tour and we will be giving away 14 free copies of Fabric Printing at Home! Each day of the Tour I will introduce you to a new artist with a link to her blog so you can stop by for a chance to win.

In addition, every day of the Tour, I'll be featuring surface design tips and Valentine's Day projects using techniques from Fabric Printing at Home. AND you will also have the chance to win a daily "door" prize!!!

So please Join the Tour and make it a point to stop by here from February 1-14...it's going to be a lot of fun!


February 1: Julie B. Booth

February 2: Lisa Chin

February 3: Lynn Krawczyk

February 4: Jane Davila

February 5: Carol R. Eaton

February 6: Judy Gula

February 7: Susan Purney Mark

February 8: Teri Lucas

February 9: Jennifer Coyne Qudeen

February 10: Deborah Boschert

February 11: Lynda Heines

February 12: Cheryl Sleboba

February 13: Terri Stegmiller

February 14: Jackie Lams

Thanks!

Thanks friends and family for coming from near and far for my book signing at Artistic Artifacts tonight. It was great to see all of you and to have a few minutes to sit and chat.

I know that I wouldn't be where I am today without all your love and support! How lucky I am to have you all in my life!

Book Signing at Artistic Artifacts Tonight!

My Sharpie and I are heading to Artistic Artifacts tonight! 6:30-9:00 PM. It should be a fun time and I'm looking forward to seeing old and new friends and even some relatives! Thanks for hosting me, Judy Gula.

Tomorrow and Sunday, I have my 2-day workshop, Fabric Printing at Home: A Kitchen Sampler, also at Artistic Artifacts. This weekend's class is full...but I'll be teaching it again there on April 18 and 19.

It's going to be a fun weekend...I'll have my camera so look for photos soon!

Two Birds

Using hot glue blocks and craft foam to make silk scarf designs.

Busy...busy...

Trying to "kill two birds" as the saying goes (a weird saying!).

Pushing to publish Issue #25 of Julie B Booth Surface Design News and working on Valentine's Day projects to share with all of you during the Fabric Printing at Home Blog Tour (February 1-14)...YIKES!!

Burying myself in the studio today...to create some scarf designs using hot glue blocks and craft foam.

Gluing myself (ha ha) to the computer later today to pump out the Newsletter...

Wish me luck!

Stitch Centering

The next few weeks are going to be very full and a little crazy!

I have my first book signing on January 30th followed by a two-day workshop (all at Artistic Artifacts).

February 1st will be the start of my two week blog tour. Thirteen of my fiber-artist friends have graciously agreed to join me as we give away 14 copies of Fabric Printing at Home. I'll have more to add later...but be sure to stop by February 1-14 for tips and projects!

So...it felt great to sit down and get centered with a bit of hand stitching.

I made this flower fabric when I worked on Carol R. Eaton's Woodlands fabric for The Printed Fabric Bee. I liked the design so much that I made two additional pieces...one for my Mom (who just had it framed) and one for myself. I decided to add a backing fabric and am doing a bit of hand stitching on the flower motifs...just a little to add a bit of emphasis. I'm looking forward to completing it.

Right now, working on some small projects and completing them is so satisfying. I'll post a photo when it's all stitched up.

Daddo

Can't believe a year has gone by...missing your smile.

Searching for Roy G Biv #4: Red Update #3

Cranberry glass decanter I inherited from my grandmother.

Welcome to round #4 of Searching for Roy G Biv (the colors of the rainbow)! I can't believe it's our fourth time around...looking forward to seeing posts from old friends and hope that some new folks will join in the fun!

Just a little refresher...on the third Thursday of each month, Jennifer Coyne Qudeen and I host a colorful blog hop. Each month focuses on a color of the rainbow (in order) and then we continue beyond the rainbow with some additional colors. For all the colors and dates see below. To play along with us, post up to five photos featuring the color of the month. Leave a comment here or on Jennifer's blog. We'll link to your blog post so all can enjoy your colorful finds! I'll continue to update this post through Saturday, January 17th midnight eastern USA time. I'm heading down to Savannah today for a visit with my Mom, so updates will appear later in the day.

This month's color is RED. I found this color at home, in the neighborhood, and on a trip to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.

My breakfast!

Great red dog in a window in Alexandria, VA.

A narrow red door in Alexandria, VA.

I was fully expecting to be photographing hearts (Valentine's Day) but Christmas decorations are apparently still up! Guess I'll have to save those valentines for November and Pink!

Pensive Santa

Jennifer has her usual eclectic mix from her travels. She's found RED in all sorts of unusual places!

Fiona at Paper Ponderings has some wild RED and is pondering how things take form.

Maya of Million Little Stitches fame has started Roy at a new venue! Check out Take Diversion and her yummy REDS!

Margaret at Charlton Stitcher has quite an assortment of REDS from her 2014 travels...Love the surprise of the Jon Buck sculpture!

Sharmon Davidson has some amazing photos of RED Christmas ornament displays and some lovely collages as well.

Lisa at arzigogolare is once again blowing my mind with her ability to make ordinary things look special...RED crepe paper...who would have guessed!

Mary Ann at Blue Sky Dreaming found some fun REDS lurking around her home.

Eric at Cerulean has some "small" REDS that make a big impression!


Some new "players" in the game:
Fran from At the End of the Day with some lovely soft REDS.

Linda Stokes has a wonderful mosaic of REDS this month.

Elfi has some striking REDS...love the parrot and the puppy!

January 15: Red
February 19: Orange
March 19: Yellow
April 16: Green
May 21: Blue
June 18: Indigo
July 16: Violet
August 20: Brown
September 17: Metallic Gold
October 15: Gray
November 19: Pink
December17: Blogger's Choice

Searching for Roy G Biv Reminder...Red This Thursday

I'm sorry that this is such a late reminder...good thing Jennifer is on the ball! The fourth round of Searching for Roy G Biv (the colors of the rainbow) starts this Thursday, January 15th with the color RED. Just post up to five RED photos on your blog and Jennifer and/or I will  link to your post for a colorful blog hop! It's lots of fun and newcomers are always welcome.

Looking forward to seeing lots of RED on Thursday!

The Printed Fabric Bee: My Old World Map Fabric

Finally, my Old World Map fabric is complete. This month's theme from Queen Bee, Lisa Chin, was a tough one but that's part of the fun of being a member of The Printed Fabric Bee! Challenges str..et..ch you!

Since Lisa had requested the colors of old maps, I knew that my color palette would be a toned-down one. I started with some tea-dyed fabric. For my first layer I decided to do a flour paste resist. I knew that the crackle designs would age the fabric and make an interesting background texture.

I spread a layer of flour paste across the fabric.

After the paste dried, I manipulated the fabric to form small cracks and then painted over the resist. The paint seeped into the cracks.

After setting the paint and removing the resist, this is what the background looked like.

For the next layer, I wanted to give the impression of land and water. I tore freezer paper masks and ironed them to the fabric.

I applied two different colors of diluted transparent fabric paint over the masks and let them dry. The painted mixed under the paper for some color gradations.

I decided to design and carve a Speedball Speedy Carve print block based on a compass rose design.

I like how the design forms a grid (like a map) and you can still see through to the layers below.

To give the compass rose design a little more definition, I created a stencil out of packing tape (you can read more about how to make one of these stencils in this issue of my online newsletter, Julie B Booth Surface Design News).

Here is the 6" square that is part of the fabric giveaway.

Here again in the mosaic of designs by other members of The Printed Fabric Bee.

To join in on the giveaway, leave a comment at The Printed Fabric Bee blog or Lisa Chin's blog. Lisa will be announcing the winner on January 16th. Good luck!!

The Printed Fabric Bee: Old World Maps Giveaway!

It's time once again for a giveaway from The Printed Fabric Bee...the first of 2015!

This month Lisa Chin was our Queen Bee and her theme was Old World Maps. This was a tricky one for me and I'm now working on my second try. So...in the meantime, enjoy the fabrics in this mosaic and you'll be seeing my contribution soon.

For a chance to win 6" squares from the eleven worker bees, leave a comment under the mosaic at The Printed Fabric Bee blog or at Lisa Chin's blog post on the giveaway. She'll be closing comments on January 15th.

Good luck! Now it's back to the studio to tackle my fabric!

Check out the other members' fabrics:
Lynda Heines
Deborah Boschert
Jackie Lams
Carol Eaton
Lynn Krawczyk
Gerrie Congdon
Jane Davila
Leslie Jenison
Susan Purney Mark
Judy Gula