Color Sampler

Yesterday, I decided to sit down and sew together a number of samples for my new Just Gelatin class. I then sorted through and picked out samples for some of my other upcoming classes: Latin American Influences and Inspired by Nature.

I find it fun to lay the samples out next to each other...so much color!

Today, I drove on over to G Street Fabrics with the various samples so that they could get them up in the display cases to advertise the classes.

I've been working on straightening up the studio a bit...organizing class samples...and getting ready for my son's return.

My son, Aaron, is graduating from college on Saturday! Can't believe four years have gone by. We will be negotiating the studio space...stay tuned!

Peace Alphabet So Far

I've been sketching more letters tonight for the Peace Alphabet (A Letter A Week 2013).

I decided to line up what I have so far.

Still more to come...

Keeping Constant

Letters I and J for the Peace Alphabet (A Letter A Week 2013)

This week I've been grateful for having monthly projects to keep me on track.

Cut paper designs for Julie B Booth Surface Design News.

These small monthly constants have kept me anchored during some difficult moments.

Searching for Roy G Biv Challenge Fabric.

I've also been grateful for friends who listen.

Thanks.

Playing with Black & White

I've been working on the next issue of Julie B Booth Surface Design News. Believe it or not, it's been a whole year since I published the first issue!

Some of you might know that I've had a recent fascination with cut paper art. I've manage to collect a few books and have admired the intricate, sometimes delicate artworks created by the talented artists who work with this medium.

This month's newsletter is focusing on black and white and the Japanese concept of Notan, which literally means, dark-light. I've been spending lots of time in the studio this week cutting and pasting. It's been great fun and quite surprising!

I'm off to do some more work on the Newsletter...it's coming out this Saturday...gotta get crackin'!

Winner Chosen for Yellow Challenge Fabric

Congratulations go out to Kim (Letting in the Light)! Your name was drawn from the baseball cap this morning. I hope you enjoy this fat quarter of hand printed fabric. I was particularly pleased with how this one came out.

Kim, please send me an email with your mailing address and I will get the fabric off in the mail to you soon. (threadborn@gmail.com)

Thanks to all of you who played along this month. I was truly inspired by your selection of yellows. By the way, if you haven't seen Lisa's second installment of yellow...it's a mouth watering one!

I hope you all will play along next month. Get your cameras out and about to search for GREEN (tints and shades appreciated). Be sure to post next month's photos on Thursday, May 16th (don't worry I'll remind you!).

Searching for Roy G Biv II: Yellow (Friday Morning Update)

I'm looking forward to seeing the YELLOWS you'll be posting today as the search for the colors of the rainbow continues.

Love these crazy pieces of farm equipment! Very inspirational YELLOW from Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Interesting shadows.

Theses words painted on a building in Harrisonburg conjured up YELLOW.

I inherited this old jar from my grandmother. It has a satiny patina.

An art piece from Alex Lockwood using recycled lottery tickets.

Up close in the garden. The design in the center in the shape of tulips!

Gourds from the local farm stand photographed last October.

YELLOWS orchids from the Farmer's Market in San Francisco.

To play along, just post a comment here and let me know that you have some YELLOW to share. I'll be updating this post throughout the day and will link to your blog. If you do not have a blog, feel free to send me your photos in an email and I will post them here. I'll be updating this post until midnight (Eastern U.S.A. time) Saturday, April 20.

Here is this month's Challenge fabric: A full fat quarter! I used a salt resist and overprinted with moldable foam and carved blocks. In order to have a chance to win this fabric, you must play along. Drawing for the fabric will be on Sunday, April 21st.

To see more YELLOW, visit Jennifer Coyne Qudeen's blog.

Maya at Million Little Stitches found YELLOW all around her this month.

Fiona at Paper Ponderings is pondering a quote in her weekly Thursday Thoughts. Her YELLOW contribution this month is a Braille bus stop sign!

Deb at SaltBushStitch takes us for a walk around her neighborhood with YELLOW highlights (I'm in love with the pale YELLOW stones!)

Check out the YELLOWS from Margaret over at her blog Charlton Stitcher. Love that last photo and the pipes in primary colors.

Be sure to take a look at Karen Anne Glick's YELLOW Pinterest  Board.

Kim Henkel at Letting in the Light has a buttery YELLOW journal to share along with some subtle YELLOW still lifes.

Lisa at arzigogolare has stacks of Nancy Drew YELLOW and an audio from U2 (which I'm enjoying as I type these words) and this is just the first YELLOW installment!

Susan at Tracemarks has the happiest YELLOW tin with cats!

Working on Peace

Detail of Yellow Challenge Fabric.

 Here is a sneak peek of the YELLOW Challenge fabric. Yes, the Search for Roy continues tomorrow. Hope to see lots of YELLOW out there.

I've been continuing to carve the Peace Alphabet blocks for A Letter A Week 2013. It's helped a bit to focus on Peace during another difficult week in the U.S.

I feel a deep connection to Boston. I moved to the Boston area in 1979 right after graduating from college. I met my husband in Cambridge, Mass (on the other side of the Charles River) and we bought our first house in Billerica. My Mom's family is from Boston and I still have cousins who live in Medford.

On the news, I heard a mother whose 29 year old daughter had died, say..I just don't understand...

I don't either.