Happy Holiday and Friday Favorites.

Before I forget, Happy Whatever Holiday that you celebrate.   For me it is Christmas celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I don't have a handmade nativity quilt but I wanted to show a nativity scene here.  First I tried clip art but it just didn't have the warmth I wanted. So I considered stealing a picture of a nativity quilt (is it stealing if you give credit?) but was concerned about the ethics of "stealing" a nativity scene.  Hmmm... didn't sound good. So, here is my compromise.  The nativity quilt I fell in love with was made by a very gifted artist (not me) at King Mountain Treasures and is for sale here.   Go have a look for yourself.

On to Friday Favorites.
 Elizabeth Barton at "Art and Quilts, Cogitations Thereon" wrote an article on Dealing with Leftovers.  The first half of the article was the part that was most interesting to me.    Elizabeth gives a really good argument why making and keeping art journals is important.  I have not kept an art journal before.  You know that I have signed up for a drawing class and am batting around the idea of joining the sketchbook challenge all with the intent of increasing my artistic skills.  Elizabeth makes a lovely quilt based on a collage she had made years earlier.  Yep, I have got to start playing around more with drawing and sketching and journals and collages so that I can design better quilts.  Elizabeth has sold me.  I think that I am headed into a good direction for me.

I have yet to win a Fist Full of Thread from Laura at Artfabrik but I will be entering again this coming Tuesday.  Those threads of hers are delicious.  I might have to break down and buy some if I don't win.

Dotti at "Pieceful Musings"  gives a lovely tutorial on using Soft Scrub and freezer paper to discharge with a stencil.  She even tells you how to correct boo-boos and where to buy the chlorine neutralizer--it is a new one that I have not heard about using before.  "This is used to treat water for fish tanks and can be purchased in any store that sells pet supplies...I found mine at the grocery store."  Thanks, Dotti!

If you are a hand stitcher, or would like to be, have you discovered Pin Tangle yet?  If not, this post gives an overview of what Sharon has been doing this last year and will be doing in the coming year.  She also has tons and tons of free downloads of stitches.  One of the classes she is offering is on art journals--notice the glint in my eye.  Here is the descriptor "Studio Journals a Designers Workhorse is offered on February 15th. This online class covers the process of using a Studio journal to create designs suitable for textiles such as contemporary embroidery, or quilting. You do not have to know how to draw. This workshop covers the process of how to keep a studio journal, how to develop an idea further, and how to turn it into a design suitable for a project in fiber."  Oh, yeah!  I will be deep into my drawing class but I hope to have time to pick up this workshop since this sounds like my goal.