Artistic Artifacts

Even though Easter has come and gone, I want to share with you my first visit to the White House Easter Egg Roll.  My well connected sister won tickets in the White House lottery this year- and she had 2 extra tickets. My son, Kyle (12) and I went with my sister and her 2 daughters, Celia (4) and Layla (2)- the quilt girls. I have grown up in the Washington DC area, and we have spent a lot of time in the city, but never to attend the White House Easter Egg Roll.  So at the age of 47 I finally got to go.  Our timed entry was for 11:15- boy was I in for a big shock!! It felt like 200,000 people rather than 22,000 people. So, now at the age of 47 I can say I went to the Easter Egg Roll, thank you to the thousands of volunteers who make it possible, but unless our timed entry is at 8am next year- I won’t be going. 

 On with the photos:

A view of the Washington Monument from the White House Lawn. We climbed those stairs many times!

Of couse I could not resist the box of dyed eggs. Great colors!!

Yes, you really can roll an easter egg on the White House Lawn. The eggs are hard boiled (thank goodness) and you have a wooden spool to “roll” your egg to the finish line.

They even got to dye their own eggs.

Did I say this is a popular event ??!!

Kyle and I had a great time!! Thank you Aunt Julie.

There are great things movin’ and shakin’ in Alexandria, Virginia.  4750 Eisenhower Avenue has been going through monumental changes over the last several years. Alexandria has been the home of my family’s auto accessory businesses - Electrodyne, Inc.; Racing Dynamics, Inc.; and Electrodyne Performance Inc. -  for the last 35 years, being located at 4750 Eisenhower Avenue for the last 20 years. This successful business group was built from my father’s love of Porsches and my mother’s will to support his endeavors. At age 40, my father’s mid-life crisis resulted in a bright red Porsche (not street legal), and a professional race car license. My mother became the first woman race team owner and my father the driver! What a world wind several years that was!!

Which leads me to the first photo:

After 12 years IMSA racing we had our own racing museum in our store front. These cars have left us for new owners and to run new races. When the first one left I cried!! (So did my Mom, but I think she was happy!)

 Now the store looks like this, sans Porsches:

Wide open underutilized space………………… enter Artistic Artifacts Annex.

The next photo is Artistic Artifacts Annex in process.  We have a classroom for 20 students, with classes already scheduled to be taught by visiting artists Liz Kettle from Colorado, Laura Cater-Woods from Montana, and lots of great local talent including Lynda Poole Prioleau, Linda Cooper, Rosalie Lamanna, and myself (of course). “Artist in Residence” days and “Ask the Expert” consulting days are also currently in planning.

The Annex is:     A Workshop location

                              A  Show space

                              Your source for creative found objects for the contemporary fiber/mixed media artist

                               A Place for artists to gather

Below, a section for Artistic Artifacts products:

Our Grand Opening will be hosted by Judy Gula and Cyndi Souder with a show of student Art Quilts. You are invited to our opening receiption Friday, March 28th, 7:00pm to 9:30pm. Come shop and see the show Saturday, March 29th 10:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday 12:00 noon to 4:00pm.

Check my blog and website for updates in the coming weeks on Annex classes, workshops, meetings, and appointments - all coming soon! Class/Workshop registration will occur online and at the Annex.  Email me with questions, comments, and suggestions!

To find out about offerings at the Annex click the link to my website http://www.artisticartifacts.com/

Navagation is on the left side- pull down menu is: Workshops.  The Annex will offer Workshops, Artist in Residence and Ask the Expert. Please refer to the Calendar for open hours- they will change according to travels for shows and family responsibilites.  When in doubt email me: judy@ArtisticArtifacts.com

I have returned from my first quilt show of the New Year!!  March 1st and 2nd in warm Charleston South Carolina.  Why Charleston South Carolina you ask? Why one of my best friends Cathy lives on Daniel Island and her family owns Fashion Fabrics in Mt. Pleasant.  We decided to participate in the show together.

 I drove my Nissan Quest Mini Van this time- (packed to the gills and a roof rack on top)  Usually I drive Clifford the big red van. But for 10 hours my husband felt better betting on the Quest. (which drove like a top with 130,000 miles on it) The drive was long, about half way there is a town called, Selma, NC. It has a quilt store (sorry I did not visit) But even better many Antique shops, (which I did visit). Back on the road again, I arrived in Mt. Pleasant around 6:00 pm, Thursday evening.

Friday was show set up day, Cathy and I were thrilled that we had space next to each other, so we dropped the middle curtain and set up our booth as a 20′x10′.

Did I mention that Fashion Fabrics of Mt. Pleasant is a Bernina Dealer?! My machine of Choice!

The Show opened on Saturday morning 10am and ran through Sunday at 5:00pm. We were very busy and I want to thank everyone for their patience.  I would also love to see how you use my products in YOUR artwork- PLEASE email photos and I will post on my blog.

Thank you Cobblestone Quilters Guild for a wonderful show, your hospitality was wonderful and the lunch on Friday was fantastic!! I look forward to visiting again in 2 years.

Monday, mid-day I got my walk on the beach and hot dogs from the local hardware store. Tuesday was my driving day back to Virginia.

In my studio horizontal space is at a premium, as I am sure it is in your studio. While I was avoiding all the important tasks at hand, I decided to increase the usefullness of my vintage dye box. ..

Here it is- I think those slots are just asking for drawers!! I tried using pre-made boxes- I could not find anything the correct size. The correct size would use every available inch in each slot. So I made them myself from white cardboard and paper clip pulls. I made 20 drawers and put them in place. The white was too stark.

I pulled all the drawers out and thinned out some glue and collaged pattern pieces on the drawers…. much better….

And a look at all the stuff put into the drawers:

As you view my website you will find several familar items from my drawers… but then there are still some items which I am not ready to share… stay tuned.

During the December holidays, my sister and her husband attended a holiday reception during the week. So what does that have to do with me??? I was to babysit the girls (Celia is 4 and Layla is 2)while they attended the reception. Oh Darn!!

Rather than send them to school for the day we decided that I would have them for the whole day. Yeah!! First we went tommy office, where their Grandfather and Uncle work, stopped by to hug Grandma at her house and then off to Aunt Judy’s to play with fabric. Don’t you just love it!

Celia and Layla went through the scrap bins and picked out any fabrics that they liked and we (Celia and I) worked the sewing machine to create doll blankets.  They are proudly displaying their blankets below:

Aren’t they just the cutest!! Stop back by for a glimps of Celia’s treasure box and button collection in the works!!

I have been known in the past to gather all my nieces and nephews together to make things!!! They have been known to indulge me……

I try to have a To Do list, actually I work with several, one for home, one for the day job, one for the website, one for Artistic Artifacts shows, one for the gallery where my work is sold, one for my husband, one for my quilts and jewelry,  ooops did I slip that husband list in there……. well yes actually he asks for the list rather than leave it to mind reading. My son has not learned this trick of working from lists so he tends to get the tasks named off very loudly.

But there are times I find myself working on something that is not on ANY list!! Why??!! For the last several days, I have been trying to iron my fabric stash. This is not on a to do list, why am I doing this you ask??? Because the fabric on the floor is stacking up and the my goal is to not store stuff on the floor, surely that is on a list somewhere!

Iron? Why you ask, Iron?  When the fabric is ironed more will fit into the allotted space.  I have been collecting fabrics for several years now trying to catch up with my friends who have been collecting for MANY years (I am close). So what makes me think that I am going to get all this stuff ironed in a couple of weeks. I don’t think so, I might go crazy trying!

And this is only the fabric that makes it into my studio stash, there are always fabrics to prepare for sale in Artistic Artifacts booth during shows.

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 This is a peak at a small part of my wonderful studio. My fabric is sorted by color into the draws. Projects in process are suppose to be on the shelf. I do not have UFO’s, just projects in process…..

 A pile…..

And the joy of ironed fabric!!

The big question is: Do you wash all your fabric before adding to your stash? Do you use only washed fabrics in your artwork? Are your fabrics separated by washed and not washed? 

I thought I behaved myself at Quilt Festival. After all when you have a booth you only get let out to go to the bathroom !! But so much damage can take place in that distance to the bathroom.  I ordered a Baby Lock Embellisher Machine. When I received it I quickly set it up and found some organza and silks to play with - it was okay. I found some felt and wools to play with …. it was okay. There was not the electricity and excitement that the samples in the Baby Lock Booth generated!!! What have I done??!! Purchased another machine and I hate it!!! I calmly put it all away and notified my study group that I needed help!!

We scheduled a play date over the Christmas Holidays - 4 of us out of 6. After a couple of hours Kat was on the phone calling dealerships to see who had one in stock, then it was road trip to go pick it up!! 2 out of the 3 who did not have a machine purchased one. (still waiting on my commission). I of course was feeling much better about my machine after watching everyone else play with it and show me new ideas.

I wanted the Embellisher Machine because Artistic Artifacts has joined forces with Jane Steinberg (the silk Diva) to offer a range of silks that are wonderful for use with Needlefelting machines.  In addition I have been collecting sweaters and felting them.  With those raw materials at hand I began to play.  The results are below:

The top photo is a piece that I felted and then cut a heart out then attached to black ultra suede with a pin backing.  The next piece is just that a piece of felt that I have embellished- so WHAT NOW?? Any ideas??

I have had the menu tab for threads since the beginning of my web… looking for the right product to carry. At Market today I found the correct product. Soon to be added to my website: WonderFil Specialty Threads available in many weights and colors:

Accent: 12 wt 2 ply rayon in 60 brilliant colors

D-Twist : 3D effect of diminsion and illusion of texture. Available in 24 tone on tone colors.

InvisaFil: Delicate 100 wt soft polyester. Use as a bobbin thread for delicate machine embroidery. Available in 30 colors

Deco Bob: 80wt continuous bobbin thread for machine embroidery. Available in 36 decorator colors.

Hologram: Highly reflective for shimmer and 3D embellishment effects. Available in 8 colors.

Mirage: 30wt random space dyed with contrast tones. Available 40 colors.

Razzle/Dazzle: 100% Rayon with high natural sheen. Comparableto size no.8 crochet cotton with silky hand. 46 rayon colors and 33 rayon/metallic colors.

Sizzle: 4 ply heavy metallic and 13 brilliant and runs well in bobbin.

Silco: 100% lint free cotton. tex 40. 8 solid and 12 multicolor

And the popular and wonderful Lesley Reily receiving the teachers package from WonderFil threads.

Stay tuned for web updates!! Check out WonderFil Threads

www.Wonderfil.net

I never enter contests or shows. I know I should. I don’t know why I don’t.  I can have the entry dates and requirements posted everywhere- on my computer calendar, taped to my wall in my studio, or carried around in my purse. Well this time I carried the entry information and my bag of extra fabric postcards with me on vacation in August.  Boy do I love teaching people how to make fabric postcards! So in Bolton Landing NY I mailed 3 postcards to Artcardideas.

http://www.artcardideas.com/2007/artcardgallery/index.asp

My 3 postcards are numbers: 109;110; and 111. keep scrolling you will get there.

Just the fact that I mailed my postcards within a deadline - was an accomplishment!!

But, I wanted to win one of the first 10 slots.  So I emailed as many people as I could and posted on my 2 groups to vote for me- but I think I did it too early in the process. No voting was taking place yet. When the voting started I entered my vote and 10 other people voted for my glitter fish postcard.

Lesson learned send the emails and posts out when the contest begins.

I did win a spot in the artcard deck- so I am posting my bragging rights granted by the organizers of the Artcard Deck.

Here is the post to the winning postcards- and they are wonderful!!

http://www.artcardideas.com/2007/artcardgallery/winners.asp

Truro Community is located in Fairfax County, Virginia. We are part of the great Metro area surrounding our Nation’s Capitol, Washington, DC. I have lived in Northern Virginia for all but 4 years of my life. I am considered a native. Truro is one of the few contemporary housing developments and it is 30 years young. Very forward thinking building back then- open spaces and lots of windows in the houses. There is a protected park with recreation center down the center of the housing development and that is where our Art in the Park Show took place on Sunday.

I had heard that this was a long standing tradition, but I have lived in this community for 14 years and must have missed previous events. This year I was able to participate!! For over 2 hours, (yes there were early birds!!) 20 artists displayed their wares, including a children’s author, photographers, painters, and jewelry artists. My goal was to spend an enjoyable day with my neighbors, selling was secondary! But I was pleasantly surprised by some early gift shoppers.

At an early age my son was on the community swim team, so our social life was at the pool where many a time I would arrive with a box of beads and sit and stitch. I was able to work and socialize with friends. I was always hauling something other than towels and sunblock.

 Back to the Art and the Park- Here are my photos:

 Here I am with my table all set up and my helper (my 12 year old son Kyle).

I have a jewelry line based on fabric beads and includes, bracelets, earrings, necklaces and pins. Also fabric bowls using painted and beaded embellishments. My very cool pin cushions- that are a blast to make and give as great gifts. I will have many at Houston Festival.

 Courtney picking out her Birthday gift!!

On Saturday afternoon, (yes the day before the show) I decided that I did not have enough gifty items. So I would quickly dye these Silk and Rayon Scarves. I don’t know about you but “quick” is not reality. I dip dyed them with Procion MX dyes, set the dye with vinager and heated them in a microwave for 5 minutes. Worked like a charm!!  You’ll have to ask me about the microwave story…..

The scarves in this photo are still available for $30.00 each. Email me if you would like to purchase one.  judy@ArtisticArtifacts.com

And finally my decorative bucket purses. More on that in another blog. Check out the black purse bottom left corner with the date on it….. I have these black purses for you to purchase - many ways to decorate them!!