The Jury Process and Design Wall Weekend #5

I've been incredible busy getting ready for the Salsa! show this week.  First we had our CQA (Contemporary QuiltArt Association) jury meet at my house on Sunday.  Jurying a show is a fascinating process.

From my art journal  - Page painted with acrylics, Magazine photo, drawing with colored pencil

Torn paper collage

We have a PowerPoint slide show of all the full and detailed views of the entries, which we project onto a screen.  The first run-through is quick, just for the three jurors to get an idea of all the entries and the overall scope of the show.  Next, we go more slowly, allowing the jurors to choose whether their initial impression is to YES (have the piece in the show), NO (don't have it in), or MAYBE.  During this second run through, there is no discussion.  We then tally each of the jurors Y-N-M votes and any piece with 3 Yes' is automatically juried in.  Likewise, 3 No's excludes it from the show.

Torn paper collage

After that, the jurors go through and make decisions about each of the pieces with has anything other than a unanimous decision.  We also have jury helpers to handle other jobs during the process... secretary to take notes on the juror's comments to share with the artists; assistant to navigate through the slides; and a person who tallies the linear inches of width of each accepted piece to ensure that we don't exceed what the gallery can hold.

So, after getting the show decided upon (and my Salsa quilt was accepted!), I've had lots of work to prepare for the show.  I had to get notifications of acceptance and of regret out to each of the artists.  I had to get photos to the venue for printing in a catalog.  I had to get new photos from a few of the artists when I found they hadn't sent high resolution photos.  I had to get things sent out to our publicity chairperson. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Watercolor pencil and collage from a theater show "Teatro ZinZanni"

So, I haven't had time with my sewing machine all week, and I'm feeling a bit guilty.  I am working on preparing my freemotion quilting sampler quilt that I'm doing in conjunction with Leah Day's Craftsy course, "FreeMotion Fillers Volume 1."  Now that I have it all pieced together, I need to layer it with the backing and batting and then baste it.  I don't know that I'll be getting it finished this weekend, however, as I have a Contemporary QuiltArt Association Board retreat, as well as I'm hosting a Surface Design Association group where we'll be hearing about and trying out Golden Acrylic products with Barbara De Pirro.  I have, however, spent more time on my hand stitch and am working on a new little stitch book.  I've also been working in my art journals and thought I'd share a few photos from them today, before going into Design Wall Weekend.

Pencil drawing of my dog, Dexter from this week

Now on to some fun with Design Wall Weekend!

Design Wall Weekend #5 -- What do You Have on Your Design Wall?

What kind of blogs should link up?

I think that it's best to have content that matches the content and interests served with the blog that's hosting the party, so please only link up if your blog post is about any of the following:

• Quilting and fabrics 
• Fiber art of any kind
• Hand & machine stitch or embroidery
• Mixed media art
• Book-making, art journals, and sketchbooks
• Tutorials for any quilting, fiber, mixed media, sketchbook and other arts
• These can be works in progress or finishes

Rules for the blog linking party

• Mention Fiber Artist Journey in your post, either with a link or button-use the direct link to the specific post - not just your main blog website (this helps with your search engine position.)   If you have buttons on your sidebar that works great, please just at least mention something in your post, for example "I'm linking to Fiber Artist Journey, see my sidebar for their button."  If you need help on how to add your link, read this.

• Please take the time to visit other links, everyone loves new visitors and comments!  Try to comment on at least two other blogs in the party.

If you would like to add a button to your blog you can copy the code which is below my buttons and add it as a gadget on the layout page of your blog. Here is a tutorial on how to do it.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

And the Winner Is...

A Slice of Lime

Peppers and Avocado

Other Great Blogs to Link Up with and Check Out!

The FreeMotion Quilting Project

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Nina Marie Sayre's Art Quilt Blog

Balzar Designs - Art Journal Every Day

Textile Diva

100th Post Anniversary & Design Wall Weekend #4

Whoo-Hoo!  Today is my 100th published post!

Little Stitch book by Christina Fairley Erickson
Hand-dyed wool/acrylic felt, hand stitched with hand-dyed and
commercial pearl cotton, embroidery floss and yarn

This week, I've been working mainly on finishing up some little hand-stitch samples which I'm making into books.  It's a bit different from my typical heavily machine stitched and freemotion quilted pieces, but they've been fun and relaxing.  Here is my first book I've completed:

I'm still a little unhappy with my binding, but I think it may just require more practice to get it right.  Since this was my first time to actually complete a hand-made book, I'm pretty happy with it.

Binding of my book

Stitch sampler on cover- Running Stitch, Back Stitch,
French Knots, Seed Stitch, and Fly Stitch

Running or Straight Stitch Sampler

Back Stitch Sampler

Seed Stitch Sampler

French Knot Sampler

Fly Stitch Sampler

Now to some fun with Design Wall Weekend!

Design Wall Weekend #4 -- What do You Have on Your Design Wall?

What kind of blogs should link up?

I think that it's best to have content that matches the content and interests served with the blog that's hosting the party, so please only link up if your blog post is about any of the following:

• Quilting and fabrics 
• Fiber art of any kind
• Hand & machine stitch or embroidery
• Mixed media art
• Book-making, art journals, and sketchbooks
• Tutorials for any quilting, fiber, mixed media, sketchbook and other arts
• These can be works in progress or finishes

Rules for the blog linking party

• Mention Fiber Artist Journey in your post, either with a link or button-use the direct link to the specific post - not just your main blog website (this helps with your search engine position.)   If you have buttons on your sidebar that works great, please just at least mention something in your post, for example "I'm linking to Fiber Artist Journey, see my sidebar for their button."  An example of a link to a specific post would be: http://fiberartistjourney.blogspot.com/2013/04/red-hot-chili-peppers.html rather than http://fiberartistjourney.blogspot.com . If you need help on how to add your link, read this.

• If you follow my blog, I'll follow yours!  PLEASE make sure to comment and tell me you're following, and I'll visit and  follow yours too.)

• Please take the time to visit other links, everyone loves new visitors and comments!  Try to comment on at least two other blogs in the party.

If you would like to add a button to your blog you can copy the code which is below my buttons and add it as a gadget on the layout page of your blog. Here is a tutorial on how to do it.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Dyeing to Embroider;

Five Days in Stitch Heaven

Hand Stitch Variations

Other Great Blogs to Link Up with and Check Out!

The FreeMotion Quilting Project

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Nina Marie Sayre's Art Quilt Blog

What a Hoot Quilts

Freemotion Quilting Sampler & Design Wall Weekend #2

Salsa quilt with "Here Comes the Sun"
freemotion quilting design

My Salsa quilt is almost finished... I only have 3 sides of the sashing/border to quilt and the binding to go... good thing since the show deadline is tomorrow!  After trying several different styles of freemotion quilting for the sashing (as well as thread color), I decided to let the fabric be my guide and created what I'm calling the "Here Comes the Sun" freemotion quilting design.  I'll work on getting a tutorial out on this design later this week.

Closeup of the sashing fabric
which inspired the design

Layout of my quilt-top for a free-motion quilting sampler
that I currently have on my design wall

I've also finally got started on piecing my quilt top together that I'll be using for a freemotion quilting sampler.  I'm enrolled in Leah Day's Craftsy class "Freemotion Fillers Volume 1" which teaches 50 different freemotion quilting designs (49 blocks each with their own design and 1 design throughout the sashing and border.)  I'm thinking, however, of substituting some of the designs that Leah teaches in the class with some of my own, such as my True Triangles design.  Make sure to check out the True Triangles Video Tutorial here!



So, what do you have on your design wall?   By the way, if you don't yet have your own design wall, click here for a great tutorial on how to make one for yourself from Quilts by Jen.   I'm looking forward to seeing all sorts of inspiring blogs for our  blog party link up!

What kind of blogs should link up?

I think that it's best to have content that matches the content and interests served with the blog that's hosting the party, so please only link up if your blog post is about any of the following:

• Quilting and fabrics 
• Fiber art of any kind
• Hand & machine stitch or embroidery
• Mixed media art
• Book-making, art journals, and sketchbooks
• Tutorials for any quilting, fiber, mixed media, sketchbook and other arts
• These can be works in progress or finishes

Rules for the blog linking party

• Mention Fiber Artist Journey in your post, either with a link or button-use the direct link to the specific post - not just your main blog website (this helps with your search engine position.)   If you have buttons on your sidebar that works great, please just at least mention something in your post, for example "I'm linking to Fiber Artist Journey, see my sidebar for their button."  An example of a link to a specific post would be: http://fiberartistjourney.blogspot.com/2013/04/red-hot-chili-peppers.html rather than http://fiberartistjourney.blogspot.com . If you need help on how to add your link, read this.

• If you follow my blog, I'll follow yours!  PLEASE make sure to comment and tell me you're following, and I'll visit and  follow yours too.)

• Please take the time to visit other links, everyone loves new visitors and comments!  Try to comment on at least two other blogs in the party.

If you would like to add a button to your blog you can copy the code which is below my buttons and add it as a gadget on the layout page of your blog. Here is a tutorial on how to do it.

You Might Also Be Interested in:

Tutorial- Sashing 
Pre-Quilted Blocks

True Triangles 
Video Tutorial

Fireworks Freemotion Quilting Design

Check Out These Other Great Blogs!

Nina Marie Sayre Art Quilts

Leah Day's Freemotion Quilting Project

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Quilt Matters

Richard and Tanya Quilts

Design Wall Weekend #1

Christina's Salsa quilt (in progress)

I don't know about you, but I generally have too much on my design wall... and sometimes the things that are up aren't what I'm currently working on!  Not only am I working on finishing up my Salsa Quilt, I have my Waterfall colorplay quilt, my little "Waiting" piece, and fabric to start a piece for the Outdoor "Salsa in the Sun" show.  I guess if they're up on my wall, I don't really count them as a UFO... which implies that you've sort of given up on it.

By the way, I'm just finishing up my tutorial on "True Triangles", the freemotion quilting design which I've created for the Chili Pepper block.  Check back on Sunday (April 7) to see the video tutorial!

So, what do you have on your design wall?   By the way, if you don't yet have your own design wall, click here for a great tutorial on how to make one for yourself from Quilts by Jen.   I'm looking forward to seeing all sorts of inspiring blogs for our kick-off blog party link up!

What kind of blogs should link up?

I think that it's best to have content that matches the content and interests served with the blog that's hosting the party, so please only link up if your blog post is about any of the following:

• Quilting and fabrics 
• Fiber art of any kind
• Hand & machine stitch or embroidery
• Mixed media art
• Book-making, art journals, and sketchbooks
• Tutorials for any quilting, fiber, mixed media, sketchbook and other arts
• These can be works in progress or finishes

Rules for the blog linking party

• Mention Fiber Artist Journey in your post, either with a link or button-use the direct link to the specific post - not just your main blog website (this helps with your search engine position.)   If you have buttons on your sidebar that works great, please just at least mention something in your post, for example "I'm linking to Fiber Artist Journey, see my sidebar for their button."  An example of a link to a specific post would be: http://fiberartistjourney.blogspot.com/2013/04/red-hot-chili-peppers.html rather than http://fiberartistjourney.blogspot.com . If you need help on how to add your link, read this.

• If you follow my blog, I'll follow yours!  PLEASE make sure to comment and tell me you're following, and I'll visit and  follow yours too.)

• Please take the time to visit other links, everyone loves new visitors and comments!  Try to comment on at least two other blogs in the party.

If you would like to add a button to your blog you can copy the code which is below my buttons and add it as a gadget on the layout page of your blog. Here is a tutorial on how to do it.

Other Great Blogs To Check Out:

Sara's Creative Jewish Mom's Crafting Weekend - wonderful crochet projects!

Sew Many Ways

Coming on Saturday- Design Wall Weekends Link Party!

I've decided to open a "Design Wall Weekend" link party each week for Fiber and Mixed Media of all sorts.    You might notice a couple new tutorials I just posted to help out anyone who is interested in participating in the link party.

"Waiting for Inspiration" by Carolyn Hitter

I think that it's best to have content that matches the content and interests served with the blog that's hosting the party, so blogs that will be featured will have and emphasis on the following:

• Quilting and fabrics 
• Fiber art of any kind
• Hand & machine stitch or embroidery
• Mixed media art
• Book-making, art journals, and sketchbooks
• Tutorials for any quilting, fiber, mixed media, sketchbook and other arts
• These can be works in progress or finishes

So, if you're a blogger, make sure and check in on Saturday or Sunday and post your blog.  If you're just interested as a reader, you'll find a whole lot of additional diverse, fun and interesting content during the weekends!

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Tutorial: Add a Button 
on Your Blog

Tutorial: Adding Your
Link to a Blog Party

Design Wall Weekends

Tutorial: Adding a Button to Your Blog

This Tutorial is for "Adding a Button to Your Blog" using Blogger.com.

When you find a button that you'd like to add that has the code included underneath the button, copy the code (highlight it and click Control-C or Command-C.)  You can use my "Design Wall Weekend" button on the right.

Open your Blogger interface and click "Layout."

Your layout (below) can be modified in the Template Designer, but at this point, let's focus on adding the button.  Look over your existing layout.  You should see several "Add a Gadget" links.  Choose where on your page you'd like to have the button and click the "Add a Gadget" link.

A new window with a list of options (gadgets) that you can add to your blog appears.  Scroll down the list until you get to the HTML/Javascript option and click it.

Now you just need to name your button and paste in the code which you have copied for the button:

If you don't want the button to show up on all your posts, you can just add the code in to your post.  To do this, click the HTML button at the top of the screen where you are writing your post.  Determine where you want the button and Paste the code into the HTML.  Then, click the "Compose" button to return to the visual version of creating your post.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

How to Post a Link 
for a Blog Link Party

Developing the
Creative Habit

Designing for a Theme- 
Innovation Part 2

Tutorial: Adding Your Link to a Blog Linking Party

First of all, it's important to understand WHY? you'd want to have a link from another blog to yours.  The obvious main reason is to get more people aware of your blog and reading it.  But beyond the additional people that will come directly from one blog to the other, you'll also get more traffic from search engines like Google.  One way that search engines determine your ranking (how far up on their pages your site turns up) is whether you have other websites linking to your page.  By having reciprocal links (where you link to my page and I link back to yours), your search engine ranking will increase, helping you get more traffic from people searching for content like you have on your blog.  It's also important to fill out the Post Settings of "Labels" and "Search Description" for each of your posts.

Blogger.com's Post design allows you to add labels and a search description for every post

Now, here is the process to add your blog's link to a linking party (I'm using inLinkz.com's software, but most are very similar):

1. Get your specific link to the post you want new viewer's to see.  To do this, click on the title of the post you'd like featured to go to that specific post's page.  Highlight the web address (URL) in the address bar and right click to get the drop-down menu.  Choose "Copy" (or use Ctrl-C or Command-C to copy it.)

2. Go to the "Add your link" button. This opens up three fields that you need to fill
   (1) This is the URL to your post which you can copy and paste from your browser
   (2) The name or description that will show up under your link
   (3) Your email. This is only known to the owner of the link-up and it is not visible to anyone else.

inLinkz tool step 1 for adding your blog to the blog party list

3. Add your post's web address to line 1- URL by clicking inside the box and either right-click and use the dropdown Paste or use Ctrl-V or Command-V to paste it.  Then fill in your name and email address and click the "Next Step" button.
   

   

   Paste your specific post's URL or website address 

4. You have 3 different options for adding an image: picking one from your blog's post, giving a direct image URL, or uploading an image from your computer.    With picking an image from your blog, you will see a "Select" and a "Crop" button under each image.  If you choose "Select", your image will automatically be converted to a square thumbnail and proceed to link-up.  Personally, I prefer to choose how my images are cropped, so I recommend choosing "Crop".
5. 
   You then can take and drag the corners of the the square to increase or decrease the cropped image, or move the square to position the square over the part of the image you want to show.  When it's right the way you like it, click "Crop the selected area."
   
   
   
   
   
   You will then have the option to tweet or post to facebook about your link.  Clicking on "Tweet" or "Share on facebook" will pop up a window to let you take action. InLinkz will first let you choose your text to post and then tweet or cancel. The default text on twitter mentions both your blog and the target blog.   You also have the option to "Skip this step" (3) if you do not want to tweet about your link.  

Alternately, rather than using an image from your blog post, you can choose "Upload from Computer" and then click "Choose File."  This will then open a window which shows your files on your computer.  Navigate to the file you want and click "Open"  After the file name shows next to the "Choose File button," click "Upload."

Any questions?  Just post a comment and I'll get back to you a.s.a.p.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Tutorial: Add a Button 
on Your Blog

2013 Artist 5 x 7 Challenge

The Fiber Funsters 
Group Challenge