Teen Summer Workshops

Ready for the summer events here.  The new studio is set up downstairs and I have the summer schedule for classes and workshops is up.  First will be the Teen Thursday Workshops, below is the announcement.  It is going to get busy around here, but I seem to thrive on activity, without plans I tend to mop around and feel lost.  Space is limited, so sign up soon.

Teen Sewing Workshops

I am now offering classes in my home studio.

Maximum 6 Students 

3 Thursday in June

June 16, 23, 30

11-2:30pm

3 Thursdays in August

August 11, 18, 25

Learn:

This summer the classes will be a variety of sewing and fabric activities to help learn how to use the sewing machine better;  cutting out patterns, setting in a zipper, appliqué, quilting, embroidery, and dying/printing fabric ideas will be included.

Classes include all fabric, and patterns for all the projects, and a snack lunch.

Please Bring:
-Drinks

-Sewing Machine (please let me know if you do not have one)

-Any special sewing fabric or notions that you like to use

-Any projects you are working on and/or need help with

Cost: $60 per class

Students do not have to take all classes, but each one will have a special feature.

 

Motifs in Design-House

Here are some photo of a recent order I shopped.  The gallery only wanted “House Home” as the main design concept.  It is a motif that appears in my work often, so it was great fun  and a slight challenge to create so many different tiles but with a constant theme.

                                      

These tiles are made from reclaimed wood with printing and and painting details.

Also thanks to everyone who came out to see me and get some new things at the yard sale last week.  A busy week coming with another pillow order and getting the final preparations ready for my next in studio workshop days.

Creativity Community

Thanks to everyone who came out to the sale today.  I was a beautiful first day of out Store closing/yard sale.  The weather was great, also nice to see many artist friends who stopped by.  A great time catching up and passing on some lovely art and supplies to new homes.  We have one more Day on Saturday.  Hope more friends and neighbors can stop by-I really hate to pack it all back up-many prices you can’t even get at the thrift stores.  We have new items as well as furniture and display things, art books, fabrics, etc.  Email me if your interested in something.

Unpacking Sorting Organizing

Since closing my retail shop so quickly, I have been storing many boxes of things.  It is almost like having another household.   Art supplies, fabric, furniture, new clothing, pottery and decorative objects,  plus display and office materials all fill two storage units as well as our garage.    So for the last few week the boys and I have been unpacking, sorting and labeling a hundreds of items and next weekend will be a huge yard sale.  It is hard to go through all this again, but it is finally time to put the past behind and start fresh.  My creative work has been moving forward, but all this clutter feels like I am still a little  stuck in the past.   May 20 and 21 is the sale date, if you live near and want to come or more information please email me.  A lot of great items for sale.  Will be posting some items online so check them out here  or contact me.

Rhythm

A busy week but a nice flow.  Another shipment went out to Gallery 50 in Michigan.

I went with Z and J on a little road trip to see the Picasso Exhibit in Richmond.  Funny we did a lot more of this kind of thing when the boys were younger, and they don’t really remember a lot.   Now everyone is more free to look or not look and find what is of interest to them, and the discussions are much better during the trip.  Another event coming up this weekend.

I have been working late the last few days, the creative juices are flowing.  The trip really helped-sometimes your just need to get away, I guess.  The logging that I started last week has  given me a nice rhythm, I had forgotten how much I like to just doodle and write little bits.  So it will continue.

Have a great weekend where ever you are!

Fashion and Style

It was a busy weekend for us here, we were out and about more than usual.   I had a chance to do a little window shopping.  I really wanted to find something to wear this summer.  This is the worst season for me to find interesting things to wear. It is so hard to shop in the stores available in my area.  They all have the same thing, and it seems like everyone shopping there wears the same thing.  I just really do not want to buy another tee shirt and carpi pants are  everywhere.  We do live in a casual/beach type area, and there are just no unique boutique type clothing shops, everything is a chain.   I really do not care what the latest “real housewife” or so called fashion star is wearing.   I never understood why someone would want to copy some and look like everyone else.   So I am working on a new pattern and withe my upcoming travel, I hope to find some independent designers.

What are you looking for this summer?

The photo below is from Belgium designer Dries Van Noten (a pretty big  name designer),  I just love all the color and casualness of this look.

Logging Time

in blue journal

It is Monday and another week is waiting to be filled with activity.  As we all know time has a way of speeding past, especially when we are under deadlines and time in our lives moves on-you know we get older.  I have always struggled with time management,  I procrastinate,  I get really good ideas at the last minute, I think I need one more item to take to a show.   I have decided to try something new to help me overcome this problem.  I keep a calender book and also make list, I have many, many sheets of paper lists.   After reading this post from Austin Kleon, I want to start “logging”  these ideas in a type of book.  Since I have been moving my studio, I am finding all these sheets of paper are a huge mess to keep and it has not been helping me manage my day.  I hope as I log in a book my days events it will give a better picture of when my time goes and I can make changes in scheduling to find the time to do what I need as well as do the things I really want to enjoy.

“A log book keeps track of knowledge acquired over time. It can be a record of data, thoughts, or activities. It answers the question “What did you know and when did you know it?” It documents the rationale for the actions you take.”

I really like the above statement as well,  form this site.  I hope this logging will also help with the focus of my work and teaching, with so much stimulation, trying to narrow down ideas is a problem.  Also, reinventing each new project for class,  if I have it all in one place I can just pull ideas.

I think it will be like lists for Blogging.

J. J. Boyles  Journal