Need a Creativity Boost?

I'm often asked, when I run dry of excitement and interest in quilting, what do I do. I have to do something because I have shelves full of fabric, several sewing machines and so many commitments. I never run out of ideas, but it's the impetus to take those ideas and turn them into a quilt, that sometimes becomes difficult. So, what do I do? Sometimes I just wring my hands and worry. Sometimes I visit with other quilters. Sometimes I just get in the car and go some place. Sometimes the trips are well planned. Sometimes the trips are to a museum. Sometimes the trip is a spur of the moment.

This post is FULL of photos, because I want you to share my excitement. I'm still vibrating. Yesterday I took a trip to Luna Parc. It's only opened to the public several days a year. It has been on my calendar for a long time. It's an artistic wonderland filled with so much "stuff". I couldn't wait to walk up the drive. I was not disappointed.

Ricky Boscaro is the artist behind Luna Parc. He's an artist and a craftsman. He calls himself an itinerant artist. He's a jeweler. He's a potter. He's a metalworker and a welder. He's a woodworker. He's a painter. He creates mosaics and sculptures from created and found objects. He works with cement. Is there something I forgot? And, oh yeah, in addition to that he's a collector who collects everything and anything.

Bailey and I roamed the outdoor grounds along with other visitors. I'll just share photos. They speak for themselves.

There were limited tickets for the house tour. I'll post those photos another day since I 'm having trouble with them appearing in my photo gallery. But believe me, they are worth waiting for - a bathroom covered in mosaics, handcrafted wooden stairs, collections of egg slicers, eye cups, taxidermist animals and the most gorgeous stained glass windows I have ever seen plus a view of the house before Ricky started his "decorating".

This visit was such a gift. A gift that will last for a long time. Other than the photos of all these treasures and this sensory experience, I bought myself a real gift, a piece of jewelry crafted by Ricky. The pedals and the wheels move. This man is a genius. His attention to detail is so admirable.

I was fascinated and energized by everything, especially the mosaics and the mosaic sculptures. I see one in my future, whether it be made from tiles or fabric. I'm vibrating with ideas. My creative juices are flowing and I am definitely recharged.

So if you're feeling uninspired or just blah about making art or making quilts, take a little trip.

----------------------------------------

If you'd like to sign up to receive my monthly newsletter, click HERE. It's filled with lots of inspirational and quilty stuff.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Mini Mosaics Magic

It's quite an amazing day when there is a room full of 23 quilters that love my new technique for making mini mosaics. I'm always a little skeptical about the reception for a technique that uses tweezers and 3/8" squares of fabric.

But this was a group of my peeps! My fellow guild members. Even one who made a comment that I was crazy, a few months ago when I wrote about my Mini Mosaics on my blog. I knew they would be honest with me. So I was over the moon when the comments ranged from "it's addicting" to "this was the best workshop I've ever taken" to " this would be so much fun to do with my grandkids".

Here are some photos:

I was working on a psychedelic Bailey before the workshop. Thanks to the energy of my fellow quilters, I couldn't wait to go home and finish it. It looks just like her except it's in technicolor.

Show & Tell next month at our guild meeting is going to be so exciting. I think there will be lots of finished projects. Woo Hoo!

And even more good news is that everyone will be able to learn about it in a future issue of Quilting Arts, coming out this summer. I'll keep you posted. But of course I'm always available to teach you in person at your quilt guild.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Inspiration Is Everywhere

While in Daytona for the quilt show, we rented a house. This was really for Bailey, because if we left her alone in a hotel room, she would either bark or cry. It was only 10 minutes from the convention center. There are many bridges over the water to get there and we would drive over one from the International Raceway Rd. I noticed that there were mosaic aquatic scenes interspersed along the bridge. So we left early one morning before the show opened, so I could walk across the bridge and take some photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are perfect to study the placement of the tiles. These tiles are glass and I have plenty of inspiration for my next Fabric a Mosaic quilt.

 

Posted with Blogsy

The Mosaic Bike Ride

There is a great place to ride your bike not far from my house. It is called the Schuylkill River Trail.  I love to ride it from Valley Forge to Manayunk.  It is a multi-use trail that is predominantly paved and there are NO CARS and you often have a view of the river.  We went out yesterday

(Bailey & me) and rode a little over 15 miles.  The view is fantastic.

 

It is a beautiful ride.

 

I rode a little further than I normally do and was so excited to see all of this community art. 

Most of it was mosaics. 

 Painting and mosaics

Mosaic close-up

Under the bridge is this work in progress

This mosaic wall was made by a school group

 There were lots of these.  I'm not exactly sure what they are. 

 They look like steps, but are just plopped in on the ground.

They are so well executed.

 

 

Discovery is so much fun.