January Goals

After getting my 2 magazine articles out the door, I really focused on the e-course. I had a bit of a problem getting the private website working properly – turns out there was actually a bug in the the plugin that the folks over at Cart66 had to fix – once I figured out that it wasn’t me that was the problem and asked them for help it was Friday before Martin Luther King weekend, so I had to gnash my teeth over the long weekend. The thing is – I had plenty of other stuff to do for the course,  but I found it really hard to just put that worry away and focus on something else, so there was some valuable time lost. But once it came together, it came together really fast! I sent my first email out to the people on my interest list Sunday the 22nd and I haven’t looked back! Wooooooot!

I had high hopes that I would have some actual people register for the class, and I am happy to say that they have! I underestimated a bit how to keep orders straight, and get an introductory email to each new registrant, but I figured out a system soon enough. Although I had originally planned to start the class on Feb. 1, with getting people registered with an introductory price beforehand, I ended up wanting to have a lesson or two ready for them when they registered, so pushed to get the first 2 sessions up. At the end of the month, I’m elated and exhausted!

So here’s what’s on my plate for next month:

January Goals

I’m gonna be having lots of fun with my online course! If you’re on the edge about whether or not to join us, please know that the last day to get the early bird pricing is today!

Interested in the meetup? Find out more here, any one is welcome to join!

Meetup | January Goals is a post from: Candied Fabrics New in the shop: Versatile Messenger Bag Pattern

So this brings me to

My Word for 2012

Connect

I’d like to focus on connecting in couple of different ways:

1. Improving on how I connect with people online.
2. Combining different facets of my life, mainly finding new ways to become a teacher of what I do as an art quilter. I used to almost hide that I was a scientist while talking about my art, I really don’t know why, but I thought that I would be less of an “artist” this way. But I’ve received several compliments from people after they’ve either used a pattern I’d written or seen my DVD regarding on how much the like the way I create measurement tables, whether they are for amounts of dye or dimensions of fabric to cut. The way I approach dyeing and fabric construction resonates with a certain population of makers out there. I need to nurture that connection!

I’ve never been a fan of resolutions, they set me up for failure. But “inclinations” help me focus without all the baggage that comes along with resolutions. The ones I had last year and the year are still important to my growth as an artist, thus:

My Inclinations for 2012

Create more Art!

Communicate my Art!

Long Term Artistic Goals

1. Continue to work more in 3 dimensions.
2. Explore the shape/idea of house/home.
3. Continue to work with restricted color palettes.

Long Term Business Goals

1. Keep on keepin’ on in the money generation department. Try very hard not to get hung up on the bottom line, but remember that contributing to the family coffers can bring joy and relief to all four of us.
2. Launch first online dyeing class.

Long Term Online Goals

1. Find new ways to communicate with folks about your work: get Facebook fan page figured out, install some sort of commenting plugin that makes replying to comments easier.
2. Don’t get too hung up on stats. If you blog it, they will come!

Pie in the Sky Goals

1. Get published in print…again! I’ve had such a great experience with this, I want it to continue.

Now, to get down to brass tacks! Here’s how I did on finishing up the year with a BANG!

December Goals

Oftentimes what didn’t happen in one month gets rolled over to another – this time I’m starting with a clean slate!

January Goals

Whoa, is that a short list or what? I am trying to be realistic – I’m teaching an overload this Spring (a new lab that I have to teach just like all the professors) at the day job and I’d like to really focus on my “Dyeing 101″ course, so I’m going try to not get too distracted! Sharp-eyed readers will notice that I’ve already got 2 publications lined up, woot! Long time readers will know that I will not be satisfied with these and hope to find other opportunities this year as well!

Looking Forward to 2012 is a post from: Candied Fabrics New in the shop: Versatile Messenger Bag Pattern

While thinking about how to write up a review post, I went through the pictures I keep in a “blogged” folder, and had a lot of fun making a couple of collages. One of the main reasons I blog is to chronicle what I do and when I do it. It also helps me clarify my intentions!

I know that one aspect of my life I’ve been trying to take care of this year is to find a bit more balance between what I do for Candied Fabrics and paying attention to my family. I think I’ve made some strides there. I know that this year I feel less stressed when I don’t have a post written for a day or three. I also keenly remember my panic from Christmas two years ago when I was scrambling to get the gifts ready for my boys just a week or so before the 25th, this year I was able to get those done early and take the time to make presents for my nieces and nephews too. So I thought it would be fun to look at a family collage:

We spent last New Year’s Eve at a friend’s cabin in the Sierra’s and the boys got their fill of snow. We had a fun Easter Egg hunt with friends. Logan turned 10 and Liam turned 14 and I had fun doing tie dye day with Logan’s fourth grade class. Andrew ran a successful low brass seminar, Liam and Andrew bombed some ground hogs in Andrew’s parent’s backyard back in Indiana, and Logan and I visited my family back in Massachusetts. Andrew and Liam built a brick pizza oven and then  Liam spent 2 weeks at music camp in Idylwild. We all traveled back to Indiana for Andrew’s Dad’s funeral. Logan gave a great presentation on Germany, recycled Halloween costumes did the trick, of course our annual festival of pie, and then Christmas!

Phew! What a year! Full of happenings for sure, most of them awesome, with a bit of sadness to season the happiness.

Although I sometimes get a bit focused on what I DON’T get to get made, it is actually pretty darn cool to take a look at what I DID make:

Early in the year, I got up the nerve to watch my episodes of Quilting Arts TV, and I didn’t suck! I then had to send in my proposal that was requested for my DVD. Although I had to keep it a secret, that red botanical sketch pillow I blogged about was part of the proposal. I then had hubby record me free motion machine quilting for an article in “In Stitches” and finished a long overdue mega-messenger bag commission for a client. I came up with a couple of new scarf color palettes, tested some organic pfd for Sew Mama Sew and made some ipad sleeves. I completed an order of 104 hand dyed scarves for a ladies golf association, wrote up a beginner’s fabric dyeing tutorial for Sew Mama Sew, and had a booth in some Spring Art Shows. I had 2 patterns published “101 Patchwork Projects & Quilts”, taught a church full of people how to dye, dyed a lot of fabric for my upcoming DVD and taught some ladies how to sketch with scissors in Make it University.

But wait, there’s more!

I developed a new type of tote bag and used fabric that I didn’t dye for the first time in quite a long time, finally finished up my first downloadable pattern and got that up for sale, and made a  cute set of nesting baskets. I then dyed even more fabric, made some pillows inspired by buttons, some more convertible totes (this time from hand dyed fabric), my botanical sketches quilt and some step outs, packed it all up in 2 big suitcases and flew to Cleveland where I met some incredible artists, filmed 2 episodes of Quilting Arts TV and my 70 min. workshop DVD “Dyeing to Stitch“. Then I bulked up my inventory, did three fall art shows, did some custom clothes dyeing, made a lot of ornaments for a 5th grade fundraiser, had a holiday studio tour, made some Christmas presents, including a new tote bag style, and voila! Year complete!

You know, I think I impressed myself. That, my friends, is some serious making. Would it surprise you to learn that I still didn’t get to make a bunch of the things I wanted to? I am a true believer in the creativity that comes from making – the act of making, even when it’s tedious, boring or repetitive, can be quite stimulating, and has been a way for me to overcome creative blocks.

OK, that is MORE than enough for one post! Now I’ve got a firm picture in my head of what I accomplished this year, which will help me plan for the year ahead!

Looking Back on 2011 is a post from: Candied Fabrics New in the shop: Versatile Messenger Bag Pattern

Wahoo! I gave my last final today. I’ve got one exam to grade, some final grades to calculate and then it’s Christmas Vacation! I need to check in with my Candied Fabrics to-do list, and then make a Candy Claus to-do list!

December Goals

I got some things made for my holiday studio tour, some of the things that didn’t get made I don’t really need for  awhile, so I shall not worry about the wallets etc…but I’ve got some Christmas presents to make!

• Dye: Tees for Bryce & Adam, dresses for Teigan & Maren
• Pillow: for Mom to match her birthday ones
• Over the shoulder tote: for Madison
• Circle Zip Earbud Pouches: for Madi, Kendyll, Karyssa, Erin, Liam

Woot! I gotta get those exams graded so I can start making these presents – fun, fun FUN!

One of the classes I teach is a Forensic Science class. Their final project is to form teams and set up a crime scene for another team to analyze and solve (and then the tables turn). Their “exam” is to present to the rest of the class their analysis of the crime scene. I just had to share the intro to one done by these awesome students:

Isn’t this the bomb?

OK, I hope you have a good weekend – are you making anything for Christmas?

Candy Claus Checking in on Her List is a post from: Candied Fabrics New in the shop: Versatile Messenger Bag Pattern

I am, however, participating in a Holiday Studio Tour my artist friend Aida Schneider and I cooked up! I designed the postcard and got it printed last month, and she’s been drumming up publicity, here’s a nice article in the Riverside Press Enterprise. If you’re on my email newsletter, you got a mailing about it earlier this week, but I’ll share the postcard here too as well:

Pretty Snazzy, if I do say so myself! (The website with more info is here).

Anyway, here’s how I did in November:

November Goals

So right now, I am focused on getting the house all decorated for the tour, but BONUS, this also means the house is decorated for Christmas! I’m going to try to get some more everyday art to sell at the tour. Once the tour is over, I can switch to making Christmas presents, and officially give myself a break from making to sell and just make to develop a small fraction of the things that are whirling in my brain!

December Goals

Here’s a quick customization I did for someone. They wanted a single Botanical Sketch mounted a bit bigger, so I took some fabric and wrapped it around a larger stretched canvas, added some iron-on velcro and VOILA!

Interested in the meetup? Find out more here, any one is welcome to join!

Meetup | December 2011 Goals is a post from: Candied Fabrics New in the shop: Versatile Messenger Bag Pattern