Monday, August 8, 2011

Rejuvenation

Ahhh, a break works wonders. I hit a point where I felt like I was doing everything half-heartedly, without much enthusiasm behind anything, yet feeling guilty when I wasn't working at all. So I decided to take guilt out of the equation and give myself a good month off without even thinking about blogging or making anything. I now feel excited to step back into my world again. And it helps that I was reminded that our art group show is less than 4 months away!

I've just been taking a few baby steps back into creativity and working on projects I started earlier. I've been lining up my little pillows for a new set of wallhangings, which I first showed here. You can see how they got started here, including a link to Teesha's tutorial about making the pillows. I've went back to making them my original way using batting instead of stuffing and prefer that method to Teesha's, but she gives a good outline of her way of doing them.

So now that I have stacks of pillows from my travels, I start playing with putting them together into panels. (Sorry lighting is terrible in these, but there were too many pieces to move.)


I really like making a big, random pile of pillows then figuring out which ones I like together, instead of pre-planning and choosing fabrics that go together for each hanging. It keeps the color combos. fresh and not so predictable.

Now I'm couching on my words and will be working on attaching them together.


I've also been playing around with little fabric collages. getting ready to make more of my little prayer flags. And I've turned a few of them into more cards.






A few years ago I wrote an article for Cloth, Paper, Scissors about using prompts to spark creativity and spontaneity in your work. I've had such a wonderful response to that article, with people telling me they've used it in their own work, in their classrooms, or as challenges for their art groups. CPS is now releasing it as a free download, so if you'd like to read it you can get it here for free.

I'm happy to be back and eager to catch up on all the blogs I've been missing!

10 comments:

Jan said...

Glad to see you back and I love what you are doing with these little pillows. I've been rather on a break myself but soon I know my creativity will be back. I hope I can make it to your art group show this year. I saw the download offer this morning and noticed there was one from you in there. That's great! Congratulations. I look forward to seeing what further work you do on your prayer flags and the pillows. The cards are great too.

Jacky said...

You're back!!! How lovely to see you here again and all of those fabulous little pillows. The couched text looks great!
Definately going to check out your dowload at CPS...I need a few creative sparks lately, just to get moving.
I LOVE your prayer flags.

Jacky xox

Lynne with an e said...

Great to see your playful fabric and colour combinations shining out again. Thanks for providing us all with a soft place to land with all those little cushions.

Unknown said...

Summertime is the perfect time to check out, relax and give the creative juices some time to gather steam.

Love seeing all the little pillows piled together and the prayer flags should be lovely.

jackie said...

For someone who has been on a break there is an awful lot of work here. I am a huge fan of Teesha Moore, and my little group are currently making sketchbooks inspired by her. Thanks for the comment, I do the drawing just to enjoy, rather than seeking anything 'perfect'.That seems to work for me.

Jeanne Turner McBrayer said...

Hi Robin, I was excited when I saw your article in the CPS free download! Love the pillows and notecards.

Mary Stanley said...

Love all your little fabric pillows, esp. the ones with words!
Nice to see you back again!

Bobbie Casey said...

I so enjoy this post. Love the pillows with words.

artymess said...

these are great love the colours on everything here ......x

cynthia said...

wow Robin, you have really been holding out on us. Like to see what you have been working on!