The Backporch Artessa: September 2013

Friday, September 27, 2013

Giveaway Winner

Congratulations Jane Prater from Charlotte North Carolina! You won my Sketchbook Challenge Blog Hop Giveaway!

Send me your deets:)

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

I've been away from home so much this year, that I'm really really missing my studio time. Over on the Sketchbook Challenge Blog, I talked about some of the things about my studio that make me feel cozy and comfortable and allow me to create more freely. If you want a closer peek, pop on over.

I've been making art in hotel rooms most of this year. It's been fine, and I've really enjoyed my busy schedule teaching. But I really really miss my inspiration boards and all my color coordinated stash from home!

I separate everything by color. Paper, Threads, Markers, Pencils, Paints. It helps me work faster. I can just hold a piece up to my ribbon caddy and see what looks good with it, rather than pulling piece after piece and trying it. Paper too. I just pull the entire drawer out and put it on the table if I know I need blue. I can sort thru the blues easily to find just the right shade.

But my inspiration boards are a tumbling rumbling active force in the studio. No matter what direction I look, I am rewarded by glimpses of friends work, articles or postcards I love. Mike and I've made my boards ourselves. Most of them I found antique frames, and painted them to match the color of the walls. Mike attached chicken wire, or metal to the back to make clip boards and magnetic boards. I dug out my most treasured antique buttons and hot glued them to magnets, and now I can look at them daily! I painted clothespins to match the frame color, and they work great with the chicken wire. Mike also made me floor to ceiling bookshelves, and we wrapped rigid house insulation in muslin. Attached to either side of the bookcase, I now have 2 floor to ceiling pin boards.

Finally, we found vintage spice racks, and painted them the color of the walls, and filled them with my beads!

So IF you've hung on this long, here's the scoop-

Leave a comment in the comment section of this blog post with your favorite home organization tip for a chance to win a DVD copy of my "Backgrounds to Bindings" Cloth Paper Scissors Video Workshop.

On the 26th, I'll randomly draw the name of the winner and announce it. Make sure I have your email contact information!

Here's a quick link so you can visit some of my fabulous friends!

Sept 9 - Gina Lee Kim http://ginaleekim.blogspot.com/

Sept 10- Jacqueline Newbold http://djnewbold.blogspot.com/

Sept 11 - Sue Bleiweiss http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog

Sept 12 – Jackie Bowcutt http://stitchworks-jackie.blogspot.com/

Sept 13th - Kristin La Flamme http://kristinlaflamme.com/musings

Sept 14- Jane Davies http://janedavies-collagejourneys.blogspot.com/

Sept 15- Lyric Kinard http://lyrickinard.com/blog/

Sept 16 - Terry Grant http://www.andsewitgoes.blogspot.com/

Sept 17- Carol Sloan http://www.carolbsloan.blogspot.com/

Sept 18- Leslie Tucker Jenison http://leslietuckerjenison.blogspot.com/

Sept 19 - Lesley Riley http://www.lesleyriley.com/weblog/

Sept 20 - Traci Bunkers https://www.tracibunkers.com/blog/

Sept 21 - Lynn Krawczyk http://smudgedtextilesstudio.com/blog/

Sept 22 Desiree Habicht http://myclothesline.blogspot.com

Sept 23 – Jamie Fingal http://jamiefingaldesigns.blogspot.com/

Sept 24 - Mary Beth Shaw http://mbshaw.blogspot.com/

Sept 25 –Kari McKnight-Holbrook http://backporchartessa.blogspot.com/

Sept 26 – Deborah Boschert http://deborahsjournal.blogspot.com/

Sept 27- Susan Brubaker Knapp http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com/

Sept 28- Laura Cater Woods http://www.cater-woods.com/weblog/

Sept 29- Jane LaFazio http://janeville.blogspot.com/

Monday, September 23, 2013

Sketchbook Challenge Blog Hop-Giveaway

Hello to one and all! This month is the Blog hop for Sketchbook Challenge, and I'm so happy to be a part of such a fantastic group of artists/educators, that I will be doing a give away! I'll be giving away a copy of my Cloth Paper Scissors Workshop Video "Backgrounds to Bindings." That way, you too can stay home in your comfy jammies and make sketchbooks and play along with us!

So- to ENTER TO WIN my giveaway, On the 25th of September, come back and leave a comment here on this blog -(make sure I have a way to contact you email wise). On the morning of the 26th, I'll print all the comments out, cut them apart, and put them into a hat. Mike will draw the winning number, and we'll post it here:)