I just returned from the Craft and Hobby (CHA) Winter Trade Show in Anaheim, CA, in the Convention Center next door to Disneyland. It was great seeing lots of new and fun products as well as lots of friends. I attended several of the educational seminars that were packed with information. I took so many pictures (almost 300), so I have bunches of photos to go through so I can post them (much less than the 300) and  show you the things that caught my attention.

But I want to go ahead and post a link to one of the fun events of the trip. I, along with my friend Karen Embry, participated in a flash mob dance “She’s Crafty” before the opening of the show. It was organized by CharityWings.org to earn money for charity and the flash mob consisted of almost 100 artists, designers, business owners and more. It was my first flash mob but I was enjoying the moment and kept forgetting to count the dance steps.

Please check back soon to see my photos from CHA of new products, great displays, and more.

Phyllis

I just returned from a few days at the Atlanta Gift Market and was thrilled with how exciting, upbeat and busy market was. Market was really busy all 4 days that I was there and I consider it a good sign for the gift industry.

Its always fabulous to walk market and see all the new products (many of which are designed by my artist friends). And its always fun to meet up with these friends. I can’t take pictures of the product displayed throughout market but its fun to take pictures of friends.

I went to several artist’s signings, where they were autographing some of their products. Robin Davis adorable new line Blessings with Wings is with Carson.

Lori Siebert was autographing her new products with Carson as well. I have to tell you that Lori was wearing the most fabulous and colorful boots (much like her art). I did try to take a picture of them but it turned out really blurry but take my word, they were great.

The fabulous Giordano brothers, Greg on the left and Bob on the right were both autographing some of their many flags at the Custom Decor showroom. I’m doing a pretty wimpy job of holding the flag.

My agent, Jewel Branding and Licensing, was exhibiting in the License and Design section that is held at the January markets. On Thursday, after the License and Design was set up, several of us met for an impromptu photo op – Robin Pickens, Brenda Pinnick, myself, Shelly Comiskey, Karen Embry and Sue Zipkin.

And for a period to get together and talk a bit, there was an artists gathering at the Westin on Friday afternoon.  You may see several of your favorite artists here – Teri Conrad, Paula Joerling, Joyce Shelton, BJ Lantz, Gina Wilder, Jane Maday, Sharon Himes, Robin Davis, Beth Yarbrough, Beth Logan, Audrey Jeanne Roberts, Karen Embry, and on the front row, Cherish Flieder, Janet Wecker Frisch, Shelly Comiskey, myself, Sue Zipkin, and Robin Pickens. Getting us all together for this photo was like herding cats and several got away. (Thanks to Shelly for this photo as mine didn’t turn out!)

As I was walking through Building 3 of the market, I saw this giant red and white helmet. I’m assuming it was due (or  I’m attributing it) to Alabama’s win of the BSC bowl last week. There was definitely a lot of Alabama items showing throughout the showrooms.

I’m back in full work mode, but will be leaving next week for Anaheim for the Craft and Hobby show (CHA). Check back as I can show lots of product from this show.

Phyllis

Welcome to my studio! I am joining with 11 other artists on a hop through our studios. We are showing you where we spend the majority of our time, creating new art, designs, and other creative endeavors. I invite you to check out each of the fabulous studios of the other artists by clicking on the links below or the forward button.

The artists participating in this hop are:

Aaron Christensen

Barbara Johansen-Newman

Beth Logan

Brenda Pinnick

J. Wecker-Frisch

Karen Embry

Paula Joerling

Phyllis Dobbs

Samantha Walker

Sharon Himes

Shelly Comiskey

Sue Zipkin

My studio is a work in progress and if I ever finish it, I will probably be starting over within a few weeks! I work best with everything completely organized (not that I stay organized) and have created distinct areas in my studio for the way I work. I keep striving for the perfect work flow to fit me and the various techniques that I use. After a recent big upheaval and reorganization of my studio, I think I have found the best arrangement for me, although I’m 100% sure I will continue to tweak it.

I am both and artist and designer.  My art is licensed for various products such as fabrics, garden flags, kitchen textiles and more. I also design quilt and sewing patterns and have a new quilt book debuting in April. In addition I work with textiles and mixed media.  So with working in all 3 of these mediums, I have have tons of “stuff” that I use.  So all of my supplies need to be where I can find them easily in addition to being close at hand.

My drawing/painting table and supplies are located next to a set triple windows so I can catch the natural light. Sometimes it’s hard to keep my focus inside.  I have 2 plastic storage units with drawers to hold paints and painting supplies. They tuck neatly under the left edge of my table when not in use and are easy to pull out when I need them. I’ve been repainting a lot of my studio furnishings and have painted the filing cabinet and the multi-drawer cabinet turquoise. Both are great for holding additional supplies. The cabinet with the small drawers has 30 drawers and is my favorite for storage.

My studio is on the 2nd floor of my home but the view from my windows is like looking from a 5th floor window or a treehouse. Our backyard drops at a steep slant to a bubbly creek at the bottom.  Although I like the winter view, my favorite is the spring and summer with all the green. The fall is also beautiful with the golds, oranges and reds as the leaves turn. Like I said, sometimes its hard to keep my focus inside, especially when there is a woodpecker knocking away.

My fabric cutting table is set up in front of bookshelves filled with all my craft, needlework and quilting books. I love books as well as magazines (stacks of which are at one end of the cutting table). I use an antique chair that was my grandmothers to hold a large roll of batting behind the table making the batting easy to pull out as I need it. My cutting rulers are stored under the table and another plastic drawer unit and a low book shelf unit tucked under the table hold all my cutting tools and supplies.

My sewing area is set up in one end of my studio with an antique pub table painted white and a low white table. I store fabrics in an antique triple armoire that I bought at an auction years ago. To keep all my threads, fibers, buttons and all things related to sewing handy, I use two plastic drawer units stacked together as well as a white bookcase loaded with smaller draw units. I save all sizes of jars to hold buttons, pins, and anything else that needs a home.

This table is my play space. I craft, draw, play with textiles, ribbons and beads, and create mixed media here. For a before and after makeover of the chair, visit my chair makeover post. You can’t see them all but I have lots of storage boxes filled with the supplies I use in this area. You can see a black ribbon storage rack on the wall and part of my 8 ft. cork idea board.  You may wonder what I do with all those red folders on the cabinet behind the table.

I travel a lot with my business and accumulate a lot of paper for each trip – hotel and airline reservations, badge and show information, and classes plus a multitude of other papers related to a trip. I used to have a horrible time keeping up with the papers for each trip, having to rush around at the last minute searching through stacks of  papers or files. So I came up with the “Red Folder Method of Keeping Travel Records Straight”. I taped red folders on the front of this cabinet and annotate each folder with a post it note for the trip. Then I put all my papers for that trip in the folder as I receive them. I keep the trips in order and move the information up after a trip. It works for me and has been a big help with my travel organization.

This area is the brain of my studio – the computers where I put it all together digitally. A shelf unit holds the printers and scanners close for easy access and so I don’t have to reach too far. All my papers for printing are stacked on a shelf unit under my desk. The desks with the computers plus the crafting work desk above form a large U shape area that works fabulously for me.

And, what studio is complete without a studio cat (or dog). I adopted Kitty Kat when he was about 6 months old and since he answered to Kitty, I kept that as his name. I should have named him Lucky because he lives a life of relaxation and luxury and thinks he’s boss of the house. He loved my old CRT monitors in the top picture, but didn’t like it much when I went to flat screens. He loves helping me put together things, such as this Ikea drawer unit – maybe its the supervising part he loves. But resting in a chair close by while I work is his favorite activity. I think he’s wishing for a hammock.

Thanks for visiting and please hop forward to visit the other artists studios!

Phyllis

One of the best things about traveling to trade shows and events is meeting people who I’ve talked with via social media and forums.  At the Surtex show last year, I met Cindy Ann Ganaden in person. She is a fellow artist and author of the BluPenny blog. She publishes a Sketchbook Story series in which she interviews artists on their inspiration, how they use it to create sketches and finalize into art.  The art is then licensed for various products.
Cindy Ann just interviewed me and posted the interview for the Sketchbook Story in which I show my inspiration and results. I used my cat for inspiration to create an art collection which was then turned into a fabric collection for Quilting Treasures. Everyone has different techniques and ways they use to create their art.  I hope you will check out mine.

The apron shown in the interview can be downloaded – free half apron pattern.

I’m off to Houston for Quilt Market.  Please check back as I will post pictures of Market next week.

Phyllis

This has been a busy week, unwinding and getting back in the flow after attending the amazing Creative Connection Event held in St. Paul. Days 2 and 3 were devoted to classes, various panels, and other speakers and panels at breakfast and lunch.  (My prior blog post detailed the first day with exciting BlogHer panel discussions.) I chose to take 4 classes on these 2 days although there were several panel sessions I would have loved to attend.

Its always fun to have some arts and crafts play time and to work in different techniques than I’m used to.  There were many  classes to choose from but I chose to take all 4 of Traci Bautista’s classes with different focuses of art journaling.

There are so many surfaces you can journal on and, as shown by Traci, fabric is one of the surfaces that can be used.

Our table early during first class with our basic journal pages in process.

Karen Embry and Brenda Pinnick are very intent on their journal pages.

In another of Traci’s classes, she is explaining different page techniques and the binding of journals.

Our table in another class – lots more more product and lots of swapping between tables.

A journal page I was working on during one of the classes.

Art journaling can get messy so its best to cover up both surfaces and clothes.  Its amazing that I didn’t get any paint on the shirt I brought to protect my clothes. If I had been in my studio, I would have had paint in my hair, on my face and all the way to my feet.  But it was impossible to keep my hands clean!

On Friday evening, the event had a cocktail party with book signing by the authors in attendance.  I didn’t pass up a chance to have my picture taken with several of the authors.

Jo Packham, although the same height as me, is a giant.  She is not only the editor for Where Women Create and Where Women Cook, she is the co-founder of The Creative Connection Event. I know TCC event took a tremendous amount of planning, but Jo pulled it off to perfection.

Holly Becker is the author of the popular decorating blog Decor8 and her book Decorate is an international best seller. Holly is a tremendous speaker and was the dinner keynote speaker Thursday night along with Christina Ferrare.

Kelly Rae Roberts, author of Taking Flight, was also part of a very informative breakfast panel of speakers.

And I love this group photo at Crafty Chica’s (Kathy Cano-Murillo) signing, left to right – Eileen Hull, myself, Ann Butler, Kathy – Crafty Chica, Karen Embry, and Brenda Pinnick.

I remain inspired from this event and am already looking forward to next year’s. If you are thinking of attending, you won’t be disappointed!

Have a inspiring day!

Phyllis

Back from The Creative Connection event held in St. Paul last week, I returned home inspired and amazed (plus exhausted!). Not wanting to miss a minute of it, I attended everything from early morning until late at night and then met friends to talk even later (meeting in our PJ’s with a glass of wine in hand). Everyone I spoke with was just as thrilled with the events. Women attended from all 50 states plus 6 countries. I talked with a talented artist from Slovakia and a woman from Melbourne Australia. Both visited the US just to attend TCC.

After checking in, I was delighted to see the view from my window of  the Mississippi River across the street. I meant to walk over to it, but there wasn’t a spare minute to leave the hotel.

The 3 days of the event were filled with panels, speakers, classes, and social activities.  I have so much to write about, I am going to present my coverage in two parts – BlogHer with technology and then the creative part with classes and much more.

The first day of TCC was sponsored by BlogHer Handmade and was focused on technology for blogging and social media. I learned so much from the panels. I thought I had already learned a ton from past conferences/seminars that I have attended, but so much more was presented by BlogHer panels. Please check out the links to the blogs for these talented women.

The panelists from the first panel I attended are from left to right Marie LeBaron (Makes and Takes), Mena Trot (Sew Weekly),  Corinne Leigh (previously on ThreadBanger) and Megan Jordan (Velveteen Mind).

It was tricky taking pictures with all the various lighting types in the hotel so the photo for another panel did not turn out. The presenters were fabulous – Alicia DiRago (Dismount Creative), Anne Kuo Lukito (Crafty Diversions), Megan Auman (CraftMBA) and Tara Gentile.

Two of the 3 founders of BlogHer were the panel for the Keynote luncheon Friday. Elisa Camahort Page (right) and Jory Des Jardins (center) told of founding BlogHer.  Nancy Soriano (left) led the panel discussion. The third founder, Lisa Stone, was unable to attend.

It was interesting to hear each of these women tell of how they started their businesses as well as the technology they presented.

Here I am with friends at a table during one of the panel discussions Karen Embry, myself, Brenda Pinnick and Eileen Hull.

The Creative Connection event was co-founded by Jo Packham, editor of Where Women Create and Where Women Cook and Nancy Soriano.  I extend a huge thanks to them for their starting this event!

Check back for part 2 of The Creative Connection of classes, author signings and more. The classes were fun – I love to work in a new direction or medium than I am accustomed to.

Phyllis

Its always exciting to attend the Surtex and the National Stationery Shows, both held concurrently in New York at the Javits Center last week. While the weather was gloomy, none of this gloom penetrated the shows which were hot and hip, filled with vibrant colors and and wondeful art. I attended as my agency, Jewel Branding and Licensing was exhibting in the Surtex show for art licensing. Surtex has grown this year in the number of exhibitors, which is a great sign. Many booths were so spectacular, stopping people in their tracks! And exhibitors I spoke with were excited about the number and quantity of contacts they spoke with.

My photos didn’t turn out too well.  I must have had my camera setting set on “grainy” so most of my pictures are awful so I don’t have many to share. Many of us attended the Surtex opening night party which was held in Battery Park. Fortunately, the rain stopped and although it remained cloudy and damp, it didn’t dampen the spirit of the partiers. Enjoying the party are, beginning at the left, Corrina Bucholz, Robin Pickens, myself,  and Erin Serpa and Ilene Guy of Simon & Kabuki. Amy Medhurst was behind the camera.

I enjoyed spending time chatting with friend and artist Robin Pickens in the Jewel booth.

The National Stationery show was filled with wonderful stationery products, from cards to all types of stationery accessories.  A Paper Runway exhibit in the stationery show was spectacular with the dresses make of paper.  The exhibit and contest were sponsored by NYC’s LIM College.  Other dresses were from DCWV Scrapbook Papers. Here are a couple of the dresses.

Now, to get busy with work!

Phyllis

What is “inspiration”?  As a noun, it is the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. The Thesaurus lists similiar words: example, muse, motivation, encouragement, influence, stimulus and catalyst.

Artists, designers, and anyone creating something derive inspiration from numerous sources. We use it to influence what we create with our own interpretation – it sparks a creative impulse that goes through a thought process in our minds and souls to create something unique.  I especially like the word “catalyst” because what we see that inspires us is just the beginning.  Our end result is totally different and uniquely ours. It doesn’t matter what we create and it doesn’t have to be a “Mona Lisa”, its ours!

I’m participating in a blog hop “Be Inspired”, the wonderful idea of Brenda Pinnick. Check out the artists listed below to see their inspirations. The purpose of the hop is to illustrate how to create using inspiration instead of copying someone elses work.

My inspiration is based on something I saw in my brother Nick and sister-in-law Lyn’s kitchen.  Lyn loves black spotted cows and has collected many different ones.  While I was visiting a few years ago, I saw this cow catching a Frisbee.

It triggered a new idea for me and I painted a collection of animal ballerinas, starting with a black spotted cow ballerina and added a frog and cat.

It was then licensed for a fabric collection with Cranston Printworks in both this aqua color and in a pink color collection.

Be original in what you create based on inspiration. Don’t copy (verb meaning to imitate or reproduce rather than creating something original). And when you create something original, you are protected by the copyright laws, rather than being a copyright infringer from copying what someone else has created.

Please check out these artists’ blog for their wonderful inspirations.

Joanne Sharpe

Beth Parker

Sue Zipkin

Brenda Pinnick

Aaron Christensen

Sharyn Sowell

Chris Chun

Vickie Singleton

Monica Lee

Molly Smith

Shelly Kennedy

Jen Goode

Jane Maday

Robin Pickens

And please – be inspired to be original!

Phyllis

Starting a new year off is exciting but it always seems like the first of the year is very hectic, in part due to a partial slow down in work due to holidays combined with preparation for the January shows. I’ve been working hard on new art for my agent to present at the Atlanta Gift Market held last week. In addition, I finished a book proposal for a new Quilt book that has been accepted and is on my agenda to complete in the next few months. Also on schedule this year are new fabric collections – I can’t wait until I can show you these!

Getting to Atlanta this year was pretty much a nightmare for everyone due to the ice on the roads and airports closing and delaying flights.  I had to drive on very icy roads between Birmingham and Atlanta, and really scary roads in downtown Atlanta. But everyone made it in and the market was extremely busy with buyers – a great sign.

There were tons of artists signings during the show, including one by Mary Engelbreit. Here’s a picture of us with her signing one of her beautiful ornaments by Ne ‘Qwa Art. Mary’s fabrics are with Cranston Printworks (VIP, VIP Exclusive, Quilting Treasures)  the same fabric company that my fabrics are with. I’ve been working with her fabrics designing quilts for free project sheets for the company website. I will let you know when the project sheets are published to the site. (Thanks Amy for taking the picture!)

You know what they say about all work and no play!  A bunch of artists met up after the end of a long day to socialize and network. Shown on the front row (L to R) Debbie Cole, myself, Robin Davis, and Aaron Christensen. Back row – Terri Conrad, Jane Maday, Karen Embry, Beth Logan, Tammy Browning-Smith, Sue Zipkin, Chad Barrett, Beth Yarbrough, Paula Joeling, Robin Pickens (behind Aaron), Lynn, Brenda Pinnick and Suzanne Whitaker. A very delightful and dynamic group!

Thanks Jane Maday for loaning me the photo since I left my camera in the room (dumb move on my part!). Also to Sue Zipkin for sending me a photo.

I am now back in my studio working away and excited about lots of new things on the horizon.

Stay warm!

Phyllis

Create a special greeting card to go with a gift and let it speak volumes! For week 5 of our Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop, I created this embellished greeting gift card.

The card is fun to make and embellish with the following materials:

Sizzix die – Gift Card Holder, 3D Pop-up, Bigz XL Die #656740 by Karen Burniston

Heavy Paper

Scrapbook double sided paper

Assorted buttons

Rick rack

Adhesive – Beacon Zip Dry

Instructions:

Cut paper to fold for the desired card size. Embellish the card front with buttons and rick rack.

Attach the die cut “For You” to the inside of the card. I added a striped scrapbook paper behind the frame opening. Note – if you are giving money or a gift card for a gift, you can insert it behind the smaller frame. I also glued a heart made of 2 layers of papers to the inside of the card along with more rick rack. The heart is embellished with a button.

With a pad of papers or your stash of scrapbook supplies, you can easily make dozens of cards!

Be sure to click forward or back on the Sizzix button in my side bar to hop to the other blogs to see all the fun and fabulous projects made this week!

Happy hopping!

Phyllis