A Guide for Makers

Introducing
the
M A K E R ‘S G U I D E
more than just a pattern.

joystudiohandmaidsmga

In October 2016 we introduced a line of 3 HANDMAIDS® applique patterns.
This was our soft launch to the trade which presented at the
Fall International Quilt Market.
These are oversized studio pieces, 60″ x 18″ that many of you expressed interest in from my Joy Studio feature photos in Where Women Create. Well, we wanted to explore just how much, by creating these life size “She Who Sews” girls in large format applique, for a start.
The response at market was overwhelming!

handmaidsapplique-1

We are just getting started and planning to have these three available early this year.
Also planned, is loads of inspiration, ideas and opportunities to share.
We’ll let you know where and when right here at
G R E A T  J O Y  S T U D I O.

joystudiohandmaidsmgb

Artist’s guide to inspire you, the maker.
Keep creating!

On The Move

JoyStudioFBHeaderBbI am excited to let you know that the Joy Studio is expanding. We have just made it official and rented some additional studio and office space. A charming cottage in a convenient and quiet setting. If you’ve ever dreamed of a creative retreat, a visit to our Joy Studio, may be for you.

Follow (Like) studio news, offerings & updates on Facebook.

JoyStudioRentedJWF

Located near the caves, in Pacific, MO

Contact us for more info – tidings3@aol.com

CPD #2

JanFMQPost2In the last few quiet moments here, before hammers fly for the renovate, I wanted to share a few images from the second Create Play Date/weekend. We worked with the She Who Sews fabric from Quilting Treasures in anticipation of next week’s sewing room blog hop and also January’s, free motion quilting, post card group, FMQ on Facebook.

Saturday was spent again, at my dear friend’s, Annie Regal, sew studio where we collaborated on two puffy pillow tops. It was quite wonderful. Complete with lunch, coffee, crackling fire and a gentle snow falling visibly from the cozy new work space. The creative play dates have been often discussed and long awaited so, we are both very grateful to be able to share the opportunity to create together. She did all of the sewing, btw.

CPD2B HandmaidsPuffyPaperdolls

Second location took place at my daughters home where she and granddaughter Sydney, graciously re-acquainted me with my own sewing machine. Last summer they took advantage of some basic machine sewing lessons so were able to refresh my memory regarding the machine use. Confession, I have not sewn in over 25 years and I had limited knowledge even then. After designing fabric however, for over ten years, I plan to change that. So, below is my first attempt at a quilted post card using my Seam Stress(ed) Handmaid, which I could identify with, while stitching her up into a usable post card.FMQPost3SheWhoSewsJWF

Sending her off to the recipient today. Over all, a very fun create plate date weekend.JanFMQPost

All of the finished projects will be posted here next week, January 27th where the

Sewing Studio Blog Hop will begin.

Summer School

Starting off the summer with a new on line art class! Seamed a good time to push past comfort zones, stretch and let go of my very controlled, & tight style. So, I’ll be taking aim at the three L’s, lighten up, loosen up & learn.

Class starts Monday! LillaRogersSchool©jwf

Time Well Spent

The latest report on the new church building: We moved in one month ago. Since then two new committees were formed. I was asked to serve on one of them. The decorating committee! Somebody has to do it, right? Much time has been spent actively shopping, a lot of time shopping. Below – some of our finds.

The rest of the time? Spent making ourselves at home.


On Task

Armed with good intentions and resolutions, I accomplished some, not all, of what I planned for the first week of the new year:

Washed some filthy, but interesting vintage windows that I’ve been storing for years, on the one warm sunny day we’ve had.

Afterward I played a bit, utilizing the new decorative elements on a blank studio wall over the company filing cabinets. The lateral file systems were a big help in gaining control in the studio’s office area. One unit houses my sketches and ideas, while another, the not so fun, but necessary business items. Fitting & functional.

Then I had to clean up the paper blob that typically accumulates on top of them both! Oh my, still working on that, end of the year items, etc.

I found the wire/rod dress form in a shop on the way home from Spring Quilt Market last May. The sparkly J-O-Y letters, Wendy Addison – Tinsel Trading Co., were purchased a few weeks earlier at the ME Home Companion workshop event. The dress form, art pieces are from my “Tiny Tailors” fabric line. It’s nice to see them all in their proper places at last.

I managed to get the Christmas decorations put away,

…do a little sketching on a new line using some of my old art,


and tried to eat healthy for the last three days in a row!

So, not a bad start, I suppose. This also seems a good time to declare the rest of my ongoing organizing goals for 2011 and checking off some from 2010. During the studio clean up attempts over the past year, it became necessary to extend the regrouping to all areas of my life, eeks, as I’ve stated a few times already. It seems the farther I get into this, the more projects and stuff I (re) discover. Fun, but at times it still overwhelms.

Dealing with all of the accumulated debris while the under lying prioritizing of what’s important to do with one’s time vs what needs to go, is a challenge. Seeing some results helped me this week however, to stay on (practical) task. Overall, I’m encouraged to keep going and hopefully you are to.