Sunday, March 21, 2010


I'm usually a woman of few words, but the California Association of Machine Embroiders seminar in Santa Maria, California has me bubbling with enthusiasm!



What an incredibly talented and prolific group of ladies! The photo above shows 10 from the Altered Photo Artistry workshop. They each sent a photo to me before the workshop. I altered the photo, enlarged it, and printed it on fabric. So, when everyone arrived in the classroom, they were ready to start stitching!


This is Barbara. She took the Altered Photo Artistry workshop on Friday and then taught a workshop on needle-felting with an embellishing machine on Saturday. Very fun!



Betty (immediate past president of CAME) is working on a photo of the famous California poppy. The weather was just warming up during the seminar and the poppies were, well, "popping" out everywhere.


The back of Carol’s piece really shows the outlining she's completed on the blossom and stem …


and it's even more striking from the front!


Diane (president elect) was co-chair of the 2010 seminar, but took the time out of the hectic schedule to take the Altered Photo Artistry workshop!

Isabel is working on a Gerbera daisy. BTW: CAME has a tradition of making and giving favors at lunch each day. Isabel and Judy made adorable pincushions in the shape of cupcakes for everyone!



Here's Judy working on an altered daffodil. She later invited me to her beautiful home, where I got to see some of her award-winning art quilts!


Rhoda is wearing a kimono from the surface design workshop "Tattoo Your Style," but she participated in the Altered Photo Artistry workshop also. Rhoda is the one responsible for making it possible for me to attend the CAME seminar—and I hope it isn't the last!


Isn't Ruth's calla lily awesome? We altered the lily's color a bit, but the striking feature is the water droplets! The way she outlined them really made them stand out. Can't wait to see it mounted and framed!


Sharon is the other seminar co-chair. Her energy and stamina was amazing. What a shining example of grace and love. She is working on a kaleidoscope, which we discovered is probably not a good subject for a first-time project. All the CAME members are accomplished in free-motion work, but the Altered Photo Artistry technique is best experienced the first time on a single blossom. Now we know!


You've probably seen Sylvia's work in various quilt magazines and on the runway of the prestigious Fairfield (or is it Bernina) Fashion Show. Here she has outlined leaves on a branch to emphasize the depth and dimension of the branch.


Zerita's hollyhock pops out of the background because of the way she has outlined the flower. Next, she'll begin to fill with color to accent highlights, deepen shadows, and saturate midtones.

This row of cypress trees was photographed in a cute little town, not far from Santa Maria. They indicate the visit is over—for this time. I hope to return to the California Association of Machine Embroiders (CAME) seminar next year. What a delightful group of ladies. They sure know how to have a good time!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

I'm so excite to announce, I am a faculty member of CraftEdu.com! Beginning in April, several of my Photoshop Elements, Altered Photo Artistry, rust-dyeing, and needle-felting classes will be available. Here's a link to my faculty gallery. Let me know what you think! http://craftedu.faculte.com/bp/MzA0ODMyOTQ5NA

“CraftEdu is a creative powerhouse of talent covering many art and craft media. Faculty members have been selected based on their expertise and ability to instruct and inspire students. Together, they are a team of the best and the brightest the art and craft world have to offer.

On its state-of-the-art platform, CraftEdu brings this considerable talent and their expertise into the homes of students worldwide. Created and designed by Faculte, this powerful, browser based platform provides a unique alternative to conventional pdf-based class presentations and creates a near in-person teaching environment.

CraftEdu will launch in beta in March 2010 and anticipates an official launch in April 2010.”

CraftEdu is the brainchild of polymer clay artist Donna Kato, her husband Vernon, and a creative team. This creative powerhouse has worked tirelessly for more than two years. to put the platform and software together. It is like no other online education experience!

BTW: I’ll be at the California Association of Machine Embroiders in Santa Maria next week. So, watch for new photos of workshops in Altered Photo Artistry, Rust-Dyeing, and a Surface Design technique known as graffiti or tattooing!