Archive for the ‘Lutradur, transfer, photo’ Category

Coming to a Station Near You…

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

All of a sudden I feel like I’m becoming a media personality. No, not mixed media, but the real media of TV and radio. Certainly not MAJOR airwaves, but those right here in front of you – the Internet.

You are cordially invited to a 90-minute Cool2Craft LIVE TV Special Event featuring TAP – Transfer Artist Paper. Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 6 pm PST (9 pm ET). Featuring special guests: Lesley Riley, Lisa Fulmer and Ann Butler. LIVE demos – LIVE Q&A – LIVE giveaway!

Learn how to transfer your imagination into art with TAP, a premium-quality transfer paper that allows you to transfer images to virtually any surface with the heat of an iron. Have more fun with fabric, paper, wood, glass, metal, and more!

* Inkjet print, paint, stamp, or draw images on to TAP
* Iron on to your surface
* Transferred images are crisp and colorfast
* Washable and crack-resistant on fabric
* Overlap transferred images for a layered or collaged look

Facebook members can log-in to this LIVE event at http://apps.facebook.com/cooltocraft Also, Facebook members are invited to RSVP to this event!

All other audience members can log-in to this LIVE event at http://linqto.com/rooms/cool2craft

And if you haven’t heard, TAP will now be sold and distributed by my publisher, C&T. New spiffy packaging, same great paper. You can still order here at my online shop but with C&T taking over, it’s sure to get wider distribution and end up in your local fabric, quilt and someday…craft store. Cool! I’m excited.

That’s the TV part, now for the radio news.

Beginning June 21, I will be the new host of Blog Talk Radio’s Art & Soul radio show, sponsored by Glenny Demsen-Moir of Art & Soul Retreats. The current hosts are doing their last show this week and we will be making changes on the show website soon. We’re excited to be bringing you our vision of art & soul and discovering what yours is. I hope you will join us in this new adventure.

We’re looking for guests too, so if you are a working artisit with soul and a story to share, please email me. The link is right there at the top of the page on the right.

And if you have any favorite artists you would like to hear me interview, or any ideas for themes or topics, PLEASE speak up!  Leave a comment here on the blog. And PLEASE! spread the word. I want as much input as I can get. This show’s for YOU! 

I’ll be listening for your ideas and hope you’ll  listen on June 21!

Posted in Inspiration, Lutradur, transfer, photo | 1 Comment »

Organization is Everything

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
Fragment & Class Quotes.

Fragment & Class Quotes.

It’s great to launch a new website. It’s great to HAVE a new website when you are getting ready to be a vendor at the largest International Quilt Market & Festival on the planet.

Fragment Creation Station (on my Bed)

Fragment Creation Station (on my Bed)

What’s NOT good is trying to keep my promise to you that I will be more present and accounted for online WHILE you are, at the same time, trying to get prepared for this biggest show in town. I have taught there for years. Teaching takes a lot of preparation too, don’t get me wrong. But it’s something I’ve been doing for so long that I have it all down to a science. This is all new. And I want to put my best foot forward, so I am giving it my all, my every moment, every day, all day, until I fall into bed at 10 and watch Project Runway, Top Chef or the really, really good new show, The Good Wife (welcome back Julianna Margulies. You can actually watch it online right now. I highly recommend.) 
Petite Ironing Station

Petite Ironing Station

Anyway, my point is, I’m busy. Very busy. I have a white board full of tasks, projects, necessities, reminders, notes, dates, deadlines,  must-dos and if-you-have-time-dos. I am organized. Very organized. Here’s where my life skills and 38 years (and still counting) of raising 6 children come into play. Every step of the process completed is one step nearer my goal. I don’t count down the days, I just keep working.  It’s hard, it’s demanding, it consumes my thoughts day and night. And I love it. (Sidenote: If you’re looking at the photos, just know that it’s my mind that is organized, not my workspace.)

Simplicity Rotary Cutter

Simplicity Rotary Cutter

From the looks of the photos, you might think all I’m doing is making Fragments. I wish. It’s the fun part amidst all the business and busyness stuff. But I also have been working on another fun project for the Simplicity Designer Challenge using their new Rotary Cutting and Bias Tape Maker Machines. If you’re at Market, look for it in their booth. If not, you’ll see it here next month. Here’s a sneak preview.

What are these girls waiting for?

What are these girls waiting for?

And if you happen to be going to Quilt Market and/or Festival, please, pretty please, visit me in Booth #1351 during the shows. Or catch a Fragment class at Make It University during the Festival.

If you’ve read this far. I’d really love a word of encouragement, a “You go girl” or “You can do it.” You’d be amazed what a friendly comment can do to spur one on.

PS I owe you 2 stories from the last post. I do want to tell them, but we’ll save that for another, more relaxed time. For now it’s crunch time and back to work.

Posted in Lutradur, transfer, photo, Organization, fabric, | 21 Comments »

Announcements & Catching Up

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

It's snowing here in DC. A cold gray day, perfect for snuggling inside and catching up on this, that, and if there's time left, the other. I have a lot of upcoming things to share with you. Many days I feel like I am busy all day but get nothing done. But now looking at this list, I can see the fruits of my labor and yes, I have gotten a lot done. It's important to compile a list like this once in a while, if only for your own satisfaction of seeing your accomplishments pile up. Here are my February accomplishments, in no particular order.

Angelas

1. Taught a class at Angela's Happy Stamper in Reston, VA yesterday. Claudine Hellmuth and I made a day of it, each doing a 1/2 day of  book signing and a 1/2 day class. Great shop, great students (as always).

2. Completed a Guest Blogger entry for Quilting Gallery which will be online Thursday, February 26th.

Quilting-gallery

3. Submitted work for Layers Upon Layers blog, to be online Thursday March 5th.

FabricSm72    

4. Designed, painted and printed this fabric for use in an upcoming Quilting Arts project. (Comments appreciated & welcome)

5. Completed and submitted another Artist to Artist interview for Cloth Paper Scissors magazine.

Birthdays 

6. Had a small, intimate, immediate family only gathering (just 20 of us) to celebrate the February birthdays –  son Chris (24), daughter Kerry (20) and sister Katie, my little sister. 

Quilt 

7. Completed this small quilt, playing around with some new fabric fragment ideas and techniques. (Comments & critiques welcome)

8. Completed another article for the Spring issue of Studios magazine, which is now available for pre-order.

StudiosSpring 

9. Received my contributor copy of Creative Awakenings – Envisioning the Life of Your Dreams Through Art by creativity coach, Sherri Gaynor. A great book to do just that – awaken your creativity. my contribution and project is entitled  Finding Meaning in the Bottom of a Bowl. (OK, so this is technically not a February 2009 accomplishment, but when it comes to books, they aren't real to me until you can hold them in your hand.)

Creative_awakenings(2)

10. Completed my class description for a great NEW art retreat taking place a year from now, February  18-22, 2010 - An Artful Journey in Los Gatos, CA. There are also small mini-events taking place this year – all organized by Cindy O'Leary. Check it out.

11. Had a fantastic networking lunch with author, pattern & fabric designer, Pat Sloan, to pick her brain and get advice about vending at the huge International Quilt Market & Festival on October. It's a big step and I'm (gulp) scared.

12. Wrote a whopping 4 blog entries this month, including this one…..not too proud of that but when you have to choose between beingproductive inthe studio and comunicating with the rest of the world, well – let's just say it takes a LOT of discipline and time management to do both successfully.

Home-Page-Welcome3

13. Wrote another Guest Blogger entry for Fabulous Fabric Art with Lutradur contributor Jenn Mason's BRILLIANT NEW BLOG Everyday Artist Studio. It's scheduled for Wednesday, March 4th. And a little birdie told me she's having a GIVEAWAY for Fabulous Fabric Art with Lutradur.

14. Painted yards and yards of Lutradur for my classes. I used Claudine's STUDIO paints. Those little jars sure go a long way.

Claudine  

I've been at this so long it is not longer snowing. It's still cold, but the sun is shining and I am smiling. I'm ready for March, Spring and my own little form of March Madness – another book GIVEAWAY+ a free Creative Textile Tool courtesy of Walnut Hollow. You can't have the complete Lutradur experience without this tool.  So come back soon, come often. Tell your friends.

Posted in Books, Inspiration, Lutradur, transfer, photo, fabric, | 10 Comments »

Lutradur Tips & Tricks

Sunday, January 25th, 2009

Tip1 

48 Hours until the Lutradur book giveaway drawings. Have you entered? It's as easy as leaving a comment to this post.

One of the many, many cool things you can do with Lutradur are image transfers using your inkjet printer. The above photo shows my 2 favorite methods: (left)  transparency + soft gel medium; (right) Transfer Artist Paper (TAP). Both are as easy as pie. Today I'll tell you how to do a transparency transfer. Tomorrow I'll fill you in on TAP transfers.

Transparency Transfer 

Materials

Inkjet transparency from office supply store
Soft Gel Medium (matte) - Studio Multi-Medium by Claudine Hellmuth or Golden Soft Gel Medium 
1" foam brush
Spoon

*You need a firm, smooth, protected work surface as the gel medium will penetrate the Lutradur. Wax paper or a teflon craft sheet work well.

1. Print desired image(s) onto transparency on any inkjet printer. Be sure to reverse the image before printing. Do this either in your photo-editing software or in the Printer commands.

 

2. Cut image from transparency and set next to work area, ink side down.

 

3. Brush soft gel medium onto Lutradur, covering an area the size of the image you are going to transfer. The trick is to evenly apply just the right amount. If you have applied too much, the inks may smear. If it's too dry, the inks won't transfer. To test for even application of medium on your surface, lightly smooth over the medium with your index finger, feeling for very dry or very wet areas. You want your finger to glide across the surface, but there should not be any excess medium build-up on your finger. If you have applied too much medium, just keep running your finger across it until it dries a bit. If it's too sticky/tacky, apply a bit more until your finger is gliding.

 

4. Place the inked side of the transparency onto the wet surface. The transparency will stick to the surface. If the surface is too wet, it may slide & smear. 

 

5. Starting in the center or focal point and working outwards to the edges, rub the transparency in a circular motion with the back of the spoon, using a medium to heavy pressure. (I put my thumb into the bowl of the spoon for added pressure.) Lift a corner of the transparency and check to see that everything has transferred to your liking.  You can continue to rub more, or remove the transfer if done. 

 

That's it! Let it dry and you're ready for the next step. You can transfer onto painted or plain Lutradur, over or under other art materials, and even burn into it later with your Creative Textile Tool. Heat gun techniques will not work, as the gel medium acts as a resist. See the book for more info on these other techniques. 

 

Tomorrow: TAP transfers

Posted in Lutradur, transfer, photo | 37 Comments »