Altacocker Expo 2011 (AKA Original Sewing & Quilt Expo)

Though the fact that I look forward to going to the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo every year makes me feel old as hell, the actual experience of attending makes me feel like a spry young whippersnapper. After 3.5 hours of wading through a sea of walkers, geriatric elbows, and a thick cloud of Clinque perfume, I've just made it home from Expo '11. This is my third year attending. It's my annual birthday gift to myself - and quite a pricey one for a cheapskate like me after $8 to park, $10 at the door, and $2 to check my coat (a splurge), and that's before making a single tangible purchase, the first of which was a $2.50 small coffee. What a racket!

The heap of goodies I brought home from the expo. Deets & pics after the jump.

I got there as early as I could manage (had to finish my new bag first) so I could catch the 1:15 presentation by Valerie Mayen of Yellow Cake & Buzz & Growl. (Oh, and a lil TV show called Project Runway.) I missed the first few minutes, but caught most of it. Just like on TV, she was personable, funny, and adorable. I so envy her for being so comfortable in her own skin and at ease in front of a crowd. And her talent. I wouldn't mind a tablespoon or so of that either.

Tales of a vintage fashion hoarder

Yesterday I started bagging, boxing, and piling up clothing and accessories to take over to the Fashion Hangover clothing swap at the Rag Refinery this Sunday. While this is not really news to me, per se, the sheer volume of clothing I have amassed over the years struck me as unusually... well... absurd. I've sold lots of it, but keep adding to the hoard, so any purging has been negated by further acquisitions. In short: I have GOT to get rid of this shit. But I love every single piece. At this pace, I'm headed straight for Hoarders. My poor, poor husband.

Witness the insanity:

Looks innocent enough from the outside...

A peek to the left

A peek to the right

Studio Envy

Oh my, it is cold in Cleveland this week! We're getting pounded with an insane 4-day snow storm that started Sunday night just as Mr L and I were leaving 1300/Third Gallery at 78th Street Studios. The gallery/studio proprietors were kind enough to invite my Wall Eye Gallery partner Linda and I, along with a handful of other talented artists and makers, to set up shop in their space for the weekend while Bazaar Bizarre was taking place elsewhere in the building.

The space is AMAZING. Ah. Mazing. I have total studio envy! See for yourself (more after the jump!):

Me & Linda's shared table

My first magazine submission!

After being passed over for the Creative Workforce Fellowship a few weeks ago, I made a decision to *attempt* to be more of a go-getter and less of a nay-sayer when it comes to my creative business endeavors - my artwork, the gallery, my handbag/accessory line, etc. This blog is part of that effort. I've also been scouring the internet and the pages of magazines for CFEs, reader challenges, etc. So far I've applied for a scholarship to the Quilt Surface Design Symposium (thanks to Christine M. for hipping me to it), and yesterday I mailed off my first magazine submission. In both cases, I'm trying to keep a cautiously optimistic attitude. Who knows.

Here are my submission!

Finish Project: Wig Hats

Well they are all done and delivered! A day later than I'd hoped, but for me that's early. Really. I ended up with seven 5" square teeny tiny quilts. I guess that technically they aren't quilts because I didn't do the "correct" sandwich (top, batting, backing). I quilted the top with two layers of cotton batting, then used spray adhesive to stack those on top of a square of super duper stiff interfacing comparable to Peltex/Timtex (called, hilariously enough, Stiffy), and last but not least, white cotton. I bound it using packaged bias tape, of which I have a giant stash so I rarely bother cutting my own binding strips.

WIP: wig hats

It's deadlines out the wazoo here in Stephie Lou land. But, as my recently departed and sorely missed friend Stella would have reminded me, it beats the hell out of having nothing going on at all. Right now I'm working on some art for the upcoming Small Works show at Proximity Cleveland (where I've currently got two art quilts hanging), as well as the FESTIVUS show at Wall Eye Gallery (where I am one of seven co-owners). Here's a peek at what I've got going on so far.