Things have been chaotic around our house, as we are in the middle of family health crises with 2 of our nearest and dearest, so it means that I am playing a scrambly catch up game….

anyhow… here are the links for last week’s Artsy Bloggers Roundup. (I didn’t manage to get a link in, but I’ll aim to do that this week)

Image Source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Mermaid and Merwomen in Black Folklore

A juried exhibition for art quilters/ doll artists, February 20–March
31, 2009, Avery Research Institute Center for African American
History & Culture at the College of Charleston

Description

Some of the first tales of mermaids and merwomen were brought to
America by Africans enslaved along the coast of South Carolina. Many
of these folktales were stories of African ocean and river goddesses.

Because of the rich oral traditions of these peoples, few if any of
these stories were written down until they were recorded by
collectors of folk tales at the end of the 19th century.

You are invited to share your visual interpretation of a Black
Mermaid/Merwoman in an art doll or art quilt.

SPECIFICATIONS

We are seeking work that is original and innovative. No kits,
quilts or dolls made in a workshop with the aid of an instructor.
Quilt must be multi-layered and joined by stitching. Dimension in
any direction must not exceed 50 inches. Dolls may not exceed 32
inches in height. If dolls are to be displayed on a stand, the
artist will be responsible for providing the stand. If dolls are to
be mounted on the wall please make sure it has the necessary hanging
apparatus. We welcome both small and large works. Only quilts/dolls
created after December 31, 2006 are eligible. Preliminary acceptance
will be granted based on the acceptance digital images. Final
acceptance will be granted upon the receipt and examination of
quilts/dolls. We reserve the right to omit from the exhibition
accepted quilts/dolls that do not contain the same qualities as the
submitted images. The exhibition coordinators’ decision is final.

Calendar :

Deadline of entry receipt

Tuesday, January 20, 2009:

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 notification by e-mail of acceptance

Accepted works posted online at

cofc.edu/avery/

February 10, 2009

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Shipping instructions will be e-mailed

Tuesday February 17, 2009 -February 19, 2009

Works accepted at Avery Research Institute Center for African
American History & Culture at the College of Charleston
(quilts/dolls will not be accepted prior to February 12, 2009

Opening reception Saturday February 21, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. Avery
Research Institute Center for African American History & Culture
at the College of Charleston , Charleston, South Carolina

Tuesday March 31, 2009

Exhibition closes

April 1 through April 5, 2009

Return of non-touring works

13 Frugal Finds for Quilting & Fabric Art
Quilters have always been resourceful when it comes to finding fabric, embellishments, and other supplies for their work. Today is no exception. Here’s the link:

http://www.quiltingandpatchwork.com/2008/09/18/thursday-thirteen-13-frugal-finds-for-quilting-fabric-art/

Crocheted baby earflap style cap for Save the Children
My contribution to this week’s Artsy bloggers roundup is my design for a tiny crocheted earflap style baby cap for the Knit One, Save One campaign of Save the Children. Here’s the link:

http://www.blisstree.com/hankeringforyarn/crocheted-baby-earflap-style-cap-by-noreen-crone-findlay

Flying Pig and Other Junk Art
Bill Morris shares his junk creations made from shovels, barrels and more.Here’s the link:

http://www.junkcreation.com/flying-pig-and-other-junk-art

Free Autumn kids crafts
Chloe from Tangled Thread has compiled a list of free & fun kids crafts to celebrate the Fall.

http://www.tangledthread.com/pumpkins-and-more-free-fall-crafts-for-kids/

Layers Upon Layers
The second year of the Bead Journal Project has just started, and Cyndi has her first piece finished.

Window Envelope Card Ideas
There are many uses for eye-catching window envelope cards. Today Eileen talks about making window envelope cards for mailing.

http://the-artful-crafter.blogspot.com/2008/09/window-envelope-card-ideas.html

Image source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I’ve been out of town for almost 3 weeks, so I haven’t been able to participate in the Artsy Bloggers roundups.  I am back in the studio for a few days, and wanted to catch up with my Artsy Blogger gang. Here are their latest links!

Cloudy skies on fabric with Tangled Thread
Follow this step-by-step tutorial to create your own hand-painted fantasy skies on fabric.

Layers Upon Layers
Book arts resources to either get you started or to inspire your further exploration!

Quick Visual Prompt
Visual prompt from the book Art Escapes.

Quilters “Going Green” - Has This Changed Your Quilting?
Mary Emma at Quilting and Patchwork shares some tips on recycling and going green in your quilting/fabric art.

Scrap Girls Color Challenge: Red, White and Black
Do you know the derivation of the phrase “Three Dog Night”?  Eileen clues us in with a scrapbook layout featuring three of her darling dogs.

Okay, I am going out of my mind.

I have re-written this post at least a dozen times and the ()&$)&^% server won’t post my links!

I am going to try this one more time and then that is it.

Let’s see if I just list the links here and hope that it won’t eat them. I am going to punch a hole in the drywall if it doesn’t work this time! aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

http://the-artful-crafter.blogspot.com/2008/09/scrap-girls-color-challenge-red-white.html

http://www.tangledthread.com/how-to-of-the-day-painting-on-fabric-cloudy-skies-part-three/

http://www.acreativejournal.com/quick-visual-prompt/

http://www.quiltingandpatchwork.com/2008/09/06/quilters-going-green-has-this-changed-your-quilting/

So, even if the links won’t click through, at least you can copy and paste the urls and I won’t break the drywall or have anymore fits about it! sheesh.  Technology is our friend, right?

right.

Image source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Crocheted baby sweater and cap
Caron Yarns commissioned Noreen to design an adorable baby sweater and cap. Here’s the patttern for it.

Layers Upon Layers
Give your photos a graphic quality that will make them pop!

Make a Very Personal Gift with Scrap Girls Products
What more personal gift could you make for a friend or loved one than one which memorializes a major accomplishment?

Stretch the Baking Soda Box to the Freezer
Simple and money-saving reuse for your spice jars.

Yard Sale Quilters
Quilters frequently check out yard sales to find items they can recycle into their art.

 Image Source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Emergency Response Studio
Artist Paul Villinski is transforming an old trailer into a sustainable working space for displaced or visiting artists.


Layers Upon Layers
Get in on a giveaway! Cyndi has copies of “Altered You!” to pass out to some lucky winners!

Matchbook Favors are Hot, Hot, Hot!
Eileen recently started making mint matchbook favors and has discovered these things are hot! Everybody wants them. Here she shares a list of other uses and things to include. Some ideas are hers and some have come from clever customers. Can you add any to the list?

The completed covered notebook tutorial
The fabric covered notebook is completely done and Chloe has posted a link round-up of the entire process.

Tottie Tomato is back
Tottie Tomato is a delightful doll and sweet character that I created last year. And now, she’s back, with a whole a new look!

Victory Gardens & Victory GardenQuilts
At Quilting and Patchwork, Mary Emma reminisces about the victory gardens of her childhood and connects them to Eleanor Burns’ victory garden quilts.

Cool Journal Tool
Try this fun tool to create art for your journal, or just to play

Cotton Monsters! The Work of Jennifer Strunge
See some of Strunge’s amazing and fun soft sculptures made from recycled clothing and linens.

Eco crafts- Credit card bobbins
How to recycle old credit cards into bobbins for embroidery floss, crochet cotton or, threads or yarn.

Homecoming Mum Season Alert
If you live in Texas, Oklahoma and other parts of the South and are in junior high or high school (or know anyone who is ;-), it’s time to get started on your homecoming mums. Go team!

Layers Upon Layers
June Campbell, one of the most generous mixed media artists I know, has written a profile for Layers Upon Layers. Come meet this extraordinary woman!

Walking Through the Time Warp of Your Quilting World
Mary Emma, at Quilting and Patchwork, explores the timelessness of quilts and how they bring generations together.

Make your needlework patterns go further
Did you know that lots of cross-stitch and needlepoint patterns are interchangable?

Image source: Noreen Crone-Findlay (copyright)

There’s a really good tassel tutorial at tassels

It’s in a needle tatting site, but there’s cross fertilization there for whatever your yarn craft is!

Image Source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright