RedBarn Studios

Last night one of the guilds I belong to,\’a0 Lake Norman Quilt Guild (a small guild of approx 55 members ) had our annual Christmas Potluck Dinner. It was a welcome and needed break from all the hustle and bustle of the season and all the artwork deadlines looming over my head.
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This year we decided that, in order to commit to our group’s recycling efforts, each person would bring their own place setting (made clean-up a snap as well).
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Each table was also beautifully decorated by a handful of members who were actually taking part in a table decorating contest (sorry, so caught up in festivities that forgot to take pics of each table).
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We had gobs and gobs of fantastic food (someone even brought a delicious spiral sliced ham) and didn’t do too bad in the sweet department either. Just look at that table filled to the brim with our repast. And yes…..I went for 2nds (didn’t eat lunch so I could feast without guilt).
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We were serenaded again this year by a local a cappella group who sang us into dinner. They sang wonderfully and even had some wonderfully fun moments as they dipped and swayed to their own music.
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The last part of our evening was the “Dirty Santa” Christmas ornament exchange, you know the one where you pick a wrapped gift and each subsequent person either steals your gift or opens a new one.
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It was so hilarious as people walked around trying to eye what others had (some even trying to hide the ones they wanted to keep). A couple of the ornaments got stolen so much that they were put out of action on the 3rd steal leaving some real sad faces.
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I came home exhausted but with a smile on my face, aahhh…. I love hanging out with these bunch of women. Now back to the paperwork and artwork I need to finish.
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See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: Christmas, community by k grace howes
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Here’s another journal I made for my very good friend and neighbor who is a budding photographer.

Below you can see that it is made with two separate covers like an album instead of a one piece cover. There are 12 photo sheets (enough for 24 pics) and one signature filled with drawing and watercolor paper.

I needed to give her a boost so I put a pic of her in the front of the journal album with these words: I Believe In You….cause I know that she will succeed.

The juicy bit in this is I got to use my Crop-a-Dile II Big Bite eyelet and grommet setter. Most setting tools are single manual tools that you hit with a “specialized” hammer. Been there…Done that! This BIG baby (and I am not kidding bout the big part) is cool because it can set an eyelet that can be as much as 6 inches away from an edge. It is a scrapbooking tool but hey….we also took the pizza cutter, changed the name to rotary cutter and made it ours right? So what else is new?

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: Art, Christmas, mixed media, paper art by k grace howes
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May

the Joy

and Spirit of

of the Holiday Season,

and the Love of family and friends,

fill you heart and home with Happiness,

P E A C E,

& HOPE

Tags: Christmas, community, family, life sayings by k grace howes
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When I read a book (I’m still into historical English fiction) I inevitably run across some obscure never-heard-of-word I have no clue what the meaning is. Same when I read some of my art books, there’s usually notes I need to make to try to remember a technique or idea for when I need it later as I’m working.

I decided to use my friends as guinea pigs again and give them these little bookmark notebooks, embellished with their initials of course, as small gifts this year (yes I know I am really into the paper thing right now…bear with me okay). Each is  filled with 3 strips of folded paper stitched into a small signature and are 1 1/2″ wide….enough room to write almost anything.

Here are the first batch I came up with. Real cool little gift huh!

Funny story, I was in the bookstore and started talking with a lady next to me in the craft books section and told her about my little book marks (hey Ellen if you’re reading this). She was looking for an idea for a small gift she could give to the people she’s helping and this idea really sunk in with her. Glad I could help and hope they love them too.

I can’t wait to make more of these especially since when you cut paper for journals you end up with leftover strips that would be perfect for this.  No waste here and great way to recycle the extra bits.

BTW, today is my brother’s birthday…the one who was the bane of my existence…back then that is. Today my younger bro is “Cool Uncle Andy” to my kids and the one who we all look to for some sane reality…..when he’ not acting the fool that is (wouldn’t you say Gar?)

Happy Birthday Bro!

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: Art, artful creations, birthday, Christmas, paper art by k grace howes
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This year one of my art groups decided we’d make something for our secret Santa gifts instead of buying something for that person. So I decided to do the same for the girls in my other art group as well.

I thought and thought and thought, and thought some more then racked my brain even more before I finally came up with the perfect gift. Can you tell I find it hard to shop for people? It’s my own fault because I feel the need to get (or make) something for that person instead of giving a generic gift that anyone can get.

So off I went to the craft store to buy my supplies like I minded doing that right?. Full disclosure here,  we picked names back in September (did I just reveal that?) but, as I obviously like a challenge and seem to work more effectively when there is a deadline in play (like the true procrastinator I am), I only decided to start making these gifts last week. They were due Monday and Tues of this week……HA!

If you knew my friend Lu’shorn you’d know anything pink with ladybugs would fly with her.

Susan’s loves anything turquoise and this one includes a small bookmark notebook in one the journal’s pockets.

And this one is for my esoteric, Bohemian-like friend, DeLane, who makes fantastic art. Loved making this art tag for her!

I read my books on technique (I do have a few and I feel NO shame in admitting it, so there!) and put my own twists on each and came up with some beautiful pieces, even if I say so myself.

The fun part is these gifts utilize my new re-discovery (?) of PAPER and I get to assuage my guilt by using some of all those wonderful fabrics I STILL have in my stash. Didn’t I tell you I’d find creative uses for them?

I have wanted to make a couple of journals just to try out different techniques and see if I really like making them. And if I did, I’d finally have something I wanted to make on a regular basis for my Etsy shop which I set up oh-so long ago. I found I’m not one for mass producing things and didn’t want to get stuck in a rut with whatever I sold on Esty.

DID I EVER HAVE FUN!

First of all I love, love, love buying the paper…..remember I said I’d drift into the scrapbooking aisle first to look at all the gorgeous papers? Now I have a legitimate reason to buy them (oh no you say…heck yeh I say!)

And what about all the new gadgets I’ll have to I may be purchasing (hubby is ready this blog now so I have to be careful) like the guillotine. Oooh la la. Every respectable bookbinder needs one of those babies!

I have now found a local source for paper and bookbinding supplies (thanks Susan) cause I like to see and touch and lollygag over what I want to purchase. I can’t tell you how it frustrates me when I can ONLY purchase something online…the waiting does me in.

So I am off and running….as soon as the hip mends that is (that’s for another posting for sure) and will be making up some more journals.

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: Art, Christmas, mixed media, paper art, working small by k grace howes
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Some people bar hop.

I blog hop. After I catch up on posts from my regulars, and I have some spare time, I randomly choose a blog from someone’s sidebar and I’m off and running. That’s how I discovered Tim’s blog…..Tim Holtz that is.You have to go over and see the beautiful work he is is creating.

Now I have to tell you, he isn’t a fiber artist who works with fabric, his medium of choice is paper. Apparently last year he created some bea-yu-ti-full Christmas tags and included all the steps for each technique on his blog (see link above).

And he’s doing it again this year, making gorgeous tags. Not only that but he’s giving away some of his products when you leave a comment  on his blog…..if you happen to be the winner for the day that is.

Aren’t these tags gorgeous. Wouldn’t they look great  on a gift you give this year?

I love using his products, only I didn’t know that I was using them – like Distress Ink pads ( I so see more of them in my future), Alcohol Inks and the oh-so-cool grundgeboard that Sue Bleiweiss used on one of her art journals. (when there scroll down to the 3rd item on the left).

Now I know you must be thinking…what the heck does this have to do with fiber arts? Well if you are into texture and  surface design  and you love paper like I do then his products and creative ideas will fit in well in with your work to.

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: Art, Christmas, mixed media, surface design, working small by k grace howes
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