Something About Nothing

One of my breast pockets was published in Quilting Arts Magazine.  I'm thrilled to share the pages with so many talented makers.  There were about 250 pockets entered in to the challenge.  So glad they had so many submit entries!  They are all so beautiful!

Two years ago, my friend, Melanie Testa , sent out a call asking artists to make breast pockets .  I made a couple of fabric pockets and then asked my daughter's volleyball team to make paper pockets for Melly.   I delivered the pockets to Melly when I went to New York for my sister's wedding. In the October/November 2014 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine , another call was put out for Melly's Breast Pocket project in a reader challenge called: "Art from the Heart: The Breast Pocket Project." I created two pockets and I thought I would share.  I started with an image of two birds I found at The Graphics Fairy .  I printed the birds onto a piece of TAP , and then ironed them onto some silk organza.  I auditioned them on several fabrics from Lynn Krawczyk's new fabric line: Inked , as well as a number of my own hand dyed fabrics.  I decided I liked Lynn's red Inked fabric best.  I love the inspiring words on this piece and felt they were very ...

Mark your calendar for January 15, 2014 and join me as I run the Fiber 5K to Fight Cancer. OK, I won't actually be jogging around a race course, although I'm sure there would be people willing spend money to see that!  Hahaha Not really, but I will be joining the fun as Fiberart For A Cause's virtual race kicks off with a goal of donating $5000 directly to the American Cancer Society. I have donated this ice dyed and surface designed fat quarter to the cause: This fat quarter is being added to 9 other fat quarters  from my fellow designers of The Printed Fabric Bee.  It will be a Bee-u-tiful prize!   (sorry about the bad pun!) There are LOTS of other fantastic prizes from many g enerous prize sponsors for drawings at the 1K ($1000) mark, 2K ($2000) mark, etc., plus a Grand Prize drawing when we cross the Finish Line. According to Race Director, Virginia Spiegel, "Fiberart For A Cause likes to have fun while raising money to fight cancer, ...

Shortly before my trip to New York for my sister's wedding, Melanie Testa started asking others to make Breast Pockets for her.   You can read about it here.   Coincidentally my daughter's volleyball team has an annual Breast Cancer awareness game in October.  I gathered paper, glue, markers, pencils and scissors and asked the volleyball team to use their creativity to create pockets for Melly.   And create they did! I brought the pockets with me to New York and delivered them to Melly on Wednesday. She was extremely touched. You can read all about her response to receiving them here. I'm so glad we were all able to help Melly in this small way.

I wrote about my friend, Melanie Testa , and her plea for Breast Pockets to bring attention to breast cancer and the women who have chosen to "go flat" after a mastectomy, earlier this week.   You can read about it here. It's been a crazy week for me but I was grateful to be able to make my first pocket. The background color was painted with setacolor paint.  Next I used a stencil from Crafters Workshop to paint on the bird house and tree leaves.  I then thread painted the black lines over the top.  The little birdy button was created with S hrinky Dinks ! Yes, Shrinky Dinks!  Those pieces of plastic you colored on as a child and baked in the oven, those Shrinky Dinks.  You can buy them in 8 1/2 x 11 sheets and create whatever you like! I know how much Melly loves birds and I thought this would be a great representation of her leaving her cage and flying free into her own choices in life.  Maybe the next one should be her leading a flock of...

Breasts are serious business. Society has all kinds of ideas about them - from vulgar to sexy to beautiful. They are a part of life.  Unfortunately for many, so is breast cancer.  We all know it is out there and more than likely we know a survivor or someone who wasn't so fortunate.  I know both.  My friend Melanie Testa  battled with breast cancer last year.  During her fight she made the decision to "go flat."  No reconstructive surgery and no pockets in her clothing to put in prosthetics.  You can read more about her decision here.   Mells has been posting on her blog about making Breast Pockets in order to bring more awareness to "Flatties." She has decided to ask others to make some as well in an attempt to raise awareness and unite with others who have made the same decision.  Here is her plea: I feel passionate about being a ‘flattie’, a woman who chose not to reconstruct after breast cancer treatments and doesn’t wan...