WEEKEND PLANS and a GIVE AWAY!
Ready for the long weekend? I am excited for two main reasons: the sun is supposed to be out in Boston and I have set aside some much needed craft time. I can’t tell you how 
relaxing it is to just think about sitting on my back porch with nothing to do but craft. I think I actually even convinced by roommate, Leigh, to participate. She is reluctant about the prospect of crafting, but when I told her about the Decolourant I just bought she seemed a little more interested….
Anyway, to celebrate this long weekend I am giving away some awesome new Moda Fabric! We just got a bunch of samples into the office, and I haven’t decided which one to give away, but it will be a summery bundle! In order to enter to win, please leave a comment at the bottom telling what your plans are for the long weekend. I will randomly pick a winner on Tuesday after the weekend. 
CREATE!
Last week I attended CREATE, which was held in Costa Mesa, California. The amount of energy, talent, willingness to try new things, and smiled that I saw at this retreat was amazing! I was working in the CREATE store for the majority of the event, but was thrilled when artists came in and proudly displayed the work that they had done for us.
I also got a chance to walk around during class time, and was amazed to see how talented everyone was. We had a stellar line up of teachers some being Alisa Burke, Jane LaFazio, Linda Blinn, Jeannie Moore, Dea Fischer, and many more!
Did you miss out on this CREATE? Don’t worry, there is another one this summer in Chicago from August 24th – 28th. Check out the details here: http://www.createmixedmediaretreat.com.
MAKE IT UNIVERSITY™!!!
Were you local to Costa Mesa, CA and are disappointed that you missed seeing us when we were in your area? No need to worry about that either – Cloth Paper Scissors® is coming back in July! We will, once again, be hosting the Make It University™ section at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach, CA. Make It University is an area right on the show floor that offers 1 hour workshop classes for just $10! (all supplies are included). I personally LOVE the show in Long Beach – I always seem to have the most fun at this show! We have finalized the teaching schedule, and are excited to share it with you. Here is a little more about the event as well:
Make it University!™ Long Beach 2011
Are you ready for some hands-on, hands-down fun? Quilts, Inc., and the publishers of Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors® magazines are proud to bring you Make It University!™ with Cloth Paper Scissors®, a place for artistic discovery. Come join us right on the show floor where mixed-media, paper, and fiber art vendors will be selling one-of-a-kind mixed-media supplies, books, kits, novelty papers, embellishment supplies, and paints. There will be lots of hands-on, hour-long workshops, demonstrations, and challenges you can sign up for on the show floor—everything from mixed-media jewelry to embossed metal designs.
The Trading Post
Join us at Trading Post where during show hours you can trade a variety of art: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs), fabric postcards, small art quilts, fiber and mixed-media jewelry, inchies, you name it! Bring as many items to trade as you like.
Open Studios
A very talented line-up of artists and crafters are joining us this year to share their art and processes with you. Artists will be making small projects, dyeing and painting fabric, stamping cloth and paper, creating handmade books, and stitching with mixed media right on the show floor. Make sure to stop by Make It University! ™ for the daily schedule.
Make It University!™ with Cloth Paper Scissors® Workshops
These workshops will be taught by exhibitors and artists in the Make It University!™ with Cloth Paper Scissors® section, with a maximum of 25 people per session. The fee for each workshop is $15, and workshop participation will be determined by lottery. Each workshop will have its own lottery. The lottery will open for each workshop the day the workshop is given, and people may put their name in each workshop lottery from the time the show opens that day up until 15 minutes prior to the start of the workshop. Participants may put their name in each workshop lottery only once, but may put their name in as many different workshop lotteries as they choose. People must be physically present 15 minutes prior to the assigned workshop to hear if their name is called. If the person isn’t present, unfortunately their spot will be forfeited and another name will be called.
Thursday (Preview Night):
5:30 – 6:30: Silk in the Meadow: Mixed-Media Necklace
Create a silk and linen mixed-media necklace with images of the western meadow. A silk fiber chain embraces a fiber vignette of meadow images. A silk cocoon encases a luscious kiss of dangling fibers, like grasses in the prairie breeze.
- Liz Kettle
7:00 – 8:00: DeColourant Discharge & Color Sampler
Make freezer paper templates and simple foam stamps to discharge fabric and add color all in one step and without toxic fumes.
- Judy Coates Perez
8:15 – 8:45: Cloth Paper Scissors® Raffle!
Do you like free stuff? Put your name in the jar to possibly win some great loot, from books and magazines to DVDs and fiber art supplies!
Friday:
10:30 – 11:30: Where Did You Get That Bag?
Everyone will be asking you that question when you carry this unique bag. What you keep in your bag is a secret we won’t reveal but the outside will declare that you have the style and flair of an artist! Paint, stamps and stencils will turn plain white Multi-Purpose Cloth into a one of a kind piece of functional art.
- Liz Kettle and Ruth Chandler
12:00 – 1:00: Sketching with Scissors: Making Ear Candy
Escape from tracing and patterns; learn how to sketch with scissors. We will work on free-cutting bird shapes until you’ve learned to make a unique bird that reflects your personality. Then, using pre-fused hand dyed fabric, you’ll make either a pair of earrings or a necklace that features your newfound sketching skills!
- Candy Glendening
1:30 – 2:30: Stitch-and-Paint Flower Pins
In this workshop, canvas stitched flowers are painted with water-soluble crayons. You’ll have fun assembling the flower pins with the painted flowers, pieces of color printed organza, felt and buttons.
- Jeannie Palmer Moore
3:00 – 4:00: Scrappy Pin Cushions
It is fun to be green! Recycle an Altoids® tin and make it into a cute and useful Pin Cushion!
- Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison
4:30 – 5:30: French Tag Book
You will create your own version of a French tag book using a 10-page accordion book structure. We will alter the pages, design French tags, and decorate the book using the instructor's collection of French ephemera, embellishments, and decorative papers.
- Linda Blinn
6:00 – 7:00: Resin Jewelry and Much More!
Embed quilt art or interesting fabrics, paper, buttons, or beads to create resin pieced that can be used for pins, magnets, and more!
- Fran Valera, Little Windows™
Saturday
10:15 – 11:15: Where Did You Get That Bag?
Everyone will be asking you that question when you carry this unique bag. What you keep in your bag is a secret we won’t reveal but the outside will declare that you have the style and flair of an artist! Paint, stamps and stencils will turn plain white Multi-Purpose Cloth into a one of a kind piece of functional art.
- Liz Kettle and Ruth Chandler
11:45 – 12:45: Drawing and Watercolor Workshop
Take this class to get over your fear of drawing and using watercolors! Jane will take you through the process of drawing and water-coloring a beautiful flower.
- Jane LaFazio
1:15 – 2:15: Beneath the Surface
Learn a variety of wild, expressive, messy, unique, and simple surface design techniques to create beautiful surfaces to use in your mixed media projects. Alisa will demonstrate all kinds of easy techniques to create surfaces filled with pattern, color, texture and layers and experiment with all kinds of surfaces.
- Alisa Burke
2:45 – 3:45: Festive Fabric Cuffs
Think Wonder Woman is the only one who looks good wearing cuff jewelry? Think again! Make a one-of-a-kind, colorful fabric cuff to sport on the show floor and make your quilt friends envious. We’ll stamp, stitch, and play with a variety of surface design techniques, too.
- Pokey Bolton, Cloth Paper Scissors®
4:15 – 5:15: Doodled Surface Design
There is nothing better than incorporating your very own doodles and drawings into creative projects! Learn how to use simple shapes, doodles, and drawings to create surfaces full of pattern, layers, and texture that can be used in a variety of fabric, paper and mixed media projects. No drawing experience required!
- Alisa Burke
5:30 – 7:00: Surviving the Runway: The Royal Hat Edition
Join Pokey for a lively “designer challenge” celebrating quilting and colorful couture! Door prizes for all, and fabulous goodies totaling more than $300 for those who survive the runway!
- Pokey Bolton, Cloth Paper Scissors®
Sunday
11:30 – 12:30: Scrappy Pin Cushions
It is fun to be green! Recycle an Altoids® tin and make it into a cute and useful pincushion!
- Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison
1:00 – 2:00: Silk in the Meadow: Mixed-Media Necklace
Create a silk and linen mixed media necklace with images of the western meadow. A silk fiber chain embraces a fiber vignette of meadow images. A silk cocoon encases a luscious kiss of dangling fibers, like grasses in the prairie breeze.
- Liz Kettle
Have a fun, relaxing, and safe long weekend!
Lindsey