I just returned from the Quilt Market trade show in Houston, and my head is buzzing with ideas. There was so much to see: so many colorful booths filled with the latest fabrics, embellishments, and tools for quilt making.

Lately I've become interested in adding paper to my quilt art. There are so many different ways to do this; I could make a paper quilt, make fabric paper to use in an art quilt, or even just stitch paper directly onto a fabric collage.

Last week, my colleague, friend, and co-conspirator Helen Gregory took over the reins as Editorial Director for Interweave's Quilt, Paper, and Sewing Group.

I have collected a ton of fibers in my career as a quilt artist. Everything from novelty yarns, to silk carrier rods and cocoons, to felt balls, ribbons and metallic threads, wool and silk roving. Not to mention the scraps of thousands of quilting fabrics, sheers, gauzes, saris, and the like. And don't even get me started on found papers and other non-fabric tidbits.

I almost fell off my chair laughing when I saw this fiber art postcard from U.K. artist Priscilla O'Rourke. It seems no sooner had she received her copy of the February/March issue of Quilting Arts Magazine than she turned a photo of the staff she found on the Editor's note page into quilted imagery. 

Since falling in love with the art quilting world more than a decade ago, I've seen thousands upon thousands of quilts. Despite the fact that each one is unique, I've noticed some themes and motifs that attract quilt artists repeatedly: nature, the sea, faces and memories of loved ones, and geometric shapes (especially squares and circles) are some of the most prominent.

Culture is another major inspiration for art quilters, and the culture of one country in particular stands out: Mexico. Rich with color, pattern, texture, and symbolism, Mexican culture is ripe for interpretation by art quilters, especially those with a mixed-media bent who like metal embellishments.

What's New On the Quilt Scene: IQF/Houston Edition - As you read this, I'm on the Quilt Scene at the International Quilt Festival/Houston, surrounded by some of the most beautiful quilts-and talented quilt artists-in the world.