The holiday is just days away, the mall parking lots are packed, and you still have some giving to do? Relax, take a deep breath. We’ll get through this together.
First, take inventory. You have a closet, basement corner, guest room, or studio filled with art supplies right? Then you probably have everything you need to make a thoughtful, and soon to be well-loved gift.
1. Get some inspiration. Watch a Workshop DVD, or even Quilting Arts TV. (You can pre-order season 700, now!) After watching this episode on the right, my 11 year old daughter had the idea of turning Beryl Taylor’s Mixed-media Art Quilt technique into sachets. |
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Pokey and Beryl on the QA TV set. | ||
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2. Make it meaningful. Think of your recipient, what does she (or he), really love. Perhaps you could make a pet portrait, or even a silhouette of their favorite pooch or fluffy feline. Scan a photo and play with it in any image editing program to help simplify the shapes. Use this as a guide for a collage, painting, or mix of both. |
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Bindi the Puerto Rican rescue dog. | ||
3. Make it small. Now is not the time to make an installation-sized piece. These little canvases are just 2" a piece and would make a lovely set of magnets. Work on a bunch of canvases at the same time and save some of that time you’re running out of. | ![]() |
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2" x 2" square canvases ready for art. | ||
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4. Use your scraps. Use up all those bits of fabric, ribbon, or paper that you can’t bear to throw away. You love them for a reason—that makes them worthy of an extra special gift. These pins by Melody Ferris and Jill Russell, were featured in our premier issue Cloth Paper Scissors GIFTS. | |
Loads of pins made from fabric scraps. | ||
5. Have fun! Get dirty. Make a mess. Enjoy the process and it will show in your work. Set the timer for 30 minutes and see what you can do. Be inspired by a pretty sunset, the box from your morning breakfast cereal, or any two bottles of paint on the shelf. | ![]() |
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All hands on deck at CREATE 2010. | ||
Happy Merry Making,
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