Stitched Journal Project - December

The Stitched Journal Project is: Makers from around the world creating one "page" or piece of work per month and sharing. It is a project to get the ideas flowing, to process the days in a creative way, to try new techniques and to push past fears that keep us from making something.  It isn't about perfection, or getting it "just right," it is about process and perspective.

December - Mixed Media on hand dyed fabric

Wow! What a year. What an amazing journey The Stitched Journal Project has been! This is the last in a year long series of monthly pieces of work. I am so grateful that this project took flight and that so many wonderful makers have joined in and shared their work. 

Thank you all for participating in my small idea that grew into more than I could have imagined. Those of you who pushed yourselves, who were brave, who had fun, who shared so much of yourselves. I have learned so much from you! I have been greatly inspired. If you should choose to continue this project on your own, please be sure to let everyone know. You are fantastic artists all!

As for myself, I gleaned so much from this project; I was so often surprised by how my pieces came about and turned out. I can honestly say that I pushed myself and found a new way to express myself through stitching and mixed media.  This project became a really important part of my work and has changed my perspective without a doubt.

Thank you  too readers, for coming along on this journey with us.

Next month I'll share a gallery post of all of the 12 pieces as a body of work.

Below you will find links to the wonderful makers and their Stitched Journal Project pieces for December. Please keep your eyes on this spot in the next couple of days as more add their links. Be sure to visit them and leave comments!

This is the last of The Stitched Journal Projects that I will be hosting. 2014 was quite a year. I look forward to what 2015 will bring.

All of you wonderful Stitched Journal Project participants please link up below! Remember to add your photos to The Stitched Journal Flickr Group! and be sure to share with Facebook, Twitter, etc!

Stitched Journal Project - September

The Stitched Journal Project is: Makers from around the world creating one "page" or piece of work per month and sharing. It is a project to get the ideas flowing, to process the days in a creative way, to try new techniques and to push past fears that keep us from making something.  It isn't about perfection, or getting it "just right," it is about process and perspective.

September

Fabric, Thread, Old Jeans, Cotton, Printing, Embroidery

I don't really know what to say about this piece. It's part practice, part evolution of process. Inspired by a recent dream of odd dolls, wanting to add a bit of dimension to a piece, and the real life feeling that I am always forgetting something. 

This was a first attempt, a little clumsy and a long winding road away from my original concept.  

Long time ago, I saw a film on Picasso. There was footage of him painting. I will never forget watching him paint in grainy black and white; just when I thought he had painted the best thing ever, he kept going. As he added brush strokes and swapped out eyeballs and noses, I remember clasping my hands in anxiety while sitting in my theater seat. I kept thinking in my head, almost begging him, "Ok, stop now, it's perfect, no stop now! It's still good! No! Stop please!" In the end the painting was a mess and he blanked it out in entirety with gesso - to begin all over again on another day. He said something to the effect of, "Sometimes, you need to let it go, to stop before you ruin it completely" Actually, I have no memory of the actual words he spoke, but that's the gist I took with me.  

If you over think it to death, you become your own worst enemy. So, when I was working on this, I thought of that Picasso scene. I kept trying to add too much, I kept trying to tell the story, I was trying to be understood. But then I remembered - leave it alone, keep it simple, stop going. The truth is, it doesn't matter if anyone gets it. It's an odd piece. It was a huge lesson for me in making. Sometimes you just have to stop and let it go.

Below you will find links to the wonderful makers and their Stitched Journal Project pieces for August. Please keep your eyes on this spot in the next couple of days as more add their links. Be sure to visit them and leave comments!

If you think you would like to join in as well, it's not too late!  We will be sharing our pieces the last Friday of every month at least until the end of the year. We'd love to have you.

All of you wonderful Stitched Journal Project participants please link up below! Remember to add your photos to The Stitched Journal Flickr Group! and be sure to share with Facebook, Twitter, etc!