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Art for the new year: Postcards

Happy New Year Everyone!   May the good stuff from last year continue, may the icky stuff go away…as simple as that!


Someone on the QuiltArt list asked what our “word for the year 2010” would be.  I’ve not really done that before—I tend to be NOT introspective and don’t make specific long-term goals, and quit making resolutions years ago.   [I resolved that I would no longer make New Year’s Resolutions, but instead would make them when they needed making!  I’ve done that, and it is the first New Year’s resolution I’ve managed to keep for years!]

Anyway, after thinking, de-clutter, de-stress, and a few other similar concepts, I came up with

Simplify.

I need to simplify what I do, how I do it, and reserve more time to make art and allow myself to re-charge.  Since I got back from Houston in late October, I’ve been playing a catch up game, feeling that I’m in a fallow period for art.   I need time to restore myself, so I’ve been reading novels, spending time with family, and generally trying to not kill myself with work!

Along with the theme of simplify, I thought I’d share these fabric postcards, many of which I make for an online swap.  The theme was Art Nouveau/Art Deco, and I think the design is nice, straightforward, and fairly simplified!

Here’s how I made them.  First I carved my own stamp, based on a design from a Dover book (copyright-use OK).  I simplified the design which was too intricate for carving in a stamp that is just under 3×3 inches, then added a frame of vine-branches. You can see some test-prints on paper, and some test-swatches of the paints…mostly Jacquard Lumiere and Setacolor Pearlescents.

I printed onto my own hand-dyed cloth with Ancient Page archival ink:

The cards were then quilted and painted:

Next, I painted some of those leaves.  It actually took longer to paint the leaves than to quilt the cards!

Finally, I added a couched yarn edge-finish:

Here’s a close-up of two of the silvery-white roses, one with just the pale green-gold leaves, the other with two-tone leaves:

I have mounted three of these cards and will be offering them for sale, but need to take pictures.  Hopefully I’ll get those posted soon…in the meantime, welcome to 2010, to the snow that is falling turning the view out the window into a white and grayscape wonderland, and to making art!

10 Responses to “Art for the new year: Postcards”

  1. Louise in SW Saskatchewan Says:

    Happy 2010 Sarah. Love the postcards. They are lovely. You’ve motivated me to get going on my own stamp carving (good thing since I’m teaching children’s and adult workshops in it in March!

    Thanks for posting your methodology on the blog. Of course, now my mind has taken off in several different directions of where I could go using this method.

    Enjoy your fallow time…..it’s more necessary than we realize to our creativity! I’ve been finding that out in a big way.

  2. Lisa Says:

    These are great Sarah – very cool

  3. Candy Says:

    Those are LOVELY Sarah! And I too may be using simplify for my word of the year! Something I need to do, for sure!

    Happy New Year!

  4. LoieJ Says:

    I’m with you on doing or not doing the resolutions. In fact, sometimes I’ve spent a lot of time making some kind of chart to chart my progress and then I find the chart a couple of months later, with the whole project having been forgotten.
    I like the cards. I need to resolve to try to use some of the paints I bought a few years ago. 🙂 Probably less computer and more creating would be a good thing.

  5. Marie Says:

    Well done ! Love them!

  6. Wil Says:

    Happy 2010 to you too Sarah. It is always a pleasure to read your blog.

  7. Melly Says:

    Really good work Sarah!

  8. Maggie Szafranski Says:

    Simplify is a good work and a good goal! I love your postcards! Thank you for describing your technique! Have a Happy and Prosperous 2010!

  9. B Hunter Says:

    These look like fun… One of my favorite small projects is to make postcards!!!!

    Beth-Near Chicago

  10. Hanneke Wood Says:

    Sarah, they’re fab! -how do you make the stamp? and would you send one to the UK???
    I got your book off Amazon fine, and am making a thread sampler now!!Enjoying life….
    Hanneke