Sale on Craft classes

Hi everyone,
I'm sharing news about Craftsy's Best of 2014 Sale today. All of their craft classes are all on sale for $19.99 or less. A great time to try something new.

Craftsy's Best of 2014 Sale

(sponsored post)

Get the gift you really want during Craftsy's Best of 2014 Sale happening now through Christmas! Treat yourself while ALL our classes are $19.99 or less, so you can make your best projects in 2015. Shop now to stock up and save.

Once you enroll you'll own your Craftsy classes forever, so you can watch them at your pace in the comfort of your home, anytime. Hurry, offer expires 12/25/14 at 11:59 PM MT.

Knitting and Crochet: Craftsy's Best of 2014 Sale
Quilting, sewing and embroidery: Craftsy's Best of 2014 Sale
Jewelry and paper crafts: Craftsy's Best of 2014 Sale
Gardening and woodworking: Craftsy's Best of 2014 Sale
Cake Decorating and cooking: Craftsy's Best of 2014 Sale
Photography, painting and drawing: Craftsy's Best of 2014 Sale
Craftsy's Best of 2014 Course Sale - $19.99 or less!

Happy Holidays everyone! Have a wonderful time celebrating the Season, and a good New Year ahead!

Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

Craftsy Sale, and a little information on their free classes

Happy Friday Everyone! (Sponsored Post) There is a Craft Supply Sale going on at Craftsy.com right now, you can find bargains on presents for your crafting family and friends, or get something for yourself! If you haven't checked Craftsy out yet, I would encourage you to do so. They have Crafting classes for a large variety of subject categories, including Sewing & Quilting (Also, classes on using a serger), Cake & Cooking, Yarn & Fiber Arts (including knitting, crochet, weaving & tatting), Drawing, Painting, Photography, Gardening & Woodworking. If you would like to try their classes first, there are Free Mini-classes available. The sign up for the mini-classes is great, since they only require your name and email address. Once you sign up for a class you have access to the class indefinitely, and you can take the lessons at your own speed, but still have the ability to interact with the teacher and fellow classmates online. Here is information on the current craft supply sale: 2 Days Only -- Shop Craftsy's Stuff your Stocking Sale (sponsored post) Shop Craftsy's Stuff your Stocking Flash Sale now! Enjoy special savings on popular yarn, sewing and quilting products and get it in time for Christmas. But act fast because this limited supply won't last! Offer expires at midnight on December 12th, 2014 at 11:59 PM MT. Shop Craftsy's Stuff your Stocking Flash Sale Sewing - Stuff your Stocking Flash Sale Quilting - Stuff your Stocking Flash Sale Yarn - Stuff your Stocking Flash Sale

Happy Crafting and Creating everyone! Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

Free Instructions for Making Holiday Gift Tag Ornament & Pattern Sale

Happy Friday!

I have a couple of fun things to share today. I am a guest blogger today on the Bella Crafts Quarterly Blog. I'm sharing instructions on how to make a fun, quick Holiday Gift Tag Ornament. If you are one of my family or friends, you may find a similar one in your greeting card this year!

You can read the blog here: http://bellacraftsquarterly.com/bella-blog

Also, there is a sale going on at Patternspot.com on all Seasonal digital patterns. Through November 18-December 31, 2014, you can use the following code to get 20% off on Seasonal patterns.

My Yo-Yos Cubed Pincushion and Ornaments pattern is included in the sale, if you are interested in making your own ornaments or pincushion using the design. I've lowered the price of the pattern, since I first posted it, so now it is extremely affordable. (especially with the additional discount!) My instructions are detailed, and include photos, illustrations, and useful tips. It is like a small book. The pattern can be found under the Seasonal Sewing section, and also under the Sewing/Pincushions section. (Click on the photo link to the right to go directly to my Patternspot.com Shop.)

Here is the code: HOLIDAY14.

Enjoy your weekend, 

Happy Crafting and Creating!

Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk
www.dbl-art-design.com

Visit my updated and redesigned website if you like!

Hi again everyone!

Unusual for me - two blog posts in one day!

I've updated and redesigned my website, so check it out if you like. You'll find photos of my artwork on display there, as well as a list of Resources for quilting and creating.

I hadn't done web design in a while, so I had to re-learn a bit! I wanted to make my website easier to update in the future.

http://www.dbl-art-design.com

Take care,

Denise

I've been published in QNM, and news about a Sale (shopping!)

(This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my link, or on the Craftsy Ad in my blog.)

Happy Thursday everyone!

I have good news to share, My essay "Challenging Yourself" has been published in Quilter's Newsletter Magazine's, Dec. 2014/Jan. 2015 issue. It is in the "300 Words about Quilting" section, and the topic is "Quilting for Competition". I have always wanted to be published in Quilter's Newsletter. I have been an avid QNM reader since the early 1990s, and perhaps even earlier. (I can't remember exactly when!)

I once gave a large box of old QNM issues to my Aunt, to pass on to her quilting friends. I couldn't quite get myself to throw them out. I now subscribe to the magazine digitally, so I no longer have that problem. It is nice to have the issues that way, I can go back and look through them for information and inspiration. 

If you have thought about submitting to the "300 Words about Quilting" column, I would encourage you to do so. This was my second time submitting, it is worth doing, just to get your thoughts down on paper, and a great way to share them with others. The magazine will be on the newstands by November 18.

Happy Creating and Writing,

Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

I have just signed up to be a Craftsy Affiliate, and I will be posting information regarding their sales on my blog. Below is some information about their current sale. (As an Affiliate, I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on the links, or on the Craftsy banner in my blog.)


Shop Craftsy's Mystery Markdowns now! Enjoy special savings on popular yarn, fabric and project kits. But act fast because this limited supply won't last! Offer expires at midnight on November 14th, 2014 at 11:59 PM MT. Shop Craftsy's Mystery Markdowns now for surprisingly big savings.

 

• Click to reveal yarn savings
• Click to reveal fabric savings
• Click to reveal sewing kit savings
• Click to reveal craft savings

Guest Blogging: International Quilt Festival, Chicago & SAQA

Today I am a guest blogger on the Bella Crafts Quarterly Blog. I am sharing information regarding my experience earlier in June at the International Quilt Festival in Chicago, Illinois. I'm also sharing information regarding Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA). Hope you will check it out, and check out the other creative posts! There are some fun crafts tutorials posted there. Also, if you are interested in Guest Blogging for Bella Crafts Quarterly, you can send them an inquiry, with a link to your current blog.

Happy Monday and Happy Creating!

Denise Buchwalter-Losczyk

http://bellacraftsquarterly.com/bella-blog

Creative Tools

I recently stopped by the Blick Art Supply store to pick up a new Sewing stylus, which I use for guiding fabric through the sewing machine. I had purchased one previously, but it has migrated and I haven’t located it. I believe it is hanging out in one of my project boxes. I hate to buy duplicates, but decided to make an exception this time. Shown is the new stylus I purchased, and some other tools I found in the store: A Susan Bates Weaving Needle, from the Crafts section, and other tools from the Ceramics section of the store. The stylus is a double ball stylus, with a wooden handle.

On the back of the Stylus package it lists uses for the tool: “embossing paper, card stock, stencils, metals & foils, painting dots & designs on any surface, and making dot impressions & fine line work in any type of clay or modeling material.” The other 2 plastic tools are ceramic modeling tools, but I plan to use them for finger pressing fabric, as an additional stylus, and possibly use the one with the pointed end for making marks on scratchboard, or foils. The prices were very affordable, the double-ended stylus cost $2.49, the weaving needle was $1.39, and the other ceramics modeling tools were $.79 each (before my 10% member discount). You can definitely save money on sewing tools by checking out the art supply store (or any other type of store) for alternative tools to ones found in the sewing stores or catalog.

I have been working on a new wall quilt project. I’ve included a glimpse of it. I don’t want to show too much of the design, because I plan to enter it into shows. Some shows exclude you from entering, if you have previously displayed the work on a blog or website. My project has piecing in the background, and machine applique on top. I hope to add lots of embellishment.

 

I had to tear out some of the applique recently after a false start (my sewing tension was off), and I used a new seam ripper I had purchased. It is from Havel’s and it is wonderful! It is very sharp, so you must be mindful when using it. I was amazed at how quickly and easily I was able to remove the applique stitches. I’m now less apprehensive about making a mistake, since it makes the ripping out much easier. Glad I discovered this tool!

So…keep your eyes open for new tool discoveries, and be open to new ways of using the tools you may already have. Have a fun Tool Hunting Safari!
Happy Creating,
Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

Links for Resources:

Havel's Sewing, www.havelssewing.com
Blick Art Materials, www.DickBlick.com
From back of Stylus package: www.kempertools.com
From back of Susan Bates Weaving needle: www.coatsandclark.com

Pattern Sale!

Happy October!

It is starting to feel like the start of the Holiday Season - though some places have already begun advertising for Christmas sales. There is still time to make Holiday gifts, and if you don't finish them you can save them for next year. (I've done that before...)

There is a great sale going on this month on PatternSpot.com.  All seasonal epatterns are 20% off. You can save on all patterns listed under the Sewing/Holiday and Seasonal Patterns category , and also under Quilt Patterns/Holiday and Seasonal Quilts.

Find projects to decorate your home for the holidays, or to give as gifts. My Yo-Yos Cubed Pincushion & Ornaments pattern can be found under the Sewing/Holiday and Seasonal Patterns, so it is part of this sale! Use code HALLOWEEN14 to save 20% off when you check out.

A direct link to my pattern is http://patternspot.com/patterns/sewing-patterns/4705-yo-yos-cubed-pincushion-amp-3-ornaments.

Have fun creating and getting ready for your holiday celebrations,

Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

A Great Resource for Craft and Art Supplies

I'm sharing a Craft resource today www.Blitsy.com - it's a craft supply website I recently found out about. They have supplies for alot of different crafts, including paper crafts (scrapbooking, card making, etc.). Also, some sewing supplies, and art supplies - I love looking at the supplies they have posted, it is very visual! And they have great prices! I haven't ordered yet, but will try them out soon! They also have a nice blog (click on the link in the upper right hand corner of their web page).

Have fun shopping and creating,

Denise Buchwalter-Losczyk

Published My First Pattern on Patternspot.com (yeah!)

I'm writing to share some news - it is a first for me, I've self-published my first pattern design on Patternspot.com. (Yeah!)

I first learned about Patternspot.com from TheQuiltShow.com. I believe it was in one of their newsletters/blogs. I kept the information in mind, and finally was able to use it to publish my first designs. After the work of writing the instructions, it was very easy to post my pattern on their site. If you are interested in publishing your designs, it is a fun place to check out. There are also many nice designs on the site for purchasing, and some free ones to try out.

My pattern is for a Yo-Yos Cubed design I created several years ago, and have wanted to share for a while. It includes instructions for a pincushion design, and 3 ornament variations.

I've attached photos of two of the designs. Yo-Yos Cubed Pincushion and one of the Yo-Yos Cubed Ornaments made from stacked Dupioni silk yo-yos.

I had wanted to publish a book for awhile, but decided to self-publish the designs as patterns, instead. I like the immediacy of getting the patterns out, rather than spending tons of time submitting proposals to publishers. (Life is too short!) It still took several weeks to self-edit my instructions. I plan to have additional related designs in the future. First, however, I am looking forward to taking a bit of a break, and working on the in progress quilt project in my studio!

Has anyone else self-published their patterns before? What experiences have you had? I would love to hear from you, if you would like, please leave comments below.

The link to the design on Patternspot.com is http://patternspot.com/patterns/sewing-patterns/4705-yo-yos-cubed-pincushion-amp-3-ornaments, if you would like to take a look.

Take care and have fun creating!

Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

Studio Tips and Guest Blogging

Today I am a guest blogger on the Bella Crafts Quarterly Blog.  I am sharing some studio tips and a work in progress. While there, check out the other creative posts!

Happy Creating!

Denise Buchwalter-Losczyk

http://bellacraftsquarterly.com/bella-blog

When not Quilting….Knit!

Knitting is one of the activities I do when I’m not working on arts/crafts which I consider my “artwork”.  It is a form of relaxation when I’m not working on projects, and want to unwind at the end of the day, or meditate a bit.

It is also very useful for making gifts.

Recently I finished a blue baby blanket and washcloth for a new great nephew. My second time as a Great Aunt!  I used Shine Sport yarn from Knitpicks.com in Sky color. It is a 60% pima cotton, 40% modal yarn and is very soft and pleasant to knit. For the afghan, I used a free downloadable lace pattern from www.Knitpicks.com. They also have many free dishcloth/washcloth patterns there as well, and I used one as a start to my baby washcloth.  I’ve attached a photo of the completed projects.

Baby blanket and washcloth - knitted from
 free downloadable pattern(s) from www.knitpicks.com

After I completed the baby blanket and washcloth and sent them off to their new destination, I went back to knitting an afghan I am making using acrylic yarn. I found myself saddened that I wasn’t still knitting with the luxuriant feeling cotton/modal yarn! It was very soft, smooth and pleasant to work with.  The quality of yarn definitely enhances your knitting experience.

I haven’t purchased much new yarn, lately, as I’m determined to make use of my yarn and project stash, but when I do need yarn for a new project, www.Knitpicks.com is one of my favorite places to shop. They have reasonable prices and free shipping if you spend $50 or more. They are a great resource for knit, crochet, weaving, spinning, tatting and needle-felting tools, books, and fibers.  They have many free patterns to download, videos to watch, and designer patterns that you can purchase and download.  I like browsing their website, even when not purchasing, just to look at and be inspired by their many beautiful designs and fibers.  

Knit, create, and meditate!


Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

A Fun Creative Resource - Bella Crafts Quarterly

Today I'm sharing a fun crafts resource I recently discovered: Bella Crafts Quarterly. They are a free online Crafts magazine. I found out about the magazine from the Creative Living with Sheryl Borden television show (another fun source of inspiration for daily living).

I am being featured today as a guest blogger on the Bella Crafts Quarterly Blog. You can read the blog at: http://bellacraftsquarterly.com/bella-blog.

The Bella Crafts Quarterly Blog and the free downloadable online magazine are a great source of inspiration for creating crafts. It is fun to see the projects that other designers are creating. You may find some inspiration there for your next project, or for holiday gifts and home decor.

You can subscribe to the free online magazine at: http://bellacraftsquarterly.com/subscribe, and check out their website and past issues of the magazine at http://bellacraftsquarterly.com.

I hope you will enjoy the guest blog I've written for them, as well as the other resources and inspiration you will find there.

You can visit the Creative Living with Sheryl Borden website at: http://kenw.org/programs/creative-living-sheryl-borden.

Be inspired and have fun creating!

Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

Writing

If you have thought about writing articles for publication in magazines, I have a wonderful resource to share.

I have been taking an online class, “The Craft of Magazine Writing”, taught by Eva Shaw.  The teacher and the class are excellent, and I have learned quite a bit of useful information, and developed some new skills. The course provides several resources that I will be exploring for quite a while.  The teacher, Eva Shaw is a great mentor to her students, very encouraging, insightful and knowledgeable.  I can definitely see myself taking another online class from her in the future.  

You can find out more about “The Craft of Magazine Writing” class at: www.ed2go.com.  (While there, you can check out other classes offered by Eva Shaw, and other instructors.)

What I like most about writing is, you can do it anywhere – it is very portable. It is great for the times when you want to be creative, but can’t make it into your studio to work on a larger project. You can write down your thoughts, ideas, and project ideas, or write a draft of a blog entry to share.

When I’m at work (at a day job), I often find myself writing blog entries and ideas while on my lunch break.

If you are looking for time in your schedule to be more creative, try writing down your thoughts and ideas in your bits of free time. Who knows, you may find yourself sketching designs for projects in your notebook, too. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish in a few minutes of time, without even stepping into your studio.

Happy Writing and Creating – Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

Following the Quilted Path



A detail from a quilt made by my mother - one of my
early quilt inspirations.

My first quilt inspiration was my mother’s yellow quilt. Yellow was her favorite color and I believe this quilt was made out of 1930s and 40s fabrics. I remember sleeping under it when I was younger and being fascinated by the many small cotton prints on the quilt. I think they may be feedsack or dress prints. My mother usually followed patterns for creating, and I would love to know where the pattern for the quilt came from. 

I wish I had asked her questions about the quilt, but I didn’t think about it at the time, I just knew that it was a part of our life and environment. Mom would wash it in the washing machine, then hang it out to dry on the line, and later when the quilt became worn, it was put into storage in her cedar chest. I now own the quilt, and keep it folded and displayed on a quilt stand in my bedroom, where a look at it inspires me on a daily basis.

 


Another section of my mother's quilt - the quilt includes fabrics
from the 30s and 40s, I believe

My first quilt-making experience was as a teenager, at age 16. While visiting my Country Grandmother, she taught my cousin and I how to make a quilt. We chose fabrics from her scrap box - left over fabrics from sewing clothes. I chose pastel gingham fabrics for my quilt, I remember pink, lavender and green pastel checks - there may have been some yellow as well, and a floral fabric to tie the gingham fabrics together. (I had wanted to include a photo of my first quilt top in this blog - but I haven't located it yet! It is in my storage. I did enjoy a trip down memory lane whilst searching, looking at my wedding photos...now back to the quilted path....) Grandma suggested a good beginner’s block, a 9 patch, for my quilt. She prepared cardboard templates for tracing and cutting the block pieces out of fabric. This was in 1973, prior to the invention of rotary cutters and rulers for cutting fabrics. We traced the templates with pencil on the fabric, and cut out the pieces with sewing scissors. I remember asking whether the blocks could be sewn together by hand or machine. She said either way would work fine, so I sewed some of my blocks by hand and some by machine. When I had completed all of my blocks, I purchased a green fabric (green was my favorite color at the time) for tying the quilt together. After it was all sewn together, I didn’t feel the quilt top “worked”, so I haven’t finished that first quilt. I still hope to finish it one day. I may take it apart and reassemble the blocks with different fabrics, and with a different layout. (Once I locate my quilt top, I will update this blog with its photo!)
Grandma always tied her quilts. Several years later I made this hearts and hands wall quilt, and tied the layers together using threads and beads:



One of my early wall quilts - I tied the quilt
with thread and beads rather than quilting it,
the way my Grandmother finished her quilts.

My Grandmother always created her own designs by laying out the blocks, rather than following a set pattern. This was also an inspiration for designing my own quilts. Since I learned to create in this way, I didn’t think of designing the quilt as a difficult thing to do. She liked to use the snowball, bears paw and maple leaf block patterns.

Quilting and needlework have always inspired me and have been one of my passions. The quilts I make today often include needle felted appliques, embroidery (machine and hand) and beaded details. I have started including tatting in my work, inspired by the early memories of my other City Grandmother’s tatting and my uncle’s tatting (a subject for another blog!).

The traditional blocks are sometimes an aspect in my work, but I also love creating my own appliqued designs. I have explored many facets of art: drawing, painting, ceramics, metalworking, silkscreen, photography, video and audio, but have found my home in creating wall quilts out of fiber, inspired by those first quilt experiences.

More of my wall art quilts can be viewed on my website at: www.dbl-art-design.com.

Note: My Following the Quilted Path blog entry was created in response to a Blog contest with www.quiltingdaily.com. As part of the contest, you get to pick 5 items from www.Interweavestore.com. Here are the 5 items I found that I would love to win - who doesn't love virtual window shopping!:

Inkle Loom Kit - this kit includes a Schacht Inkle loom, Schacht Belt shuttle, Inkle Weaving A-Z workshop DVD, and an Inkle Weavers Pattern Directory. Before I looked on the website, I didn't even know what Inkle weaving was! I found this very inspiring page on PinInterest, by googling Inkle weaving: https://www.pinterest.com/aspinnerweaver/inkle-weaving/. It looks like a fun, new adventure!

New Tatting, by Tomoko Morimoto - I would love to check out this new tatting book.

Burda Style Spring 2014 - currently on sale for $7.50 (through April 17, 2014, I believe) - Did I mention, I've ventured into sewing some of my own clothes in the past year? I've always liked the Burda magazines, which include patterns for sewing.

How to Sew Like A Pro: Create, Construct & Embellish with Tricia Waddell - download - (I need all the sewing help I can get!)

Sew Wild Download, by Alisa Burke - this just sounded like fun.

If you haven't checked out the www.quiltingdaily.com website, or www.interweavestore.com, I would highly recommend their sites, as great sources of inspiration for your creative endeavours.

Happy Creating!  - Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

INSPIRATION

Needle-felted ornaments with embroidery, beads, buttons,
acrylic and wool felt, and silk fibers - which I made as gifts
for this past holiday season.

Inspire yourself!

Where do you find inspiration for your projects? Here is one idea:

Last year I was very blessed to have an article accepted in Quilting Arts Gifts 2013/2014 magazine for machine-needlefelted ornaments I had made about 2 years ago. At the time I had made them for my Christmas wreath, so it was a nice surprise to have them accepted for publication.

Shortly after submitting my article I was working on a

Holiday Wallhanging for the
Push the Envelope Contest at
the 2013 American Sewing Expo.
The wallhanging received an
honorable mention.

design for a wall hanging for a challenge I was entering. The ornament designs I had made previously were born again as embellishments for my quilt project. I decided to make a striped black and white cotton and colored dupioni silk background. The simplicity and execution of my design was inspired by the current modern quilt movement.

Today I am imagining a new tote bag for myself, inspired by my striped wall hanging and embellished with needle-felted shapes, or I may create a series of small black and white quilts this year.

So, when you are creating or looking for inspiration don't be afraid to look at the world around you and also at your own wonderful creations which you have made before. When one project ends, it opens doors or windows for many more!

The magazine my work was published in is Quilting Arts Gifts 2013/2014 and in it you will find many inspiring projects for your holiday gifts and decorations, as well as year round gifts. There are even some Spring projects! Information about the magazine can be viewed at:http://www.interweavestore.com/quilting-arts-gifts-2013-2014.

           Holiday wallhanging detail

Welcome to my blog!

I hope to share my creative work, thoughts and inspiration here, and also encourage others to be inspired to create.

A little about myself - I have been creating artwork all of my life (even before I knew what it was!) It is in my nature to create - something I do without realizing I am doing it sometimes! I currently enjoy creating textile art and sharing my work by exhibiting at quilt shows and entering contests. Some of my most rewarding experiences, though, have been when I've created artwork and shared it with family and friends. In 2012, I completed a long promised wall quilt and presented it to my sister at a family gathering. It had just been displayed at the 2012 Wisconsin Quilt Expo - but I was rewarded even more when showing it to family members - many were experienced quilters and they appreciated the work, design and stitching that had gone into the creation of the quilt. It was a joy sharing it with them and my sister loved the wall hanging, too. The quilt is a log cabin design, and had been promised to her several years before, when we picked out fabric together to use in making the quilt - my design skills improved and I was finally able to design and create the right quilt for her. I used additional blue and orange fabrics in the quilt, which I remembered were one of her favorite color combinations.

How do you share your creative work? Here are some photos of the quilt, Patti's Log Cabin Garden:

 

I hope you will endeavour to share your work - you will inspire others with the beauty of your own creations!

More of my artwork can be viewed on my website at: www.dbl-art-design.com.