A Stitch On Tradition

Paper Quilts by Jessica of Reclaimed To You

After years of collecting and collaging, photographing, printing, and experimenting, learning, exploring, and blending techniques, I find myself surrounded by mounds of material waiting to be transformed into art.

In the past I have stitched paper as a means of adding a tactile element to my photography based mixed-media work, but with my new paper quilt series is the first time that I am using sewing as a primary component in my work. The machine stitching in this new series acts as both a physical method of construction and a compositional element as I piece together collected papers and original photographic prints.

Currently many of these works can be seen on my Flickr site and a few can be purchased from my Etsy shop, however there are two shows of this work in the planning process so please keep an eye on the announcement page of my web site for updates.

What I enjoy most about making these paper quilts is how the process has allowed me to combine so many art and craft techniques and cross boundaries between the two schools of creativity.

Start on the Street - A Review

Review of the Start on the Street - Holiday Arts Happening
DCU Center, Worcester, MA, December 9, 2007
by Liz of Lush Beads and Kris of Relaxation Works Skin & Spa Co.

Two artists, two views, one show.

Liz says: "stART on the Street hosted their first holiday show at the DCU Center in Worcester on December 9th. Lucky for them, the Boston Pops were playing a show that same day! I went in with high hopes for my last show of the season.

"The day started out promising, with a reasonable crowd in attendance by 11:30AM. Once the time for the Pops concert came around at 2PM, though, the crowd thinned to almost nothing. The hoped-for return of the crowd at the end of the show (around 4:15PM) didn't really materialize. The organizers let us pack up a half hour early.
"I can't say enough good things about stART on the Street and how organized and friendly everyone is. Load-in and load-out were quick and efficient. Volunteers came by to booth-sit when you needed to use the bathroom or stretch your legs. When the concessions thing started to fall apart, they stepped in and tried to do something about it.
"The facility space at the DCU Center was serviceable, and it was a joy to drive in to load and unload our items. There were issues with vendor parking, pre-show food availability and timely concession availability that would make me think twice about doing a show there again though.
"Overall, I am glad I attended. The Worcester crowds are friendly and knowledgeable about crafts, and that's always a pleasure."

Kris says: "I was at the Start on the Street Holiday Happening show and can I tell you how much fun and excitement was in the air.

"Not only was the Worcester DCUCenter bursting with artists but the center was also hosting a Boston Pops Show. I met this great duo (Rose Chang & Lisa Drabik ) of the Indie deign company POission. They traveled all the way from good ol’ Canada to come to the Holiday Happening show and just 24 hours prior they were at the Bust show in Manhattan. Now isn't that a crazy trip or what, eh?
"I got to witness the hysterical absurdity of Paper Menagerie’s Library card prints as we shared a booth and exchanged vegetarian recipes. As we were exchanged recipes I saw the faces of some of the passerby’s that took a gander at Angela's “Libraries make me poop” cards. Some laughed some turned their nose up in disgust and some just shook their head and kept walking."

What I Made for Christmas

by Allison of Fraske Designs


I decided to make some coasters out of some leftover cork that I had. I had enough to make about twelve. I have this pretty blue block printing paint that I’ve never used, so I decided to use that along with white, silver, and gold for a fun holiday color scheme.

Combined with a hand carved rubber stamp of a leaf I made a while ago and an intricate square block stamp I have in my collection, I experimented with the combination of paints, colors, and images and really like what I came up with. It took some trial and error (you can’t see the errors because I painted over them!) but the final coasters are a fairly uniform set of blue leaves on white backgrounds with gold and silver accents. The perfect little extra for some of my loved ones!


While I think they look lovely on my living room end table next to our framed picture of the Keaton Family, I think they will end up in someone else’s home after the holidays!

Workspace Wednesday...

...with Kris from Relaxation works Skin & Spa Co.

Relaxation Works Skin & Spa is currently working on new Labels for a new product, I’M A BIG FAT VEGAN Lip Balm. Very exited about this lip balm as they are 100% vegan and a BIG .5 ounces.

Things seen in this pic:
- My favorite picture of a sailor meeting up with his girl!!
- A Huge Mess. Holiday season brings the unorganized self out of me.
- Lots of candles!!! I light at least 5-8 at a time throughout my house.

Merry Christmas

handmade card by Reclaimed To You

Wishing you joy and peace
today and throughout the year
from all of us at Boston Handmade

Hot Off The Press

We just came up with a new design at Buddysystem Productions.

Made from satin floss and steel bicycle chain spacers, the design was inspired by a the work of Anni Albers.

A Bauhaus textile artist, Anni and her husband Joseph (also an artist) escaped the Nazis and fled to the States in 1933. During the war when materials were scarce, she often used found objects in her art: buttons, washers, paperclips, etc. in her work.

I got the idea for this necklace design from a jewerly kit sold by the Anni and Joseph Albers Foundation. The kit used the same thread pattern, but was made with flat steel washers and ribbon.

Article by Ann of Buddysystem Productions

There's Still Time!

Believe it or not, there's still time to get those last minute handmade gifts for your friends and loved ones for Christmas - - but only if you act now and buy local.

If you're in Massachusetts visit shops of Boston Handmade members - - listed in the column to the right - - and if you live elsewhere you can utilize the newest feature from Etsy.com called Shop Local. Either way you will be getting those unique gifts you are looking for, and supporting hard working local artists and craftspeople.


Kris from Relaxation Works Skin & Spa Co. wishes everyone a Happy Handmade Holiday
"I found, participated and followed the concept of The Handmade Pledge. More than 10,000 people have pledged to buy handmade gifts or give their own creations this holiday season. I’ve gotten some really cool stuff for the holidays which were all from Etsy shops!!"

You can also purchase products made by Kris at her shop, Relaxation Works Skin & Spa Co.


Charity is Melting Hearts Every Where.

December in the time for giving. Relaxation Works Skin & Spa Co. is donating 20% of each sale from their Melt My Heart Solid Lotion to Children’s Friend and Services of RI. CFSRI supports families and helps them find the strength to overcome their hurdles. Visit cfsri.org for more information on how you can help.

The Process of Creating

Clothesline Drawing

It always begins with sketches. Many color combinations and layouts
are practiced at thumbnail size, with color pencils and a regular pen.
This particular one included decisions about creating a composition
that would lead the eye around yet ultimately give it somewhere to
rest. This is why, in the last sketch, one shirt was chosen to be
hung upside-down.

Next, the Bristol board (series 500, two ply plate) is taped to a mat,
and the basic design is carefully measured and laid out in pencil.
Its important to me that the final work fits in standard sized mats
and frames, because custom stuff is often too expensive for me. This
one is 10 x 8 inches.


My favorite part is the inking. I use Koh-I-Noor Rapidographs of
various sizes, and slowly ink lines over the pencils.


Once the ink is dry, and all pencil marks are thoroughly erased, then
I tape up the clean edges of the work that will not be painted. This
allows me to be a little freer with my brush strokes and not so scared
that paint will obliterate the freshly inked lines. Its not an
exacting process, and touch-up comes later, but it does soothe my
nerves while painting.


Using red, blue, yellow, black, and white I always mix my own colors
with acrylic paints. For this piece, it was a lot of blue with some
white and black to mute the brightness a bit. I applied the paint
with a dry brush, which essentially means when I put paint on my
brush, I remove most of it on scrap paper before dragging the dry
bristles across the page. It gives it a very loose and ghosty effect,
which I've come to adore.


There were a few areas that needed to be touched-up, and I do that
with black ink and plain white acrylic ink (the only white-out for
me). The color used here worked out well, for it seems like a cloudy
sky backdrop for the expanse of clotheslines, but also resembles
denim... a familiar combo with t-shirts.


That's the process I've been most comfortable with, and the whole
thing took about one day from sketches to hanging.

A print of this drawing is available in my Etsy shop.
Please click here for more information.

Thanks so much,
Jaye / thirteenthstory.com