DVD YouTube Rentals

C & T Publishing, the publisher of my last 3 books and my DVD has announced a new service for all their DVD products.....coming soon.....

My DVD, "Mary Stori Teaches You Beading on Fiber" will be available to rent on YouTube. There will be a charge for the video which will be good for a 3 day period. This is still in the testing mode, but I'll be sure to provide the proper link when it's available.

C & T has requested their authors to provide some testimonials to help promote this venture. So.....I need a favor from any of you who already own my DVD......I'd love to hear your positive remarks....obviously, positive words would be good!

You can email me personally by linking on 'email' at the upper right side bar. Or, if you prefer, leave a note in the comment section of this post. I thank you in advance for your help!

HEADING TO TX

I'm heading to the Bear Creek Quilt Guild in Keller, TX......... The workshop they've chosen is one of my favorites to teach..... Bead Embellished Wool Collage....

My projects consist of a whole-cloth background, usually woolfelt since it's sturdier than wool. In this example, the gold background is woolfelt, the pattern blue center is a Moda over-dyed wool, and the design features antique buttons which are beaded onto the background.

I love how freeing it is to work with this material.......especially when using woolfelt since it cuts clean....no fraying to overcome. In this case, the colorful woolfelt strips are attached to the white wool background with beads......I call it 'bead applique'.
There are only 3 beads on this table topper....which represent the eyes of the hobby horses. The motifs are machine appliqued.....which of course expedites the construction process.

Here's another small wall piece, about 11" x 12".....all the motifs are 'bead appliqued' to the green woolfelt background. The orange backing (which hides and protects the threads of the center square, is large enough to add a narrow border....it's been attached using larger orange beads.

I'm looking forward sharing the tips and tricks I've developed working with woolfelt.....and I know I'll have some great photos to share with all of you.....wherever you are!

FINAL MEMORIES OF TEMPE

A poignant part of our ASU tour was an inside look of the athletic department......

Displayed near the team locker rooms was this wonderful tribute to the famous football player Pat Tillman, (1975-2004), who lost his life fighting for our country.

Players enter the Red Devil Stadium through the Tillman Tunnel......

It was pretty dramatic strolling this dark long hallway.....

And entering the sun filled football field.....

Being with young folks means eating often.......and since Pizza is one of my favorite foods......we headed to Oregano.....a ASU favorite. I don't think there are many young, single guys reading this blog.....but if so......sorry, both these gals are spoken for (Lizzie, the graduate (left) Jenna (right).

I loved the unexpected art in Lizzie's apartment which belonged to her roommate Jae.

This was the first year ASU split the graduation ceremonies......dividing the undergrads and the graduate students. A good thing since there were over 2,000 receiving their doctoral and master degrees. We were quite a distance from the action.....but with my zoom lens I was quick enough to get this photo of an engineering student who replaced his 'cap' with a hard hat. Several other students had cleverly personalized their caps with special messages.

It doesn't get any better than creating and reliving memories with family. Sadly, with everyone's lives so busy, it often requires some reminding or even nagging for all of us to take the time to schedule these kinds of events but we are sure glad we did!

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

Do you remember that once talked about feature on the Today Show....Where in the World is Matt Lauer? (Heck, they still may be doing it but I don't watch the Today Show anymore).....

Well......without making the sound self-important..... Can you guess where I am?

Hint....

Warmer....yup the campus of ASU in Tempe, AZ.

We gathered with family my two nieces....Jenna on the left and Lizzie on the right......ringing the bell at ASU. We don't actually know why the bell is there....but we rung it anyway.

Lizzie is receiving her Masters Degree today.....her duties at ASU included a two year stint as an athletic trainer. She led us on a tour of the very impressive facilities.....there were weight machines as far as the eye could see in just this one room.

However, this looks like a more appealing treatment area!

Nurses & Doctors are on staff to handle any sort of injury......I loved this little guy.....who had a sweater on to keep warm in the a/c offices.

We toured an expansive hall of fame with many displays......as far as athletic gear goes, this isn't a good look! Niece Jenna and I have the same sense of humor so it was especially fun to roam these buildings with her!

ART AFTER DARK

Historic Waynesville, NC presents Art After Dark, the first Friday night of the months of May-October. I love strolling the inspirational galleries and shops.

Photography is well represented in most shops. Many of these are by the talented artist George Dixon.

Paintings abound too......wow....look I found a Holstein cow....imagine that!!

This awesome scarf is just one of many created by Nancy Howell Blevins. She's known for her watercolor - silk dye paintings - mixed media techniques. She can be reached at: nblevins@peakenergyonline.com

Wright's Stained Glass Studio created these spectacular windows, featuring metal sculpture.

I'm smitten by these windows and wish I had a place to display one.

Haywood County Arts Council's Gallery 86 had THE BEST goodies for shoppers. Cheese, fruit, cookies AND.....a chocolate fountain with fresh strawberries for dipping.

Mark your calendars and plan to visit Wayneville's Art After Dark!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Okay all you Mom's......sit back and enjoy your day........

COMMEMORATIVE PINS

To show my gratitude to the participants attending my quilting tours and cruises, long ago I began making special commemorative pins for each trip. It's a fun creative exercise to tie the theme of the pin in with our destination.

My Great Smoky Mountain Quilting Tour will take place in the Asheville, NC area in August. I'm really looking forward to sharing our amazingly beautiful scenery and the quilting, arts, crafts, and mountain folks with our group. It's not too late to join the fun.....click here to download a brochure...... among all the other activities we've got planned, you too can spend two nights at the historic Biltmore Estates Hotel!! We'll also be having our farewell dinner at the Biltmore.....

We will be escorted by Barbara Webster, the creator of the Quilt Trail, as we travel the mountain back roads to view huge quilt blocks displayed on barns, businesses, and even homes.

I've taken a photo of a feed store with its' quilt block.....and used my printer to printed 2" squares on muslin.

The photos have been mounted on a piece of felted wool with a pin back. Besides being a nice 'party favor', attendees tell me they find it easier to recognize others in the group during those first few days when everyone's face is still unfamiliar. Our first full day will be spent at the Asheville Quilt Guild's Quilt show.......so finding other group members will be easier when they where their pins.

Like I said, I've been doing this ever since I began cruisin' with Doreen Speckmann back in 1994.....though I haven't retained a sample of every single one....here's are a few.

And more....... I hope to see some of you in August!!

NEW WOOLFELT COLORS

My fabric fabric to work with these days is National Nonwovens WoolFelt. I just received samples of two new collections that will be previewed at Spring Market...... Personally, my fingers are itching and my mind is whirling with desire to CREATE!!

This is Beautiful Earth (style # TOY002) Just the names of these new colors will make you want to run out and purchase some. From upper left to right..... Hydrangea, Beach Sand, Butternut Squash, Mustard Seed, Canyon Red, Storm Clouds.

Naturally Inspired (Style WCF001) Blue Snow, Pink Violet, Native Maize, Ocean Kelp, Tahitian Sunset, and Peat Moss.

I hope this gets your creative juices flowing too.....

MAY FAA - PART 2

The range of interest and talent encompasses a large variety of mediums......let's marvel over the work of our members. By the way, if you live in the Ashville, NC area.....the Fiber Arts Alliance meets the first Tues. of each month from noon-3 PM. at the Girlscout office near WNC's campus. Email me for specific directions if you'd like to attend.

MAY'S FIBER ARTS ALLIANCE MEETING

Show and tell at our FAA meetings is always inspiring......thank you ladies for allowing me to share your work on my blog.

This first piece was made by Kate Weston.....a pal who belongs to the PTA group I'm in. Kate is one of these rare quilters who makes both fantastic traditional quilts as well as art quilts. I love this new piece...the design and color elements are so well chosen, her quilting adds depth and helps the eye to travel around. Kate's quilts always display expert workmanship and attention to every detail.

Sally Fargo had us all in stitches when she unvieled her self-portrait piece. She incorporated numerous embellishments which made this fun quilt even more exciting to explore.

Here's her label.....and the inspiration for the quilt.

Don't you just love the clever and whimsical use of embellishments?

Here's a book cover.....a great way to personalize one's journals!

This piece was mostly made of batiks......besides the very well chosen fabric patterns and colors.....what made this quilt so unusual and striking was the use of horizontal piping between the rows.

Dolls are always such fun to make and examine.......again, it's the details that bring these items to life!
What a great use of wool sweaters!! Machine wash them in HOT, HOT, HOT water, dry on the hottest setting to create miniature felted sweaters that can be cut apart and repurposed as a doll or child's toy.