Starting Over...

In my latest book I talk about the cycle of creativity.
I introduced and defined a couple of new words:
ARTIFY  & QUILTIFY
and passed along fun, simple exercises to encourage playing and learning about basic design elements:
LINE, SHAPE, TEXTURE, COLOR & COMPOSITION

with 2013 upon us -- a cycle is set to begin again....
with art and creativity of course...

So start following me over on my new blog today
-- and be ready to join in the cycle of creativity fun!
while together we'll learn, experience, gather...
sort, examine, incubate...
dive in, do, pull it all together...
then
share, sit back, view, examine, re-examine
and enjoy it all the more as starts over again!

As a gatherer, collector and researcher by nature, and lover of the creative process, sharing each stop it takes along the way is what I'm planning to do...
(OK, I do fancy the idea of being a Flight Coordinator for creativity adventures)

My sharing ways to
ARTIFY your life,
and QUILTIFY the world, begins as the clock strikes midnight...
Happy New Year's Eve!
~Rose

The Moving Begins

Most of you know about my move to Paducah, KY that is in the works, but I have also been working moving my web presence from what it has been to 'a new place', too!

The remodelling began back in July and though still under construction I am going to begin posting in the new spot from here on out.

I would love to have you join me over at:

www.rosehughes.blogspot.com

To encourage you to join me, click over,

become a follower.... before November 1st

leave me a comment about 1 thing you'd like to see to help plant a seed for creativity in your life...

and I will email you a free Poppy Dreamin' pattern!


I chose this pattern for it celebrates some of my favorite times in California.

Join me for new adventures in life and creativity!

~Rose

Posted with BlogsyPoppy Dreamin

Journey into Journey

There was nothing in the manual about heading off for adventure and wonder,
but there should have been!

Life is full of wonder, and I have always been excited about experiencing the unknown and traveling, (even if just around the corner) to find something new that I had not noticed before. This is why 27 years ago that I packed up everything I needed, along with my son and camping gear and headed off for a cross-country journey from Florida to California.

I took a road well traveled then, as it is today -- I headed west on 10. It took me through many new places and though I did not take time for exploration then, I have gone back to spend time in many of those big and small towns I saw while driving.

Today, I am one week out for setting out on another journey. It is exciting to be headed off somewhere new and unknown, but it is a bit more bittersweet this time. There is WAY more stuff that I am taking now that could ever have fit into a '80 Honda Accord. There is so little time and sooo many friends and acquaintances to say farewell to... good thing we have Skype, and phones and planes!

The packing continues, but other things are changing, too!

Be on the lookout for a blue Outlander headed for Kentucky!

Look for the relaunch of my website --- we are really, really close,

and behind that there is a blog relaunching, too!

All, part of the wonder that I have been cooking up for a while.

Stay tuned for updates on all fronts!

~Rose

Whirlwinds & Wonder

It hardly seems possible to be now only 10 days out from our move to Paducah. Time is flying and tonight I sit typing this message while flying home from Moscow, ID.

Last week at this time I was with a bunch of CA buds laughing and sharing at the last part-ay we would throw at our place on Signal Hill. Time to replay in pic some of the fun from that night.


















The tables were packed boexes, but no one seemed to mind.

Stay tuned as we continue on this big adventure.

Pinterest Hopping

Life is a fun, wild ride right now. I have a pretty full traveling &; teach schedule and am now getting to within the two week marker for my move from California to Paducah, Kentucky.

One of my favorite things that is calming and totally enjoyable is Pinterest. I love seeing the new or old (new again) stuff and letting the images lead me on little visual adventures. This morning - before the packing gets back into full swing - I have found a couple of pins that have led me to a couple of fun mid-century modern artists.

Not only did I find their work incredibly inspiring, but when I googled their names for further information I was delighted to find book and album covers that I recognize and now know who created these visual enticements.

The first is Neil Fujita -- you'll love his works &; yes, maybe recognize a few, too!

The second is Sonia Delaunay.

If you haven't tried a Pinterest Hop of your own, jump in!
and, please share something fun you have found hopping around in a comment here.

Small Things

When something seems so huge that beginning eludes me, I like to break it all down into smaller tasks. Eventually, they all add up... and the project is done.

So what's that big project looming on the horizon?
What small task can you undertake today to make it so?

The quote above is Vincent van Gough...
you're in great company!

New Digs

Life is certainly hopping lately. With our home in So.California in escrow it became time to seriously find new digs for ourselves. This required jumping on a plane and heading off to Paducah Kentucky to see what might be available. While there were many lovely places (ok, and some not so lovely places) we fell in love with this little house.

We feel very lucky to have found someplace that so suits us. It's current owners have made some contemporary upgrades while leaving some really incredible 'true - retro' elements in place. Bedroom #2 will be my studio until the new studio can be finished off -- (a truly wonderful space). This leaves a 3rd bedroom for company.

So we continue to work closings in both locations with fingers crossed that all continues along well.

Til then it feels great to be back home and turning the focus on 'quilt' stuff again.

Wanna see inside the new place?

Building on Multiple Fronts

Hi All-

It is Tuesday... and so much has changed in a week. We had multiply offers on the house, have now accepted one of these; entered into 60 day escrow; and have to house shop in earnest for ourselves.

Phew, if this was not enough construction continues for my on-line relaunch that I had scheduled for October 1st.

If you'd like to take a peek at the new blog space (still very much under construction) click over to to

http://rosehughes.blogspot.com/

Remember also, the Dear Stella fabric give-away is still open.
Would you like another chance for the give-away?

Get a 3rd chance by signing-up to follow me on the new blog & leaving a comment:

Stitch On

~Rose

Is This Real?

There is big happenings right now in my life... I have my house up on the market and we're planning a BIG move.

Most days I find that I'm in need a bit of grounding. Yesterday, (a non-showing day) I headed out to have breakfast with my good friend Natalie-from Beyond the Reef. We have had many, many of these breakfast meetings and I always come away feeling confidently headed in a good direction. She came supplied with mission I could not pass up.

Yesterday, she brought me a treat to share with YOU.

Yummy fabric for a give-away!

It's a package of 16 (count 'em) fat quarters of wonderfully gold foil gems:

All new fabric from dear Stella!


To get a chance to win this fabric you need to follow me here on my blog & leave a comment here:

OR
Click like on my FaceBook RavenSpeak Quilts page & leave a comment there.

If you are already a follower - just leave a comment.

Do both & get a second chance at the fabric.

Drawing to be held on 8/23

Monday Kickstart

Monday is here.
My weekend felt long - keeping everything ready for open house and viewings is energy zapping...but, one must get through this stuff to get onto the next bit. With a need for a inspirational kickstart to the week, but with the next viewing at 10, I decided to pull out some of my fav photos from my recent Mendocino trip.

Mendocino is enchanting place along the N.California coast. The weather can be harsh, but oh those wild elements play with our stuff. While there this time I was intrigued with the fences. The basic designs that were chosen and then how the weathered along the wild coast. A visual feast....

Do you have a favorite?

Pinterest Hop

or the confessions of visual collection junkie...
Since being told to 'just do it' --- it being joining Pinterest I have been having a blast.

Today it hit me just how much I love the visual hopping that takes place upon signing in.

While I love seeing all the pinnings: I love using them to jump off points. Each allowing me to dive in and find out about 'new to me' wonderful people, their art and their lives. (sort of like diving for treasures in the deep end of the pool)

Just today I dove into a posting made of of Marcus Walters image.
(love his simple imagery)

This led me to John Buck...

that led me to Cynthia St. Charles


Imagine how much fun is out there waiting to be found.

Come on... Dive In!  The water's great....
~Rose

Fun-Tastic Friday

Awoken early by my cats, I was able to sit and run through Facebook this morning. Coffee in hand I caught up with all the happenings. One in particular stayed with me. There was a photo of a quilt guild meeting. Really just a gathering photo taken from the back of a room -- literally Down-Under.

What struck me was the caption. "Everyone braved the weather to get to tonight's meeting." The world is made so much smaller by the internet, and we are gently reminded of our similarities and subtly of our differences. It looked like any other gathering of quilters, but it is fun to be reminded that the other side of the world is experiencing their winter now as we are enjoying our summer.

But, no matter the weather quilting---gathering with friends is always fun and worth braving the weather, or making a special effort to join in.

On this Fun-Tastic Friday I am off to enjoy a So.California treat. Laguna Beach & the Sawdust Festival!

Good company, sun, fun and art ---
Wishing you a grand day --
the lead into a wonderful weekend!

Stitch-On
~Rose

Sunday Share - Amazing Mendocino

It's hard to believe a week has come and gone -
Mendocino is now a memory, but boy....

The time there was filled with lots of stitching, wonderful people and all in a beautiful (one of the most beautiful) places in California.  I am a lucky person!

Click to check out the slideshow to see all the fun we've been up to:

Create a free slideshow

Greetings From Mendocino

As soon as the tires hit the pavement of US1 in Mendocino on Sunday we went in search of coastal access, and it did not take more than a few minutes to find ourselves walking through the woods of Jughandle State Reserve -which led us to a grassland field. The grass swayed in the breeze-so lovely to stand and enjoy, and then pop! A raven jumped from where he was hiding in the tall grasses and slowly flew upwards, then pop! another raven jumped from his place and the two slowly flew away- sending their welcoming quorks as they went. It was a grand place to start our visit to this magical coastline area. Walking the paths worn through the grassland brought you to the sea. Hope you enjoy these photos taken along the way.

Fan-Tabulous Friday!

Fridays have always held a special... magical place in my heart.
They seem to be the signal for fun, and putting aside the chores
and work of the week and heading for hills.

This is one of those magical Fridays, for I'm packing up to head for a week of teaching at the Mendocino Art Center.
What could be better ----  being in a most incredible place
and getting to share my 'stuff'.

I promise to take lots of pictures.
Hope your Fan-Tabulous Friday provides a wonderful
kick-start for a great weekend!

Winner Shout Out

Being part of the GenerationQ Magazine launch, even in this small, small way has been a blast. I happily can now shout out the names of the winners of a free - fist issue! They are:

Lisa R - Texas
Barb S. - Michigan
Karen C. - California

Enjoy!

Color-The Perfect Inspirational Lift

My friend and I took a bit of a break on Sunday and headed out for brunch and a bit of a wander. After our yummy breakfast we headed out for a bit of a walk. Well, truth be told we headed out for a color infusion at our local (amazingly wonderful) yarn store. Me the quilter (though admitted big time coucher), made a few select purchases, while my friend the knitter took home only a large dose of color inspiration. Enjoy!

The Raven Winners Are?

Big thank you to all of you that voted for your favorite raven quilts.
In the end we ended up with a clear 1st and 2nd, but third place ended in a tie.
Drum roll please.....

the winners are

Congratulations to mascanlon49
the winner of little raven!

Happy July 1st to All!