The Pink Artist Debut!

Hello everyone, thank you for the kind words and wishes of a speedy recovery. I am back and ready to jump into some projects. Speaking of projects, I am cutting and pasting this blog from my Homegirl, Monica Magness of "Girl Gone Thread Wild"

I know I mentioned before that she did a call for artists to contribute 2 inch square mini quilts for a doll she was making. I had no idea the magnitude and beauty that this project would become. I will always feel so lucky and so deeply honored to have been involved.

A couple of weeks ago, I was thumbing through one of my favorite publications at Border Books, and there, staring at me, was "Our Doll!" On top of that, I even spied my little square on the dolls dress. Yay! My little claim to fame!

What is even more exciting is that you and everyone across the world has a chance to win this doll! Details are below, and if you enjoy constant beauty and inspiration, do check out Monica's blog.

(Cut and pasted from Monica's blog)

The Pink Artist Drawing Begins, Bosom Buddies Unite to fight breast cancer!

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

Welcome, welcome, welcome!!! We're so excited that the day has FINALLY come for The Pink Artist Drawing to begin! We are delighted to celebrate our journey with you!!! Our mission is simple, to spread the WORD: GET CHECKED! and please schedule those mammograms right NOW! From the beginning our promise has been to RALLY FOR A CURE for breast cancer the best way we know how and that is with ART. We pink artists have kept that promise as each of us took to our studios to use the God given tools we were blessed with- OUR HANDS. Support for our project has poured in from around the world thanks to blogs and word of mouth. This support has given us the opportunity to create from the heart a bountiful of PRIZES you could win in The Pink Artist Drawing August 1-October 15, 2008 going on right NOW. Over the course of just a few months our "call for art" grew to include well over 182 men and women, a phenomenal number that makes up The Pink Artist Project & friends who have joined our forces. To see more than 400 squares created by the pink artists personally, please stop by these posts for that joyful experience: The Pink Artist parade of squares (most artists have blog links next to their square, please come and meet our artists). Happy Browsing!

Joining our squares together we have created a 40" art doll we lovingly named, Love Squared to HELP RAISE AWARENESS & FUNDS FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH. Let us introduce you to the lady of the hour, The Pink Artist Doll, ~Love Squared is a symbol of hope, she stands for courage and displays that spirit of connectedness to end breast cancer for good~

To see all of our BEAUTIFUL doll photos,
please click on the links below:

The Pink Artist Doll: THE REVEAL

Interested in seeing the making of our doll?

Please visit these posts here:

The Pink Artist Doll Project, page ONE

The Pink Artist Project, page TWO

YOU can win our doll & a number of beautiful ART prizes donated by our PINK friends by helping us to raise funds for breast cancer research!

In the completion of our doll, we have further grown our circle of FIGHTERS to include Art Doll Quarterly & Artful Blogger (both on sale now at your local bookstore). In the Autumn issue of the 2008 art doll magazine, you can learn more about the stories behind our squares and LEARN just who we are as pink artists. Please have a look and let's celebrate seeing our project & doll in PRINT everybody, YAY!!!! THANK YOU to the staff at Art Doll Quarterly and AB both for their extremely generous support! We love you!

(pages 50, 51, 52, 53)

YOU can buy your issue here if you haven't already ran to the store for purchase:
And READ what Artful Blogging wrote about the BLOGGERS who took action:

(Autumn 2008, Letter from the editor)

"We have made a promise to end breast cancer forever – energizing science to find the cures is a critical part of this promise." -from Susan G. Komen website

As a project that grew from the questions, "what if?" and "What can I do?" we artists have taken on the plight to HELP a much BIGGER team of fighters here, those HARD WORKING souls at Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The Pink Artist's ART has given us a voice, a place to share the names and lives of our loved ones stricken by breast cancer, and lets the world know we mean business! Breast cancer has taken the lives of many women we call moms, sisters, aunts, cousins, friends, coworkers, and also the men in our lives ... so let's HELP stop this cancer DEAD in its tracks, WE CAN DO SOMETHING! YOU CAN JOIN US! Let's rally together as the pink artists & friends offer up our handmade art to raise donations for Susan G. Komen and the fight against breast cancer!

To enter our art drawing:

All you have to do for a chance to take home any one of the magnificent prizes is make a donation between August 1-October 15, 2008 and for every $10 donation you send in your name will go into our art drawing TWICE.

Join the fun!
Make your money order donation out to Susan G. Komen for the cure

and mail it to Monica Magness PO Box 2206 Madison, AL 35758 where your name will be entered into our art drawing and your donation will be collected & sent in directly to our charity on October 15, 2008

or

PAYPAL your donation to MLMagness@aol.com

with "The Pink Artist Drawing" in the subject header (or see our Paypal donation button at top left of blog). Your name will go into our drawing and your "gift" will be forwarded to Susan G. Komen for the cure. (Sorry no personal checks, CASH sent at your own risk)

Please make sure your name and address are legible,

typed is best for accuracy. Your name & information

will not be sold or shared with any other party.

Thank you for your help in raising those funds for

-breast cancer research & the CURE.

Donations will be accepted up until October 15, 2008

which is the OFFICIAL day of the drawing.

Winners names will be announced on my blog on the evening of October 15th.

The month of October is as you know Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Together let's make this a fun & rewarding way to HELP BIG.

Artists such as Michelle Ward, Alma Stoller, Tim Holtz, Donna O'Brien, Cheryl Strait, Donna Engstrom, Patti Culea to name just a few, and Stampington & Company have teamed up with us to become pink artists, or have HELPED to offer art up, and/or have gotten the word out for us in flyers, newsletters & Postscript. Won't you join us?

Let's watch the DONATIONS grooooow as our fundraiser will be totaled weekly and shown in the upper left corner of my blog for ALL of us to see.

EDITED 8/2: Please take a moment to ENJOY LIFE TODAY! Do something special just for you & your loved ones! Below are photos of a candle vigil my family held last night at 6 pm to honor our loved one who passed from Pancreatic Cancer, Carlos Vallejo, the man who instilled in me THE POWER THAT ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE... from my sister and her family in Arizona, to my parents in Texas, to my brothers family in Pennsylvania, to my own family here in Alabama, we sent off heal-ium balloons, tucking in a note and letting it flyyyyy... fly away...up to the heavens... to spread our LOVE to my uncle who left this earth TOO SOON... and also held a prayer vigil in his honor.

Uncle, THANK YOU for guiding this project to its beginning and its end. I love you.

(my beautiful mom in TX)

(my awesome nieces & nephews in AZ)

I love you pink artists! You made my dreams come TRUE.

So, in the name of ART & FUN... let's RALLY TOGETHER bosom to bosom and HAVE OURSELVES A CELEBRATION!! we worked really hard for this moment and it's finally here!

xo, Monica

Beary Adorable. (A boy meets girl story)

Hey everyone, After my blog on the Bear I made for my nephew, I recieved this wonderful letter from one of my readers! I was so touched with her story, I asked if I could repost it and blog it here for your enjoyment. She gladly agreed, and I hope it puts a smile on your face. I just love Amore and Romance!

Thanks for Sharing Belia! Best wishes to you and your "Sweetie"

(pictures may take a minute to load, but well worth the wait!)

From: *La BabyBruja*C/S
Date: Apr 3, 2008 1:10 PM


Senorita Sacred Snatch-
Yay! After I saw your bear I got inspired and made my own. Here’s the story of my osito... my companero-sweetie always tells me how the first time we met I was wearing this red shirt, which was decorated with the phrase "Enjoy California" in the Coca-Cola logo style.
I felt sorta self-conscious when I put it on because I knew a little about Coca-Cola’s anti-union worker abuses in Colombia, but I figured I wanted to rep California here in NYC, and most people wouldn’t make the connection anyway.
And then I met him, a lefty-Colombiano who had done some organizing against Coca-Coal’s labor practices in Colombia. Of course, he didn’t think the shirt was so cute. But he used it as a conversation opener to ask me about Cali- and then it was on!
Anyway, I washed it, and it hella shrank, but I kept it for the sentimental value and always hoped I could figure out something to do with it.
As soon as I saw your bear, I knew how to turn it into an awesome gift! I even stuffed it with a little mushy love message letter hidden inside.
So, thanks for passing on the inspiration, and I LOVE your blog and all your awesome craftiness.
-Belia LaBabyBruja


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Fridalicous!

Frida was reppin it hard in my casa last week. I started out with making a Frida clutch for my mother's birthday. I used a Frida fabric on the outside and a Caliente Chili Pepper fabric on the inside.
I put in a lil Santo at the side for good luck and to watch over mi Mama.

Well, you know the old saying, the more you give, the more you receive! Yep, I am a firm believer, and within the next two days, I received two awesome gifts! My Girl, Marcella came through and brought me these killer socks! lol, just when I thought I saw it all, BAM! I get a wonderful curve ball. Don't these rawk? I am thinking of making these into a coin purse or sock monkey. These are too cute to keep under my pant leg!




The following day, I opened my mail to find a wonderful fabric wall hanging from a swap I joined on Swap Bot. I was speechless. Number 1, the swap just opened and I haven't even begun to think about what I am going to send my partner, and number two, she sent me Frida! I have been carrying around this little gem for days and have been shoving it under everyone's nose! I just know they are jealous! hehe, and they should be! This lovely piece was made by the talented, Ms. June.


Isn't that sweet? Thank you so much June, I promise to take excellent care of her! Yes, she will finally be put to rest on my wall!

And that concludes our journey to the land of Frida. :D

From the Studio of Girl Gone Thread Wild

AKA, my homegirl, Monica............

Monica was the brainchild of this wonderful project. I humbly asked if I can contribute, and thankfully she accepted. In fact, I believe over 150 art squares have been donated! See these links for further info. (Trust me, this project is as beautiful as it is inspiring)

• what is "the pink artist"?
• About the charity
• PINK ARTIST Button
• Pink Artist parade of squares 1
• Pink Artist parade of squares 2
• Pink Artist parade of squares 3

On to the building of the doll...............

The Pink Artist Doll Project, page ONE

From start to finish here is

the journey of the collaborative art doll project

come to be known as Love Squared.

Page one.

...

It's been a fantastic break!

The past week flew by and I admit

I only dreamed of the squares ONCE

but it was grand that I did!

Pinpricked I made a new best friend

to keep me company while

stitching in the wee hours,

enjoying a continual pouring of tea,

movies, and phone calls

that kept me tied to reality.

...

I'm going back to the start for a moment.

It only makes sense to tell you

that the inspiration for the doll body

came from a long admired doll artist,

Patti Culea using upper torso patterns

from her book, Creative Cloth Doll Making.

I knew when taking on this project

that some part of this doll had to

have Patti written all over it.

...

Omitting of course the legs and

opting to alter the length so to fit

squares to skirt. Some of you have

seen the first few photos already

in post the joys of communal artistry

so I won't reiterate those steps, jumping

forward instead to the creation of the

skirt and the sewing on of the squares...

Choosing 2 cuts of decorator fabric in colors

blue and beige cut 72" by 54" and

folded in half twice to make a center,

a hole was cut and the layers were draped

over the waist of the doll and stitched in place.

An old lace piece is stitched down to doll

covering the uneven edges.

Not noticing earlier that the blue fabric already

had "square" shapes in the design (lol) I

took this as a sign and jumped right in

to begin there, pinning the first square.

I kid you not, there is a higher power

orchestrating this doll as I have been

stress-free from the beginning and

am remaining calm and overjoyed here-

I think I even sang OUT LOUD when

applying the first SQUARE. -laughs-

The squares were beginning to line up.

What I found happening was that it was easier

to NOT preplan anything, nor did I pull

more than 10-12 squares at one time from their shelter

(ie. storage tub). I didn't lay out the squares

ahead of time. These weren't color-coded

or grouped in any way whatsoever.

Really the only measurements being taken

were the actual size/shapes of the squares.

One by one, literally the squares came together.

Hand sewing each square with PINK thread.

What did happen is a metal tomato cage

for gardening was inserted under her skirt

to help keep shape.

I found myself talking to the squares

and remembering your notes, stories,

friends and family. I'd be lying if

I said I didn't choke up once or twice...

but it was HAPPY tears for this project.

It was NO accident that I signed online

ONCE to tell a gal her squares arrived

safe & sound from TURKEY and when

doing so read a note from one wise lady

who told me of the "threads of life"

and the first thread being the umbilical cord,

also while online that brief period I read

every comment you made during the last post.

Gerry!!! yours hit me especially...

mostly because you remarked how wonderful

tho sad this project is and well,

I didn't DO NOT want anyone remembering

this project as SAD so...

I immediately started to create a face for our doll.

Starting with a grey felted sweater scrap,

sewn on the machine to resemble

a round head shape, a wooly ball...

stuffed with polyester fiberfill,

punching away on the flesh colored

wool roving from Great Britain

found in a local Yarn shop I

just recently discovered during

my last visit to the Goodwill...
(taking breath)

There she was smiling up at me,

with those pink lips and light brown eyelashes,

and curvy eyebrows.

Now, that's a Kool-aid smile!

happy-happy-happy

I'd like to tell you that all squares are now

stitched to our dolls skirt, but I was just 12 shy

when making this post. In just a few minutes I'll

update our parade of squares, page 3 to include

two more artists squares making that the

last 12 squares to go on the doll.

My goal is to have our doll completed by April 1.

.....
Please excuse the lighting in the photos.

Most often the images were taken

around midnight and by myself.

I am sooooo not a photographer.

......
Also, THANK YOU to Donna O'Brien of the blog,

The Ribboned Crown
for mailing in this exquisite donation

for our doll.

From here my next post won't be until next Monday

as I have to play catch-up, but I am officially back online,

checking emails and keeping in touch with YOU!

Next post WILL be more progress made on our doll

wso be sure to check back in March 24. w

-Thanks again & again for your support & participation-

May this doll leave your heart filled with JOY

and a smile in your every step,

HAPPY EASTER!!!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY

wait, there is more............. here is a link to part two, where the doll's face, hair and limbs are formed.

Are you as flabbergasted as I am? I just had to share and if you haven't already, subscribe to her blogs! She is a super star blogger on blogspot and she is really a down a$$ ruca with a killer personality!