This beautiful iris grows in my garden every year. 

Taking a class from Hollis Chatelain was very helpful to learn this new method of painting. I had decided to learn thickened dye painting because I wanted to do a challenge for my Studio Art Quilt Associates, SAQA, regional show. You start with a picture of what you want to paint. Of course I picked something harder to do but this was my subject for the Artist 2 Artist challenge. 

From you picture you make a line drawing from that. Then you make it into you pattern like the line drawing above. You transfer it onto your dye ready fabric so you are then able to dye it. 

This being my class project I did not take in progress pictures but the finished one after is was thickened dye painted. Learning the gel consistency was very helpful. You even have to paint in the clear so your white stays white.  See how much darker it is without washing it. 

You then see the difference after it is washed out. Some of the areas are lighter than before. I liked how it came out. 

I am into the quilting here. You can see my safety pins, so I don't poke myself as I am quilting it. I used my Sweet Sixteen sit down quilting machine to do this. I am out of practice but I get into it after a while. 

It is all finished and ready to show or sell!

I love this close up picture that shows the 3D affect I got with not quilting the dark magenta areas.

I decided to go with more flower for the Artist 2 Artist project. I picked Georgia O'Keeffe as my inspiration artist. She made many close up flowers, even the iris in her career. 

The above picture is of it in a wet form and seeing all of the deep colors I wanted is exciting. It is very hard for you to see the lightly drawn iris for my pattern of where to paint what color.

This is the piece after I washed out the dye. It changed the colors some. I really enjoyed the process of learning this new way to dye cloth. 

After I made my quilt sandwich of top, batting and backing it was time to pick the threads I was going to use. 

Here is close up of my quilt trying to make sure I had the right one to use again. 

A close up of my stitches. I was having problems with my tension. I got it corrected but it made more time for me tobe very familiar with this piece.

This is a photo of the back of it before I took all of it out. My machine sounded off and I touch the back of the quilt but didn't feel it far enough back evidently. I had quite a bit to take out.   

I was short just about an 1/8" on one corner of this piece. I took  different part that I had cut off with the same green and you can't even see that I did this correction.  There was a size requirement in this challenge.

Here it is with the binding all finished and you would not know it is there unless I told you about it. 

Putting the binding on the iris.

All finished! I really love how it came out. Now to figure out how I want to use this method on my next piece!

I would love to know what you think in the comment section below!

Butterflies flutter outward from her, carrying messages of hope, transformation, and freedom. Each detail—from the lush red flowers forming her gown, to the green of her hands and face, to the cascade of color in her hair—invites the viewer to reflect on harmony, compassion, and the possibility of peace.

This piece speaks to the wounds of our world, scarred by conflict and division, yet reminds us that the earth itself makes room for all of us. Through art, I hope to offer a vision of healing—one where people and all living beings coexist in balance.

May there be peace upon this earth, within each heart, and in the space we all share.

The Process

After sketching out the concept for Mother Earth – May There Be Peace, I began by looking for the right starting point. I chose a personal photo of myself in my wedding dress, which carried both beauty and symbolism. The dress represented love, new beginnings, and a sense of sacredness—all of which felt fitting for a portrait of Mother Earth.

Using the photo as inspiration, I created a loose outline of the figure, simplifying and reshaping it so that it could transform into something new. Instead of recreating the full photograph, I focused on the silhouette and posture, keeping only the elements that would help tell this larger story.

From there, the real adventure began: selecting fabrics, building layers, and slowly bringing the vision to life through color and texture. The face and hands were designed with green tones to reflect the living earth, while the hair became a garden of blossoms in shades of purple, pink, and red. Her gown emerged from a cascade of flowers, blending into butterflies that seemed to take flight, carrying energy outward into the world.

The globe was placed carefully into her hands, grounding the portrait and giving her role a clear focus: to hold and nurture our planet. Stitching details added movement and flow, guiding the viewer’s eye across the piece and weaving the elements together.

What began as a simple outline from a personal photograph transformed, step by step, into a celebration of life, love, and the hope for peace.

After beginning with the outline based on my wedding photo, I moved into the most exciting part of the process: building her from the inside out. Each section of her portrait tells its own story, stitched together with fabric, thread, and meaning.

Face

I wanted her face to feel alive, connected directly to the earth itself. Instead of skin tones, I chose layers of green fabrics to create depth and texture, suggesting leaves, moss, and the vitality of nature. The blue eyes are a reminder of water and sky—open, watchful, and full of quiet strength.

Hair

Her hair became a garden in itself. I used blossoms in shades of purple, pink, and red, arranging them to cascade like curls. Each flower adds movement and vibrancy, symbolizing growth and diversity. The richness of her hair carries both beauty and resilience, echoing the abundance of nature.

Shoulder

I first began the shoulder in shades of purple, but as the piece developed, I realized it blended too closely with the hair. To give the figure more clarity and balance, I shifted the color to red. This change helped the shoulder stand apart, flowing naturally into the gown while still connecting to the floral textures of the upper body. The result is a shoulder that carries both strength and softness, a bridge between her face and the vibrant sweep of her dress.

Arm

The arm became a river of red flowers, flowing downward with movement and energy. This part of the piece anchors her body, while also connecting her to the earth below. The textures and stitching gave me the chance to play with rhythm, almost like petals falling or rippling water.

Hand

The hand is perhaps the most important part of the portrait, because it holds the globe. I shaped it with green fabrics, just like the face, to remind us that our world is literally cradled by the living Earth. Her palm is open, tender, and protective—she doesn’t grasp or hold tightly, but rather supports and sustains.

Butterflies

The butterflies are the messengers of transformation and freedom. I loved letting them flow outward from her gown and around the globe, almost as if they are carrying her love and energy into the world. Each butterfly is different in size, shape, and color, representing the diversity of life on Earth.

Hummingbirds

Tiny hummingbirds dance near her face, adding lightness and motion. They symbolize joy, resilience, and connection—always moving, always alive. They felt like the perfect finishing touch, bringing the portrait a sense of harmony and playfulness.

Every section of Mother Earth – May There Be Peace was stitched with intention, layer upon layer, until the portrait came alive. What started as a simple outline from a wedding photo grew into a vision of care, hope, and peace—an offering to the world we all share.

With Mother Earth I learned a lot about my process in how I work. My inner work for myself was a predominate thought process. To stay in hope and love while the world outside is so crazy. To find peace and love inside to have that vibration in the piece itself.

I also learned that I wanted to start with one color way and it evolved into more colors that support my vision of what it would look like. This shows in the shoulder area where I started with a purple that was to close to the hair color into this lush red to peach coloration.  

Mother Earth is debuting in Houston, International Quilt Show as a special exhibit with Soul Stories. Soul Stories- Threads of Existence is going to be traveling for some time.  I will let you know where she is going next!

Please let me know what you think about Mother Earth in the comments below. 

I had a fantastic time with Hollis Chatelain in her Zoom class for drawing faces 2. This class focused on the ¾ view of faces. There is more to it than just the eyes, nose and mouth. How to make the face look like what it really is not put things in that your mind says should be there. This seems like a life lesson too. 

Day 1 was all about the mouth. I worked on the mouth that was closed for the class. When class was almost over for the day Hollis, asked us that did not do a mouth with teeth to draw one.

To get the lips looking right and learning to see how dark the inside of the mouth needs to be. How the shape of the teeth change as they curve in the mouth.

Day 2 was all about the eyes. I chose this woman that had been touched up in the photograph. I found that using a photo that has no touch ups are far better for my drawing.

Day 3 was the nose. I seem to have problems with enlarging the nose. The perspective was off on this lady’s nose. I do like my shading.

Day 4 we started on the full face and wanting to get all of the three main elements down on the paper ready for the next day.

More face coming through.

Day 5 we all started on skin, hair and ears and finishing up the whole drawing. I am really exited to learn about the skin. The lady I was doing is a friend of Hollis, Alicia. I learned how to layer and layer on more and more graphite to make her skin the real tone it is.

I have been looking at Hollis Chatelain's beautiful art for many years. I was introduced to her last year. With that connection I decided to take drawing classes from her. This is Faces 1, the full front face to learn the method of how to draw faces. These classes are done on Zoom using an extra camera to have her over your shoulder while you are drawing. This works very well!

Day 1 was all about the mouth and how it would fit all together when we finished the week out. She was right. There was measuring without rulers to learn which takes you out of you left side of the brain. This helped me relax into this process even more. We had to pick a photograph that Hollis approved before you start. This is to help you succeed in you drawing. 

Day 2 focused on the eyes. All parts of the face should be just like the picture at an angle if it is. Just like this little girl. You use your shading stick for the shading and blending in of the creases in the eyes. 

Day 3 was the nose. I learned a lot about the nose and I made it to long. I learned more because I made mistakes than if I just got it right the first time. The shading makes the difference.

Day 4 was working on the full face but putting in all of the elements that we learned the previous 3 days.

Day 5 was adding all of the other elements of a face. Hair, ears and throat. It felt good to know that I can draw a face well. I do need to go back and do more blending and shading of her face. 

This class was a blast! I am going to take her Faces 2 really soon. She doesn't seem to have a Faces 3 yet for this year. I will be taking more of her classes in the future. 

If you have questions or comments, I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below. 

This beautiful lady is my aunt Nancy. We celebrated her 92nd birthday at Disneyland. The 33 on the ears is for Walt Disney's club where we had our dinner. We have a friend that got us into this club. 

Starting with the photo I took on that night. You transfer the picture into lines with many steps that are not in this post. I will put it this out at another time. Then you transfer the picture the size you want it onto fabric. 

I started putting the fabric on the ears and hair. The ears are not the same as the pair that she has but the fabric gives you the fun and beauty her ears.

I found myself skipping the eyes, trying to figure out what I would do to make them. Doing my best to have the shadow on her be present in my fabric of her.

Her face is progressing and coming out of the white foundation fabric.

When she has her eyes she became more real and like she really is.

Here you can see her eyes up close now. There are a lot of little pieces of fabric to make her eyes look like eyes. I used three different lame' fabrics to make the bow and numbers. Taking a fabric pen to show off the 33 help the over all presentation. 

I had a great time making her jacket that she wore into this piece. Putting in the 3D elements like the knots that are in her jacket, of which she made herself. I made them by making a tube of fabric and gluing them down at the ends so they would be just like the original one.

A close up of her eyes, nose and mouth. 

Here is the finished piece ready to hang up!

Aunt Nancy holding the piece I made of her with the same Mickey Mouse ears on. 

If you enjoyed this post, please comment below. I would love to hear about what you think.

For Custom Requests..  

This angel can be made from scraps of fabric you already have. She is a cute size and can be a quick ornament for your tree. It can be a wonderful hostess gift for all of the fun parties!

This elegant angel is a hand sewing project. 

The first step is to make all of your circles into yoyos. See the pattern for your circle sizes. Put a loop knot in your thread and start on the right side of the fabric. 

Hand baste approximately 1/8" away from the edge of your circle.

Pull the thread tight and tie off your thread. Repeat this until you have all of your circles done.

Make your thread loop by threading both ends of your thread throught the eye of the needle. Starting with the smallest yoyo in the center make a loop knot. 

Keep adding smallest to largest yoyos in the center to your needle and thread. When you have them all on pull them tight. Take a the needle back up the near center of the bottom largest yoyo and go back to the top of you angel body. Pull it tight again and make sure every yoyo is snug so it doesn't move. Tie off your thread. DO NOT CUT YOU THREAD!

After you have knotted your thread you put your head bead on the thread. Then you go through the center of your ribbon loop across it through both sides. Go back down your head bead and your ribbon loop will go down the bead. Tie off and knot your thread a couple of yoyos down from the top close to the center of the yoyo you choose. 

Take your tulle or fabrics that you choose and sew across the middle of the rectangles. Pull you thread tight and knot it off. Please don't cut your threads. 

Attach your wings two to three yoyos down from the top. If you need to bury your knotted thread in the middle and go up to the yoyo you want to start at. Pull the threads tight so the wings will be right against the body and stitch the wings on. 

Pull the bead up slightly and put a drop of glue on the top yoyo. Push the bead down onto the glue and put a clothes pin on the ribbon to keep the bead there. I hung mine up in this picture.

Do a knot at the top of our ribbon for hanging it up! You have finished your Angel.

Here is the pattern available for free!
Be creative and add your own spin on this fun angel. I would to see what you do with it!

Please leave a comment on this below. Let me know how yours turned out. Feel free to ask questions. 

I chose different colors to show the "branches" of the tree. 

This tree is made of several fabric yoyos. Knot your thread and baste around the whole yoyo.

The image on the left is of basting around the circle. The one on the right is pulling it tight. You make two of each size in the pattern.

Next is stacking the yoyos from smallest to largest. Make a loop of thread taking the two ends and threading your needle.

Take a small amount of fabric up on your needle. Pull the thread through but leave a some of the loop up for you to go through it. Pull it tight and add the next smallest yoyo to the stack.

Keep adding to your stack from the smallest to the largest until you have all of your tree together. At the bottom go back up to the top and pull the thread tight. Knot off your thread and do not cut your thread.

Add your star to the top of your tree by putting in on your thread. I wanted you to see the difference in the sizes of a jewelry star that is on the right and the pony bead star on the left. I ended up using the pony bead star for the size. I liked it better than the jewelry size. You can choose your size.

Take your ribbon and hold the ends of it together to find the center of it. Take your needle still threaded through the middle of the ribbon at the bottom. Go back down through the star and down about 3 yoyos pulling it tight. 

Your tree is almost done! Do an overhand know to make a large knot just above the star. Make another knot at the ends of your ribbon to hang up your tree ornament.

Your tree is now finished. You can hang it up right now or go ahead and embellish it with beads and other little items you have. I had everything on my finished tree in my bead box.  This is when I decided it was done.

Take a Stand Bags holds a small sewing machine.

16" wide. other is 12"wide

This Everglow Elephant fabric is wonderful to show off Tula Pink's fabric.

One of the key highlights of Take A Stand Totes is their easy-to-install zippered top. This innovative design ensures that the tote opens wide, giving you effortless access to all your essentials. No more fumbling around in your bag — with these totes, everything you need is right there, ready to be grabbed.

I've made these totes in two sizes:

    Small Tote: 8-3/4"H x 12"W x 6-1/2"D
    Large Tote: 12-1/2"H x 16"W x 8"D

Organization is key, and that's why By Annie designed these totes with practicality in mind. The exterior boasts two zippered pockets, ideal for storing items you need quick access to, such as your phone, keys, or wallet. Inside, you'll find two mesh pockets that keep your supplies neatly organized and easily visible, saving you precious time during your busy day.

What makes my Take A Stand Totes stand out is their perfect blend of style and functionality. Each tote comes with an adjustable and detachable carrying strap, allowing you to carry it in a way that suits your comfort and style preferences. Whether you prefer slinging it over your shoulder or carrying it by hand, these totes offer versatility like no other.

For those who love to sew on the go, the large version of my Take A Stand Tote is a game-changer. With its generous dimensions of 12-1/2"H x 16"W x 8"D,  for the large size tote is perfectly sized to fit a small sewing machine. 

Whether you're attending sewing classes, crafting at a friend's place, or simply want to take your passion with you on trips, this tote provides a secure and stylish way to transport your machine.

I put the fun glittery strap handle that goes well with the ascent fabric.

The adjustable carrying strap ensures comfortable carrying, while the sturdy construction keeps your sewing machine protected on the move. Say goodbye to bulky sewing machine cases and hello to effortless portability with the Take A Stand Tote!

If you are  interested in making your sewing sessions a breeze with the Take A Stand Tote -These Take a Stand Tote bags in two sizes are available. If you are interested click to here contact me and I will get back to you. 

Please leave a comment on what you think about it.

This gorgeous bag/purse has a jungle print in neon with black sides. There is a bright green inside which makes it easy to find things in it. There is a vinyl bottom so it won't wear out before the rest of the purse.

The handles are just long enough to go on the shoulder tucked under your arm.

When I looked again at this print I found an integrated heart. I took a close up of it so you could see it too.

The inside of the Black neon Jungle bag/purse. The bright colors with pockets in a different color will make it easier to find your keys or what fell to the bottom of this bag.

Even the zipper pulls are neon in two colors that match the outside jungle.

Elevate your style with this chic and functional accessory – a perfect statement piece for any fashion enthusiast!

Discover the charm of the Black Neon Jungle Bag and explore my latest creations by visiting my delightful ETSY store!

This pattern By Annie, is called Courtside. It is a larger backpack with a front pocket made for your tennis or pickle ball rackets.

This is the back of the backpack. I centered the jaguars for the trolley sleeve. The sleeve is placed onto the back pocket that has a magnetic snap to keep it closed.

The shoulder straps are nicely padded to not cause pain. I use fun colored strapping to coordinate with the bag I am making. I like how the strap is put onto this bag with tabs that hold the strap in place. A much easier way to add them into the whole bag.

The side pocket is large and has more room for you to get into the inside if you need to. The zipper goes down into it so you can open it very wide.

These wonderful billow pockets work very well for large bottles of water. These use the bottom of the bag for keeping them upright. The back pockets are a full back zipper pocket that will fit notebooks and other objects that need to stay in place safe. Outside of the full back inner pocket are a stretch net pockets.

I decided to use vinyl on the bottom of the bag. This will help keep the fabric from getting dirty and last a lot longer because of it. I found this pink glittery one in my stash! It is always a great time not to run to the store for something.

If you have any comments or love Tula Pink fabrics please leave comment for me. I would love to know what you think.