Colorful quilted pillows in a red chair

Pillow Commission 2014 Cindy Grisdela

 

Last week just flew by before I even realized it!

I drove home from the fabulous Old Town Art Fair in Chicago on Monday–it was my first time doing the show and it was a lot of fun. The Old Town neighborhood is easily one of the most beautiful settings I’ve ever done a show in, and several of my pieces found new homes–that’s always a wonderful feeling. It’s not hard to see why this is one of the top shows in the country, and I’m honored to have been a part of it.

After unloading the car, last Tuesday night I gave my presentation on “Using Social Media to Boost Your Art Business” to a very appreciative audience at the League of Reston Artists in Reston, VA, just around the corner from my house. With so many social media sites out there, it can be confusing to know which ones to use and when. My talk attempts to demystify the process for those new to social media, and give useful tips and ideas to those who are ready to take their social media use to the next level. If you’re interested in learning more about the talks and workshops I have available, visit the “Lectures and Workshops” tab on my website here.

Then I did a challenge quilt for a group I’m involved with, which of course I failed to get a photo of. Hopefully I’ll be able to get one and post about that next time.

Which brings me to the pillow commissions!

I’ve had the good fortune to get commissions for pillows from several different sources lately. The ones pictured above are a surprise gift, so I won’t spoil it by revealing much more than that. Don’t they look comfy on the chair?

The other pillow commissions are for a lodge in Vermont that I’ve done work for in the past, and a new quilt/home decor shop that’s opening soon on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. No pictures available on those yet, but I’m looking forward to getting into the process. I’ll post them when they’re available.Overflowing Basket of Fabrics

That process begins by dumping my basket of fabric scraps onto the floor, usually! It’s so much fun to  go through them and decide exactly which will go together. Sometimes I uncover surprise fabric pairings that I never would have thought of otherwise. Going through the scraps is also a reminder of other quilts and pillows that I’ve made–finding my old favorite fabrics and reusing them in new ways.

I’ll be getting ready next week to go back to Ann Arbor, Michigan for the Ann Arbor Street Fair July 16-19 this year. Four different shows take over the town from Wednesday-Saturday–it’s an amazing experience! I’ll be in a different show and a different location this year–I’m in the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair – the Original and my booth is A138 on Washington St. I hope to see you there!

And if you’re in the Atlanta area, I have six wall pieces in the Summer Swan Invitational exhibit at the Swan Coach House gallery. Visit their website here for more information.