Here is a small sampling of the FiberWorks 2011 show now being displayed through June 23rd at the Living ArtSpace at 307 E. Brady, Tulsa, OK.
Pieces are by members of the Fiber Artists of Oklahoma, and is the states only annual  juried fiber exhibition.

Hope you can get a feel for the wide variety of fiber art on display, and if you are in the area~ stop in!

 Enjoy!

 Knotty Girl #3, Garbo as Mata Hari, by Julie Marks Blackstone, Award of Merit

 Whatever Floats Your Boat, by Alice Kellogg

 Rock Paintings, by Jean Ann Fausser

Detail of  Sunflowers, by Charlotte Hickman

 LBD Accessories, by Janet Shipley Hawks

 Bib Necklace, by Virginia Vann

 Atalanta’s Adventures, by Peggy Spence Fry

 Fashion and Flavor of the Day, by Tammra Radford

 Brushstrokes, by Deborah Ross

 Absorbed, by Sharyl Landis

Hello! Happy April!

I wanted to let you know I have designed a new free digital calendar desktop background for your coming month! Feel free to download here!

Once the image appears, just right click it and choose “set as background”.

The image is sized 1024 x 640 pixels which is perfect for my laptop screen. 
Let me know if it does not work for you, and I might be able to tweak it!

By the way, this is meant for personal use only. All designs copyright 2011, Ellen Medlock, LLC.

Enjoy, … especially the 24th!

~ ellen

I owe thanks to the sweet ladies of Baby Lock! During Fall Quilt Market last year in Houston, they offered to embroider an initial on a fat quarter of my Spring Dot fabric! An offer I was not about to refuse! The next day, they returned with this beautious “E”. I could not resist showing it off front and center on the new Classic Minaudiere! Such an easy project, and so easily enhanced with a personal touch!

~ ellen

Hi there,
Just recently added many of my creative products to my new Artfire shop, as an addition to my main website, and etsy store. Don’t know if you are familiar with this site, but it provides a online marketplace for artists and artisans of all types, similar to etsy. com.

Now I am now beginning to get more familar with it, and all the online marketing support that is offered to their minions of artsy ”vendors” like me. The Arffire Blog has recently posted a link to the same presentation Tony Ford (Artfire.com) gave recently at the winter CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) Show.

 I am a CHA Designer Member, and have attended in the past but was not there to hear this in person, so I was very interested  (especially after posting almost 100 items for sale there!).
If you are at all interested in Internet Marketing, I think you will find it fascinating and super informative on many levels…

Here is the link if you would like to learn along with me!

~ ellen

Just received my final strike-off of the upcoming Flight Pattern fabric group via the UPS man late yesterday evening….just ahead of a blizzard here in Oklahoma! Sweet timing, as I don’t think we will be able to receive or send anything for quite a few days!

Very happy with the color rendering and repeat- so very glad to give the printing “go-ahead” to the mill.

I am advised it will take about 2 weeks to print, then it is loaded on to a ship headed into New York /New Jersey harbor. From there it will be shipped into my warehouse, rolled on to bolts, and FINALLY shipped off to the lovely quilt shops who have ordered it!

Phew! What a long process from drawing board to bolt board!

~ ellen

This is the half page ad that will be in the American Quilt Retailer Magazine’s Market Issue soon!
Flight Pattern Fabric Collection is shown~   butterfly print: Flight Pattern; stripe: Potpourri Stripe; dot: Spring Dot; mini print: Hippie Flower. New Minaudiere Bags are pictured, as well as the free downloadable quilt pattern, “Flights of Fancy” by Jean Ann Wright for my company. Be sure to come see me either for Quilt  Market or Quilt Festival!!  Booth 432~

xoxo
~ellen

I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up we kids called the 4th of July~ Firecracker Day! A southern term? I am not sure, but sometimes it is hard to forget!? Anyway, that is what it seemed to be all about. Running around a field at all day to night, with your extended family-   a lit punk in one hand and a coveted crumpled paper sack of fireworks in the other!

 When you grow up you learn that there is a bit more too it all! Ha! Here is a graphic that appeared this week on one of my favorite daily blog reads…DesignSponge. It caught my attention. Enjoy this interesting collage, and hopefully you will find some pieces that will remind you of your Firecracker Days past, or some that  will make up your Holiday tomorrow!

Enjoy the spectacle that is the 4th of July! (weather permitting!)

~ ellen

Wishing everyone a sweet day today!  Here are a few seasonal bags that just say February 14th to me! Please look for the following bag making pattern and craft sets from you local quilt shop, or at www.ellenmedlock.com.

The Coquette Bag Pattern is represented by two different bags in this shot. One with the black and white butterfly (Alexander Henry Fabric)  handbag bedecked with romantic embellishments- direct glued to the exterior with Fabri-Tac craft glue.. a super quick bag to put together! (Getting to rummage through your stash of little things is the most fun as far as I am concerned! Ha!) And not to miss the other Coquette Bag .. sewn  in red rose fabric with a tiny metal embellishement tied on..

The Preppy Mini-Tote Pattern & Handle Set is shown with the black wood handles (you may choose either black, light oak or walnut with this set.) It is sewn with fabric by Blank Textiles. The bow ornament tied on to the handle is made special with a cardboard scrapbooking tag! Very easy to engineer with a bit of patience and again, a good clear drying craft glue!

The Interchangeable1 Bag Pattern & Handle Set is the poufy bag in the foreground with the black and white Michael Miller fab floral fabric, dot bow,  and check ruffle! The secret to this bag is the clever metal purse handle that allows muliple bags to use the same handle hardware~ one handle for many bags! Perfect for the traveler.. just pack one handle, and a bag bottom to match every outfit.

The Bangle Bracelet Set is shown in the background as a tower of many bracelet samples sporting black and red! Go crazy here with your stash snippets of both fabric, ribbon, and embellishments. They all start out as creative blanks … awaiting your touch! Wrap in fabric or paint and embellish in a million ways!

-ellen
xoxo

I don’t know if it is the pull of the New Year…to organize, cull, clean, etc… but I finally felt I was ready  to say “goodbye” to 26 very unique handmade bags of mine!  Believe me, my husband is thrilled to see some of my creative clutter go up for adoption!  Hate to admit, I get emotionally attached to each one! After all these  bag “ friends”  have served well as samples in quilt shops, and quilt markets past-  and have many good memories attached! All designed to give ideas on different looks, trim and fabric combinations possible on my company’s sewing pattern line.
If you have a moment, please take a peek at them in my First Ever Super Dooper “Sample Bag Sale!”, and if interested, give them another loving home! Ha!
xoxo
-ellen

Nothing gets me more in the Holiday mood than Christkindlmarkt. And this year was no exception! Here in Tulsa we are fortunate to have an active German American Society who host this annual holiday happening. It is primo ornament collecting time as well for me!  Offered for sale are the many unique handmade wooden pieces from the traditional German made Nutcrackers, to Smokers,  Blown Glass ornaments, and my favorites.. the tiny minature wood ornaments! Not to mention all the German baked goods, and tradition foods for sale too.

I think I would die from joy, if I ever got to attend a real Christkindlmarkt’s in Germany! No telling how many suitcases full of tiny ornaments I would fill! Here is a bit of history from the German American Society of Tulsa’s website:

” Cities and towns throughout Germany, feature Christkindlmarkt, a Christmas Market during December. The most famous one in Nürnberg, has been held since 1692. These outdoor markets are usually set up somewhere in the heart of the city and decked out in seasonal splendor.”