Would you like to have a class with Ellen?

Ellen would be delighted to have a class with you or your group! You can check out her classes at www.ellenanneeddy.com. She also offers independent studio time in her studio in Indiana. Talk to Ellen about classes at 219-921-0885, or contact her scheduler Sarah at 616-485-5646 to set a date

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Ellen Anne Eddy
Author of Thread Magic: The Enchanted World of Ellen Anne Eddy Fiber artist, author and teacher
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Monday, December 26, 2011

The Sprinkles on the Donut

9:19 AM | Posted by Ellen Anne Eddy | | Edit Post
After years of drawing bugs and frogs it has occurred to me that I'm a bit odd. All artists are, mostly. The ones who look normal pass well.
I'm not that good an actress.


I was at church for Christmas day. The choir at this church takes off for Christmas. I could have sat in the choir pews, but I ended up in the general congregation.


I'm not an alto as a show off. It's simply where  my range is. I can't sing the high notes reliably. It happens occasionally, but like Tuesday, anything could happen. So I was singing the alto line, against the bulk of the congregation on the melody.


It's different within the choir. You expect to hear the part above and below you. The blend is planned and it's where you belong.
This was much more separate, and more isolating. 


At the end of the service it occurred to me that much of my life is that way: a counterpoint to melodies I can not reach. My plans for the holiday collapsed and I ended up  more alone than was comfortable.


I was speaking afterwards to the choir director who said, "You know, you'll never be the donut. You're the sprinkles on the donut. And that's why we want the donut anyway.


Now the nicest thing about the sprinkles on the donut is that they come in a range of color. They're practically an edible color chart.


I don't get to eat donuts either, but I've learned to appreciate allergy foods as a visual experience. And I'm an edible color chart! There are worse fates and worse goals.









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Sunday, December 25, 2011
7:33 AM | Posted by Ellen Anne Eddy | | Edit Post
God bless us, one and all.
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Friday, December 23, 2011

The Wizard of Odd

11:22 AM | Posted by Ellen Anne Eddy | | Edit Post

Having fun being weird today? Thank an artist!


Lately, they've been playing the Wizard of Oz again. It occurred to me just how much of our language comes from that amazing movie.


Most movies are a cultural moment at best. They expand on a moment in time. What is a classic changes with the wind, but I think we can say that it's about how it changes the way people think. 


I was going through the number of phrases that the Wizard cemented into my verbal landscape:

  • "If I only had a brain."
  • "Ding, dong, the witch is dead."
  • "Over the rainbow."
  • "And your little dog too."
  • "I hope my courage holds out. I hope your tail holds out."
  • "I'm melting."
And of course,
  • " Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain."
Frank Baum, the author, had a rather unsuccessful life outside his books. He bounced from one thing to another until he wrote this odd and lovely tale, largely about politics. The politics have disappeared in time leaving a wonderful story about friendship, challenges, appreciating weird and very kind help, and finding your heart. Who would any of us be without it?


That being said, I take heart in this. When someone says, "You quilt, right? Can you make me a bed quilt? In beige?"


I remind myself that my glory and my crown, my hope and my consolation is that I be as gloriously odd as I am. And that if I do it well a small part of the world will shift for it.


Those of us doing our art shift the archetypes. Not purposely, or with cause, but simply by bringing our vision to the world. It's not something one picks and chooses. It's simply an act of trust to bring what your heart demands into being. We bring it all to the table and let time sort it out.

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Monday, December 19, 2011

Silent Night: Waiting for Wonder

11:24 AM | Posted by Ellen Anne Eddy | | Edit Post




The season of Christmas is hard and fast, a vicious wild river of people and vehicles vying for more gifts, more money, parking spaces, more immeasurable and impossible holiday glee.


I'm convinced this is a reaction to the dark of the year. I can't speak for any one else. It has an addictive edge to it I don't trust. When I try to strip myself down each year to the celebration of Christ's birth and basic kindness to the people in front of me, without the endorphin pump of extra shopping, sugar and alcohol, I find myself facing all kinds of edgy truths about myself. Much of what runs through your mind in the dark.


Not that I'm a stick about sugar and extra spending. They're just not good for me. There's an old saying, "Up like a rocket. Down like a stick.", which pretty much covers my mental health after any Christmas-New Years week. Since I don't have the family obligations, I can and often do choose to opt out of the commercial aspect. And anything that takes extra vacuuming, or must be put away unless it's up next spring. Ick.


I'm an escaped Catholic. I go to an Anglican Church largely because I love the rituals and can think what I like. They don't green the church (translate: put up the tree) until the Sunday before Christmas.


It leaves time for waiting in the darkness. To push back against the darkness, and it's nastier little whispers and say, "The Light is coming." There's a value in saying that before the light arrives. It reminds us that good and bad, broken and whole what we need is there and right for us.


That all said, I think I'm going to put up an origami bird tree. One I don't have to take down after the season. There's nothing wrong with lighting a candle in the dark.


All of the best of the blest for you and yours for the holiday.
Ellen
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Saturday, December 17, 2011

No More Color Police:Creating Flower Colors

10:08 AM | Posted by Ellen Anne Eddy | | Edit Post



 "Roses are red. violets are blue. Angels in heaven know I love you." Down in the valley

 What color is a flower, actually?










In spite of everything your kindergarten teacher told you, it's not a simple answer. If she made you color all your roses red, give me her name and I'll go have a little chat with her. Or better still, you might want to tell her that she can't live in your head anymore without paying rent.


That's not a white tulip. Nor is it really red or yellow. It's a wonderful swirl of a number of great colors. Leaving any of that out is a loss. But how do you do it in fiber?
We have two great tools. Well, we probably have hundreds but these help with this.Hand dyed fabric has all those great streaks. It's a great way to start a flower.


Machine embroidery also speeds us on our way.The wonderful thing about stitching flowers is that thread really is minutia. We can slip in that dash of green, that edge of orange or purple that flowers either do have or should.
When Mark Lipinski asked me how important color was on his show this week and why I put so much emphasis on it, I almost fell of my chair. Color IS the media. We see everything through the color and the texture. You can here that conversation on Mark's Creative Mojo  show, December 14th.


Thread Magic Garden has a full chapter on creating colors for flowers. It's a magical thing. And you can do it too.



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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Blog at C&T Publishing

12:10 PM | Posted by Ellen Anne Eddy | | Edit Post
I'm the Guest Blogger today at the 
C&T Blog.
I've posted a blog called My Studio Garden.


See it at http://www.ctpubblog.com/

Thanks, C&T!
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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Announcing My Computer Radio Show Premier at Creative Mojo!

12:17 PM | Posted by Ellen Anne Eddy | | Edit Post
I'm  going to be on Mark Lipinski's Creative Mojo Radio Show on 
Wednesday, December 14th, at 3:00PM -5:PM EST
 (2-4 CST, 12-2 MST, 11-1 PST),
 Live for two hours with Listener Call ins.


Mark is one of my favorite creative quilting lunatics. He brings immense talent and a wacky sense of fun to us all.
On of his gifts to the quilt community is this fabulous show.I'm so honored he's asked me to join him!


Go to www.toginet.com on your computer and click on the live button on the right hand side of your screen. Or you can listen to it later at http://www.marklipinski.com/


Come and join us. Call in! I'll answer 


anything (well almost.)







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Quiltposium, Fall2011

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Ellen's New Article, Dance of Design

Essential Embroidery Stitches: Free Hand and Machine Embroidery Designs and Techniques.

Essential Embroidery Stitches: Free Hand and Machine Embroidery Designs and Techniques.
Get this free book from Quilting Arts. It has a series of articles I wrote called Defining the Line.

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The Butterfly Effect

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Guest Blog On Subversive Stitchers!
The Stories Tell Me

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http://quiltinggallery.com/2010/08/12/dancing-in-the-light/

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