June 2009 Archives

What:       Summertime in California might mean hitting the beach for
                some, but for many of the 27 million Americans who quilt as a
                hobby, this summer's International Quilt Festival is what's
                making waves. The second annual Long Beach show, sale, and
                quiltmaking academy features more than 1,200 quilts, textiles,
                and wearable art ensembles on display; nearly 100 hands-on
                classes and special events; and shopping in more than 400
                booths selling quilts, fabrics, books, notions, crafts,
                patterns, machines, and sewing supplies.

                One of the most popular features of the Festival is Make It
                University!(TM), a mixed-media pavilion featuring the arts of
                scrapbooking, rubber stamping, paper crafts, textile arts and
                more. Developed in collaboration with Cloth Paper Scissors(R)
                magazine, Make It University! includes teaching showcases,
                workshop projects, vendors, artist studios and special
                exhibits.

    When:       July 24-26, 2009
                Tour begins July 21
                Classes begin July 22
                Preview Night is July 23

    Hours:      Thursday, July 23, Preview Night, 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
                Friday and Saturday, July 24 and 25, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
                Sunday, July 26, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

    Where:      Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center
                300 East Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, California 90802
                (Entrance on Pine Ave.)

    Admission:  $10 general, $8 seniors 65+ and students. Children 10 and
                under admitted free with a paying adult. $25 for a three day
                pass (includes Preview Night). Preview Night tickets are $10
                (no senior discount) and are good for one free additional day.
                Order and print tickets in advance at www.quilts.com

    For more information:
                Call 713-781-6864, fax 713-781-8182, e-mail shows@quilts.com
                or access www.quilts.com
Source: Quilits, Inc.

Entertaining Extras
This summery runner is 86 inches long; you can add or subtract leaves, depending on the length of your table. Handmade napkins can coordinate with either linens or tableware.

Photo Courtesy of Martha Stewart.com

For the Runner:
1. Using our leaf template, cut 27 leaves from linen (we used celadon, mint, and lemon).

2. Use a 1/2-inch-wide strip of store-bought single-fold bias tape and the one-step binding method to create a border along one side of each leaf, from tip to tip. There is no need to finish the tape's ends.

3. Bind the opposite side of each leaf with a separate length of bias tape, covering raw edges at tips with an overlap finish.

4. Arrange leaves in desired pattern; pin, and hand-stitch together.

Source: Martha Stewart.com Crafts

This season, spring style is all about metallics. Fashionistas have dubbed metallics "the new neutral" and, as trends go, home decor is following suit. Artist Ginger King, however, would stop short of calling her own work with metallics "trendy." She combines her expertise in digital design and her work with metals to create custom, timeless and surprisingly affordable fine art pieces for the home. Her company, Impel Ink, stands alone in the photo reproduction market because of its sophisticated approach to printing materials and frames that move beyond traditional canvases.

At impelink.com, King works closely with her customers to develop each work of art. "My customers provide the photograph, and I provide the technique and the artistic vision," she said.

What makes her process different is Impel Ink's signature photo reproduction on fine art metals -- satin gold, satin silver and satin white. Also available is a clear film overlay option, in which an image is printed on glossy clear film then overlaid on matte foam board in the customer's choice of five colors.

Yet it's the range of visual effects, from contemporary to abstract, that offers the most options -- 20 of them, to be exact. The art and design world has seen the increased use of digital photo technology in recent years, and King has been ahead of the curve.

Another option that sets Impel Ink apart is its custom acrylic frames with innovative mounting options. These frames are available in clear, opaque black or white, or pop colors: watermelon, periwinkle, gold and orange. For a dramatic finishing touch, the acrylic frames also come with one of six vibrant edges: blue, black, green, red, orange or yellow.

"We offer the convenience of online shopping," said King, "with the personal service of a local studio." She explained that a customer simply emails the photo to be reproduced and later can proof the finished product online.

"I'm especially proud of Impel Ink's work with unconventional media -- particularly fine art metal," said King. "With the surge in popularity of metallics, we are answering consumer demand but also showing that an image inspired by the moment can have staying power."

Impel Ink prints only on high-quality, fine art materials, including the unique fine art metals, using archival, water-resistant inks. Every step of the process is carefully controlled and inspected.

For more information, visit http://www.impelink.com.

SOURCE Impel Ink