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Fun news! And a cool tip...

8/17/2023

9 Comments

 
    Well... I'm finally back from my trip, and ready to get back into things! I hope you enjoyed my little mini series on really simple ways to start art quilting, and of course I hope you tried something in there. I'm all about finding ways for you to be successful in your art quilting journey. I have found that in the classes I have been taking recently, I do better with more of a schedule, so I'm still working on a more guided version of my Simple Secrets for Starting Art Quilting class. Details to come, as I came back to a bunch of quilt shop orders, a quick trip to Anchorage, and my news, A NEW STUDIO!! 
    Yep, after almost exactly three long years, I have space again! It's a cute cabin just down the road from our house, so I will get forced exercise out of the deal too, ha! I will share photos soon, might end up on Instagram first, so look there too! We haven't even started moving in yet, but we'll get started this weekend!
    On our trip, I was able to go to the venue where I will be doing my solo art show next summer, in my home town of Grand Marais, MN. It's a beautiful log building on the shore of Lake Superior, so fun! And now I'm very motivated to start making the bazillion art quilts I need to have for that, so I'll probably show some of them here, and maybe even try to make enough to sell a few before then, which I rarely do! But I have so many ideas now 😃

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​    And now for the tip: I always bring some art supplies when I travel. (that's not the tip🤪) I started doing more watercolor painting a few years ago, and it's so portable, so that and a sketchbook are usually what I choose. There are so many portable watercolor sets, but I think I found one of the most, as it's made of paper 😀 But, I'm not that good at painting, so like art quilting, I have found some ways to 'cheat' (it's not cheating!). This time it was using repetition, which, incidentally, is one of the reasons quilters love fabric. Most fabric has a repeating design, and our brains happen to love that! So, if you can only paint a little kindergarten-y flower, just make a whole bunch of them and it's great!
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    Then I filled in the background with some more repeated simple shapes, and at the end it looks like something 😂 Here is a photo of the outside of the paint I found, and also how much of the water I used from my water brush for this whole painting. Water brushes are the best way to make painting portable! 
    Bonus tip: I was watching Winnie the Pooh with my granddaughter, and I noticed the background artwork was loose watercolors with minimal details added with black pen. The bushes and branches had a few actual leaf shapes, but mostly just little marks, a few leaves gave the impression of all leaves. I love finding these little tips (still looking for that perfect word/phrase, that implies discovery or surprise as well as a concept, hmm...) I couldn't have painted this before I saw that, and I have gobs of those for art quilting too. Tips to suddenly make something seem more doable!
    If you made it this far, stay tuned for more class info, and also photos of my new space! Happy sewing! Beret
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9 Comments
Nancy Toupin
8/18/2023 07:00:10 am

I love the pretty posies you did on your art pad. I think it would make beautiful fabric!

Reply
Beret
8/18/2023 11:08:14 am

Thanks, definitely hoping to design fabric eventually 😅

Reply
Brenda Crow
8/18/2023 07:23:39 am

I love your paintings( of course the quilts too) lol The tree and meadow is my favorite. I have a really old locust tree in my yard that has so much character. It looks like an old cartoon from the 50’s ( oops, my age) lol one finger lifted in the air talking to forest animals. I keep meaning to paint it. Have taken lots of pictures. Thank you Beret for all your inspirations, knowledge and sharing! Brenda

Reply
Beret
8/18/2023 11:09:11 am

I hope you will do it now 😁 Thanks for being part of my community 😊

Reply
Cheryl Clark
8/19/2023 05:50:27 am

Do you have dates yet for your show in Grand Marais next year? I camp up that way a few times every summer and I want to be sure I don’t miss your show!

Reply
Beret
8/19/2023 09:01:42 am

Yes! (After I looked it up, which I really needed to do anyway 😂) August 23-September 8, 2024. I’m so excited 😁 Be sure to introduce yourself!

Reply
Cheryl Clark
8/19/2023 06:45:45 pm

Thank you! I will definitely do that. I’m looking forward to this!!

Susan Opalka
11/27/2023 11:09:12 pm

Love your Quilted Greeting Card patterns!! I just ‘discovered’ them today in a quilt shop in Anchorage, Alaska. They are so fun! I’m anxious to try the patterns I purchased!! Thank you, Susan

Reply
Beret
11/28/2023 09:08:49 am

Yay, happy sewing!

Reply



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    Beret Nelson's On The Trail Creations Blog Page

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    Beret Nelson

    I am a homeschooling mom of three fun kids, who are now old enough that I have a little time to pursue my passion for sewing! After several years of making quilted cards and art quilts, I'm now designing kits and patterns.  Some of my designs have been in Keepsake Quilting and Art Quilting Studios magazine! I  teach classes online, and am starting to do more traveling and teaching. I also have many tutorials, including some on YouTube. I am blessed to live in Alaska where I am surrounded by the inspiration provided by the beauty of God's creation!
    To see all of my patterns, click here.
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    I am also an independent distributor for Plexus supplements, since I credit them with enabling me to be healthy enough to do all these fun things! They target blood sugar and gut health, which are at the root of so many modern health issues. E-mail me for more info, or check out my website! I am as passionate about getting people healthy as I am about getting people creating :-)

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  • Home
  • Shop Online
    • Collage Art Quilt Kits
    • Store - Wall Hangings/Table Runners Kit & Patterns >
      • Winterberry Wall Hanging
      • Up to Gnome Good Wall Hanging
      • Sandhill Sunset Wall Hanging
      • Moonshadows Wall Hanging
      • Moonlight Moose Table Runner
      • Serenity Wall Hanging
      • Autumn Leaves Table Runner
      • Summer Dragonfly Wall Hanging
      • Summer Dragonfly Table Runner
      • Autumn Leaves Wall Hanging
      • Moonlight Moose Wall Hanging
      • Night Owl Wall Hanging Quilt
    • Store - Quilted Greeting Card Kits/Patterns >
      • Greeting Card Panels
      • Acrylic Card Template
      • Trish Stuart Collection
      • Out On a Limb Card Kit
      • Wonder Lake Card Kit
      • Moonshadows Card
      • Raven Moon Card
      • Chickadee With Berries Card
      • Whale Tale Card
      • Moose and Willows Card Kit
      • Raven Card Kit
      • Wild Iris Card
      • Northwoods Nisse Card
      • Boreal Botanicals Card
      • Winter Trees Card
      • For the Birds Card Pattern
      • Wild Flower I Card Pattern
      • Wild Flower II Card Pattern
      • Wild Flower III Card Pattern
      • Wonky Heart Card Pattern
      • Whimsical Heart Card Pattern
      • Black-Capped Chickadee Card
      • Three Leaves Card Pattern
      • Let it Snow Card Pattern
      • Happy Birthday Card Pattern
      • Tundra Swan Card Pattern
      • Milepost Card Pattern
    • Store - Coffee Kuspuks/Quilt Panels >
      • Season of Hope Velvet Panel
      • Screen Prints
      • Coffee Kuspuk
      • Moonlight Moose Potholder Kit
      • Chickadee Menu Planner
      • Spring Flowers Coaster Pattern
      • Teresa Ascone Panels
      • Scrappy Baby Bib
    • Art For Sale
    • Molly Molecule Book
  • Online Classes
    • Simple Secrets for Art Quilting
    • Framed Collage Quilt Class
    • Crazy Quilt Greeting Card Class
  • Beret's Blog
  • 40 Ways
    • Videos 40 ways
  • About Us
    • Quilted Card Story
  • Favorite Resources
  • Tutorials
    • Grace quilt tutorial
    • Sewing Machine Needle Organizer Pincushion
    • Organza silk screen tutorial
    • Polymer Clay button tutorial
    • Birch Tree card tutorial
    • Coffee Shop greeting card
    • Free Motion Stitching Tutorials >
      • Free Motion Tutorial
      • 10 minute project tutorial
      • Valentine Coasters
      • Grape hyacinth postcard
      • Advanced free motion projects >
        • Sparkly 3D dragonfly wings
        • Inktense Frog quilt
        • Dream Big flower panel
    • Journal Cover - Book Tutorials >
      • Quilted Book Cover Tutorial
      • 1000 Gifts Journal Cover Tutorial
      • Quiet Book Tutorial
    • Tutorials for Our Kits >
      • Moonshadows Video Tutorials
      • Summer Dragonfly Video Tutorials
      • Serenity Video Tutorials
    • Video Tutorials - Screenprinting, Inktense, Quilted Card Binding
    • Pocket Prayer Quilt
  • Art Quilt Gallery
  • Quilted Cards Gallery
  • Fun Story
  • Contact Us
  • Sked Verks
    • Sked Verks Gallery
    • Sked Verks Online Store
  • Return Policy - FAQs