Virginia A. Spiegel

After the Rain
Karen Stiehl Osborn

Karen Stiehl Osborn has generously donated six photos (including the one above) to Foto/Fiber 2012.  They will be available in a very limited edition of three each on February 15 and 16 as part of our new fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

Karen has been a strong supporter of Fiberart For A Cause since its inception in 2005 in memory of her Dad, lost too early to cancer.  Karen and I used to paint together once a month when I lived in Nebraska and we also spent some hilarious weekends conducting very weird fiber art experiments (burning! discharging!) at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts.

Karen and I are now part of a private group, 5 Photos, whose members have committed to taking at least five photos a day and posting the best five each week.  We have been doing this for over a year, so photography seemed a natural addition to our fiber fundraiser.

Karen shares her photography daily on her A Photographic Life blog.  She also volunteers as a photographer with   the Hand, Hearts, and Paws all-animal rescue in Omaha, NE.  Her photos make such a difference in showing the lovability of these neglected and often abused animals.  I am not a dog person, but even I want to adopt one after seeing her photos.

 After seeing hundreds photos of Karen’s over the past year, I can tell you that she has chosen the best of the best for Foto/Fiber 2012.  We are focusing on the beautiful, the inspiring, and the positive for this fundraiser and Karen’s photos will continue to inspire you long after they arrive in your mailbox.

More of Karen’s photos for Foto/Fiber 2012 will be featured on this blog and on the Foto/Fiber 2012 webpages prior to February 15 and 16 with a review of all 90 photos posted on or before February 14.

P.S.  We haven’t forgotten the FIBER!  Coming in the new year will be previews of the BONUSES (including three from Karen) from our amazing team of 36 artists as well as the fiber art to be given away in drawings for the ninety (yes, that’s it, just 90) Foto/Fiber 2012 patrons.

The Blurberati at Blurb Book are in the holiday mood.  They are offering $10 off orders of $29.95 or more – codes and fine print below.  Here’s a preview of my book:

Wild at the Edges: Inspiration from a Creative Life by Virginia A. Spiegel | Make Your Own Book

USD $ coupon: CHEER
GBP £ coupon: CHEER1
EUR € coupon: CHEER2
CAD $ coupon: CHEER3
AUD $ coupon: CHEER4

* Offer valid through December 31, 2010 (11:59 p.m. local time) and is applied toward the product total only. Offer discount of US $10.00, GBP £6.00, EUR €8.00, CAD $11.00, or AUD $12.00 requires a minimum order of at least US $29.95, GBP £18.95, EUR €24.95, CAD $30.95, or AUD $35.95 shipped to one address. This offer is good for one-time use and cannot be combined with other promotional codes or used for adjustments on previous orders.

Once you are on Blurb, go ahead and search on fiber art for many books that would make great holiday gifts.

Once December comes, I’m always looking for peppy things to make me happy (and the winter seem shorter).  I came in to my studio yesterday and noticed all the cheerful blue.

Do you like my “Blue Moo?”  Really it’s a WittFitt “chair.”  I found my “Blue Moo” after seeing an article in the local paper about schools using these “chairs.”  If you are like me, sitting and sewing for hours on end (even with breaks) just kills my legs.  This seems to be an excellent solution.  I have absolutely no affiliation with WittFitt, but love the product and their customer service.

Notice the rolled art quilt (Boundary Waters 51) with the blue backing.  It’s rolled because it is my entry to a hush-hush juried invitational.  I hope to finish it up early in 2010 and MOVE ON.

This is not Photoshopped in any way.  The sun came up through the clouds and snow this morning and the world was pink.  I went out later in the normal white world and it was a photographer’s dream.  Shoveling, not so much.