Feb
24
2010
Whether you want to embellish a wedding card, create a handcrafted framed wedding gift, or create a special card for your sweetheart, this versatile heart made of quilled flowers is the perfect way to express the beauty and magic of love.
To learn more about this 12-page downloadable PDF quilling pattern (ePattern),
click here or select the Quilling Patterns link at the top of this blog.
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Nov
03
2009
Twice a year, my local library system conducts a book sale of hardbacks, paperbacks, children’s books, magazines, and tapes, that have been either culled from circulation or donated by patrons for the sale. With the emergence of online used book sales through ebay, Amazon, etc., the lines are long and the sale is crowded, but if you are up for it, attending one of these events can lead to awesome treasures at a fraction of the price for new books (from $0.10 – $1).
I limit myself to two tote bags — if I can’t carry it, I can’t have it. Others, however, show up with rolling carts and suitcases! I have purchased some really nice old Christmas craft books along with some new ones on rubber stamping which provide wonderful inspiration for card layouts I can use with my quilling. For those into altered art, the possibilities are endless. I was raised in a household where books were revered and you didn’t mark in them, let alone cut them up, so I have a harder time thinking about books as potential art material, however I did pick up a pocket-sized 1978 World Atlas full of maps. I think that pieces of it would make a wonderful addition to a bon voyage card or scrapbook page of that special trip.
Contact your local library or visit their website to see if they have annual book sales. For me, I find it well worth the effort.
Quilling Tip: Readers Digest condensed books, or other nicely bound books, look wonderful as props for your quilling. Stack two on their side and top them with a piece of your framed quilling to create a bookshelf display you’ll be proud of.
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Oct
23
2009
We had a fun time quilling at the recent Mommy & Me quilling class. It was the first time I had taught a class with children, but they did great, as you can see!
…I will be teaching a beginner Christmas quilling class on Thursday, November 5th, from 6:00-8:30pm at the Marietta Community School, the continuing education division of Marietta City Schools. Check out the MCS online course catalog for complete registration information. There are still spaces available, so if you would like to get a head start on your Christmas decorating or gift-giving projects, please sign up and join us.
Newsletter Teaser
The second issue of my newsletter is almost ready. You’ll receive a free quilling pattern — this time for a popular late summer flower — along with complete instructions for turning it into a sunny card. You’ll also learn of a wonderful charity that will welcome all of the cards you can quill. So, if you haven’t signed up for my newsletter yet, do it now. You won’t want to miss it!
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Aug
28
2009
I just wanted to post a quick note letting you know that the paperwork is completed and it’s official — I will be teaching three beginner quilling classes through the
Marietta Community School, the continuing education division of Marietta City Schools. The classes will be taught at Marietta High School, Marietta, GA.
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Fall Quilling Basics – Thursday, Oct 8, 6:00-8:30pm
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Mom & Me & Halloween Quilling Basics – Thursday, Oct 15, 6:00-8:30pm
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Christmas Quilling Basics – Thursday, Nov 5, 6:00-8:30pm
In each class I’ll talk briefly about the history of quilling and show samples of the various quilling papers, tools, and books available. Next, I’ll show you how to make the basic coils and scrolls used most in quilling as you complete a shape chart to take home for reference. In the Fall and Christmas classes, we’ll create a colorful greeting card for our class project. In the Mom & Me & Halloween class, we’ll create spooky (well, not too spooky) treat bag toppers. You’ll go home with a pack of multi-colored quilling paper, a slotted quilling tool, plenty of informational handouts, and enough materials to complete two more projects so you can keep quilling after the class.
Check out the MCS online
course catalog for complete registration information. If you live in the area, I would like to extend a personal invitation for you to join me for a wonderful evening of quilling.
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Jul
24
2009
The Craft & Hobby Association (
CHA) is THE trade organization for craft manufacturers, designers, and instructors. It sponsors huge trade shows twice a year and almost all of the new crafting products that later show up in the craft stores and online are introduced at these trade shows. For those of you who remember, Carol
Duvall used to do a special each year on
HGTV where she would walk the trade show floor and give a sneak peek of what was to come. I watched each one with the excitement felt by little ones at Christmas and dreamed of the day when I, too, would make a trip to the show. The problem is — and it’s a big one — the show is open to the trade only. You must must meet their stringent qualifications to attend. I am working each day toward this goal, but in the meantime something quite fun has happened…
For the first time ever, the CHA is sponsoring a retail show immediately following the trade show!
There will be over 60 booths hosting make-n-takes at the show where you can sit down and create a project, learn a new technique from expert instructors and test-drive incredible products. And with nearly 90 different booths at the SuperShow, there will be aisles of inspiration, exciting demonstrations, contests, giveaways and incredible shopping opportunities!
My sister and I are driving down and going to the show both days so we won’t miss a thing. I didn’t see any quilling manufacturers on the exhibitor list, but their products might be included in those shown by a retailer. In any case, you can bet that I am going to keep a sharp eye out for any products that can be used with paper quilling. I will let you know what I find.
CHA CraftSuper Show
Orange County Convention Center – West Concourse
Orlando, FL, USA
SHOW DATES AND HOURS
Friday, July 31st 10:00am-6:00pm
Saturday, August 1st 9:00am-5:00pm
TICKETS ON SALE – Open to the Public
$14.00 2-day pass
$10.00 1-day pass
Children under 10 – FREE
*Note — there are many online discounts available. I received a $5 discount on my 2-day pass.
I encourage anyone who loves crafts and has the opportunity to attend. It should be such fun. For full details, just
click here.
Jul
06
2009
When I first started quilling years ago there were no classes and I didn’t know anyone else who practiced the art of paper filigree. It would have been so nice to have known an experienced quiller to learn from. When I discovered the North American Quilling Guild a few years ago I was thrilled. I joined NAQG that very day and discovered a wonderful group of amazingly talented quillers who are eager to share their quilling knowledge to all who ask. Which isn’t surprising since the Guild’s mission is to “promote the lovely art of quilling and ensure that it is passed on to future generations.”
Even though the organization’s name is the North American Quilling Guild, all may join and we have many active members from all over the world.
Donna Del Giudice, NAQG Archivist, recently listed the benefits of becoming a NAQG member and graciously gave her permission for me to share this list with you.
NEWSLETTER
4 newsletters per year (English Guild only sends 3)
WEBSITE
Access to Member’s Only corner of the website, this includes:
1. Access to all historical newsletters for reference at any time
2. Full color versions of the newsletter
3. Special patterns and pictures from other members – not accessible by the general public
4. There are over 40 new patterns posted each year
5. New patterns posted every month
6. History of the NAQG and past NAQGCON / AGMs
7. NAQG pays costs for the website and hosting
YAHOO GROUP
Access to NAQGMembers Yahoo Group, this includes:
1. Quilling SWAPS with talented quillers across the world
2. Quillers who can answer your quilling questions
NAQGCON (annual convention)
Discounted Registration to the NAQGCON, this includes:
1. Quilling Classes
2. Some Meals
3. Quilling Break-Out Sessions
Teachers volunteer their time, knowledge, and materials during the conference
Quilling Classes are FREE!!! (many other organizations charge a separate fee to attend classes)
Special gifts to all NAQGCON attendees
MEMBERSHIP/COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
New Membership package (Membership Letter w/card; bylaws, quilling bibliography, membership booklet or Renewal package (Membership Letter w/card)
Invitations to local mini meets
Discounts through various quilling suppliers
Access to quillers across the globe
Regional Reps and Board Members, this includes:
1. Regional Reps to assist with any questions
2. Promote quilling in their communities and around the globe (includes)
a. Distribute brochures
b. Contact museum curators/gallery owners
c. Contact news media
FUTURE PLANS
Accreditation program
Special quilling exhibits
I encourage you to visit the
North American Quilling Guild website to learn more about this great organization. Let’s join together to keep the ART OF QUILLING alive!
Jun
18
2009
I have exciting news!! My new
e-book, “Quilling with Confidence”, has just been released, and is being offered free to visitors on my blog.
I’ve long wanted to share the techniques of quilling, and have put together a digital book filled with great information that I wish I had known when I first started quilling.
Along with a bit about the background history of this fascinating art form, I’ll introduce you to the tools and supplies you’ll need to get started. Then its time to learn the basics of quilling –coils and scrolls — and how to assemble your completed piece of
quillwork. I’ve even included three new projects to try, from beginner to more advanced. These are complete projects and include more than just the pattern for the quilling itself. You’ll find a photo of the completed piece, a materials list, and a line drawing of the quilling you can print off and use with your quilling work board. This
e-book is chock full of helpful hints and tips, and even has a section that addresses common quilling problems.
This is a downloadable copy, and I want to send you one. Just sign up for my newsletter so you can keep up to date with more patterns and additional ideas and tips, and I’ll get you your copy right away!
Your information will not be shared, and the e-book is free to everyone, so I hope you’ll take a moment to subscribe and get your copy now!
Let’s start quilling today!!
May
05
2009
On Thursday evening, I checked in at the welcome table set up by this year’s conference hostess, Lois
Bandt-Weber and was given a name tag decorated with the cutest
quilled palm tree and sunglasses. I was then handed a tote bag full of
quilling goodies generously donated by the
NAQG (North American Quilling Guild) and several quilling vendors (a big thank you to
Whimsiquills, Lake City Crafts, and
Quilled Creations). It was at that moment I knew — this was going to be good!
Friday morning found me sitting in a room with 20 other eager quillers ready to learn how to make treasure boxes. These are adorable 3D boxes made from large tight coils that are shaped to look like a terra cotta pot with a lid. We decorated ours with spiral roses. Our teacher was none other than the designer herself, Alli Bartkowski. My next class was on husking. This technique involves wrapping the quilling paper around pins in a set pattern to form flower petals, leaves, butterfly wings, etc. It is a more structured process, but actually creates a very lacy design. Coils can be inserted inside the paper loops for even more color and variation.
Other classes taught that morning were on Swedish stars, spider mums, iris folding, and basic greeting cards. I saw samples of the students’ work and I know they had an equally good time learning new quilling techniques and skills.
We continued on after lunch and made some cute bookmarks. I purchased a paper crimper that I had been wanting for my collection of tools and had a ball playing with it and sharing it with my table mates.
Saturday was the big day for seeing everyone else’s quillwork. Competition entries were examined and voted on in the morning and those who brought finished quilling pieces to share set them out for all to see in the afternoon. At 3:00 the winners were announced and I am so pleased to report that my 4-Square framed wall art piece won second place! It was so wonderful seeing the many beautiful designs created by these talented artists. Up until this point, pretty much the only quilling I had seen “up close and personal” had been my own. I was like a kid in a candy store. And not only did I get to see it, but I got to talk with the actual artist. And these artists came from all over the world. We had several from Japan, and one each from Spain, England, and Puerto Rico. What a treat!
All during the conference, a hospitality suite was open from 7:00am until 11:00pm. It contained three large tables and a pile of paper strips. At any given time, from one to 30 women could be found happily quilling, sharing techniques and ideas. It was a great weekend of fellowship and creativity. I can’t wait until the next one!
Apr
29
2009
I am so excited! This will be my first time attending the national North American Quilling Guild Conference (NAQGCON). It’s being held at the Sheraton Suites Tampa Airport, 4400 West Cypress, in Tampa, FL, May 1-3.
Friday will be a full day of classes and workshops. We will also get to take a look at the pieces entered into the juried competition. This year there are five categories: (1) quilled cards (angel theme), (2) free standing quilling, (3) framed quilling, (4) miniature quilling, and (5) quillng & beyond. In addition, all pieces entered are eligible for the People’s Choice Award.
I am entering two quilled pieces this year: a framed four-square piece that is pure quilling with no embellishments, and an heirloom Christmas ornament crafted from a real hen’s egg, quilling paper that is only 1/16″ wide (the most common width used is 1/8″) to ensure better detail, and lots of Swarovski crystals for that touch of bling.
On Saturday the conference is open to the public. If you are anywhere near the Tampa area, I encourage you to stop by. Members will have pieces they quilled during the previous year set up for all to admire and vendors will have booths full of quilling books, tools, and paper. What a great opportunity for you to see quality paper filigree up close and talk to others who share your interest in the art of quilling. Contest winners will be announced in the evening.
Sunday morning will bring more open quilling and/or demos, then it’s lunch with my crafting buddies and a flight out that evening to come home.
To paraphrase Scrooge on Christmas morning, “I’m as giddy as a school girl.” It is going to be such a blast — meeting new friends, learning new techniques, sharing crative ideas — I can’t wait!
Apr
28
2009
Hello, my name is Charlotte Canup and my passion is quilling! Quilling, also known as paper filigree, is a fascinating art form that is centuries old. Strips of paper are rolled, scrolled, crimped, fringed, spiraled, and hand pressed into shapes that are glued to each other to form intricate designs. While there are relatively few basic shapes, the variations of each are endless. If you can imagine it, you can create it!
There are three fundamental elements to consider when planning a quilling project:
- The quilling itself — the type and color of the papers and the choice of quilled shapes used to create the design;
- the embellishments — with the explosion of scrapbooking onto the craft scene has come a seemingly endless supply of ephemera that can be used to enhance quilling projects;
- the “canvas” — how the quilling is displayed (in a frame, on a card, mounted on a box, etc., or not used at all as is the case with free-standing 3D pieces).
Each of these components contributes to the overall look and feel of a finished piece of quilled art.
I want to discover new ways of creating, enhancing, and displaying The Art of Quilling and share this journey with others.
Come explore the possibilities with me …
After numerous requests, I am pleased to announce the release of my Quilled Floral Heart Wreath ePattern that was recently featured in the blog post, Enhance Your Quilling with Blending Chalks. 
