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Inspired by her articles in Watercolor Magic, Betsy Dillard Stroud delivers creative challenges, inspirational chapters and profiles that reveal the expressive thought process behind her own work in The Artist's Muse. What discoveries hide behind your creative door? Turn the key for a bona fide aesthetic joy ride.

Book Details
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1000+ Books & Magazines Index click here

The  Artist's Muse
Hardback bound that opens like a notebook
to reveal book & cards

Instruction Page
Inside the Cover you'll find the above three decks of cards that suggest subjects to paint, color schemes to explore, and creative approaches that force you to think "outside the box."

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The Artist's Muse
Unlock The Door To Your Creativity

Author: Betsy Dillard Stroud
Pages: 95
Page size: 8 1/2" x 10"
Publisher: North Light Books
Cover: Hard with removable book & card tray
Item Code: 4L0150
Weight: 1.9 lb
20% off: $21.60
MSRP: $26.99
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Back Cover Information

Creative opportunity is always knocking, but can you hear it over the drone of everyday life? Unlock the door and open it wide to allow your muse to appear. Travel artistic pathways you've left uncharted, unrevealed, untried.

Inspired by her popular articles in Watercolor Magic, Betsy Dillard Stroud delivers creative challenges, inspirational chapters and profiles that reveal the personal and expressive thought process behind her own work and the work of many other successful artists. Inside, explore ways to loosen up, break through creative blocks and stray joyously from the beaten path.

What glorious discoveries hide behind your creative door? Turn the key for a bona fide aesthetic joy ride.

Cut The Card!

To play, simply draw a card from one, two or all three decks, depending on how much you wish to challenge yourself. Then create a painting based on the directives written on the cards you choose. Every shuffle of the deck guarantees an aesthetic win. What are you waiting for? Pick a card!

 

Author Betsy Dillard  Stroud About the Author

Betsy Dillard Stroud grew up in Rocky Mount, Virginia in a family with a host of characters straight from the pages of Tennessee Williams, Eugene O'Neill and Noel Coward. When she was eight, an insightful uncle gave her a set of oil paints, and she began to study with a private tutor. Her next artistic phase included drawing frizzy headed women smoking cigarettes (blond with no eyebrows) wearing extremely low-cut bathing suits

A former art historian, Stroud received her B.A. in art from Radford University and her M.A. in art history from the University of Virginia, where she was the first woman in the graduate arts program. She had just completed her course work and her orals for the doctorate when she wrote her first book—changing her life forever.

Since 1987, Stroud has conducted workshops and judged exhibitions nationwide. Her work hangs in collections all over the United States, and also in Japan, England, Australia, Canada and the Bahamas.

Stroud is a signature member and Dophin Fellow of the American Watercolor Society and holds signature status in the National Watercolor Society and the Rocky Mountain National Watercolor Honor Society. A professional writer, Stroud has authored three books, most recently Painting From the Inside Out. She has written for magazines for the last nineteen years and for the last five has been contributing editor to Watercolor Magic. When not painting, writing, playing the piano, ballroom dancing, watching movies or going to Park Central Toastmaster, you can find her daydreaming. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her new bad cat, Hamlet.

Table of Contents

 
Introduction 5
The Core of Creativity 6
The Spring of Creativity 11
A Creative Journey Through the Written Word 17
The Creative Doodle 21
Pouring on Creativity 25
A Walk Into Creativity 30
A Line to Creativity 34
Jazz Up Your Creativity 40
Inside the Creative Rectangle 46
Double Your Creativity 51
The Window to Your Creativity 56
Color Your World Creatively 60
Unmask Your Creativity 66
Shape Up Your Creativity 69
Inside the Creative Mind of "Batt Man" 72
Creativity: The Black, White and Gray of It 75
The Creative Lift 78
Homage to the Creative Square 81
The Creative Now 84
Moving On Creatively 87
Resources and Recommended Reading 90
Conclusion 91
Game Instructions 92
Index 94


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Related Items

1000+ Books & Magazines Index click here

Art & Art Quilts

Explore & Develop Creativity, Design & Color Expression thru exercises

Art + Quilt Design
Art + Quilt Design
Design Principles & Creativity Exercises

by Lyric Kinard
Art Quilt Workbook
Art Quilt Workbook
by Jane Davila and Elin Waterston
Book & Card Kit
The Artist's Muse
The Artist's Muse
by Besty Dillard Stroud
Explore Design
Creative Quilts
Creative Quilts
by Sandra Meech

Design Explorations fo the Creative Quilter
Design Explorations
for the Creative Quilter

by Katie Pasquini Masopust

Exploring Colour
Exploring Colour
Experimental Approaches
to Color & Stitch
by Julia Caprana
Fearless Design
Fearless Design for Every Quilter
by Lorraine Torrence & Jean B. Mills
It's All About You
It's All About You
Ngaire Bartlam
The New Creative Artist
The New Creative Artist
by Nita Leland
Quilt Challenge
Quilt Challenge
"What If" Ideas
for Color & Design
by Sharyn Craig, Pamela Mostek
The Quilting Arts Book
Quilting Art Book
by Patricia Bollton

DVD
Teach You Art QIuilting DVD
Teach You Art Quilting

with Jane Davila &
Erin Waterston

Quilter's Book of Design Cover
The Quilter's Book of Design

Expanded 2nd Edition
by Ann Johnston
Visual Chronicles
Visual Chronicles
by Linda Woods and Karen Dinino

Ideas for Fabric Designs & Printing Your Own Fabric

 

Fabric Swatches & Textures

Books, Books w/ CD or CDs

Bk & CD
w/ 120+ Patterns
Batik Patterns
Batik Patterns

by Pepin Press
Book w/ CD
200+ Images
Fabric Textures & Patterns
Fabric Textures & Patterns
by Elisabetta "Kuky" Drudi
250 desins on CD
Pattern Storybook:  Japanese Style
Pattern Storybook: Japanese Style

by Shigeki Nakamura
 
i colour abstract designs
i Colour book
Abstract Designs
i Colour Designs From Nature i
i Colour
Designs from Nature

Electric Quilts Stash CDs
Spring & Fall Release of Fabric Collections in bitmap format
Fall 09Spring 09Fall 08Stash Spring 2008 Stash Fall 2002

Mixed-Media Surface Design (Multiple topics in same book, see Table of Contents)
(Glitter, Foil, Paint, Stamping, Crayon, Embroidery, Pens, Dyeing, 3-D, Polymer Clay, Fabric Etching)

Mixed Media, Collage & Experimenting for the Quilt Artist

Paints, Pens, Dyes Beads & Charms Art Quilt Magazines Art Quilt Index Mixed Media
Embellishment for Art Quilts: Beading & Embroidery for Art Quilts Wearable Art Index Threads & Yarns  

Tim Holtz Books & DVDs

Mixed Media & Collage using Alcohol Inks, Powders & More to Distress, Layer,Transfer, Stamp, Fold, Glaze & More

Adirondack Inks
Tim Holtz's
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Alcohol Inks & Acessories
Grungepaper
Grungepaper
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Grungebook
Grungebook
6"x 6"
Grungebook
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5" x 7"
Book
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DVD
DVD An Altered Journey
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With Interactive Gallery
DVD
Distressable Alphas and Numbers DVD
Distressables Alphas and Numbers
9 Numbers- 7 Alphas- 3 Kits
by Tim Holtz

DVD
Distressables Elements DVD
Distressables Elements
by Tim Holtz

  DVD
Distressables Papers and Frames DVD
Distressables Papers and Frames
by Tim Holtz
DVD
DVD The Journey Continues
The Journey Continues
with Tim Holtz
With Interactive Gallery
   

Tim Holtz's
Adirondack® Alcohol Inks

Use on Metals, Plastics, Slick Surfaces & Fabrics

Adirondack Alcohol Inks Tim Holtz
Ink Kits
Lights
Brights
Earthtones
Metallic Mixatives

Adirondack Fillable Pen
Fillable Pen
Adirondack Blending Solution
Adirondack Ink
Blending Solution
Adirondack Ink Applicator
Applicator & Refill Pads

Mixed Media

Collage Influenced Quilts

Altered  Art Projects
Altered Art Projects
by Jill Haglund
Applique Paper Greetings Cover
Appliqué Paper Greetings

by Elly Sienkiewicz

The Art of Fabric Collage

by Rosemary Eichorn
Collage Sourcebook
Collage Sourcebook
with Featured Artists
Collage Unleashed
Collage Unleashed
by Traci Bautista
Creating with Fabric
Creating with Fabric
by Lesley Riley, KC Willis, Lisa Engelbrecht, Jill Haglund, Julie McCullough, Pamel Allen & More
Creative Collage
Creative Collage
by Marie Browning
Embellishing with Anything
Embellishing with
Anything Fiber
by Gladys Love
Fabric Art Collage
Fabric Art Collage

by Rebekah Meier
It's All About You
It's All About You
Ngaire Bartlam
Mixed Media Explorations
Mixed Media Exploration
by Beryl Taylor
Mixed-Mania
Mixed Mania

by Debbi Crane & Cheryl Prater
Stitched Collage
Stitched Collage
Creative Effects on Paper & Fabric
by Sherril Kahn
 

Memory Quilt Inspiration from Scrapbook Ideas to Collage in Fabric


Dimensional Delights
by Liz Aneloski

Digital Delights for Scrapbooking
by Sue Martin

Scrap Your Stuff
by Create & Treasure
Stitching Memories
Stitching Memories
Guide to Scrapbooking with Sewing Machine

by Marsh Newman Nuttall

Memory Quilts: Fabric Printing, Collage, & Scrapbook Style Layouts

Includes section on
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Beginner's Guide to Art Quilts
Beginner's Guide to Art Quilts

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Fast, Fun & Easy
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Memories on Fabric
by Sue Hale
Out of Print

Moment In Time
by Jan T Urquhart with Angela M Clark
Quilted Memories
Quilted Memories

Lesley Riley

Mixed Media in Quilts

Books for the Fiber & Quilt Artist
emphasis fabric, thread, stitch & bead emphasis, some with other techniques also

Also See:
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Cover: All Beaded Up
All Beaded Up
By Machine

by Terry White


Art of Stitching on Metal
for Multi-Media, Textile & Embroidery Artists
by Ann Parr
Bold and Beautiful
Bold and Beautiful
Artful Quilts from Just One Fabric
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Creatice Sketchbook for Embroiderers & Textrile Artists
Creative Sketchbooks for Embroiderers and Textile Artists

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Explore Design
Creative Quilts
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Embellishing with Anything
Embellishing with
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by Gladys Love
Exploring Textile Arts
Exploring Textile Arts

From Creative Publishing
Fabulous Fabrics
Fabulous Fabrics

innovative fabric embellishment
by Mary Jo Hiney

From Images to Stitch
From Images to Stitch
by Maggie Grey
Fabric Printing & Embroidery

Silk Paper Creations Cover
Silk Paper Creations
for the Fibre Artist

by Judith Pinnell
Surfaces for Stitch
Surfaces for Stitch

by Gwen Hedley
 

Quilt Embellishment Overview

Mixed Media Combining Stitching, Beading, Painting, Embroidery & More

Contemporary Quilts, Design, Surface & Stitch
Contemporary Quilts
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by Sandra Meech
Dream Landscapes
Dream Landscapes

Artful Quilts with
Fast-Piece Couching Applique
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Exploring Textile Arts
Embellished Mini-Quilts
Creative Little Works of Art

by Jamie Fingal
Floorquilts
Floorquilts
by Ellen Highsmith Silver
  Quilter's Directory of Embellishments
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Quilt Toppings
Quilt Toppings

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Quilt & Embellish in One Step
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Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn Book Series & Other Books

 

Series includes dimensional stitching by hand & machine with heavy weight fibers, threads and yarns, bonding/fiusibles, water souble stabilizers, painting, stamping, fabric manipulation, texture and more.

 

Other Books
Stitch Magic
Stitch Magic and Interpretation
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Other Books
Stitches: New Approaches
Stitches: New Approaches

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Vanishing Act
Vanishing Act

Machine Embroidery
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Voluptuous Velvet Bk 2
Voluptuous Velvet

Book 2
by Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn

Bonding and Beyond
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Transfer to Transform cover
Transfer to Transform
Book 4
Gardens and More
Gardens and More
Book 5
Conversations with Constance
Conversations with Constance
Book 6
Trees as a Theme
Trees as a Theme
Book 7
Giving Pleasure
Giving Pleasure
Book 8

New Dimensions
New Dimensions
in Hand and Machine
Embroidery
Book 9
Double Vision
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Book 10
A Tale of Two Stitches
A Tale of Two Stitches
Book 11
A Sketch In Time
A Sketch in Time
Book 12
No Stone Unturned book 13
No Stone Unturned
Book 13
Connections Book 14
Connections
Book 14


Colour Explorations
Book 15
by Jan Beaney & Jean Littlejohn

Over the Line
Over the Line
Book 16
Grids to Stitch
Grids to Stitch
Book 17
Seductive Surfaces
Seductive Surfaces
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red book 19
Red
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book 20
Enrich & Embellish
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stencilsModular System
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Unique & very original Stencils that can be used with quilting, thread painting, glitter, foils, inks, paints, batik & more

Mixed Media

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Fabric Inks & Alcohol Inks

Foil, Craft Metal & Glues (Use with Alcohol Inks)

All-Purpose InksAll-Purpose Inks by Tsukineko Foil Sheets
Foil Colors Foil Glue & 16 Colors: Econo Kits, 12 x 36 & 50 yd rolls
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Fabric Paints, Paintstiks & Pigments

Batik-EzBatik-EZ Resist Medium
Crafter's Pick

MicroCut Glitter & Glue

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2. Jones Tones MicroCut / Ultra Fine Glitter
Highlighter, Metallic, Hologram, Prismatic, Glitter Glue
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exciter packsJacquard Exciter & Airbrush Packs
9 sets (9 colors each)
PebeoPebeo Setacolor Transparent
(sun painting/printing)
Pebeo Setacolor Opaque
excellent for light and dark fabrics

Fabric & Illustration Pens

Simply SpraySimply Spray and Stencil Spray
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T juice markers Jacquard Tee Juice Markers
Broad & Fine Tip
Shiva Paint SticksShiva Paintstiks
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Copic PensCopic Pens Dual Tip Markers
Alcohol Inks
refill pens and replacement nibs

Micas added to Pigment & Paints for that extra glitz

Fabrico Dual Tip MarkersFabrico Dual Tip Marker Pens Tsukineko
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Pearl Ex Jacquard Pearl Ex
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FabricMate Dual Color MarkersFabricMate Dual Color Marker Pens, Yasutomo
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Polished PictmentsLuminArte Polished Pigments
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Chisel Tip MarkerFabric Mate Chisel Tip Marker Pen, Yasutomo
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Pen-TouchWhite Pen-Touch Metallic Ink Marker, Sakura
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Polished PictmentsLuminArte H2Os Shimmering Watercolors
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Permawriter II Permawrite II, Yasutomo BLACK
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Polished PictmentsLuminArte Radiant Rain Shimmering Mist Watercolors
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Tools & Accessories for Paint, Stencil & Craft Projects

PebeoPebeo Setacolor Shimmering Lutradur Lutradur, a cross between paper and fabric, used for photo printing, painting, heat w/ heat gun & much more
Shiva Paint SticksIridescent Shiva Paintstiks
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ALL Stamps, Stamp Pads, Cleaner, Books, DVDs

sample PFD Prepared for Dyeing Fabric and Studio Art Cloth (triple laminated white canvas good for floor cloth and stable surface for fabric painting)
stampsArt Girlz Doll, Word & Inchies Stamps stencilsDoodling Stencil & Templates
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VersaCraftVersaCraft Ink Stamp Pads
25 colors for fabric, paper and more!
1"x1" Square or 3"x4" Rectangular
ink dropper DaubersDaubers, Squeegee and Ink Dropper for Ink, Dye & Paint Application
StazOn StazOn All Purpose Cleaner syringes Syringes for Paints, Pens, Dyes, Inks, Resists
acrylic block Acrylic Clear Blocks
use with unmounted rubber stamps
mini spoons & scoopsMini Scoopers & Mini Spoons

DVD, CD, Videos for Embellishment & Surface Design

misty fuse Misty Fuse:
Black, White, & UV
Embellish & Surface Design DVD, CD, Videos:
Beading, Thread Painting, Surface Design, Collage, Mixed Media, Foiling, Stamping, & More while working with paints, pens, dyes, inks, foils, glitters, shaving cream, and more
jarsfunnel large eyedropper Small Funnel, Lg. Eye Dropper, Small Organizer Jars

Fabric Dyes

Stencil Brush and CleanerStencil Brushes & Brush Soap
jacquard iDyeJacquard iDye & iDye Poly Niji Waterbrush Niji Waterbrushes
5 sizes

Art Quilts & Mixed Media Books & Magazines

yroker spout squeeze bottle Squeeze bottle with stainless steel tip Stainless steel tip8 oz, 16 oz. Yorker Spout Bottles & Plastic Squeeze 1/2 oz. Bottles w/ Ultra Fine Stainless Steel Tips 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 mm.
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Beads, Charms

Buttons

Laurel Burch
Totes, Mugs, Plates, Jewelry, Socks, Buttons
Threads, Ribbons, Yarns & Angelina Fibers, Roving

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