I love templates

Oh--how quickly September flew by. I have been spending much of my time working on a very big quilt. Finally I have the top half of the piece done and sewn together. Yes, it is so big it is hard to get a good picture in the studio.

The bottom half of the quilt is outlined--I still have 23 blocks to piece and then it has to get sewn together and hand-finished. Oh it does seem like it will never end. Though I do think it will look great when it's done.

Meanwhile I look at the calendar and realize that I have been working so hard that I haven't really had enough time to prepare for the Paradise City Arts Festival this coming week-end in Northampton. Now this is one of my very favorite shows. Linda and Geoff Post use great care to make sure the show is a fun experience. There is great food, great music, great art.

For me, this is a local show--I can actually sleep in my own bed. Sweet. Of course this increases the pressure  since I want people I see every day to know more about me and my quilts.

I look at the flyer I handed out this spring. Amazingly it is so out of date already. Most of the quilts pictured on it have been sold or on display in various gallery shows. I do have a collection of new work that I want to highlight. I am in new shows that I want to be noted.

Yes, I  have a postcard which gives my web site and blog site. But I want a bit more about me. Shows I am in--highlights from my career. How I make the work. Even a bit about why I make the work. Time to make a new flyer.  Sure, I could write a statement and just copy that. But I want more excitement about it--I am not sure that in today's world simple statements get read carefully. Plus I feel that  my quilts make strong images. Put my best foot forward so to speak.

Now, my knowledge of Photoshop is rather basic. I can crop, size, even play with color. But I don't know all the features. I don't really know all the other editing possibilities either. Yes, I could use a graphic designer--but lets face it--I need this by Thursday. Planning ahead is not always my strong point.

Instead I get out my templates--now I must confess I am lucky enough to have an Apple and I do own iWord. So I go to iPages--lots of templates there. Flyers, brochures. Places to put pictures in. Places for text. I choose one that works. Add images. A bit of writing. Play with it a bit. I am pleased how quickly this goes. I proofread as well as possible. What do you think? Here' s the front.

And the back.

Now I e-mail the images to get it printed. Hopefully it will be here by Thursday. Set-up is Friday. Oh don't I wish I was more organized. But I must confess it is fun to play with the templates. I'll just have to see if it is effective.

What do you think? Do you use templates to create flyers, brochures, whatever? Do you read such hand-outs?