The Living Canvas Blog

I’m Kirbi — an illustrator, maker and writer. I live in Michigan on a small Homestead with my husband, evan.

Here I share my art beyond my books — collaborations, miniature gardening, textiles, crafts …

life is my canvas.

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More Pooh Bear....
More Pooh Bear....

When you have a long-time friend, each milestone is I think, all the sweeter. My Auntie heart is full these days, my sweet friend from kindergarten is having a boy! Here is, yes, another one of my quilts, and yes - Pooh themed again! Pooh was one of our favorites growing up and I was perfectly inspired to give a Winnie the Pooh theme quilt another go.

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Our heart Song is coming....
Our heart Song is coming....
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VLOG - Reflections from a recent school visit
VLOG - Reflections from a recent school visit
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Snow and Stitch scrolls...
Snow and Stitch scrolls...

The stitch scroll concept is simple. Two layers of fabric: the bottom strip and the scraps on top. If you follow my projects you may recognize pieces of my mini quilt coral/purple ombre that Evan accidentally set on fire… It lives again! On the top layer, the little scraps can be basted down or stitched down on as you go. For the bottom strip, I’m using a jelly roll. It’s 2.5 inches wide but I don’t see why we could do a scroll at any size.

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Unexpected Dream Fulfilled
Unexpected Dream Fulfilled

At the end of the semester, I didn’t sell my textbook like most of my classmates because the reproduction of Lady Agnew was better than anything you could see online. My interest in Lady Agnew went deeper than my interest in color, brushstrokes, and composition. Much of what I’ve read about Lady Agnew is conflicting but one thing every historian agrees on - Lady Agnew was sick, throughout her life and in this portrait.

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Aunt Mode: Classic Pooh Heirloom Quality Quilt
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Video Interview on FOX 17: A Horse Named Sky
Video Interview on FOX 17: A Horse Named Sky

Fox News recently did a segment on the morning mix celebrating A Horse Named Sky success on the New York Times Bestsellers list! Thanks for having me Fox! A Horse Named Sky is available wherever you buy books and a great fift idea for your animal-loving 4th-7th grader.

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Adventures in Poke Vine
Adventures in Poke Vine

One of my favorite finds on our new property has been these dried curly vines that edge some of the property, which I now know is poke vine. This fall, I’ve been very limited in what creative tools I have on hand because of the move. The poke vine immediately inspired me and without any access to my art supplies at the time, I was itching to do anything with my hands.

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A Purple Fall
A Purple Fall

From my sketchbook to the kitchen to the garden purple is showing up everywhere and the color of my fall.

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