On to Houston!!!!

A pair of sisters are heading to Houston's International Quilt Festival. My friend, Nancy, and I are meeting her sister, Jeanette who lives in Houston and my sister, Marlene, who is flying in Houston. And am I ever excited. This is my first time!

Images: the surfer dude is my fabric take of papier mache. I assisted with a children's class. I found the drift wood and ended up making a surfer! And I loved the process. Loved it so much I've made another - a lady this time - no picture yet, I'm afraid. The other image is examples of memo pad covers. I have more planned. I enjoy making these bits of fiber art!!!!! And hope they sell at the upcoming Christmas show.

That's all for now. On to Houston I go

Gelatin Plate Printing with friends

I played around with another gelatin plate before sharing this technique with my local fiber friends. I did some different things - inking the plate, laying the fabric down, then drawing with chopstick, then pulling the fabric up, of course I had to go further and pressed another fabric square on top of the plate to get another print. I also played around with pressing a shell on the inked plate - that was okay but cut into the gelatin. So I tried inking the plate, laying the fabric on top and then pressing the shell on - not so firmly, just enough to my an imprint. I did ink up the shell with black and printed on top the the fabric to add interest.

I made up some gelatin plates and took them to my local fiber group. It sure looked like they had a good time. Lots of smiles!!!!!!!!

Book Covers

Been making datebook, journal, composition book covers. Most I've used machine needle felting along with machine stitching to finish them up. I've come up with a pattern - a way that I like the finished product to be. Took awhile but I like the finished look. My plan is to offer these as great Christmas gifts at the upcoming Christmas Art and Craft Show in Columbia, SC.

Gelatin Plate Printing

I was so excited with my prints that I didn't take the time to iron them properly. My sources/inspiration comes from the books: Making Monotypes Using a Gelatin Plate by Nancy Marculewicz and Create Your Own Hand-printed cloth by Ryna Gillman. I made a clay dam - shaping a clay snake coil into a rectangle, added the Knox gelatin(4 pkg to 1 cup of cool water, mixed, then added 1 cup of boiling water) set to cool, overnight. Removed the clay dam and went at it. I'm very naturally so on went some leaves and of course a circle for the sun. I used a "Gift" cloth (leftover paint on brayer, paint brush, stamps on plain bleached muslin)as a base. I'm getting ahead of myself here. First, I squirted some paint(not too much)on the gelatin, rolled it out, placed on the leaves and the circle, placed fabric on top and gently pressed and rubbed. Pulled off the cloth and voila! Then I printed a ghost print by putting another cloth on top of the plate and rubbed. Another print. Took the stencils off - the leaves and the circle - put them face down on yet another cloth. Took yet another cloth and placed it on the gelatin plate and viola another print. I had a ball playing.

Where did the time go?

I've been busy though much too quiet on this blog. My apologies.

Above are some images of things I've been doing. There's more but I haven't taken pictures yet. I've made needlefelted datebook covers, journal covers and designing sketch book covers as well. And I've made some coiled baskets using cotton clothesline with fancy yarns. Photos to come soon, I promise.

For the First Street Gallery, Neptune Beach, Florida's Sea Turtle Show (held annually) I exhibit my turtle wall art, dyed and printed scarves, notecards and new this year, discharged black t-shirts. I made my own stencils.

My bead artist friend Ronnie and I taught art to our local Senior Citizens group. I designed and sewed the dolls. The seniors glued fabric pieces to the bodies, drew on the arms and legs, picked the hair yarns. They seemed to enjoy themselves. Ronnie and I sure did. Ronnie plans to use the same doll pattern for our Art Association's free children's art program.

I dyed, painted, leaf printed a bunch of silk scarves, getting ready for a Christmas Show coming up in November. How I love to leaf print.

I designed my own sea turtle bowl awhile back when I just couldn't stand making the then popular fabric bowls. I just create a few at a time, very crafty now that the design phase is over. People do like these creations.

The "Twirling Leaves" piece I created for my Leaf Printing Class. I wanted to do a simple yet elegant piece - not too artsy for the traditional quilters.

Now, I must get in my daily, meditative, yet energizing beach walk in before I hit the studio again. I'm finishing up a needlefelted journal cover, then I want to play with my gelatin plate, doing some monoprinting. Just for the fun of it!!!!