Leaf Printing

"Maple Monotypes" is completed. The top was constructed awhile ago and has been gracing my design wall. I extensively machine quilted it. I just love the maple leaves which I collected at my sister's house in California years ago. Dried leaves can be used over and over again, but there is a limit. I'll have to get more on my next visit.

I've been busy getting my instructor write up for this year's Nature Printing Society's Workshop in Oregon for this September. I'm giving a basic leaf printing on fabric day long class. I designed a nature journal as one of the projects I'll be offering. The journal covers will be sewn before hand, the printers will do their magical printing. For the inside papers, the printers will partially clean their brayers and sponges after printing their leaves. The journals are constructed quite simply using a hole punch, twig, rubber band or string. I did enjoy the trial and error process that I had to go through. I am happy with the product: something beautiful and simply to construct.

New Work

"Silent Charlie", 24 x 12" on stretcher bars, was a last minute piece I've created for the latest Nouveau Art show at my local Island Art Association. The theme is "Art at the Movies." For some odd reason, Charlie Chaplin just got stuck in my mind, so I gave me and created this piece. Fun to do! "Amelia's Heron", 22 x 14" on stretcher bars, was created using my own image of the heron that visits the beach where I walk. He always brings a smile to my face. Ever so graceful in his search for his meal.

I have a sea gull in the making. The gull is fused, so all I have to do is create the watery background.

Monoprint Quilted

I decided to add borders and machine quilt another of my previous monoprints. This print has 3 layers - the stitching added more dimension and texture. Ahhh.... the urge to monoprint is creeping up again.

Too Quiet on the Blog, Busy elsewhere

I've been neglectful in blog writing, I'm afraid.

I have been working on an artist book published by blurb.com. It took me a very long time organizing my images so I could upload them. The organizing the pages was a trick. I wanted to have a book with some of what I consider my best work to date to have available during the various outdoor art festivals I show at and something to carry around with me as I travel. I'm waiting quite impatiently for it. If all is good, I have it available through Blurb.com. Check out the site. It's cool!

The images are pieces I've just completed. I got turned on by an article in the recent Quilting Arts magazine, April/May. The article is "Strings of Love" by Naomi Wanjiku Gakunga. The above is my first interpretations. Along with the unfinished yellow/orange/red quarter circle piece(March 27th post), I took either my own hand dyed or commercial fabric, layered it on duck cloth, machine embroidered various designs, cut the different pieces up and arranged them on another piece of duck and stitched it all down.

The right image was woven with these strips with crocheted cording and cheesecloth. The black background was stamped and painted with some yellow, orange, red paints before the strips were sewn down. I glued on some polymer clay circles I made last year with my sister, Marlene, and added beads. This piece now resides in my daughter's rubber ducky bathroom.

The left image is really a partial picture of the piece "A bit of Sunshine" - the quilted part, I will have some cording hanging on both sides from the dowel. I added beading as well. It'll hang like the "Just Ducky" piece.

Anyway, I had some a great time with this technique so I'm doing another of blues and greens. It is turning out like a landscape - a beach landscape. I'm adding beads shortly... I had bits left over so I created a smaller piece that I'll attach to stretcher bars. I'll upload images shortly.

I'd like to experiment more using this technique. I've been using my had dyes but commercial fabrics mostly. I have a lot of commercial fabric that I purchased before I fell i love with surface design. This technique will help me use up some.

Time has flown by

I've been traveling and traveling and traveling, doing little art, I'm afraid. That is the reason why I haven't been blogging. Not much to report. I've been in an art funk. But I have plans................... My traveling days will come to a halt mid January. So I hope to get back my creative tendencies.
The images above show the latest in needle felting. The woven one with shells and sand dollar is going to my local art Association for the month long member exhibit. It's called "Seashore Treasures." The other needle felted one with the driftwood attached is "in progress." It's not working for me, so back to the drawing board.

The crocheted baby hats are for charity - Stitches from the Heart. Those I love to do while in front of my husband's endless sports shows. Gotta spend some time with him.

Comission done, Challenge in progress

My commission pillow is now done. The image with the flowers is just a teaser. I will upload the whole image later. I used the frog stitch - rip it, rip it the first time around - didn't like the patchwork I first tried - the fabrics of the different clothing just didn't piece very well and the design was off. So, I started from scratch and I am pleased with the result. Hope my client is as well. I've added a surprise factor that I will disclose later after the pillow is delivered to my client.

I've been painting - monoprinting to be exact. I subscribe to www.workshopontheweb.com and used the workshop on monoprinting for the upcoming challenge of my local art association. The theme is "Two color combination." One of the images shows the multitude of small pieces I've printed using 2 colors plus white. I added some Shiva oil stick rubbings and black stamping to some. One image is my clean up cloth - I love it!!!! I've put up an image of my pin basted top that I'll be machine quilting later. I may add some of the painted cheesecloth and yarn afterwards. I have a some project in mind to use some of the rest of the prints and some beads but time is running out to make the show - jurying is Monday - this Monday!!!!

Back Home for a short while, a very short while

Had a wonderful trip up North. Maine is simply beautiful! Views were breath-taking! I took a few pics. The foggy weather was cool but not too good for taking good photos. Memories are grand, though.

The Nature Printing Society's ( http://www.natureprintingsociety.info/index.htm )workshop and annual meeting in Bar Harbor was wonderful. I wanted to stretch out of my comfortable box and learn some new techniques: Solar plate printing, non toxic etching plates and foilography. I've included some pics of the results of the workshop. I loved all the new techniques: now to find the time to do more and to figure out how to print fabric with the new plates.

Today, I'm trying to play catch up with all my emails and blogs that I love to view. Been putting away all my Bar Harbor stuff! And I want to quilt some. Will i have time to start playing with my new embellisher (needlefelting machine)????? Hummmmmm...... I leave home again this coming Tuesday for the Yellow Daisy art Festival in Atlanta. Gotta do some more work for that.... Ugh...... only so much time in a day......

Oh, I also indirect printed a crab: a piece of fabric was lightly adhered to a prepared crab and then dabbed with paints. The rocks didn't turn out so well, but I love the crab and the sea star!