In the Mist of Work, a variety of work

No telling how the pics will be displayed but I'll try and keep the words to the right image.

I've included a teaser: unfinished altered jean jacket. My fiber art group set up a challenge to use an old silk tie in something - My tie was gorgeous - a modern design of gold and black. Jacket is not complete yet - notice the little Fancy Lady pin on the front. I plan to add beads and buttons to finish it off.

There's 4 postcard 4x6ers: 2 of my needlefelting experiments with added silk flowers and leaves and 2 using leftovers of the tie challenge - I will be adding beads, etc. before I finish up.

I've also included an image of my booth set up for the Franklin, TN Christmas Made in the South. Still working on the look. Will add a few more lights.

I have a few purses in the making - have to add buttons and straps - then I take a picture - reusing wallhangings that I didn't much like. I like these purses!

Included some thread doodling. That label I just picked up from one of my fellow fiber artists on the Internet. I forget who, though. So sorry. Anyway, the general idea is to draw with thread and fabric daily. I am so pleased with the results and plan to thread doodle each morning when I'm home to get me started.

Once again, Getting Ready for Shows

Shall I said I've been busy?????? I seem to be always busy when I'm home - nonstop! But am I having fun! Here are some pics of: examples of my seamaid and sea turtle pins; two altered books. One is an altered children's board book: I carved windows in the pages and decorated them: 1. image and words on a transparency; 2. free motion stitching on organza; 3. free motion stitching on netting with beads and buttons pocketed; and lastly, 4. collage needlefelted heart with lace heart on top, dictionary page defining "heart" and trim. The pages were tissue paper bits and acrylic sponge painted. I added yarns and ribbon to hang from the binding. The fabric book: used 2 pages of a children's board book to stiffen the covers, and torn book pages and old book tree images printed on organza as well as my dyed and printed leaf fabric (the lightly colored side. The dark side is commercial batik with silk leaves machine embroidered on. Both sides have the following quote machine stitched on: "Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf." Rabindranath Tagore. Both books for for my local art association challenge for October and November. I learned a lot and had great fun!

Now I'm getting packed for my next 2 shows: Neptune Art Festival, Virginia Beach, VA September 28 - 30 and Christmas Made in the South, Franklin, TN October 5 - 7.
I'll be gone for 2 weeks!

Enjoying My Time in the Studio

Having a ball working away. My sister wanted me to take time to smell the flowers. I have. Well, I really took time to walk the beach in between the wind storms. The wind was been furious but there was a little lull and I took advantage of it. Boy, do I ever enjoy the beach, surf, sky, sand.... Heaven! And I do frequently gaze out at the view: sand dunes, ocean and sky. My sewing machine faces that ever changing view. I am one lucky woman!

What have I been doing????? 10 Palm 4x6ers, 6 beach pins, 6 quilted fabric reproductions(around 4x5"), 3 sea turtle and 3 fish 4x6ers and a bunch of ornaments - those are done and packaged. I did play with the embellisher/needle felting machine the other day. What fun. The sea turtle pic shows the needlefelted sea grass. I felted some yarns to Kunin felt and will made a person pin. I sewed up some sea turtle and mermaid pin bodies - will stuff and embellish the next few evenings. I've started some altered books - 2 mini board books and one hardback. I'm suppose to get at least 2 altered books done by Tuesday for my local art association's challenge - time will tell. I've waited til the last minute once again. The challenge is to use an old book or parts of, so I may come up with another plan.

Tomorrow I head for the Jacksonville Quiltfest with my fiber friends of Fernandina and Jacksonville. Can't wait for the eye candy as well as the vendors.

Back Home Working

Back home after the Yellow Daisy Art and Craft Festival in Atlanta and a visit with good friends in the NC Mountains. The mountains were simply beautiful. And they provided rest and relaxation. The show - the weather and crowds were great. It's good to be home at the beach and in my studio. Once again I'm getting ready for several shows. Three "Christmas Made in the South" - Franklin, Tenn., Savannah, GA and here at home(well almost at home): Jacksonville, FL. Carolina Shows, Inc. runs the shows. I did the Jacksonville Show last year - great potential is there. I do a bunch of little items - items I enjoy creating yet on the craft side. I hang my fiber wall hangings up on the display panels as well. Indoor shows are much easier to do from the artist and artist's husband's stand point. No setting up the tent. No taking down of art at the end of each day as I do for outdoor shows. No worry about the weather either! Wish me success! I have 2 outdoor shows as well: Neptune Art Festival in Virginia Beach, VA Sept 28 - 30th and the Amelia Arts Festival, here in Fernandina Beach, FL November 9 & 10. Geez, I'm tired already!

Been creating small items, most incomplete as yet: 10 Palm quilted artcards, 2 beach pins, numerous orange lady pins and wonderfully wacky lady pins, some artdolls(working up different patterns I've drawn up). I am!!!! going to play with my new machine needlefelting machine!!! Today!!!!

Pics include: artdoll, Wonderfully Wacky pin and 4x6 Palm

Yesterday's work

I just checked yesterday's post and noticed I forgot to write about my plans of the day. Jeez, my mind runs away from me in many directions.

I did some finishing up - backs on the beach pins and added turtle beads and embroidered sea gulls. I took photos of the gyotaku and pelican wall hangings. I made a small piece using scanned beach treasures. I tried using fusible peltex instead of 100% cotton batting. The piece certainly came out flat but it was difficult to quilt over some thick, bulky seams. Think I'll use that peltex for postcards. I've started 10 SeaMaid pins - 4" mermaids - faces and hair like my Wonderfully Wacky Women pins, adding some beads to clasped hands. Examples of SeaMaids and SeaTurtles in photo.

Today, I'm designing a small memento for my brother and his wife - they're celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary shortly. I'll finish up the pins. I want to make some pirate postcards for the Shrimpfest. Pirates are BIG in Fernandina, especially during Shrimpfest week. And I still want to print brightly colored leaves - maybe. I get extremely hyper prior to shows, especially Shrimpfest.

I've included a photo of the scanned beach treasures. I put the finds in a plastic tray and scan them, print on specially treated fabric, add borders and quilt. Easy but very stirring, I think.

More Saturday's Doings

Besides finishing the "Florida Foliage I," I worked on some greeting cards: flowers and some sea turtle ones. I love to search the net for appropriate quotes and used them on the front of the cards. The inside is blank. The turtle ones are going to First Street Gallery, Neptune Beach, Florida for their Sea Turtle Exhibit. I have a couple of wall hangings to deliver and some smaller pieces and silk scarves as well. I'll be making a trip shortly.

The teeny beach scenes are incomplete wearable art pins. The beach is raw-edged and quilted, the foliage is done by free motion embroidery. I'll be adding a sea turtle bead and maybe some teeny shells and beads and the pin back.