New work and catching up

I feel a bit like a groundhog just emerging from her hole. I haven’t any profound thoughts to share. I’ve spent the winter making stuff, drawing, painting, holding dogs, and laughing with grandsons. Edna is so much better and loves her new apartment. Steve is well and eagerly awaiting warm weather so he can ride his bike outside instead of in the basement. I have a bum knee, but I am ignoring it.

I’m getting ready for a weekend workshop that I am teaching at the Southeastern Fiber Forum which will hold their biennial meeting at Arrowmont in Gatlinburg, TN. This will be my first visit to Arrowmont. I can’t wait to see the galleries and facilities. I hope to see some of my spinning and knitting friends from the Carolina Fiber Frolic.

This is my current knitting project. It is half of my swing knit ruana. Renate taught a few of us the basics of swing knitting at our Weds, morning knit group at Charlotte Yarn. Now I am playing to see what I can do. I’m using Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool, several colors of my all time favorite Debbie Bliss Cathay, and some random bits of sock yarn and ribbon. I’m not knitting a lot, but I am enjoying it when I do.

Thanks to a friend who entertains more than I do–doesn’t everyone?–I have a big bag of wine corks. This is my first cork creation. It is a memo board, about 40 inches, to hand on a long skinny wall. I just hot glued the corks on a one inch strip of wood, trying to get a sort of wavy effect.

This is my tenth in a series of 20 owls I plan to paint. Each one is a bit better than the last usually. By number twenty, I expect the bird to fly off the paper and feed on my backyard chipmunks. This one seems to be awaiting a thunderstorm, but I felt quite cheery working on him this morning.

Some other recent work is below. I do hope you are healthy, happy, and making stuff.

More later–

Old age advice and a little art

Busy, busy, gloriously busy! This quote so describes my brain.

Steve’s mom took a serious fall, but she is better than ever now. It was during a power outage and the Merrywood staff on duty that night went from apartment to apartment just to check on everyone. They called for an ambulance, could not reach us (some kind of phone snafu), and took her to CMC where she got great care.

Next morning we were called and Steve went immediately. He met her doctor and the doctor’s team of residents. Guess who? My knitting/spinning buddy Samantha!! She took care of Edna and was able to teach us a bunch about needs we had not been aware of. Edna doesn’t want to be a burden. That makes it hard for us to know what she needs. She won’t ask!!!

When I get older, I am going to be a bit of a burden. I am going to share problems and needs with my kids. Believe me, that will be a lesser burden in the long run. It won’t involve them feeling guilty. Do consider this!!

Edna has moved into an apartment in the assisted living area. She still has her independence, her privacy, and her personal belongings around her. She has help when she needs it, and they pamper her while making sure she gets plenty of opportunity to play. Meghan and I have started some redecorating for her and we edited her closet. Pitched a bunch of clothes that were too big or too worn or just didn’t flatter her. Now we are taking her shopping for new stuff.

I am visiting more often and taking the dogs who are a hit with everyone there.

Edna is happier than she has been in years. She is such a sweet person and deserves a good life. She is 94, but that is young in her family. Her mom made 102.

Thank you Dr. Dreyer and thank your wonderful team for putting us on this path.

Now, some pics of my recent work. I’m learning more and more which keeps me happy, healthy, and feeling young.

From my series of owl drawings

From my Watercolor and Sketching-Journal Style class with Jane Lafazio

I hope you are making something that keeps you happy, too.

More later–

Wingspan, Deux

Finally, a knitting project finished. This took a long time because I chose the yarn three times. It had to be perfect. It was for a very special person.

Felicia is my doctor’s secretary. She is always cheerful, even when you ask her to send mega documents to your insurance provider who isn’t sure you need all your medications—every year! My 94 year old mother-in-law is also a patient. If she talks to my mother-in-law and doesn’t think she sounds right, Felicia tracks us down so we can check on her. When we go away on vacation, Felicia calls Steve’s mom just to check on her. Where do you find that kind of caring in this world of corporate medicine?

When you do find it, you cherish it.

Here’s the back of the shawl.

She loved it.

More later

Transferring My Photocopies to Cloth

Today I played with some of my photos–laser printer copies of my photos–and attempted to transfer the images to cloth.  This has great possibilities.

Image Transfer Workshop: Mixed-Media Techniques for Successful Transfers  By Darlene Olivia McElroy

This is the source of the information that led to today’s experiments.  I used digital photos of my own that were printed on plain paper with a laser printer.  Laser printer is important because this works with the toner, not the ink in an inkjet printer.  You need a spray can of Krylon Crystal Clear (under $7 at Michaels), some cotton fabric which has been prewashed to remove any sizing, a wooden spoon or old credit card.  Then you just need a playful spirit.

The technique was for black and white images, so I took my scan of my Owl #5 to Dilworth Packing Company to make a copy.  I followed the instructions and got nothing on my cloth.  I cannot explain that, but it turns out that the technique which has you saturate the photocopy with the acrylic sealer has a great effect on the paper.  This is the back of the plain piece of printer paper after the saturation.  The whole thing is translucent and has a great look to it.

But back to the cloth thing.  I decided to try some photos Steve had printed for me but they were all in color.  Well, “in for a penny, in for a pound” . . .

This is the first attempt.  McElroy explains some common problems about getting good images in her book, so I blame this on being a newbie.  But…..I used a twill (diagonal) weave cotton for this and the texture on the cloth showed I wasn’t getting full contact.  I then tried printing it to a piece of white cardstock lying nearby.  Again I got a twill effect–the other half of the transfer that didn’t go on the cloth.  Eureka and Thomas Edison.  I discovered twill fabric doesn’t work.

Try number three was another color photocopy, a bike burial ground in Australia.  This time I used cotton knit.  An aside:  I’m really playing with this to see if I can make cute appliques to cover food stains on my Tshirts.   A much better transfer yet still not strong color.  I also think this photo is too busy.

Number 4 is a watercolor pencil mandala assigned in a former art class.  I sprayed the heck out of this one.  I also used plain weave cotton–an old baby sheet to be exact.  This was my best impression.  I could add permanent ink to this to make a washable applique and put it on something.  Plus I would get the fun of coloring it all over again.

Best of all is how the photocopy looks now.

I still have some other transfer techniques to try.

In the mean time I started a new bigger watercolor painting.

This is the beginning.  The blue tape is to keep the paper clean and provide a nice border to the finished painting.  This is an activity I found on line from the Learning Center on Susie Short’s website.  She even provides a traceable sketch to get you painting without worrying about drawing.  I love hydrangeas, especially blue ones.  Oh, you didn’t realize this was a picture of a hydrangea.  That’s because I got so rushed and excited laying on this first bit of color and then trying to fix it that it is really a blob.  Except for the leaves.  I have the start of some great leaves.

Check out that top one.  See the lines/veins.  Those are not drawn in.  They are carved into the paper with a stylus and then painted over again.  The second coat of paint seeps down in the depression of the veins and therefore dries darker than the surface color.  Isn’t that cool?

Later I’ll show you how I’m learning to draw watercolor tree trunks with a credit card.  I just love clever.

More later–

First ATC Swap

Cindy Angiel is an artist. She has spent a large amount of time and energy encouraging and teaching others of us to make art and have fun. I don’t know how she does it.

She started the Linedrawing Forum– see button in right hand column. I joined it fairly early on and have been amazed at its growth. There you will find instruction, inspiration, shared resources, many freebies shared by members of the community just for the fun of it. You will also find challenges and swaps to enter if you wish.

The latest swap from Cindy deals with Serendipity Colored backgrounds. These are my kind of backgrounds. You just throw, drip, spatter, whatever paints of several colors onto a piece of paper and let them do their thing. If you don’t like what you see, throw different paint. No skill or talent required. Try to harness your inner four year old. Use it any way you want. Cindy made us a video.  Here’s one I made today with watercolor.

Cindy asked us to cut Artist Trading Cards (2.5×3.5″) from it and decorate it with repeated pattern drawings, aka Tangles, letting the color guide us. Then we were to create a set of five cards to send to her. We will each receive five cards created by another artist. Cindy made us a video.

I have been creating these serendipitous pages for awhile and drawing whatever I see in the chaos, so this seemed perfect for my first swap. Cindy’s vast following is very talented, but not at all judgmental. This should be as non-threatening as it gets. Hah!

I picked my paper, cut my cards and began. I was too worried about messing up to just start as the tangle community encourages. I actually traced out the color patterns and tried out various patterns. One at a time I drew the cards, then I mounted them all on a solid card stock piece. Finally I created the label to attach to the back. Help is in the video above.

An aside—-I have had this box of labels since the Stone Age. I went to the Avery site to get a template but couldn’t find one. Do you think it is possible I am the only person who still has a box of VHS Cassette labels?

You’ve been looking at the ATCs I am sending for the swap.

This one was a lucky accident, no,  more an example of faking it to fix it.  I misspelled Darkness on the original.  Yeah.  I loved the way the paint created the woman’s profile and wasn’t willing to give up on it.  I finally just cut that corner of the card away and mounted the card on the black background.  Then I wrote the beginning of the quote in white ink.  Like it even better.

I’m including an extra one for Cindy, our swap host.  This one is from a different background.

Then I made some more cards. The small size makes them quick to do, so finishing satisfaction is really high, unlike my recent knitting.  I’ll show them later.

Then I made some envelopes. I used an envelope template provided by Cindy for her next swap, Mail Art.

If you can write your name, you can make this art. It’s great for kids as well. Give it a go. Several of us in my knit group come early to share our tangling beforehand.

More later–

Many, Many Projects and a Few Resolutions

This past year was so wonderfully productive for me.  I learned to do so many different things.  Well, I began the process of learning many things, and any learning is fun for me.

I received the annual report about my blog from WordPress.  No surprise that the top hits were all on knitting pages, especially free patterns.  Well and good.  I put them here to share and am delighted when someone takes them.  But that sort of presents a problem.  I’m not knitting so much anymore, so there will be fewer knitting entries.

I started this blog to share my enthusiasm for knitting.  The key is “share my enthusiasm.”  So I have decided to just continue to do that and not worry.  I am far from an expert at the things I am doing now, but in some ways that is a plus.  My mistakes and uglies may be just the thing that encourages someone else to give it a go.  The creative world I find myself in now with classes, flickr, and the blog world has certainly taught me that it is the journey that brings satisfaction, not the end product.

Here are some pictures of what I did over the holidays.  Not everything.  One of my resolutions is to take better pictures of my work.  I am in the process of building a light box and will shoot some other things when it is finished.

Making wrapping paper personal a la Joanne Sharp.

Four Calling Birds
Mail Art–Fabric, paper, acrylic paint, Sakura Micron pen, fused and quilted

The reverse side of Four Calling Birds

A book for the Hulin’s to keep a record of their 7 week journey from Australia around the world, even to Charlotte.

cover and back of book

End papers of the book

handmade tapes to define the signatures

Urban sketching at dinner

Ultra wet on wet watercolor following along with a video on youtube

Okay, I have to comment on this one.  It is really ugly, but I learned a lot and believe I can do a better one the second time around.  It was great fun to watch the colors run and to feel so free about it.  Here’s the free video that I watched.  Once I’ve done a better try, I’ll cut this one up and use it for other things.  More about “other things” later.

Batiks and embroidery
make Jake

This is still in progress.  The grey background doesn’t work, so I will cut it off after I finish the handwork and may put it on black linen.  I’ll tell you how I did it when it is finished.

Finally–for today anyway–

Tangling–the art form that started this new pathway

More later–

The Last Prize

I saved Kelli Perkins until last because I have followed her work longest.  I discovered her book Stitch Alchemy long before I decided to take this new creative path.   I checked it out of the local library a bizillion times and just looked and looked and was amazed at her versatility.    Since receiving her prize, I stepped up and bought my own copy.

The first thing that interested me was the Day of the Dead cards in the book.  I really love the concept of the Day of the Dead celebration and have been collecting and planning my own wall hanging.  Someday!  You know how creepingly fast I work.  Anyway, this shows you her sense of fun and joy that permeates so much of her work.  So much lovely color.

While pursuing my watercolor skills, I have painted many exercises to learn new techniques.  The cheap side of me wonders what to do with these pieces–after all, watercolor paper isn’t cheap.  Kelli has shown me what a clever and resourceful artist can do—this note was written on the back of a previous work.   Loved it.

Kelli’s business cards illustrate her diversity.  Whether brilliantly colored or the subtlety of vintage looks (and yes, that is her face on the left), there is always wit.  Check out the back of the vintage card.

Now about my prize—-Beads!!!!!

I have made some beads, but not like these. They are paper beads, but they are as hard as stone. Still weigh nothing which would be great for my ears, but they are durable. Not to mention being just plain beautiful.  Even some embossing.  Never done that.

The use of text is right up my alley and just reading the bits on the larger beads is great fun.  I can think of stories these words might be important to.  I love the organic, not perfect circle look as well.

Naturally, my first thought was “How can I make some of these?” and would you believe it?

The  directions are in Stitch Alchemy!  I am so glad I bought the book.  The link will take you to an in depth description of the book.

You have to check out her blog.  (click on her name at the beginning of this post)  This woman can make a book out of spoons.  Really.  And you don’t want to miss her fabric postcards.  At the very least she will make you smile—all day.

My Australian friends come Wednesday morning, so I may be off the blog until after the holidays.  Maybe I’ll get some knitting done under Liz’s influence.  Have the Happiest of Holidays and may all of you and yours be safe and well.

More later–

Making, Learning, Admiring

I have been practicing with my watercolors again. I bought another big brush in hopes of loosening up more. Still not there, but better. I copied the card from Desiree’s Sketchbook Challenge Gift. Not nearly so well done as hers, but I learned. That’s all I ask.

Speaking of Learning—and I always am—Deborah Boschert sent me her Sketchbook Challenge prize.

This DVD redefines collage for me.

I’ve learned so much about composing a collage from this DVD. Deborah is so well organized in her presentation that I followed everything she said easily. She carefully demonstrates each step in completing one of her works. She answered questions I didn’t yet realize I had. I’ve joyfully started a small piece based on this. If you have any interest in extending your fabric art or craft, get this workshop.

Here is Deborah’s business card.
Check out her work.

This is the front of the card.

Check out this embroidery and the gorgeous lotus.

While we are admiring, take a look at some of the gifts my good friend Kate made. I loaned her my copy of Mason-Dixon Knits and she has really gone to town.

Colorful cloths to pair with handmade soaps

Felt basket filled with chocolates

I can’t share anything I made, since it turns out my family does read my blog. 🙂
More later–

Be Careful What You Wish For

…expecially if your mother is a bit of a smart aleck.

DD#1 requested a notebook she could use to make notes in while in the choir loft at church.    Actually I badgered her to come up with some sort of notebook I could make for her to justify all the paper I had recently bought for my bookbinding hobby.  Anyway, that’s what she asked for.

Now I didn’t question her.  I didn’t ask if she meant a book to put sermon notes in, or to log the anthems they performed.  I just remembered that as a child, she and her sister used the sermon time at church to work math problems set for them by their Dad.  (Mom was in the guitar group at the front of the church.)  Maybe she just wants to work a few math problems.

Anyway, I assumed a need for sneakiness that may or may not exist.  I guess that says a lot about me.  Here is what I came up with–and I’m pretty pleased with it.

This is the cover.  Looks like a typical anthem you’d find in use any Sunday.  But inside is thisWell, she is a nurse, and the symbols are just a quick reference.

For the pages, I found some personal things . . .like Zelda’s Lullaby.  Her older dog is named Zelda and we all adore her.  The other little swoosh of music was cut from another design.  I also added a bit of The Star Spangled Banner which she and her dad can whistle in two part harmony and the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy—who doesn’t like The Nutcracker?

Most of the pages are this,

giving her lots of room to write.

Oh–she does live in Athens, Ga., among all them Dawgs, so I put the Georgia Tech Rambling Wreck fight song in the middle.  Daddy went there!  She went to UNC Chapel Hill, but that’s another notebook.

More later–

Two Fabric Artists You Should Know

These lovely goodies were created by Leslie Tucker Jenison and I am going to have to email her because I have so many questions about them.  I also need to apologize for the poor photos—and not ironing the fabric before photos were taken.

Anyway–she sent me hand dyed fabric.  First I’ve ever had, except for the wine stains on all my Tshirts.  First question will be what is this fabric?  It is cotton, but it feels like silk.  It must be the longest staple cotton ever produced.  Pinks to orange and colors in between.  Then there is this empossed design on the right side.  More questions, how, is this a stamp you created?  Would you be upset if, instead of using it to create, I just took it out and stroked it on special days?  No, I am not having wine now.

The framed piece is a collaged postcard.  It has stamps–both postage and rubber–bits of other ephemera laid out upon some of her fabric and then embellished with some glitz and pics.  It just glows, especially when outside the glass of the frame.   I’ve read so much about mail art and this wonderful piece makes it all sensible.  It is so beautiful.

This is Leslie’s business card.  Look at the colors in the log cabin quilt piece, and like the other artists who participated in this Sketchbook Challenge Prize, . . .

it wasn’t enough to just have art on one side.  I love this photo; may need to draw it into my sketchbook.

Finally, Leslie sent this postcard.  I have to know more about this work.  The title is “Amsterdam Alley:  The Shortcut Between” but that is all I know.  It appears to be a photograph (located in the bottom center of the piece) of the alley in Amsterdam.  The rest must be Leslie’s quilted/painted response to the photo.  The graffiti has been extended intyo flowers, text, even music.  The buildings grow and change and even have some small square stencil to suggest windows.  The alley is extended toward the viewer and may be quilted.  It is only a postcard so it’s hard to know exactly how she created it, but it still has a strong effect. I can’t  stop thinking about how she has extended the beginning and hope that will transfer to my work some day.   I would love to see the original.

Jamie Fingal created the above DVD workshop and writes the Twisted Sister blog.  Rebel?  Twisted?  Of course, I like her.  I bought the DVD a while ago and thoroughly enjoyed her take on fusible designs.  To me, it’s fabric + mosaic+personality.  In the  DVD, she talked about her love for Havel’s Non-Stick Scissors which cut fusibles and other adhesives without gumming up the works.  Thanks to Jamie, I now own a pair and will put them to heavy use.

She also sent other inspirations–

This is her business card withg is most of an altered globe.  Her journey is impressive and terribly busy as you can tell from the flip side.

Lots of activity.

This is her “Ransom Lettering.”  Love the color and the style.  Speaks to many sides of my art and to my lettering attempts.  I have been trying to create alphabets, but this tells me what I can do with the letters I particularly like.  And not just letters, but words—

these collages around the word artist will be used, but I want to make some of my own around my favorite words, like clever, wit, serenity.

Jamie has been a great inspiration and her work is fun to watch.  Check out the blog, and here is the youtube preview of Rebel Quilter.

Have you been intrigued, inspired?  Look around the house, grab what you have and make something.  Remember that the doing is far more important than the finished ( if you do finish) the piece.  No judging, just fun.

More later–