Mixed Media

At one time I saw a book that had the most interesting cover with bugs on it. I've taken it apart and put in my painted papers decorating them gradually to reflect the bug theme. I love bugs. They are so varied and often with the most unusual color schemes.

This page was done by using a bug stencil from Diane Erickson and put molding paste through it. When it was dry, I colored the bugs with a green Gelato-a new art tool for me to play with. They look like lipstick tubes and have yummy colors.

Quilt

Since the quilt group meets at my house today, it seemed fitting to show a quilt. This one is almost traditional but started from a block drawn as pre-work before a Nancy Crow retreat. The fabrics are my hand dyes. It 45" square and will go to the nursing home. 

Circles

More circles. I haven't done much else except harvest. It's that time of year. The quilt group comes here this week, so cleaning is a must.

I do like what happens when part of the design peeks out through the cutout circle.

Quilting

One of our Guild's past presidents said she organized her scraps by cutting them into strips to sew together for scrap quilts. I've cut mine into 2", 1 1/2" and then 1" and sorted them by color.

Quilters use a scrap of fabric to start sewing so nothing goes down the throat plate of the machine. I've been using the scraps that way starting with a 2" center and doing Log Cabin blocks. It's amazing how fast you end up with blocks. Each stack has at least a dozen blocks. The random piecing of the strips adds to the design. These just have the 1" then the 1 1/2" strips on them.

 I love using up bits and pieces to come up with something but somehow the stack of strips never goes down.

Circles

More cutouts to see what happens. The bottom design is on the page but seems to relate to the cutout version.

I didn't like what I did on this page but with the cutout the penciled circles seem to fly off the ones in the window.

Quilt Show

Quilts, Inc. brought their quilt show to Portland, OR and added stitching and knitting. We had a good time looking at the exhibits and, of course, helping the economy by checking out the vendors. I bought this stamp set from the British company www.colouricious.com  I get their email and have some of the DVD's they produce. It's fun to see how others do things. The hummingbirds are what I wanted, the rest a nice bonus. They are about 3" beak to tail.

The background is a charity quilt I'm working on.

Quilt

The next in the series of pieces done with Japanese 14" wide fabrics from my collection is this one. It's about 36" by 24". I hand stitched around the print using threads I painted. The quilting is dense echo quilting by machine. I like letting the print determine where the lines should go.

The detail shows the quilting. The glow was in the print.

Circles

I was asked if I'd be moving to fabric with the circle designs. Definitely at some point. I'm fascinated by circles and love both hand and machine stitching.

I love getting comments but my computer doesn't seem to like to reply-sorry.

Circle Designs

The circle design look so different viewed through a cutout. It's also a chance to see what the background color of the page does when it's a different color.

I need to do more.

Bead Journal Project

This month's button uses bugle beads as well as size 8 seed beads.It's 1 3/4" wide and starts in the center with a stone cabochon.

Circles

More work with the circle class from the Gail Harker http://gailcreativestudies.wordpress.com/  And more circles cut out as inspired by the video on http://www.lindakemshall.com/

It gives you more ideas for designs to see the first image in a different way.

Knitting

A friend and I were in Fabric Depot and found this wrap pattern. We decided to both knit it. The one front side has two slits in it to put the other side in and hold the wrap in place. It's a free Red Heart yarn pattern and was fun to knit.

I did learn to check things better. The pattern called for the solid yarn which has 330 meters to  ball. The variegated has 215 meters, so I ended up buying more. The cables show but not in the distance. The other thing I learned was that the model on the pattern was tall; I am short, so it comes down much lower on me. A friend suggested I belt it. I've started another but will try making it shorter. It is very comfortable on and warm.

Cards

I was up all night with a sick puppy, so while he was outside, I sat near the open door and made these 3 cards.

The stars didn't show well enough until I outlined them with a gelly pen.

This used the torn paper strip that I made at Art and Soul years ago-never throw anything out!

The Big Shot die cutting machine was used for the flower and the stars on the other card. The paper had been put through the Xyron to get adhesive on the back before cutting. I am very glue challenged. It ends up everywhere but where I want it.  I found that if the paper is lightweight, it is very hard to get the backing off and the image down nicely.

Quilt

The challenge at http://artsquaredgroup.blogspot.com/  this time was Heirloom.  What a perfect time to use some of my old laces collection that is just sitting there. I had the crazy quilt background done thinking I'd make a purse, but this seemed a better solution. The button are old Mother of Pearl buttons. The piece is 14" by 14".

I'm enjoying the challenges with all the words I'd probably never think of.

Thanks to all who comment and read my blog. I seem to have trouble when I try to reply to them. The only way I can post now is to go to the Google Chrome site.