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Showing posts from October, 2009

dragonfly art quilt

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I did it!  I used the other set of dragonfly wings.  This set of wings I added transfer foil to the edges.  It is really pretty and sparkly.  This wall hanging contains only fabrics that were created by me.  I used a silk rod and silk cocoon to form the body and head of the dragonfly.  They aren't quite the right proportion but I still like it.  Somehow this photo is not doing the quilt justice.  It looks better in real life but you have to trust me on that.

altered book

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This altered book was different for me.  I worked with a theme as well as a colour scheme.  I don't usually work with a colour scheme.  It was a challenge for me to work with just a few colours.  This page I used Caran d'ache watercolour crayons over top of gesso.  Oh my gosh, I love those crayons  I splurged and bought the entire set of 128 this past spring. 

Altered book

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I worked in this altered book a bit more yesterday.  Sometimes I think that my art is never finished.  I will put a book away thinking it's finished but the next time I look at it I think - I should do this or do that, add something or whatever.  So, I am working in this book again.  I posted pictures of some pages from this book on July 6th if you want to see more. I don't mind that there always seems to be more to do on my art.  I think it means that I am improving and learning  and that's a good thing. Sprinkles of giggles to you!

art journal page with dragonfly wings

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That didn\t take too long did it.  Here is my journal page using the dragonfly wings I posted earlier this week.  I put a wash of paint over the writing.  I like that the paint made some of the ink run.  I rarely draw in my journals - because I don't draw very well.  Am a I still artist if I can\t draw? Go forth giggling!

altered book

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I've been making altered books for at about 10 years.  I love them.   I feel very free to create in my altered books.  This book is just for experiments.  No theme, just experiments.  I love experimenting.  I am always experimenting.  The ideas just keep coming.  If only I had enough time for all my ideas! Have fun creating!

Having fun

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I belong to the Artists of the Round Table yahoo group.  We are studying the Lynn Perrella book 'Artists' Journals and Sketchbooks'.  It's a good book.  We are to do certain lessons and then post our pictures to the group.  Well, I started to do the second lesson and was really struggling with it.  I really don't like following directions!  I don't like reading directions.  I am most happy when I am doing my own idea.  But I pushed through and did the work.  I figured it would be good for me.  Well, I actually ended up having fun.  The picture above is one of the pieces I produced through this lesson.  I really like it.  It's a picture of me as a baby slightly altered.  I am looking forward to doing more of this.

Dragonfly wings

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I was experimenting with transparencies and sheer fabric.  The idea came from the book 'Hot Textiles' by Kim Thittichai.  Basically you use a heat tool to cut and bond the fabric and transparency at the same time.  I first printed the dragonfly wing pattern on the transparency. I plan to use one pair in an art journal and the other in an art quilt or fabric journal.  Don`t hold your breath.  It might be a while before I  post a picture of the completed projects.  I am better at experimenting than at finishing!

The dog ate my homework

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 This page has a bit of a story.  I had made a crazy quilt heart and appliqued it to a traditional quilt block.  This was for a friend who was getting chemo treatments.  The plan was that she would get a quilt block each time she came home from her treatment.  The quilt blocks were coming from many different friends, some had quilting experience some had no experience.  At the end of the treatments the organizer would collect the blocks and have them made into a beautiful quilt.  I think it is a truly lovely and thoughtful idea.  I was glad to participate.  So I had my block finished and it was sitting on my ironing board.  I thought it was far enough from the ground that our new puppy couldn't possibly reach it.  Well, I was wrong.  Trinity is the only other girl in the house and she likes sparkly things too.  Some how she got her teeth into the block and tore up half of it.  I was just mildly upset - really I wanted to kick her - but I restrained myself admirably. So what a

altered book pages

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Here are a couple of more pages from my mothering altered book.  I used stamp pad ink to color the pages in the top picture.  I wasn't really happy with the look so I added some white gesso to mute the color.  I also stamped into the gesso when it was wet to get some added texture.  I like the way the pages look now. I used silver acrylic paint to color the pages in the bottom picture.  I then added some victorian die cuts.  I love the soft, romantic look of victorian dies cuts. Have a sparkly day and keep creating!

piano hinge journal

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I used a number of different papers to create this journal.  They are all soft and gentle colors.  Some of papers are printed on one side, some are natural, handmade papers.  I also used vellum and mulberry papers.  I really like it.  I'm not sure what I will use it for but that's not important.  For me the important thing is to just make it. Have a sparkly day!

Accordion book with tags

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This little accordion book was made with handmade paper.  It was pretty quick and easy to make.  I love quick and easy. The tags are quite pretty even though they have bugs on them.  I actually have a thing for bugs.  Not real bugs though.  I guess I love nature in general and find that it is a recurring theme in my art.

This is my journal that was published

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This is the cover of the journal that I created it.  I am so pleased with it!  I am still over the moon excited that my book has been included in 'Creative Ways with Books and Journals'.  It's just too fun!

I am published!!!!!

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I created a beach journal and posted about it at the beginning of August.  I had submitted it to Sue Bleiweiss for consideration in her book pictured above.  When I posted about it I thought that my book had not been accepted to be included her book.  The very next day I got the acceptance email.  Now, today I have the book in my hot little hands!  I am completely over the moon excited about being published! Rejoice with me!  Having my artwork accepted for publication means that someone else likes my work.  It means I am not a complete hack.  It means that I'm not the only one who thinks my work is beautiful.  Oh happy day I can tell the inner critic to shut up! 'Creative Ways with Books and Journals' by Sue Bleiweiss and Terri Stegmiller is a fabulous book.  I would say that even if I weren't in the gallery section.  I love that they used a size of type that is easy to read.  There are a number of techniques in the book that I can't wait to try.  The photograp

Third circle fabric journal page

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I I think this is the last page but like I said in an earlier post there remains the possibilitiy of adding more pages.  I used paper, fabric, beads and pearl ex on this piece.  In the center is a piece of sea glass that I found a couple of weeks ago.  I was away for a wonderful weekend with my favorite man.  We were celebrating our 23rd anniversary. It feels good to have it finished.  I have so many more projects to complete.  It's good to have blog that keeps me working with a purpose. Have a sparkly day!

art journal page

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  I love working really wet in my journals.  I slop paint and ink around like crazy.  Tip - don`t wear your favorite jeans when you are letting the paint fly!  Ask me how I know!  I often spritz the paint or ink with water to make it run together and bleed into interesting combinations.  I had been doing that in a journal and realized there was way too much inkéwater on the page and it would never dry so I got out another journal smooshed it down into the excess.  This is the resulting page.  I quite like the way it turned out. In case you can`t read the quote it says Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wonderous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.  by Sarah Ban Breathnach