Category Archives: 100 day Challenge

100 day Challenge, Collage, Conflict, Creative Assistants, Felt Work, Split Compliments

Summer Snow

  Hello,

This week has been full of differing  weather  events.  When we last walked on Sunday the air was full of the floating seeds from the Cottonwood trees.  When my grandson was young he called it “Summer Snow” and it dose cover parts of the ground just as snow dose.   The air has changed a lot sense then.  We are really feeling the effects of the Canadian wild fires here.   Smoke from  hundreds  of fires has polluted our air so much, that warnings about the content have kept us from walking for four days.   I remember being concerned with  air pollution  40 years ago and  building  artworks with my students for a show titled  ” Once upon a time, when the earth was green and there was air you could not see…”   The kids did some great work and the quilt I made for the show ended up as a part of the perinate display at a nature reserve.   We were concerned about coal burning power plants then and we felt we could have some say about that action.   Many of them are phased out now.    But this is different as nature is in charge.    We do take the availability of clean air for granted.  The sky has been so many distressing colors and tints of gray,  and dirty yellow  over the last few days.   It is also the feeling of powerlessness that is part of my unhappiness.  What can one do?

Progress Report: Pony Boy   I did complete this lap quilt that is a part of the 100 Day

 

 

 

Challenge prints stuff.

The process is fun for me as I get to mix some strange stuff together.

 

 

 

Hands   I am to the place in the work were I am satin stitching down the organza hands.  It takes me about 35 min to do each one so this step is slow.   I do like the effect so it is well worth my time.

 

 

 

Conflict   This work is all assembled now and I am  at the quilting step.   I have made free motion circles around and along all the curves and inserted lines.     I am  ready to do the reflective quilting now.

new 110 Day Challenge piece  I am still building on this piece.  The best part in my eyes.

 

 

 

Creative Assistants   I am building lots of faces as it it baseball season and I worked during a game on the weekend.  I need to move forward with the completion steps so this little tribe can be put away until I get to a place were I can give them away.

Collage   I think there are times when one is really in the  creative grove  and then there are times when you just cannot force it.  I had five false starts this week when I played with collage.     I got too busy with layers in one case and nothing seemed to go together in a second.    The values were too close in a third.   Oh well, I can cut up what I did and look at it with new eyes next week.   And after all of that I am not suer about this one either.   Then again one does not get on base every time on goes to bat.

 

Blue Beach   I just keep building and looking at this work.  I do not feel it is done yet.

 

 

Felting  I was handed a bunch of blue roving by a friend and that made me pull out the stuff to start a new piece.  It is a bit bigger then I usually work as I want to use some of the embroidery wool on it.

I hope you are all breathing freely and that things are going well for you.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

 

100 day Challenge, Collage, Conflict, Creative Assistants, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Hand work, Lap Quilts, Pixies Group, Split Compliments

Warming Up

Hello,

It has gone from a chilly spring to full hot summer here in just a few days.  We walked at 7:30 because it is set to go to 90 degrees here later today.     It was a quiet week for me this week and my only events were yesterday.  The FAD group meant here in the morning and we sat out on the patio and had a good time. 

Sharon is making great progress on the hand work she is adding to this piece.

 

The Pixies had our regular zoom meeting too.  It is always so enjoyable to talk with them as they all have such a different point of view and emphasis.

Progress Report:   Hands   I have now completed the free motion work in all the black of this piece.     I got a little help yesterday on what type of quilting to do in the white areas.   They really confirmed what I was thinking, but self doubt had me a bit frozen as to how to move forward.

Conflict I started and just about finished the construction of this work this week.  It is the fourth in the split compliment series using yellow, blue violet and red violet.

 

 

 

Pony Boy  This is the next in the SAQA 100 day pieces.  It has a lot of old bits of altered and printed fabrics in it.   It is a lap quilt that I will pass forward in the fall.    I only have two more of the pony’s to do shadow quilting on and the quilting step will be done.

Blue Beach  I just keep adding buttons and looking at this work.  It still feels like it needs a bit more so I keep at it.

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Works  This work got lost as the title suggests.  I was organizing and discovered this work I had started as a part of a on line assignment.     Too much stuff in my space I guess.

It got completed this week any way.

 

 

 

 

 

Collage   I had a good time on Tuesday afternoon  this week.  I am feeling more confident about building up the surfaces and things sort of fell together this time so I did two.  “Lost in Thought”  is this blue one with lots of layers of transparency.

 

 

 

“Confused Thinking” is the second.  I used the same figure on both of these.   I am learning that I really like building on a heavy paper base even if that makes the work a little deep some times.

Creative Assistants  I completed nineteen more of these little guys this week.  I am happy to be using up lots of little bits and treasures that I seem to collect with out even realizing I am doing it.

I am enjoying working away on all my projects and for that I am grateful.

Stay safe

Carol

 

100 day Challenge, Collage, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Pixies Group

Books

Hello,

I have been thinking about books as we are trying to turn our office into an up stairs laundry room.   We are shorting and  passing forward some of the books that are no longer  needed in our lives.   When I was talking of this to a friend she told me e-books are the answer.   But I find  the e-books are not at all the same as the physical ones.  One can’t use a marker to find sections that one wants to refer back to as easily for one thing.    I often morn for some of the old books that have been lost from my childhood.    Foe example, a forest green lather bound book with a highly embossed cover of a buffalo, that Mom read to me were I first learned about plagiarism comes to my mind.   Or what became of all those Big-Little books on Snow White, the Littlest Rebel, and Little Orphan Annie?   They all reside in my memory if not on my shelves.  I never regret a single penny I spend on a physical book, even if I only read it to pass it forward to another.   E-books may take less space in the physical world and are ecology better for our environment,  but I still love the feel and weight of a physical book every time.   But I will have to admit that I went to my friend Patti’s book give away on Tue and picked up 2 new  books there.  I am hopelessly in love with books.

It has been a quiet week for me.   Tony and I went to visit with Marty for lunch on Monday and it was a good time for all of us.  She continues to create her wonderful fabric landscapes.   Sorry I didn’t square this, but you get the idea.

The only other thing was the Pixie meeting yesterday and it was short due to the fact that they were having a thunder storm in Florida and we all know that being on the computer can be dangerous at that time.

Progress Report: Ferdinand This work is 39″ w X 46″ l.     I mixed a lot of older bits of fabric that I had altered into this composition.    I still have several hand stamped from the 100 Day Challenge and I will use a few more in the next lap quilt that I will build.

 

 

Equal Voice   This work is for the Diva Challenge to do a piece to donate to the Together We Rise  twenty fifth anniversary  event.  They will raffle it off at that time.   I need to add the sleeve to this project to complete the process.

 

 

 

 

Hands   I have started the free motion quilting step on this project.  It is slowly moving forward.

Creative Assistants   I finished off 18 of these fellows this week.   I am enjoying doing them during the news.

 

 

Ethel’s  Scraps   I pulled out the box of Scraps from Ethel’s daughter this week and started to assemble the scraps for the next bed quilt that I will make from them.  It is a real ” no think” process that I am doing at the end of the day .   The pieces grow with each strip I add , but the box of scarps seems to remain the same size.

 

Collage 2    I did the Collage Tue thing on Tue afternoon and created this piece.  Then when I was listening to the SAQA lecture on Wed I learned that May 24 in International Collage Day.   So I was glad to have completed my work before hand.

Handwork   I had  some wonderful green scraps from doing the lettering for Equal Voice and so I fused them down onto an older napkin that I had and started doing the fun part of bringing it to life.

 

 

 

I hope you are enjoying things in your life.

Keep Creating

Carol

100 day Challenge, Collage, Curvie Cuts, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Hand work, Pixies Group, Sisterhood of the Scissors, Take Off

Temperature Change

Hello,

   It is that crazy time of year when the cold just doesn’t want to let go.  I had to bring in my plants last night due to the chance of a freeze.   so here they set on the studio floor to greet me this morning.  It was so warm earlier this week I worked in only a tee shirt in the yard and still sweated a bit.   I still feel fortunate when  I hear of the forest fires in western Canada and the storms in the west.      For me this week was busy with meetings.  The Sisterhood of the Scissors meant as did the Pixies.  I also went off to a FAD meeting yesterday.   I like the outside stimulation.

Progress Report: Take Off  This work is 39.5″ X 37″.     I did enjoy the applique of the birds this week.  I have learned a lot about Terns sense I started this piece.

 

 

 

 

Ferdiand  This is the newest piece that uses prints form the 100 Day Challenge.  I also added a lot of  other altered fabrics to this one.   I am now ready to layer and quilt it.

 

Hands  I only did the stitch in the dich work on this pieces this week.  It is a bit awkward to move under the needle.

 

 

Equal Voice   This piece is for the Diva challenge as a part of the Together We Rise  project.   I am happy with the lay out and the little bit of stitching I have done.   I will keep moving on this as I want it completed by the next Diva meeting.

 

 

 

Blue Beach  I worked away on this at the Pixie meeting this week. Every button put me closer to the completion.

 

 

   Collage- Concern   I  become interested in doing collage during the 100 Day Challenge as there were folks doing such wonderful things.  Now that it is complete I got myself together and  did one this week.  I think it is strongly influenced by what Cheri is doing with printing.  I had many false starts and I am not sure if this is complete.  But it is a beginning.   I think I will try to do one a week for a while.

 

I am hoping spring smooths out a bit and not too many blossoms were destroyed by the frost last night.

Stay safe and keep Creating

Carol

100 day Challenge, Circulation, Creative Assistants, Curvie Cuts, Pixies Group, Split Compliments, Take Off

Still Recovering

   Hello,

 

I  am still a little under the weather although now it seems only to be a head cold.  I am just glad not to feel the all over body Ake.     I had a good week however.   I went off to the Schweinfurth Spring Retreat and go to see my old friends and got some work done too.

Susan was there working on a stitched paper pieces.   Making them “float” together with stitches between took a lot of pashents.

 

 

 

 

Victoria worked away on her high relief pieces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sharon did a nice bit of building on her newest felted piece.   it is based on a photo of the reflections in her bathroom mirror.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donna spent the weekend building pillow cases for the QBL teachers.

 

 

 

 

 Ellen worked away on several pieces based on some of her classes this year.

 

 

 

Linda made three lap quilts from a bigger quilt that was a family piece.

 

 

I worked away on  my hands project and got it all  arranged.  The pieces got united and the over lays got pinned on before the week end was over.

There were several other folks too all of us happily doing our own thing.

 Meanwhile down stairs the Made in New York show was going on.  My friend Joyce Holman  had a great piece in this show.

 

 

 

 

Pat Pauly was in the show and  her work looked great.

 

 

 

 

Then there was Julia’s piece and it won best of show.

My only other event this week was the Pixies and we talked as usual.

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Circulation    I did  quilt on this project at the retreat as I needed a bit of a break from the hands project.    It is 36″ w X 44″ l  and the second piece in the split compliments series.   I used a lot of the precut pieces from Liz in this piece and had a good time with it.

 

 

 

 

 

Circus Grounds    This work is 40″w X 50″ l.   I seemed to have let the materials get a way from me here.    It it the last of the 100 day project pieces that I started during the 100 days.  I still have prints to use and will start another soon.  I did lots of machine quilting here and again enjoyed the process.

 

 

 

 

Take Off  I finally got back to this piece this week.   I drew the birds in inktense  pencils and now I am machine appliqueing them down.   It takes me about 20 min to do each bird.

New Split    I  pulled these fabrics for the next one in this series.   Yellow is the main color.    It too has some of Liz’s curved scraps that I will try to incorporate.

 

 Creative Assistants   I did give away a batch of these little guys at the retreat this week.  But I made more than I passed out so I am  making progress.

I hope the wonders of spring are around everyone and that they are all healthy.

Carol

 

 

 

100 day Challenge, Curvie Cuts, Drawing, Pixies Group, Split Compliments, Take Off, Uncategorized

Crazy Weather

Hello,

Mother Nature sure has put us through our paces this week.    We had these ice balls one morning and   then we had a 70 degree day.     The warmth  sure has pushed the buds to open on the trees  and the flowers as well.     There is a bit of a cozy feel as the trees become more and more solid with leaves.   One can only dress in layers to remove as the day goes forward.   The sun is around longer too and not setting until after 8 in the evening.  It is a time of change!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Associated Arts meat on Saturday and  we had a workshop on Artist Trading Cards.    I had a good time and did not want to stop when we got to the  end of the  meeting. My only other meeting this week  was with the Pixies  and that was good as well.

Progress Report: Analyze   This work is 34″ w X 44.5″ t.  It is the first in the Split Complement series.      I did all the quilting in a  blue metallic thread with a zig zag stitch. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Circulating ( formerly Fractured)   This is the second in the Split Complement series.   Liz kindly gave me a lot of solids that she had left over from  her bulls eye quilts.  That means there are lots of curved pieces.   I find it fun to sue them as a starting place.      Therefor I have changed the title as I am concentrating on curves and I really can’t thing of anything that fractures in curves at all.    Red is the primary and yellow green and blue green are the other  colors.  I seem to have lost my emphasis on red with this one.

Circus Grounds   The 100 Day SAQA challenge ended on Monday.  This it the last work that I started as a part of that challenge.  The top got completed Monday.  It got pin based  and I have done a lot of the stitch in the ditch work at this point.   Now I  need to fill in with some fun quilting.

 

 

 

Take Off  This is a curve cut project.     I am just about ready to add the birds.   I am using Inktense  colored pencils to add the detail colors here.

 

Blue Beach     I just steadily add more buttons to this project.  It is getting a bit heavy and I need to pay attention so it hangs strait.

 

 

 

 

Scrap   After discovering another box of units, I am finishing up the  cutting of the strips.     I am sewing the strips together now and making what I call wheels of 2.5″  strips .

 

 

 

 

= Voice  The Quilt Diva’s have a new group project.   We are building series of units that will hang together for Together Women Rise.   We will build our independent sections with lots of limits so they work together and can be auctioned as sections or independently.    I  have started and made one of my sections.    I plan to cut this up.

 

Drawing    I did a little drawing this week.   I admired one of the gals work in the SAQA challenge and I tried some similar stuff this week.  She started her work with a bit of paper, then did some paint on top and drew on top of that.   I did have fun with this formula, but mine do not look at all as strong as her work was.

I hope you are enjoying the change of season and being a bit creative too.

Carol

100 day Challenge, Birds, Color Study, Creative Assistants, Curvie Cuts, Pixies Group, Scrap Happy Quilts, Sisterhood of the Scissors, Split Compliments, Take Off

Spring

1 Comment

Hello,

This week was a busy one as they all seem to be.  I went off to Bever Lake with my friend Sharon to the Wool Festival and had a good time.  I did purchase a few oz. of purple and pale blue roving for my next felting project.    The trees were still bare, but the temperature was wonderful so we took the woodland trail and enjoyed the reflections in the pools and all the wonderful textures we saw.    The Sisterhood of the Scissors had a Zoom meeting as did the Pixies.  I always like to catch up with my fellow fiber artists.  I also listened to the SAQA talk this week so my stimulation has been high.

Progress Report: Circus Parade   This is part of the SAQA 100 day challenge.  It is 35.5″ w X 39″ t.      We are on day 96 of the challenge so I only hope to nearly complete one more piece before the challenge is over.  I used all the animals that I printed for his project.

 

 

 

 

 

Circus Grounds   This is the last one of the SAQA Challenges that I will finish in the 100 days.   I may or may not keep going with the printed images as my starting place for some new work- that remains to be seen.     I am also using lots of the precut curved pieces that Liz gave me in this project.   Doing that adds another bit of a challenge to the process.

 

Analyze-  Split Compliment 1   This a self challenge continuing with the color play stuff.  Again I must thank Liz for the most of the fabrics here.   I am quilting following all the skinny  insert lines for this work.      I am using a metallic blue thread for this one  sense blue is the  Primary color.

Fractured -Split Compliment 2   I have just pulled the fabrics for this project.  The primary color is Red with Yellow Green and Blue Green as the t

 

Creative Assistants   I have been working away on these little guys.  I am having fun cleaning out containers of addons as I go.

 

Take Off   I added one additional curvy cut insert into this base this week and pin basted it .   Now I can begin the birds.

 

 

 

Scrap Happy   I have been working away at this project for a while and I am now to the stage were I have lots  of strips to connect to one another .  These long strips become the edges of the 4.5″ centers for my Romans Strip blocks that I use to create Scrap Happy Quilts.

I hope you are enjoying springs awakening.

Keep Creating

Carol

100 day Challenge, Color Study, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Felt Work, Hand work, Machine Drawing, Nebula, Pixies Group

Warmer Weather

Hello,

We are really feeling the warmer temperatures here in the north east.  I even left the window open all night last night.  Very refreshing.   It has been a fast change as last weekend  I did not remove the electric blanket when I change the sheets because I had needed it the night before.  I sure have not needed it for the last three nights.  The buds are popping out on the trees and there are lots of small  tender green leaves on things as we walk.  The birds of all sorts serenade us  as well.  It is a glorious time of year.

I have been busy with lots of meetings.   The Pixies meant on Wed. and   the FAD group meant here this week too.  We spent the whole time out on the patio  enjoying that wonderful temperatures.  Sharon shared two of her newest winder field pieces with us.    Yesterday I went off to Marty’s new digs and spent the day with her.   She  is playing with fabric to make landscapes.  I think they are wonderful.

 

I am ready to begin a new piece for the SAQA 100 day challenge.   We are on day 90 already.  I sure have enjoyed doing the work.

 

 

 

Progress Report:  Titers in the Ring   This work is 40″ w X 50″ t.   It is #6 in the SAQA 100 Day Challenge pieces.   The tigers are the stamp and I also hand dyed the green lace that I used here.

 

 

 

 

 

Blue Beach  I am enjoying adding the buttons to this work.  I think I am beyond the half way point now.

 

 

 

 

 

Circus Parade  This work is also part of the SAQA 100 Day challenge.   I used all the Chinese Zodiac creatures that I made in this one.  I started free motion quilting  on this this morning.    This is quilt # 7 in this series.

 New Series- Split Complements #1 Blue- Yellow Orange- Red Orange   Titled:  Analyzed Appearance        I felt I needed to keep up the color exploration so I moved on to Split Complements.  I think I will do one primary and the two variations on its complement for this series.  I started with Blue and used four shades of  that base  color with this piece plus white for contrast.

Nebula   I did this felted piece as a response to the demonstration at the  Associated Artist meeting two weeks ago.  The demonstrator was going to toss the colorful material she had peeled away from the surface of her work.  I picked it up and felted it into this piece.  I finished the beading yesterday.  Only need to frame it now.

Take Off    I have put so much of my time into abstract work of late that I thought I would start a piece with subject matter.  So I built this curvy cut background.  I plan to add sea guls taking off on top.

I hope you are enjoying pleasant weather were you are .

Keep Creating

Carol

 

 

 

100 day Challenge, Diva Meetings, Drawing, Hand work, Meandering Mind- Examine, Pixies Group, Purple Impinging, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs)

April 2023

Hello,

There were lots of meetings this week as it is the first week of the month.  The QuEGs  had a Zoom meeting and although the attendance was low we had a good time.  The Diva’s had a real productive meeting too.

This is Ann’s  piece based on her trip to Yellowstone last summer.

 

 

This is Cheri’s work for the up coming show at the Unitarian Church in Ithaca.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noel is honoring her grandmother with this piece as the gloves were created by that lady.

 

 

 

Next is the work of  Terri

 

 

 

 

 

I love this felted work that was then cut up and put back together again.   The artists is Denise.

 

 

 

 

 

The Pixies had there usual meeting yesterday as well.  This fun painting is by  Laura.

 

 

 

 

 

I continue to do the SAQA challenge and I am now working on a piece I call  Circus Parade.    I also listened to the SAQA Lecture yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

Sketchbook Revival is over as far as presenting new material, but I am still playing catch up.  This portrait was directed by Irene Ruby.

 

 

 

 

This water color fox  was directed by Tamora Laporte.   This is the second year she has been a part of this program.

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Imagine Purple    This work is 37″ w X 44″ t.   It is the last of the monochromatic series.   I  have learned a lot about color doing this group of pieces and they do look good together.

The metallic inserts were a fun addition as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tigers in the Ring  I am quilting circles on this project.   It is one of the SAQA 100 day works .   I place the paper circles on the surface were I think they are needed and then machine quilt around them.  I am using the for different sizes as you can see to add interest.

Blue Beach    I just keep stitching away at this project.   I got lots of positive feed back on it at the Pixie meeting  as I was stitching on it during our Zoom meeting.

 

New Work   Sense I finished the monochromatic series, I have decided to try some Split Compliments.   This is the first one using primary blue and yellow orange and red orange.   I am using the shades and tints of the all of the colors too.

 

 

 

Stay Safe and Keep Creating

Carol

100 day Challenge, Collage, Creative Assistants, Felt Work, Green Collection, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Pixies Group, Purple Impinging, Shows, Stretched Works

Spring Growth

Hello,

It has been a full week for me.  One of the event that I Zoomed was a review of a fiber art show that I did not get into.  I found it very interesting that only 17 pieces were accepted and over 400 were entered.  That says a lot about how difficult  the judges job was.   The Judge talked and went into great detail about how she considered what selected.   I did not feel badly about not getting into the show even before I listened but,  it did make me think about why one dose enter competitions.   It sure is a boost to ones self image when one gets accepted but dose it really say anything about ones personal direction?     Three of the artist who were in the show also talked about their work.  They were all young and I think they need the acceptance and encouragement of being a part of this event far more than a person like me.  I am established and although I love a challenge, I know who I am.  That has great power in its self.  For those young women who are new to the fiber world it is far more difficult  and important.    I hope I can encourage them to grow into there full  potential and self confidence.   So why do I enter?  Well I think it is a self challenge and a motivator to keep on my own toes about what I do.     Going forward is important even as one ages.

 

I was in the Social Art Show this week( no judging).   This shot is of my friend Victoria’s work and several admirers.  I  got lots of positive feed on my work,  “Three Witches”.

 

The Pixies meant and  we had a lot to talk about.    Laura had taken photos of Susan’s work in her yard sale last week.  I like Susan’s playful style.  Everyone had their say about the week

We are one day 72 of the 100 Day Challenge for SAQA and things are moving along.   I am building up a top with my Tiger prints from earlier this year.

 

 

 

 

I am also doing the Sketchbook Revival and having great fun  as color is the emphasis this year.     One lesson was on mixing water color backgrounds with lettering.

 Several were  collage projects.

 

 

 

 

Progress Report:  Green Collection    This work is 48″ w X 61″l.   It is one of the 100 Day Challenge lap quilts.    I was still in the spiral mood when I free motion quilted this work

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Mushrooms    This is a felted stretched work that is 22″w X 16″ t.   I have been working on it for a few weeks and had the most trouble deciding on what size to make it.  I did cut off quite a bit and I think that was for the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 Purple  Imagining   I am nearing the completion of the machine quilting on this project.  There are lots of little sections  here.

 

Blue Beach   I just keep adding buttons to the surface.   I am doing lots of looking at the surface too.

 

 

 

 

 

Creative Assistants   As you can see I am ready to put arms and backing on a new batch of these guys.   I am making progress on them although it is slow.

Enjoy the longer sun shine days and keep creating.

Carol