Category Archives: Collage

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, 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

 

 

 

100 day Challenge, Collage, College Life, Creative Strength Training, Daily Practice, Drawing, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Pixies Group, Stretch Works

Winter Continues

Hello,

This has been a crazy week as far as weather is concerned.  Snow and cold, then quite warm and back to snow again.   Old Man Winter does not want to let with out a fight.

I had one two meetings this week.  The Retired Art Teachers  Zoomed as did the Pixies.  The Creative Strength Training Class does not officially begin until the first of March, but she still has done lots of pre work with us.    We had a lesson on altering a shape based on a tool.  I selected a tape dispenser and this is my solution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Being the practical person that I am I used the cut-aways  from the project plus a leftover bit of blue to create a second composition.

 

 

 

 

There was also a drawing lesson on contour drawing from Creative Strength Training  this week.  It was a slow  5 min contour drawing.   This is my solution.

 

 

 

 

My friend Joyce sent me a book “Inspired to Design” by Elizabeth Barton  and I have been working through the exercises in it too.   Of the five I have done this simplification assignment was the one I enjoyed the most.

Progress Report:   Lap 7  I enjoyed piecing together this top this week.   I will move forward on the next steps as the new week goes forward.

 

 

 

 

Lap 8  As usual I have pulled the fabric for the next lap quilt too.

 

 

 

Lost Habitat  I was disturbed by the loss of over 500 homes in Colorado due to fire in the fall.   I finally got going on my tribute to them.    The parts are just pinned in place at this point.

Action  I keep working every evening on this project.  My goal now it to have it complete by the first of April.

 

Daily Practice    This is the piece I am working on during the news  every night.

 

 

Stencil work  I ordered some commercial stencils from Stencil Girl in Dec and this week I finally got around to using them.    This is a computation of three stencils that I though played together well.

 

 

 

Bits and Pieces    I finished off and stretched this work this week.

 

 

 

 

College Life- The Indianapolis 500

I was delighted and pleased to see Eric when he picked me up from the bus station in Indianapolis. We went to Grandmother Butter’s apartment and she was her gracious, cheerful self. That also provided me with my first contact with Eric’s brother Dean. I got to meet one of Grandmother Butter’s sisters, Aunt Gretna, plus her two children, Carol and Dick, at dinner that evening, too. Everyone called Aunt Gretna Aunt Deckie, so I did, as well. It was a pleasant evening. Everyone but Carol was excited about going to the race the next day.

In those days the race was always on the 30 of May so it was a Tuesday that year.  It was gray  at 6:30 when we got up to go to the race. We all piled in the car– Grandmother, Aunt Deckie, Dick, Dean, Eric and I–and went off to the race track. It was cold when we joined the line of cars waiting to get into the track. At 8;30 we all tracked up the stairs of the main grandstand to row J in the section at the end of turn four and sat in our seats. Then the famous words came over the loud speaker, “Gentleman start your engines!” The cars growled to life and the crowd stood and cheered. The flag was dropped and the race was off. There was a new entry for the first time in 1967–a turbine car, and it immediately pulled to the front of the pack. When the turbine car passed our stands the sound was more of a swish than the roar like the other cars. Then a cold rain began to fall. The race was stopped after 18 laps and we, like most other folks, retreated to the car and waited for the restart of the race. It rained on and soon it was noon, so we ate cold chicken and deviled eggs and drank pop. We too finally deserted the track as we had watched many folks do through out the afternoon. Eric’s brother, Dean had finals to take on Wednesday we had to send him home, I called home and told my folks that I was going to stay for another day to see the race.

Eric and I went to Larry’s house and palled around with him and his current girl friend Connie for the evening. We went to White Castle for dinner. I had never had little square hamburgers before and we all had a good time. In the morning it was still gray and misting, so Grandmother decided to go into work at Wheaton Van Lines. Eric and I horsed around and talked until the phone rang. It was Aunt Deckie. She told us to look out the window and get hustling, as she was going to pick us up for the race. We hurried across town to Speedway. We were in the parking lot when we heard, “Gentlemen, restart your engines!” I think we missed seeing about two laps, before we got back in our seats. Again it was cold in the stands, but is was exciting. On the day before we had drawn the drivers names from a hat and we all had five folks we were following. Our seats were in a perfect spot to witness several wild crashes and I know I lost two of my drivers in the first one the first day. The turbine car led most of the way but broke down on the last lap of the race, and Mario Andretti won. Upon returning to Grandmothers we ate some lunch and called Larry and told him we would be picking up Connie soon. The three of us drove back to Muncie together where Eric dropped Connie off at her dorm. The Eric and I went to supper. After that we talked a bit more before he started for South Bend. I was very sad to see him go and felt that summer would be a long time, even with Summer school to keep me busy.

I am looking forward to spring and some warmer weather.

Stay safe and Create with joy!

Carol

 

25 Million Stitches Project, Birds, Childhood Memories, Collage, Drawing, Sandpipers, Summer Robins, Thread Painting

On the Go

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Hello,

I am home from my travels to Florida to help with Susan’s recovery. In the fifteen days of my stay I saw a lot of growth on her part.

 

She progressed for a support forher broken wrist on her walker to using a cane some of the time. She mastered use of the stairs with the walker on her own. She went form house bound to an outing where she went nine blocks. I am quite proud of her.    This is a shot of her with the stamps she made and printed one afternoon.

 

 

Laura came many times and we worked in a parallel fashion.  She is and excellent water color painter in my mind and this is her painting of me one day.

 

 

I started the Childhood Memories project because of Susan’s suggestion so I  brought them along so she could see them.   I had never laid then all  out before and was a bit surprised  by the size.

 

I enjoyed the green and all the flowers as well as the bird song during my visit.    We worked every day on art of some sort. Chris came   one day to visit and we did collage.

 

 

 

 

I did a lot of collage work at Susan’s.    Here are about half of them.

 

 

 

 

 

On the Friday before I left I went to a play day at Barbara’s. Beth had all the fixings for making knows and we had a good time creating the little guys.

 

Here are the finished little guys.   Left to right – mine  Barbara’s , Beth’s,  Georgia’s.      It was a fun day.

 

 

 

 

Georgia also shared her paintings. I like what she is doing.

 

 

 

 

Tue was the first one of Feb so there was a QuEGs meeting. Sue Ellen was busy and made this great pillow case that will be for sale in Cazenovia at the Artisans.

 

 

Susan is working on these four 12″ pieces for QSDS this summer. The challenge was/is 1 2 3 4.

 

 

 

Progress Report: Sandpipers  I got this work nearly completed before I went away. The birds are all stitched down and I only need to stretch it.

 

 

Summer Robins I finished the machine drawing and washed out these too. I am not happy with the placement yet and may even need to create an additional bird to be happy with it. I am still shifting and testing.

Drawings
I did draw every day and have a lot on new work. There were two specific evenings where that was the soul purpose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did lots of little collages too,

25 Million Stitches I am glad to have finished this work while I was visiting. I will press it and add the label and then it will be ready for shipping.

New work I did purchase some beautiful linen while I was away and started this bit of hand work as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Childhood Memories- First and Second Grades
The early school years for me meant that we made a special trip to the local drug store to bye workbooks along with new pencils, tablets  and crayons. I stared first grade with a bad case of Poison Ivy. There were lots of weeping soars on my skin and the teacher sure made me aware if how repulsive she found that. I did wear a lotion, but by late morning before I went home for lunch it was really bad. My parents did take me off to Iowa City to see a specialist and that really helped and cleared up the problem.   From that experience, I learned it is really hard to get beyond first impressions. My only other memory of first grade was the difficulty I had with word regition and spelling. I did the work in the spelling book and Mom spent time quizzing me. She even made red construction paper flash cards. I especially remember straggling with “ What – Where -Were- When and Why”. The reading technique in that school at  that  time that was used was one of shape recognition- not individual letters or sounding out  the words.  I am sure that did not help me at all. The teacher was so frustrated with me that I got spanked in front of the class for each word I misspelled on the spelling tests. I was so shamed by the whole thing I did not tell Mom until years later and she was appalled. Mom worked with me on addition and subtraction too. She made up games with playing cards were I had to add every two cards that were turned over.  The game  was modified for subtraction, having to always subtract the smaller number from the larger one. Later the game changed to one of color to determine the process. If I drew red first it was addition and if I drew black first it was subtraction. I really got the logic of mathematics and did well in that subject all through school.
Despite my trouble with spelling I was advanced to the second grade. That class room was up stairs on the left. We learned cursive that year and I was so very proud of myself even though I did not think it was fair that Joe Fox got the same red star for his name that I did for mine – Carol Mc Elhinney. An early lesson on the” fairness factor” in  life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Childhood Toys
I have good memories of the toys that we got as we grew up and where we lived when we got them. Gene and I got a little red folding table and  a two chairs set while we lived in the Junction. We had a few meals on it and played many a game at that table. Grandfather Howard made a wooden cupboard with a pullout drawer that was painted blue for Christmas while we lived there. It was so very sturdy that it survived through my child hood and Wendy’s. It was here in the house when Alexis was little but I do not think she played with it. I recall two different “Play School” products. One was a red plastic clock with white hands that one could adjust. The numbers were pale blue and could be removed to show minutes underneath. I got that concept quickly as a result I think. The second Play School toy was a balance scale with hooks on both ends. There were lots of blue plastic numbers with loops on the tops of them that were all of increasing size and weigh. The goal was to teach values and have the arm of the scale be strait. We also had various games like Kootie and card games. My first memorable baby doll was a Betsy Wetsy. She came with a beautiful white dress, eyes that opened and closed and wonderful short, soft, curly brown hair. She took a bottle that was filled with water and then wet her diaper. I remember wanting her – perhaps due to TV adds- but quickly tired of the novelty. The doll bed soon gave way to a home for my Tony Doll that I loved. She had a stiff body and limbs with eyes that opened and closed and hair one could comb. She could even stand alone if one balanced her correctly.   Mom made lots of changes of cloth for her and I still have that doll. Mom made soft dolls too. Gene had a sock little boy with green stripe pajamas that was called Mousy. I had an Aunt Jemina made with a pair of Dad’s brown socks and she had a red poke-a-dot dress and scarf along with a white apron. Both of them survived to recent times and although gave Jemina to a friend who collects dolls, I still have Mousy.

Keep Creating

Carol

3X3, Childhood Memories, Collage, Creative Assistants, Finger Lakes Fiber Artist Group, Scrap Happy Quilts

Lilac Time

 

Hello,
As the photo shows the Lilac are blooming. The smell is wonderful. We continue to have warm days with lots of rain.
There was a Finger Lakes Fiber Artists meeting this week end. It was good to see the gals and the discussions were good ones.   I know I took photos but I can’t seem to put my fingers on them at this time.  Lets just agree it was a visual feast.

The Sketchbook Revival class ended and I did a lot of drawing / collage works to finish up. It was enjoyable to stretch in that way for a while.  It is always good to step out of ones routine and try new things every now and then.

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Circular Thinking I am glad that I did the rework on this piece. The edges are square now and I like the flipped piece. It did mean some additional stitching across the seams, but it was well worth the efforts.

 

 

 

 

Tee Shirt Quilt 1 This work is moving forward now. All the shirts are assembled into the top  and I am building a scarp back in  shades of green and brown.

I would love to get this one completed in the next week.

 

 

 

 

 

Creative Assistants I got busy and made a new batch of faces for these little fellows this week. It is always a playful activity.

 

 

Prep Work I am going to the Surface Design Symposiums in Ohio the last week in May thanks to Susan G.   She can not go due to a join replacement she had last week. She is gifting me her spot with Rosalie Dace in Independent Studio for seven days. I am working on sketches of things to try with her guidance.
The this one is of an antique auto  that I took years ago. I want to do a few more before I limit my choices and then I will start to pull fabric to do the work.

This is my pencil interpretation of a shot I took in the car was.   I have several more from this adventure that I want to try.

 

 

 

 

Scrap Assembly   I  keep putting together my scarps and the box is now almost full of units to cut up. I have emptied one of my five bags of scarps too.

 

 

Purple Squares I had a good week and managed to finish off six new blocks this week. I want to complete three more and then I will build a nine patch by adding them to some of the blue squares that I excavated before the retreat.

 

 

Childhood Memories- Berrying Doubloons One of the summers that Gene and I stayed with the grandparents while my parents went to Iowa City to work on their Master’s Degrees, we where in love with the idea of pirates. Our great Aunt May had worked in the button factory when she was younger and she was allowed to bring home the button  seconds. There were buckets full of pearl buttons in Grandmother Ruth’s house. Gene, cousin Russell and I called them doubloons and decided to make a treasure map and bury some. We got a old cigar box from grandmother and filled it with the buttons. We even tried to make “ink” with some berry juice, used a chicken feather for a pen and drew a map of “ Cocklin Island” .   Cocklin was my grandparents name- and the map was our interpretation  of the yard.  We noted all the landmarks in the yard like the three Blue Pines and the dead cherry tree .  We  put an X where we buried the treasure of course.   It was in the garden near the old  stone encrusted  cement pillars that  great  grandfather Herman, had made when Mom was young.    We berried the “treasure chest”  there because  it was the only place in the yard that was soft enough for us to dig  successfully.   I do not know if anyone ever went in search of the treasure or what became of the map. I am sure grandmother dug up the box when she dug potato that fall. It was a great way to spend a summer day  and my memory of the day is a golden one.

Keep Creating

Carol

Blue Jays, Collage, Daily Practice, Killdeer, Scrap Happy Quilts, Shows

Opening of Quilts=Art =Quilts

 

IMG_2159Hello

Color is filling the leaves of our area now.   Lots of gold and red around here.      This week has been a full one for me.   The QAQ show opened on Sat at the Schweinfurth and I got to see my quilt in all its glory.   IMG_2133Julia was one of the folks in this show too.   She also came to the opening.   I made a connection with a quilter from California- Viviana Lombrozo .   Her work was in the same gallery as mine and we went to the banquet together  and had a grand time talking and sharing ideas.  Then we meant again at the Gallery Walk About on Sunday afternoon.     I am still flying high from the experience.

Over this same weekend I was taking a class called Mindful Stitching Practice with Christine Mauersberger.   She is a great teacher with lots to share.IMG_2169   She gave us various prompts to stitch.  This is my piece from day one showing circles and my breath patterns.   IMG_2174We did responses to music and other prompts on Sat.    There were so many directions that I did not get to all of them.IMG_2172   This is my response to taking a walk with my thread.    There were 13 other gals in the class responding to her guidance too. Lots f different solution to all the different ideas that were offered up.          IMG_2141And down stairs they where doing Indigo dye work.    This is a shot of two of Regina’s pieces  from that class.      There was so much going on that I still have not processes it all.

Progress Report: Blue Jays I finally got going on the 12”X12” pieces for the next show at the Broad Street Gallery in Hamilton.      The Blue Jays were fun to do  and putting on the stretch felt really was enjoyable too.IMG_2183I think I will do more jays a s they are so active in this area. IMG_2184

 

Killdeer     This too will be part of the Broad Street Gallery show.   Their distinctive calls have made these birds a long time favorite of mine.IMG_2179

 

 

Cedar Wax Wings IMG_2165 I have three of these little fellows done now and I will build a background to use them on next.  I enjoy the thread painting and I have ideas for some butterflies as well as more weeds too.

Daily Practice  IMG_2168I am doing the button whole stitch alone the chain work now and I am about half way done with that process.

IMG_2185New work- Noogoora/cocklebur  This shot shows the fusible inner facing that is on the back of the fabric to make it more stable  for hand stitching .   I can also draw the shape of the prickly seed heads on the back so I can see what shape I am going for with the stitching.   The seed is enlarged about 500 times .         I hope this works.

New WorkIMG_2161I am auditioning fabrics for my next piece.  It is to be an earth piece  in the elements series.    I am trying to decide if I will build on browns greens or grays.

Label card- Include All   In this time of conflict I wanted to think beyond the division and remind us all that there is only one world and we need to be inclusive not exclusive  with it!

Keep Creating

Carol

Baby Quilts, Collage, Dad's Barn, Daily Practice, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), How

Busy Season

1 Comment

Hello,

I am enjoying the flowers of summer now.  I   Day  Lilies   bring a smile to my face , even though they do not last long.  They are so cheerful!

IMG_1404I have enjoyed a full week.  Last Friday I went up to Old Forge to the View to the National Pastel Show with my friend Barbara.    She had five works in this judged show and won the Prize for Best Use of Color with this work.   She also sold one of the other works to a fellow artist.  I am so very proud of her.  We stayed over night and took our time driving home  and stopped at the Broad Street Gallery in Hamilton.  It was full of wonderful art and the gallery owner asked Barbara to show there.    Barb left one of her works with the gallery and it is  in the front window.   She is doing well.

Tues the FAB group meant and we had a good time.    Sharon shared her newest work.  She is teaching a workshop on how to create this type of work at  Calico Gals.    It is full and she will teach it again in the fall as there is a waiting list.

Then on  Wednesday I went to Liz’s and we did a little dyeing.IMG_1421This year I plan to do two layers of color on all the works I create with dye.  So these are only half done.

Progress  Report:   Dad’s Barn   This quilt is 25” X 17”.   The background is one of Ethel’s starts that was in the bottom of one of my boxes and I loved the two colors together.IMG_1438I did the trees and  bird as free motion thread painting.     This barn was on dad’s last farm and falling down.   IMG_1437I enjoy doing free motion birds and though this swallow would go well with the barn.   I do remember a few flying around there  when I visited.

Ravens

I am glad I added to the quilting on this piece.  It hangs much better and is flatter too.IMG_1441

How I keep working with the text idea and in this case the word is HOW.   This is Ok but I am not happy with where it is at this time.  I need to do a lot of thinking and planning here.

Baby Quilt  IMG_1431I am working away on this project.   The week as been so busy that there is not a lot of progress.   This is the background and now I can start to add the animals to the surface.

IMG_1433Daily Progress  This project just moves along slowly.   All the orange cording is attached now and I will move on.

Collage

This is OZ inspired of course.  I am having fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Label Card   Tribes is about respecting Mother Nature and all she represents.  Native American’s  close ties to the land and  made for a healthy attitude toward our earth and it’s resources.   We need to keep this in mind as we pursue our lives.

Enjoy the wonders of summer.

Keep Creating

Carol

Collage, Dad's Barn, Daily Practice, Dreams, Persuasion, Ravens, Trinkets

June Day trip

 

Hello,

I love to do little short day trips in the summer.  This last week end I went with my daughter  to Sonnenburg Gardens  and to the Out Door Expo.  We had a good time an enjoyed the our excursion.There was a little animal show at the Expo and  this tortious  was one of the animals there.     His  textures are wonderful to my eye.     One needs to follow  ones interests as  you never know where they may lead.

IMG_1317Progress Report:  Ravens   I am redoing this piece with reflective quilting now.   The process is slow but the end results make for a better work.

Linda’s Luck    Working away on line quilting on this piece.   The  Progress is  time consuming.

Dad’s Barn   Being unsure of just what I want to do with this piece I am doing a lot of studying  at this point.

Persuasion IMG_1315 I am to the reflective step in quilting on this piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daily Practice   I am just starting this new work.     I am stitching down little brass flowers that my friend Carol gave to me as my first step.

Collage   I am doing collage again and this is my work for this week.     I could not resist playing with these strong graphic patterns.

Cards: TrinketIMG_1309 It seems like my drawers fill with little trinkets of so many items from various sources.   One dose like to keep these tiny memory  things.

 

Dreams    Everyone is unique and all our dreams are too.    One has got to love the diversity!

Keep Creating

Carol

One  last picture of one of the orkids from the gardens.

Carrol Iowa, Collage, Daily Practice, Diva Meetings, Iamgine, Memory Map Quilts, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs)

April Melt

Hello,

We are deep into the spring melt in this part of the world.  Eric and I stopped at Chittagong on our way home on Sunday to check the falls.  It was  so loud that we had to yell at one another to be herd.  The  experience sure was an adrenaline rush and all we did was look and feel the spray on our faces.     Water is a powerful force in nature.

IMG_0763This week was the first Tuesday of the month so I had meetings.   QuEGs meant at Angela’s house this time and we had a lot to share.   SueEllenSue Ellen is making twin bed quilts for her nieces and nephews.   This one is for the six year old and I think he will like the bright colors.

NotebookCorrine is doing leather notebooks now and this is just one of  five that she shared.  They are beautiful I think.

Sally is doing a wonderful flower series and she had four of them to share with us. Her hand work is beautiful!

Then I went off to the Diva meeting with Noel. IMG_0769   This shot is one of her fabric collages.    She said sometimes it takes an hour to find and eyebrow  for a piece.  What a challenge.

Liesa is knitting puppets for her grandchildren.  This one sure has personality. IMG_0778

Lori is doing a class where she is making lots of samples of stitches.  This work fits her life at the moment. IMG_0780   It is good to have a reference points  for further work.

Regina took two felting workshops this month and did great projects.    As is her style she jumps into things with both feet.   I think this shawl is   beautiful.IMG_0777In workshop  2 she learned how to create a bag.  This is her design and it hast two pockets in it.  One on the inside and one on the back.     She felted the handle too   I sure am lucky to have such talented and stimulating friends.

Progress Report:   Asters

The leaves are all attached now.  I made faced circles the size of quarters for the centers of the flowers this week too.  Now I am ready to begin the purple petals for those flowers.

 

 

 

 

Dill  I am ready to add the seed heads on the tops of the plants now.  Then I can stretch   the piece and do the finishing.

 

 

 

Memory Map: Carroll Iowa   I painted the street map and the outside of the house on organza  this week for this project.  Now I need to work on the other parts and add them too.  I will not stitch anything down to the base until I have them all in place so I can shuffle them  if I need to.

 IMG_0790Fiddle Head Ferns    This project is creeping along.  I got the idea to feature  the Fiddle Head Ferns  last week at the Social Art meeting when one of the women though  my Indian Pipes were the ferns.  So I did a bit of research and they are a similar shape although quite a different color.     I dyed the white pipe cleaners  green and wrapped them part way up with a green fabric to create the young ferns.     I think it will work when I build up the background a bit more and add mature ferns too.

Daily Practice II  This work is nearly complete.     I seem to be  at a  sort of at a stand still  on this one.   So I will pin it to the stretcher bars before I stop  work to see how it appears.    I hope that action will tell me what needs more attention.

IMG_0791  Parts   I am still building little units for this project.

IMG_0788  W Block  This block is for a group project were each block is to have a W in it.  It for a friend who is battling cancer and the W is to represent wellness.      I plan to free motion write lots of word of encouragement around the letter.

 

Collage  13IMG_0782  I just keep working on on collages and sorting my paper collection.

Cards   I got a little carried away this week.   I was still so full of adrenalin when we got home from the falls visit  that I made this card in  no time.   One can never tell just what will inspire one.

    I    then rushed forward and did Perhaps  followed by Extraordinary.     Sometimes one just is  just the conduit for the  art action.

Keep Creating

Carol