Spring is coming...

We were supposed to have rain most of yesterday and into today, but the clouds and sun apparently were unaware of this! It was mostly a sun and puffball kinda day yesterday, with today being mostly cloudy. I can take that anyday. But the trees and the birds both know spring is on the horizon, and are busily preparing for her arrival. Of course, we are behind on rainfall, so I shouldn't look for the sun much until it is finished filling up the reservoirs.

This weekend was a very productive one, I found my cutting table in my studio! It really was there under all that stuff! I rewarded myself with about eight hours of playtime, and am about ready for my class next Saturday. It seems everything I am working on is in shades of blue and green, and I am immersed in watery shades. Love it love it love it. Tomorrow, pics of the projects.

The samples

I did indeed finish the BT samples, and here they are. I painted pellon (actually Fast-2-Fuse) with dynaflo and jacquard textile paints. When they were dry, I added snippets of thread, ribbon, yarn, organza and tissue lame, then pressed it onto the F2F. I then added organza over the snippets on the red piece and stitched with my Bigfoot. I am pretty satisfied...but went on to paint Lutradur, just because. I will post that when I am done!

Mermaids

To excuse my absence, my camera has been on the blink, but is all better now. Easter Sunday we celebrated a friends 70th birthday! She loves mermaids, so I made her what you see here. I thought long and hard and prayed over every part, and I hope she likes it. She is the third one in on the second shot...a very lovely lady.

I teach again next weekend, so apart from the Beryl Taylor stuff to finish up tonight and tomorrow, I will be trying to find all the bits and pieces I need for the class. It is Burning Issues, my very favorite. Hot embossing plastic, soldering irons, burned transparencies... what's not to love! I have started the charms for In this House Yahoo group, the last thing will be embossing plastic, or maybe solder if I get brave. I should get those up by next Monday, I hope. It is nice to have a little something to work on whenever... as soon as I can find the space, I will set up my loom and get something woven too. I haven't done that in way too long.

Ruffled Feathers

I went to a local yahoo group meeting and driving there (which took two times as long as it should have because of stupid drivers) I had a crow land right on my car! Only briefly (we were stopped for about 20 minutes) but the whole meeting I had this piece stewing in my brain. I needed a sample for my class on fabric fusing and burning, and this is it.

A book day

I am working on some books, several at a time, and wishing I could see outside better. The day was lovely, but my window is under a deck, sigh. I am doing sketches for a fabric "painting" too. It will deal with Yellowstone, the caldera, the hotsprings, the fumeroles. Such a lovely place. Now anyway. Nothing much to be seen, just paper and sketches. But I love all the planning stages too, so a good day.

Can you see the buds on the trees? And the nest? I am ready for spring...

New Art

Okay, instead of posting this week, I have stayed up way too late doing fun things, particularly techniques in color.

The group is using Beryl Taylor's book Mixed Media Explorations to learn not only techniques but how to apply them. I am so inspired by all the pieces I see our group posting. Lots of talent out there.

This is Crayola Model Magic painted, inked, Pearl-xed and waxed. I used Lumiere and Dynaflo paints, different types of dye inks, and treasure waxes. Most pieces are stamped, but the word "ancient" and the face have been molded. Fun fun fun!

Art just doesn't get any better than this...

If you thought yesterday was good, I saved the best til now. At a little used bookstore I frequent, last week I picked up a fabulous thing. I set it aside and didn't look until this morning, so I am just now getting pics out, but boy it's worth the wait. You know how at antique shops you can pick up prints of precopyright paintings, sometimes for $10, $20 or more for rarer ones? Well, I got 50 Audubon bird prints in unbound format (easy to scan in) for $25!!!!

I am in seventh heaven! I am retiring to my basement, uh studio, to make art!

A Banner Day

It is amazing what one can do without walking much, when need be. I am in the middle of a 4 day off my knee respite, and got cabin fever. I went to a little thrift shop, and hit the pot of gold! The folio is a 1963 apparently complete Nat Geo Atlas at an unbelievably low price. The rest is the costume jewelry I picked up for a song too, only 1 piece over $4 ($8). When I opened one of the lockets, the picture was still inside!

Then there are the silk and cheescloth that I dyed, what a scrumptious color! And in my quest for organization, I have found a super way to store my fancier beads. These were previously in little labeled bags, that I could hardly see in to identify. AND, I didn't have to walk very much at all. A banner day, I say, a banner day.

In like a lion?

Not quite. It was cold and grey this morning, but by afternoon the sun was out and the day was mild, must have been around 50. Unfortunitley, I couldn't enjoy it because I was inside... but it was for a class I teach, so that was way better! I had a dynamic group of women who started a bit shyly, but were soon raring to go! I simply can not teach art from a sitting position, so my foot got a workout, and I kept my shoes on all day for the first time since I broke my foot back in July! My knee, not so good. Sigh. Soon.

So the two lions above are so cute, don't you think so? They like to stay in the sun drenched windowledge, and take turns enjoying the warmth. It looks pretty good to me! They think they are pretty tough cookies, but they are both very affectionate. They appreciate their scritchies. And their kitty treats.