I have been creative!

I

have been working slowly but I have been making samples for my Surface Design series of classes. I am doing textures next, and needed to update the samples. I got Lesley Riley's newest book, on using Lutradur. Since I pestered our stores buyer until she got us some, I better make sure people buy some! So I am expanding the Lutradur portion. In the past I would color it in the first class and burn and distress in the third class. So, using it in mixed media pieces requires techniques to tie it in. I also want to use it more to raise the surface of the embroidery substrate and add in that great pitted texture. I am not through yet, in fact in both pieces I have much hand embroidery yet to do, but since I haven't posted much lately, I thought I would post an early pic or two.

The first photo is of a small Indian blockprinting bit, one I used on the second photo's work. I sponged the block with expandoprint, heated it, and then rubbed gold and black paint over it. The corner bits are Crystalina and the Lutradur is in back of the photo transfer of an icon. I used acrylic paint to color it, and will use stitch to blend it all in. The third photo is a piece using a layer of cotton on top of a little cotton batting, with a layer of acrylic felt beneath that. Over the cotton (batik dyed) I stitched a layer of nylon/poly organza. This was heat distressed, and then machine stitched to blend the pieces together. I added lots of handwork too, and have more yet to go. I am working on two more pieces, and will post more on Saturday, I think. I feel good! Art does indeed wash away the dust of the world from my soul.