I'm off to ArtFest !!!

I made this 8x8 for the ArtFest Gallery. It was to be part of a series. Well, I ran out of time. Oh well........ It is fabric, paper and fibre. And other stuff too. Like a nest. Get it?

I'll report back on all of the festivities on April 2 (next Monday?). And that's when I'll be finishing my nest series. LOL

Caryl's Thunderstorm

For our "True Colours" RR, Caryl chose the colour "Thunderstorm" One of my favourite songs is Blind Melon's No Rain, so I was happy to work it in. I had a 1 day turn around for this book, but I had it a bit planned in my mind. And I went a bit too crazy with the punchinella stencilling. I think that I need to learn some new techniques.... that's what ArtFest is for , right?????

I love my computer because my friends live in it!

I asked the Lord to tell me
Why my house is such a mess.
He asked if I'd been 'computering' ,
And I had to answer "yes."

He told me to get off my fanny
And tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up...
The smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside.
That really did the trick...
I was just admiring my work..
I didn't mean to 'click.'

But click, I did, and oops I found
A real absorbing site
That I got SO way into.
I was into it all night.

Nothing's changed except my mouse
It's very, very shiny.
I guess my house will stay a mess...
While I sit here on my hiney.

Productive March Break

Even though I was very sick (too dizzy to walk, at times) I managed to complete a lot!!

I finished almost everything on my list (still wiring the copper on the vial charms – I may be doing that in Seattle Airport…) (Still working on the 8x8s too) And made 3 trips to the post office to mail it all.

And I made something really pretty to give to someone at ArtFest. And I’m working on something else really pretty to give to someone else at ArtFest. Shhhh, don’t tell……..

I played with something new (liver of sulphur) (smelly smelly stuff)

I took Lauren out for Breakfast (at Boom), and met Tuyet for supper (Friendly Thai)

I hung out with Lauren a bit, and she listened very patiently while I complained about anything and everything. And I pretended to listen back.

I hung out with the puppy, Andy “Chews and Destroys” Warhol. Ray bought him a Kong, and a Kong Ball. So far, they are proving indestructible. Hurray! (luckily, he only chew up his toys, and sometimes things that he mistakes for toys)(like fabric that hangs off the table a bit….)

I got my hair cut (YES, at the salon)(Coupe Bizarre, if you must know). And I dyed my own hair (red)(always) It's a layered bob....

I went to Colette’s for a relaxing hanging out day -- Thank you so much Colette (we can talk forever and lose track of time....)

I hemmed my jeans (waiting since December…)

I walked downtown 3 times (you think that I could have remembered everything that I needed to make it one trip….)

I finished 4 Green and Purple ATCs that I forgot to put on the list…..

I did a MOUNTAIN of laundry

I took my bike in to have its Spring Tune up -- oops -- I just remembered that I forgot to pick it up......

I took a big bag of clothes (and, sadly, shoes) to the consignment store. They took 13 items. I have to pick up the rejects tomorrow. I wonder what they rejected???

I watched some movies (V for Vendetta, The Rocket, and some bad weekday afternoon movies) and even went to the theatre and saw “Music and Lyrics” (very cute!!)

There. I thought that if I wrote it all down it would look like a lot. It kind of does.

Fabric Charms

I'm working on some fabric charms for a swap -- and I'm really loving them. The theme is Mother Nature and the colours are supposed to be sepia, blue and green.

First, I printed some clip art nests onto coffee dyed fabric. Then I hand painted the nests and the eggs (I added Pearl Ex to the blue -- it's kind of shimmery) with acrylic washes. Then I cut out the images and sewed them onto little squares of vintage cotton upholstery fabric.(I layered some fibres in behind on my second one). On the backs I stamped "nest" on to heavy muslin (it was a really old table cloth...). And I sandwiched it all up with some felt in the middle to make it a bit puffy. Next time I'll add some heavy interfacing in the middle for the eyelet to grab on to. And I have to go out this afternoon and buy some antique white thread. I have off-white -- but it looks pretty stark white here.
** I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME FEEDBACK before I complete any more. Do you think that I should round the edges off to make the charms oval?? Any other suggestions?? The finished size is 1" x 1 1/8"

Winged People

This little winged girl is one of my favourite images. This is a 4x4 for a mingle. I think that the subject is "winged people" . I hope that this is winged enough....... it's a mixture of paper and fabric and a transparency and a feather! I love tucking feathers behind different media, and letting bits stick out. I'm sure that the border police will catch me, and I'll regret it someday.... I think that I'll add some more embellishments before I send it, but I wanted to scan it first. Sometimes when I look at my art on my computer screen, I see what it needs.......

Purple and Green

Okay -- this is my FAVOURITE colour combination. But I can't work in it. Well, I did, but it fought me every step of the way. I started in paper on a painted deli paper background (thanks again, Maria!!). It needed something, so I added a purple paint border. Then the words. then some organza around the edges. Then little scraps of fabric around the edges. Then they felt finished.

These ATCs are off today for a swap.

**** a little edit -- I could always work in green and purple with FABRIC -- It's the paper that's the problem. Paper fights me. Maybe I should just surrender. Surrender to the fabric, martha. Let the paper go..... (but I have to use it all up first...... I think that I'm pretty safe in saying that I have a lifetime supply of paper....) I can't believe that I'm having a little conversation with myself on my blog.

Mothies

These are little moth fairies. Two of these will be off to Barb today..... I'm not sure which two.... they seem to want to stay home and not brave the cold trip to Wisconsin. The vintage ones at the top have fabric faces, the flower ones at the bottom have paper faces that have been protected with packing tape, which makes them really vibrant. Tip: use tacky glue to glue down the paper/tape faces first, so the stitches don't rip through the tape.

My next ones will incorporate some kind of text -- I feel that when I don't use words, my art is naked....... . My next mothies will be a bit "looser" I feel that I have to stick to the rules the first time that I do something, then I can break the rules and make them my own then next time. Does that make sense? When I used to sew clothes for myself (hahahah -- I hardly do anymore) I would always make a "muslin" the first time -- a trial garment to get the fit and style right. Sometimes the "muslins" were made of muslin -- but more often out of fabric scraps that I didn't really like. I have lots of housedresses made out of these trials -- my "arting" clothes!!

When Did I Stop Being Cool?

This is an entry for Lyn's Zetti Journal. This is what I was feeling today. I think that the weight gain is really affecting me. Especially because my spring coat won't really do up. And I got it to replace the last spring coat that didn't really do up anymore. Bring on the mu mu......

Dotee Dolls...... And Lola Dolls

Okay, so this is a Dotee Doll (above) . Dot in Australia makes them -- aren't they fun and cute? Dot's hosting a swap. We're supposed to make our versions of Dotee Dolls. Mine are below. I think that I'll leave the Dotee Dolly making to Dot!! Mine are a bit sombre, and are called Lola Dolls -- after Lauren (that's her face -- it reappears often in my art). I didn't want to do an embroidered felt face because I didn't want them to look just like Dot's. My first attempt is on the left, and then I made the rest. Those two with wings are going to have to flap pretty hard to take off. I also made some Dotee Doll ATCs -- which I am pretty happy with.

What kind of flower am I?

You are a Snapdragon

"Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh."

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

I don't think that this sounds like me at all -- but I agree that I snap like a dragon. AND I was born in the Year of the Dragon. Okay, so snapdragon it is.......

Daily Challenge March 4-10

This daily challenge thing is going okay -- even though I've been sick as a dog since Thursday. I managed to put one thing on the page(s) every day , and then on Saturday I journaled a bit. I kind of had a theme of red and white. Today I'm painting some backgrounds so the pages don't look so stark....

March Break "to do" list

March Break starts this weekend! This is what I have to do :

- 3 tiny Dotee dollys and 3 Dotee dolly ATCs see http://dotslifeandart.blogspot.com/

- 3 4x4 fabric quilties - zetti theme

- 4 tiny moth fairies

- 10 fabric tags for a tag fatbook

- 3 8x8 works of art for artfest

- 100 charms for artfest

- 28 fabric charms (or is that 11?????) - colour theme -- sepia, blue, green

- a banner with 4 pennants

.... and work in the 5 RR books that I have sitting on my desk.

hahahahahahahahahahah -- but you KNOW that I'll finish it all, right?
(the challenge will be the 8x8s and the pennants)

re: my daily challenge: before bed isn't working for me! But first thing in the morning does! So far I have 2 business cards glued in. This is a SCRAPBOOK . A REAL scrapbook. With special scraps from my life glued in. I actually have a few scrapbooks that I made when I was young (a little girl) One is full of animal pictures, and one is full of anything to do with Star Trek (the original series). They are both in large 11x17 newsprint books. This new one is 6"x6" -- and will be full of mementos from my art life.

but first -- I MUST finish my report cards.

****EDIT -- OOPS, I FORGOT !! -- 10 Altered beads for the mixed up media group!!!!

Fabric Inchies

These are tiny 1" square fabric collages. They were fun to make. I did a crazy patchwork background on a 4x4 square base, then topstitched randomly. Then I cut it into 1 inch squares, then added a face and a word. Some of them have beads... 8 of them are for a swap -- the remaining ones will be worked into pins -- or perhaps charms!

Daily Challenge!

This is my challenge – I’m going to glue something into my journal every single day. I know that it doesn’t sound like too much, but I can’t give myself the pressure of “make something every day” or “do a page a day in my journal” , but I can glue something in every single day. I’m going to try to make it an evening ritual. I can try to make cohesive pages or not. I’m going to do one page (or one spread) every week. So everything that I’m gluing from Sunday to Saturday will go on one page. And then I’ll post the page on my blog every week. I might add paint, or markers, doodles, journaling or rubber stamps. Or not. See, no pressure. Anyone want to join me? I’m just going to use an inexpensive spiral bound journal. Stay tuned and keep the pressure on me.

It's later than you think!

Carpe Diem is my favourite saying. I try to seize the day everyday. This is a spread in a zettiology themed RR book. It's Robin's book! I painted the background and then added some of Teesha Moore's images. Very Zetti, I think.....

Just two people clowning around......

I made this 4x4 for a swap. The theme is music. I love quoting music lyrics. And I love Shakespeare (well, I love quoting Shakespeare, anyway). In the summer here in Toronto, we have "Shakespeare in the Park" in a few parks. I always go to the big one in High Park. We bring a picnic and sit in the outdoor theatre. I wouldn't miss it for the world. I miss summer..... (we're in the middle of a blizzard, that will be turning to freezing rain sometime in the night. Of course, the schools ALWAYS remain open)