I'm a book-o-holic!

Nancy Cartwright and Sarah Fishburn are coming out with a wonderful book in July. It's called In This House. You can have a sneak preview here. (you get to flip through the book -- it's a cool preview) I already have it on my amazon wish list! I can't wait!

I taught a workshop! ( and here's a give-away!)

I taught a small group a bit about fabric collage -- using transparencies, transparent fabrics -- a bit on stamping fabrics. I know what to do next time (handouts would be good). But we all made lots of fun collages. I brought my camera, but forgot to use it (I get too caught up in the moment). I know that I was teaching -- but I couldn't help making a few things too.

The first picture was my demo -- it's a 5x5 collage of fabric and fibers and a transparency.
These little pieces are pins! They are less than 2" wide or long...


Thank you so much to Kelley -- who let me teach at her house -- and made lunch for us! And thank you to Lesley and Camille for being my "guinea pigs". And all of you are very accomplished sewers and each of you taught me something......

*** I am going to give away the 5x5 collage that I made -- It's called Mother Love. I'm going to draw for it next Sunday on Mother's Day. To enter the give-away, all you have to do is comment on this post, telling me why your mother is [or was :( ] the best!

More wrist quilties!

People kept emailing me and asking why I haven't put up any new art. What do you all think, that I'm an art machine????? LOL. Okay, maybe I am. Doesn't that "Blogging Without Obligation" thingy mean anything???? Well, due to peer pressure, I've made 2 new cuffs. These are going to some people who are hosting some swaps........ Aren't they pretty? They actually look even more pretty in real life.

Dotee ATCs

These came too! Clockwise from top left: Dotee, Jane, my own, Jacky. thank you!!!They look like sleepy babies. Except mine -- just like real life. My baby never slept.......

Dollies

My Dotee dolls and Mothies have arrived! Aren't they wonderful!?? Of course, I've misplaced all of the contact names that go with them..... I'll add them when I find it all.....

Clockwise from the Lola doll (my purple one with the star on the head): Barb B (thanks Barb! this little mothie was an extra goodie that Barb, our host, included); Maria; Rella (faerieluna); Judy (from Scotland); Robin (from Maui) and Ulia (from Gemany) . So multinational! The one from Robin has a little beaded "grass" skirt on -- she is adorable.

My Masterpiece!

My baby turned 20 yesterday. How did that happen? I can't possibly be old enough to have a 20 year old! Where did the time go?

procrastination

I'm blaming Heather again for making me waste all of my time. I saw some really fun drawings on her blog (see Links)-- so I had to try them too! This is what I made:
Heather's are all colourful -- I don't know how she did that...... Catherine (see Links) has some on her blog too -- she's made a stamp from one. Very very very cool!!!! You can make them too! Just go here:

Wrist Quiltie

I love making these! It's 2" wide and does up with buttons. It looks so nice on my wrist. I think that I'll have to keep it for myself. Sorry to the person who I was going to send it to. I'll have to make you another one....

question: If I make wrist quilties to sell, how do I make it fit the person's wrist ?-- do I just do it a bit big, and then let the purchaser move the buttons? or do I ask their measurement when they buy it, and THEN sew the buttons on? (this is assuming that I'd be selling them online)

Beads... and ducky and friend

Oops, I'm a bit late......I meant to upload this image weeks ago, but I forgot.

Carmi's challenge for this month was to alter/decorate/ transform these big beads into something beautiful (they are wooden -- about 1 1/4 inches long. I used gesso and paint and more gesso and more paint and stamped tissue and more gesso and gold paint. They are less "dimensional" than I wanted, but they are pretty.
The egg with the ducky and froggie was a metal easter egg that I got in my basket every year when I was young. Filled with jelly beans. I don't like easter jelly beans. They don't come in black. I have to investigate where the other eggs went. One was a big, blue pasteboard egg. My mom probably sold it! (My mom had an antique store. If it wasn't locked up (or hidden in your bedroom), it was fair game) (see, mom -- it's all your fault that I'm a hoarder. I'm keeping it away from you.... LOL)

Happy but tired

Just imagine a picture of me, right up there, with a big smile. I'm going to be teaching Kindergarten again next year :) That means that I will actually be teaching the same grade two years in a row -- and I WON'T HAVE TO CHANGE CLASSROOMS! If you don't teach -- just imagine having to move everything you own every 10 months or so. NOT FUN. And when you change grades, it's like starting your life over from scratch every year. Now I don't have to start from scratch, but I can build upon what I have. Yay for me!

I'm also happy that it's finally sunny here! And warm (around 70 degrees). It's giving me energy. And I need it. I'm still not totally well. I was in bed before 9pm almost every night this week. 2 nights before 7pm! Of course, it's 5 am Saturday morning and I'm wide awake. But I have this list, right? Of things to do......

AND I'm blaming Heather on my shopping relapse at a scrapbooking store yesterday. Not my favourite store (my favourite store is Bizzy B's in Toronto) but a store close to where I work and close to the beach. I never made it to the beach. I'd better start selling some art to support my habit. (I plan to get that together this summer)
~more later !

This is too fun!

I went here

http://www.blyberg.net/card-generator

and made this:you can add whatever text you want, and add a scribbly comment. And yes I finished. And yes, I meant 2005.

ATCs

I was at Bizzy Bs last night for ATC night. It was so nice to see everyone again, because I missed the March meeting. I didn't have time to make ATCs to trade for this session(the theme was spring) -- I was too sick and had a lot of work to catch up on for school! March's theme was Black and White and I was sorry to miss it, so I made two and also made a black and white self portrait. I used some paper that Traci Bautista gave us to play with at ArtFest, and then I added some images and then I embellished using a white signo pen and a black glaze pen. I like doing self portraits. I'm going to try to do a new self portrait ATC every month.

Next month's theme at Bizzy Bs is Royalty. By the way, I'm on the road to recovery: I'm feeling lively. I cleaned out my garden this morning (how can such a little dog make such a huge mountain of poop?) This afternoon will be spent doing income tax. wooo hooo! tomorrow will be spent playing in altered books, calendars and journals. Once I unbury my art table.....

Oh: Bizzy B's will be at The CreativFestival at the International Centre (near the airport) in Toronto next weekend (April 20-22) http://www.csnf.com -- they will be introducing some new rubber stamp lines that they are carrying including Character Constructions !!!! http://www.characterconstructions.com
I won't be going to the show (I don't drive) (I go to the fall show which is downtown) so I hope that Barb has some leftovers for me! Although I did buy some new rubber stamps last night...... I'll play with them AFTER the income tax. That will be my reward.........

Zetti Fabric 4x4s

Today is a holiday (no school -- yay!). It's "Easter Monday" whatever that is. I'm just happy to have one more day to recuperate (I still can't hear). TodayI made some white inchies (which really don't photograph well) and these 4x4s for Teri's swap. I'm very happy with them. Of course, they wouldn't be the same without Teesha Moore's images.........
EDIT - oops, I forgot that they were to be celebrating spring -- I guess that I must embellish a bit with flowers.......

Happy Easter

I like eggs and I like bunnies. Here are the eggs. Bunnies to follow.


This was another zetti ornament swap with Beth. Zetti Easter. I made the egg shaped one (top) -- this is one to look at close up. It has all sorts of loose things under the acetate -- words, beads, fibres -- so it's always changing. I like that the nest is inside of the egg. This is one of my favourite pieces that I've ever made....Beth made the bottom one. Isn't it cool? She is a master of layering....

Nesting

I finished more 8x8 nest pieces! I love making them. These 2 are going to Ally (she has the first one). There are more on my picturetrail.

I'm Back!

Well, I've been back since Sunday but I'm sick. Really sick. So with school and all, I haven't had time to post. ArtFest was fantastic. It was wonderful meeting Ally after emailing for over a year! We had so much fun with Ruth, Nancy and Catherine. And I met some wonderful people: Heather, Maija, Tejae, Victoria, Tara and my shuttle buddy Brenda -- who lives in the US, but still very close -- in fact we spend parts of the summer in the same provincial park!! After many days of searching, I finally found Rita, but by the end of ArtFest was only able to give feeble conversation! Sorry, Rita!
I have posted pics on my Picturetrail in the ArtFest 2007 Folder . If you're wondering if I ever wear anything but black, well, yes I do, but not often!
Also check out Ruth's blog and her flikr to see many other incriminating pictures of me (and Ruth, Nancy, Ally and our house, and classes and other fun stuff)[that's me, Ruth and Ally in the picture above]
I took classes from Traci Bautista, Linda and Opie O'Brien and Michael deMeng. I finished a bracelet in Linda and Opie's class, and Ruth helped me turn it into a necklace. (well, actually Ruth did it while I watched. Actually, I didn't even watch, I turned away for a moment and it was finished. So I'll just tell the truth and say Ruth did it)

I'm wearing it here, in this picture of Tejae and me at vendors night. And here's a closeup: It's made of copper, sterling silver and tins (like cookie tins or olive oil tins). I made it all -- I cut the copper and the sterling, aged it, stamped the numbers on the sterling, cut out the copper tab charms, cut out the tin, and wired it all together (the bracelet chain was pre made).


I didn't finish anything else, but as I do, I'll post it! And I haven't even opened my trades yet, but when I do I'll post them too. (I'm waiting until I have time to have a tea and savour them one by one)

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)

Heart Danglies

Well, I posted my Heart Danglies that I sent off, but I completely forgot to post the ones that I received!! The heart shaped one with all of the cool fibre is by Teri V. The one with the crown is by tejae. tejae makes polymer clay hearts -- the heart at the top is very 3D and very cool. The heart in the middle is a door and it opens to show some cherubs.

Lime and Turquoise look beautiful together!

so why did I have such a tough time with it?
Yummy Yummy.
Cat's book is stunning. The song that I chose to go with the colours is "Put the Lime in the Coconut" I also got a bit of "The Pina Colada Song" in there too. LOL. I came up with a Carly Simon song too (thanks, Robin) , but I couldn't make it work.

Paintbrush Girl

Here is another junque figure (assemblage, whatever....). she kind of looks a bit scared. Perhaps she's concerned that her heart is spilling open. Although, I think that's she's shopping. She has a nice vintage tag handbag.......

(click on the image for a better view)

I'm officially a Mixed Up Media Artist

I went to Carmi's club meeting last night. Very fun times. We had a show and tell, and we played with stuff like UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel). I made these bottle cap collages! Carmi demoed wax collage too, but we ran out of time so we didn't play with that yet.

Our assignment for next month is to alter some honkin' big wooden beads. They have to remain beads, and then we will trade them! We'll have a honkin' big bead necklace (10 beads) LOL. I'd post a picture of them, but I've already lost them (just kidding, Carmi, I really mean misplaced them)(you'd totally believe me if you saw my studio space) (just kidding, mom, it's perfectly spotless and ready for your visit this week). Check back in April (very end) for the final results...

AND
Aracely gave us all very pretty bookmarks from Mexico. Thanks Aracely!

Lucky Fairy

I made this fairy today for Lauren (at Kelley's class). It looks much more dimensional in person. Colette and I had lots of fun. I made 3 junk figures. One is for Halloween, so I'll post that in October! The other one is unfinished (even though I started that one first)

Zetti Angels flew in!

I am so lucky!!! I have had some great mail days lately. I received these wonderful zetti angels from Teri V (large paper angel) Terri NW (smaller paper angel) and Catherine vdH (the fabric angel). They are from a swap with the zettizoo yahoo group. The background papers are just a small bit of what Maria M sent to me -- they are painted and stamped deli paper. I don't even know what deli paper is, but it is really cool and collages really well! Thank you everyone!

Fibre charms!

Isn't this charm beautiful? I love it! I hung one singly on a silver ball chain today and I wore it! It is about 1 1/4 inches long (not including the loop at the end). As promised, I'm posting the "how to" below.

1) Make a fabric bead. I took a piece of felt about 3/4 " by 2" and wrapped it around a 3/4" piece of skinny straw -- I glued it with white glue.
2) Wrap fibre around the bead.
3) Sew glass seed beads on the fibre and through the felt to secure the fibre.
4) String a big glass bead on a really long head pin (1 5/8"). Put it through the felt bead and top it with another big glass bead.
5) Use round nose pliers to make a loop at the top, and add a jump ring (if you don't have round nose, regular ones will do, it's just a bit harder). If you remember, add the jump ring before you close your loop. (I didn't remember once).
See, EASY PEASY and I didn't even have to get all techie!

Losing Faith

It's been a rough month for my daughter, Lauren. A few weeks ago she was doing her homework in Starbucks and someone stole her laptop out of her knapsack. She was right there. It was sitting, propped against the wall behind her. She was devastated. Lost faith in strangers. She was so sad when she came to tell me.
She needed a computer for school, so we lent her Ray's laptop. She never took it to Starbucks, or left it out of her sight. Then she had a party on Friday night. Someone took the laptop, along with my cellphone (she has her own apartment, but she uses the cellphone. Then I don't worry so much). I have never seen her so distraught and disillusioned with life. She has lost faith in friends.
Today I'm going to make her some faith themed art. And maybe some good luck charms too! Any ideas for any good luck images? Other than horseshoes or rabbits feet? If anyone else wants to send her a card, I'd be happy to send you her address. She needs to know that some people give: not everyone takes.
No joy in mudville this weekend.......