Scrappy Layers

This is one of my favourite blogs for card making and all-things-layered inspiration. Homespun with Heart.

(this card above is Danielle's card -- click on it to go to her blog)

I love Danielle's style! She does the scrappy layered look that I am finding lovely right now. My sewn work is definitely headed in this direction. In fact, some of my scrappy layers are shown in the Art Quilting Studio which is out now! (umm... I don't have my copy yet, so could someone who has seen it please confirm that I'm in it :) and maybe tell me the page number?)

Even More Mixed Minded

This is the nametag that Karen made for me! She actually sewed nametags and lanyards for each participant. (I'm pretty sure that she never sleeps). Karen has more energy than anyone that I've ever met. Honestly :). I made the embellishment in the upper right corner. I made it in Carmi's class when I was supposed to be making my needle felted brooch. I got a bit sidetracked. I think that was because we had some wine and cheese beforehand....
You can see more pictures of our work from Carmi's classes here on Carmi's blog!

More Mixed Minded

More from my weekend at Mixed Minded in Kitchener!

The brides were out in full force! From what I gathered -- they were raising money for the "Make a Wish" Foundation. They were wearing their own wedding dresses and going out for a night on the town.
This is a background that I started for my mixed media quilt. Actually -- its move than a background -- it is the base for the quilt. I can't give away Sandra's secrets though. You'll have to take a class from her :) You can see what Ludgera did here.


I needle felted in Carmi's class. This is my work-in-progress. (I didn't finish anything at the retreat -- except for the make and take -- more on that in a minute)


Isn't this cool?
Karen (Mixed minded creator and artist extraordinaire) was at the Inspire Retreat in North Carolina (oh I am so jealous) a few weeks ago and Tracie Lampe did a class of her cool fused plastic bags. I have a small pouch by Tracie that she gave me at ArtFest a few years ago. But anyway, Tracie said that Karen could teach us how to make small bags for our "make and take" -- this is the bag that I made.


Literally -- the whole thing, from 3 plastic bags to finished project - took about 10 MINUTES!!! And isn't it cute??? Target bags rock. (Especially since we don't have Target yet in Canada)(soon!) Great for carrying my lunch at school. I bought Tracie's book -- it's a fun one!!! More fusing to come. It's right up my "reuse and recycle" alley!

Mixed Minded

This weekend we headed up (down?) the highway to Kitchener to the Mixed Minded Even that Karen Ellis from The Art House Studio put on. It was FANTASTIC! .
I am terrible at taking pictures -- so I don't really have many of the event (even though I brought 2 cameras with me)

Below is the placemat that I worked on top of while in Sandra Spagnuolo's class....... House of Cards. (I took 3 of Sandra's classes, so what I did in each of them is a bit of a blur). If you have a chance to take a class from Sandra -- don't miss it. She's a great teacher and her background techniques are fabulous! She holds an open studio in the Milton/Guelph area if you live near there. Check out her blog here to see times/dates/ content.

(I did a bit of stamp carving -- this is my practice sheet of the heart stamp that I made)

I made this technique sample in one of Sandra's classes.

It was great fun seeing lots of my friends -- and also seeing some friends who I only know from online -- like Pam Barnes and Karen Oullette! Heather Robinson was supposed to come, but couldn't make it, and we really missed her. Hopefully, we can all get together and have an art weekend in the fall!

(more pictures of the event will be posted tomorrow as soon as I unearth my other camera :)

So today Mr. B and I went on a tree tour. In the pouring rain. Oh, the things you do for love....

( The Lovely Miss L talking about the Serviceberries -- or Saskatoon Berries)

My daughter, the Lovely Miss L was giving an Edible Tree Tour in Trinity Bellwoods Park. She was representing LEAF at Park Day -- The Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park sponsored the event. Despite the rain -- there was great attendance -- between 15-20 people! L is a great speaker. Very knowledgeable -- I learned a lot!

(redbud)

Did you know that you can eat acorns? The ones from the White Oak tree are the best. You can roast them. Like chestnuts. The buds from the Redbud tree are delicious in salads. And you can use Spruce tips to make Spruce Tip Shortbread.

(spruce tips)

(latte to warm up my poor soggy body)

If you live near Trinity Bellwoods Park in Toronto and you are able to volunteer a bit of your time this summer, The Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park need some people to "adopt" some young trees. This involves watering the trees once a week if it is a week with no rain. Water, buckets and a wagon are available in the park -- they just need the people power to do it!

zombie apocalypse

So, on my left is.... my printer..... perhaps I'll be swinging it around from its cord?
On that note, off to read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After.

finally -- beautiful weather

We've been walking on the beaches the last few days... picking up driftwood for our dogproof fence, picking up beach glass, watching the sailboats and watching all of the busy life at the marinas, sailing clubs and rowing clubs.

(the dogproof fence)

I found lots of glass treasures!


Lauren and her friend Christina have a new rowing blog: Rowing is Awesome. It's modeled after the 1000 Awesome Things blog (which I read daily). Check it out if you row, have rowed or like rowing.

A Wee bit of me Wednesdays on Saturday :)

I'm a bit behind on everything this week


{one} when was the last time you used a pay phone (if ever)?
I called Maija from the airport in Phoenix last summer.

{two} did you ever fail a subject in school?umm.... do I have to admit it? okay, statistics in first year University.

{three} where do you go to get your favorite hamburger/cheeseburger?.... do I have to admit it? McDonalds. Yes, really.

{four} have you ever served jury duty?Nope.

{five} how old were you when you moved out of your parents’ house?19

{six} what is your favorite color to wear?

Black

{seven} do you have a pair of shoes that you wear all the time?I love my Keens Mary Janes. I have 4 pair! In the winter, my Blundstones.

{eight} do you enjoy talk radio?

I listen sometimes online... the arts ones.

{nine} if you could turn one unhealthy food into a healthy one, what food would it be?potato chips, hands down.

{ten} who is the best speaker you’ve ever heard in person?hmmmm.... myself? hahaha (so not true)

Woo Hoo -- Junkhouse!

I am so lucky!
I won the coolest thing off of one of my favourite blogs! (that's a little chalkboard to the right of the mugshot). this couldn't have come at a better time for me -- It was a great moral booster during these grey spring days......


The blog is junkgarden -- I read it daily for a look at some fab clothes, great home decor ideas and some very cool finds! She has lots of great links -- you should definitely follow her blog! Junkgardengirl also showcases her own mixed media work that she sells in her etsy shop -- I've purchased some of Angie's house necklaces in the past!

(aren't these adorable?)

-- and now she had some super cute jailhouse charms!

Royal Weekend

Yes, I was up at 5am on Friday. We had lots of festivities at school too :)

My favourite Royal memorabilia:

Harry is my favourite royal. He keeps it interesting :). Buy the poster here.

I found these tea bags creepy yet amusing!
I can't believe that 2 billion people watched the wedding. Astounding. At school I let the kids watch the wedding highlights on You Tube. Who watched it? THE BOYS. Interesting..... I think that the boys liked the cars, the horses, the carriages, the uniforms, the soldiers, the planes doing the fly by. The girls were only interested in the princess, but they said that she didn't look like a "real" princess, so they lost interest. All were floored, however, when I told them that the woman they called "granny" was the queen. I don't think that I ever convinced them that she was the queen (no crown= no queen).

Back to sewing

The cards were fun -- but now we're back to the sewing :)


I made this pouch/ pencil case for my friend D for her birthday. I was really happy with it (except for the stupid zipper that I used -- it's a bit sticky -- sorry D.

A wee bit of me Wednesday on Thursday

{one} have you ever been stuck in an elevator?

No! Yikes!

{two} have you ever ridden on an elephant?

No! Yikes!

{three} have you ever met a well known celebrity?Um, yes....Well, does Leni count?
I met David Cronenberg a few times when I lived in the apartment below his daughter, Cassandra. It was a big deal to me.

{four} do you have any food allergies?Roibos tea -- my throat swells up. It's scary! Yikes!

{five} do you know how to sew?It's what I do best!

{six} did you get an allowance when you were young?

Sometimes.....

{seven} how often do you fill up your gas tank?My gas tank fills itself, lol..... hahaha

{eight} have you ever been stung by a jelly fish?No. Yikes!

{nine} have you ever been robbed?Not in-person. But I've had bicycles stolen. And money..., and lots of other stuff. My daughter, the Lovely Miss L is super-unlucky. She has things stolen left right and centre :(

{ten} what is the worst haircut you’ve ever had?

Right before my high school graduation picture I had a hair cut and a perm. It was supposed to be a long, layered, soft curled look -- like Farrah Fawcett. Instead she cut off all of my hair and gave me a curly perm. It was HORRID. I looked like a poodle. And I think that my mom liked it. Yikes!

Mermaids

I had so much fun with the cards. I sent these ones off to a mermaid-loving friend in Chicago.

I sat upon a promontory,
And heard a mermaid, on a dolphin's back,
Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath,
That the rude sea grew civil at her song;
And certain stars shot madly from their spheres,
To hear the sea-maid's music.
~ William Shakespeare (A Midsummer Night's Dream)

Easter Wishes

Happy Easter to all of you who celebrate Easter!

Doilies and Bunnies

Even better than bunnies. Doilies and bunnies!


Again, I wish I had stitched the scallop down (these cards were off to a swap, so it's too late).

Annoyingness

I bought a fridge in September for Lauren because her mini fridge wasn't large or cold enough. This week, it died. Very annoying, because it was new and $700. Not top of the line, but certainly not a cheapo. Luckily I bought the extended warranty (which I never do) So her $200 worth of meat that she bought a few weeks ago will be covered. She's a meat-eater. But the store (The Brick) can't send out a repair person until next Wednesday (what's with that????). We've cleaned out the pools of blood (a very Dexter moment) (literally a bucket of blood) But her whole apartment now smells.... bloody.....
And, for the record. A large wave of blood splashing around doesn't look as red and candy-like as this.....

Carving and printing

This week I had Colette and Jocelyn over for some late afternoon carving and printing. I haven't done much lino cutting since school many years ago. I wish that I had taken pictures of what Colette and Jocelyn did! They made some lovely work... I am so lucky to have two such talented friends to inspire me :)

I started with a banner(tiny -- cut from an eraser). I plan to stamp it on to tags.


Then I graduated to doing a portrait of my puppy. It is very "Andy". Especially the movement created with those uncut lines in the background. (This one is made from soft cut linolem. It's about 2"x3"


After the girls left, I was still itching to do more, so I tried a self portrait. Oops, I cut the line away that was the side of the neck. But I'm still pretty happy with it. I'll try some more this weekend.....

Bunnies

I love bunnies. To me they mean spring. I know that they are associated with Easter, but I like to use them throughout spring.


Looking at this card now, I wish that I had stitched around the brown paper scallop (stitching it to the card) It's amazing what you see after you photograph something, isn't it?

another wee bit of martha

{one} how often do you do laundry?Every few weeks.... or so..... (clean clothes are so overrated)

{two} what is your favorite type of cookie?I'm more of a salty snack person... but I do love my dad's oatmeal raisin cookies -- and I do like peanut butter cookies...

{three} what would you do with an extra $2000 per month?Wow! Save up for French doors leading out do a lovely brick patio with a perfect intimate garden.... and then a deck and french doors overlooking it on the second floor.

{four} what was/is your favorite subject in school?

High School? or University? I love English Literature and Art History.... Studio art in University. I pretty much failed art in high school....

{five} have you ever ridden in a hot air balloon?No, no desire to either.
{six} what was your high school mascot?No idea. I hated high school.

{seven} if you had the chance to go into space, would you?

No. Which is very funny, because for many years I really wanted to be an astronaut. Well, I really wanted to be Uhura on Star Trek.

{eight} how often do you go dancing?Yuck, dancing. (boy, it kind of seems that I don't like to do anything)

{nine} would you rather drive or fly?Walk. Okay, drive. But I'm the passenger, right? That no license thing?

{ten} have you ever been caught re-gifting?I re-gift all the time. I see nothing wrong with it!(I don't remember ever being "caught" -- I quite often 'fess up' when I give the gift)

Hurray for Spring!

I have seen so many robins. Spring is truly here! (can you tell that it has been a really long winter??)

First a howling blizzard woke us,
Then the rain came down to soak us,
And now before the eye can focus -
Crocus.
~Lilja Rogers

joy

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!
~Mark Twain

Spring Arose

These girls are welcoming spring....

And Spring arose on the garden fair, Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere; And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
~Percy Bysshe Shelley, "The Sensitive Plant"

Earth Day ATCs

It's been a long time since I've made and trades ATCs. I've missed going to the meetings and seeing the very creative work that everyone has been doing. For the earth day theme, everyone reused something that was going into the trash or recycling bin. I'm not sure if this was stipulated or not.... I have a paper shopping bag in my studio that I fill up with paper scraps and when it gets full, I toss it into my recycling bin. For these cards I raided this bag!

For the bases I used corrugated cardoard that I had soaked and peeled into 3 layers, then dried (this gives a nice strong paper base -- it's what Hanne Matthiesen does). then I spread on a layer of gesso, added some ephemera (ttc transfers and book scraps), then stitched the card to another layer to make it a bit sturdier. Then I added more gesso, then stamped on some "recycle" logos (from one of the first stamp sets that I purchased from Phillip's store, Great Impressions when it was in Queens Quay! -- before it moved to Bloor and Barb bought it to create Bizzy Bs). I also got to use one of my favourite stamps from River City Rubber Works -- It's not trash, It's "ephemera"...


(click on the pictures to see them a bit bigger)

This little girl is ready for spring :)

Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.
~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke