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Archive for the ‘Quilting Friends’ Category

A Little Help From My Friends

Thursday, July 12th, 2012

Last night. I finished the quilting on this piece. Today, I was showing it to my STASH group in this orientation, as I had designed it. They all said I was holding it the wrong way. Say what? So I turned it and duh, there was the water.

I was so excited by this revelation and so thankful for the wisdom and honesty of friends. I still have to block this and finish the edges. Here is a detail.

We had a good time this morning. There were only four of us as two members are traveling.

After some iced tea and show and tell, we went down to my studio patio where I had set up a table with the gessoed canvas.

I had a table of supplies – plates for palettes, brushes, rags, water, paint, etc.

It was a beautiful morning down there under the deck, and we had fun painting and chatting.

Here is a blurry view of our final canvas:

I am going to cut it into 6 pieces – one for each of us and the challenge is to use it in a finished art quilt. A challenge, for sure.

We enjoyed lunch back up on the deck and sat and chatted for a long time, attempting to solve all the problems of the world.

Here is today’s 3 x 3. A piece of silk that I had spattered with paint at some point in time.

 

Re-Zoom Zoom

Tuesday, July 10th, 2012

After a good night’s sleep and some meds, I felt much better and was zooming around the studio once again.

I had a sudden and enlightened idea about a finishing touch for my myth piece for the Twelve by Twelve reveal on Thursday. I spent the morning working that out. It meant doing a drawing and printing on organza and stitching it to the otherwise finished piece. I am really happy with it. Check back on Thursday for a look at what I did.

I also sewed two sleeves for the air and fire pieces and started getting the finishing touches done on them.

I also painted a big piece of canvas with gesso for a fun project with my STASH group on Thursday. Tomorrow, I have to get some things cleaned up and do some prep work for the lunch that I am preparing for them.

Last night when I went to bed, I felt really doubtful about where I was going with the deep sea piece. In the light of day, it didn’t look that bad and so throughout the day, I worked on it bit by bit. Tonight, I got it fused together, and I hope to do some quilting on it tomorrow. I really love the colors in this.

I found this great fabric for the back.

Mia gets home tomorrow from her two week adventure in the wilderness. We can’t wait to see her and hear all about the other kids and the adventures that she had.

Week-end Fun

Sunday, June 17th, 2012

I am one tired little old lady, but it sure has been a fun week. We finished class on Friday with some show and tell. These are my screenprints, before washing with Kerr in front. I did a lot of red black and tangerine, hoping to get some raw material for a piece with a fire theme.

I will post more about the last day of class tomorrow.

Yesterday, I took Kerr out to Bonnie Bucknam’s house so that she could see and possibly purchase some of Bonnie’s vintage linens. I think two boxes are on the way to Mississippi. Then, we were off to Portland for some fun. We had lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant – yum.

Then, we checked out Cargo, a store with stuff, large and small, from all over the world. They  just got a shipment of fabulous stuff from Japan. Kerr bought a huge, sturdy and well used paper bag that was once used for carrying silk. It is beautiful. It was too big to take a photo. There were antique mulberry stencils.

I bought some vintage anime and manga magazines for Mia and Miles and a set of lovely illustrated number cards for Paige.

You can’t visit Portland and miss a trip to Powell’s Book Store which fills a whole city block. No books went home with her — no room in the suitcases!!

Our next stop was the Museum of Contemporary Craft. We enjoyed the exhibit of Betty Feve’s work in clay. I have long been an admirer of her work in the permanent collection. In the lab, at the back of the exhibit, was a community participation project.

There was clay and other stuff where visitors could make a sculpture for this display. Here is mine:

And, Kerr’s:

On the way home, we picked up some fresh salmon for dinner and enjoyed a lovely evening on the deck.

I dropped Kerr off at the airport this morning. I will miss her. It has been so much fun to have her around for the past few days. Hope she will come back, again.

Tonight, we had a nice family dinner. Here are some photos.

Artichoke hearts before and after being attacked

Scooter found a comfy place next to Steph in her cool blue and white shoes.

Mia was in her usual spot with sketchbook and pencil in hand.

She is officially 2 inches taller than me!!

Miles got his Mom to play Scrabble Slam.

Since it is father’s day, I should have gotten a photo of the two dads. What was I thinking? Steph brought this for dessert – yummy goodness.

Now, I am off to bed to catch up on my sleep.

Popping In

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012

This is a piece of orange silk which was discharged with corrugated cardboard.

I picked up Kerr mid-day and brought her back to our home. I made us grilled eggplant and portobello mushroom and fresh mozzarella sandwiches (yum). Nancy Dasenbrock, the guild workshop chair, stopped by and chatted with us for a bit.

Then it was down to my studio to mix up print paste to check the consistency and amount of alginate needed for our water. After some well-deserved resting, we took Scooter to the Rhodie Garden.

After dinner, back to the dye kitchen to mix up more print paste and dye mixed with print paste. I got my fabric for the workshop soda ash soaked, and it is hanging to dry.

I am having such a good time with Kerr. She is an extremely easy person to be around — so much to chat about.

She says she has about 3 hours of work in the morning, preparing more stuff for the class. We are going to try to get to the Japanese Garden in the afternoon. Tomorrow night, she does her lecture. Busy times!

Monday Melange

Monday, June 11th, 2012

This orange 3 x 3 was made with one of the little fused scraps that I received from Melody Johnson, eons ago. They come in handy when I am brain dead!!

Today was a day of cleaning, grocery shopping and cooking. A special house guest is arriving tomorrow, and I am very excited.

Kerr Grabowski, surface designer extraordinaire, is flying in to Portland tomorrow, and I get to entertain her (or vice versa) until Sunday morning. On Wednesday evening, she is doing a lecture for Columbia Fiberarts Guild and Thursday and Friday, she is teaching deconstructed screenprinting. I have been wanting to take a workshop with her for so long.

I just rewatched her dvd, to get myself psyched up. Now, I won’t be able to sleep, I am so excited.

I am planning some fun trips with her during our free time: Japanese Garden, Oregon College of Arts and Craft, Contemporary Craft Museum, a drive out to Multnomah Falls and lunch in Hood River. Gonna be fun. I may not be blogging much or making 3 x 3s — all depends. I think we are going to have a week of fairly good weather. Since she lives on the Mississippi Delta, she will probably appreciate some coolish Portland weather.

So, now you know where I am, if I am not here!!