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Archive for the ‘Fusing’ Category

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Good News and More Good News

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

aspenplacement

The good news is that I feel as if I am getting back into a creative groove and feeling more confident about what I am doing. I was really stymied and about how to do the aspens. I cut some paper pieces to try out some options. I got brave and started cutting from my shibori stash, using some linen, first. It just was not working. I got on the computer and googled aspens and just looked at photos of how aspens appear in the natural landscape. Very often, you just see a stand of them sort of in a row and I decided that was what I needed to do, but abstracted. After several trials, I am quite happy with this. I haven’t stitched them yet. They are lightly fused. I ended up using a silk charmeuse shibori piece because there was more contrast in the markings. I was a little worried about the value change in this piece, but was pleasantly surprised when I changed it to black and white.

aspensblackandwhite

The other good news is that I saw my oncologist today for my annual visit. He says I am fine and do not need to come back unless I want to. He is such a fine man that I might go back just to visit with him. We always find lots to talk about.

M and M arrived after lunch to spend the day. We didn’t do much. Miles watched Muppets in Space. Mia kept me company in my studio and played with Scooter. Tonight, we headed over to the Farmer’s Market to shop and have dinner. They didn’t see anything that appealed to them so we went to the never fail Stickers Asian restaurant down the street.

potstickers

Here is Miles enjoying a sticker. Mia loved the new vinyl lime green and gold flecked upholstery on the booths!!

mileswithsticker

We walked back to the Farmer’s Market to do some shopping and the kids enjoyed gourmet ice cream sandwiches.

miabigsmile

I call this photo Doing the man walk in tandem.

manwalking

Mmmm! Brought home berries to eat and freeze.

oregonberries

Tonight, I found the two munchkins staring with intense interest as they watched Mythbusters, one of their favorite shows.

scarystare

Tomorrow is a play day with STASH at Terry’s house. I have my supplies all packed. We are going to do sun printing and maybe some monoprints. I will take my camera.

Posted in Eating out, Fusing, indigo, M & M, My creations, shibori | 9 Comments »

What If?

Friday, December 12th, 2008

I have finally worked out the kinks in creating my latest piece for the show. When we were in Israel, one of the most poignant experiences was going through the big cement security fence from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. I thought about the Christmas story and what if there had been a big wall separating the two areas at that time.

Here is the beginning of the piece.

whatifprogress

I am using gray organza for the wall so that both sides can be seen. The figures are what have been giving me fits. I first tried Terry’s method of fusing, but had a problem with all the tiny pieces. Then I went to the Chicago School of Fusing method, using Wonder Under, by drawing the patterns on the paper. When I went to bed last night, I was ready to give up on that. I was going to do whole cloth silk painting.

When I got up this morning, I thought I should at least try to assemble the pieces that I had drawn. I did the nativity first and then the shepherds. I really had fun selecting the fabrics and I am very happy with the results. I now have to do the Wise Men. I used a children’s coloring book for the patterns.

Here are a couple of close-ups:

whatifnativity

whatifshepherds

I have to do something about the feet for my shepherds. The scenes are fused together, but not to the background. Working out the background comes next.

We are expecting snow this week-end – it is very big on the local news. I always get a kick out of that. Tonight, Mr C took me out to dinner. I had one of the specials – duck breast on creamy polenta with caramelized cipollini onions and a most divine red wine sauce. I could have licked the platter.

I still have not gotten a tracking number or any communication regarding my fabric order.

Posted in Eating out, Fusing, Israel/Holy Land trip, Solo Show, Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

Sew Peaceful

Tuesday, November 25th, 2008

I am so stressed by the construction that Mr C is doing down here in my space. Don’t get me wrong, I think what he is doing is great, but I sure wish he had waited until I had all this work done for my January show. I still can’t get to my copier and thermofax so all the collage pieces that I want to do with images from the ruins and the security wall have been put on hold.

I can’t use my computer when he is sanding dry wall so I run upstairs and then I get distracted and don’t get back to the studio.I think that tomorrow, I am going to lay down the law and kick him out until next year.

Tonight, I needed something that made me feel I was accomplishing something and was sort of mindless and peaceful so I worked on the batik Jerusalem cross. I have each of the rows in neat piles with the row number.

Then, I set about strip piecing.

I got all the rows stitched in one direction. Now, I just need to press the seams and stitch the other direction.

I also finished fusing the Dead Sea piece. It is sandwiched and ready to quilt. See that green line running through it? That makes it eligible to enter in the HIgh fiber Diet Line Dancing show.

I was tagged by Natalya to list 7 things  you might not know about me. I’ve done this before, but I will try for 7 more.

  1. I played the clarinet in band and orchestra.
  2. I have never ridden on a roller coaster, and I never will.
  3. I did not get my driver’s license until I was 20.
  4. I once worked in the boy’s department of a store at Christmas to earn the money to  buy a floor loom.
  5. One of my front teeth was broken when an enamel pitcher fell off a shelf at summer camp.
  6. I don’t act my age!
  7. I need to have the radio or tv on when I am working. It annoys Mr C!!

I have to get up early and pick up my organic, free range turkey. Today, I went to the Holiday Farmer’s market and stocked up on some great veggies. Steph and I are coordinating the cooking.

Posted in Fusing, Meme, My creations, Solo Show, This and that | 9 Comments »

Saturday Stuff

Saturday, November 15th, 2008

I am going to do a rare Saturday post. I have veggies roasting in the oven. Mr C is going to grill some turkey breast loins. M & M are arriving soon to have dinner with us and spend the night. Steph was worried that she was wearing out her babysitting time. I told her there is no limit, as long as I do not have plans. I always love to have them come by for some quality time with us.

I scored a great 12 X 12 quilt from the SAQA auction today. This is by Cathy Kleeman. I love her work. She got into Quilt National this year. I have a piece that will be in the third week of the auction. Here is the piece that I am adding to my collection:

I started quilting the hillside houses today. First, I fused it to the batting:

Then I sewed the back to this, right side facings and prepared it for the pillowcase turn. I add a length of wonder under to the wrong side of the backing along the top edge where the rod pocket will go. I cut a slit through the center of the paper and start turning.

Here it is turned and ready for quilting. Whoops, I just got a comment from Terry. She thinks I should have done a solid sky. Too late now! I considered it, but I really liked using the square in a square.

To complement this wonky quilt, I am doing wonky quilting.

I hope to finish this tomorrow and move on to another piece that is running around in my brain.

Posted in art auctions, Family, Fusing, M & M, My creations, SAQA, Solo Show | 12 Comments »

Another Opening, Another Show

Wednesday, March 5th, 2008

Tomorrow, my daughter Lisa and her friend, Lorena, are arriving from San Francisco for the week-end. Lisa has a show opening here on Friday night.

littlesouveniers.jpg

On Sunday, I am heading over to Tillamook, on the coast of Oregon, for the opening of “It’s Good to be Green!”

good2bgreencard.jpg

I have to be there at 11 am to be videotaped for a little film that will run throughout the duration of the show. It will feature interviews with some of the artists. Terry will be there, too. Then, I will be able to show you the piece that I did. A CD catalog is available here.

I managed to get a bit more work done on the kimono collage. I forgot to get a photo of the background. So, you will just have to imagine what it looked like. Once that is fused down, I started cutting circles of various sizes from the fabrics. I have one of those handy, dandy Olfa circle cutters.

My mission is to blur the background grid so that it no longer looks like a grid!

kimonocollagecircles.jpg

Here it is a little further along with some red strips which I will add to the piece and hopefully make them look as if they are weaving in and out of the fabric pieces.

kimonocollage.jpg

I am not sure how much time I will have to work on this until Monday – which is frustrating because I am having so much fun.

Oops, almost forgot to mention. I was back up .2 of a pound today. This is getting old!! But I will hangeth in.

Posted in Family, Fusing, My creations, Quilt Shows | 5 Comments »

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