30 June 2010

More is more

This is an addendum to the post below. I added more fabric beads to the stitched edge of my pencil case because more is more!

29 June 2010

The Pencil Case

Today I decided I wanted to make something. I wanted to paint some fabric. On the shelf with the ProFab paint was a piece of painted fabric I had done a few weeks ago. It was pretty. I made it with left over paint from another project that I glomed onto a piece of nice fabric then sprinkled with salt. I later silk screened and stamped and did a fused paint thing in the shape of a woman. I had no idea what to do with it so I chopped it in half to make a pencil case. Well, I should probably mention the back story.
About a month ago I hand sewed a sketch book and covered it in a piece of soft leather. I've taken to sketching in it nightly to sharpen my skills. I've even used watercolors to brighten up the pages. It's been quite fun. Back to the pencils.....
I bought some B's from Dick Blick and they came in a black nylon zip bag - very lame. I decided to make a really lovely pencil case. Sometimes looks are everything. Here is the original piece of fabric which sacrificed half itself to satisfy my desire for beauty.

The half I lobed off isn't pictured here I fused the painted woman then silk screened the large and small goddesses. Then I made a curly stamp for her hair and the cool black snake stamp. I made the small spiral stamp too.


This is the sketch book I made with tissue pages, sketch paper pages and fold out brown craft  paper pages. Makes it fun.


I took the picture of the back indoors and the colors look dim. I used torn strips of masking tape to resist the blue and magenta paint I smeared on with a bit of sponge. I removed the tape, stamped my crow stamp on then stitched a piece of bottle green sea glass near the bottom. I made fabric beads (a bunch) and sewed two onto the case. I used a satin stitch (dense) to bind the edges and sew the case together. I belatedly attached a shell button wrong side out with a gold bead in the floss. I used more hand dyed (by me) embroidery floss with beads attached to make a string closure for the button then covered the place where the floss comes out of the flap with another fabric bead. I LOVE it. Sketch on....

22 June 2010

"Dog Days" of summer

We are just coming out of an oppressively hot few days. My southern friends would be laughing at my seeming inability to tolerate even the moderate heat in Maine but 85 with high humidity and no air-conditioning is nothing to laugh about. You don't see me laughing. Today on the other hands is cooler and drier and a more appropriate "Maine summer day" altogether.

Now my dogs have fur coats not to easily removed by them. I'm too hot to give them the hair cuts they need so woe is them, poor babies. This is how they are spending their dog days of summer.

Aidan is evaporating sea water from his wet body after an early morning swim in the ocean here at Searsport beach. His is having some personal time chatting with his teddy bear. This boy doesn't look to tough to me.


Gabby was busy napping on the bed next to my chair.


She's a funny girl.

Now Niamh is never more than an arms length from Brian, her person and true love. She seems to have adopted him, or is that hijacked  him, against his will. He can't seem to shake her loose. She ADORES him.

05 June 2010

A few new things

Even though my brother was visiting (telecommuting 4 hrs a day), I was still able to get 2 quilts done.
The first one is a hoot. I call it Blue Eyes and it is a self portrait.


Get it? Blue eyes? I'm still laughing.
The next is called Kitty and is a portrait of my beautiful and talented daughter Meredith's cat.


There is a LOT of thread painting on this quilt. Kitty has beaded whisker spots and a hand made (by me) ceramic bead with CAT on it.
It's been a great summertime week for a kid out of school!

01 June 2010

being a kid in the summer

Do you remember the feeling on a warm summer morning when, as you woke up, you realized there was no school and you could fill the day with whatever you wanted to do.
You could ride your bike in that warm sweet smelling breeze or crayon, especially on a rainy day, or go over a friends house or read a book.
I had forgotten that feeling until I retired from my 37 year career in Dental Hygiene. I now have my days free to do ANYTHING I want to. Today as I woke up I knew I didn't have to leave Searsport for a meeting and had no plans at all. I laid in bed and scissored my legs under the comforter feeling to cool cotton sheets. I went home and got Gabby and took her for a walk to and through the park then returned home for Niamh. At the park Niamh ran around with such joy. It was warm and overcast and I sat on a bench overlooking the ocean. I could hear the waves lapping the rocky shore and smell the intoxicating sweetness of the spring blooming trees and plants.
After returning home, I watched four shows on "Design Matter TV" from the UK. I get this feed through my computer and these segments are between 6 and 30 minutes. This morning's shows were about  using oil paint sticks to create a resist, how one gets inspiration, dyeing your own embroidery threads and making an altered book. Hers was all filled with images of crows and ravens. I sipped coffee and took a photo of my lovely front garden which to my surprise was filled with all purple perennials. Am I that in love with purple and green? Guess so.
Every morning I thank the powers that be for my incredible life. I never even thought a life this good was possible. I love my life and I live in complete gratitude.