Marie Z. Johansen / ZQuilts

BLOG MOVE

2011-04-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends:

In order to represent my eclectic obsessions better I have moved my blog to a new address.

I would very delighted if you choose to join me, at my new address.

http://mzjohansen.blogspot.com

My book blog blog has not changed

Please Join Me On My New Blog

2011-01-22T17:36:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends:

I have moved my blog to a new address. An explanation of why I decided to do this is on the first post of the new blog. I would be so happy if you will join me, bookmark, and follow me on the new address:

mzjohansen.blogspot.com

My book blog blog has not changed

New From Kandi Corp! DeColourant and DeColourant Plus : Color Remover and Color Replacer For Cloth and Paper

2011-01-18T11:08:00.000-08:00

Those of you who have been reading my blog for some time know what an inveterate gadget girl I am - and you also know how much I love trying new products. I was very fortunate to have been given an opportunity to try two new products from KandiCorp called DeColourant and DeColourant Plus. These formulas are for use in both removing, and removing and replacing, colors on natural fabrics and papers - an alternative to using bleach.

DeColourant is available in(from left to right:

Mist- great to use for creating cloud effects

Paste- I found this to be the best for use with stencils and stamps

DeColourant Plus ( 2 bottles)- this product both removes and replaces color and it is available in a plethora of great colors. My packet contained lemon yellow and neon orange (the person who chose the colors must have bee psychic eh?!)

These are the product highlights from the promotional flyers:

Ready To Use- Non Messy Formula
More Color Removed From Natural Fabrics
Precision Fine Line Detail
Will Not Stiffen Fabric
Will Not Weaken Fabric
Pleasant Citrus Scent
Safe For Children

I decided that I would try the products on a Moda marble in black, a linen in green and a dark green paper. Next I chose a stencil (I ultimately used only the sunflower) and a few foam stamps.

The paste product is a very creamy texture and worked, IMHO, the best for both stencils and stamps. It did, indeed, provide good line detail. I tried the mist with the stencil and ended up with a blob - but it worked well as an overall spray to simulate clouds.The product is applied and then allowed it to dry. thoroughly. Next step: you iron - and that's how you remove the color. The simple directions say that using steam removes even more color - and it did.

Below you can see the fabrics and paper right after I finished ironing the color out. Before washing the hand of the fabric is a bit stiff - rather t=like dried soda soaked fabric. Once washed, however, the hand is as soft as ever. That's a very good quality of this product. Additionally, this product also can be activated by the sun - so you can use it to sun print paper, fabric, tee shirts and more.

Below:

You can easily see that the best effect was achieved when I used the paste with a stencil (left). The paste used on a foam stamp was less precise, but wasn't bad either. On the bottom left was the mist with a stencil - it created a lovely blob. I suspect better results might be achieved if the fabric was dampened slightly to allow the stencil to 'grip' the cloth a bit better. The bottom right was a very light application of the mist on stamp - and you can see that not much happened....

A close up of the sunflower stencil applied with paste using a stencil.

Close up of the stencil on linen - not quite as crisp detail - let alone the singed fabric!

I used an old iron on the linen setting but that I had forgotten

that this particular iron had the nasty habit of getting very hot!

The foam stamp used with the paste on linen... still not as crisp as on cotton. It could well have been operator error though. I think there is a bit of a learning curve with this. As with any paint on a stamp one needs to learn the best combination of product, pressure and fabric.

To my nose this product smells rather ammonia-y with a hint of citrus. It is not as nasty as bleach but it IS something that I think you should use either outdoors or with very good ventilation. As you might expect when the dry cloth is ironed it creates a cloud - and that, most decidedly, needs a good breeze to blow the residue out of the air. I have asthma and I didn't go into a paroxysm of coughing or need a rescue inhaler when I used this indoors - but I DID have a fan on high with a back door open to provide some ventilation when I ironed. I think it pays to be cautious. I do believe that this wouldn't be as harmful to fabrics as bleach - even with bleach neutralizer. I believe it has been proven that bleach discharged cloth will continue to degrade at a higher rate over time than untreated cloth will. In that respect alone I think this is an excellent alternative to bleach discharging.

Below:

using the spray DeColourant on the black Moda Marble. The discharge is comparable to bleach I think...along with the interesting color changes that can occur. Yes, I think this is a great application for creating sky textures.

Below:

Now, this is the very cool DeColourant Plus in action. I used foam stamps. The top photo is Lemon Yellow on Moda and the bottom is the Neon Orange.I do enjoy the way the product both removes and adds color in one fell swoop. It works quite well - and is a very interesting concept.

Below:
This photo of the Neon Orange is a bit washed out. What can I say. It's POURING rain and really dark and dank out doors- but it worked okay with my happy light for lighting!

Below:

Ah! Here's the results on paper. The black bit of paper on the left was discharged with bleach. The dark green paper on the right was discharged with the paste DeColourant and the sunflower stencil. Excellent results!

I think this is a good product and an excellent alternative to discharging with bleach. I think that adequate ventilation is a necessity. I like using the paste very much - it does indeed allow for fine detail and is easy to apply with a brush. I love the concept of being able to both remove color - and replace it - in one application. What a cool idea. All in all I think this product provides a lot of very interesting possibilities and is well trying. It works like a charm on paper - and should have wide appeal not only to textile artist but also to mixed media artists and journal-ers. It is available in mist, paste, many colors, and very handy sets of colors that are available as pastes or mists!.Thanks Kandi Corp for developing this excellent new alternative to using caustic bleach!

note:

This product was provided to me by the manufacturer for the purpose of an honest review. No other remuneration was provided.

Mapping Happiness

2011-01-17T12:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it pays to NOT rip up something that you aren't happy with. Such was the case with this journal page that I started some time ago. I didn't like it in it's original guise and had been tempted to tear it out of the book and toss it. I hadn't even opened this particular drawing pad in a long time but when I did I decided to rework the page. It looked like a map to me and I wondered what it was a map of....

About the same time I happened upon a copy of a poem by John Trudell that I particularly liked. It spoke of things that I have often thought but have not, perhaps, acted upon as much as I should.

It reads like this:

we are part of the dreamtime

happiness is one of the colors

there are shadow casters who trick us about happiness

we are taught to wish for things to make us happy

we are not taught to wish for happiness itself.

we can't buy happiness

we can't sell it,

we can't steal it

we can't borrow it

and we can't capture it

but we can create it

love can't bring us happiness

but happiness can bring us love

power can't bring us happiness

but happiness can shoe us power

on the line of what is real and what really isn't

dream for happiness

somewhere between heart and mind

the spirit of life can be seen

happiness comes and awaits dream

Perhaps it is a map to happiness after all. I'm glad I saved the page and found the map. Now I just have to follow it.

"Creative Combos" ATC Swap

2011-01-15T18:56:00.000-08:00

The theme of this month's Arts In The Cards swap was "Creative Combos".

The task was to choose one material and one medium from the following lists:
Materials:
cotton, metal or vellum
Mediums:
metallic paints, markers, pencils, inks

To assuage my continuing fascination with metal I chose the material metal and the medium metallic paints. To make these cards I first embossed copper foil, torch brazed the foil and then glued it onto a heavy paper backing that I had first painted black. Next I added metallic paints in sage, barn red and lamp black that rubbed into the embossed metal with a soft cloth. I added some Oriental themed papers topped them with an embossed matte black metal square to which I added a hand stamped brass tag. I am happy with the results and I am becoming more engrossed with metal. I'm planning to use similar techniques for some "Valentine themed" Inchies and ATC's for another group.

Unfortunately the very rainy, very dark weather as well as my own laziness in bringing out my light box afforded these relatively poor photos. Hopefully, you'll get the idea!

Journal Page 1-1-11

2011-01-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

This is a New Year's page that I made using a Slice machine. The Slice machine is made by Making Memories and it works like a dream for cutting fonts, words and a wide variety images. It will accept embossing cards and die cuts from a variety of companies. Making Memories had asked me to do a page using the machine last November .... It was due today but I have not heard from them.....so I thought I would just post it here.

It goes along my "word for the year" = 'simple-beauty'. I would normally add links for the Slice machine and Making Memories, but I am using the app "Blog Press" to post this today and it doesn't seem to have the ability to add links yet. None-the-less it is a handy little app that works well for an occasional away-from-home post like this one. The apps that I subscribe to just keep adding more and more functionality - so I am sure that before too long it allow links to be added.

OOPS - I gave you some bum information!
The SLICE machine was used for the words. It CUTS letters, words and images from cartridges.

I used a different machine for the die cuts and embossed items - what was I thinking....show
you how much trouble I can get by trying to do too many things at once! Maybe it's the lack of sun turning my brain to mush! APOLOGIES for any confusion!

Judy asked what was done with the machine - and the answer is that the words were made using two different Slice cartridges.
The leaves are die cuts from another company's design (I can
check that later if anyone needs me to) - but I did use the Slice machine to run the die cut. It's very versatile int hat way- it accepts die cuts and embossing plates from companies other than just Makking Memories. Thanks for asking Judy!

The SketchBook Challenge. Highly Prized=Nbr 1 on 01.01.11

2011-01-02T12:10:00.000-08:00

In addition to the two ATC groups that I am in I enjoy choosing a couple of other artistic commitments for the year. Things that I know will keep me thinking and experimenting and can be done as quickly or as slowly as I choose. This year I am going to do the Sketchbook Challenge - complied under the auspices of some well known mixed media mavens - and open to all I should add. I find mixed media to be fascinating - something that at one time I swore I would never be interested in! What have I said in the past about never saying never?!

The first challenge was posted yesterday and the theme was "Highly Prized". On my shirt list of highly prized things is the simple beauty and simple pleasure of nature. This journal page was made with a preserved leaf, white birch paper bark, black lutradur medium weight, paper cast face, metal foils, crackle medium, acrylic paints in fine gold and celedon and gesso. Writing on paper birch bark is, by the way, silky and lovely. I need to find a source - since this was bark I had previously purloined from a bevy of beautiful trees on another island.

The other thing that I plan on working through is a series of online mixed media classes presented by Strathmore Artist Papers. My friend Sandy mentioned it to me and, of course, I had to check it out. This is also open to everyone and free of charge. Strathmore papers are truly an excellent resource - I've used their card blanks and water color pads for years. I am still waiting for my 'registration' to be acknowledged. Hopefully that will be once the regular work week begins.

I want to continue to expand on the fun I am having with metals this year and actually do come more quilting.... I am planning on better health and more energy! The only class that I know I am going to participate in is a color theory class from Gail Harker in the Fall.

What's on your agenda for this New Year? How will you continue to challenge yourself and your art making? Goals? I don't make resolutions any longer - I find that the concept of setting a goal works better for me.

Welcome 2011

2010-12-31T12:31:00.000-08:00

Last night I started thinking about New Year's Eve. What is the history behind this eve that makes for all of the reveling and noise? I was also ruminating about the song "Auld Lang Syne" and wondered where in the heck we had gotten that one from.... so this morning I did I little Googling to answer these burning questions.

It seems, from my brief reads, that some historical types believe that the celebrations of New Years Eve can be traced back to the ancient Roman celebration called Saturnalia - generally held at the time of the Winter Solstice. Apparently this holiday was also celebrated with over indulgence and a general feeling of "out with the old and in with new". Of course the over indulging must have often led to not remembering the old - just as many people celebrate New Year's now!

The song "Auld Lang Syne" was written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788. The words mean "old long since" - the good ole' days. One writer stated that the words basicially mean "the entire song's message merely means to just forget about the past and look ahead to the new year with hope". Sounds like a good plan to me!

Lest we forget the noise that generally accompanies the New Year's Eve celebration. The consensus seems to be that this custom of a New Year's Eve auditory assault is a custom embraced by many countries - all meant to frighten the evil spirits and drive them away.

View at the Harbor this past Wednesday

For my part, even in my youthful days, I was not a huge fan of New Year's Eve celebrations. That may be because I tend to feel claustrophobic in large crowds and because I also tend to be noise sensitive. Not that a bit of bubbly (one of my favorite things before I decided to use the money for art supplies instead!) has never passed my lips - but I generally preferred to stay home - or at the most - have a quiet gathering of several good friends. In the early days of my life I would always make a traditional New Year's meal - complete with Hopping John.

These days our custom is to be in bed with a good read by 9PM - I can hear the fireworks if I am still reading at midnight - and I am assured of greeting the first morning of the New Year with a clear head and much anticipation.

Oh! Lest I forget - resolutions? I am considering choosing a "word for the year". Do you make resolutions? What are your New year's traditions?

Whatever you are doing this New Year's Eve - be safe. I wish each of you a 2011 that is blessed by peace, joy, health and prosperity - and just a touch of magic too! Thank you all for stopping by the blog - I truly appreciate your readership

What Does Trash Mail and ATC's Have In Common?

2010-12-27T12:16:00.000-08:00

I am slowly moving my artistic impedimenta to another, dare I say larger, table in the living room. Scurrying up the ladder to my 'creative space' is not as easy as it was pre-surgery so the entire house has bits and pieces of my tools and supplies scattered about at the moment.

There are two ATC groups that I always try to keep up with -I allow myself no excuses - so in between the effluvia I managed to make these ATC's during the holiday. The 'theme' was "Trash Talkin' The Mailman"..... using what things that would normally be classified as trash that arrives at your door by way of the mail. I don;t think that this was my best effort - but we try not to have 'do-overs' and so these are what I mailed off.

My favorite part of mail is stamps - and colored envelopes - so of course those two elements were the focus of my cards. I painted the ground with black acrylic - and experimented with Art Spectrum's Color Fix paper- which really did make a difference in the way the black paint covered the ground. I have to order some more when I next visit Mr. Blick's fabulous art emporium. "Mountains" made from envelope pieces, the "full moon" fashioned from foil lids and the "stars" made from foil cat food lids. I added non-trash items too - the copper foil edges and glitter in the "night sky".

I am always curious about different people approach their art making. Generally I have a faint 'seed' of an idea, but I don't know what will happen until I sit down and start working with the various bits and pieces. Most often I end up with something that is decidedly different from the original 'seed' thought. Very occasionally I sketch something out - but I don't seem to work well that way. I have to have the various bits and pieces in hand in order to plan a design. I know many people who are able to sketch out an idea and go with it. It would make life easier if I could do that I think - but it just doesn't work for me most of the time. How about you? How do you approach your art making?

This was a wonderful 'book' year. My friend Janet gave me a wonderful book from an author that I was unfamiliar with. It's a book that I would most likely have not bought for myself - but am loving. Patti Digh's "Creative is a Verb". Have a look at her blog for some inspiration!

Sarah gave me another excellent book that I had never heard of "The Daily Book Of Art" - some very good inspirations in the pages of this little gem! Maria sent "Anam Cara" - a book that had been on "must read" list for some time. It went along wonderfully with my calendar of choice for this year "Celtic Wisdom". I think that my friends are hard pressed to surprise me with books - but these were indeed a wonderful surprise.

Hopefully, by the next post my work space - and therefore my mind - will be a bit tidier. I wish I could afford to get some good organizational furniture and bookshelves - maybe this year I will save some money (ah! there's a good concept!).

I wish you all a very Wonderful New Year - one that is filled with the solace of laughter and good health and the blessings of joy and peace - with prosperity thrown in for good measure!

The Sketchbook Challenge

2010-12-21T07:18:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to post about the very cool New Year's project called "The Sketchbook Challenge. Spearheaded by Sue Bleiweiss, this journey will begin on January 1st, 2011.

Click on the Sketchbook Challenge button in the right column to get to the information about it or check our Sue's website at:
http://suebleiweiss.com/blog/2010/12/06/the-sketchbook-challenge/

There are some fantastic artists that will be writng posting and providing direction. A new theme will be posted for each month ... You have a whole month to explore the theme! If you have considered journaling and sketchbooks this might the perfect opportunity to start the New Year out!

Have a look and join in the fun!

A Stellar Event and An Early Santa

2010-12-20T12:53:00.000-08:00

A Lunar Eclipse+Winter Solstice + Meteor showers = one amazing event tonight!

For the first time in 372 years, a total lunar eclipse coincides with the winter solstice. On the east coast it starts after midnight, Pacific Standard Time around 9;30 p.m. Across the country, the whole eclipse will be observable before the moon sets in the west just as the sun is rising in the east. Maximum eclipse is at 12:17 a.m. PST. W O W!

Here's my little darling Tillie. She isn't too happy about having her photo taken and she wouldn't let me clean her eyes before I took her picture! Her personality is really developing now. It's taken awhile for her to settle in but what a joy she has become. Cleo, our tenacious 17 year old is not terribly happy about sharing her house once again, but there is, for the most part, peace in the kingdom

Santa came a little early for me this year. I think we are both trying to cut down on the Holidaze frenzy that seems so difficult to avoid these days. I had been wanting a small camera that I could always have with me - since I don't always carry my Nikon DSLR - especially after the back surgery I am trying to lighten the daily carrying load. I had thought I would get a small Nikon - brand loyalty and all that, but when I got to investigating small digital cameras the Panasonic Lumix seemed to garner praise consistently.... so I got a Panasonic instead. Here is a link to the page about this amazing little camera:

http://tinyurl.com/23w72be

One of the best things about this little gem is the Leica lens and the fact that in equivalent SLR terms the lens is capable of 25mm to 300mm. That's amazing. The quality and clarity is pretty darned amazing too. If you are a diehard DSLR devotee you may not like the lack of totally manual capability - but for this is a great little camera for all of those times that you think "I wish had my camera with me!"

I had to take some office photos with it to see how it managed light... it did well !

Early morning light from my office windows

My desk

from another view

One of our clients wife's made this lovely mobile for our office... she even has a dollar bill craftily made as a crane. Many blessing in this mobile!

Prayer flags over the door

This eagle photograph was given to DH by the photographer. Beautifully printed on canvas.

For a brief quiet moment - the window behind my desk.

The camera performed well in all kinds of light.

This is the other wonderful thing that Santa brought early. I listen to my IPod a lot and have not found a set of earbuds that works well for. I have Bose over the head earphones that I love but they can be rather conspicuous at times. These ear buds are, without a doubt the most comfortable ones - with the BEST sound quality - that I have used. Bar none. I had hesitation because of the little extension on them, but is made of some super soft, pilable silicone or something that makes these fit SUPER WELL. I love these.

http://tinyurl.com/282xnlf
[Open in new window]

That's it for me. I have some very cool new things to experiment with thanks to the kind folks at Kandi Corp.... and in a few days I will be posting the results of my experiments. They should be of interest to fiber folks of all kinds - paper and cloth. I'm excited to try this new toy out

In the meantime I wish each one of you the best of all holiday seasons and New Year that will bring you peace, happiness, health and prosperity!

HO HO HO!

What Became Of The Mystery Material?

2010-12-06T16:02:00.000-08:00

Remember when I posted the mystery material shown in the first photo? The addition of gesso and acrylic and watercolor paint brought it to the next step in photo two. It's a base of very old cotton, tissue paper in white and light brown, cheesecloth and couched white yarn that is free motioned 'painted'. Photography in the dead of a Pacific Northwest winter is a challenge. I should have taken my light frame out to take the photographs but I was rushing to get these overdue cards enveloped and in the mail for this morning - so I took the lazy gal's way out. Sorry for the highlights !

One of the two ATC groups that I participate in used a "Typography" them for this month. So the rectangle of this fabric became those cards. I used Tim Holtz grunge board painted with Golden Fluid Marcasite paint to make the letters from a variety of shapes and sizes. Japanese text made from washi paper and then I added a metallic accent. The source of the metal is really fun but the answer to what that material is has to wait until next month - because the next theme just happened to be the perfect venue for this material

I used watercolors to enhance - or highlight - some of the places on the cards. It was pretty clear that a dab of a contrasting color really improved the look of the cards. Without it they were softer feeling and, as much as I strive to work with neutrals and soft colors it seems I am always looking for a way to punch it up a bit. Maybe I need to do a study of taupe or greys and get adjusted to a softer palette. That could be my New Year's resolution - that and not seeing any more doctors other than for wellness checks this coming year!

The holidays are almost here and I am in NO way prepared. I have my cards but they need to be written and addressed. I always try to order them in October - and I was not too late in accomplishing that yearly goal this year despite being almost unable to type at that point in my recovery! A day at time....oh yes, that's another thing I need to cultivate. Patience!

"From Print To Stitch" by Janet Edmonds

2010-11-28T16:14:00.000-08:00

This is a cross post from my book blog. If you want to read the full review have a look there.

All photos are double clickable for a larger image

"From Print To Stitch" by Janet Edmonds, published by Search Press - is one of those books that you know you will be returning to time and time again. If you love cloth and love to print and stitch (as the title says) then this is a book that should be in your library.

Ms. Edmonds previously published book was called was called "Beginners Guide to Embroidered Boxes" and now I am afraid that I have to get this one too - her work is so exciting.

The contents page of "From Print To Stitch" is a good introduction to fabulous techniques that lurk within the book's pages. She thoroughly covers materials and tools, how to develop a theme in your work and a short but very well done lesson on color and color theory. The next section is on printing and the topics include: block printing, lino cuts, mono printing and how to make great impressions from found objects. Naturally the next section is about stitching. Hand stitching and machine stitching. One of my favorite sections in this part of the book is her gallery of hand stitches. Lots of grist for the artistic mill in here.

The techniques for working with lino, sponges and a host of other easily found printing methods are thoroughly explained and photographed with step-by-step instructions. In this section of the book I am especially fond her use of collagraph prints and I am eager to give this a try. The author describes collagraph as "made from a block that is created from low tech collaged material". Can you spell play day?! This book is just chock full of really fun techniques that are bound to spark your creativity and give your many hours of fun - you may not look at plain cloth in the same way again. Yes. I am really enjoying this excellent book!

This book is one of those “must have” addition to your library if you are a textile enthusiast of any sort!

note:
this book was provided to me by the publisher strictly for the purpose of an honest review. No other remuneration was received

It's A Mystery To Me

2010-11-28T14:35:00.000-08:00

It'd a mystery I am solving as the muse moves me - this should be a finished product tomorrow. What do you think it's going to be?

I took bits and pieces of inspiration from this wonderful book by Angie Hughes - published by Search Press - that I reviewed not too long ago on my book blog (October 10th entry). It feels good to be doing something "sew-ey" - or perhaps I mean creative - again. It's taken too long! More tomorrow I hope. I'll be curious to see if you have any thoughts on what in the heck I am doing !

Sometimes You Just Become a Prisoner Of Your Own Mind!

2010-11-23T14:46:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just become a prisoner of your own mind

Sometimes we really must cultivate patience and for people like me - that is not always an easy assignment! It's easy to become a prisoner of your own mind, carefully building up a wall of fencing around yourself. I know because I am good at it! Yesterday, my good friend Janet poked me and said something to the effect that surely I had something to post about here on the blog - since I have not posted for so long. My last attempt at a post was truncated. My typing was iffy - even with spell check and proof reading, my mood was low and my pain was high - so it did not seem like a great idea to whine on about my newly installed spinal 'hardware' any longer.Now, though, I do feel like I should complete at least a part of that post. If you are bored with it I understand- just skip this post and anticipate some ART in a day or so. If you have back or spine issues then perhaps this is something that might be of interest.

I have to admit to really wondering if I had made a mistake to have this second operation. I thought somehow that I would wake up magically free of the pain. Not so - not at all. It was worse , much worse than the first cervical operation in June- of course this one took twice as long and left a 6 inch incision too. Duh! How could I be so dang naive?! This pain was like nothing I had ever experienced. The Saturday after the operation (which had been the previous Tuesday) I ended up in the emergency room here (we have two rooms that serve as emergency rooms in our clinic)for near 5 hours as they tried to get my pain under control. I should have remained in the hospital for another night - but it was just not a "get better" sort of place". Don't get me started on pain control in this country - it is simply despicable what some doctors consider 'aedequate' or sufficient medication. Yes, trust me, I work for the court and I get the fact that some people use this stuff for things other than pain control- though why they would choose to do that is beyond me. Straight and clear is the best of way for a mind to be - but if you are in pain the doctors should listen to you - not be dismissive and ruse. I am grateful that me primary care giver is someone who does "get" pain - and I was more lucky to be able to to go to our local emergency room to get to a point that i could stop crying from the pain. Familiar faces make a world of difference too I think.

Yesterday at a doctor's appointment I got the okay to return to work on light duty for the next 6 months - which for means only that I can't lift much nor sit for long periods of time in a court room. Work will be, more or less, the same as usual. As I voiced concerned about whether I had made the right decision the doc aid that he thought I had done the right thing. We discussed the success rate for this sort of spinal surgery. I had been thinking I should be feeling perkier by now. He said that it will take 8 months or so to really see what the effect of the surgery will be and that here are. indeed, some success stories (and he hopes I am one of those) but that in general what this type of surgery does is to keep the person out of a wheel chair - and I recalled I had heard that before too. I think in that regard I will be a success story - but I may not be hiking like I used to - though walking is better now than before.

It is difficult for me to realize and own the fact that I will not be the super active person I once was - but I am realizing that this does not mean that I am no longer me- I am....I just have to gracefully accept my simple restrictions and be most thankful that I am as healthy as I am - and that the pain and memory of this operation will all fade with time. It's been a year for sure but there are SO many others in SO much worse shape than me....I have finally, I think, been able to stop the pity party!

I have been doing a few things. Mostly reading - of course - and knitting - a fabulous shawl. I have also been thinking about ways I want to work in metal some more. I have some ATC's to work on this weekend - they are late - overdue - much the way the cleaning and the house looks overdue for a real "winter snug in". I say that as we have snow on the ground and a temperature of 23F (-5C) with very windy conditions. Yesterday was the first day I had driven since being home - and, as luck would have it, it was near blizzard conditions when I left the doc's office. I was glad for 4WD!

So there you have it - the whines and the non whines. I am looking forward to making these ATC's and getting going again on both my book blog (also overdue) and to posting something at least vaguely art like here ... leaving time for a nap now and then!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of us here in the US - actually to all of my friend's everywhere. There is so much to be thankful for and there is always someone in a worse way than you are. Be well and be happy and be filled with light.

Life before titanium plates

2010-11-10T12:08:00.000-08:00

Prior to titanium screws and plates

This is a post that I have been considering writing since my last operation on my neck in June. My conundrum is that, I suspect, many people will find it boring - and that's just fine -skip over it . The other reason that I have been wanting to write is is that I have met so many people who seem to also be having back issues/problems of one sort of another. It's so difficult to know when to see a doctor, what kind of doctor does one see and, if you are not a Christian Scientist, what sorts of remedies are options for you? I kept thinking that of knowing just one more piece of your large puzzle will help you than this is worth writing. I don't speak poorly of any doctor. They all work hard to give such a complex structure like our bodies good servicing and help.

All The Best Plans ... that did not happen this week...

2010-10-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

These are the steps that I use to go to work ...and I'll be using them again soon!

I had great plans of storing some posts this week. It never managed to happen! tomorrow I have back surgery and so things will a little slow 'round here for a bit. I promise to post some things of interest as soon as I can put fingers to the keys and write something that won't embarrass myself!

See you soon!

More About Roslyn Washington

2010-10-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

For any of you Northern Exposure Fans this is one building that you might recognize. It's still clear and bright but the restaurant was closed the whole time we were there. Ostensibly the building/restaurant is at least partially owned by a member of the rock group U2. No one seems to know what the father of this remarkable landmark will be.

The Brick watering hole may also be familiar from the show. We walked past it and I could not bring myself to go in to eat there as it reminded me of the smell of a local place at home that I won't go into although it does, in fact, make the best burgers in town - and it may well be that The Brick also makes great food!

The main street

Roslyn has long been a mining community - fabulous bits of history of of mixed cultures blending together peacefully (for the most part) and working together.

Cowboy time

The most interesting place in Roslyn is the Historic Cemetaries. I found the following synopsis of them on Wikipedia - and the information is the same as from the book I bought about Roslyn:

"...The Roslyn Historical Cemetery, actually 25 separate but adjacent cemeteries, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Clustered on 15 acres (61,000 m²) of woods and hills above the main street, the land was donated by or purchased from the Northern Pacific Company by fraternal, ethnic and civic organizations for burial of their deceased members. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF); Knights of Pythias Lodge; Soloka Lodge; Wanapum Tribe 28, Improved Order of Redmen; Cacciatori D’Africa (literally Hunters of Africa – an Italian Lodge), Croatian Fraternal Union Lodge No. 56, SNF Lodge No. 79 (Croatian); Saint Barbara Lodge No. 39 (Greek Catholic); and Dr. David Starcevich Lodge No. 56 (Croatian) are among the organizations and ethnicities represented in this cemetery. At least 24 nationalities are represented within the nearly 5000 graves...."

Some of the markers were quite amazing - for many differing reasons. I wish I had been able to spend some hours there with a pad of tracing paper - rubbings of some of the stones would have been great to bring home!

I loved this metal, aged cross....

Interesting inscriptions...

I think that this was meant as a temporary substitution plaque for the beautiful marker. The cemeteries are undergoing a great restoration effort - we all contributed something to their fund

I just thought that the old world influence on this marker was lovely

Beautiful gates surrounded some spots - This whole gate was a lovely work of art!

This marker just about said it all to me.... a dove flying free beyond the gates

Primitive but moving - and obviously old

Simple and cared for

Fancy, newer but lovely. There were, unfortunately

many, many markers of infants and very young children in this acreage.

Epidemics were rampant I gather an many died in the Pandemic Flu season of 1918.

Most of the children's markers included lambs

This garden was absolutely unbelievable. I couldn't believe that there was so much color left at this time of year. The woman who lives in this house is not only a master gardener extraordinaire but also a fan of Halloween I think!

Even the sign post by her property was decorated!

This building was one of my favorites in the town. It did not seem to contain anything but it enchanted me. Next store is a wonderful little art galled called, simply enough, Smith Art. The wonderful woman who owns the gallery wanted to buy my shawl of many colors - my simple triangular shawl made from my Noro Kureyon scraps. Maybe I will make her one one day!

This necklace was at the gallery and I have to say that I have never seen silver work as mind blowing as this. No, I was so thunder struck that I did not even get the artist's name. Apparently she works full time but creates these fantasies in her spare time. I wanted this necklace so badly I could scream --- along with a pair of her earrings. I think I am too short to be able to carry off the regal flair of this piece but it was just so awesome that I had to at least have a photo of it to drool over at home !

If I can find her card I'll post the link later.

Next up - finally - will; be some of the new metal worked cards and "inches" for a swap. I have been working on...and a fabulous, simple shawl pattern from Berroco that looks way more difficult than it really is! I am running again against the clock. Surgery a week from today- and then time to get out from beyond the ether when I can get to work again !

'Stitch, Cloth, Paper and Paint: Mixed Media Ideas and Inspirations" by Angie Hughes

2010-10-10T16:56:00.001-07:00

I am very fortunate that Search Press sent this book to me for review. I say fortunate because I get to drool over the book but also because, when I stopped to look at my own library, I was astounded at how many books I own that are from Search Press. Their books are lushly illustrated and always so well done.

"Stitch, Cloth, Paper and Paint" could not have arrived at a better time for me personally. I was feeling somehow 'unfaithful' to my quilting roots by becoming so enamored with paper lately - this book happily combines all of the things I love working with.....cloth, paint and paper.

Angie Hughes is a name I have known - she writes often for a favorite magazine - Cloth, Paper Scissors. Her work is dynamic, colorful and terribly well executed. She describes herself as an embroiderer. The book opens with a thorough description (with photos) of the material selection that she utilizes most frequently - both what she calls 'base' fabrics and 'decorative'. Next up are great descriptions, that I especially appreciated, about paper and cardstock. A section that is chock full of information about her use of embellishments and paints is included as well. I really enjoy reading about Angie Hughes process - a section that is well illustrated and contains a full of description of her techniques for reparing the base fabric, and then layering tissues and other fabrics round out the first part of the book.

Other sections of the book - all equally well done include:

machine stitching

hand stitching

adding paints

making your own embellishments from many varied materials

Detailed instructions are provided for several really good projects that combine all of the techniques covered in the book. They include a "Sunflower" book wrap, fabulous "Indian Artifact" and one of my favorites a "Sundial Triptych" that I want to try making soon - and it somewhat unusual for me to want to make something directly from a process sort of book.

If you get the idea that I really liked this book, you are correct. It is worthy of the 5 stars I gave it and it is a book that I don't think any artist or mixed media aficionado would regret adding to their library.

Note: this book was provided to me by Search Press for the purpose of an unbiased review. No other remuneration was received.

Roslyn Washington Get-A-Way

2010-10-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

This first two photos are of the studio area in the Crazy Quilt Shop, happily run by owner and "hostess with the mostest" Nancy Bronk. She is one of the most welcoming shop owners I've come across.

I had planned to present these photos in order but was not prepared for the new upgrade to Blogger - so they are scrambled now. This was the second time I uploaded the photos since I gather one now has to "add selected" all at once - requiring the need to upload in order and also to add them in order. Oh well. we'll get by and you will get the idea!

Good friend Janet ran across this lovely little spot earlier this past summer when she was on a trip with her DH. Thought she - ...'wouldn't this make a great place for a retreat...' Several of us took her up on the idea and we planned our little jaunt for the first week in October. There were to be 5 of us originally but one had unexpected surgery and another caught the flu as we were preparing to leave. The minimum in the cottage was four and thankfully one of our number agreed to allow her share to remain "in the kitty" making our trip possible really. There is a lovely little 85 year old cottage just steps from the shop that is rented for retreats. It was run as a Bed and Breakfast so it is perfectly set up with period furnishings and comfy beds and baths - and a fully equipped, beautiful kitchen. Nancy provides retreaters with a key to her proverbial kingdom - leaving the studio area open for all hour creating. The three of us, being of an age, were content to leave by 5 or 5:30, have an early dinner and then sat and gabbed while watching a large flat panel TV (better than the TV I have at home!).

Roslyn is the place the "Northern Exposure" was filmed. The 'Cicely Alaska' of Washington State. There are still many vestiges of Northern Exposure in the town. The "radio station" still is there and in full view. I will be posting all of the Town history photos in my next post. Ahhhhh! a lovely get-a-way. Thanks Janet for making it all happen. We are all looking forward to making this a yearly thing! Yeah!

Another view of the huge, well stocked studio area!

A beautiful line of trees that at the lunch rest stop Janet knew about from her earlier trip.

Heading up the highway on the first leg of the trip. Look at those glorious clouds!

This is the fabulous sign at the door to the Crazy Quilt Shop.


Shop owner Nancy Bronk .. not the best of photos -- but she is a delight!

This is the top where the huge studio is. My work area was behind the OPEN sign!

The view from my work area over the 'open' sign!

Linda and Janet in front of the wonderful retreat cottage.

Part of the main street ... isn't it beautiful and authentic!

Another view of the foggy route up to Roslyn.

Trying To Get Back In Gear

2010-10-09T16:37:00.001-07:00

I'm trying to blog this from my IPad - so it's a bit of a test of the program. I am also feeling lazy. I'll be happy if it works and will post the name of the app if it does !

Two friends and I went to Roslyn, Washington of "northern exposure" fame last Saturday. We had a lovely time. The Crazy Quilt Shop there, run by a lovely person named Nancy is the perfect getaway. The cottage next to the shop that is used for retreats is an old, beautiful cottage of 85 years.

Since returning home the weather has turned rainy, windy and cooler - typical late October weather for us. Dh is home also and so I added the rest of the week to vacation and have been enjoying resting, napping and not getting much done.

I did take a lot of photos. The town of Roslyn has a very interesting history and some amazing cemeteries that I could have spent hours in. I just got the photos uploaded on my 'real' computer so I will be posting lots more about the this lovely jaunt I enjoyed.

I was really pleased to get this rest before surgery this month. It's been a lovely respite. Hopefully I will get some cards in the post and finish up a couple of projects before I have to go back to work next week. I have not taken such a "do nothing" little vacation and it feels so nice for the moment to not 'have' to do anything but knit, doze and enjoy listening to the rain!

What 's your favorite kind of vacation? What relaxes you the most?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

I Just Can't Stop! Metal and Cards!

2010-09-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

I seem to be making lots of ATC's lately - but the two groups I am in are just the best and I enjoy the challenge. These cards are made for Arts In The Cards and the theme for the month is, what else - "Halloween". We had brilliant sun today - which was wonderful .. but made the cards look a bit more washed out then they really are.

I will be away for a gals get-a-way this coming weekend - home on Tuesday. We are going to a retreat cottage at The Crazy Quilt Shop in Roslyn, Washington - of Northern Exposure fame. Have a look under the "retreat" tab. I am so excited. I am bringing knitting, journaling stuff (metal included) and hand sewing. I had thought to work on my large bed quilt but ended up just wanting to relax and not lug a machine. If you look at the cottage you will see why I say this!

Below: the back of the cards

This is a card I made - in metal of course! - for a friend who recently was married. She is originally from Barbados and he new husband is from France - so of course I used the three flags in the card! I am becoming so besotted with working in metal - makes me chuckle to myself!

Too Fun Not To Post!

2010-09-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

I saw this little video on the Classic Elite yarn blog and just had to share!

The Art Of Book Marks

2010-09-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

The PageKeeper is my current favorite - simplicity itself - but it works very well

As a life long bibliophile I have, on occasion, purchased or been given some lovely book marks that transcend the droll roll of marking your place in a book but rise to the level of Book Mark Art. Some markers hold memories, others are simply markers that work and work well, while others both work and are eye candy. I love book markers and think any true reader should experience the joy of having at least one beautiful marker. In case you are wondering - no I have not lost a marker - amazing but true and I AM knocking wood as I write that!

The PageKeeper noted above is simple and effective. It's my current favorite and I had to have at least two - that is a record for me - generally one of any kind is enough - but this one works so perfectly that I had to have more than one! I mean who reads only one book at a time?!

This is a "memory collection" and I love gracing the pages of my books with these beauties whose memories make me smile. The beautiful lace bookmark is from my friends Jim and Louise Lane. It's from Hampton Court Palace - a place I want to re-visit so much! I have never been able to take it out of it's wrapper! The "Creation" book mark was designed and made by my friend Julie Wildman - whose calligraphy is utterly spell binding - she is (can you tell?!) a calligrapher and graphic artist). The eagle book mark was given to me by Cathy Pike in 1992 when I left American Airlines to venture into an unknown life and re-invent myself. The plane was from when I got my pilot's license in 1983, the "No Puffin" marker is from a trip to Alaska and the Z is because it begins my last name - my maiden name I mean.

The group above is of the more "normal" flat variety, Alaska was from another trip to that breath taking state. The face is a favorite painting and was given to me by friend, Lauren Franciosi, The lighthouse just arrived on Friday from friend Karen. It's a lighthouse in Greenport, New York where I lived long ago. Karen lives there now and a group has had the lighthouse restored so she sent me this lovely reminder of another page in my life. The poem next to the lighthouse was sent to me by my adventure buddy, Sarah Smith - she moved away to to the East Coast and this small bookmark always keeps her near. Next is a marker that is from a salmon recovery project -my DH was involved with the recovery project in his own way for many years and this makes me think of those days when he went and feed 30,000 salmon babies twice a day until they were big enough to release. Next in the row is from author Brandy Purdy who writes historical fiction that I am quite fond of. She sent this with a book for me to review. The two markers on the bottom are from our local library and I just happen to fancy them a lot! Can you begin to imagine a world without reading and books? I sure can't!

A close up of the lighthouse and the friendship poem

AHHHHH - the two markers shown above are truly works of art. The are made by Hook Mark and they are very special. The one on the left is from friend Jim Lane. It was a Christmas gift one year. He gave his wife, Louise a cross - the Buddha for me. I had bought the less precious one on the right just because I loved the green glass. These are wonderful marks and make very special gifts. Lots to choose from.

Below on the left is some gizmo that works okay but more often than not manages to just get tangles on things. It works alright. I don't even remember what company makes it - but I did get it at a bookstore. I remember that much. On the right is a very efficient. lovely and usable maker made by Levenger. This is the largest size they make and it has a place for two pens - or a highlighter and a pen or pencil on the top. Beautifully well made and a good bargain to boot! They come in a smaller size for regular mass market small paperbacks - this one is more for trade sized books. They come in other colors and it's a very efficient marker!

That it for my short stroll through the Art of The Book Mark - at least those that I have. Odd how something so small can hold memories, be a work of art or elegantly hold your place in a great book. Yes, I do love book marks and am always open to trying out a new one!

Tales of Papers, Inks and Finding The Perfect Journal. Thanks Exaclair!

2010-09-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Note: gray fonts indicate links - fort some reason I have not been able to change the color in this template.

I have reviewed the Quo Vadis Habana journal in the past. It has become my favorite journal for general use. When friend Karen from Exaclair asked if wanted a new colored plain Quo Vadis Habana journal I say "of course". She asked if I wanted raspberry, lime, red or black. Of course I chose Lime. What I did not know until it arrived that it is so much better than just lime. The color is called anise green and it "the" green that makes my heart sing. This plain paper journal is 6" X 9" and contains 80 sheets of Clairfontaine premium 90 gr paper. Totally yummy stuff to work on! Clairefontaine makes - IMHO - the best of the best papers for writing, drawing, painting, sketching etc. They are also, in a world that sometimes seems mad with unending waste - very environmentally correct. They manufacture their own papers made only from sustainable forests. and are PEFC rated. The Habana journal's cover is made from a silky smooth material that feels warm to the touch. I love it!. The corners are rounded- another small detail that I love, it has an elastic closure (color coordinated of course!) and an expandable pocket in the back of the journal for all of those little bits of ephemera that you always seem to find along the life's way

Knowing that I go through sketch pads at a sometimes alarming rate Karen also graced me with a chance to have a look a Clairefontaine sketch book too. This book (8.5" X 11") is filled with 160 pages of 90 gr lovely white paper - it's great for all general sketching and mediums and even will handle a light wash with something like watercolors - which I am know to spritz about with wild abandon at times - who needs hair color if one has a watercolor spritz?! (only joshing!). While it is true that I am indeed grateful to be able to review Exaclair products my being enamored of them has ONLY to do with their superiority and excellence. My opinions on not biased - if I found anything wrong or inadequate I would chime in....I just have nothing but praise. If you are looking for fine art papers - go with Calirefontaine. Need a new journal, blank, lined or day planner style? - go with Rhodia, Quo Vadis or Exacompta. For any paper need Exaclair offers a superior product that will suit. They also market my favorite fountain pen inks - J.Herbin. Who can;t get excited about glorious colored inks made by a French company that has been in business since 1670?!

Speaking of inks and J.Herbin - here is their newest ink - an anniversary issue called, simply enough, 1670. It is a deep rich red. I could not wait for it's release here in the states so I had to order it from France directly. Problem is that I hate to break that authentic looking seal! Think of all the history that this company has endure and prospered though. Amazing! Unusual and wonderful!

Happy Labor Day (for the USA) and It's Been A Long Time But I've Not Been Loafing!

2010-09-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

Remember that you can double click the photos for a larger view

I couldn't believe it when I saw how long it has been since I last posted. No reason for it either. Time just slips away so fast. Life really is an E-ticket at times isn't it ?!

I have continued my obsession with all things metal. These are a group of ATC's that are being sent out to my friends at Arts In The Cards. Each month brings more and more fun with this group and I am so grateful to be a part of it! I find that having a theme is an excellent motivator for me - I have never worked too well this way but I am beginning to really enjoy the challenge of making something that fits the need! Swapping regularly has also really given me some great ideas for the future.

These cards began as a piece of black foil that was burnished over a piece of alligator glass (it was one of my favorite types of glass when I was doing stained glass and fusing so I still have some). I burned off some of the color over the stove which altered the black somewhat and removed the black in some places. Next I added some color where I thought it was needed. The butterflies were punched from either paper, metal or etal - as were the 'moons'. The theme for this month was a 'favorite quote' - most of my favorites are a bit longer and I wanted something smaller - the one I chose has always been a favorite and it worked well size wise

The black dragonfly on the card on the right is is an

example of the black metal that the card backgrounds were at first.

This next batch of cards using some of my favorite, oft chosen, images are for another swap that I am horrendously late in sending out. I had fun yesterday in getting caught up. All of the cards on this page have been sent out into the world today and are on their way to their new homes. I have only three more ATC cards (for another swap) left to finish and send out tomorrow. ALL CAUGHT UP! Phew what a great feeling that can be.

I have signed up for some wonderful classed from one of my favorite journal artists - L.K. Ludwig. Author of, among many books, my favorites. "True Vision" and Creative Wildfire". She has a great - really big - sale going on now for her classes and I had been wanting to sign up for some time. Now that I am almost caught up I can begin working my way through the classes (I chose 5 to begin with).

My next surgery - a two level fusion will be on either October 19th or November 2nd. I have to choose and let them know tomorrow. I'm looking forward to having it over and done with and to feeling good all the time! Happy Labor Day To All - hope it is labor-less - or if it includes labor - labor only of the fun sort !

Metallica Redux( Are You Tired Of Them Yet?) and A Few Of My Favorite County Fair Peeps

2010-08-22T17:30:00.000-07:00

The cards I had been making had been bugging me. They looked like 'loving hands at home an,d although I am a rank beginner, I kept thinking I could come up with something that looked at least a little bit more professional looking. I thought about it a lot and realized that it was the backgrounds that I thought were distracting. They took away from the bling of the metal and somehow were very distracting. I tried using a black card background lightly and simply stamped but that too bothered me - more distraction. These are two more cards made from the same patterns I had been working with, simply mounted in Strathmore Photo Frame Card blanks. I like this effect much better than the others. Any suggestions or comments for me? I would appreciate some feedback!!

Next up are some of my favorite peeps from the County Fair - we held ours from Wednesday through Saturday last week. I have been surprised at how few goats (my favorites!) and sheep (my next favorite) were at the fair year. Probably one third of what it has been in years past. I always enjoy the chicks and ducks though and those, at least, were still plentiful. Next year my friend Lauren and I are going to get some chickens - they will be at her farmette and I will help with the chicken chores of course. A good reason to force me out of the house and then there is the though of fresh eggs too !

Poor baby - I wanted to break him out of jail and steal the feathers from his cage. I collect feathers so Lauren and I were collecting a lot for my collection - just from the floor and front of the cages of course

The chickens above are called Silver Spangled Hamburgs and they are what I would like to have - if they lay eggs that it. They remind me of the fur on my beloved cat Chellie - my white and black princess that I miss everyday. Below is my little quilt of Chellie.

These are egg laying ducks. I loved them ! They just cackled away. I felt badly actually because they had the kiddie rides right outside the chicken, duck and bunny tent and I can't help but think that the noise must have upset them more than usual.

I had to add a few new photos of Tillie. Those pink paddie paws captivate me and she looked so relaxed and drowsy after a good lunch of deli thin sliced turkey - she's become rather fond of her special treats!

That's it for today . Tillie says night night to all !

Metallica Obsession Continued -

2010-08-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

Another experiment with metal. It began as a sheet of copper colored tin that I sanded down to just a suggestion of copper. I spent way too much time time on this today. I made it once and I disliked the background I used and the spackle backing - that keeps the 'puff' effect puffed - started to fall out. I took it all apart and started all over again. I used beeswax as a filler which worked great and today a bottle of filler paste from MercArt arrived so that will be the next thing I try. It all beagan with a beginner;s set from Walnut Hollow and then I found Ten Second Studio and the most amazing place MercArt. The owner of MercArt, Magdalena Muldoon has written a terrific book that I am learning a lot from - called Metal Embossing Workshop. I am also learning a lot from two other books - "Pewter Plus" by Sandy Griffiths and " Metal Effects" by Cheryl Darrow of Ten Second Studio.

The background that I decided worked best of what I had on hand is from Deco Patch - a division of my favorite paper and journal company, Exaclair. I think the oranges complimented the coppery tone of the metal. I am still working on the best way to make these cards. Backing the metal requires something that is stiff enough and strong enough to camouflage the inherent irregularities of the the back of the metal piece. There is a trick to make it all smooth I am sure - but I just don't know it yet !

This is the metal piece all on it's lone. I like it - but I have so much to learn and I think that I will keep playing with this stuff - not to the extent that i leave other things behind to do it - but I do really enjoy the effect. Odd - because I am not much of a 'bling' person - and what's more bling than metal?! There is so much to learn and so much to try - I want to perfect puffing and backgrounds .. and general design for that matter! Mostly I need to work on the best way to construct the card so that it is more simple and quicker to make - and have it look cleaner and crisper.

Here's the inside. Cream colored backing over the metal and a nice off white for the greeting that I will add for my friend's birthday. The little metal patch on the top right is done on metal tape (what's NOT to love about metal tape I ask you?!) and the quote is part of a small poem by Eileen Elias Freeman that says , in part. "...life is a tapestry, we are the warp, angels the west, God the weaver. Only the weaver sees the whole design......

Fun Quiz - What's Your Creative Style?

2010-08-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

I ran across this fun little quiz on How About Orange's blog. I am generally not a big fan of quizzes but this one is from Psychologies Magazine - a British Magazine that I wish I could afford to subscribe to. I found the result from this short quiz remarkably spot on....and thought you might want to take a quick break to try it out yourself. The following were my results.

Creativity enriches you

Creativity is separate from the real world for you. But it’s a magical world in which you like to immerse yourself. When you’re involved in it, you get the wonderful sensation that there are no limits, that anything is possible. What you are really looking for is harmony — you want to feel you are a part of what you create. Planting flowers, writing poetry, embroidery or putting together a photo album, these are all suited to your sort of quiet creativity. You want to fall in love with what you create. You also think of creativity as a part of you in which you can take refuge and feel protected. As the psychoanalyst D Anzieu explained, creativity acts as an ‘encouraging parent — loving, enriching and supportive’. You would love to use your creativity to retreat into a world that is kind and reassuring. For you, being creative means having the chance to become one with what you create, bathe in the glory of it and allow yourself to be taken over by it. This is why you seem more suited to the sort of creativity that calls for gentleness, subtlety, harmony and patience. • To find out about how to tap into your creative side, see our feature in the August issue out now.

Metal Play Time

2010-08-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

Somewhere around 10-12 years ago I purchases rolls of 38 ga. metal. I have no clue what I got them for although it may well have been what I am now doing. Playing with teaching myself embossing. This is a card for a friend. I have been trying to teach myself how to "puff" the metal, and then back it with Spackle so that it cannot be pushed in. Some people seem to use beeswax for this, while others use special filling paste - I figured quick dry spackle would work too The card part was covered with this amazing red paper that looks and feels more like a heavy silk. I had a great time playing with this card and there is one more birthday card to make today and then back to my regularly scheduled life.

The Sock Thief and A New Painting

2010-08-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

Our Tillie - who at the end of this week will have shared our home with us for four months, has a newly discovered talent. Sock thief! I keep my socks in a large basket in my bathroom - since it's always been a convenient place for me to keep them. Lately I have found trails of socks though coming from the bathroom to the living room. At first I thought that it was a simple matter of maybe dropping laundry along the way to returning it to draws and baskets. Now I have discovered that is Tillie - the sock thief. She plays with them and I often find them trailed from bathroom to bed when she is cozied up next to a pair or two! She is really beginning to become herself now. Although she is still skittish she has started really exploring the rest of the house - and is slowly assimilating herself into the entire house. I think that she will, eventually, become house queen and will make herself comfortable everywhere - though I think it will take some time to get to that point and I think that she will always be a bit skittish with new people. She has developed a fondness for thinly sliced deli turkey and DH spoils her with it and she cries so piteously every time he walks in the door - like she is saying that I never feed her during the day when he is gone! We love her a lot and she was a great family addition!

This a new mixed media piece that I had been working on - highlighting a favorite 1994 quote from E.E. Freeman. The Clairefontaine watercolor paper background (one of my favorite cold pressed water color papers) was textured with a gesso base ,stamped with a variety of text and letter stamps and then covered with Japanese lace paper. I used PanPastels - YES! they really are truly unique and wonderful- for the face and hair, some special decorative paper for the shirt, embossed metal for the earring and a Pitt Marker in brown for the lettering that I over-wrote with Ziller North White ink to tone the darkness in the lettering down just a bit. Ziller ink is, by the way, really lovely ink - sort of a cross between ink and thin gouache or acrylic. I love it!

I've been fulfilling some obligations for ATC's and doing some extra book reviews that were - and still are - long overdue - which is why I have been a bit quiet around here. I see the doc on 8/31 and plan to have the second surgery as soon as I can. My plan is to enter 2011 as pain free as i can be!! I will be back with some new art/fiber work and some book reviews of some wonderful new textile books. Hope You all have week filled with love, laughter and a touch of magic too !

In a close up so can see the texture of the background a bit better. The PanPastels are a bit less transparent than the photo seems to show. They are, as I mentioned a very cool new art medium that I am glad I ended up taking the financial plunge and trying. I have decided that my over riding desire is to return to England and Italy while I am still young enough and soon - I hope - pain free enough - to return to all of the places that I want to see again - and some newly added must sees too! So what small amounts I can save now will be spent less on new fun supplies than I am used to. I need a bit of travel in my life - it feels like such a strong pull to me - and I think that ,artistically, the places I want to go to will really be a boost for me too!

Here you can see the small, embossed earring and the texture and over-layed stamped letters and text

Two Great Books" "Hand Lettering" and "Thank You Notes"

2010-07-27T13:05:00.000-07:00

I was very fortunate to have been able to have these books to review. Each of them is a 5 star rating - which, for those of you who don't read my book blog may not know, is unusual for me. After posting the review on my book blog I thought that it might also be of interest to you as well. Please head over to my book blog to have a look at LOTS more photos from the books! I have only included the table of contents pages here.

This review could have been done as two separate reviews - one on each of these book- but, quite honestly, I loved them both a lot and they both seem to go hand in hand - and they are about two of my favorite things - lovely lettering and really nice, snail mailed, hand made, cards - so I decided to review them both together. I collect books on lettering and calligraphy. I love lettering and I try to improve my own beginner calligraphy as often as I can. I was curious what this book was going to be like. I LOVE it! The authors - and Lark Books - did an excellent job!

"Hand Lettering" by Marci Donley and SeAnn Singh is really well thought out and is a really nice, easy to use, non intimidating book on lettering. The table of contents ( all photos can be double clicked for a better view!) is really comprehensive. The beginning of the book is about, of course, the basics. The sections on various pens is one of the most complete I have ever seen - and all sorts of pens, markers, brushes and fountain pen calligraphy pens are discussed in detail - along with some more unique writing implements like dental stimulators and pieces of sponge. A lovely section about papers in included of course, along with a section about measuring devices, a section that covers all of the types of cutting tools you might want to use and how to put together a "ready the letter" box of supplies.

This book is so full of so much great information and so many really wonderful alphabet styles that I can't imagine how the got it all into a book of this size! You're right I am a bit 'gushy' over this book and, quite honestly, I was not certain that I would be. I don't generally hand out 5 stars very easily - but this book (and the next too for that matter) really do deserve the. This book will be a "must have" addition to the library to calligraphy beginners and scrapbookers as well as to more advanced calligraphers. I highly recommend this one - it's staying here with me !

Moving right along to the next, great 5 star beauty book. Making notes and letters look nice has been a nearly lifelong fascination for me. I always spent a lot of time on letters and on decorating the envelopes for the letters since I can remember - probably about when I was 12 years old. I still prefer the beauty of snail mail to email. Fat more personal and entertaining...and I do want our postal system to survive so I take great pleasure is designing and sending cards! I couldn't wait to see what sort of techniques were contained in the lovely book entitled, simply "Thank You Notes" by Jan Stephanson and Amy Appleyard. This is another book that I am totally enthralled with. I think that it also has such well done, fail proof directions and well thought out information that you can't go wrong.

This book begins with a shorter, but thorough, section on materials. The cards in the books are grouped by thought in a way. Thank you to my sister, my better half etc; Thank You for a special day, the cash, for being there, for lending a hand, for being sweet.... you get the idea. The thing is that all of the thank you cards - as pertinent as they are to the specific sort of thank you - the cards and the techniques can easily be used for any other reason to send a delightful card. It's the great variety of techniques that this book gives you that really makes the book shine in my eyes! The techniques are all very clearly explained with particularly well done how to photos. You can't go wrong with these instructions!

Disclosure:

This book was provided to me by the publisher for the purpose of reviewing the book. No other remuneration was received

Metalizing!

2010-07-25T12:29:00.000-07:00

I am not sure what bug has bitten me now - I sometimes feel like a bit of chaff floating on a breeze. his time the breeze seems to have dropped me in a field of 'metalize'. I am in two ATC groups. I have always had difficulties working with the concept of themes and being part of like minded groups has really been helping me get over that issue. In one group the topic this month was 'bugs' - or 'what bugs you' and in the other group is it 'Marie Antoinette'. I was really feeling like I could not make it! First of all I dislike bugs. Period. I know that they have a place in the universe and that they can be beneficial and all but I dislike them - always have and always, I suspect will!

I considered doing something that bugs me - but distilling those concepts into something that would take a reasonable amount of time was proving to be a sticking point. I decided that a scarab was perfect since traditionally the use of a scarab can indicate creation or transformation. I have had a yen to work in metal and it must have been a long standing yen since I have rolls of metal that I bought probably about 8-10 years ago. I am sure that I had the same intent - to teach myself the basics of foil metal work. I decided that this was the month to give it all a go and see if it is really something that will capture my continuing imagination. YES ! It does! I have also been experimenting metal tape . It's adhesive backed and readily available in any hardware store. I think it is used for something automotive! For all of these cards however I dug out the rolls of metal that I had on hand and began to play. The small scarab squares are adhered with carpet tape - what a wonderful [product that I would never have thought to try using if I had not needed to fix a corner of a rug down! It's great stuff - really!

The other groups topic for the next round of ATC's is "Marie Antoinette". Uh Oh - thought I to myself. I have always appreciated the time in history in which Marie lived - it was truly an amazingly rich period of history and Marie herself lived an amazing, albeit short, life. Her style though is most assuredly not me! I do not do well with lace and flounces and flirty fabric things. I would probably have been more of a tomboy then too. As I thought about the theme I realized that the only thing I really like about Marie Antoinette are her portraits - but slapping a copy of a portrait on an ATC does not make for an interesting, creative or inviting piece of mini art. Ah ha! Metal again. Metal to the rescue. I used this as an exercise to enjoy learning some more about embossing. Embossing is really firing my imagination right now - bit for metal work as well as for paper - and I am planning to try it with fabrics stiffened with GAC (Golden Art Supplies) 400 fabric stiffener and see what happens.

I should mention that I am also using a combination of hand tools (that I also had already had on hand) as well as a machine called a "Big Shot" to do all of this embossing. Surprisingly I prefer the hand done stuff - but trust me - the machine has it's place and offers a lot of amazing options. This is, perhaps one of those instances when one may feel guilty for buying things at one point but later, maybe years later, when your imagination lands you in a 'creative field' that will not require another new shopping spree because you already have some of the products you need - you will feel better about those long ago purchases!

These then, are the cards for Citizen Marie Antoinette that I am working on.I have been having such a great time with metalizing things - and the best thing is that new ideas keep popping into my head as I work. Once I am finished with these two series I am retreating back to my journaling and pan pastels and water colors that I have been missing greatly as I have worked my way through my metalizing exercises. Thankfully, the scarab cards are about to be sent out to their new homes. I ended up making extras and using a mixture of backgrounds: paper and fabrics- cotton and silks. I have three more Marie's to make (they are due in September) and then I will back to to journals - funny how that has become a part of my life that really has a lot of meaning.

PS: Would anyone be interested in a post about all of the tools that I have been playing with? Let me know!

Have you found any new techniques that have especially inspired you? Have you found a technique (like art journaling for me) that has become a really ingrained part of your creative life? What new techniques are you considering trying?

One Inch. What Can You Make In One Inch?

2010-07-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

Apologies for so much glare on the metal butterflys in this photo.

I loaded the photo into IPhoto instead of Photoshop so I did have as much control over the glare.

You get the idea though I hope!

One of the groups that I am with decided on an "Inchie" swap - and the theme was bugs. I had some passing interest in 'inchies' a few years ago but decided that they were most likely not really for me - I mean what can you do in the small space of a one inch square? I decided to go along with the swap , however, just to see what I might come up with. Since bugs are not on my hit parade I had to choose a butterfly of course. I ran off some parts of butterfly pictures on muslin and then enhanced them with colored inks. The butterflys are punched metal. I added a painted border and one bed and that was that. Once inch, it turns out can hold more than I thought! Making something in an inch, it turns out, is a bit of a challenge - I thought that as well when when I made my first ATC's though too - but I have to say that there is a certain certain charm to them as well. I imagine that my techniques will improve as I join on more swaps.

A Note about buying and using Square Punches for making 'inchies':

I had to edit this to add a note about buying "one inch" square punches". I had thought that it might make an easier job of creating perfect one inch squares if I used a punch. I tried two brands; the Martha Stewart one inch scalloped edge square and a Dove Craft plain one inch square. The Martha Stewart punch is great quality and I like the stamp but it is NOT an inch - it is 7/8 of an inch. The Dove Craft is worse - it is not even 6/8 of an inch!! I decided that it would far easier - and it would appear more accurate as well! - to make my own - which is what I did - and will continue to do ! Now I will have to figure out something fun to do with small squares. I have an idea in mind - so maybe they will not be a total waste!

I have been having a good, though occasionally vexing, time teaching myself something about embossing metal - which was why I had this metal on hand to begin with - I had order some years ago from Dick Blick and there it has sat carefully rolled in cardboard tubes - waiting for me to catch up and need to use it! Punching this metal is a snap - embossing - and doing it nicely is more of a challenge I think! I'll be posting some more bout these embossing adventures soon!

I am also LOVING the PanPastels and will have some fun experiments to share with you about using them soon too..though I want to take my time and maybe take some process photos along the way. YES!! I am so pleased that I was "bad" and got them. They really are a unique product.

I returned to work last week and by the end of the week I felt so depleted and tired that all I wanted to do was sleep. I made it though. My lower back is still painful but it happens mostly when I push myself ... not doing is difficult for me - and I am determined to no longer use meds to help get thorough the day when the pain hits. I see the neurosurgeon for a follow up on the 21 and then, I suspect we will discuss the advisability of the lumbar surgery. Right now the thought gives me the heebie jeebies - so I can't see it in the cards any time TOO soon!

Question of the day for you!

What new technique have you tried lately? Why did you want to try it? Do you like it as much as you thought you would? Does trying something that takes time to master become a deterrent to you or does it spur you on to master the technique?

Be well and be happy.

Trying To Engage Again and My Continuing Fascination with an Pastels

2010-06-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

Time marches on and I, inexorably, march along with it. I am feeling somewhat more near normal with the irritating exception that I have NO energy. I seem to do one thing and then want to rest or nap again. I am eager for this malaise to stop. I am still not sure how successful this adventure has been, although one thing is that my hands no longer tingle and go numb - so I know that there are some good results from it !

Anyway the journal page above is the first I have done since going to the ether, and although it is not up to par in my mind it was a fun experiment. Some of you may remember that I am all excited about PanPastels and this was the first time that I had been able to try them - since they arrived, literally, the day before we left for the hospital. My plan for the remainder of today is to play some more. Yes, I did order a few more that I hope Duck Blick will mail post haste! For this page I just used some of PanPastels for a background.

Things that I have noticed thus far about these little gems: they are NOTHING like any other medium I know of. Yes, they are called Pan Pastels, pastels in pans. They are not like soft pastels that I used to love to play with at home years ago - although I hated the dust and hated always having to remember to use fixative right away to prevent the inevitable smearing (generally on myself!). These do smear a bit too but nothing like the soft pastels of yesteryear. I used a workable fixative on the page before I wrote on it and I had no problems with the pens clogging or the background smearing under the 'weight' of he writing. They are surely not like oil pastels either - gummy and not as easily spreadable. PanPastels are creamy, dreamy in texture, spread oh! so beautifully and, I think, have an awful lot of possibility. The pans are larger than I thought they were too. From the photographs I saw I was thinking that they resembled an eye shadow container but in reality they are large - 2 inch-ish - and filled to the tippy top with glorious, saturated colors. I balked at buying the foam tools - they have foam covers that remind me of the covers on eye shadow applicators. These covers though, are available in many shapes and sizes and I do have to admit that they work well. I am a big proponent of getting the best tools that you can possibly afford and so I did order some extra foam tools, The foam pads are, I really do think, much like the foam puffs that you would find in pressed face powder (If you used it I mean) and so I did buy a large stock of those in a drug store. PanPantels do offer these larger pads in a variety of shapes and sizes and so, yes, I did get a variety to try - as I can see how a rounded puff will not always produce the best results. I know I will be posting a lot of experiments with these luscious colors

The other thing that has been really fascinating to me is metal/paper embossing. I have not a totally suitable method for this but I keep trying. This is some of that super useful metal tape that you can get in hardware stores - so they use it for cars or something? Whatever. I enjoy playing with it. I embossed a fantasy of curlyques and rounds and they overlaid some color with my favorite Sharpie Poster Paint markers.

I have also been playing around with making more special occasion cards. I was not feeling up to going to a wedding for some friend's off-spring this past weekend but I did want to make a special card for the top of their package. This was about an 8 inch square and I had fun making it! I got to use watercolor, pan pastel, Sakura gelly roll markers and my favorites, Pitt Artist Pens by Faber Castell. So, while I have not been able to do anywhere near as much as I would like I have begun the road back to art enjoyment - which in my book equates with the road to 'recovered'. In the evenings I spend time working on my first lace shawl from the Cheryl Oberle book, "Folk Shawls". So I better get moving or I can see myself spending another day napping and surfing - not the worst thing in the world to "have" to do but I want to play some more and am getting tired of myself saying "tomorrow I am going to play" every evening and then not making the time to do so. Before long I will be back to work and playing will be less of an option so I want to jump on these ast few days whilst I can !

Back But Foggy Still and a Shameless Request For A Vote

2010-06-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

What no photos? No you would prefer not to have any trust me!
I still sleep more than anything else and one of the things that hurt the most in the hospital was when they took took some adhesive bandaging off my neck. It's not pretty and at least I know I had a reason to cry. They could not believe how thin and sensitive my skin was! I think I can have the bandage off of the incision today or tomorrow, I was finally told that there is a product that they can use to soften the adhesive to make it easier and less traumatic to remove. Wish they had used it when the large dressing came off when the removed the drain! I want my routine back .. and I want the energy to play again. I am feeling impatient. That's good I guess.....but I've already had enough of being an invalid.

I am not sure if my lower back was helped any by this operation. It still hurts - but differently. Being in bed too much can't be that good for it either I guess. My arms are not tingling and I am not dropping things any more so I know it helped my cervical neck problems. The last thing I remember was being wheeled into the operating room - then nothing until recovery. How cool is that. I am such a wimp! My typing must surely testify to my still being in a bit of a fog - and it's nearly nap time too I should add.

I am not sure if some of you are members of The Alliance For American Quilts but if you are I would love it if you would have a look at their contest called "New From Old". I entered a piece called "If The Baltimore Ladies Had Batiks" and I could use all of the cotes and support I can get. I SO SO SO want to win this contest - for so many reasons- the biggest reason is that I won't be able to afford the grand prize if I can't win it somehow and I just LOVE using this sit down machine so much that I know I am the right person for it. How;s that for a show of hubris that is generally not like me?!! I know it would make a HUGE difference in my quilting abilities and capabilities! have a look the quilts here - and, if you are not a member just enjoy them all. There are famous people in the group - and just regular sorts of hopefuls like me too. I think that you can get to to the photos from this main page. Thanks for looking! http://www.allianceforamericanquilts.org/

I'll Be Back

2010-06-09T13:28:00.000-07:00

Today I am cleaning, doing laundry and preparing for my big appointment with the neurosurgeon tomorrow morning. I also seem to have unwittingly made a copy of my entire IPhoto album which is really bumming me out at the moment. That one I will have to deal with at some point in the future.

I have been considering posting a daily update - but then again I am also thinking that it might bore everyone to death. Maybe someone who will be having this surgery in the future might find it interesting or helpful, but maybe not. Obviously, I seem to be having a difficult time making this rather small decision. I don't want to bore y'all nor do I want to not have anything much to post about in the next couple of weeks. I WILL however be having some new book reviews coming up. Lark Books sent me some of their new titles to review and I am really excited about some of them. Lark has always been one of my favorite craft publishers so I am really excited to have several books from them to review.

I had hoped to be able to take my IPad with me but I exchanged the WiFi model that I got on my birthday for a 3G model and, alas and alack, it will not be here until June 22. That reminds me - I need to move my laptop into the bedroom - since I doubt I will be climbing the ladder to where it now lives very often in the next week or so. Guess I better get back to work !

See y'all soon. I'll miss my cyber community!

"We're All Just A Little Cracked" ATC's

2010-06-07T22:15:00.000-07:00

These ATC's are a departure for me. They are for the small, wonderful group that I am in. These are not due until later this month but since I have no idea of what the recovery time is going to be after Thursday and I wanted to be able to have them them finished and sent off. These cards are my first experiment using Photoshop for collage - well, actually as I have mentioned before, I don't do much collage, but since I felt that time might be running thin I decided to give it a try - and thoroughly enjoyed manipulating some images to create this card.I generally prefer to make each card separately and unique but this was a rather refreshing experiment - and I did manage to teach myself some more about the Photoshop program.

Now I wish I had not sold my small Wacom tablet - and will probably have to go on the hunt for a used one that I can afford - another good reason to hold onto things huh?! I guess I had given up the hope of making myself learn about Photoshop! Oh! The possibilities ! My Oh! My!

"Masters Collage: Major Works By Leading Artists" Curated By Randel Plowman

2010-06-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

When I was young my step-mother's 'thing' was decoupage. For some odd reason I always equated decoupage with collage and, as such, was never that interested in the process. A turn in my artistic path has led to me to become besotted with art journaling however - and with art journaling has come an interest in collage. Yes! Collage. I never saw it coming. Collage has not been an easy thing for me to do - I tend to over think a page, but it is becoming easier and more enjoyable for me as I do more of it - as with anything in life - it's all easy when we know how - and it's all a bit intimidating when we don't know how!

Lark Books has a fabulous series that I love - the 'Masters' series. I was fortunate to have been able to review their 2008 publication "Masters- Art Quilts" I don't know how they manage to get the quality photography and gorgeous paper in these books and still offer them at such reasonable prices, but I am glad that they do! I tend to 'feel' the paper quality of books - and I am also particular about type fonts. I love everything about the Master series of books! I was therefore, thrilled when I was given the opportunity to review this book, the latest in the 'Masters' series.

"Masters Collage" is veritable treasure trove of work by leading collage artists that was thoughtfully curated by collage artist and teacher Randel Plowman. Of more than 200 entries he distilled his selections down to the work of 40 artists. Randel's introduction is excellent; very informative and well written. The styles of collage that are represented in this book vary from minimalist work to jam packed hi voltage pieces. The represented works include styles that are comic-esqe, fine art, humorous, thoughtful, inspirational - indeed, so many styles are represented that my mind is boggled at how many varieties of art can be included in the term 'collage'. I look at the work in this book and become inspired. That, to me, is the mark of a great book - a book that moves you to create more of your own art! The artists include men and women. A variety and several examples of each artist's work is preceded by a short, well done biography.

As you look through this book you just can't help but think about the process that was used, the content of the image and what you might want to do with a similar subject matter. This is an inspirational and informative book that I think that anyone who enjoys art, collage, or mixed media work will find it to be thoroughly engrossing. Looking at the work presented in this book is like creativity fodder. I highly recommend this book - and indeed I think any book in this "Masters" series will not disappoint. Buy this book - I don't think that you will regret it for a moment!

Disclosure: A copy of this book was provided to my by the publisher for review proposes. No other remuneration was received. My reviews are strictly my own opinion and are not in any way tainted by the expectation or hope for any monetary compensation.

Beyond Excited! The Best Birthday Gifts Possible!

2010-05-31T14:13:00.000-07:00

I am a lover of all things Apple and when the new IPad came out it was way-y-y-y-y-y up there on my wish list. I can;t say that I thought I would be lucky enough to get one but darned if I didn't!! DH says it's from the cats but I know they had a lot of help! I got the WiFI 64gb model and it is absolutely amazing! As with anything techno - there is a small learning curve but I have already downloaded some books for the road. I have to say that I am SO glad that I waited for the IPad to use as a book reader. The quality is really amazing and the ease of page turning with a slight flick of your finger is fabulous. I also was provided with a nice Apple cover and I have ordered a screen protector - just because I get them for all things Apple! I am so excited and have already spent hours playing with this!

Another item that has been on my wish list for a long time is this amazing set of Addi Turbo interchangeable knitting needles.

It has a truly superior lock system and a join that is flawless and smooth!

I have also been longing to have this book - which is after the exhibit at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The wait was worth it - fantastic book! Yes, a review will be forthcoming!! Now I have to get back to some serious play.

In another real blessing - one of my dearest friends sent me a gift certificate for Dick Blick's so it looks like I can also get some PanPastels really soon. Am I in heaven right now? You betcha !!

New ATC's With A Theme That Is Right Up My Alley! and Blessings to The Armed Services On This Memorial Day!

2010-05-30T22:41:00.000-07:00

One of the two ATC swap groups that I enjoy participating in in through RosesOnMyTable. The next swap is about cats! How perfect could that be for me?! These are painted with acrylic and ink on fabric, and backed with a batik - with my favorite Fast2Fuse in the middle. I'm happy with how they turned out and may make another set just to have on hand for fun 1 on 1 swaps that happily pop up from time to time.

My next challenge theme for ATC's is cracked .. cracked up, cracked open, cracked eggs, tectonic plates? I have not come up with a good enough idea for these yet.... so I have to spend some more time mulling it over before I get to work. Tomorrow I want to play - have paint on my hands and thread and fabric clinging to my clothes. Ah! A good day it will be.

James Odell, John Blaise and William Hoyt Ellery WWII

Happy Memorial Day to all of us in the US . My prayers are offered tomorrow to all of the men and women who serve in every country's armed forces. Although I am in no way a supporter of wars I do respect the service of these very brave men and women who all work tirelessly and unselfishly to make my wish for having a day to play possible. I pray that that they will all return to their families soon and that they will all enjoy many days to play in the near future. Namaste.

My maternal, much loved, grandparents with my uncles. The youngest Billy in Grandpa's arms, Jack between the adults and Uncle John (Jack) Blaise Ellery is in uniform

This reference is about my Uncle John Ellery ...who was a Sergeant on Omaha Beach on D-Day. With this invasion, the last days of the Nazi Third Reich were at hand. Ellery described his ordeal in his own words:

"Weather had been bad. The invasion had been delayed 24 hours…The Seas was rough and when you got to the beach, you still had between 300 and 400 meters of ground to cover and when you got through that you were at the bottom of a bluff that I estimate was 50 feet high. You were under fire from the time you were within a mile of the point you were going to drop the ramp of your LCVP [landing craft]. To this day I don't understand where the men got the courage. I suppose we'll never know the total number of casualties. In my assault section, we had eight men killed and 17 wounded out of the 32 men by the time we cleared the high ground."

He was a hero to me - and to out country. My uncle is also mentioned in books about D-Day, including

"The Victors: Eisenhower and His Boys: The Men of World War II by Stephen Ambrose and also "D-Day, June 6,1944: The Climatic Battle of World War II" by the same author. My other two uncles, were also in the services. Billy in the Air Force and my beloved James in the Army. Thankfully they all came home. John (Jack) had two purple hearts that I am aware of and my grandmother never liked telephones - since she always feared the bad news that sometimes was carried by them. I can really understand that too.

"City Quilts" By Cherrie House

2010-05-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

This is another cross-post from my other blog. I cross post when I think that my friends who read only this blog would enjoy a book that I post originally on my book blog

"City Quilts" by Cherrie House is new book hot off the presses at C&T Publishing. Since I love quilts that are both simple and make use of solid color fabrics I knew from the beginning that this book would hold interest for me. Having grown up in New York City the photos in the book were quite evocative for me. I think that Ms. House did a remarkable job of designing simple but dramatic quilts reminiscent of every day city living images. Although I love using solid colors I think that the quilts in this book also lend themselves equally well to using prints.

The beginning of the book includes a well done section on the basics - I like everything about this book and am looking forward to beginning one of the patterns. Also included is an excellent section on color choices, a bit of theory and tips on developing your ability to "see" patterns in everyday sights. I have collected quite a quilt library over the years and so there are not that many new books that come out that I truly want to spend the money on to add to my ever expanding collection - but this one is a good bet for your permanent collection! I don't think it will disappoint!

Going on the premise that a picture really is worth a thousand words I have included scans of some the wonderful quilts in this book - and the great photos that led to the creation of the pattern!

A Bird Convention and A Great New Tote From C&T Publishing!

2010-05-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's a convention! I sweep the deck daily but this is what it looks like before I get the broom out!

This only a part of the deck too! I have so much fun watching their antics and their personalities coming out

I wanted to mention another cool product that C&T has come out with. Have a look at these very roomy, well made tote bags that would be perfect for daily shopping, groceries, taking to work, using on a trip (maybe take to a quilt camp?!) They are made of a sturdy plasticized material and have a full length zipper across the top. A handy removable insert keeps the bottom sturdy. and they fold flat for so that you could pack one in a suitcase for things like travel shopping or taking quilt shows. They are available in several different patterns from various quilt artists and, best of all, they are a real bargain at only $6.95 each!

"Fabric Dyers Handbook" by Linda Johansen

2010-05-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

This is a cross post from my Book Blog because I thought it would be of interest to all of you fabric artists who enjoy dyeing your own fabrics.

This is a new book that arrived today from C&T Publishing. Despite the fact that the author, Linda Johansen, and I share a last name - I don't know her. Ratz! This is a book that I really, really like. It is clearly and concisely written and is exceptionally well illustrated. The book is well laid out.

The basic are, of course, covered in the beginning of the book with detailed instructions for handling and mixing dyes- and the importance of record keeping- something that I was never very good at doing. I just always loved the kismet of the process - I liked never knowing what would happen. Linda compares clear, muted and black colors offered by both ProChem and Dharma Trading.

Instructions and measurements are provided for dyeing fat quarters, half yards and yards of fabric - cutting down on some of the guess work and, I think, causing less waste of materials in the long run. Rainbows are a favorite for us all and Ms. Johansen's instructions are easy to follow to create a rainbow in clear, muted or dark colors.

Linda Johansen has had 5 books, I think it is, published through C&T Publishing. I am so pleased to have this as an addition to my dyeing library. I think it's a book that will please anyone who has an interest in hand dyeing their own fabrics. Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your wonderful local book store or directly through C&T Publishing.

The back of the book includes some speciality techniques such as:

tie dyeing, rolling, patterning, pleating and dipping.

One Fine Chocolate Chip Cookie! Jacques Torres' Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-05-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

I am always on the lookout for good chocolate chip cookie recipes and I subscribe to Martha Stewart's "Cookie of The Day" newsletter. I have found SO many good recipes from her website! Most are not "jump up and down saying yummy" good enough to post about but I have to say that I think these are worth a post! I made them yesterday without the expectation that they would be anything that special - I mean, how much different can a chocolate chip cookie recipe be after one tries a bunch of them! Both DH and I were most pleasantly surprised. I should note that I did not have Jacque Torres chocolate on hand (I'd never heard of it as a brand) so I used always on hand Toll House chips.

Also I considered making a double batch because I wanted enough to be able to take a bunch into work this week too. I used a large tablespoon sized cookie scoop - I think that this would be more like the one ounce scoop that is mentioned in the instructions. I am glad that I elected to only make one recipe's worth - my Kitchen Aid mixer could not have managed more than a single. As it was the mixer shuddered a bit. Here you go! Try them at your peril - they are addictive! Thank you Martha Stewart for keeping my cookie jar full! You can also click on the link I added to take you to the Martha Stewart page - and you could print from there if you prefer!

Ingredients

Makes twenty-six 5-inch cookies or 8 1/2 dozen 1 1/4-inch cookies

1 pound unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons pastry flour
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 pounds Jacques Torres House (60 percent cocoa) Chocolate or other best-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and chocolate; mix until well combined.
Using a 4-ounce scoop for larger cookies or a 1-ounce scoop for smaller cookies, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned, but still soft, about 20 minutes for larger cookies and about 15 minutes for smaller cookies. Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

PanPastels. Help Me Decide To Either Splurge Or Not!

2010-05-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

I have been dithering about getting PanPastels for some time now. As most of you who have read my blog for some time know I am generally not too terribly hesitant to splurge on new art supplies. With the soon-to-be-arriving medical bills though I have had to consider my purchases a bit more stringently than I normally do. PanPastels have been on my list for quite awhile now though and I keep thinking that if I get these as a birthday present to myself I can play with them for those weeks that I will be unable to drive and will be chair or bed bound. Of course I generally figure that one must have enough colors of any given new art supply to ensure enough play options - so the least I have been considering is a set of 20 (oh! to be wealthy and be able to get the full set of 80!).

My dilemma is that I have never seen these things in use. I have no idea how I might use them - or if they wold be appropriate for someone like me who would use them for journaling - not for fine art. Are they wonderful and worth the extravagance - or are they something that I might regret splurging on? I realize that these answers are totally subjective in nature - but I can use all of the feedback I can get! If you or any of your friends have used these glorious looking little pans of luscious, vibrant colors I would really appreciate some opinions about them. Help me either buck up ans spend or reserve the plastic guilt for another day! What colors did you begin with? Individual colors? Sets? How many colors? Did you buy a lot at once or just one or two? Do you need the tools or will fingers work? Your opinions will help me!

This is the set of 20 that I have been considering - although I would have to add a few sundry colors - like the range of my fav green/golds!

"Journal Junkies Worshop. Visual Ammunition For The Art Addict" by Eric M. Scott and David R. Modler

2010-05-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

I posted about this book on book blog but decided that it might be of interest to all of you who graciously read my blog here too.

I have kept written journals for more than 20 years, but at some point I realized that I wanted my journals to contain more images and color. I always had added copies of photographs to my journals - but I wanted to learn to make art in my books. Art that make me remember my feelings at the time more completely when I went back to review my journal books years later.

I have been doing visual/art journaling for several years now. Oddly enough I still keep a more private written journal but my visual albums are just as I had wanted them to be. I am still learning and growing though so I am always on the lookout for new books about journals and art journaling.

There are so many wonderful techniques out there to learn! I learned about "The Journal Junkies Workbook" from a recommendation on Amazon - after all of the years that I have been using Amazon they have found some real winning titles that I have been glad to hear about from them.

I am a book sniffer and paper 'fondler'. If I am planning to use a book a lot I like to enjoy the feel of the paper, the scent of the paper and the typeface used in the book. This book utilizes a great quality paper with a smooth, semi-gloss finish. I have found that most titles published by North Light Books are really well produced. Great quality and very attractive.

What I especially like about the techniques in this book is that they are, for the most part, simple techniques that are well executed and exceptionally well illustrated. A fast look at the Table Of Content
will give you a good idea about the scope of this book. Check out the forward on page 7 written by Kathy Eldon - very moving. Most of the included techniques are pretty straight forward and not overly labor intensive - illustrating great ways to use generally easily available tools in inventive ways. I am truly enjoying this book and I think that you would like it too - if you have an interest in art, visual journals, art, journals, collage or mixed media design.

More TAP Paper Play and Another Round Of ATC's

2010-05-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

We have been blessed with some really amazing. perfect weather this past week. Screaming blue skies and mild temperatures in the mid to high 60's. Haven for me! I am trying to get some things caught up before I descend in pre-surgery nerves. Thankfully this weekend I managed to get some things sent off. The image about is a transfer that I made of my grandmother, Thea, from about 1916. I used Artist Transfer Paper (TAP) from Leslie Riley - soon to be available from C&T publishing. I am especially fond of how this transfer turned out - I had wanted to covet it for myself but ended up sending it to my cousin who supplies me copies of many old family photographs.

These ATC's were made for the 'Arts In The Cards' group swap. The theme was rust/metal. These were made from very carefully shibori wrapped rice paper that was dipped into procion MX dye and then even more carefully unfolded when just damp, ironed and glazed with varnish to the texture of cloth. I used stainless steel wire to make a pattern and then couched the wire with perle cotton and finally adding some beads. I have also made a series of these to go to another great swap that I regularly participate in from Roses On My Table - with den mother Christina Zinnia Galliher running the proverbial show!

Now I think I need to go and shibori wrap some more papers - although they are fragile I really like the results - the texture, once the paper is glazed is really nice and very workable.

Hope every one has a happy rest of the weekend - filled with love, laughter and creativity!

Should have a mind to - remember that these are all available

as larger images if you double click on the photo (I think!)

The Last of My "Warped" ATC's Are Finally In The Mail

2010-05-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Lately I seem to be a tad behind the power curve.

I was recently invited to join a small ,but mightily talented, group of artists for ATC exchanges. I came into this "Warped" swap late, granted, but it has taken me awhile to finish these last four of the series. I did manage to to get a few of the new series done as well -the next theme is "Rust/Metal". Thankfully, I also managed to finish up some Art Cards that were overdue for mailing and I got started on the swap that's due at the end of the month from Roses On My Table. I am trying to get just a bit ahead before the surgery date - so that I won't be behind on everything again!

These cards allowed me to try out some metal embossing - something that I had wanted to try for some time. I see it as having some promise - but it is also a technique that I think requires some time and experimentation. Getting some ink/paint/pens to lay down some color that remained in the grooves but was not be all wiped off at the end was a challenge. I tried alcohol inks, various pens and regular inks, acrylic paints of several varieties. Golden Fluid acrylics were the thing that seemed to work the best for me - though I am sure that there is something out there that would work like a charm. I just have not yet found it ! Once again I used the little poem as the basis for my interpretation of the 'warped' theme. I am loving the results of the things I am trying for rust/metal - and I really thought that it was going to be a very difficult theme for me. The muse strikes when she does - or doesn't in some cases!

Have a great middle of your week - hope everyone is able to enjoy a taste of Spring - or Fall for all of you in the land down under!

It's For The Birds!

2010-05-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

Three little beauties pause for a sip

I find such pleasure watching birds. Often I just get lost in their cheerful antics and sweet songs. This is my favorite time of year for birds - so many have returned for the season and the morning air is filled with song. My bird feeding habits have expanded over the last few years. At first we were only feeding the humingbirds - and that entails a lot of time since we have 6 quart sized feeders going that require twice daily fills. At dusk we have, no kidding on this, about 25-30 birds ( as many as I could very quickly count!) per feeder stoking up for the chilly nights.

Now my fixation has grown to include all birds. We have quite a few feeders and suet holders that also require daily (and sometimes twice daily) filling. In the morning I generally spend my first waking minutes filling feeders and changing bird bath water - about a half hour - before my coffee or tea! They make me smile so much though that it seems worth the cost in time and food!

We have two sets of Downy Woodpeckers who stop by at least twice a day. They are especially fond of the suet cakes and will stop at nothing to get to it. I have half cakes stuffed in several places for their dining enjoyment. This fellow stops by this feeder first ..... and then he moves on to the next place - where his weight makes the feeder sway. It's really pretty funny to watch him do this acrobatic display!

Finches are just so darn sweet - it's hard not to love them.

This one has a bit of a wistful look - like she's saying "is this all?"

Goldfinches are our state bird - and I am always so happy when I see them return to the feeders in the Spring time - such a brilliant yellow - and such varied black marking patterns!

Every feeder is generally this busy!

The hummers are a continual delight to me - I can - and often do - watch them for hours!

Dreaming Large: "If The Baltimore Ladies Had Batiks"

2010-05-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

Each year the Alliance for American Quilts has a fund raising challenge. This year's theme is 'New From Old' and this is my entry called "If The Baltimore Ladies Had Batiks". Now here is the story of how this 16 inch square found it's way into a box and got mailed off the the Alliance with my heart-felt prayers attached.

My 'new from old' ( new in the materials used and old for the age of the quilts that inspired the block) Baltimore block is hand appliqued using only batiks; it's hand embroidered and hand quilted with silk thread. I used a variety of applique techniques to make this piece - hand my hands hurt to prove it !

I found out about this challenge from a forwarded email from a friend - third hand news as it were. I had started making this square some years ago but had recently decided to finish off. It just happened that it is ,coincidentally, the precise size I needed for this challenge. The grand prize is the precise quilting machine that I have coveted and longer for since 2006 - but cannot afford - especially with the upcoming medical bills (and we all know what I mean about them - they never seem to end!). The deadline for receiving the quilts is on my birthday. Of course, despite the time that went into the block I had to give it a go and enter this block in the challenge. I know that is is very arrogant to think that I could possibly win - but I SO want that machine! I know that it would make me want to do more quilting again. I have found that the quilting is what I love to do and I am, it seems (according to the machine's envoys at quilt shows) quite facile with the machine already. Of course there are other wonderful prizes being offered by many great companies.

If you are not familiar with the Alliance for American Quilts you should be! They do so much to preserve our American quilting traditions. Have a look at their website - their membership fee is very reasonable at $25.00 and they do an awful lot with the money. It's a support worthy organization!The quilts will be auctioned off on Ebay for the fund raiser. If any of you are Alliance members who may not have entered anything yourself - please consider having a look at my entry. If any of you like this piece - it would be wonderful if you would consider bidding on it on Ebay. Thanks for looking and please consider supporting the Alliance if you love quilts and quilting and are able to afford the membership fee.

The back - batik as well of course!

The Incomparable Scent Of Heaven In The Spring!

2010-05-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

Every year I wait for my my small, but spreading despite lack of proper care, patch of Lily-of-the-Valley to bloom. It's my 'birth month flower' but even if it wasn't I would equate the scent of these amazing, beautiful, whitish globes with heaven. I feel the same way about Lilacs. Back East where I grew up, they Lilacs &d Lily-of-the-Valley always bloomed near Memorial Day (close to "my" day) and friends would give me armloads of blooms as gifts. I also think that these are two scents from nature that science and plant lore have been hard pressed to replicate with any true resemblance to 'the real thing'. In fact the engineered varieties - especially the less than expensive ones, can even cause me to make me a tad nauseous- re-enforcing my belief that Mother Nature truly is the most remarkable of artists.

I tend to remember things by scent and I have a rather sensitive sense of smell. A scent can make me remember an image, or feeling, long buried in the aging recesses of my brain. Scents can evoke my Uncle's garden, the willow tree that I used to sit in that hung over the Hudson river, my mother, my grandmother - you get the idea - I am plugged into the olfactory senses! I have worn the same perfume for 27 years. I think I have melded with it!

How about you? Do scents make you vividly recall people, places and things? What smells like Heaven to you? Hope your Thursday is filled with sunshine and a whiff of Heaven on earth!

Pondering Creativity

2010-05-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

The sky was sullen and wind blown yesterday

Yesterday I worked an extra day. I was happy to do it because I can really use the money what with the doctor's bills that I know will soon be forthcoming - well, to be completely honest I might just splurge on some art supplies with the extra cash. A soon-to-be birthday present to myself perhaps. The thing is that we were in the midst of a Winter storm in spring. The previous night we had pelting, icy rain and gale force winds - by morning the rain and stopped and the sky was screaming blue but the winds continued an, in fact, intensified. The windows along the Court room where I work were refitted when the building went through a historical refurbishing but when the winds hit from a certain direction the windows shake so badly that they feel like they are about to implode. Of course they wouldn't - but they do howl-l-l-l and make lots of noise. I have no doubt that the jurors were a bit worried - and also had a bit of trouble hearing above the howling of the windows. Thankfully they were a really lovely group of islanders - some I would love to know outside of work. I would love to ask them who they are? What they do? That sort of small talk that allows you to keep a pulse of your community.

I suppose that's all a long way round to saying that when I got home I was more than exhausted - I was dumb-founded, stare- at- the wall tired. I have been coddled the last few years by working part time and I thought that this would be a good test to see how I would do if I am forced to return to full time work -there are rumbling of that happening because of the economy. As always I like to think that I am haler and heartier than I am. I like to think that the years and the bone issues have not taken any toll. Well, I am announcing that they have - and that I would be less than mentally acute if I have to return to the aptly named grindstone. I know we all do what we have to do - but I would be hard pressed to have a life. Creativity might go by the wayside.

This is what I felt like yesterday evening - thinking, pondering, wondering

Which leads to my cogitations of last evening. Being Creative. What is it? Can we 'get' it? Are we born with it? I have no doubt that creativity lurks in all of us and I am not at all sure that it is not something that is born to all of us - we are all creative in one way or another. It does not have to mean only art. When I see something that is really inventive I think "WoW - what an amazing, creative, person they are" - and I think that I have no creativity when judged next to someone that I think is amazing. Are creativity and inventiveness the same -twigs on the same tree - or are they different? I mean a rocket scientist or quantum physics person must surely be way more inventive than I am - no? Being so tired made me ralize that at that moment I could not have pushed out a single creative thought or idea. NO scratches in my journal - nothing came to the forefront of my mind - other than watching "Dancing With The Stars" and then going to bed. It made me depressed to think that I could even get that tired that I cared nothing for color or creativity. It made me more depressed to consider a life being too tired to make art.

This beauty is pondering the nice clump of greens ahead.

Today I plan to play with some new Dr.PH.Martin's Hydrus watercolors. Art Supply Warehouse (ASW) had a fabuoulous sale on them and I could not pass up the deal. I had wanted to get some watercolors (another one of those things that I never thought I would want) but they are expensive and I knew that I wanted a set .. and didn't know what brand to get etc etc. I love Dr.PH Martins products and decided to stick with a brand I know and know I will use and enjoy. ASW's prices were close to $20.00 off per set during this sale than anywhere else.

I am still pondering creativity. I still wonder if I have it when I think that there are so many truly inventive and amazingly creative people in the world- and I wonder were it goes when I am "stare-at-the wall" tired. What are your thoughts on creativity and inventiveness? What's your favorite trick to get yourself into a creative frame of mind - and can you reach into the well when you are exhausted? How?

This little one is pondering his meal!

PlayTime With TAP (Transfer Artist Paper) from Leslie Riley

2010-05-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

I had had some of Leslie Riley's Transfer Artist Paper (TAP) for some time but had not used it for some odd reason. I took it out recently when C&T's Creative Troupe had what they term a "call-out" for playing with this paper - since they will soon be a distributor for this great transfer paper. Need I mention that I am now going to buy a larger sized package of her paper?! I love this stuff.

I had no idea what I wanted to do with it as projects and so I decided to continue to play with the idea of transparency - my recent craze continues. I added a photograph of mine and printed it onto the transfer paper and then applied it a 6" X 6" ( 15.24cm X 15.24 cm) canvas. I added some dips and dats of color and then wrapped the edges of the canvas with batik strips. That's experiment number 1. It goes to a new home on Monday.

The page below began as a mistake. The photo printed on a piece of plain paper by mistake (am I the only one that does that?!) Of course I hated the idea of wasting that much ink and so I decided to try it as a transfer in a journal and it actually worked really well too. I was very pleased with the results. That's Experiment 2. I made several other prints - on both fabric and paper - that I will photograph when the sun returns I am loving this transfer paper. Expensive but worth it. If you do decide to try it please remember to read the instructions since they are full of very good tips and tricks.

In another art form - the most perfect art of Mother Nature - I am astounded at how early the roses are blooming this year! Usually around here they bloom at the end of May and here they are - adding riotous color to my days already. The lilacs are about done now - and they too generally are in full bloom at the end of May near memorial Day. The Lily-of-the-Valley are fully budded and ready to scent the air. Hope that everyone is delighting in a happy Spring (or early Fall if you're down under) day!

Yes, I must be Crazy

2010-05-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

Just to let you know that I am coming back to blogger and will remain here. I really liked a lot of what WordPress has to offer, but the one thing that they do not support are many many blog widgets that are javascript based - which is most of what is in the sidebars of my blogs.

So- I am home again to stay and I will accept chastising from you my friends for giving such a false alarm.

WordPress - a thoughtful change

2010-04-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

I am working on transferring this blog to a new host.

My new blog site will be:

http://mariejohansen.wordpress.com

Transferring the Blogger content to Wordpress was a cinch - so all of my post posts and comments are already there. I think I may cross-post for awhile until I get the hang of the WordPress Dashboard - which is very,very different from blogger.

I had thought of using WordPress in the past but never made a concerted effort to learn a the new system. I am currently reading a book about blogging that I will be reviewing (eventually I will also be moving my book blog) and it made a decent case for making the change. I am hoping to have the review on this book posted this coming weekend. It's an excellent read for both beginning and more experienced bloggers.

Would you follow if I changed hosts?

2010-04-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

I am considering changing the name of my blog - using my name or something more descriptive of all of my varied interests. Along with this I am also considering changing host.

My question for all of you have have made my days for so long with your comments and notes is:
would you change with me and subscribe my blog under another name and host ???

Thanks for the answer!

ATC's: Why I Love Making Them and Receiving Them!

2010-04-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

The cards in this group came from a wonderful group of very talented women.

The theme of the swap is "Warped".

Top row (L to R): Janice Paine Dawes, Wanda Stivison, Christine Predd.

Bottom Row (L to R): Suzan Morgan, and Linda Edkins Wyatt (2 cards)

After seeing some of the ATC's that I have made and sent away to new homes I thought that it would be fun for you to see the ATC's that have been sent to me. It may help to explain why I have become so infatuated with these small works of art - and why I seem to be spending more and more time making them and building my own collection!

Fist a little background - from the information files at Wikipedia:

"...Artist Trading Cards (or ATCs) are miniature works of art about the same size as modern baseball cards, or 2 ½ X 3 ½ inches (6 cm X 9 cm), small enough to fit inside standard card-collector pockets, sleeves or sheets. The ATC movement developed out of the mail art movement and has its origins in Switzerland. Cards are produced in various media, including dry media (pencils, pens, markers, etc.), wet media (watercolor, acrylic paints, etc.), paper media (in the form of collage, papercuts, found objects, etc.). The cards are usually traded or exchanged rather than sold.

Artist trading cards were used throughout Europe and America as art training tools. Artists would trade the cards between themselves to study each others techniques and explore new art movements. The cards paid a particularly important role in the Impressionists art movement. The Impressionists utilized both sides of their artist trading cards, art on one side and a kind of brief resume on the other. The Impressionists were the first known artists to use the cards in trade for anything other than more art. Impressionists often traded the cards with art collectors in exchange for room, board, and art supplies.

M. Vänçi Stirnemann is credited in many circles with popularizing the modern artist trading card in 1996,holding trading sessions in Zurich, Switzerland. This resurgence of interest of Artists trading cards has spawned the popular ACEO (art cards editions and originals) movement. Many people consider art trading cards and ACEO cards to be one and the same. Others feel they are decidedly different pieces of art. Clubs, trading sessions, and online mailart communities have largely replaced the original concept of trading the cards during individual encounters, and many ATC workshops end with a trading session...."

Above: The amazing cards are from my friend, Julie Wildman

Below: a felted card from Sara Figal

The card below was made by Debra Benedict is one of the most beautifully put together cards I have ever seen! It was from a swap on Roses On My Table and the theme was: Alice In Wonderland

Below - another fabulous card from the "Alice In Wonderland Swap" - made by Elizabeth Matthews

Book Review: "A Is For Apron" by Nathalie Mornu

2010-04-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

I LOVE aprons and wear them whenever I cook - or craft for that matter too. Nathalie Mornu has a talent for writing wonderful, well illustrated books and this one is no exception. he book offers a wealth of information about aprons and is plentifully illustrated with photos of wonderful vintage and new aprons. All styles are included: full aprons, half aprons, smock aprons, gardening aprons,5o's-ish aprons that are more fashion than function, aprons for children, flirty aprons - just all kinds of wonderful, wearable aprons!

Included is an excellent instruction section in the front of the book that covers apron construction basics and includes sections such as: making cool bias tape, inserting Rickrack in seams, flouncing, making yo-yos (yes for an apron!),mitering corners, fused applique, transferring designs, hemming, basics on embroidery stitches. Aside from the photographs of vintage quilts there is also an interesting section called "Aprons -A Short and Lively History". I saw some vintage apron patterns that I would love to get my hands on!

Each of the 25 apron projects in the book are very well illustrated and contain complete, easy-to-follow, directions. The back of the book contains the templates for the aprons with measurements and cutting instructions.

If you love aprons like I do this book would be a very welcome addition to your library!

ATC Theme : 'Warped'

2010-04-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Life is a tapestry:

We are the warp;

angels, the weft;

God, the weaver.

Only the Weaver sees the whole design.

~Quoted in The Angels' Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994

Recently I was invited to join a small, very talented group of artists who swap Artist Trading Cards. For some odd reason I have recently become rather obsessed with these small works of art. Learning what things work and what doesn't work with the small size of ATC's has been a challenge for me to learn but I thoroughly enjoy working in this size now! I am having a great time building my collection of ATC's and I've also been enjoying trying out new techniques! The members of this small group are some of the most amazingly talented women I know and I am dumbfounded and grateful that they invited me to play! Have a look at The Disoriented Quilter, and this great web site, or here, or here - or here to see the work of some of the very talented artists! WoW! I am so pleased to be able to swap ATC's with them! I was behind on the time line for the current swap and I was not sure that I was going to be able to participate. Compared to the talents in this group I feel a bit behind the 8 ball but that's always a good thing because it makes me ready to learn, grow and evolve my talents. I am honored to be a part of this group!

The first swap that I got to join in on had a theme of "Warped" - as soon as the weather clears I am going to post photos of some of the utterly amazing cards that I have received - I promise you that they different than any ATC's you have seen before - thoroughly different and fun! These are photos of my first four cards - I am half way done now. I used the little poem that I posted at the top of the page as my inspiration for the theme. I do believe in angels and I used gold threads as a symbol of unity. I am so excited to now be a part of two ATC swapping groups - the other is through Roses on My Table from the ultra lovely, very talented Christina Zinnia Galliher. Zinnia makes very cool videos of all of the cards in the swap The "Roses" are fabulous group of very talented artists and I always enjoy our every other month swaps ! I am so lucky to have found two groups that allow me to grow and expand my creative horizons!

"Artist Trading Card Workshop" has been one of my favorite books on ATC making. Filled with lots of very cool techniques! I just ordered a used copy of Rubber Stamping Artist Trading Cards - the reviews say that it has lots of eye candy and shows lots of techniques. I love used books in good conditions!

Below: The back of the cards


Don't forget - should you want to - the photos can be double clicked for a larger view

Sure Signs of Spring!

2010-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

The weather has turned decidedly warmer now and creatures are venturing out to see what spring has to offer. This pair of deer were ambling leisurely through the yard - the photos were taken through a screen - so they're a little bit fuzzy.

Best of all is that the Goldfinches have returned!! I am always thrilled to see their beautiful golden wings flitting around the feeders. Sort of the same way I feel when the Hummingbirds come home to feed in March. Goldfinches are so glorious - and they make me smile! Spring is full of these small gifts from Nature.

The following Goldfinch information is from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology - if you are a bird lover and don't know about the site yet - you owe it to yourself to check it out ! I love the feature that identifies the particular bird's song!

Size & Shape
A small finch with a short, conical bill and a small, head, long wings, and short, notched tail.
Color Pattern
Adult males in spring and early summer are bright yellow with black forehead, black wings with white markings, and white patches both above and beneath the tail. Adult females are duller yellow beneath, olive above. Winter birds are drab, unstreaked brown, with blackish wings and two pale wingbars.
Behavior
These are active and acrobatic little finches that cling to weeds and seed socks, and sometimes mill about in large numbers at feeders or on the ground beneath them. Goldfinches fly with a bouncy, undulating pattern and often call in flight, drawing attention to themselves.
Habitat
The goldfinch’s main natural habitats are weedy fields and floodplains, where plants such as thistles and asters are common. They’re also found in cultivated areas, roadsides, orchards, and backyards. American Goldfinches can be found at feeders any time of year, but most abundantly during winter.

View dynamic map of eBird sightings

Aran Pocket Shawl - Finally Finished!

2010-04-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

I seem to be working my way through Cheryl Oberle’s book “folk Shawls”. This is the second shawl and I have yarn ordered for another project from the book “Heartland Shawl”

This shawl was knit with Misti Alpaca 100 per cent baby alpaca yarn in pea green (color C815 200 meters to 100 grams). I did not find this to be a difficult pattern at all - though I did find that a row counter helped me keep track of what row I was on - so I could pick up the needles after leaving it alone for some time. I love the texture that this simple pattern affords. If I made another one I might use a yarn that is a bit heftier than the Misti Alpaca - although this way the shawl is lovely and soft. I think a thicker yarn would have given the pattern more definition (as the example in the book shows) and the pockets would not have a tendency to droop with something thicker.

This was worth making - and I am already enjoying using on cool mornings at work or nippy evenings at home! I got the yarn from Yarn.Com - it was on sale then. Jimmy Beans Wool is another great place to get the yarn from - and Ravelry is simply the best place to see other examples of the patter and projects. If you knot and are not a Ravelry member - you need to be !

Making Progress Every Day

2010-04-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

Here she is - becoming more comfortable every day. The first and last photos were adjusted because the shadows were too dark in the photos - so she does not have quite the smudges these two photos indicate! The second photo is the most true to real!

Her tummy seems to be okay now - hope that will continue. Last night - in the middle of the night - she decided that she wanted to explore the blinds that are at the top of the bed. Back and forth, back and forth. I am so enchanted by this little minx! I promise I won't bore you with continual cat photos. Next post will be back to something fiber and art related !

The "White Wonder" and The Season of Glorious Sunsets Has Begun

2010-04-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

Here she is! Our new family member. Her name has been Smudge but we are looking for a more fitting name. Tillie is being considered. If you have any thoughts on a name for our beautiful white kitty I would love to hear them! On Wednesday I drove up to Bellingham - near the Canadian border - where this little beauty was waiting with a sign on her cage that said "I'm Going Home!"

As I mentioned in an earlier post - I fell in love with her on March 31st. Lauren and I did not have time to go and get her after my medical appointment that day but I filled out the adoption paperwork and spoke with the lovely woman who runs BelWest Cat Rescue several times - and I developed a really good feeling about her genuine love for the fabulous felines in her care. 'Tillie' was owned by a woman who had three cats. She died from cancer two hours after releasing her 'kids' into the care of Zella Chapman and BelWest Cat Rescue. The lovely thing is that before she passed away she wrote a letter about 'Smudge' - what she is like, what her habits had been and how she had been raised. I have the letter now and am really touched and honored to have it - along with the opportunity to now be 'owned' by this beautiful cat!

I had her in a carrier until I got off the freeway and picked up DH. I took her out of the carrier while we waited-for 2 hours- in the ferry line and she sat in my lap during all of that wait, the hour and half boat ride and then the drive home - very calm and sweet. I just carried her into the house! All in all in she remained calm and collected in my lap for 5 hours! Amazing. She is a bit skittish - and I gather from the letter that she has always been somewhat that way, but she's a mix of skittish and amazing calm. I can;t blame blame her - she's been through a lot! She stays in her new bed in the window of the bedroom - and I have, temporarily set up food and litter in my bathroom which is near the bed. She ventures out to the living room more and more each day. Her appetite is good and her grooming is immaculate. Last night she discovered that she is welcome on the bed and we spent the night with her jumping up - waking us each up in turn for pats & purrs - then she would jump down again and it seemed like she was thinking "I wonder if I can wake them up again?!" She's met our grand dame, Cleo, who is still spry at 16. They have some issues to work out but Cleo is pretty much ignoring her now - and life continues as always.

I was nervous about getting another family member at first-but I followed my gut on this and I am so pleased that I did. Finding her has been a bit of kismet. When I considered going into the pet store that day I thought 'wouldn't it be weird if if there is a white cat in there?'. Sure enough there was - and I am so pleased that she has joined our family!

Name suggestions anyone?

I picked up a "Furminator" cat hair grooming tool at Pet'sMart on Wednesday after reading about it on JenClair's blog, Bayou Quilts. I am generally skeptical about new pet products but I thought I would try it out. It's a wonderful tool - and the cats actually seem to enjoy being groomed with it! Very good! It's sort of like a mat cutter for dogs but the teeth are MUCH finer and not as sharp. It does an excellent job of getting the shedding done faster!

We have been enjoying some lovely early Spring weather and the sunsets have started to be breathtaking again. This was what the sky looked like about 8pm this evening- look at those colors! Have a wonderful weekend. Be well and be happy!

A Few Views Of Sping

2010-04-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

I wandered around outside yesterday for a bit - enjoying the sounds of the birds,

feeling warm sun on my face and relaxing in the perfectness of a joyful Spring day!

Enjoy the walk with me!

How can we possible call these cheerful English Daisy's weeds?!

A Couple Of New ,Small, Projects

2010-04-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

My dearest friends - who are really my family- just moved into a new home after a long and frustrating year. I wanted to send them a card, of course, but I wanted it to be more than just a Hallmark card - so I made this for them. The front is raw linen fabric; the inside is muslin and I used C&T's double sided fusible Fast-2-Fuse as the stabilizer. It's been a favorite product for my art cards for some time - and now it is available in bot regular and heavy weight. The inside of the card contains a lot of "home" related quotes and warm wishes. My cyber friend, & artist extraordinaire, Julie Wildman, wrote the word "Rejoice" on a book mark that she gave to me and I have tried to copy her style. If I could afford to take a class from the calligrapher who teaches this sort of gestural calligraphy I would .. but in the meantime I need to practice from lettering samples from Julie! I had to have a chirping bird since we all enjoy the winged ones so much. This was a fun card to make - I enjoyed playing with a cut-out design. Of course, as always, I also now see many ways that I could have made this card better!

As always remember that you can double click on the images to get more close up

This next little project was a Creative Troupe "call-out" from C&T. Their "call-outs" are fun to do and there are some goodies offered in exchange for the play time. This "call-out" was to play with the newest Lutradur product - ultra light weight. I printed my photographs on the Lutradur - using the seasons as a theme; added some color enhancement with inks and paint as needed and then backed the prints with vintage kimono silks and added lettering and skewers wrapped in ribbon knitting yarn. I received the package with the Lutradur a week ago yesterday and, since I knew I was in for a busy week, I finished and mailed it by Wednesday. Phew! That was a bit of a rush for me !

Each 'card' is 4"X6" - I think I would have preferred making the images less close together

- but that's hindsight now - so I will know better for the next 'seasonal' project!

Happy Sunday to all!

Quilt Show! Fidalgo Island Quilter's 2010 Part II

2010-04-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some more of the amazing quilts that were in the show that I attended last weekend. This wedding braid really struck me - the colors just radiate and sing don't they! Although this is not a quilt that I think I would make myself it is really an amazing work of art - and such a wonderful use of color, fabric choices and luminescence!

WoW! Can you believe how alive this hexagonal quilt looks?

Another tour de force made with some of my fabric choices of color and designer ( reds andKaffe Fassett) choices. Once again, I think that this quilter made amazing, wonderful choices in color. cloth and joyous, bouncing color! Yes! I could see myself making something like this !

I have to confess that I have not seen too many red, white and blue quilts that really make me want to jump up and down, but this one really make me happy to look at! It even made me want to think about a patriotic quilt for myself. The use of a traditional pattern that literally sings with vibrancy and color. Such perfect use of USA colors! It's a treasure!

This quilt in white,black and yellow also really spoke to me. I really love simple quilt patterns - sometimes I truly do believe that that the 'KISS" principle is a good way to go with quilts. I think that this quilt, once again uses color and a simple pattern to utmost advantage. What do you think about simple patterns? Do you like them? Do you think that using more sophisticated patterns generally also mean a more experienced quilter at work?

I love this block detail! WoW!

As I wandered through the show there were the two quilts that just reached out and grabbed me. I was only slightly surprised to discover that they were both made by the same, amazingly talented, person.

This quilt plays on one of my favorite color schemes of yellow and blue. For years now I have told myself that I would make a yellow and blue quilt - and yet I still have made one! My general idea of a yellow and blue quilt has been clearer, brighter blues I guess. I am not a person who uses much blue n any of my work and I think that has been part of the issue why I have not yet my first steps toward this particular quilt goal. Now that I seen how I can effectively use these yummy, rich, dark shades of indigo and blue along with such a fresh yellow I may just get to work - don't time me though! Isn't this quilt wonderful? This is also such a marvelous example of kaleidoscope work - another technique that is on my "want to do'" list. I can't believe that this technique has been around so long now and yet I have not made one for myself!

Below is the other quilt that I fell in love with from the same quilt artist -

so effective and so vibrant! It's perfect to my eyes!

I have a third section of the quilt show coming up and one post that is just some of the wonderful wearable art that was exhibited ...

Enjoy the eye candy and have a wonderful rest of your weekend ! We have been basking in sunshine and real, Spring-like temperatures in the afternoons. The birds are singing gloriously after the very brisk nights (it's been in the 30's at night - colder, almost, than we had all Winter!) . It's music to my ears. I am going to pick up "Smudge" on Wednesday - and am more and more excited about seeing her sweet blue eyed face around the house! I am hoping that Cleo - who is a spry 16 - will adapt well. Of course she was used to house full of fellow felines - so hopefully the transition will go fairly smoothly.

If You Have Pets - You Need To Try This!

2010-04-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

Just a quick Quilt Show break - I had been meaning to mention this product for some time.

I am always very skeptical when a new product comes out that promises to remove pet hair. I think I have tried everything under the sun and moon over the years and few things really work. Roller sheets are good, but they are expensive and each sheet really does not hold that much hair. Vacuum cleaners are wonderful but who wants to drag that out every time there is hair on something. The best thing that I have used in the past is a simple roll of packaging tape - and I have found that even with that simple item you get what you pay for. 3M works the best. Cheap tape is semi effective and is way too think to be easy to handle.

I am allergic to cats and dogs (some more than others) and yet I can't have a home without them. At one point we had a large, handsome Samoyed and 9 cats! This product would have been a God send then - and I know that my allergies would have been less severe. I always have these Pet Hair Sweepers on hand now.

My friend, Lauren, and I were off island one day on a shopping expedition and I passed by a rack of these Pledge Pet Sweepers on an end cap at Target...or was it WalMart?? Anyway, I was skeptical but had to give it a try. Amazingly this product truly does work - and works well. It works on couches, bed spreads, blankets, upholstery.....clothing ! Way to go Pledge!

I am in no way affiliated with Pledge - or Johnson and Johnson but I figure that when I find an item that produces the results it promises it's worth a shout out. I think that it might actually clean a white couch with a passel of black cats (their advertisement on television). If you try this - remember that you DO need to move the sweeper back and forth on the fabric to make it work as well as it can. It's worth a try for all of us pet lover's ! Get the three pack - you'll be glad that you did!

Quilt Show! Fidalgo Island Quilter's 2010

2010-04-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

I had to shoot up at an angle to get a photo of this beautiful whole cloth quilt.

It was so wonderfully done!

Every other year - well it used to be every year and might be once again - the Fidalgo Island Quilter's have an excellent quilt show. I thought that this year's show was one of the best yet and I came away re-energized and ready to run some cloth through my hands again! Every member can enter something in the show and I have done so in the past. The caveat is that everyone must work the show in order to enter (which I understand) and since I can;t stand for too long these days I elected to just have the time to wander and admire the high level of excellent work in the show !

I have chosen some of my favorite pieces for the blog - but it will take a few days to get through - or I would most likely throw Blogger's server into a cyber tizzy fit ! I have posted the photos of the quilts and the maker's name generally below the photos of the work. Have a good time "at the show" !

I 've never seen fleece used to such a great advantage !

This is one of the best landscape quilts I have ever seen!

The 3D effects were totally awesome!

The pine boughs were amazing and the ferns equally so.

This quilt should be in Houston!

This mola quilt was another of my favorites. It's brilliant!

The work was so perfectly executed!

I don't think that I have ever seen RicRac used in a better way!

Most of you know that I am a sucker for traditional quilts. I still love making bed quilts and traditional quilts just seem to 'rock my boat'. I have never understood why some quilter's feel that you must be either a traditional quilter or an art quilter. They are both art and they are both quilting - so what's the beef? I love them both and consider myself simply a quilter - in whatever form the muse moves me.

The quilt below is a brilliant example of a traditional pattern

that IMHO just screams energy and art. I love this quilt!

Congratulations to all of these wonderful artists for giving us all a feast for the eyes!

Marie Z. Johansen / ZQuilts

BLOG MOVE

Please Join Me On My New Blog

New From Kandi Corp! DeColourant and DeColourant Plus : Color Remover and Color Replacer For Cloth and Paper

Mapping Happiness

"Creative Combos" ATC Swap

Journal Page 1-1-11

The SketchBook Challenge. Highly Prized=Nbr 1 on 01.01.11

Welcome 2011

What Does Trash Mail and ATC's Have In Common?

The Sketchbook Challenge

A Stellar Event and An Early Santa

A Lunar Eclipse+Winter Solstice + Meteor showers = one amazing event tonight!

The camera performed well in all kinds of light.

That's it for me. I have some very cool new things to experiment with thanks to the kind folks at Kandi Corp.... and in a few days I will be posting the results of my experiments. They should be of interest to fiber folks of all kinds - paper and cloth. I'm excited to try this new toy out

In the meantime I wish each one of you the best of all holiday seasons and New Year that will bring you peace, happiness, health and prosperity!

HO HO HO!

What Became Of The Mystery Material?

"From Print To Stitch" by Janet Edmonds

It's A Mystery To Me

Sometimes You Just Become a Prisoner Of Your Own Mind!

Life before titanium plates

All The Best Plans ... that did not happen this week...

More About Roslyn Washington

'Stitch, Cloth, Paper and Paint: Mixed Media Ideas and Inspirations" by Angie Hughes

Roslyn Washington Get-A-Way

Trying To Get Back In Gear

I Just Can't Stop! Metal and Cards!

Too Fun Not To Post!

The Art Of Book Marks

Tales of Papers, Inks and Finding The Perfect Journal. Thanks Exaclair!

Happy Labor Day (for the USA) and It's Been A Long Time But I've Not Been Loafing!

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Metallica Obsession Continued -

Fun Quiz - What's Your Creative Style?

Creativity enriches you

Metal Play Time

The Sock Thief and A New Painting

Two Great Books" "Hand Lettering" and "Thank You Notes"

Metalizing!

One Inch. What Can You Make In One Inch?

Trying To Engage Again and My Continuing Fascination with an Pastels

Back But Foggy Still and a Shameless Request For A Vote

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"We're All Just A Little Cracked" ATC's

"Masters Collage: Major Works By Leading Artists" Curated By Randel Plowman

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New ATC's With A Theme That Is Right Up My Alley! and Blessings to The Armed Services On This Memorial Day!

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"Fabric Dyers Handbook" by Linda Johansen

One Fine Chocolate Chip Cookie! Jacques Torres' Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

Directions

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"Journal Junkies Worshop. Visual Ammunition For The Art Addict" by Eric M. Scott and David R. Modler

More TAP Paper Play and Another Round Of ATC's

The Last of My "Warped" ATC's Are Finally In The Mail

It's For The Birds!

Dreaming Large: "If The Baltimore Ladies Had Batiks"

The Incomparable Scent Of Heaven In The Spring!

Pondering Creativity

PlayTime With TAP (Transfer Artist Paper) from Leslie Riley

Yes, I must be Crazy

WordPress - a thoughtful change

Would you follow if I changed hosts?

ATC's: Why I Love Making Them and Receiving Them!

Book Review: "A Is For Apron" by Nathalie Mornu

ATC Theme : 'Warped'

Sure Signs of Spring!

Size & Shape

Color Pattern

Behavior

Habitat

Aran Pocket Shawl - Finally Finished!

Making Progress Every Day

The "White Wonder" and The Season of Glorious Sunsets Has Begun

A Few Views Of Sping

A Couple Of New ,Small, Projects

Quilt Show! Fidalgo Island Quilter's 2010 Part II