A Bevy of Lutradur Cards For C&T Publishing

"Get Off Dead Center"

First thing I need to do is post an 'errata'. Yesterday I said that C&T is a Washington Company. I was incorrect (imagine that?!). The are a Northern California based company ... and, since my good friend lives down that way and I love the area - it's almost as good as Washington! Anyway, hopefully C&T will forgive my faux pas!

Here are some new cards I made over the weekend from Lutradur. They are not quite finished yet - need to add the "card back" and borders. I had playing with Lutrdur - it's a great, versatile material to paint on and, since I had not used any for some time, it was a lot of fun to make these!

The COunty Fait begins today. It's the first year that I have not entered anything since 1992! I just spaced it. It's also a week early this year so I was all 'discombobulated'! If work does not thoroughly wipe me out today I will have to go and have alook at all of the winners! Of course I immediaely head over to the "wool shed" to see all of the textiles and quilts! Have a wonderful, creative day!

" We will remain the same until the pain

of remaining the same is greater than the pain of change"

"Dream 1"

"Dream 2 "

"Believe"

More Magic With Golden Digital Grounds

I've been continuing my playtime with Golden Digital Grounds and am finding them utterly addicting. I keep thinking about new things I want to try making with them. I am also having a fine 'ole time experimenting with using 'skins' & 'no skins'. This is a playground I may not ever want to leave I fear!

"Be Peace" was made by using two coats of Golden Digital Ground For Non-Porous Surfaces on a layer of silk organza. I printed an image of a photo that I had taken some years ago. I hand- lettered the words, layered the organza onto a piece of vintage kimono silk, added a post card back & then sewed around the card. I used a 30 wt thread on this card . My favorite thread for this purpose is Sulky Blendables 12 wt thread. That being said I am going to go on a hunt for something similar weight from my fav companies, Superior Threads & Wonderfil threads. Maybe I just love this specific Sulky thread and that's a good thing too!

One of the interesting things about this method - not using an acrylic skin underneath - is the organza has an almost holographic effect and changes colors depening on the way the light hits it!

These are my next experiments - ready for printing. Top is cotton voile coated with Digital Ground For Non-Porus Surfaces on a skin of matte medium, the piece in the middle is bleached harem cloth with Digital Gound Matte White on a skin of self leveling gel medium & the bottom piece is silk chiffon coathed in Digital Ground For Non-Porus Surfaces on a very thin skin of clear tar gel.

Go here for Golden digital ground information.
Go here for Golden acrylic mediums information.

In the photo above you can see how sheer the chiffon will be (front)- and the voile not far behind (on the top) in sheerness. The harem cloth (middle) with white digital ground will be opaque rather than having a transparent quality.

Up close on the cotton voile - double click for up close look

Here (above) you can see chiffon over voile

How thin this skin is with the chiffon!

I have to go and print now! I am also trying some other light fabrics with the Digital Ground For Non-Porous Surface - which has become my favorite of all! Hopefully tomorrow I will have some more experiments to share with you!

Art2Mail

I have just finished a very enjoyable postcard swap with 25 great artisitic gals from all over the world. When I first committed to making these cards I was, at first, wondering how in heavens I could possibly make 25 cards - on time. I actually dropped out and then, a day later,decided that I had to give it try because I do want to begin collecting art 2 mail cards. I made these cards in so many variations of colors - I happily painted each one differently - but these are two that I have, so far held back for a couple of friends who I know like this color combination! I may have to get involved in another swap because this one has been so much fun !!

A Swap With Heather from Creative Solace

As I have mentioned in the not too distant past, I am dangling my toes into the Mixed media arena - slowly and not too much since so many tings are calling to me lately! Must be a late bloomer for sure! I am finding that mixed media is much more interesting & enticing than I used to think it was. Thanks to fiber arts, I am developing my own spin on what "mixed media" means to me though - and that's a good thing! Heather over at Creative Solace agreed to a swap. She sent me these fabulous ATC's .They are now happily "residing" on my board where I can enjoy them all the time. I sent her a swap art card - though, according to USPS tracking, she hasn't yet received it yet. Thanks Heather!

Yesterday, I made another batch of soap courtesy of one of Vicki's perfectly fabulous recipes. It seemed beautiful and really creamy in the making. I can't wait for the curing period to be done! So many things to try - so little time !