Beyond Excited! The Best Birthday Gifts Possible!

 

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!

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

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!

 

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

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

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

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside.
2. 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.
3. 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!

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

 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

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

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!

 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"

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!