Into the Light

The dragonfly block in this quilt is an original design drafted while aboard our boat “Dragonfly”.  The original quilt layout represents a flight of dragonflies flowing from dark to light, deliberately getting more airy as the dragonflies reach the top and breaking the borders. 36 small dragonflies are quilted into the design.

The quilt is 93" x 112"

The quilt will be shown at the Wisconsin Quilt Expo  in September of this year.

Detail of quilt.

Australian Fabric Jacket

I took a class from Mary Sue Fenner in June of this year.  using her creative style we created jackets from our fabric stash.  I used a flight of Australian Fabrics that I had purchased along with one African fabric purchase about 12 years ago while on a trip to Antigua.  The jacket also features a zippered front and pockets.  I am waiting for cool weather to be able to wear it.

Detail of jacket sleeve and pocket.

Fresh Berries

I have been working on this piece, over time, as a result of collecting pictures of blueberries and working in my sketchbook.  There is a previous piece, smaller, about 16 X 16 which was done as a study for this larger piece.   Fresh Berries was done in response to a challenge by the Evergreen Quilt Guild for the 2012 show.  The recycling theme required that the piece by 30 X 36 and use a scrap of recycled fabric provided by the guild.  My scrap piece was used to create veins in the leaves.

Detail of fresh berries.

Dragonfly Vest

Front view

I started this project in a Rachel Clark class in 2007.  I worked on it, put it in the closet and worked on it again and again.  Finally, I finished it prior to our trip to Argentina in February.  My goal is to finish all (most) of my UFOs.  Recently it won a first place at the Evergreen Quilt Guild show.  It may pay to finish!

Rear view

Garden Gone Awry

Women Who Run With Scissors combined with the Green Bay Ikebana Flower Arranging group and the Green Bay Embroiderer's Guild for a weekend show at the Green Bay Botanical Gardenson March 2 and 3.  "Garden Gone Awry" was completed for the 2012 WWRWS challenge for the  show.  The requirements were: the size had to be 16" X 16"; the theme was botanical in nature (pun intended); and we had to use one or all of three grays selected by the challenge committee.  12 people with 12 very different viewpoints! This fun show exhibit was also exhibited at the Evergreen Quilt Guild Show.

All 12 of the show pieces

Junque Queen

Junque Queen was created as a result of a found object art challenge (which became know as the FART challenge!)  from Conversations in Cloth, an art quilt group from the Fox Cities area.  The challenge was to walk a mile on our city streets.  Anything that you found during the walk was fair game to incorporate into a quilt or hanging.  The other two rules were: You could use muslin and one 'focus' fabric.

Detail from lower right corner.

I rust dyed some muslin (from the junk I found of course!) and found a lovely batik to coordinate with it.  My queen includes a rusty nail (magic wand), parts of a soda can (smile, flower parts and crown), a chex mix chip bag (right side out for body, inside out for stars), several coffee stirrers (flower stem and hands), pipe insulation (hair) and some snaps (earrings picked right out of the gutter.  They were covered with horrible pink fabric and rusting though.  everything else is cut from the batik fabric.  I also incorporated phrases and sayings that had to do with found object art.  See detail.

As a matter of interest, Conversations in Cloth is now on-line as Creative Gatherings.  Please check out the site and feel free to join the discussions.  

Life's Necessities

Coffee & Chocolate, Fabric and Friends.......

That's the title of a piece I completed in November for the Evergreen Quilt Camp Challenge.  The wallhanging/table runner uses paper pieced coffee cups that I designed at least 10 years ago for an anniversary challenge for another guild that I belonged to in another city, along with a box of chocolates based on some of my favorites.  The chocolates lie in a bed of gold lame and use various scraps of fabric and trim along with new and old buttons.  I was also able to use my alphabet decorative stitch function for the machine quilting, programming in Coffee & Chocolate, Fabric & Friends.  All in all it was a fun piece to make.

Finished Piece  12" X 20 1/2 "

Chocolate box detail in the production stage

Detail of Paper pieced cup and stitching

I do other things besides bead!

As I mentioned in my description, I am a multi-media artist working on whatever my interest is at the moment.  Is it efficient?  Probably not but it suits me.

This art quilt called Garden Fairy is a raw edge applique piece that I did in a class with Rosemary Eichorn two years ago.  It sat on my design wall for a long time.  In order to break my sewing block, I picked it up and started quilting.  I also used an artists' binding with directions courtesy of K. Grace Howes.  I feel like I can pick up my next UFO and keep on working.

Boxes for Slovenia

We will be traveling to Italy this afternoon and a part of the trip is a visit to family in Slovenia. The photo is of the boxes I made for my dad's cousins and my cousin Polona (she gets the bigger one for showing us around!). I do love covering the boxes with beads and coming up with new designs.

   

Persephone

Persephone was created with felted wool flower kit and a polymer clay face bead surrounded by beaded hair.  She is next on the list of beaded faces that I have to create.

Another Beaded Box

This is a box from chocolate (of course it had to be emptied!) and it is approximately 5 inches by 3 inches.  It was done from a design based on the center bead which is actually a metal button with the shank cut off.

New Tangles

I've been gone due to computer problems and am now catching up.  A few more tangles. I love this stuff!

The Result of Sketching

Too often we all have great ideas that are lost because we don't jot them down.  As a participant in the Sketchbook Challenge (see link to the right), I have been trying to record my ideas for use later.  Yesterday I was able to execute a work that I am fairly pleased with from a sketch I had done several days before.

I love remaking Altoid tins, jars, beaded beads and anything else I can get my hands on.  I wanted to stretch myself to go beyond all over beads and add some of my embroidery work to the tins.  I started with this ketch and yesterday, while 17.8" of snow fell, I made the tin you see below.  I will be incorporating beaded embroidery into future projects.

Tangled Up

I have always loved doodling and recently discovered an outlet called Zentangle.  (When you are working its called 'tangling').  Zentangle seem to be a very sophisticated form of doodling that requires patience and the 'mood'.  It is also very satisfying and soothing.  

Tangles are everywhere.  You just need to look for them.

Beaded Ladies

Another beading project that has intrigued is the beaded ladies. In the top row is Maxine.  From left to right on the bottom are Stephanie and Roxanne.  This project was based on a demonstration held at one of my fiber arts groups.  I took it to the next level.  Maxine and Roxanne are made on face beads that I made.  Stephanie was made on a face bead that I found at a rummage sale.  More beaded ladies are in the offing.  I have a list of names......Josephine, Persephone, Margeaux, Karisma, Sequoia, Anya, Trudie, Mares, Giselle....................

Beads, beads, beads

Lately I've been addicted to beads. I've been covering things, mostly tins and other beads.  The process is very soothing to me.  I start and then before I know it, multiple hours have passed as you get in the 'zone'.  I am now expanding to other utensils including jars, bottles and salt & pepper shakers.

Dragonflies in My Garden

Dragonflies in my Garden 2010

In the Fall of 2010, I participated in a "Casting for Recovery" event in Alaska which was an auction to raise funds to assist those survivors of breast cancer to attend a fly casting camp. www.castingforrecovery.org.  Artists from all over the nation enhanced brassieres which were auctioned off to the highest bidder. The attached is a photo of my final product.

Well here I go!

What is Art - Page 1

What is Art? - Page 2

 I have had this blogsite up and running for a while now and have been afraid to post.  However.........here I go.  I am participating in the Sketchbook challenge and have posted a few of my sketches on line.  I have been inspired by quite a few of the artists who are publishing there and want to try to do the same.  Here are the images I have submitted so far.  The pages above are a collage spread that I put together as an introduction to my new creative journey.  If you lift the arrow flap it says, "Mystery & Alchemy" which is what it (making Art) sometimes seems like to me.  I love to make stuff and try new things, so you may be seeing some of that here.

The next two sketches are pen and ink doodles. These were inspired by the postings of other artists on the Sketchbook Challenge.  The site is making me work.  I love it!

Doodle Bug

Elaborate Doodle