home
about the artist
gallery
blog
links
contact

Archive for February, 2010

A Fresh Start

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

I have to clean my studio and put things away before I can start a new project. I finally finished it this afternoon and started work on a 36 X 48 piece for an invitational show. I pulled some fabrics to audition, but am not sure anything is speaking to me. I may have to mix up some dyes and alginate and do some dye painting tomorrow.

Scooter was hanging out in the studio with me today. I grabbed my paint rag t-shirt and put it on him. He nicely sat and posed for me. He is such a doofus.

In May, I will be the featured artist at the Artist’s Among Us Fine Art Show and Sale at Trinity Cathedral. I received two versions of the postcard. Guess which one I chose.

This and That

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

I can’t show what I am working on now so I decided to show you some other things that are percolating here in my studio. This is a photoshop drawing that I made of a photo I took on Kauai. I am thinking of making a thermofax screen from it.

I have had a basket of roving for 3 or 4 years. I keep buying books on felting, with plans to do some projects. I finally bought some supplies. I can not just sit and watch tv, so I decided to try my hand at needle felted beads tonight. Apologies for the blurry photos.

turquoise and peach roving

tie a knot

use a foam base (i used styrofoam)

felted bead

Final felting with soapy water. I am thrilled with my perfectly round bead. I got a few pokes in my fingers – oops and ouch.

This is why I have to keep buying Elmer’s glue sticks. I forget to put the cap on.

Under the glue stick is my finished 12 X 12 quilt. I thought I had finished it yesterday, but I was not happy with it and did a lot of unquilting last night and this morning. This afternoon, I finished it again. I am happy that I redid it.

Retail Therapy on the Run

Saturday, February 20th, 2010

I had a Macy’s coupon and some credit at the store, so this morning I did a run out to Macy’s Home Store. First purchase was a new skillet for the kitchen. Next, I browsed the bedding department as I was on the hunt for a new duvet cover for our bedroom. We used to have a Calvin Klein duvet cover that I loved -high thread count and super soft and luxurious cotton. When we painted the bedroom, I moved the blue set to the guest bedroom. Above is the duvet cover and a new set of sheets and pillow shams. Every thing was on sale and I still got the 15% off. I was in and out in half an hour.

Our bedroom has one brown wall and the remainder in a color called foam — it is a grayed blue green color. I bought this fabric and made curtains. That was over 2 years ago.

We bought an inexpensive brown duvet cover at IKEA, but it has never made us happy. I know I am going to love sleeping with my new bedding. I have to wash and dry it and then ahhhh!

It was another glorious day here in Portland. We went to our friend, Kay’s, birthday party in the hills above Lake Oswego with a spectacular view of snow covered Mt. St. Helen’s. She bought 4 different cakes from a really great bakery near us. I took a photo with my iPhone and after trying to transfer the photos to my laptop, iPhoto froze and I lost them. They were beautiful and delicious.

I also had a photo of a  sign outside a church that I wanted to share. It said – Lord, save us from your believers. I like whoever attends that church.

Sneak Peeks

Friday, February 19th, 2010

I am almost finished with the blue, white and a bit of black challenge for the Twelve X Twelve Blog. Of course, I am using indigo scraps!!

Reveal is on March 1. I am so ahead of myself, I can’t stand it.

I remember now why I am not going for deep thoughts this year. My focus word is Bliss, and it seems to be working. I wanted to do work that made me happy. Not quite two months in, I am feeling quite giddy and blissful.

The trip to Hawaii and the Portland winter weather this year have helped immensely with my happy mood. It was another spectacular and sunny day and it seems it will be here through the week-end.

Tomorrow, we are going to a 65th birthday party for a friend. I am looking forward to an afternoon of fun with good friends.

I hope your week-end is sunny and blissful.

Lost My Momentum

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

or maybe I am just catching up on stuff after the manic quilting. I did get the bamboo hanger on this little piece which was in the latest Tote Tuesday auction. It has left for Arlington, TX.

I got some guild errands done. I worked on the SDA website. I helped Stephanie with a computer problem. I played with some indigo scraps for the next 12 X 12 quilt in our color/colour theme of blue, white and a little black. I also uploaded the new work to my website. So, I guess it was not a total waste.

My friend, Terry, has been doing some very deep blog posts lately. So I have been feeling quite shallow. On a day like this, I worry about being a big snore bore.

Here are a couple of things I saw on my walk with Scooter today, taken with my iPhone.

That would be Jack, my favorite son-in-law. Nice sign, I think.

I am off to watch men’s ice skating and Project Runway with remote in hand.