rain + yarn

Finally finished something! This is a scarf made with Debbie Bliss soho, plus a little crochet edge..in my favorite green

A basket weave stitch that was a little hard to keep up with, considering the variegated yarn..ready for the cold weather!

lots of color

Well, I think I'm going to live..still not 100% but a lot better! Thanks for the well wishes.. I've been sitting and crocheting a bit w/Noro Kureyon, a yarn some love (me) and some hate. It's not the snuggliest yarn, but color- wise, it's the bomb. Some granny action:

Hope you are enjoying the early Fall, where you are.

sick

I am sicker than a dog right now, so all things are on hold. If I've coughed once, I've coughed a million times. As usual, when school starts, the germs get shared. I'll leave you with a nice iris from my garden in the spring. Off to drink tea and watch TMC..

plans

I plan on doing a little this:


and this:

and this:

I hate to procrastinate, but you know a girl has to have plans!! What are yours?

for IF

'judas tree' for the islands theme....oil on canvas 20" x 20"

eye candy

This basket of indigo cloth, I've had for many years, I just can't bring myself to cut it up, but maybe soon it will happen. Until then, I'm happy to just finger it and look at it.

While sitting outside, this little gem fluttered down and landed nearby. A bit gruesome, but such a pretty thing, isn't it?

more wip's

These are definitely not done, but I have been lax in taking pictures of the art, so here are a few. The top is "Ester" 20"x20", oil on canvas. The bottom is "Judas Tree" and it's 20" x20" oil on canvas.

It is interesting, to try and convey an image of a person, Judas Isacariot, for example and not paint a figurative painting. I'm thinking this may turn into a series on him... will definitely be posting more on these and other wip's soon..

ps. a big thanks to Charlotte at fancypicnic,

for the nice award! I'll pass it on soon!

I pick neki, abagail, lauren, and fourborne, extremely talented and fun blogs...

small stitches

Just working on some smaller pieces, since lesson/sports season is upon us. These highly portable, free-form layered appliques are just that, take-along things I keep in bags, ready to grab as I head out. I am trying to go with what is in the sketch book, and it occurs to me I haven't posted any sketches or paintings in a while, I'll remedy that soon...

flooring it

Well, it seems I have about a dozen things going at once.. do you do that? Have a bunch of stuff going, and then bam, I get so I have to FINISH something! Don't get me wrong, I love the process, as much as the next, but I do like to have a completion, somewhere. I'm not proud, nor exclusive, either, I like hand sewing, machine sewing, and all the rest in between.

This is a long, shroud-like piece that is done, and is supposed to be a self-portrait of sorts. I got my machine back from the service center, and decided to stitch small, 2" to 3" or so, free-motioning, consisting of ideas of what I like, and what I see in front of me. Much hand stitching and embelishing followed, as well..

I then cut them all apart and appliqued them, grid-like to the banner, which is 7' long! An extremely fun and satisfying project.. more pix soon..

velvet wip

I have some fabric that is so beautiful that I don't quite know what to do with it. This is dark burgundy (the pic is a little dark, sorry) silk velvet, about 1 1/2 yards. I've cut it length-wise and started to embroider and embellish the ends.
I like the thought of making fussy fabrics, ie., tulle, velvet, damask, into humbler things, bags, pillows etc.. even household items.
I'm beading, couching and appliqueing some torn fabric strips (batik) in a wave pattern along the edges.. I'm going to line it, but not quite sure with what.

stitching along

A progress shot of the crazy quilting going on.. I use my ironing board for a work space, sometimes, as it's right next to the fabric and machine.. no glamour studio shots here, no way! Mayhem and chaos is the name of the game in my world..

crazy quilting revisited

Over at Jude's blogs and Flickr group we are re-working the old crazy quilt blocks..take a look! Here, I've used whatever was floating around my studio to make this block, wool, cotton, cotton yarn, linen, and then layered, rather than pieced the block.. about 10 x10 ".

home sewing

I love Cath Kidston and Rachel Ashwell's fabrics and home furnishings, if unlimited money was my curse, they would receive some of it (like they need it!) Anyway, I have a stack of remnants ready for some sewing, which I enjoy doing, once I sit down and DO it!! They small clothes pin bag is C.K. fabric, edged in some pink ric rac and starting to nicely fade in the sun...

garden knitting

Loving the pink and orange of the garden right now...a large cotton yarn shawl WIP, Patagonia cotton yarns (love) in variegated pinks, and oranges and size 11 needles.. green edges?? perhaps.

batiks

I have a little love affair with batik cloth. I worked in a quilt shop for 4 years, and I swear, I had a piece of whatever batik came through. I love saturated color, and the organic feel to it all. Here is another couple of shots of the obi cloth I'm working on..

Check out MaryKate's blog and her amazing photos of SE Asia..

stitching an obi (sorta)

This started out just as a long strip, about 14" wide of sampler of ideas, sewing, cutting, on the diagonal, and thinking about reversibility. I've cut strips on the bias of linen, cotton and rayon fabrics. There is also, now some couching and free form embroidery going on here.

This is definitely not an obi, just roughly the size of one, 14" wide by about 6' long, but I have quite a few of them around here, and I love the long, drapey effect they have. I also love the fact they are wearable and also artistic however they are used.

weekend relaxing

Well, I can dream about it! Hope you are having a good one...

thank you Rachel

I sure thank you Rachel, for this compliment! Check out her insane crochet, it's awesome..and she rides her bike everywhere!! I will pass on the wonderfulness to a few of my favs very soon!

later...

I picked:

-Jude's incredible blog...

-Sarah's wonderful creations

-Corey's blog, that rises above all..

-Rang's blog, photos that are stunning, and make me want to travel....

summer's end

This weekend is the last one before school starts for us. Lots of hubbub, backpacks, pencils, paper..blah blah. I've managed only to work in the sketchbook for the last week or so, but that's something, plus lots of knitting going on. Fall craft shows to get ready for..

The top sketch is ink and guache, of the fields that are nearby. The bottom photo is my kitchen window sill.

mural paintings

I also do mural painting, which, I can see, I need to get better at photographing! Anyway, this was in one room in our church, and is taken from 3 different scripture passages pertaining to the temple in Jerusalem. The room is called the 'Temple Courtyard' so I went from there.. I like doing murals, I put the I-pod on and just go.. Mostly done in acrylics, with some glazing and glitter..!
I have also started individual paintings based on this (and other) murals, just to see if the images translate to smaller sizes..

a reminder

I thought I might put up my tools + some work I did, to remind myself that summer painting needs to move along! Also, there was an awesome moon last night, as we had some clouds/thunder/lighting happening, then the moon came out. This painting was done some time ago, 30x36" on canvas, acrylic. I love nightscapes, and would really love to do more night picture taking. Until then, I'll paint them...

late summer garden

Before the birds and deer get to it! I haven't had too much luck in the past with sunflowers, but these, my daughter planted, so she does! I adore the lime green centers.. also coneflowers that have come and gone, the finches and nuthatches love the seeds and a crepe myrtle that is in full pink-ness. Color inspiration that is steps away.. love it.