Late Friday Flaunt (you could call it Saturday!)

I had some serious fun this week with silk ( and the colour of my fingers).  I was trying to make the "glass" for a stained glass Journal quilt. 

The fabric on the left is a lot greener than it looks on my screen. 

And this is the start of the little quilt!   

I think I might just call it FLW (Frank Lloyd Wright).  Art Deco stained glass!

Up Stream or Down Finished!

I did say, in the last post, that I have finished two quilts this weekend! A photo of the second one finished would be a really good idea.

The colours still aren't right and I have no idea why!

October Journal

Now this is getting a bit silly. Nothing happens for nearly two weeks and then I finish two journals in two days!





This is my interpretation of the October theme "The Other Side".

Two answers!


1. Positive / negative The leaves are presented in both positive and negative form.

2. Autumn/Spring On one side of the quilt are autumn leaves, very orangy brown and looking very brittle.  This is another lino print.  The same lino I used in Deco Leaves. I've heavily quilted the back ground of the leaves.






On the back of the quilt are the Spring leaves, bright green and soft. I have achieved this using Inktense pencils, to lightly colour the quilt lines from "the other side".


This little quilt is the first time I have publicly used my artists monogram.

Christmas Inchies

Here are two (not very good) photos of the inchies Christmas decorations I have made for a swap. I didn't have a Christmas tree handy to hang them on so I put them on the Jamine on the front deck.
I was in a Red Inchie swap that finished a couple of weeks ago.  All Those little inchies are safe in their plastic bag!  But I did make some extras just for me.  These have come in very handy because this swap needed 12 of the little darlings.

Hugz

Friday Flaunt

My goodness. I haven't blogged for nearly 2 weeks! How bad is that?

Truth is I haven't been doing anything much. Earlier this week I did do some gelatine plate printing. I really had to push myself to do it because I made the plate over a week before and I hadn't used it! My creative impulse seemed to have disappeared!

Any way, doing the printing got me going again. The photo (a very bad one) is the start of my September journal quilt. The theme is "whimsey"! I think that is where I got bogged down. What an incredibly hard word to define. One of the monoprints I did was this one - the butterflies on a green back ground. In real life the green is quite bright and a lot more yellow than the photo. I'll try to fix the photo later.

The frog on the leaf is a little lino print I did a few weeks ago.

He seems to me to be floating down stream on his little leaf, hanging on for dear life, while the butterflies are blissfully, fluttering up stream!

When I finish the binding I'll add some hand embroidery and beading.

Lino Landscape

I cut this lino during the week but I didn't get to print it until yesterday.  I wasn't too sure whether it would work because I used a lot of fine cuts.  I think it worked OK except fot this one!  The "blodge" right in the centre is what happens when a little piece of cut lino ends up under the fabric when you make the print!

This one was a little pale but I think I might be able to do something with it when I quilt it.  A bit of thread painting required.

Not too sure about this one either but  it could be called "Mist over Pond"

My very first postcard made from one of my lino prints.  The photo below is better than the one on the cutting mat.  It really is amazing how the back ground can totally change the look of a quilt, even a tiny one.

Would you believe that I started yesterday afternoon with a totally tidy sewing table?  How much chaos can one little person create in no time flat!  I love my table tidy but I seem to work better in a mess.  Ho Hum!

Hugz

Friday Flaunt

These are the first of my little Lino Printed Owls.  I think they look a little bit like stunned mullets!  

My DD1 has asked me to make DGD (18months) an Owl Quilt for Christmas or her birthday or whenever it's ready (I don't think she trusts me to get it made anytime soon).  DGD is about to move into a big bed and DD has painted her room with a family of owls in a tree, mural.  It looks fantastic.  I just went looking on my computer for a photo of the mural but I seem to have lost it!  Grrrr!  I'll post when I find it!

My little owls will be part of the border for the quilt. 

The rest of my flaunt is a post a made last Sunday -  Lino prints again.  Printing on black totally changes the end result.

I think, this weekend I might do some more gelatine printing with the lino prints.

Does it show that I'm have a lot of fun doing this course with Dijanne ?

On Line quilt show

Park City Girl: Quilt Festival - Fall 2009



Have a look at this web site. So many quilts on display. Lots of inspiration.

Lino prints again

I've been lino cutting and printing again.  I'm still working my way through Dijanne's Lino cutting course.  I'm learning so much, not just about lino cutting/printing but also about me and what I can and can't do!

One of the lessons is a bit about using photos and the computer to design a lino.  This is my first attempt.  I printed a few of this one on white and I didn't llike it.  I had some black fabric out to print my tiger onto (see photo below) and I thought I'd try my little church.  I really like the effect!

These are the leaves I used for my Deco quilt.  The effect on black is totally different.

And here is the Tiger again.  I think he is far more handsome in black!

I like this one too. 


The weather has been so nice this weekend I even managed some gardening!  I've never seen so many big weeds in my life!

Tiger, Tiger Friday Flaunt!

I've had a little time to play this week (Don't ask!).




I found this tiger in one of my books. How handsome is he?






I just have to work out how to make the fabric paint give a nice even coverage.






He really is a slinky tiger!

My weekendof creation and frustration

Oh my! How frustrating can Yahoo be?  For that matter - How frustrating can a computer be?

The hard drive on the laptop dies last week and it has taken me ages to get nearly everything back in place. Most of my stuff is where it should be but some of it just wont co-operate. Grrr!

Most of my sites I visit don't know me anymore - I've had to remember so many ID's and Passwords.  I really should simplify my life.

Anyway, that is enough of a whinge and grizzle. This is what I've been doing over the weekend.

That would be lino printing again.

This photo is the print I've made with the 2 1/2" reapeating pattern block I've made.


The Pussy cat hiding behind the maidenhair fern is another story.

I think I have a little balance and movement happening with this block

And this is the print from the block.


I love the colours too.

The photos above are me having some fun with my initials!

Movement happening?  I hope so!

I think this is a very good use for a quilt already hanging on the wall - I'm using it as a design wall!

And there is that pussy cat again.  He is nearly right.  I might have to cut him again - not sure.  Any ideas would be really welcome.

Dijanne, I hope you don't mind - I gave cutting your tree a really good go!  It's not nearly as good as your sketch but I think I will keep it if it's OK with you.

Deco Leaves

These are my leaves from the lino printing course I'm doing with
Dijanne Cevaal.
From the time I printed them they seemed to me to have an Art Deco feel about them.  From the original design in my head to hanging them on the wall was 36 hours. Here it is, finished and hanging!


I'm happy with it!

I'm having fun!

How much fun can you have with a piece of lino and a very sharp knife? The answer is ..........heaps!

This is many lino prints over a failed gelatine print. I just love the colours!

It might make a good background for something - I just like it.

Storms in Hobart

This time last year this patch of ground was rock hard it was so dry.  Now it is saturated and the water has nowhere to go!

The water is rushing down the step so fast is has made a little waterfall!  Not a good photo but I'm not going out in the rain to get a better one - through the window will do!

The water is running over the retaining wall and between the stones as well.  When it gets a bit drier I'll have to throw all the soil back into the garden.

There are quilts in these photos and some of the others I took.  One of these days!

I'm not going outside to pick up the chair!



I've forgotten what the sun looks like!

My Lino Printed leaves

The weather this morning has been foul! We have had 43mm of rain since midnight. The back yard is a running river.

The perfect weather for staying inside and sewing. This is what I have done with the leaves. It sort of just evolved as I sewed. It seems to me to look very Art Deco. What do you think?

Friday Flaunt (a little bit late) Lino Printing

What a week.  I have finally recovered from the Forensic camps (that took a few big sleeps!).

On Monday, my inbox contained a very special email.  It was from Dijanne Cevaal.  I have started her Lino Printing course!

It is the first, on-line course I have done and I'm really enjoying the process.

After I finished the first lesson (in three parts).  I had a little play with what I have learnt so far.  I think I like my little frogs on their leaves.

And the leaves that Dijanne taught us to do!

My Sewing Room! What a mess!

Oh My goodness - How did my sewing table get so messy! (There has been a shed full of fun been had there!).

I know the answer to that one!  I'm doing too much, but loving it!

Tomorrow night I'm off the the Johnny Farnham concert!  Yeah!  Going with Little One (Baby daughter).  This is our second one - did the same thing 7 years ago - I find that really hard to cope with - 7 years!!!?  Really?  Can't be!

AIR!

Wow!


I just went to the Aus_NZartquilters to have a look at all the journals and guess what I saw on the home page?

My August Journal quilt!

Buffy has made me Artist In Residence! Thank you Buffy!  Now I need to find out what I am supposed to do next!

August Journal and New Challenge!

My Goodness. I have had a very challenging weekend!

Yesterday I finished my August Journal - I added a few more beads and then my head started to think about September, so I guess I have added enough beads!

The Forensics Camps are finally over, the 2 Grandbabies (who came to the 2nd camp with me), have gone home to their respective, other homes and I have had some sleep!

These are the tyres the campers had to use to make castings!  Very messy, very physical and a lot of fun!

I took the photo after the "bits" were in my Prep room.  The plaster is there and the "Blood Splatter" equipment.  I didn't take any photos of the 'Blood Splatter" because I can do al sorts of things but I don't "do" disembodied blood, sorry!

The Physics Lab!  The 4 hot plates set along the bench are for Refractive index of glass!  The campers had to use this apparatus to work out which piece of glass they had!  

Can you see the Tamanian Tiger outside the window?

This is another photo of the same thing just because I love the art work on the walls out side the lab!

This s the "Soil and Paintchip" Lab.  The Campers also did paper chromatography in this lab.




I think we all had fun and learnt heaps

Basil, Barrie and Bill!
Basil - the fox on the shelf

Barrie - the Deputy Principal

Bill - the brains of the outfit!  Thanks Bill for 2 great camps.  The next one will be even better!



Two good sleeps later and.............

How lazy am I?

Had a shower and dressed at 2pm! I loved it! Then we(sweetpea (DH) and I) went to 2nd daughter's place to help keep her babies company! Sara (DD), Morgan (DGS) and Lucy (DGD) are wonderful but very exhausting! I loved it! We played in the veggie patch, we played in the bath and we giggled as we got ready for bed - then Poppy and Wally came home for dinner and a big sit down!

Before we left, DD gave me a challenge!

Sara tells me that Lucy needs a new quilt (Lucy is about to graduate from a cot to a bed). Sara has painted little persons room antique white and then painted a tree with owls and birds on the walls!  It's very cute really because she is a very good artist!!  She has even painted the cutest little ants running around the door frame! (Note to self - take a few photos next time you are there!).

Anyway - these are the templates and swatches that she used for the walls ( forgot to say that the dark red swatch is the feature wall in Lucy's room!).  Now to design the quilt!

Morgan's room is next and that is going to be a castle (Help!)

Wave - Work in Progress

So far so good! I think not much more is required. I think my August journal is almost complete.

I'm not sure whether to do anymore beading or not.  I really am in a dilemma!

Any advise would be greatly appreciated!

August journal in progress and a great learning experience.

I think I've go some motion in here! The beads are on the table and waiting!

I think Camp might get in the way of a Friday Flaunt but what the heck.

From tomorrow I have 2 grand babies with me 24/7 till Saturday morning! At work, from Wednesday morning, I have the Grand Babies plus another 58 other peoples' Grand Babies! And they all will be learning so much fun stuff!

I really do love these camps! It is so much fun watching the kids get confused, work out what they have to do and then just get on with it! The pride they show when they work out the whole problem (read crime) and that they can do it, is awesome!

Gelatine Plate Prints

I have just discovered that a gelatine plate that has frozen on one side makes very interesting prints but will only last for about an hour, then it just collapses in a very messy heap!

Before it fell to bits I did manage to get some good prints (blue and white only)

Even the cloth I cleaned my brushes and roller on came up looking good.  I'll have to wait and see what the clothes I cleaned the gelatine with look like - they are out side dripping and drying!

But the one I like the best is this one!

I was trying hard to create a wave breaking and, thanks to the frozen gelatine, I think I did it!!!!

This might end up my August journal!

Forensics Camp

Linda asked me some interesting questions about the camp. I'll post some of the answers here.

What do the kids do at the camp?

They initially learn basic techniques such as:

- finger printing using both magnetic powders and the "fluffy brush" that you see on CSI.
- Plaster casting - they make a tyre print in sand and then make a cast of the print
- hair identification - they are given a hair and have to match it to a set of sample hairs
- Blood splatter - They play with real blood (animal) too work out which way the blood hit the surface
-Is it blood? Luminol test for blood


That is part of the Camp. They also soil test, use chromatography to work out which pen was used to write the note, look at fibres to identify what the criminal was wearing, Was that glass the bottle that broke at the scene?

So much fun! So much hard work for the lab staff (Me and Sam and Moses) So much more work for the "Bill" - the Boss! We love him!

Friday Flaunt

This has been a tough flaunt.  I've been watching all the other amazing flaunts, thinking "What have I done this week, apart from work?" (More about that in a min). Then I had a thought.  Here goes.

This week I made the last of my red inchies, sorted them out, bagged them up ready to send off for the swap.  The amazing thing about that is that the swap doesn't have to be ready for another month!  Me that organised!  I am stunned.  I also made 20 purple and green inchies for Del for her Bathurst Bun Fight.  I just hope they got there in time!

So, you ask, What is the flaunt?  This the a photo of the ones that are going no where!!!  They are mine to do with as I wish!  I have a plan in my head.  I will show Progress as it happens.

Just cause I can, I'll tell you about my week.  I have worked 12 days straight, and I'm really happy!  I will flaunt this too!

We have just finished our Forensic Science Camp No 1 for these school holidays.  We have had 23 Year 7 and 8 boys and girls working hard for 3 days trying to solve a crime.  They started on Wednesday morning and they solved it, as a group, late this afternoon.  It has been amazing!  The kids have been focused, and paying attention to amazing detail!  I can't show you photos of the kids doing but I can show you photos of the labs before they started working.  Oops - I've had to show the photos from the last camp because I brought home the wrong camera!  I think I could be a bit tired!

(I love the Hawthorn Jumper - hangs just outside my door! - It's such a shame we are not there this month))


Next  week we have 60 kids doing the same camp all over again! 

HELP!

Mt Wellington again!

I took this photo at the weekend. What can I say about it!

And this one!  The light was just something to see.

5 mins later this was the view!  10 mins later I couldn't see a thing!  The weather closed right in!