December

What a busy month! The big day is approaching fast.
I made several fabric boxes, these three are for my sisters.
what fun they were to make. The Fiber and Stitch group put out a challenge to make a fabric box, of course once I get started I don't know when to stop.
I have included a picture of a sunset. We have been blessed with the most gorgeous sunsets, the colors are so fabulous. Note the wisp of smoke coming out of a chimney and the neighbors Santa on the roof (left hand corner). Pretty neat.
Wishing you all a Happy Holiday.

Where did Nov go!

I can't believe it has been over a month since I posted on my blog.
The old saying' Time Flys when you are having fun' is very true.
I have been busy, have most the Christmas shopping done, not wrapped, but done.
I'm making some gifts too.
Here is one of my latest pieces, it was done for the Fast Friday Group Challenge #15, Scale and Proportion. I love this group, the challenges are just what I need to get creating.
I've been thinking a lot about 'aloneness', and of the women in South Africa that are raising their kids, grandkids etc alone, as there are so few men around. My piece is called "She dances alone"...should have had more dance movement in her legs!
She is alone in the moonlight, I used silver threads on the left side of the hut and the woman to illuminate them.
I think I've achieved the scale and proportion part of the challenge, her being large and the huts small in size.

Fast Friday Challenge #14

The challenge for this month is Movement/Embellishment.

While enjoying my morning coffee, I noted a magpie trying to land on a tree. We have had fierce winds up here. So the magpie was the inspiration and the wind is the movement.

While working on this piece I kept thinking about my friends in CA, and the Santa Ana winds. I added some gold and red to represent the fires.

These challenges are great for me.

I've included my starting sketch :)

Fast Friday Challenge #14

Fabric Paper/pressed flowers

And yet another journal cover. I tried Una's technique of capturing pressed flowers using misty fuse.
The background is fabric paper, with some Angelina fibers, then the pressed flowers.
Such fun experimenting. I found several folders full of flowers that I had pressed years ago...I don't know how they made the move two years ago, but they did.

Fiber & Stitch Fabric Paper

Well, there is just so much to try in the Fiber & Stitch Zine. Yesterday I tried making the fabric paper. What fun! Here is the journal cover that I made. I'm eager to try more of this method. The fabric paper has a thick wrinkly texture, and does not fray easily. I dry brushed some Jacquard Lumiere on the wrinkles, it is very attractive.
I also completed two other journal covers yesterday. The sunflowers were done with Caron d'ache crayons, then thread painted. The white daisey is 6 quilt blocks with daisies appliqued on it.
wonder what my friends and family will get for Christmas this year???

Fiber & Stitch Challenge #2

I finished my piece today. I used a piece of fabric that I had sun dyed and made a journal cover. I didn't do a lot of embellishing as I wanted to keep the beautiful sunprints visible...I wish Fall wasn't here I love the effect of the sun print fabric.
The front cover is blue the back orange/yellow.

Beaverlodge Challenge

A quiet day today, it's Thanksgiving Day up here. We had our dinner yesterday so had a quiet day today. I finished up a challenge piece that I've been working on for a month now. They provided four pieces of fabric, we had to use some of each one.
I call mine 'Autumn Winds'...it was a challenge for me, I learned a lot and had fun creating it.
Couched some multi colored wool down the white, as it was so stark compared to the rest. Did some patchwork quilting in the background. Left the sunflower petals loose to give a 3D look.

ffc

Here is a close up of the house detail.

Fast Friday Challenge

I have just finished my first FFC. The topic was Architecture.

I used a pic of a home, similiar to what Bill was raised in, in Saskatchewan.

It's a bit dark overall, what can I say, a storm must be coming in.

It was a stretch for me and it worked our fairly well.
I look forward to the next challenge. What a learning curve!

Back to gourds

I've spent some time working with gourds the past few days. The Christmas sales are fast approaching and I do have to have inventory to the two Galleries by mid November.
Here is one of the items I did. A spirit dancer that is 12" tall.
We have a very unique gallery in our city, it is an old grain elevator. If you'd like to see it, just click on this link. http://www.pris.bc.ca/artgallery/

Lutrador and Lace

I have recently joined the Fiber and Stitch group. Oh my the inspiration!!!
The first challenge was lutrador and lace. I had a piece of lutrador, that I received from Quilting arts, so I got to work.
I re-worked it today and this is the result. I really have to learn to 'let go' and just let things happen :)

Vision Gourd

I just wanted to share this with you. I do several Vision Gourds a year, I learned this process for my friend Leah Comerford.
Every gourd is different, so the amount or them of characters varies according to the mold markings on the gourd. It is much like looking at the clouds and picking out Characters :)
I work on one of these gourds for months, often setting them aside, a new day will bring a new image.
You can view more pictures of this gourd at http://www.gourdsbyrhoda.com/gallery10.html

journal cover

I made this one for my youngest sister. She's an Autumn person, so I used her favorite colors. This was a great experiment for me, and they turned out quite good.
I hope the girls use them on their road trip, they leave this Sat.

new painting

Today I spent the day in my 'craft' 'gourd' studio. I volunteered to do a painting as a fundraiser for the local gallery. WEll...it's due the 15th! And I got it done. it is done with acrylics. I call it 'Connections'...the rail and elevators are what brought the settlers to this area. A little bit of quilting influence too, in fact I think it would make a nice wall quilt.

sun printing

I tried another new process, sun printing. What fun. I dyed some muslin using silk dyes, then laid different objects on the fabric. I was certainly amazed with the results and will be doing more of this when the sun allows it.

New adventure

It is gorgeous Fall weather in the North. I love the colors and smell of Fall.
I have been venturing forth a bit with this new art form.
My sister and her friend are heading out on a road trip, I decided to make journal covers for them. Here is a pic of one, I'm fairly happy with it.
The other is Fall colors, will get a pic of it soon.

Summer is wrapping up

It is feeling like Fall in the north.
Not a very productive summer as far as quilting goes. On the other hand I did live without 'too many' commitments and enjoyed the short summer.
We took a two week vacation to Vancouver Island, Qualicum Beach was our favorite spot.
My grandaughter took this picture of one of the many gorgeous sunsets. I think it's worthy of a quilt :)

April Journal quilt

I'm trying to do a journal quilt per month using new techniques. Life seems to get in the way often.
Yesterday I had fun playing with Caran D'Ache Neocolor 11 crayons.
After many attempts I finally came up with one that I liked well enough to post. I need to play with them more to get more intense colors.
I have so many supplies for my 'gourd art' and am finding I can use most of it for art quilts too :)

march journal pic

oops forgot the picture.

March journal

I finally finished March's journal. 'Leap of Faith', I used a lot of different mediums, anglena fibers, organza, tinzle etc. I free motion embroidered the dress and hair on my Janome.
Ths sort of depicts me leaping into the unknown world of art quilts.
I'm going to put my pink bird on a stretcher frame, when the threadpainting is done.
Soon I hope.

pink cont's

Here's the piece to date...embellishments to be added.

Pink

Having lived thirty two years in a house full of males I'm into pink right now.
I drew a stylized bird and have the piecework done.
Now for the embellishing. I have some ideas floating around, I want to use Shiva oil stiks on the dark blue crescent shape, to give it more life.
Here are photos of the original sketch and the progress so far.
Is this art quilting? I'm hoping that I'm leaning that way :)

Spring

It looks like spring has finally arrived. Our snow finally left about a week ago and green grass can be seen.
Now it's time for yard work!
I have been sewing, this is my latest finished project. A large flower with thread painting, trying to hone my skills. I'm working on a stylized bird that I drew freehand and will have some pictures soon. I used the upside down applique method for this Lily. It worked well. I love the background fabric, wish I had more.
Gourdin? It's kind of on the back burner for now :( I'll get back to it I know, but I do need a bit of a break.

Chemo quilt

I have been busy, seems too busy to keep the blog updated!
I've been taking classes at QU and enjoying learning all these new techniques. Now I must get the camera out and take pictures of the finished product.
Spring has finally arrived, still spots of snow here and there, but green grass at last!
Here's a picture of a quilt I made for the Chemo room at our local hospital.
It's a rag quilt, but with a difference. The top is cotton, middle muslin and the back is flannel. It turned out quite nice.
It is such a great feeling to donate to the hospital. I've donated a couple of quilts for babies, and one other for the chemo room.

Gourd Doll

Here's the gourd doll I did for the exchange. Just learned I can only post one picture with each post.
Lot's to learn.

Humpty

March already. I don't know where time goes.
I'm working on my first cloth doll, 'Humpty Before The Fall' a class from Doll Street with Kathryn Walmsley. It has been fun, what I really wanted to learn was how to do the traputo face. I'd like to incorporate it with gourd dolls.
Here's my start on Humpty, he's not finished yet. He still needs some stylish black boots.
Teaching Online is going well for me, lot's of eager students. You can check out the classes at www.thatcreativeplace.com

I also did a gourd doll for an exchange, I had so much fun with her.
I've added a picture of her too.

Now, I must get busy with my small art quilts, have several on the go that need some finishing touches.
Still lot's of snow and cold weather in this part of the world.

Thursday, Feb. 22

How time flys when you are having fun.
My double wall spirit basket class started today.
I finished another art quilt. This one is called 'A Worm's Eye View'...we were to take a section from an object. I used one my photos and took a square out of it. Can you guess what the full picture was?
I tried my hand at confetti quilting, it worked out not bad. It was fun and upon chatting with some of the students on Quilt University I have some ideas for future projects. I covered the pieces of fabric with red tulle and then did a lot of needle thread art over it.
I'm adding beads to the seed head, three hours so far.
When I finish the beads I'll post another picture.

Tuesday

A very cold day in the north. When will spring come...winter has just been too long.
The picture is of a new technique that I've developed, I will be teaching it at Gourd College Online beginning March 22nd. The swirl of colors reminds me of a vivid sunset. It was a lot of fun to create. Now I want to try it on a canteen gourd, I think the swirls will show up better.
Just been too cold to go out to the shop and cut a canteen :)
Please drop a note when you visit. Thanks.

Gourding

I am busy teaching at Gourd College Online right now. My new class is a Double Walled Spirit Vessel , this class starts Feb. 22.
I love the history of baskets and coiling, and read everything I can about them.
Many double walled baskets had a 'found object' in them, of course this object couldn't be seen so it was always a bit of a mystery.