July 29, 2006
The Parrots
I think by now, all of you know that I love wild life and birds.
So these Monk Parakeets have discovered our feeder again. I love them because the Grackles, which have a tendency to dominate the feeder, are intimidated by them. The little birds are not. So the little birds and the parrots, eat in harmony.
Well, I also love their tenacity in figuring out how to live in this environment, Their lime green color and the fact that my copyrighted 1980 version of the Peterson Field Guides, Easter Birds, says, "Has attempted to nest in a number of states from Mass. to Fla. and west to Okla., but probably will not become established."
HA!
In this photo you can a little more clearly see that the parrot is calmly experiencing an intimidation attempted by a Grackle. It didn't work.
So, anyway. Tuesday, if none of you read my side bar, is my birthday! 37 years of experience on this planet. Neither young nor old, because those concepts don't apply or perhaps they do but fleetingly and according to mood and whim but certainly not as a state of being. Want to know what my illustrious man got for me? This and a trip here. We'd planned to take that trip today, but alas, my man is suffering from poison ivy. This morning he bought some big guns medicine and has been dosing himself all day. Hopefully it will not be so ferocious tomorrow, when we head out, bright and early.
I didn't want to go to the web site to see what is available to see, but I can tell you, I would love to see the aviary display and the monkeys. I am bringing my sketch book.
July 25, 2006
Scooootch Button!
The title of this post has no relationship to the post, itself. It's just that Arrow is in my lap, licking my arm because he wants me to pet him. He knows I don't like when he licks me, so he does it because he is spoiled and knows I will pet him in order to stop him from licking me. Arrow is a cat/dog. I have never met a cat who likes to lick. Wierdo. Anyway. I call Arrow my Scootch button, if you were wondering.
As you may have read over at Deborah's blog, we've traded art. And this is my haul! I am in love with it. I think Deborah's art is refreshing, gently executed and uses color really well. Her embellishments is really effective too. I just love it. I am going to frame it and hang in in my studio.
This is how my designwall is looking this week. I am working really hard on the new nude in the lower right. As I look at it in small format like this, I think it needs some turqouise in the lower left-hand corner. hmmm.
Photo#1, from the last post won the vote! I like that one too. It is just that my husband didn't.
This is a practice run to see how I will end up quilting the figure itself. I am a proponent of practice pieces. I have quite a few hanging around in the studio and day dream of doing something with them at some point.
Tonight I will be going to see Redbeard. I love them. Buy thier album, it is so well done! Beautiful.
I don't have time to spell check. I have to start getting ready.
July 22, 2006
Playdate plus some help needed.
On thursday, Jane and Brienne came over for a dyeing playdate. We had so much fun. I am sorry that I forgot to take my camera out sooner, I got no photos of Jane! :( But the day was a total success. We did interfacing screenprinting, parfait dyeing, dye painting and a little shibori.
When I was a child I took a photo with three of my good friends, We all had sh*t eattin' grins, turned in toes and must have had a fantastic day. This photo reminds me of that one so long ago.
I have a special fondness for Brienne, there is something magical about her. She is impish, sincere, funny and honest. I have two pieces of her art hanging in my home. I wish she had a website so that you too could see her art. Both she and her art amaze me.
Now on to the help section of this post. You all can imagine the difficulty in drawing hands. Especially since I don't have a model in front of me. I had my husband pose, I searched images on the web, and I am struggling.
I don't want this nude to have banana hands. I want graceful hands. I ripped out these hands and redid them 4 times and think I will need to rip a fifth.
So. which of these two images do you like best?
Image 1
Image 2
July 18, 2006
Thank YOU!!!
My comment whoring went really well, I don't think I have ever gotten 22 comments before! Debra started it off, brave girl that she is! Go check out the upper right corner of her blog!
Karoda reminded me that pimping for comments could change the flava of the whole blogging deal, but hey, she won my second prize!
Claire at Little Fish Creations has been wowing me with her art.
Sue reminds me that I am a bit behind the ball because she knows what Silk Fusion is, while I, sadly, don't. And Caro? Over at Splityarn? gets the prize for best banner.
Thank you everyone for letting me know I am not blogging into the wind!
I have been in the mood to make clothing. I have been trying to recreate this dress, that I already own. The top is bias cut, V neck, with bias strip finish on the face of the dress.
I had thought that there might be a way to put the bias finish on in one go. But because of the pocket, I no longer think so.
On the other hand, it is so swimmingly HOT here that my brain is addled. It is at times like these that I wish I had a clothes sewing mentor. I would cal him/her up and ask to drive on by to ask questions!
July 13, 2006
It's ALL about the comments...
Yesterday was my good friend Angela's BirthDAY!!! So I made her a triptych of Hula Fairies! 2.25x3.5 inches. ATC sized. It was great fun to do! This is my first time using velvet... perhaps Jeri's (read further down) piece inspired me? I don't know.
So.
Ever since my blog crashed and I changed servers, my comment numbers have dwindled. I know I have readers but hardly any comments. I am sad...
So very sad.
So in an effort to encourage comments I am giving away this set of hand dyed fat quarters, three in all, one of was also screenprinted. Can I be bold enough to ask 15 separate people to comment? Let's see if I have that many readers!
Come on, I know you want this!
***************************** **********************************
We have a WINNER!
Deb Lacativa! wins
the FAT Quarters
If I get five more commenters I will send the 20th person some scraps from my scrap bin! This is fun! I don't even care if you have commented already!
July 12, 2006
All over the place...
I'd said I would show you my party loot:
I now have a burgeoning postcard collection! Clockwise from the top left is Jeri with a piece of her own hand dyed cloth in red, Dana (camera's don't do this piece justice), Pat, EJP, Benedicte and in the center, Jane.
Here is a close up of Jeri's piece:
This piece has some of her beautiful hand dyed rayon velvet. I could sleep on that fabric!
Here are two images, front and back of Jane's piece:
I love both sides of this card. Jane drew the image of herself and printed it on cloth. I love the little flowers free motioned down. And the back is just so fantastic too! I want some of the fabrics she used. I wonder if Repro Depot has them?
... um. damn! why did I have to go there?
Please look at this and this. Why did I have to go there?
=^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^=
A few weeks ago I started this new piece. As you may have figured out, I like to work in multiple layers of cloth. Cotton and silk Organza. I then sew and collage things between the layers. The above photo is the cotton layer.
This is both layers, the organza laying lightly on top. I haven't sewn these two layers together yet.
Actually, I just bought a bottle of Jacquard's Discharge Paste and have been discharging the silk layer. I am using leaves as stamps and also screenprinting the discharge paste. I like the effect very much. I don't want to over do it, so I have been discharging the image, checking it out and discharging it again.
July 10, 2006
Fiber Geeks Partay!
Because I am planning to move far away, the Divas of the Stitch gave me a going away party. I think this will be one of many, and I am not sad to say it! Pat opened her house to us and everyone brought food and drink and prezzies (though my loot will have to wait for my next posting).
Because we are fiber geeks and because Pat has the gear we made rope! Beautious, colorful, glitsy rope! We had fun tieing each other in knots, making jokes and keeping busy which was good because I was getting choked up and wanted to cry often.
This is my rope:
And here are my fabulous friends:
From Left to right, Dana, Judy, EJP, Pat, Jane (who made two sweets dreams come true... ginger snap cookies and a cheesecake-it was scrumptious and had fabulous presentation!!!), myself, Benedicte and Jeri. These are not all of the Divas, just those who were able to make it. I wish they all had web sites so you could see how amazingly creative and talented everyone is! I am amazed that I have so many gifted and beautiful female friends.
For those of you who may be looking for a post about my reading of The View by Ted Orland, be patient please. The last chapter stirred up some crap for me and I am just sitting back and experiencing the flow.
July 04, 2006
Gadget Ho.
Having just finished the Big Flower, which I haven't officially named yet, I am feeling creatively drained. So, in keeping with this feeling I have switched gears and begun sewing some dresses for myself. It is super difficult to photograph these little gems.
Thankfully, I copied this dress from one I bought from Flax Designs quite a few years ago. They are no longer making this sun dress. I think this dress is flattering because it has a single panel the length of the dress in front with princess seams. There are gathers in the waistline and pockets, though the gathering does not occur where the pockets are so the dress doesn't look 'hippy'.
I wish I could get a better photo of it.
You have to love the optical illusion the stripes are casting. I love this fabric, though- Railroad Stripe Denim. I thought perhaps it was an odd choice for a sun dress, but now that it is finished, I like it alot.
I am still learning to finish curved seams with bias binding. The neck and arm holes both require this finish. I bought this Bias Tape Maker by Clover to help me fold and iron the tape in one operation. Now I want every size.
This, my dear friends, is a Perfect Pocket Oiler. I bet you didn't know your pockets needed oiling! Erm.. well... they don't.
My Bernina 1001 came with a plastic bottle of oil that is looking mangy, leaks into my foot case and doesn't quite do the job. I came across this little gadget at my favorite junk store and snapped it up! It works like a charm.