paintsticks

I was out on the back porch last evening, and realized I haven't sketched in a long time. I craved color, so I went looking for these...

These two paintsticks are so much nicer to me, than Shiva, which has metallic colors, but the smell gives me a terrible headache.
This book has some plastic texture sheets, and I got if from the Nat'l Gallery of Art in DC.

I got out some muslin, and it's the cheap thin kind too. I put down some freezer paper on a foam core palette, to hold in my lap while sitting in our little haven, come see it HERE!

Recently I posted a photo transfer onto fabric of this fountain. I started by just drawing a fountain, then leaves (that aren't there in real life) and then got out the textured plates to see what could happen.

There was time and fabric left, so I drew some spirals for fun...

which turned into this snail. I would never have been able to just draw a snail, or it would have looked like a pictionary one at best. But I just started swirling color, then more color and saw the snail coming out! Then I smeared in a body and texture plated around him. I think the rubbings look like ferns.
You know what came next...

a poodle. next to a tree, all done with rubbing plates. In green orange and pink.

Of course.
You are supposed to leave them to cure for a day but I just couldn't wait a moment past noon the next day to cut them apart and press to set the color.

These are oil paints, so you need to use a pressing sheet. I started with paper, then used more muslin and a hot iron.

They are still kind of wrinkly but when I decide just how to use them, they will get really pressed.
I think my portable design wall (shown not opened up) makes it look like an art show!! How fun! I might put three of them together in the same quilt.

Or do separate ones. What do you think?

The little fan on the bottom, was to be an underwater fan, and will still be. I,er, sliced it off accidentally in my glee and haste, but it can still be fused back together. No Worries!

Here is the view, with the supervisor showing me his back.
Everyone's a critic.
LeeAnna

I was framed

I was Framed, I tell ya

 Now that Cole is old or injured or both, he doesn't walk well. Like most of us, his spirit still wants to run free and chase critters and balls and meet new people. This weekend we took our Saturday morning walk in Annapolis to raise his spirits. We broke him out, and oh my,  it was a glorious day weather-wise.
 He tasted from the many doorway doggie bowls...

an amusing little bowl... mmm, hints of squirrel... 

 We saw the dome peeking up amid the shops, with a nearly clear blue sky.

 Cole was patient as Mommy shopped a bit, and took that opportunity to say hi to a few local business owners while I shopped. The walk perked us all up, and our thoughts turned to the budding garden.

 We hung up these cool solar lanterns DH got me for my birthday. Check out that brilliant orange with flecks of all colors!

There are some little pink flowers in my front yard, that spread like weeds. I love them, and they are messy, but look at the close up of them!! Too cool.

I have never hunkered down to really see them this close! They are another quilt, aren't they!?!

For color, and to match the lanterns, here is a pic of a hibiscus from a pot in Annapolis. Brilliant color variations and that stamen! Awesome job, mother nature!
LeeAnna

Flamingos through my window

The quiltart online group of fiber artists issued a challenge titled Through My Window.

I took a photo of my fountain with frog statue on top and plastic pink flamingo beside it. Somehow, and don't ask me what buttons I pushed I distorted the color to look very neon. I chose a font, and size, and printed the words Out my window I see a fountain and flamingo. What if Flamingos flew in every day to drink from my fountain?

I used printed treasures fabric to print the images.
It came out very soft focus and pastel unlike the intense photo on paper.  I tried going over some lines with pencil, and figured I'd fix it with threads.
Here is the real fountain from another view, just so you know what I'm working with here.

This photo came out a little different in color from the top of the page photo... don't ask me, I'm a dinosaur and don't understand what I'm doing.

I used neon silkysheen thread to paint in the fountain details as well as the flamingo and ferns, the embroidery stitch (swirls. That stitch keeps me fixing the motherboard of the Bernina as it's not on any other machine since mine came out)  Borders were a big decision as were cropping of the photo fabric. Then of course binding became a decision. I used my speedy fused binding to do the two different binding fabrics, and stitched over the edge with halogram mylar thread to secure. See my method on my tutorials page.

I fused the first sentence to some peltex, pinked the edge and attached it to the finished quilt with beads by hand. I got it on a bit crooked of course.

The point is, it took about 3 hours to make. It got done by the deadline today. I like how it came out and it will now hang somewhere I can see it for a long time. I tried things I am uncomfortable with and it came out okay. I was able to find a place for rhinestone crystals, which catch the light and make me very smiley.
Did I mention it gone done on time??
The sunshine is calling me, the porch and the fountain are within view, there is a good book involved and I walked away from the studio in total hoarder-looking disarray. I closed the door.  Hope you enjoy my view.
LeeAnna

Going from Meh to Making something

what is this feeling, ennui?
I know just what that feeling is like. Your mind is full of what you want to make but you don't want to do it. When that happens, I sit on the porch and read something or meditate. It can go on for days but the muse always comes back. Something tips the balance and you must work again.

That thing that tips the balance from, "I just don't feel like it"  to " I must go make that " is magical. And interesting... it's one of the questions I ask artists. What takes you from meh to must make?

I hear people say, don't wait for a feeling or inspiration, just do it. Do the work. They say it emphatically!

I'm learning new words, self empowering words and will practice them right here on the 'just do it' dogma.

I Disagree.

I am learning it's okay to disagree, even with  printed word, even with dogma, even in the face of someone who intently tells you they are right, even to family members. There is power in those little words. The power of self respect, of believing in your thoughts and feelings. I don't need to convince anyone that I'm right, because it's just my opinions, what is truth for me.

While it would be great to always just walk in the studio and start making something, what if it's equally important to listen to the quiet voice that says, not now, not yet, be quiet a moment. Your power is not lost, it's rebooting.
Feel free to disagree
LeeAnna

Is there a Doctor in the house??? YEP!

Not just another pretty face...

 There IS a Doctor in the house! He's my dear husband Drew... Dr. Drew! He studied for many years for this Ph.D. in electrical engineering. All while working full time in the field, taking care of home and us, and dealing with life's frustrations. This is such an accomplishment and I am very proud of him!

The day started with a picture with the school mascot, a retriever! We love dogs! Drew is wearing the robes of a Univ of MD Baltimore Campus doctoral graduate. The robe and hood are gorgeous colors, gold and blue velvet, just the thing for someone who loves color!

I sat upstairs with others who cope with physical issues and was lucky enough to be near this service lab who watched his boy graduate with a masters. The ceremony was wonderful but sometime during the introductions one might feel a bit tired and want to rest their heads.
The commencement speech was right up my alley!
The professor talked about how we are all connected, and must be nice to each other and remember the lessons we learned in kindergarten.

Then the adviser placed the hood over Drew's shoulders, read a bit about his work, and it was official! 

I love the sentiment on this bench. One students pass each day on their way to and from class.

The Regalia

We had lunch in Little Italy at our fave little restaurant, Amicci's then home to pick up the other member of the family for a walk around Annapolis and a mojito toast to the graduate!

Here's to the man! The one who is patient and kind, smart and funny, the doggie daddy, the dear husband.  Now you can resume your life already in progress!

Love, your proud wife,
LeeAnna

Our little refuge

 This is our nook, our place of comfort for the warmer months. It almost sold us the house in fact. Like my studio, we've moved furniture around over the years according to our changing needs but this has been our nook for a few years now.
On a summer evening, we gather here after work, often with a glass of wine, a good book, sounds of birds splashing in the fountain just outside the screen. We catch up on the day and connect, our little family of three. Cole likes to get the walk out of the way, so he can sit in his spot.

King of all he surveys. It's on the other side of the porch from us, but the best chipmunk watching area and the best place to watch the squirrel channel. See his birdhouse toy? He can pull the birds out and it's not torn to smithereens. During the great pollen cleansing, I saw some iris in the yard so I decided to have freshly cut flowers on the table

We have so many trees that sunshine is scarce and flowers have a hard time thriving. These iris must be hardy!!
I made the table cloth by folding yardage in fourths and cutting a pie section out, then binding with commercial white binding.

It was simple and fits better than any I could have bought. With the scraps I made a little holder for magazines and books for the porch reading.

At the moment I'm reading The Moment, stories by artists and writers of the moment that changed their lives. Short stories, easy to read in a moment and so full of impact. The mug rug came from a trade at the Houston quilt show two years ago, the strong coffee came from this morning's brew, wish you were here with me to chat!

On a whim last night, after DH installed a new kitchen faucet, (did you hear the screams from your house?) we took a break, went to a garden center for some hanging flower baskets and saw these turquoise chairs on sale.
I LOVE turquoise. These chairs, like goldilocks' porridge, are just right for my short legs and bad back. I wondered if we should spend the money, but they brightened up the whole back porch!! They look great against the wood.
They make me happy.

It's amazing how a small change can brighten your place. A pop of color can brighten your living space. How color can influence your mood.
So what changes have you made lately that made you happy? 

LeeAnna

Hawaii A-Moo-Ha !

I wanted to show you my State Challenge piece all finished! I called it A Moo Ha and it's 45" X 35"
I shared some of the construction along the way on these posts, Quilted text and making of the hibiscus flowers and how I made the sun and pineapples
This is a bit closer and remember you can click on pictures to see them larger. 

She's a full figured gal, with a lot of hip to jut out when swingin' that grass skirt. I plan to write an article on that process but it was fun and messy! Note her bra top, with seashells, and her flower lei made of sequins and seed beads. Her boyfriend is playing a ukelele and mooooning over her. 
I made her like a doll, with stuffing,  and then sewed her to the quilt last.
The surfboard also stands out from the quilt and used one of my special hoarded old fabrics.I just cut out the words RonJon and fused them on, because I fondly remember going to a RonJon shop once.
The palm tree came out just the way I wanted, and I quite enjoyed how the quilting looked, note two wooden heart coconuts. The little stone in front of the surfboard says "laugh" so... go ahead and laugh!

I chose the wilder of the two pineapples and I loved the wavy line quilting on it. I have never done that kind of thing but it seemed called for. Looks like someone had a mai tai or two while quilting doesn't it??
The hibiscus were scrunched up while
appliqueing/quilting them to add dimension. They are
beaded by hand with a few iron on crystals for good
measure.
You can see the quilting along the sand. I had some questions about leaving some unquilted area for movement. I think there has been a trend for several years to over quilting, filling a space so much that there is little drape or contrast and I wondered if judges have been seeing that so much they won't appreciate my attempt at sand dunes. I decided I like it and left it with some echo lines and un quilted areas.

 Here are the flowers on the other side  shown close up. Lots of metallic threads including halograph mylar. Really shiny. In the right light it really glistens like dew on a petal. Beads, sequins and crystals for the stamens.
I entered it in our guild challenge. It did not win any prizes, but when we went up to tell a bit about our quilts, the audience ooooohed. I thought, come on! You just saw it over there! It was in shadow though so when it caught the light it performed the way it does at home. Lighting is important.
One guild member commented " I thought it was Hawaii until I saw the cow. They only have brown cows there"  (Picture my reaction) I said, "I don't let  reality interrupt my life too much" Really! That's what made her reject Hawaii despite the hibiscus, volcanoes, beaches palm tree, tiny 3 inch log cabin blocks with flamingoes in each center, pineapple, and surfboard??
Not the fact that the cow was dancing on her hind hooves wearing a grass skirt accompanied by a ukelele playing boy. hmph.

Shrug, I might be slightly less traditional than most around here. I like it.
LeeAnna
linked to bloggers quilt festival http://amyscreativeside.com/bloggers-quilt-festival/