Still going

I have still been working, just forget to post, but I will persist
I have recently uploaded a few new Journal Quilts to the Made on Monday Site, Hosted by Kate Bridger

  

I think I have about thirty on that site.  These might not be even up yet!  I now have over a hundred journal quilts, but these ones are all just about leaves.
Earlier in the year, I did a lot of printing on fabric and sheers of gum leaves and I have finally gotten around to doing something with them!

So fat I have just free motioned around this one.  Not sure about the colours.

This one has two layers of prints on organza, with stitching on the top layer.

This one also has two layers, the print below, which has been stitched, and the top organza layer with a further stitched leaf.  My idea with these is to put them together a la Jane Lafazio, to make a large wall hanging.  Of course that is a long way away.
I have also now got a beautiful Bernina Q20 long arm! I have done about half a dozen quilts since I got it and am really enjoying the space!

Her is the latest, a very modern quilt I have made from some orphan fish block that were in my WIPs

And here is a close up of what I am doing on it.  Lots of bubbles at the moment, but there will be a lot more by the time I am finished.
AS I said, I am doing a degree in fine arts too, so sometimes I have deadlines there.
I have also almost completed my quilt for Art Quilts Around the World  Can't show that until after the due date which is the 30th Nov, so here is just a taster.

Not much to go on there, LOL. The topic is pop art.

Don't forget to be creative every day!

Back again

I have not blogged for nearly a year, and  I have found that I was not as productive, partly because I was not blogging, but also because the Tangled Textiles Group finished.  I tried lots of challenges and workshops, but found that it was impossible for me to stick to anything, especially if it was an every day commitment because there are periods where I am not at home. for the next few weeks, I will try and go through some of the things I am doing.

My last posts here were about journal quilts and I have attempted to keep doing these with the help of Kate Bridger, who is hosting a Made on Monday five inch square challenge on her site.  I have been absent for a month or so, but am hoping to join in again.  Participants also post their work on the textile arts facebook  page.

Here are my first seventeen contributions

They are all on my favourite theme of leaves and use a variety of techniques including free motion embroidery, hand embroidery and thread painting and a wide variety of fabrics including hand printed fabric.

Hope you enjoy these and I will be back with more as I do them

A busy Day

I  had art class yesterday and got absolutely nothing done in my studio.  And when I got home, I just said to my self. "Don't stress"  And I didn't.
today, however was a different story.  I got a ton done, perhaps because I had a little break and wasn't stressed!

Here is the sea dragon sketch finished.

and I did another, sketch, a quick watercolour sketch of the ivy outside my studio.

My five minute warm ups.

And my journal page.  These are both Gelli prints from a few days ago. which I layered over a background I wasn't really happy with. I had painted the spread with red and orange paint and scraped it with a catalyst tool.  The amazing thing was when I layered the prints, which were on deli/greaseproof paper, the texture showed through on the unprinted parts.  I am linking this to Art Journal Journey

And miracle of miracle, I did some gelli printing today.  Most of it I did on fabric.

Here is one using a piece of grass as a mask
And, another miracle - I have even started free motion stitching on it!

And here are a pair done with another type of grass

I made a lot more prints, but I will show them to you tomorrow.

Happy Creating!

In the forest

Here are a few steps in my art journal page, which I am sharing at Art Journal Journey for the October theme of Deep in the forest.

I use old books for my journal, and usually start with some paint or gesso

Today I added some leafy texture with this little stencil.  The paint looks black, but is actually deep purple.

Of course after that I got carried away.  I painted some branches and leaves in and added some text.  It says "Like Art, forests just have to grow."

A few close - ups

Here are the rest of today's bits and pieces!

I finished the shell drawing.  I am quite happy with it.

My 5 minute warm ups

And I finished the free motion stitched feather!

Happy creating!

I ummed and ahhed about whether or not to delete the following epistle, but ultimately decided to leave it in.  I have put it down here so that you don't have to read it if you just want to look.


I have been thinking lately that my posts are becoming repetitive and that I should make them a little more exciting, but as I was taking my daily walk I really thought about my priorities with blogging.
As it happens, I had been wondering recently whether I wanted to continue blogging, for just this reason, the pressure to produce something of interest to other people.
And then of course I came back to the reason I started blogging - not to get lots of followers or to BE someone, but to just keep a record of what I do, and to see what other people are doing.
I don't know how many of you out there are aware of my situation, or where my life is at right now.
I live a long way out in the bush in a tiny town of about 300 people.  Not only am I isolated in this way, I am also isolated because  I cannot drive due to panic attacks, so I really only exhibit work at two nearby shows each year and cannot attend any larger art groups for the same reason.
My blog therefore is my life line to the art world.  Without it I would never have met a wide range of artists and crafters from all over the world and my work would not be anything like it is.
Basically I have decided that I need to blog, but, rather than blogging being  the aim of my work, it is best to simply make the work the aim and the blog a simple record.
It is like the dilemma when you choose between making the art that is inside you and making the art that buyers (or readers) want.  I already know that when art making becomes a job, for example with commissions, It is harder for me to be creative.  For me it is best not to go down that road.  Perhaps if I was still young and just setting out, then I could develop that discipline, but not this late in life.  I am set in my ways.

A feather from a crow

Continuing on with trying to keep with a routine....
Most of my morning is taken up with tidying up, journaling and email, but once it becomes a habit, I am hoping it will be quicker??
Here is my unfinished Daily drawing

Sometimes I choose a very detailed drawing, and in these cases, I allow myself to complete it over a few days.  This is a very intricate shell, which I have only just started.

My warm ups for today, both collages and not much paint today, which is unusual, and even more unusual, my journal page for today

A landscape collage from magazine pages.  It took quite a while to make, so I have just left it simple like this, but I expect I will work back into it with pastels and paint at a later date.

 And here is some stitching.  This is a feather using free motion on water soluble stabilizer.  It will probably go into my challenge piece for Tangled Textiles, which is due on 16th November, so you will probably see a bit of this work in the next few weeks.

Happy Creating!