Mixed Media Multi tasking!

I have discovered the secret to success, at least for me.  I need to work in multiples.  :)

I started the day getting the grand kiddies smash books ready for them. 

 Those background pages don't work so I glued down better ones.

We'll see what they do with them.  We are not into scary/ugly so this is a summing up of October courtesy of Tia Laura's scrapbook paper overflow.  She gave me a Graphics 45 calendar 8X8 pad.  woo hoo!

But then I had some leftovers and I was fooling around when I began to think, what if...

I kept glancing at my hardboard picture which I wanted to 'fix up'.  The kids' colourway could work and so...   This is drying and isn't finished so I need to screw up my courage to press on as I kinda like it the way it is.  eek!  Does "do no harm" apply to art???

Then I had to work on the weekly palette challenge and when the stencil got all wet with colour I opened another journal to catch the over flow!  The stars weren't purple enough so I needed to spray.

The one on the top left is a future something or other and the bottom left is awaiting more inspiration!

But now I need to tear myself away because it is art 101 with the grand kiddies today over at their house. 

First Kit

One Christmas I persuaded the Rooster to give me a fabric kit.  I'm not sure when that was nor am I sure that it came with a pattern.  The fabrics were all woven, mostly plaids.

I really liked them and actually made a quilt that I machine quilted and used on our bed.  It has faded somewhat over time.

I struggled to find a good layout and learned my first lesson about coordinated fabrics.  There will never be a WOW factor if you only use the kit.  It needs a spark to make it come alive.  The gal who was teaching us the sampler course helped me audition some fabrics and this wild  yellow/orange mottled fabric waved wildly.  I was amazed by what it brought to the quilt table.  This was way before Bali's became popular and probably started my luv affair with orange!

When I joined the Working in a Series project,  I chose the square in a square block. First step is to make a traditional quilt using the block.  Gee, I should have remembered this quilt instead of reinventing the wheel.  :^P  As I've been looking for treasures I was reminded that I'm even using a kit of coordinating fabrics. Sheesh!

But I'm encouraged because I also found a wonky square in a square quilt that I 'designed' myself.  :)

I have the beginning and the future!  Time to get busy on all the middle quilts and see where this all ends! 

Ironing the wrinkles out!

We have had serious fog these past few mornings.  The heat is way up there and the humidity is 98% so thundershowers have been enhancing the weed production and the fog is kinda hiding them.  lol   This has turned out to be a challenging year for making headway on all the flowerbeds.  The good news is that the new plants are settling in nicely though.  We have all the trees we potted up in spring to find places for.  Good thing they got a nice start in their 'nursery' by the barn as we've changed their placement several times.  The Rooster is right into cutting grass now and he was not impressed with my 'scalping' of the back yard.  Gee, at one time all he cared about was the height of impending weeds.  ;^) 

When it is too hot to be out I am in the sweat shop ironing.   :(   I have the cutting down to a fine art. My math skills impressed me as I have slivers and a two by three inch scrap left from each piece which is great as these fabrics are fiddly to work with so I do not want leftovers.   I can get four blocks if I don't make any mistakes and there have been two or three.  :(   I will mix and match to get four different blocks and the plan is to make four quadrants.  If my math holds out I will have enough to run an extra row between the quadrants for a nice quilt for the foot of the bed.

 I quickly switched off my steam iron.  I'm using an old thrift shop iron and some spray starch.   Spraying the fabric has made all the difference in the world.  :)

The colour ways are roses, yellows, blues and greens.  I'm liking it; a perfect summer quilt.  The bottom right block was before I began starching and I'm hoping I won't have to use it.  :{

As you can tell from the first photo the fog is just about gone and it is time to do some sweating outside before I can get back to sweating and sewing.  We moved the laying hens back to their home coop and its a race between me and them as to who'll have the weeds gone first!  ;^)

Seriously behind

Looks like I lost a month in the series.  :(

I left off with a change in plan and then there was a series of things that obviously seemed more important.  :O  But I am committed to do this and while doing a bit of catch up on square in the square possibilities on the Internet I got excited all over again.  Not a bad thing when you are in  'middle of year' stall mode.  This was the new plan. 

The wind is still blowing here and summer chore lists are also riffling.  A hot day, a thunder storm last night and some free time this morning means I can make some small breezes to happen in the playroom.

I'm thinking summer laundry lines, summer flowers, and  summer fun!

I missed the last link up somehow so I'll need to have something doubly good for this next month.

While the laundry was doing its thing, I began to cut my fabric and made two blocks.  Gee, this fabric is soft.  eek!  I shall think about whether I need to use starch.  Maybe I just need to tweak the tension.  I'll think about it as I hang the laundry and  try to catch a breeze while I cut the grass.  It is a motivating Monday!  :)

Progress: pacing myself

These fits and starts are down right tiring and very irritating.  I wish I wasn't such a squirrel, dashing here and there and dropping nuts all over.  But the mountain of plans projects is ever on the horizon so while the squirrel is having a nap here is the itinerary for the coming month.

The Rooster has finally bought some new feathers and though the mending pile gets its own space that isn't photo worthy, at least until after I get them all hemmed.  Note to self- next go round find a significant other with a ready to wear pant size!  ;^)

The top of the mountain is weathered in but it covers my big dream.  I dream of making a crazy patch lap quilt for the end of our bed.  Having discovered that I may be lacking in some skill to actually do this climb I have joined a class and have been gathering some supplies for the test block.  I'm not too sure where the squirrel led me for the month of April but I think I see a break in the cloud cover.

 I've enrolled in Kathy Shaw's free crazy quilt course.  Beginners!   I am gathering my supplies and I am determined to catch up asap!  The new 'puter resulted in my losing my supply list and instructions but I'm reconnected and ready to go now.

Now this series has been an enlightening journey. This particular path has gotten a bit convoluted but I'm determined to keep the forward motion going.

The first recommendation for working in a series of quilts is to make a traditional quilt.  I have on my to-do list a summer lap quilt for our bedroom.  :)  But before I slice away I should figure out a block size that makes the best use of my collection of fabrics.  Have I mentioned how much I hate figuring the math.  Invariably it'll be wrong but nothing ventured...

The whole point of ufo busting is to get things done so I can come up with a whole bunch of new ones!  ;^)   This isn't even a hike, a climb, or a full fledged expedition.  This is the daily walk.  :O

DD#1 has invited me to come help decorate her new condo.  Forget walking;  this is the kind of project I skip right into!  Since we are starting with builder beige it would be good to take along a few options for review.  And I do have  few options!  ;^)

Indeed I do have a thing or two to keep me moving right along!  And when I'm in need of a change of scenery there is always all the wet stuff I can apply to fabric and paper but that is for the painting post!

Blowing in the wind!

Company blew in and out again.  I thought the laundry was going to follow them.  Phew!

 I had to dismantle my series vignette from the guest room and I am a thinking that if it is taking this much time to get around to starting, it ain't gonna happen.  I think series is a wonderful concept but perhaps my 'art' series time has not yet arrived.   But I DO want to try working in a series.

 A series is a body of work connected by a common idea.  The idea can grow from what if next time...  or it can be just one idea that is fully explored.  But it is basically a variation of one subject.  But it should come from a natural inclination and interest.  My natural inclination is a simple shape and the modern fabrics that keep winking at me. ;-)

I dug through my design/inspiration file because I remember making a copy of something concerning working in a series that featured quilts. It has survived all the various editing of my numerous files.   I saved a Century of Progress block idea that has lots of options but I think I'll start with a simpler block.

Square in a Square is a favourite. I certainly like diagonal square and I made a big quilt using it.  But I am thinking the block on the left so I can explore log cabin variations.   Lots of what if's!

The first step is to make a completely finished traditional quilt and proceed from there.  

sew:

I went to my handy dandy ufo busting  list and I need a summer lap quilt for my master bedroom!  This will be fun and I'll try to remember to keep the window closed when the design wall is needed!

This past week has been busy and a tad stressful.  The Rooster and I have gotten a great start on the spring yard work but now we get to take a pause.  Looks like spring has been blown off the track by a winter squall.  Gee, I can take a bit of a breather!!!

Series restart!

I have tried, and tried.  But I just cannot get into these houses.  I like houses.  I wanna do a series on houses.  But THESE aren't turning my crank.  I think they are too traditional and I'm not seeing how to up their value to more modern sensibilities.  They are also not the orientation I'd prefer.  Grouping them fritz's perspective.  One is lonely.  ???

I recently purchased Gwen Marston's Minimal Quiltmaking.  LUV it!  That would be a wonderful series to explore.

Elizabeth Barton's books are wonderful and I'd luv to take a class with her. 

But I can't get Katie's Inspirations in Design out of my mind. I have a few of her books.   I even had a look at grouping the houses!  lol 

SO!

I like the portrait orientation for working in.

But this looks good, too.  I'd need to face that bird inwards and maybe raise up the box or get a lower candle.  But I'm just about ready to get serious with lesson one!

Getting serious with the series

I blogged my intentions for the series project. While I may indeed have been excited,  I am now scared!  :(

We have been fully engaged in stall mode. Everything is clean, I've started the ufo's and I've thumbed a few pages in the books.  I  thought I'd do the photography challenge first but it is taking  forever for the new camera software to upload.  This just won't do so I will be starting as I type this post.  Ha!  Can't wait to see what I put down!  ;^)

 I'm not sure I want this horizontal orientation and it is a pile of details although I do like the perspective aspect..

Another possibility is that I could split them up.  Do one or another or even one of each.  :O

 These are canisters I got at a thrift shop and I really like them but not for such mundane things as flour and sugar!  lol

The detail is pretty simple and what I'm looking for is sketching options.

The smallest one is challenging with the bow window.   It is kinda cute though!

Hmm, I like the bit of detail on the corner so I may angle it a bit. It is the only one with that feature.   I shall sleep on it and come up with some sketches for part B!

If I'm going to be trying different things I should have some kind of continuity.  This isn't about realism so I'm thinking this fabric will be good for the sky/background.  I've lots if I make some mistakes!  :(

The last art day we had gave me an opportunity to get everybody sketching.  We all picked a  house and had at it with water soluble pencils.  I find them pretty inspiring actually!  :)  

Time to get serious.  Time to commit!