Friday Finish

Spring Has Sprung

The new Broad Band has been fast.  I'm not spending so much time watching the little wheel spin.  Unfortunately I may have tweaked something I shouldn't have and sometimes nothing connects. :(  I expect a cleaning is in order anyway and  some adjustments to 'my' adjustments by the computer man.  He doesn't do house calls so this'll require a little road trip.  Hopefully this can happen during the weekend and quickly.

A trip to the city involved a few supplies for making my own images for Photo shop Elements.  I'm quite excited about pursuing that.  It'll be more of a priority in the coming weeks.  These are mark making tools and with them I will be able to make my very own images.

I couldn't resist a few experiments.  Lest you think I know what I'm doodling, let me assure you I don't. It took a bit to figure out the cubes.  lol

I also got a new book that is pulling me out of my traditional comfort zone and into my 'want to be cool' but
not so comfortable zone.  I'm hoping it will help identify my own personal style for making art but also for decorating my nest.

The beading choice was also a heads up that I want to and am probably ready to change my colour preferences. 

I'm quite busy making significant changes to see how far I can push my own as well as the Rooster's comfort zones.  I might be alright as long as I don't mess around with the fridge and stove colours! LOL

I am definitely appreciating all the encouragement I am getting. 

Spring Flinging

I never realized how much I look forward to spring.

I decorate my house according to the seasons.  I have basement shelves that are designated to each season. I am also very prompt in putting up all my spring stuff and the truth be known it is the most complete.

I have been thinking about my home, my STUFF, and the seasons.  I have also been thinking of creativity.  I do believe it is part of every one's make up.   I had a cousin who could draw well.  So my attempts seemed pretty pitiful.  I decided to figure out home decor;  read all I could, and practiced on my bedroom while leaving art to the so called 'real' artists. I realize now that I have poured all my creativity into my home.  It also means that not meeting up to the family expectations doesn't mean I am not artistic.  Sheesh, you'd think it would have dawned on me sooner than during a 'senior moment'.  lol 

But I'm feeling the burden of all this stuff.  Time to edit.  Time to purge.  Time to move on. 

I'm now ready to try my hand at some other expressions of art, mixed media art, probably with an emphasis on fibre.  In a much bigger way.  Not just little craft projects.  ART!

So lets get this house in order  so I can get on with my  'other'  life.

So the bottom fabrics show where I was somewhat headed.  But the top pamphlet shows where my heart is.  A kids palette? 

Do I dare?  What will the Rooster say?  I'm not sure I care what the chicks have to say.  lol

I need to decide so I can do it and then  make more time for art.  So I'm going to simplify and I think the spring palette, the design ascetic and the simplicity that spring inspires will become more permanent.   Creamy butter yellow, some blue green and some cranberry with lots of white is the preferred choice but traditional or radical will be the question.

Red, Yellow, and Blue is a triad colour combination.  I want the golden yellow, the blue green and the more purple red.

                          
This is a bit too soft but I do like it.

I really like this chalky effect and it gives a bit more options.

If the Rooster wakes up and begins to crow about the changes in colour,  I can deepen them .

I like lots of white and then some accents of black to keep it from becoming too sweet.

I hope that if I stick to this colourway and add different amounts in the various rooms I'll have a whole house that flows.

This image so resonates with me. Artistically!  I'm sure this colour palette will also figure in my artwork.

This is my new book, the artist unique -inspiration and techniques to discover your creative signature, by Carmen Torbus.  It has some good tutorials but they are for exploring what you'd  like as part of your own signature.  This philosophy would apply to my home as well as my art.  I'm quite excited to be discerning the artistic 'me' and not the peer pressure person I personify. 

I'm off to fling the spring stuff all over and I'll be seeing if it carries me through the summer, the fall and the winter as well.  And need I add, into a newly creative world of artistic endeavours?

Wow - at home

All I do is centred in HOME.  From a contented place I create.  I create things for home.  Home reflects my creativity.  It really is a fun circle!

The best way I know to put my own personal stamp on my place of abode is to make as much of what goes into it myself.

Hence today's project.  Fitted sheets for the Sunshine Room's bunk beds..

The foam for the mattresses has arrived.  We'll cut it, make up the beds and await the weekend guest.
I had bought yards of pillow ticking thinking I'd use it to dye my own fabric. And it does dye wonderfully. But it is also a very tight weave and difficult to be doing a lot of stitching on.

These bunk beds are specially sized so I'll use the fabric to make sheets. They will be white for now but I'll dye them this summer when I make pillow cases and such to go with the quilt tops I have waiting to be machine quilted. The top is on the left and the backing on the right.

I also need to finish painting the doors and colour coordinating the odd woods and file cabinet.

So that isn't too exciting.

What I'd rather be doing is reading my new book.  I need to identify my artistic signature because it will affect everything I make whether it is an object of art or an home that reflects me.

Okay, back to the sewing but I'll definitely be thinking hard about 'my signature'!

Please click on the TN&TN button on my side bar to see other Canadian artist's work and their signatures.

Key to my...

Keys are intriguing.  This is for the hallway and I need to find a good hook to hang these heavy Home Sense keys.

Our beading student does not wear earrings so I thought a key chain might employ some of the earring techniques.  When I saw the key ring the grand kiddie's aunt made I thought this could be a lot of fun.

I already have some 'good stuff' we could incorporate

Then we rolled up some polymer clay, baked it and then put some modge podge on them. I think I'd find something better than that as it is messy.

The flower making was kinda fiddly but FUN!  We fixed the flower on with E6000 adhesive.  I guess we'll see how fragile the petals are! :O

I do think we found a key to success with this project.

Springing into action

I shall be moving 3 times as fast. Shoot, make that 3x3 faster.  Whoo Hoo!  I just need Out Look Express to convert to Broad Band and I lost some time this morning fixing what I fixed.  LOL

As I look about the yard and see so much bare ground I am sure I am also seeing Dandelions, stretching, and pushing at their bed covers.  Shh, was that a yawn???  I'm not sure I'm ready to add yard work and all the plans for outside work to an already busy schedule, but the calender says spring officially arrives on Tuesday, the 20th.  gulp!  This photo was a few days ago.  It is all bare as of Saturday.

The grand kiddies are all ready:

Some of us have bigger plans than the others!

There actually isn't much water at all so the two duckies are very happy to find a small ditch that still holds the spring melt.

This week my focus is the Sunshine Room.  A good friend is coming for a visit and with son #3 occupying the spare room I need to have the alternative up, functional and pretty.  This will involve getting the closet door back on, the pictures hung, mattresses laid down and sheets made. I think quilting the 2 quilt tops may be beyond reasonable.  lol

Son in law and the grand kiddies got the new doors on the old cupboard.  The Rooster will do all the picture  and door hanging.  First I have to find what safe place I put the hinges!!!  :(

Beading this week is with polymer clay.  I'm appreciating all the comments and suggestions as we prepare
for our key chain.

I'm not sure if any sewing or messing with paper and glue will happen as it is time for a good clean and some spring decor throughout the whole house.

No race horses this week, just a fast moving vacuum!

Friday Finish

Chickens are ordered and will arrive for the May long weekend.

Does this look like I am making great strides in photoshop?  Now if I can file and retrieve it!

Beading was a snap with the elastic. Pun intended!  We started on making polymer clay beads for the key chain which comes up next.

Nina stitched out more patterns and is now telling me she wants the red loops fixed.  So I'm trying to figure out what she wants as things look fine to me!  Sometimes she and I don't speak the same language but we are getting along just fine. lol

No class in AB for this week but I did add some more to the various pages.

The snow is disappearing as fast as my time for creative endeavours.  I'm looking ahead to more finishes next week so I'm prioritizing my scribbled list in anticipation for more on Monday.

happy weekend!

administrative days!

Some days there just seems to be a lot of activity but not a whole lot to show for it.  I'm considering it an administrative day as I actually haven't created anything.  I have done quite a bit of prep work though and that makes things flow when the push is on.  And the push is coming.  Spring is in the air!

WOW stitching again

The patterns are all stitched out, trimmed and joined into back to back pairs with edge stitching.
                                                                 

                                                               
I seem to have a few of these type of patterns so I stitched them out in close proximity so I could compare them.
                                                                    A few  favorites!

These are delightful cross stitch patterns in the lovely gold colour.  I don't cross stitch but I might.  

Embroideries in the duller colour.

The alphabets and numbers could be used as they are or I imagine the length and width dials could be adjusted to alter their appearance.

 There are many variations.  The thinness or thickness of the threads would change the stitches.  I haven't experimented with that  but I will.  I did some experimenting with changing the stitch length and then trying the length.  The balance function will also distort the pattern. Stitches can be placed close to each other, on top of one another or even crossing over one another.

The possibilities are quite limitless.

This example uses a basic honeycomb stitch, #8 in my basic utility section of stitches.  I can also swing the fabric as the pattern is stitching out and this makes very exciting options as the rhythm of the swing could be fast, slow or a herky jerky!.  Some patterns open up and look pretty better than others.  Again, lots of options.

For those who sigh for lack of patterns on their basic sewing machine, there is always the good old zig zag stitch.  And then there are the various kinds of fabric that get in the stitches, causing them to be filled with threads or nap .  Gauzes and velvets are just two that are very exciting to this chick.

Sew...  what if a spring chick took her machine out on the dance floor and after a slow dance to warm up, threw off those heavy confining winter covers and   salsa'd!!!

Happy stitching.  Perhaps you'd like to go see what others have on their worktable this Wednesday.  TNTN