FFF I've only just begun ...

To focus, that is.

Very interesting week.  I've learned a lot.

To do the next thing first requires a focal point.  Charging off is all well and good.  I am really quite good at that.  And I do generate a lot of dust and accomplish things. But to run to a specific and well defined end is entirely new to me.  Ding Dong.  That is me schmucking my head with a rubber mallet! lol

Oh, I do like blogging.  It is my journal, my inspiration notebook, my technique book.  My Learning Book!  whoo hoo!

This week:

I spent a fun day learning a new technique that will put more options in my mixed media arsenal. A day with the focus on finished things and not finished projects was inspiring.  I have things to browse through to finish wips!  :)

 The quilt top and backing for Jolina is ready for basting and quilting. I think she enjoyed herself in class.

I hope she learned good things from her elders.  lol

I learned to go slowly and intentionally.  I redid the technique page in my journal and I have better control with a brush than smooshing with my finger.  I am intrigued to continue the study of lines, grids, and columns.

 I am delighted to post that I finally got those design wall curtains sewn and up!  I'm feeling calmer already.  lol 

Not exactly finished but I did some texture on white card stock.  I need to clean my stencils better.  Then I thought to actually colour the modeling paste.  Now I need to patiently learn how to keep from smearing things!  I don't think you ever really finish learning!  :)

101 Following the Line

As I  study the lines on my paper of things I need to do and consider what comes next I am realizing that line and direction are very much related.  I know line is probably the primary element in design but I hadn't thought much about direction. 

In seeking to "do the next thing first" I realize I am really seeking direction. 

As I study a natural principle I hope that it can be applied practically in my day to day life.

I think the dot is the first element but as I move it I get a line happening.  Aimless doodling can be a warm up but it is more profitable to commit to a direction.  And that direction should have purpose, a focal point, if you will. This crosshatching in thick acrylic paint is all about lines but I don't see a direction.

This week I was thinking I'd walk the line.  Ha! It has been the kind of week for a quicker pace.  I've been breaking into a fast trot! 

I had a full house for Creativity 101 and today I felt like I needed to step up the pace to a run.  :(

For my own study I'm wanting to do some copying so I can learn mixed media techniques.  I won't share the link as this is no testimony to a lovely tutorial.  Haste makes waste.  So I shall knock back to a well paced walk and redo this tomorrow,  paying attention to drying times, controlled splotches of paint, and thoughtful results.  This was a good reminder that I need to enjoy the journey, the process.  I do believe I'm finding a pathway!  Now if I can just hold that line!  ;)

wow Nina is working

Doing the next thing first meant getting this baby quilt ready for use.

It felt sew good to hear Nina humming away again.  I'd hoped to get my curtains finished that are to hang over my fabric shelves.  They will be my new design wall.  I still hope to get them done by Friday.

I am also focusing on lines and grids.  This is a basic grid formed by regularly sized and spaced lines.  Fast but a tad boring.

The backing for this is lines.  I need to get a little less predictable.  But it needed to match the first quilts for her brother and sister.  I was also thinking regularly used and not heirloom.  lol   Her sister and room mate's quilt is on the right.  I think their room is going to be pink and yellow.  Quilting will be a diagonal of a large wavy stitch.

Discovering that grids show up as columns has been mind altering.  And then there are all the spaces within the lines.  I am quite excited about this and ready to work on the columns for my wall hanging.  I want to break up the larger pieces of fabric.  Getting the flow of light and seeing that as a line showing direction is working.  But I'm wondering about the focal point.   

I am also wondering what The Needle and Thread Network is up to!

The next thing first

I once heard a children's story about a spoiled prince who was sent to live with a dame in the countryside who made her living raising geese.  When he began to be cooperative and asked her what he should do, she said, "Do the next thing first.".  I just thought that so profound.

The problem is that being a procrastinator. I usually operate in crisis mode so I'm not sure what should be next.  I also find routine kinda boring but as I get older I can definitely see its value.

So what IS next?

Besides laundry, that is.  lol

I have some UTEE experiments to analyze.  I want to look at line. I 'get' line but I hadn't quite seen it as direction.  I am realizing I like a grid format but I'm definitely not symmetrical.  So while I was playing I was also thinking about lines, grids, and direction.

First, the UTEE.

I have no melting pot so I want to use stamps and an embossing pad.   That is pretty straight forward with the clear UTEE.  I need to add some coloured glazing but what if the UTEE was coloured?

So...   I needed some alcohol ink but Distress Ink in wild honey appealed so I used that. 

My large foam rubber stamp was really too big for the amount of UTEE I'd made and I began to realize the coloured crystals were a bit damp.  Drying would be good but I was impatient and for the last (top) spiral I pressed the sticky stamp down onto the UTEE.  Better.  But the most fun was using Distress stamp pads and glimmer mists.

The lighter star used squeezed lemonade distress ink and Tattered Angels Chalkboard in apricot.

The darker stars used antique linen and rip tide glimmer mist.

After I swiped the distress pad over the cardboard stars I sprayed with the glimmer mist and let it dry.

I embossed with clear UTEE and then heated it.  Add a second coating of mist.  I added Perfect Pearls, just because, and made sure I had lots of droplets.  Then I reheated the star and the mica kinda sinks into the liquid UTEE.  The dark stars are pretty classy but I also wanted to try lighter effects.

These samples used 3 different distress inks but I was liking the Perfect Pearls mist.  There is a lot of variations for the player.  The colour of the card stock, the stains, the mists, even the UTEE.  Lots of fun and most of what I learned came from googling!  Jennings 644 was especially helpful.

I also googled grids. I use the law of thirds, The Golden Grid, lots.  I can further that by breaking my page into 2" grids, keeping the golden grid in mind.  Very interesting.  But I also discovered that grids can also subdivide a page vertically and horizontally into margins, columns, inter-column spaces, lines of type and spaces between blocks of types and images.

I went searching for this fabulous book I found thrift shopping.  Look at the what ifs....

A good friend, Meredith, has invited me to play along with a Fibre Optics Group in Calgary.  The very next thing on my list is very often playing!  I will be looking forward to Foggy Tuesdays!  :)

I'm in the mood for...

 Winter!  I do believe it is settling in to stay.  I need to slide the inside to-do list right under the last crossed off item on the Rooster's outside to-do list.  :)  He likes to fluff and settle his feathers into a cozy roost come the shorter days of winter.  I need to keep that sunlight in front of him so he has something to crow about!  Well, so I have much to cluck about actually!  lol

I need a nice clean sheet of paper, as pristine as the new fallen snow and then I need to make some marks that grab my attention and focus me on the coming day, week, season.

I have laced up my running shoes and I am in the mood to run!

Re: lax

This week has kinda been a white out!  I think Murphy went over to DS#3    vbsigh

So I went to the library, picked out the fattest book I could find and hid in its pages till the blizzard was over.  sheesh

 Time to stand up and face things like the Rooster.  Time to stop being a chicken!  ;)

So with not much time remaining I shall finish the week ...  I am working on texture.  Or I was.  The Rooster has other plans.  I shall finish that clean white page next week!  ;)

Coming, dearie!!!!

in the mood for white

The snow is minimal but the wind is COLD.   I am in the mood for white and warm!

This week is all about my list of projects and I have texture on my mind.  I am really hoping to get a lot of different things crossed off my list.  hmm,  make that with whiteout! ;)

Flinging Friday Far!

I lost my lemon!  I need it to make lemonade!  I put it in a safe place so I wouldn't lose it. I should know that that is the nemesis to more seniors than I care to name. :(  So first thing,  I flinged/flung was garbage.  That was rather satisfying and helps build up the muscles and not to mention the enthusiasm to fling Murphy.

Found it! Hmm, I thought it was different!  lol  I shall keep on and see what else I can find.

I also found a few ideas to fling around as I was sorting!  I do like making tags.

Categories sort of defeat me.  But too big a conglomeration stalls me.  I need two more of these Rubbermaid containers.  I measured the height of their future shelf.  ;)  My tags, envelopes, and labels are together.  My words and letters  is a big one.  And then  flowers, shapes and 'nouns'!  lol  Gee, I'm finding lots of ideas.

Then I stopped to fling myself down into the basement to vacuum up the baking soda from the electrical fire so our dumbness isn't quite so apparent. :{  The official well/pump fixer needed access to all parts of our well, deep down in the ground and behind the cobwebs by the panel box! ;)  We are getting all new components, including electrical.  yippee

I feel just fine in spite of my broken tooth which Murphy kicked as we were flinging him out!   I think Murphy is gonna have to find someplace else to trouble! 

Creating without Murphy

Nothing major. Just a whole series of snafu's!  And because nothing is a real tragedy we must be into comic mode.  And really, what else can one do but laugh when the next knot appears in the string.

The grand kiddies are back in their own nest.  I shall miss the bits of advice.  "Yup,  when you are all blooded, you die!".  The big brother is 'such' a comfort to his little sister.  I did learn after the fact that he was the cause of the droplets! ;)

My gal was alarmed that time was flying until I realized I'd not turned back the playroom clock.  Hours to go till night time.  Speaking of which she did an excellent job of adding stars to her sky.  Probably not visible but the shadows in the hills and valleys on the snow are lovely, too.

We/I are working on size and direction.  We want to keep the eye moving but not have it leave the page prematurely.  I am also working on the card.  This page seems fitting! :)  This will be from my DD#2's family and will be a bit more light hearted.

The Rooster has knocked himself silly and managed to singe his feathers but he is a tough ol' bird and there has hardly been a missed note in his cock a doodle doo!  We certainly wouldn't wish Murphy on anyone but it would be good if he'd go create messes somewhere else.  And soon! ;)

wow, Murphey's visiting

It has been one thing after another these last few days.  I did add another fabric to the mix for my wall hanging.  I am also thinking that I want to break up the larger blocks more.  But I daren't try that till Murphy leaves!  :(

So while I am waiting I felt it would be safe to have the grand kiddies help start the youngest's nap quilt. 
Using her roommate's quilt as a prototype we began to cut and arrange.  Well, some of us did!

My helpers left at lunch time and I think this will work but I best get them sewn together before Murphy messes with them.  He has been messing about with our well and until the pump is fixed I expect I'll be doing dry stuff only.  :O  I hope he hasn't been messing with any of my fellow  Needle and Thread Networkers

moody!

The plan for the week is in jeopardy.  The grand kiddies have again descended.   I bought them each a recorder.  I must be losing my mind and if they keep up the music I definitely will lose it!  ;)

Old finish, new month

Looks like the last good weekend so we'll be busy finishing things up for winter.  Can't come too soon for me.  pant, pant

I got one more fabric that'll help make a cohesive whole to the wall hanging.  This is a shot of that early morning east sun and another son, a grand kiddie,  trying to copy cursive before he can even print.  He is a keener!

 I did a gluing tutorial for my DD#1.

This is a start on the lighter fun page in the booklet/card.  Hang in there and when life gives you lemons make lemonade kind of thing. ;)

The scrap book page challenge was indeed a challenge and a bit rushed.

 

And because I have showcased two grand kiddies I thought to give equal time to the third who made a necklace for her Tia Laura (DD#1) and was so pleased with it she is keeping it for herself!!!  I like to think of it as a prototype!  LOL