Miscellaneous Stuff

Working in the studio this week I thought I would go over a few things with my readers. First, I am not someone that does a lot of regular drawing unless it is just to play with some of the materials I have like markers and pencils. While I was scouring the inner recesses of the studio, I ran across these things I worked on back in 2014. Just for fun here are some pics:

I wanted to use this color combination and the
heart design was perfect. All done freehanded.

I just started doodling around and this is what
happened!

I had an idea back in 2014 to illustrate a binder
I had and not use it as a planner but just as a
journal. I put a favorite poem for winter on the
opposite page.

February was fun too! The poem for this month
 is the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

I moved onto other things so March was the last
one I illustrated, however, I may finish the project
sometime in the future.

I couldn't resist dressing up the cover with markers
and stickers.

THE PETRIFIED PAINT PROJECT
I mentioned in my last entry a project wherein the paint broke so many needles I had to table it. The story behind the project began when a friend of mine was struggling with advanced cancer. I wanted to make something for her that would show elements of her life that I knew about. The pattern was made, fabric purchased, floss selected, and I was purchasing various charms to put on it. I put the fabric paint on it which was just beautiful, the sparkle was truly awesome. While stitching the border, I realized using the fabric would be impossible because my needles were breaking like crazy from the stiff fabric. While I was trying to find another comparable, but softer, fabric paint, my dear friend passed away. I learned then that the prep work is every bit as important as the actual work on the project. Since researching different media, I can now look at the fabric and paint and think that maybe it wasn't all the paint's fault. There may be mitigating factors such as this particular fabric had metallic thread woven in it and I did not wash the sizing out of it before painting, and these certainly could have affected the outcome. What would be interesting in the future would be to use this same type of material (prewashed of course) and use a regular, non-sparkling medium on it to see if the metallic in the fabric will be enough to give it sparkle with the medium.

Here are the project pictures:

Here is the fabric. It has a divot in the middle
where things were stacked on it, otherwise it
hasn't changed.

 

I custom mixed glass beads in the colors I was
going to use.

 

Here are the other beads, floss and charms. I was
still getting more charms when the project halted.

So since I have all the materials, I think I could make this piece into a tribute for my friend. She was a truly exceptional lady and friend, and this would be fitting for her.

I also ran across this project tray in the process, which truthfully I just forgot about. LOL! I ran across this darling, rustic little birdhouse brooch and these little bone bird beads. It was almost like Christmas discovering these treasures again!:o)

Looking at this entry it looks like a stroll down memory lane. It's surprising how much my approach has changed yet stayed the same, and that is what creativity is all about, evolving and exploring. What stays the same always is that it remains interesting and rewarding.

Coming up later this week are the fibers I couldn't use and the stitch sampler so stay tuned!

Until then: KEEP CREATING!