Ladybug Lake Update

Here is the latest and greatest pix of Ladybug Lake. I am going to compare the last one with the latest one, which was taken with my little Canon camera.

Taken with my old iPhone

Taken with Canon camera

The Canon pix has the colors right, and there isn't a distortion of the fabric color like the iPhone. Now my iPhone is an old hand me down from my husband, who is more taken with phone technology than I am, so he gets the newer phone and I inherit the old. It's a good working arrangement for the two of us. However, an older technology means that there are discrepancies to be put up with, i.e., the difference in color from the phone camera to a real camera. You can see here too that a bit more progress has been made on the design.

So now with this great upgrade to provide better quality pix, I can feel confident that what I put up on my blog is true to what I am actually seeing, and that is what I want, a better experience for those readers of my blog.

Hopefully the next time I give you an update, I will be at the bottom of the stitching as shown in the pix, and will be starting on the last twenty or so rows beneath it.

In the meantime, I have been experimenting with my Shiva Paintsticks for the next project. I am thinking about painting the background with either the Paintsticks or Jacquard fabric paints to match the stitching, that way I won't have any white background show up. This will take some time to get the fabric ready if I do this, since I have to wash the fabric to get all the sizing out of it so it will take either the oil or acrylic paint and then letting it set up after I paint it. I may even use my Martha Stewart's. I'll have to see how the matching goes. I have also been looking at fibers for it too. So it has been busy here at Pear Blossom Designs, which is okay, because the weather outside has been sweltering. Summer truly is here in Oklahoma.

Stay cool, comfortable and serene until next time.
Debbie

When Did a Tornado Go Through My Studio?

I know here in Oklahoma we are known for our dramatic weather, especially tornadoes, but I never suspected one could just roar through my studio without me knowing it! LOL! It looks like an F5 barreled through, and I'm the one that unleashed it. UGH! I hope this isn't going to take more than a week but from the looks of it, it might. I get the magazine, "Cloth, Paper, Scissors" and almost always I read that uncluttering the studio is wonderful for the creative spirit. I believe that is true, but when I am in a creative frenzy so to speak, it seems I have to pull everything out to get the little that I need.

One thing that I am quite anxious to try are my Shiva Paint Sticks and foils. I have some Egyptian beads that I am just dying to work with and I think the foil and sticks will add a wonderful dimension to the stitching. I also have some Faber Castell Gelatos that I would love to try out too, not to mention my Jacquard Fabric Paints. I think adding paint with stitching is such a great way to create and adds so much to the craft of surface design and mixed media. OMGosh I am already wanting to pull out more stuff from my cabinets instead of putting things away.....the creative curse strikes again, and again, and again, ad infinitum...LOL!

Here is a sampler of my gelatos I can use for reference as well as my Jacquard and Stewart Gill fabric paints.

Faber Castell Gelatos Sampler

Jacquard fabric paints.

More Jacquard fabric paints.

Stewart Gill fabric paints.

More Stewart Gill fabric paints.

I would much rather paint on my fabrics than dye them because I like to have more of a hand in the design of it rather than a random occurrence. I really enjoy that part of the process and prefer not leave it to chance. That is not to say that I don't think overdyed fabrics aren't pretty and have a place for stitchers, because they certainly do, I just prefer to play with paints and designs of my own, and there are so many they truly are a blast to experiment with. Did I mention fabric markers too? Oh no, I better stop while I'm ahead and get to work on the studio! LOL!