Geishas in the Mist

This is the page I did this afternoon in Shari's journal. Stitching and glueing to my heart's content! Click on photo for enlarged view.

Page from Susie's Book

Scanned image of the last page for Susie...across from her page quoting Thomas Merton...

"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." !!!!

My page says "Inspiration is all around you". Using fabric, flocked paper, metallic lace, sequins, foil from a Hershey's kiss (dark chocolate of course!). The glitter and sparkle do not scan!

Rising to New Life

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. Springtime. New Life. New beginnings. Hope and joy surpass the worry, pain and trouble of today. It is all a matter of faith and focus!
[as always, if you want to see more detail, click on the photo!]

Round Robin " Art Saves"-- Susie's journal

In this round robin, we do one page in each journal when it comes to us.
Today, I made this page with a watercolor paper collage underneath an overlay of golden chiffon. Using golden thread, I free motion quilted through all the layers. As I did this, I added copper metallic rick rack and some boucle yarn. Then I added two more images on top, a stamp from Italy and a candle in a yellow cup and saucer.

This page will be placed next to Susie's page which says, "live your dream" ...
And...OH YES. I did sign my page after the photo was taken! LOL!

"ART SAVES" Canvas book group with Carmen!

Several of us are in a Round Robin using a small, handmade blank canvas book. We start by working in our own book and will eventually work in 7 other books for other artists! The theme of the round robin is "Art Saves". This is true on several levels, for me, art brings inner joy and a sense of belonging among other things. Then there is the fact that as an artist, I save and recycle many things into my art, it seems nothing is without possibilities!
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I recycled an earlier collage into a cover [below, see the cover open flat showing front and back] which I sewed into the spine of the canvas pages.
Then the collage was stitched with free motion quilting, I attempted to write/stitch, "Lila her book" on the back cover (in the dark blue area). Then the whole thing was given a coat of Mod Podge.
[note: You can "click" on any photo for an enlarged version.]

Just inside the front cover is another part recycled from the same collage....it says "TAKE JOY" I can see that I need to get a brayer to use when I am gluing photos from glossy magazines...I will do that before I work in anyone else's book!

Across the page is the first canvas page, treated first with gesso. The paper cuttings feature a bird in flight, a pink rose in bloom and 2 clocks. These are glued down and then covered with some sheer chiffon which is embellished with embroidery and sequins, then free motion stitched again. The words, "ART" and "NOW" finish off the page.

Inside the back cover, is a little collage of art paper and old dress pattern piece along with iridescent silver rickrack. There is a quote from author Faith Baldwin which says, "Time is a dressmaker, specializing in alterations".

The theme for our Round Robin is "art saves"....I love to use images of clocks and of fiber arts in my work. I seem to be unable to escape doing a lot in the sewing world, so of course this quote was just perfect. AND it was in the February 21st (TODAY!!!) reading in "Simple Abundance" the book by Sarah ban Breathnatch.

This has been great fun, I have one more page to design before I am through with my own book for a while...

The list of artists for our Round Robin:


Susie/Angie http://crinkleroot.blogspot.com/

Gemma/Linda http://gemmasjournal.blogspot.com/

shari http://teainbohemia.blogspot.com/

Serena http://dreamwiththefishes.blogspot.com/

Karen http://deldino.blogspot.com/

Lila http://artycollagesanddolls.blogspot.com/

Doreen http://doegrozsart.blogspot.com/

Scarlet/Ileana http://littleredhare.blogspot.com/

Carmen http://heartandsoulgardening.blogspot.com/

Collage pages in an altered book

These pages are done in a decorating book by Tricia Guild. Much of the beautiful photography is from the page of the book......I did however collage other papers onto the two pages.

Where Women Create Blog

Visit this blog (click on the picture above) for inspiration and fun! It is related to the magazine of the same name!

Horse Ornament

Turquoise horse from Cloth Paper Scissors....my horse below!

This colorful horse is from the pattern in the current CLOTH PAPER SCISSORS magazine.

Yes, my steed has a bit of a problem with his hind legs! LOL!

Cloth Paper Scissors Open Studio Event TODAY!!!!!

Come with me on a tour of my studio for the Open Studios Event from Cloth Paper Scissors!

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My studio is in the basement, or half-basement of our home. It opens to the backyard where I have a quiet sitting area and a garden which inspires me in my creative work!

Here is the garden with a birdbath. I love painting birds in my artwork and collages. They are even creeping into my quilting and fiberarts!

This door is painted one of my favorite colors, turquoise, and going through it takes us on into the studio.

Just inside the door is a watercolor angel which I painted. Perhaps she represents my MUSE, in any case she is a very welcoming presence!

Other watercolor angels from a different period in my life show are shown in my "Fallen Angel" painting.

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A collection of art dolls from a bloggers art exchange hangs on one wall. These friendly creations seem to get along well together!

A clock and a collage are hanging near the back door. I often include clocks in my art work, BUT have been known to loose track of time when I am creating! [Click on any art work for a closer look!]

The small half-bath in the studio has completely collaged walls. This was one of my most fun projects, ever! I found wallpaper which had a text, blue on pale yellow and used it behind the images of my collage.

Part of my fabric stash at the moment....

Storage for sewing and art supplies are in this old handmade armoire and a chest of drawers rescued from the curb. The little white cabinet on top of the chest of drawers was from a thrift store. Mermaids hang on pegs nearby!

The rear view of the sofa shows a hand-appliqued quilt top which I will soon hand quilt. The little turquoise shelf holds one of my whimsical watercolors.

I love to piece and machine quilt on this antique Singer 301 and it's original table.

A turquoise painted wooden shelf holds art work by others and includes my totem crow feather.

I love storing my fabric and projects in bins and baskets on wire shelves which are tilted for easy viewing and access!

An old primitive armoire and rescued from the curb chest of drawers you see below, hold more fabric and supplies. I can sit at the Bernina and look out the window at my little garden. I found a "boombox" stereo at the Salvation Army and have enjoyed much music as well as books on tape while down here in my wonderful space!

Thank-you for visiting my creative world. Bookmark this site and please come back soon!

Art journal page for a friend's birthday

As summer ends, and the seasons move on, I remember my friend Lizzzie whose birthday is tomorrow!
Happy Birthday, Lizzzie!

Looking

Art journal page for today....

"Looking" for happiness.... "Looking" for a way out. "Looking" for new beginnings. "Looking" for hope. "Looking" for friends. "Looking" for beauty. "Looking" for meaning. "Looking" for good use of time and talent. It could be many things....always coming back to the abundance of blessings in life!

Botswana--or is that a Lilac Breasted Roller???

I don't know if this is very satisfying as a collage.

A page about Botswana, after reading the Alexander McCall Smith mystery series set there. I do like the Rumi quote and the flying birds!

And the bird on the branch, may be called a "Lilac Breasted Roller". What an exotic bird!

Tea bag envelope

This is a little book which arrived in the mail ready for me to add a few pages of art work.
I had an envelope from a tea bag and some black tulle as well as lots of ephemeral images and scrap booking papers...the manila tag says "dream" when you pull it out. I may come back and past another page soon....

Must have...collage bookmark

Often when I'm reading a book which I like, I feel that I need to make an image to complement to story.
Today I am reading this mystery. It features one of my totem images, a crow or blackbird.

This morning while checking on my little garden, I found the small black feather. (It has purple highlights). So I brought it in and went through my collage materials to see what I could do for a bookmark. Corrugated cardboard and a short purple ribbon for a start. I used craft glue and attached the feather.

Now to decorate the reverse, smooth side...I found a small etching of a birds, a stamp with a woman's head, and two rubber stamps to use. The first is the silhouette of the crow, the other parts of a woman's face.

Now, I can get back to the story, and I'll have a great bookmark to keep me on the right page!

A thoughtful artist friend

Out in my mailbox just now, I found this lovely collage card from Janet Briggs , a blogging artist friend!

Thank-you, Janet! What a bright spot in my day!

Winding up the month of May

Today's art journal/collage pages. "Expect good things!" and "Live deliciously"

Choices/Consequences

Collage tags--veiled and shimmering

These tag collages are now behind a shimmering taupe and gold metallic chiffon fabric overlay. I will probably add more free motion quilting with gold thread. None of the simmer or the gold shows up well on the scanner, of course. They are a bit mysterious and I do like that!

Change Gypsy

Autumn brought changes, a real shift for me....a friend moved, my new job,
then spending a lot of time with my daughter's family (grandchildren!)
And of course the election!

Couture

Two pages from this week's art journal...this double page is about making a dress for my daughter. [Similar to the Anthropologie dress]