Gelli printing

 

Yesterday after putting away the tree and the Santas, and getting out snow shoeing, I got the thought that I'd like to do a little journal work to relax. Well, I brought out my 'art cart' and rooted out the Gelli. Then I decided I might as well print on some fabric. I got a few journal pages done by cleaning off the brayer.

Maybe it was the beauty of the day along with the pressure of a date for my shoulder surgery less than two weeks away that got me going.     I couldn't resist doing a few prints with the ferns and Queen Anne's lace that I picked last summer.  

The ghost prints are pretty too.

I wanted to try a couple using some of my new thermofax screens and feather motifs.

The journal pages are pretty good too. Surprising, as I simply wiped paint on or brayered the paint onto journal pages to clean it. This page was done by tearing and collaging the deli paper that I used to clean off the Gelli onto a small journal page.

In my larger  journal I did a few pages by applying  the brayer with the leftover paint.

In the mail today, I got two more thermofax screens using the same designs I already had done but this time larger.

 

I had to stop and clean everything up. We're getting ready to leave for Prince Edward Island tomorrow to spend the New Years with our new grandson. He was 1 month old yesterday.

I'll wish you a Happy New Years now. See you back here next week.

Snow shoeing and stitching

I must be starting to sound repetitive talking about getting out snow shoeing. Truthfully, the thrill of being able to get back out there has not yet worn off after my past year of being stuck on the sofa while waiting for the hip replacement. This morning I organized my fridge and its freezer and packaged up a few things to add to the freezer. Ham and some sweets that I need put further out of my reach! Then, late morning we got ready and went snow shoeing this time going down into the woods and the more hilly terrain. So far I've been staying on the level trails. I'm still pretty slow and have to stop often to calm the burning muscles but I made it. Just over an hour. It's been a couple of years since I've seen these woods.

The little stream is not yet frozen over.

After lunch, I stretched out with tea, the heating pad, and my afghan while I stitched in the ends on some projects. I finished another little hat for baby Ollie.

Pattern by Purl Soho, grate ear flap hat.

I'm counting the days and hoping the weather is good for our drive to PEI to visit our new little grandson. Once warmed enough, I headed to the sewing studio for a little stitch play. I did the black stitching and the Quilting on this mug rug.

Detail.

I did some black free motion stitching on the mono printed feathers. I'm still xperimenting, not quite sure exactly how I want to proceed with these pieces.

Detail.

I'm not sure if the black stitching adds or detracts from the printed lines. I'll have to spend some time thinking and experimenting.  

Christmas Eve

 

 

We are having a quiet Christmas here, hubby and I. For the first time we will have no family visiting. Nature has gifted us with a nice snow cover so we're taking advantage getting out on the snow shoes. That is our plan for tomorrow. There is such a soft quiet beauty in this season. Except of course when storms come in.                                                    Rose hips and grasses at the beach near our in laws.

We were snow shoeing yesterday. I can go a longer and a little further each time.

It is my priority right now to get out as often as I can. 

Yesterday, I had some time to try out some mono printing that I've been planning for a while.

A thick sheet of glass, fabric printing ink, a brayer, and a drawing done on freezer paper and ironed to the back of white cotton. I've had the drawings ready for a while. Here are the results.

I want to tack them all up on the design wall to simmer for a while.

Then, just after lunch I headed to the sewing studio to add a little colour to a couple using Neocolor II crayons.

And the feathers.

I've added just those to the wall with a few batik pulled from the stash.

More to come, and it could change dozens of times. I like to have something up to muse upon, especially if my shoulder surgery comes in January as it's supposed to.   I'm wishing you all a Merry Christmas, happy holiday or any other form of celebration you may have with family or friends.    

'Gifty' sewing, baking

A couple of days ago I mixed up a batch of cookie dough for these pistachio thumbprints.

The dough was quite stiff and I knew it would be really hard with my arthritis to get it rolled into balls. Instead, I pressed the dough into a 9" pan, spread some of my homemade blueberry jam on top, sprinkled it with chopped pistachios and baked it.

Maybe they don't look quite as pretty but they are delicious! After lunch, I moved into my sewing studio. I was looking for a little something to go in a gift. At first, since I had black thread ready on the machine, I thought I'd stitch on a piece that had been fused and laying about for a while.

I free motion stitched and cut to size for a little baguette. The printed fabric outside is for the back of the bag.

Then I decided it would take too long to put it together, so I switched to another little project that was laying around waiting to be put together.

Mine is on the right; pattern is left. Done.  When I'm making gifts, I always leave my options open. I don't like last minute stress. If I finish, great, if not, I find something else. I try to enjoy the season and the nice snowy winter days. 

Snow day, Crock pot, cookies, sewing.

 

It's been a very busy time in the last couple weeks. I'm safely home but it's that time of year with lots to do. It's a snow day today, so I've spent a very nice day in domestic endeavours.  

   

 

First tea and a quick sketch of a new pottery vase given to me and made by my friend Ginette Arseneau.  

     

 I love my fresh holly in it.

 

     We are having a snow day. It started yesterday. This was my front step at dusk.  

     And the back deck.  

     

 View this afternoon through my sewing room window.

 

 

 

  First thing this morning I put something in the crock pot.

Squash, sausage, Brussels sprouts, onion, garlic, cranberries, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, water, seasoning.
i mixed up a batch of dough for pistachio thumbprints, recipe found on Pinterest. I managed a wee bit of stitching on the runner.

I think I'd like to add a little sparkle.

    The roads are cleared. A little while ago I went for a short walk. The sky is such a soft grey, turning pink at the horizon and there are big fluffy snowflakes floating down. It's beautiful!

Early Christmas present

I've been away front the blog and it's because I'm staying with my daughter and my new grandchild, Oliver, or Ollie as we call him.

He is one week old today. I'll be here until Friday. Of course I'm going to be immensely proud and biased like all grandmas out there.