Snipping fusible branches and leaves

My day did not go exactly as planned as can happen sometimes. Even though it’s a damp grey day, it wasn’t raining and there was little wind so I decided I’d go for a walk on the trail around 11. I wanted to get a little cleaning done — our back entrance was looking pretty shabby. I vacuumed, shook the mat, and cleaned the metal sill, cleaning in all the grooves of the screen door. With a tooth brush.  Happily, I got that part done before my back went into a spasm.

I got myself to my bed with the heating pad. After that I stretched out on the sofa for a while until I decided I needed to eat! It wasn’t easy but I managed a sandwich. A little more heat and some meds enabled me to sit in my studio in the computer chair and do some cutting at my counter. It sthe kind of thing that makes you want to lay flat all day. The pain is terrible when I try to get up but moving around helps a little to loosen up even if it hurts.

Would you believe that I spent almost 2 hours cutting all the little pieces for the background trees on the top right? The mess looks pretty contained there on my counter but you should see the floor!

It did my time also include ironing fusible to the back of the small pieces needed for foliage.

There’s more cutting to be done for trees and foliage at the top before I can move on to the rock.

On the weekend, I took the side borders off the Nfld rocky coastline, straightened the sides which had drawn in by cutting them and then put the borders back on. I added the stiff fusible as well even though it’s nearly finished. I wanted to add the final touch ups today but life gets in the way sometimes.

Thank goodness hubby managed dinner tonight. I had salmon steaks for the barbecue and veggies were easy. We’ll see how the night goes. I’m hoping to be able to move tomorrow.

Thread painting rocks and water

It’s a beautiful fall day today, the calm before the rain and bit of snow we may get tonight. Rather than the gym, I opted for some yard work, trimming and tying up some shrubs and cleaning a few areas  near pathways making it easier for snow clearing in winter. I picked the last few bits of veggies too, including these little Brussels sprouts.

On the weekend, I went to my guild quilting retreat something I’ve been unable to do for a few years around the time of my hip replacement and recover.

As always, it was like a beehive with lots of chatter, many laughs, many projects completed and too much food!

These are the blocks I’m making for my grand son’s I Spy Quilt.

I’m auditioning it also with a black sashing.

I’m leaning towards no sashing.

I also did a couple blocks from the gnome quilt pattern which won’t be for this Christmas but it’s fun to see how it will look.

I think the next two quilts made by the visiting daughter and a friend of a member were among my favourites.

The blocks for this woodland animal quilt were awesome! I think she said the owl had 56 pieces!

The trip around the world blocks Quilt is one of my favourites and I love the mix of soft low volume fabrics in this one made by Wendy Oeullette.

We each mad some of these bags from precut kits (thanks to a couple of members) and then filled them with toiletries for Passage House, a women’s shelter.

I had yesterday to finish unpacking, do wash, and go to the gym so today I was anxious to get some stitching time. I’m almost done, just a few details needed!

I will also quilt the border and add a binding.

(Backup) Thread painting a rocky cliff

This afternoon, I had only a snippet of time to do a little stitching as our guild retreat is tomorrow and I needed to stop and finish packing. I finished the water except for the whit frothy areas which I can’t wait to get to!

I added a few highlights on the rocks. All that remains are a few more dark lines and areas and then the white water.

I stopped, covered up my baby and put my ironing board away.

All the while I’m thinking about my next piece. I had though about doing another Nfld view from our trip. It was so awe inspiring with all this craggy cliffs and turquoise waters. For some time though I’ve wanted to do a view from one of our local trail.

I’m doing the above view but will also use this view as color reference.

I’ve done the black and white outline which I will cut up and photocopy and enlarge.

I’m off to retreat starting tomorrow morning until Sunday. Have a great weekend!

Thread painting a rocky cliff

This afternoon, I had only a snippet of time to do a little stitching as our guild retreat is tomorrow and I needed to stop and finish packing. I finished the water except for the whit frothy areas which I can’t wait to get to!

I added a few highlights on the rocks. All that remains are a few more dark lines and areas and then the white water.

I stopped, covered up my baby and put my ironing board away.

All the while I’m thinking about my next piece. I had though about doing another Nfld view from our trip. It was so awe inspiring with all this craggy cliffs and turquoise waters. For some time though I’ve wanted to do a view from one of our local trail.

I’m doing the above view but will also use this view as color reference.

I’ve done the black and white outline which I will cut up and photocopy and enlarge.

I’m off to retreat starting tomorrow morning until Sunday. Have a great weekend!

Fall colors in my artwork

It was nice to have a long weekend to spend with my husband since he was away last week. None of my children were able to visit so we had a busy but quiet weekend, hiking and getting some yard chores done,

My wish for my birthday on Saturday was to take a lunch and my sketching up on the Mi’qmag trail. It is an old trail that has been developed running 140kms from here in Bathurst to Carlton provincial park in the Center of our province. A good deal of it follows the Nepisiquit river and the views with the rock formations are spectacular.

We hiked less than an hour, crossed this rope bridge and went a little further to where we stopped for lunch.

We found some rocks where we could sit and eat while I sketched. I finished it at home.

It was just what I’d wished for.

Last night, I was searching ideas for I spy quilts. I recently started one but wasn’t quite happy with the plain colors I’d used for borders nor the number of seams that would need matching. So I found another picture with a sort of wonky log cabin version with only one border.

The squares about 6” and I cut the strips at 2 1/2”.

Then I used the square ruler to cut each side on an angle. I’m cutting randomly. I like this version much better.

The view through my windows today. The second window makes such a difference!

Over the weekend I had a few minutes to add backing to my Inktense painted scene from our Nfld trip and do a little free motion stitching  in black.

And the I also started another sketch in my mixed media sketchbook using Rebecca Sower’s drawing method in her on line course that I’m taking, Draw and See.

I took the rooster pic while at the Viking village in Nfld. I love their vibrant colors! It’s not quite finished.

Getting back to art

Whether painting or doing fiber art, one often reaches an ugly stage. In order to be successful, one must learn to push past that stage, often ending with a satisfying piece. Last spring and this summer I’ve been a bit lost, becoming dissatisfied and indecisive and giving up rather  than moving forward. It takes some courage and confidence to continue on and I think I may have lost some of that. 

I’ve had a busy summer with a lot of family gatherings, some travel and some ups and downs in health that certainly played a part. Studio times were shorter and so I worked on smaller fun pieces with Gelli prints and zippered pouches.

I have a busy schedule going to the gym 3 times a week, walking and occasionally fishing, something I’m learning to do. I go once a week to a knitting group. These things are necessary for a healthy body and mind. 

These are the socks I’m making. I’m using a hand dyed merino mix.

I’m determined to get back to a regularly schedule of studio time. One piece that I started and abandoned last year is the surfer. It was and still may be in that unsatisfactory stage. I’ve done a wee bit of picking and I added some fusible pieces.

I’m ready to finish the free motion work. We’ll see how it goes. I feel it’s important to keep going if only it’s a learning experience.

I’ve also been thinking about what I’d like to do next, wondering if I might change my way of working. I wanted to experiment with some images form our Nfld trip but thought it might be better to try some small pieces first. While away, I saw some very expressive paintings at one of the shops and really liked them. For that reason, I’m taking an on line course from Rebecca Sower who is a mixed media artist who uses a lot of expressive color and lines in her work.

I penciled in the quick outline onto 8” by 10” cotton fabric and started laying on some color with Inktense pencils and crayons.

Once dry and heat set, I’ll back it with stabilizer and  add some thread-work. I’m really hoping I can keep it loose and the lines to a minimum. We will see.