Celebrations!

The birthday celebrations continued through the weekend. Such fun! Sushi dinner on Friday, Saturday was an outdoor concert with picnic featuring Sting on a beautiful summer weekend. We feared the heat but we were fortunate to have a lovely breeze and a gorgeous shade tree over us the entire evening. Sunday topped off the weekend with a new smart phone - the new Samsung Galaxy - with so many tools to allow me to do more online and remotely. I spent last night just figuring out its features.



In between work hours (lunch time) and evenings, I've been reading several incredible books that I mentioned in my prior entry. Stitch Alchemy from Kelli Perkins is amazing and so inspiring to jump up and try them all! I think I reread the pages using alcohol inks three times with mymind running ragged with ideas and uses and ideas and and ... overload achieved. So instead of rambling on, I'm signing off and going to try my hand on a couple of the ideas.

TIdbits

I don't have much to post today other than "It's my birthday" and it's been a fabulous day! I'm very lucky to have the family and friends that I do and of course my husband! I love you all!


Now about a little working on my various projects - I've done quite a bit but of course haven't posted pictures. Yet. I promise this weekend.

I've received (ordered) several related books that I can't wait to get to reading, including:

Mixed Media from Debbie Crane and Cheryl Prater
Stitch ALchemy from Kelli Perkins
Collage Journeys from Jane Davies
Zentangle Basics by Suzanne McNeill

Okay have to go read..... well not tonight... my birthday isn't over yet. :)

Another idea...

I'm constantly looking at new methods for my art and collage is the newest thing on my radar. Mixed media as it's called, mixing fabric, paper, metal, glue, thread, paint, stamping and oh so more. Challenge 1 incorporated a lot of this technique but I've got a long way to go with it.

Stay tuned.

Challenge 1 - Update, status, whatever you want to call it

So I'm on vacation for a couple weeks. It's amazing how fast the time flies (week 2 is almost over). But I have worked on challenge 1. I'm not sure how far Susan has gotten but I'll let her chime in on that one. Okay for the initial photos in the process.



It will be a wallhanging and yes Paris is the theme again! So many projects to work on...

Musings...

Have to add that I'm noticing that my "art" is exploring new edges. I tend to like formulaic items and symmetry in my own art but admire "pushing the boundaries" in others. I'm looking at the mixed media techniques as my opportunity to think outside the box. Some outcomes will be "less than desirable" but no less a success than the inspired pieces.

New adventures await...

In August, the CREATE Retreat by Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine will take place in the Chicagoland area. Check out the website www.clothpaperscissors.com and click on CREATE Retreat. Yes we're already registered.

Challenge 1 - Status

Progress is...slow. Both Sue and I were distracted by our day jobs and other life occurances and slowed us down. This weekend (4th of July holiday in the USA) is our deadline. I've taken two weeks off the "day job" to regroup, rest, tinker, sleep, cook (made biscuits from scratch this morning -- hadn't done that before), journal, sew, gather things for good will, clean our storage unit, create, garden, and general catch up with my friends. Not in that order, of course.

Lunch has been scheduled with several of them and my massage today was an excellent start to it all. (Pedicure is later this week).

I'll write more later....

Challenge 1 (to ourselves)

Well, as I mentioned in a previous entry, Susan and I are looking to continue our creativity exercises via a challenge. It won't be monthly but we'll take turns building two identical kits to see how the other will use it. The rules are: 1. You have to use everything in the kit but not all (i.e. you can use smaller pieces of the items included). 2. everything type of technique is encouraged. 3. Have FUN!

So off we go! I have to deliver the kit to Susan. Amazingly, we live 1 mi from each other and I drive right by her house each morning and yet we don't see each other daily! I'll get it to her tomorrow! Promise.

This kit focuses on multiple items Paris related. (No surprise there.) One of the items I"m looking forward to playing with is the color photo copy of a pictorial french dictionary from the mid 1950's - it's incredible!

No time limit on us but we expect 4-6 weeks. We'll post our progress.

Class Projects

One of the classes we took was on "scrapbook quilting", laying paper and fabric, free motion quilting and using ink pens (Fabrico) that are fabulous!!

The second class was with Rebeckah Meier - making fabric out of paper and such! Such fun painting, stamping, glueing, fusing, embossing foam, etc.! I love my little project and how it turned out.

What we did when we were at the quilt show...

The needle case we made at the Make it University! So adorable. All fused.

Deja Vu!

Okay where did we go? Where have we been? While I could say I have no idea, it wouldn't be fair or true.

Last month, the International Quilt Show in Chicago (Rosemont) was in town...did we go, you ask? DID WE! We were there every day and took classes and had a blast! We learned how to make tissue paper into fabric, use ink pens on fabric to draw and outline (correctly), and use scrapbooking techniques on quilts and other mediums. Mostly we just had a blast! Did we fit any shopping in, you ask? Of course we did! The bank isn't broken but it is minus a few dollars.

The best part of the show...the inspiration. We couldn't stop talking about it for over a week. I can't stop thinking about techniques and new projects. I had to go on a business trip immediately after, with long hours, a few days afterwards, took my creativity journal and added and added and added ideas.

One of the main things Susan and I took away was to challenge ourselves by taking turns creating a "kit" items that we have to make into something. One of our instructors does this monthly with a 10" block that can be made up of anything as part of a challenge with a friend of hers. They both travel constantly teaching worldwide but in their hotel rooms, they take time in their schedules to complete one monthly.

So I'm making our first kit. It's about 75% complete. I should be finishing it right now but at the "mortgage paying" job, it's performance appraisal time and I have five more to write. So instead of doing any of that I'm finishing laundry and letting you all know what we've been up to. We'll post the challenges as well as the original kit contents.

Back soon -- I promise!

P.S. It was my first wedding anniversary 10 days ago! I love you honey!