ad libitum

EARLY HALLOWEEN

I'm working on making some Halloween cards to send out as random acts of art. The skeletons come from photos I took at the Halloween store (th background on the one with three skeletons is a dark cemetery - hard to tell from the scan. The background on the two skeletons card is one of my attempts to photograph a full moon. The googley eyes seemed like a necessary addition. The red sparkley eyes gleam more menacing than the scan shows. The vintage image was strong by itself, so all I added was glitter to the fairy wings.

The tag was made from an altered photo I made at ArtUnraveled. I tried to make the antique doll look very spooky. The little witch (click on her to enlarge the image) is from fabric images I made in a past Halloween.

I also was in a Halloween matchbox swap. I forgot to take a photo of my box and the included giftee before I gave it to Britt. As it happens, she also forgot to phtoo graph the box she made for me and the giftees. Missing from the scan are the necklace and ring she made (already in my jewelry box and I'm too lazy to fetch them right now). The image on the matchbosx is one of those cardsw that changes it's image as you move it (the man turns into a werewolf).

MY WELCOME HOUSE BANNER

Kathy McElroy is hosting another Welcome banner swap - this one with the banners in the shape of houses.  I have the "C" this time. I decided to make a "shabby chic" house (free form sewing on a beige background, lace roof, a sari ribbon for the door and windows). I also decided to put a person behind the door (it's a photos of me on my 8th birthday). I'm not sure anyone will think to open the door (it is, after all, a Welcome banner and should have an open door); but I like to think of me there to greet them all.

KATHY'S NECKLACE

It's my turn to work on Kathy's neckace. She asked for neutral colors and a vintage look. Kathy and Sue and Beth had all made beautiful pieces for this necklace. It has a wonderful vintage feel and a certain elegance. I hope my addition (circled in white in the photo below) pleases Kathy. I used some old beads, my precious rhinestone chain, a piece from one of my favorite bracelets, and a vintage earing. I will pass this on to Brittney and then she will send it home to Kathy.

MATCHBOXES AS ART SUBSTRATES

Recently, I've been involved in two one 0n one matchbox swaps. The idea is to decorate a matchbox, fill it with treasures and exchange it with someone. The theme of the first matchbox swap, organized by Kathy McElroy, was "spring." (There is a rumor that spring may eventually arrive in southwestern Michigan) My box went to Terry Ross.  You can see the beautiful box she sent me here.  It's interesting that our minds went in the same direction for this challenge.

The second  swap is open themed and for my local art group. We were supposed to exchange them at our meeting on Monday, but now we're just going to show them and exchange them next month because this is spring break for the local schools and a number of members will be missing.

Here is the matchbox I sent Terry and its contents.

 

 

And, this is the matchbox I made for the Altered Sisters swap. You may notice some of the contents are very similar to those in Terry's box.

THE SWAPS ARE/WILL BE IN THE MAIL

I often swear off doing swaps; and then, someone suggests something intriguing and I sign up again. I have sent off a Spring matchbox to Terry for a one-to-one exchange (will post pictures when I hear she got it) and I have two swaps ready to pack up and mail (currently waiting on the windowwasher to do my outside windows, so this may not get done until tomorrow). And, I have one house shaped banner and one filled matchbox to go. It may be time to take another break.

Here are my charms for one swap. They are molded polymer faces in bottle caps, embellished with beads and then wire wrapped.

These are inchies for an inchie swap. I used a one inch paper punch to punch out some of my favorite textured paper and then adhered beads (definite bead them going on in these two swaps) with Diamond Glaze and then edged the inchies with a brown marker.

I think this means I'm currently on schedule with my swaps, but I better go check the list again.

MY FIRST MATCHBOX SWAP

I recently discovered decorating matchboxes (who knew?), filling them with little treasures and sending them out for swaps. My friend Kathy organized a small valentine matchbox swap. I have sent mine off and am anxiously awaiting the returns to come. I painted the matchboxes red, inside and out, glued small sewn hearts on them, and filled them with small heart-shaped polymer buttons that I had made. I think I forgot to sign them (I'm really bad at remembering to sign my work). Oh well.

VALENTINE WELCOME BANNER - AND ANOTHER PURSE

It's time for another welcome banner; this time the theme is valentines and the shape is a heart instead of a triangle. I have "W" again.

 

I found two great heart fabrics at my local quilt shop and decided to try to quilt freeform hearts onto the fabrics.

I cut out the hearts using a pattern to make sure I stayed consistent with shape and size (not susually one of my strengths).

Here's what I decided would be the front of the banner.

And, here's the back.

I mailed off my banners without taking a photo of the completed one;,but I had made an upside down one (oops), so I have one to show you. I was lazy and just placed the heart shaped button on the bottom instead of sewing it on. So, this is almost what my "W" banners look like.

I had some left over fabric; so, of course, I made a purse.

 

CHRISTMAS PURSES AND SOME ANGELS

I have become obsessed with reverse applique and Christmas fabric. This has resulted in making purses (one for me:not reverse applique; one for my  younger daughter: reverse applique; and one that I sold: mostly reverse applique.

This is the purse I made for myself. There are two zippered pouches on the inside. On this side, there are two pockets. On the left edge, you can sort of see the pocket for my cell phone.

There's zippered pocket on this side. On the left is a big, ong pocket for a water bottle or my foldy-cane.

This is the purse I made for my daughter.

And, the purse I sold. It has a zippered pouch on the outside and pockets on the inside.

I also have had some time for playing in photoshop. I'm involved in a prayer flag project and I decided that angels would be good prayer messengers. I love angel statues and am happy to have a nice collection of photos I've taken (always on the look-out for more). I have to admit, I'm rather pleased with my results. I may decide to use them for my Christmas cards.

WINTER IS COMING, AND MORE REVERSE APPLIQUE

I'm pretty sure our delightful Indian Summer is gone and we're headed for gray, dreary November weather into winter. Yesterday, I went to South Haven with a friend and took some pictures of the empty docks. I think the photo below captures the feeling of the month.

 

So, I've been keeping myself busy inside (a mug of hot cider by my side) sewing. I'm still making Christmas pennants (you can never have too many banners), mostly using reverse applique.

And, I made a Christmas present using reverse applique and two more of my embossed metal birds. I sewed it all onto heavy water color paper.

Here's a close up.

I'm also involved in a calendar project with my local Altered Sisters group. I have the months of January and September. My pages are below. Both of them are photos I took (the bird was in a tree in my backyard last winter; the pencils were photographed in a workshop I took) and have Photoshopped.

 

REVERSE APPLIQUE ( AND SOME BIRDS)

I have been busy with a few projects and some real life tasks (don't ask me how long it took me to set the car clock after the time change) and have been remiss in blogging. Sorry.

I decided it was time to revisit metal embossing (a technique I learned years ago at Artiscape with Ten Seconds Studio) and make some birds.

 I wanted to put these birds in some art quilts I am planning.

I sewed them to some fabric backed by heavy interfacing.

My next project was inspired by Beryl Taylor's new "Layer by Layer" DVD. I am particularly taken by her use of reverse applique. I love the texture involved in this technique. I am going to use it often. The two projects I am currently working on with it are a black and white art quilt/wall hanging and some Christmas banners (another banner swap; I love the idea of a series of seasonal wall banners; thank you, Kathy).

I'm still embellishing the art quilt, but I'm near finishing it. Below are some pictures. As you can see, I put my metallic birds in it.

 

 

Next project: Christmas banners. Instead of the squares demonstrated on the DVD, I just sewed 6 layers of Christmas fabric together to cut up into pennants.

 

I have the letter W for my banners in this swap. I free-handed the letters, just cutting them out of some green felt and then I added some glitter to sparklw them up for the holidays. None of them are the same; but I think they're all discernable Ws.