ad libitum

CUFFS

I have a renewed obsession with making fabric cuffs. I stitched up simple fabric collages, cut them into cuff strips, sewed over them and embellished them.

Here is a close up of the beaded ruffle I made.

 

A close up showing my polymer buttons and the resin paper I sewed onto the cuff.

A row of pearls sewn onto the edge and three rows of beads sewn next to a row of trim.

Vintage buttons, folded trim, netting, ribbon and a resin covered photo of my mother and uncle.

More  resin paper and varied beads and one of my polymer buttons over lace.

A close up of the end of the of the above cuff.

 

 

PRINTED, PAINTED, FREEFORM-STITCHED, BEADED FABRIC

I finally finished beading the piece of fabric I had mono-printed, painted, and covered with freeform stitching. Pictures cannot convey the wonderful feel (the hand) of this piece. I started out with the idea of using some beads as a bit of embellishment; but I just kept beading and beading. This piece is about 12x13 inches.

Below are photos of details of the piece. You can see more of the painted fabric and sewing in these photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To answer the most logical question, I am not sure what I am going to do with this piece. It may end up as a wall hanging, but it may be incorporated into something else. There's no hurry to decide.

EMBROIDERING MONOPRINTS

Some of the monoprints that I did on fabric need something to give them a little pizazz; so, I decided to break out the embroidery thread and do some embellishing.

 

Here is a detail showing some of the stitching and the beads I decided to add.

 

 

Below is the finished piece.

Having completed one, I've started work on another.

BUTTONS, BEADS, AND HEARTS.

My friend, Lorri Scott, is going to teach two classes (dying ribbons and making a nuno felted wrist wraps) and vend on the Tucson Bead  Show February 9-12. She wanted some beads and buttons to use as embellishments for her beautiful wares (really, take a look at her classes and her ribbons, scarves, wrist wraps, and dresses on her blog or Etsy shop - or, better yet, go to the show in Tucson). I was happy to send an order off to her.

Below are some hearts for her to string her ribbons through.

An assortment of the beads and buttons I made for her.

The beads.

Sewing buttons on cards.

The cards of buttons before I packed them up.

LIGHTLY BEADED TORN PAPER COLLAGES

While I was making things for the Paper Guild Holiday Sale, I made a lot of hand painted/inked papers. I tore some in strips, sewed them to a paper background and hand sewed some beads to them. I like the look and made a few. Then I covered some studio wrapped canvases with black gesso and adhered the collages to the canvases. I like working on these and will probably make more.

PAPER JEWELRY

I've been making earrings out of the paper beads I made last week.

I used a dye cut to make holders for the earrings. I will be selling these at the Paper Guild Holiday Sale, November 15-17 (Holiday sale featuring fine quality art made by members of the Handmade Paper Guild, Kalamazoo Valley Potters and Art Etc. Admission is free. Hours: Thursday 5-8pm, Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am-4pm. Held in Expo South. For more information, call (269) 873-0537.)

MORE PAPER BEADS

I am entering the final phase of my paper bead making. I have varnished the last two batches. I still have to add wire and embellishments and make some of them into things (so, be warned that there will be more paper bead  posts).

Here is a photo of the batch I made from book and music pages.

Here is a [slightly out  of focus] picture I took of beads from hand decorated (by me) papers.

 

MAKING SOME PAPER BEADS

I've been trying to build up a supply of paper beads (thinking ahead to the holiday sale of the Paper Guild). I've been gluing paper around straws, spraying them with PYM II, cutting them into pieces and adding beads and wire.  Here's my [messy] workspace.

I am undecided about adding embellishments to the beads.

I'VE BEEN MAKING BOTTLE CAP BEADS

Inspired by the latest Clote Paper Scissors, I decided to make some bottle cap beads.

Now to decide what to do with them (and maybe make some more).

ARTUNRAVELED REVISITED

When I was at AU, I took a class on fused glass inclusions with Peggy Krzyzewski. There was a kiln issue and she had to take our pieces home with her to fire. I just got my pieces back in the mail. I'm rather pleased with them.

As it happens, yesterday, I started a fingerweaving necklace project (which I learned from the C R Radding class I took at AU). Here is a photo of it in progress:

So, as you can see, I'm happily reliving parts of my AU adventure.