Macro shots of fabric

I have been looking to find backgrounds for my immersion into Adobe Photoshop. I was going through some fabric samples and realized that I could do macos on them and get some really cool backgrounds. Since I receive so many samples I will keep an open eye when I go through them from now on. One twelve inch piece can give you many different images.

No New Years Resolutions

On New Years Eve I thought about resolutions and decided that I want to do more and learn more. But I also want to be relaxed and enjoy life, so no artificial deadlines and lists.

I am joining a online workshop for the first time so I should have pics as I go along. I don't know the rules about giving out data on groups, so I will just say it is based on Susan Stein's book "fabric art workshop". I buy books, look at the eye candy, say I'm going to try it, and then go and buy another book and do it all over again. This workshop will get me to actually work with the different products that I buy instead of just collecting them. Can you tell I am sort of down on myself? I really do like myself and I enjoy my art but sometimes I get in a rut. Anyway, I have gathered my supplies and I am ready to start.

Let it begin

I also am working on a quilt right now. I have been creating wonky circles out of my bright scrap pile. I think it will be a fun quilt. I don't know how big it will be when it is done. I guess it will let me know.

my kind of colors

As I have said before I love working with scraps and recycle fabric and things. I have this wonderful source for upholstery scraps but I need some more ideas on how to use them. I make pillows and purses. I pull threads to use for couching. I fringe small pieces to use for emblishments. I use the fabric as background for some wall hangings. I needle felt it. Anyone have any other ideas? It is a gorgeous mountain of fabric. Taking this picture made me realize that I really do need to tackle it again.

inspiration needed

I was working with my Sweet Charity ladies this week. They were learning a new crochet pattern for making blankets to wrap still born babies in. I was watching their hands and realized how special this group is and what those hands have done over the years. Thousands of quilts, hundreds of handmade scarves and pillows have been made. They work tirelessly and then donate all their work to people they have never seen.

works of art

Buried Treasures- - -What I have been doing in 2008

Seth Apter of http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/ has started a challenge to find buried treasures in our blogs. I think this is a great idea as it is so hard to look back through just found blogs. This one of my favorite posts that I have done.

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This year has been a breakthrough for me. I am trying new things and trying to release my inner muse (it thinks I have lost it).

I bought a new tiny camera that I can easily take with me wherever I go. The week I bought it I headed to Kauai and took over 1200 shots. I was in heaven!

I make a lot of what I call "stones". They are small things that I can build on. I normally have no idea of what I am going to do with them but I can't seem to stop once I begin.

Fabric beads (mostly polyester) rolled and heated with a heat gun.

Made with fabric and glue.

Pipe cleaners wrapped with fabric.

My second group exchange was a post card challenge. No theme to this one, but since I had just come back from Hawaii fish seemed logical.

All the cards are made from cotton scraps with just a few emblishments.

I participated in my first art exchange with my mixed media group. It was a "skinny book" and our theme was "woman".

I used paper towels and dyed them with old markers. Then I drew on them with india ink and added crystals.

I have a wonderful source for upholstery fabrics. I made a number of purses, designed one myself, sold a few, and taught a couple of classes.

I discovered felting machines. A friend came over for a play day and brought this wonderful machine that she had found at a quilt show in Chicago. She let me try it and I was hooked. I bought my own the same week. This is one of my favorite things to do. I haven't done much quilting since I bought it.

These are all 4" by 6".
I used silk on some and polyesters on others.

In our mixed media group we do some mini workshops. One day a member, Debbie, show us how to do a type of free form quilting. We worked up rectangles and then slice them up and put them back together.

I found some wonderful silk leaves and made some small art pieces.

Most of the leaves are silk but the backgrounds are a blend.