creative things I've been up to

I've started to really take an interest in mixed media collages. My favorite magazine is cloth paper scissors. The problem is that I get inspiration overload and fear actually jumping in.

Mixed Media

my first 'official' mixed media collage.



I used fabric scraps and paper, gesso, mod podge, etc.

This is my craft and sewing nook where I do my stuff.


"Radiance" with watercolor pencils and modpodge. I actually did the colors on this one while watching Nanny McPhee...

Radiance



Altered Books:

I started an altered book I found at the thrift store. Some sort of large photo book with pictures of China, in Chinese no less. I decided that I can learn techniques in it, that it doesn't have to be anything other than practice for art journals etc.

coffee filter intro



 I am easily intimidated by how great other people's projects look compared to poor little ol' me. The fear of failure makes me want to quit. That's why I say "Keep Going", and that's only the first page!! I am learning that it's okay not to be perfect. Not to mention that it's okay not to know what you're doing when you're doing something for the first time!!

"Keep Going"

This blue  collage (about exercise) has incredibly many layers, it's somewhat hard to get used to the lengthy process of prepping a page before you even start collaging etc. Patience is a good lesson I'm learning with this project book. 

"'I don't feel like it' is not an option"





A close-up of a pattern made with the mesh from the top of a tangerine box.

  The pics and texts are from a book on health from the 'dark ages'... The feminist within was annoyed that there was an enormous section on exercises for men with only about 4 pages of exercises for women. Glad we've come a long way since the 60's! 



Art Journaling:


Quilting:


This quilt has been in the works forever. It's my first 'own' quilt without instructions or pattern. I chose to alternate between nine-patch and disappearing nine-patch AND add saching because it was too busy and sort of drowning each other out with disappearing nine-patch only. I find saching tedious.


my green quilt



My next idea is already brewing. Want to try my hand at sewing triangles. Using a hand-me-down Lecien fabric line from my fabulous friend Jennifer. 

 We'll see if I have the stamina...

Lecien Floral Collection Josephine Rose



Speaking of hand-me-downs: These blocks from a fabulous block exchange kept sitting around at Jennifer's waiting to be finished. Finally, Jennifer gave them to me and I used left-over fabric to make them all "fit". I am proud of how I arranged the blocks, altered and extended them since they weren't all the same size. I used nine blocks for the front and three on the back with extra fabric to fill it in. I didn't create the blocks, but I assembled it, quilted it, and did the binding. Yay me!

front of hand me down quilt




back of hand me down quilt





my binding :)



Last, I've been seriously into ZENTANGLE!! They are a natural extension of my doodle compulsion. I enjoy learning new 'strings' and use the pictures for my desktop and screensaver for inspiration. I will actually do a separate blogpost for my zentangle inspired doodles.