Clean-up Cloths and Succulents

You can lay painting projects on top of plastic sheeting when you paint, and use paper towels to wipe the paint out of brushes between colors. But it’s more fun to lay work on top of another piece of fabric, and use the edges of the cloth underneath to clean the brush. If there’s leftover paint on my pallet, I sometimes get out stencils and decorate the cloth some more. I’ve been using this fabric for a drop cloth and clean-up rag for a year or more now.

Another two succulent quilts are in progress. I chose a closer cropped view of the center of a succulent plant for this month’s Fast Friday theme “Close Up or Far View” with a focus on “Value”. I believe cropping the succulent this close will make it seem more abstract.
I decided to try this composition twice. Once with a fabric fairly close in color to the actual plant, and once with a corner cut from my old drop cloth and clean-up rag. I think I need to balance the colors with some more stenciling, before I begin painting to define the succulent form.

“Trees Are Us” Exhibit

The following three pieces have been selected to be part of an exhibit at the Solovei Art Gallery in Everett, Washington. I expect there will be a wide variety of mediums represented.

Artist reception on Saturday December 6th 2pm - 6pm. It will be running until December 29th. The location is 2801 Grand Ave, #203, Everett WA 98201. Look for more information about the Solovei Art Gallery on their website: http://www.soloveiartgallery.com/

Christmas Stars Completed

I have finished sewing the stars.

I got tired making gold stars, so a few of the gold stars turned red and a few green.

The winners of my giveaway drawing are Chris and Doreen.

Chris has some nice quilts on her blog. I particularly like her Zinnia quilt.

Doreen looks like she has been having fun with her Embellisher felting machine. That’s something I’ve no experience with, but it’s fun to see what other people are doing with it.

Progress on the Gold Stars

The golden colored stars are about half done. I expected the metallic in the gold paint to show up a bit more. It's very bold in the jar, but looks rather subtle brushed lightly onto the stars.
The day before Thanksgiving seems an odd day to have a drawing. I will pick the names on Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving. So you have until then to leave a comment on either this post or the last post if you would like to have your name in the giveaway drawing. I am enjoying reading your comments and visiting your blogs.

A Blogiversary Giveaway

It’s been a year since I started blogging! I wasn’t sure if I would like blogging, or if I would keep at it. But I have enjoyed the process, and I have made a few online friends. I often wonder who my readers are. Leave me a comment if only to say “Hi,” or share what kind of projects you are creating for the holidays. I am making Christmas stars. In one week, two lucky people will be drawn from those who leave comments on this post to receive one of the stars I am making.

I have begun quilting the orange-yellow fabric for the golden stars. I darkened the color a bit on the already quilted stars, and I may go back in with the darker paint after it is dry for a less even look. After the stars are sewn and finished, I intend to add highlights with lighter colored and metallic paint like I did for my “Succulent” quilt.

I used some of the green fabric to try out a few construction techniques, so I could get the look I am after without too much fuss.Turning it like a pillow was near impossible with the thick quilted fabric. Light stuffing with extra stitching year the inside corners gives a nice dimensional look. I tried paint on the edges to disguise the raw edges, but prefer how couched yarn looks.

Christmas Project

Yesterday I painted some fabrics in a golden yellow color for a Christmas project I have in mind. A bit of bronze metallic paint was added for just a bit of shine. I think I will get a lighter gold metallic paint to add highlights to the finished product after they are quilted.

This experimental bit of fabric has been sitting around for over five years. It is strips of fabric and embroidery floss laid atop a rectangle of green fabric, topped with a piece of green tulle, and free-motion stitched. It’s about time to see what I can do with it.

Clam Cove III Revisited

I have addressed most of the problems I was having with this piece. It still is not my favorite piece, but I think it is improved.