Bollywood Challenge

I have been working on a small project (approx. 11.5 x 16.5)  for the online group, Art Quilts Around the World.  Our theme this time was 'Bollywood'...do check out some of the stunning quilts the ladies made!!  Just wonderful!!!

With finishing up Ian's quilt and pillow for graduation, returning home from Florida, trying to start spring cleaning and then heading back out to Indiana for Ian's graduation, I wanted to keep my piece as simplistic as I could!

OK, it is simple but I did take some time to add beads!  Of course, I did!!! 

 

I've had some of these beads for years!!  Heck, they don't cost anything to keep after you've purchased them, right!  Not like a dog or cat or bird!!  You have to feed them!

I love seeing the animals in some of the Bollywood movies and brochures so wanted, at first, to do a zentangle on an elephant...but decided this would be less time consuming...who was I kidding...it took about the same amount of time but I loved all the colors Bollywood inspires.

I had fun using a padded beading technique for my Bollywood piece.  You first lay a row of beads down your piece, then lay 6, 8, 10 beads across that line of beads to give a padded effect.  Worked for the tusks!

I'm happy with my little contribution to this challenge and look forward to the next!


Our next challenge is called:  The 3 R's - Re-Use, Recycle and Reduce.  Hmmmmmm  I do have some ideas and started to 'hoard' some items!  I don't think this piece is due until July so I have time to work on it.
Please make sure to stop over on our blog and check out some of the artists (there is a bio page) as well as current and past challenges.  It's a diverse and wonderful group of artists and I've enjoyed working and learning from each of them.

Where have the days gone!

I'm usually good about blogging...as it's my daily/weekly journal...but this past week has flown by.  We had only been home two weeks and took off again last week to Indiana for Ian's graduation!!  What fun!!  Ian is a great kid and has turned into quite a young man!

Ron, MaryJo, Ian, Kayla and Nate 

Ian has been in the top 10 honors and also been accepted at Purdue!!  We are so proud of him!!  This is actually my favorite picture of Ian!

Grandpa, Ian and me!

Congrats, again Ian!!  Oh...yes Ian did like his quilt!!!  But the pics are on my other laptop.  I'm in the middle of moving files from one laptop, to Flickr to never, never land!  Bob is taking my old laptop so he can work on his golf stats.  His desktop died....
Bob is off golfing today and I have dental cleaning appointment @ noon....I've been working on our Bollywood project for the online art group.  Our reveal is on May 31st.  I just have to put on the binding and it's finished.  Of course, in between I'm still working on my leaf...so, hope I'll get back to posting more art work!! Let's hope!

I love getting mail!!!

I've been gone since last Thursday so I was quite excited when getting the mail today!!  Look what I won!!
These were sent by Cyndi from Beading Arts!  I really enjoy reading Cyndi's blog posts...she always has interesting posts sharing other bloggers posts or just a beading technique or even her own beading, which is wonderful.  Cyndi also has some really good ebooks you can also purchase very reasonably!  Thank you again, Cyndi!

  Anyway, it was quite exciting opening my 'win'!!  I've already used one of the charms to make a new phone 'plug'!!

So it was a fun five days with the grand kids...this is Amber wrapping up Kalee!  Kalee had a ball...between running around chasing the cats (kids have two) and just running errands, walking or riding in the car...she is wore out and is sleeping again!  This is usually the time she bugs me for our evening walk.  I'll wake her up shortly.  We only walked once today so far.

This is Kalee hunting for the cats!


Today I played with some sun printing...can't show what I've done for a few weeks...but I had fun for a short time...felt good to play with dye/paint again!!!

This weekend we will head to IN. for Ian's high school graduation!  So hard to believe he's graduating and will be headed off to Prudue U. soon!!!  His quilt ad pillow are all wrapped and kids helped me purchase little items to fill a bag with.  Just little items he can use for school (band aids, aspiring, tape, pencils, etc.).  Kids had fun picking out items.

"Frosting"

No, this isn't about food!  Although, a nice key lime cake with cream cheese frosting sounds really good about now!!!  But...instead....I love DMTV (Design Matters TV), which is created by Laura and Linda Kemshall.  My followers know how much I've been inspired by them in the past and I know I'll continue to be in the future!!
One of Laura's current episodes is called 'Frosting'...which is about painting over your quilted pieces with acrylic paint!  I saw Laura do this a few years ago and I still use the technique on my projects.  Thought I'd show just a few that I've done.  

This is my 'Art Diary' book I  made...I free motion quilted this piece, sewed on some metal washers then, using Laura's technique, I used a brayer and rolled over the entire piece with white acrylic paint!

These next pieces are showing the front of my quilted work and instead of painting over the quilting on the front, I painted over the back of my work!  This way they became 'pages' in my Art Diary book!  Make sense!  Well, it did for me!

  This is the front of a 'page' in my diary...

And this is the back...this time I used green paint.  It actually looks like suede in person.  Even I forgot what fabric I used for the backing and had to touch it!

Front of another piece...you can see on the left side where it's attached to the previous 'page'.  I have four pages, each approximately 18" x 18".

And again, the back of the piece above is painted!

This time I used white paint, as does Laura most of the time.


This technique is so much fun!  So if you're curious and want to see more...sign up for DMTV!!!  There are so many video's to watch and learn from...I don't subscribe to magazines anymore...DMTV is the way to go for me!

Now off to make dinner!  The word 'frosting' made me hungry!  Yea, like I need an excuse to eat!

Some show and tell!

So, yep...it was 'playtime' today!  Actually, I had these two T-shirts left over from ones MaryJo gave me for Ian's quilt.  They are so cute but I didn't think they would work on the front of his quilt....so, today I made a pillow to go with his quilt!

This is the front of the pillow and the next picture is of the back.  I made the case so it slips onto a pillow form.  That way Ian can wash it...I know....funny...but you never know...he just might!!!

I think it turned out perfect!  And thanks to my Florida friend, Nancy,  for posting a few weeks ago, the use of  the feather embroidery stitch for quilting.  I didn't sandwich the T-shirt but I did back with stabilizer.  Then I used the feather stitch around both blocks.  Let's face it...it's not like Ian will use this bugger!  But I hope he keeps it and passes on to his kids! 

AND...I'm a bit late on showing a gift I received from another blog friend!  Sherry, from Createology, sent me a fabric ornament, which I received the day before we left for Florida so I wasn't able to post a picture (I did email Sherry a thank you). 

Sherry is so creative and busier than I am!!  I have three "gifts" Sherry has sent me and each are hung now in my sewing studio!!  Thank you again my friend!  You are a sweetheart and so generous!!!

So now my 'project' for graduation is finished and I can play!  Next up is heading off to the kids on Thursday - Monday for a few days of grandma time!!  Darrin and Kris will be on vaca for 10 day so Auntie Dawn and I will play 'Nanny'!  I'm looking forward to the time with the kids. 

It's another beautiful day here today....78, sunny but no humidity!  Just wonderful Michigan weather!!!  This is at the end of our subdivision where Kalee gets to 'sniff' on our walk(s).  Rain is due in later tonight so hopefully Kalee will get another nice walk after dinner. 

Oh, Bob and I got new phones yesterday (Samsung Galaxy S5), which are fantastic!!!  And we had to get a new laptop...Bob's desktop died and it was cheaper to buy a laptop.  Bob is taking my old laptop to put in the computer room for working on his golf stats.  I'm having a learning curve with the new Windows 8.1...but I'll get there!!!  AT least I hope I will!!!  This is my first post using the new computer.  So far...so good...let's see if I can actually publish it!  Since that 'option' isn't highlighted...

Another Star is Born...

Well, Nick, most likely wouldn't like me to call him a "star"...but their 5th grade class did a great job Wednesday.  Yep, this is our boy in the middle!  He didn't think his grandma could get a good shot of him smiling but I did!!!  Yea, I did!!!!

I was so impressed with the Exhibition 2014 Clear Lake elementary put on this week!  How cool!  They had 12 rooms set up with two presentations in each room!!  Presentations from child abuse to gambling, to animal abuse to Cancer and Your Health!

The above display board was created by Nick and his team (Nathan, Hunter and Nick).   Their presentation was on 'Testing and Driving'.   They boys did a great job and even had forms for folks to sign pledging not to text and drive!

This is our boy doing his presentation part!

I was also impressed when Nick answered a few questions from the parents.  He knew his facts!!!  Good job, Nick...and Nathan and Hunter...you should be proud of all your effort and work!

And all the rooms were set up with the latest electronic display boards for their PowerPoint Presentations.  Very high tech but each of the kids knew how to work the computers and the displays.  Quite impressive.

This Video is part of the 'welcome skit' the kids put on.  How interesting and clever...it was all done in black and white and no sound.  Kids were at the mike 'lip syncing' to the video.  Really clever...Nick was in one skit here!  So much fun...Great job, kids!!!!

Mid week!

Well, the leaf is making progress!  Actually, I finished the left leaf before we came home to Michigan!  Now that we're settled in I'm hoping to get back to working on beading this piece and hand work on the background, while watching Tigers on TV at night...we'll only get to watch our shows after the game(s) are over!
I ran some errands today then home to do some weeding out back and scrub our rockers that sit under the deck.  We've had these Rubbermaid rockers for over 23 years!  We keep these on the lower level...they're just sitting here drying...they'll be moved over to the other cement slab under the deck...that is if I have enough energy!

 These rockers still look like new and I love sitting on them....hopefully, weather will cooperate and we can get out the deck furniture this weekend.  I enjoy having my lunch outside and Kalee is so hard to keep in during good weather!  She's an outside dog for sure!!  It can be 80 degrees out and she'll lie on the deck or in the grass!  Bob's off golfing today due to rain tomorrow...we'll see if he notices what all I did today!  NOT!

I have to upload pics from Nick's school presentation last night!  What a great job the kids did!  And Nick answered all the questions asked of him by parents!  So prepared!!!  Takes after his father!!  Yea, that's it!!

Almost back at it!

Well, we're home (safe & sound!) and everything is put in it's place, grocery shopping done and house is clean with exception of family room downstairs and my dye/wet room!  Those rooms can wait until next week!  We arrived home yesterday around 12:30 in the afternoon and hit the ground running!  Bob and I both like to have things organized - I know surprise!!! - so we had all suitcases and bags emptied and put away before 8 p.m.!
Today I spent the day scrubbing floors and overall cleaning the house.  I love to reorganize closets and cupboards and purge items I know I won't use or wear!  We have an organization, OutReach East that we donate to and they will be getting some items again this year!
I did manage to put away all  my sewing supplies but I haven't reorganized my sewing room yet...this is a quick view of what it looks like today.   At least the floor is clean and most items are put away.

This is a picture as you walk into my room.  Yes, it's also where Grace lives!  She's always out and loves having me in the room with her.

And this is as you come into my sewing room from the right.  Once I reorganize this weekend, I'll post updated pics.  It's kinda funny....I was looking at a post from 2012 when we returned home!  You can check out that post here...what's funny is everything looks about the same!  I guess some things just never change...
Tomorrow I'll pick up Amber from school and then join her parents for dinner then we're off to Nick's school to watch a presentation he and his 5th grade class have been working on for the past month.  It's on Texting and Driving!!  Should be good and I know it will be fun to be with the kids for a few hours!!

Well, off to watch the Tigers!  They're ahead so far 4-0..also, it was a beautiful day today!  High 60's and sunny...patio door was open and fresh air flowed through the house....love spring in Michigan!!

All packed up!

Yep, the car is all packed up with the exception of overnight bag, computer 'stuff', Kalee and Grace!  And speaking of Grace...we have to put her in Kalee's crate overnight so we can dismantle her cage.  Grace rides in a dog carrier on the trip and at the hotel she comes out and sits on her perch taking in the sites and sounds of the hotel.

I like to take pictures...who knew!  And a few years ago, I did take pics of  how we packed the car.  Now this might sound silly but it really comes in handy!  I have the print outs of the back of the SUV and inside just so I can pack the car as efficiently as possible.  But this year, we did eliminate a large bag as well as two bags of my art supplies.  So, here are the pictures I'll use for future trips (God willing!).

this is the back of the SUV....the open area on the left is where we pack up  our Keurig coffee maker.  Bob bought a K-cup brewing machine last Christmas and wanted to bring it with us.  We do like our coffee!  The other empty space is for our overnight bag and we'll also need spots for our bedding and pillows, which I put in space saver bags.  Sure squashes a pillow!!!  Works for me!  Love my space saver bags for travel!

This is the back seat, right side.  The cooler and another bag with treats and dog bag sit here.  Grace sits to the left of the cooler in her carrier.

And this is behind the driver seat.  Yea, that's where I put all my art supplies...in boxes on the floor - the entire back seat floor are my supplies.

 Kalee's crate sits on top of these bags.  Works well as both Kalee and Grace can see out!

So now we have packing documented for another year.
It is sad to leave all the friends and fun here in Florida but also will be nice to be at home.  I'm getting the 'itch' to do some painting and dyeing....and I know Jan and Larry appreciate me not spilling dye on their floor or carpet!!  I purchased Lynn Krawczyk's book, Intentional Printing, and I'm really looking forward to 'playing' or as Lynn would say, "flinging paint"!  So I hope within the next week or two, I'll get to play and hope to post some pics!!!