Self portraits revealed!

It's reveal day over at Art Quilts Around the World!  The Art Quilts blog is a  "group of 30 art quilters from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Singapore, and the USA. Every two months we make a small art quilt on a designated theme, and we share our quilting journey and its results here with you. We welcome your feedback/comments." 
Our first challenge was a 'self portrait'...and here's my self portrait!  

I'm a 'spring' kind of gal who loves, loves, love hand work and beading!  So of course I had to include those elements in my self portrait!


BUT...I dislike drawing intensely...so this is my first and last attempt at drawing!!  I used the technique of putting tracing paper on the mirror (read this in a mixed media book but I forget the name of it!!) and then tracing your face!  Well, this was still no easy task!

I created the background piece by painting diluted fabric paints onto Radiance white fabric.  Then, I scanned my portrait tracing and printed onto the painted Radiance.  After stitching the commercial fabric to the portrait,  I stitched around each painted area to give the appearance of patchwork.  The entire piece was then free motion quilted.
Of course I had to add some beading around the portrait because it's all about me and my beading! and handwork! And here is a pic showing more detail of the edge beading and handwork. 


It was fun to work on once I had the 'drawing' part finished....but I'm looking forward to our next challenge, which is 'Carnival'!  That should be fun!!


So if you get a minute, head over to see some of the great self portraits on the Art Quilts Around the World blog!  Each piece is really nice, unique and an insight to each of us participating in this year's challenge.

Hot in Florida! And elsewhere!

Yep, it's been in the 80's in Ocala...can't really complain since this is why we come to Florida!  I talked with Amber and she said it's nice back in Michigan and even though cloudy, the temp is near 60.  Not skiing weather for the kids but at least not bad roads for mom and dad to drive in! 

I've been making great progress on my self portrait...but since I can't post pics I can only show some sneak peaks of what I have done so far!

This is one area that I've quilted and the next picture is where I started some beading and hand work! 

After all it's my self portrait and I'm "made up" of hand work and beading!  Therefore, I had to include both of those techniques!

I plan on cutting it to size (11.5" x 16.5") by Sunday and then finish up the edges.  Kalee and I will sit out on the lanai and I'll bead while she watches the squirrels and birds!  Doesn't take much to keep us happy does it!

What my self portrait will not BE!

Oh for heavens sake!!  My fiber BFF's back in Michigan know how much I dislike to draw!  I can trace with the best of them!  But drawing I don't like...at all. 

Yesterday I sat down and was determined to get started on my self portrait and I did.  First I taped tracing paper (had to find a very light piece!) on the bathroom mirror and then traced my face!  Geeezzzzzz  I never could get any part to look like me but this is what I ended up with!

Next I printed my drawing out on fabric and just stitched with mono thread around the hair, glasses, etc. 


Next I ended up dragging out my fabric paints and painted the piece.  That's what I ended up with below.  I don't know who this woman is but she wasn't really fun to make! 


I'm changing directions, totally!, and hope to work on my self portrait on Monday and Tuesday...I say "hope"...Carol and I are running errands today and Monday Bob wants to go to Beall's and pick up some slacks, sooooooo....I'll most likely only get to do some work in the late afternoon. 

I at least worked on my patchwork piece last night while watching Packs win!!  Yea, Mary!
I know you're getting tired of seeing stitches here and there on my patchwork piece but it is my blog, ya know!  So here's a quick pic of what I was stitching on last night.  I have four border areas to stitch which will most likely take me another four months!! 

Well, off to shower and get ready for some shopping!  Kalee and I did our 3/4 mile walk this a.m.  We'll do a mile tonight.