A Color Study:  Underwater Fantasy

Created by

The Aussome Study Group

Orange - Mary Andrews

Yellow - Lois Ann Fulton

Blue - Robbie Payne

Green - Karen Kiley Olson

Red - Carol Tamasiunas

It's been quite a busy week!!  Our Aussome Study Group's opening, for our art quilt exhibit, is next Friday.  Hence, this past week or so has been dedicated to picking up quilts, getting sleeves on quilts, making all the labels for the wall at the exhibit...and other busy work!   The group quilt picture above is one we did back in  2008 and was juried into the IQA show in Houston (you can read my blog post on it here).   This piece will be on the main wall as you walk into the Art Council bldg.  I think it will draw a lot of attention.  If you can click on the picture and look at each quilt detail, I think you'll be impressed.  Lots and lots of different techniques and materials used.

The quilt picture above doesn't look like much but under this 'stack' are 39 other art quilts from our groups Inspired by the Master exhibit.  The IBTM exhibit are all consistent in size - 16" x 20" but we have a variety of sizes for each of our six individual exhibits.  Actually we have 95 quilts to hang!!!  I'm hoping we can hang all of them but you never know.  The majority of mine, for example, are 8 1/2" x 11" (my beaded pieces) and some of the other ladies have small sizes as well.   I think the exhibit will be really interesting as we have so many different techniques/mediums we each work in.

We always have a good time at the opening...usually meeting for dinner ahead of time and then the 'meet and greet'.  The Art Council bldg is always packed, and I mean packed with folks coming to see the art work.

In between quilts, I finally got a chance to get 75% caught up on my Watercolor lessons with Val Webb.  I do enjoy working with the watercolor...not good at the 'drawing' part but learning a lot and figure I can always trace any letter(s) I might choose to work with!  There's always a way, right!

Lesson in creating a trinity knot

A Uncial inspired letter

This is a fun lesson to do.  A painted watercolor background that we add botanical elements using a Crow Quill pen and white, opaque ink.  The only problem I'm having is getting the ink to flow from my pen.  Sometimes it works great and other times all I get is a scratch on my paper.  I'm only pulling the pen towards me but still...gets frustrating because I'm enjoying this process the most.  Reminds me of doodling/Zentangle type work.

So busy week this week...we're hanging the quilts starting on Tues.  We should be finished by Friday!!  Let's hope, right!

Remembering Mandy....

Mandy

November 3, 1999 -September 2, 2011

It's been two years and yet it seems like 2 minutes ago our beloved Mandy was with us.  There honestly isn't a day goes by that I don't think of my best friend...and she was just that...my BFF!  She loved me and was my companion 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  She knew when I was happy, sad, sick or just blah...but she also knew how to cheer me up.  Just that snuggle or wag of her tail was enough to put a smile on my face.  I miss her so much and even as I type this the tears flow.  

Mandy was a therapy dog and we would dress up to visit the folks at Hospice.

Posing for Halloween

Dress up time with Amber & Grandma

Mandy never liked to walk but loved when Nick would pull her in the wagon!

Mandy was friends with everyone and every dog she met!  Not a mean bone in her body!

Cody was her BFF

Betsy & Mandy keeping watch

Big Ben, Cody and Mandy

She was even Flat Stanley's buddy!

She was a good listener at the reading program for kids we attended

I'll keep you in my heart forever my friend

Stuff!

I have to say I love Face Book!  Never thought I would and I did resist 'signing up'...but I'm so glad I finally took the plunge!   I've found so many great recipes, old friends and family and new places to shop!  So this post is on some of my recent, favorite finds from FB!

This first 'find' is from Brenda at A Touch of Glass Jewelry!  I love her work and yes, I did purchase a cuff for myself.  It's very similar to this one below.  I'm just too lazy to take a picture.  You have to go to Brenda web site and check out all she has!

This is a quote from Brenda's site:  "This cuff bracelet is made from a slightly flexible aluminum, allowing you to adjust the size to your wrist. It measures 6.625" x 1.625" and slips right on the wrist.  The image is dyed & heat pressed into the aluminum bracelet itself.  Each one has 3 different images of my Painted Ladies."  

Actually, the  one I purchased is the first one in the picture above!  We're headed to the kids this afternoon for a so called final barbecue of the summer, so I might just wear it today!  Brenda has lots of other painted items so head over and check out her work!!  Amazing detail for such small items she works on. 

I have to thank an 'old' (she's not really old!) buddy who does fabulous jewelry works for posting the link to Brenda's web site on FB.  Christine creates jewelry using metal, leather and bottle caps!  If you want to see some great art work, you have to call it art!, check out Christine's web site.  

Of course I have to talk about a food 'find' from FB!!  And yep, it's a dessert!  I have to thank my daughter for posting a link from one of her friends showing a BD cake she received.  The cake looked so good and her friend said it was the best cake ever....so, off I trekked one day with Kalee and headed to Tasty Layers bake shop.  I didn't want to buy a whole cake so opted for cupcakes instead.  

I've been there twice!  The mounds cupcakes are awesome and so is the Royal Red Velvet and so is....you get the picture....so here are some other pictures for you!

The pic above is called a Malted chocolate and this one is banana split.

Oh my gosh...are they ever good...and the butter cream frosting is the best I've had from a bake shop.  Bob thinks they're too sweet but I don't think so...I'm a frosting fanatic so they're perfect for me.  The cake is so moist and melts in your mouth!   So if  you're in the Burton/Davison area stop in for a treat!  YUM!!!!!  I was telling Nick and Amber about their cupcakes so the next time I head down for my Wed. I'll make sure to stop the day before and pick them each one up!  I'll have to take the menu with me so they can pick out one they might like.  They must have over 20 different varieties!    So hard to pick but I don't think any of them would not be good!!!  

So those are just some of my finds on FB!!   Now I'm off to play Suzie Homemaker and get some food stuff ready to take this afternoon!  

First Tiffany piece finished

I finished my first Tiffany piece for the Inspired by the Master... exhibit.  It's funny because we've had so much humidity and fog even this picture looks cloudy!

Here are a few closeups...I added beading around the inside of the sun...had to put beads on my piece! 

And a closeup of the echo quilting.  I echoed the background as well using an orange thread to match vs contrast with the background.

I'm happy with how this piece turned out.  I haven't even made one cut on my 2nd Tiffany piece (the peacock I posted about here).  Might be a good project to take to Florida with me!

I'll stick to my day job...whatever that is!

 

Yep...going to stick to my day job - now I just need to figure out which that 'day job' is - fiber - beads - dye!  Anyway, the Watercolor Lettering class is really great...I am enjoying working in a new medium, watercolor....and I've learned some new tips from Val Webb that I know I can apply to my 'day job' of fiber and beads!  That's the whole point of a class, right...to learn something new!

We have printouts and of course our samples so I put them all in a folder, which I sketched/colored...kinda hokey but at least I'll be able to find it!

Lesson 3 is on banners...we were suppose to find a word to color on our banner but I couldn't think of anything (go figure!) so I thought it was a good way to practice the alphabet...ok, part of it anyway!

Lesson 4 will be out today but I may not get to it until later this week.  Today I'm putting labels on some of my beaded pieces for our upcoming exhibit.  Our Inspired by the Masters quilts will be on exhibit at the Greater Flint Art Center the middle of Sept.  In addition to our Master quilts we'll each (there are six in our Aussome Study Group) have a place to hang additional work(s).  I have four of my beaded pieces framed and have a few more to add to the group...they are all 'flora and fauna'...in my backyard...ok, maybe someone else's backyard!

Solar Fast Results

I finished playing with Solar Fast today...here are my results and opinion...inquiring minds want to know, right!!

So...one of the advantages of using Solar Fast for sun printing is you can use negatives to print with...but first you have to have the right negative printed!  You do need contrast, which I didn't with this negative...I won't show the results, other than you might like the bright orange, solid print I got!

Oh, I also tried using a negative (the 2nd negative below) and SetaColor paint...just got a solid color!

Obvious I used circles for this print!

I used some paper leaves for this print...

One of the first things you notice with Solar Fast is the ammonia smell...you have to get over this....or go back to SetaColor if you want sun prints.

My 2nd negative - lots more contrast

Because my first negative print didn't turn out, I looked for a picture (black and white) that had lots of contrast.  I used this picture a few years ago to make a quilt for Ami's AAQI quilt initiative (you can see my finished piece here).   I think it has enough contrast so I did print out...oh, I printed this on Jacquard's Solar Fast film...haven't tried this method using regular inkjet transparency film...guess that's my next test!

Here are my results...would I purchase Solar Fast in the future?.....yes...that is if I wanted to print out a picture onto fabric via sun printing.  This is a cool feature of this product.  Also, although I haven't tried this, you can print onto paper, fabric and I believe wood...you can read more about using the product on Jacquard's web site.

Fabric painted  & negative covered with glass, sitting in the sun!

First result - hint: make sure to dab paper towel to remove excess dye!

2nd attempt...I did remember to dab dye...not a bad print actually.  you can see some veins even!

Gotta have a little shibori, right!

I like it!

 

Finally!

Finally, I'm able to get back to doing some art work!  Yes, my watercolor lettering is somewhat art work...at least for most in my online class...it's not so much 'art' for me..it's a struggle but I am enjoying it and learning a lot about water color and other drawing tips.  I need all the help I can get!!

Anyway, yesterday I started on my next challenge, A Road Less Traveled, for the Art Quilts Around The World  blog group.  This is all I can show until the reveal on Sept. 30th.  I've got a good start on it so I should make the deadline without any problem...let's hope!

In between time....I ordered some Solar Fast from Dharma last week and it arrived on Thursday.  Solar Fast is a dye you use for printing in the sun...yes, I know SetaColor and even MX dyes work well to sun print with but with this particular dye you can use negatives or transparency paper to print with.

 I've been waiting for this product to come in since Jacquard started posting about it on FB and on their web site!  I'm not going to give my opinion yet...I have one more test to try tomorrow so after that I'll post my results and opinion!  Until then...here are some pics of what I did play with today!

Some of my supplies

One piece 'cooking'!

Another piece cooking!

Deck Work

OK, so no art work to show (again!) but some deck work...after all, this blog is for me!  So, boring as this may seem, I have to document what I do in a week's time!  It's for me in  my later life...at least I'll be able to look back to see what I did during my retirement years...or if memory totally fails me, look at what I'll think is someone else's life!
Yesterday was a work day..WAIT!  Didn't I say I was retired!  Oh well...Bob power washed the deck several weeks ago and was only able to paint the deck floor this past weekend (well, half of it).  So on Sunday, I did the inside rails (beige) and yesterday I did the outside rails and spindles (white).

We moved all the patio furniture to the opposite side so looking forward to finishing that off (NOT!).  Bob still has to paint the rest of this floor and the lower level.

This is what I worked on yesterday.  I had to get the ladder to paint the outside rails.  I was glad my neighbor was home, in case I fell off the ladder!

You can see better in this pic...the five spindles on the right were painted and the ones on the left are unpainted...ok, so you have to look close but you will see where they need or needed to be painted.







So after about 2 1/2 hours of painting, I hauled the ladder back up the hill but thought about my track lighting in the kitchen.  So I hauled the ladder in the kitchen and cleaned those off...who knew grease could reach so high!!!
As I was hauling up the ladder, I also noticed this!!

WEEDS!!!  I don't walk around the north side of the house very often!  Not doubt, right!  The weeds were terrible...my poor neighbor has to look at this!!!  So after cleaning up my paint supplies I took Kalee and out we went to pull weeds!

Yes, I was pooped but a nice shower and lunch gave me another 'kick'...OK, not really, I actually sat down with a cup of coffee and watched WhoDunIT I had taped!!  Loved that show!!  And my DIL guessed who the killer was...but my fav person won the quarter of a million dollars!
Today the carpet installers are here as I type this post.  We love the new carpeting...although I forgot to take a picture of the carpet they installed (with flaws).  Now we just have to put everything back in place and hopefully settle in!  Obviously, I've given myself the day off...gotta love retirement!

Idle hands? Not!

I certainly haven't been idle this week but not much accomplished in art work....unless you count my Watercolor Lettering class...I did finish a few practice pieces for our 2nd lesson.  I'm having a problem with perspective and proportion in my letters so I'm going back to lesson 1 to work on this part of lettering.

Attempt 1

Attempt 2

Really bad attempt 2!

Back to lesson 1!

I'll keep practicing...and I'm still enjoying Val's class.  She does explain and show in her video's great instructions...I'm just a slow learner!

Bob painted over half of the deck yesterday so today I'll start on the spindles and railing.  He'll paint the other half later this week.  New carpeting is suppose to be re-installed on Tues., Wed. is kids day - paddle boat time; Thursday lunch with my friend Joan and Friday a visit with another friend to do some fabric organizing.
My friend, Mary, had her hip replaced last Tues., headed to her daughter's on Friday but ended up back in ER yesterday due to swelling, which they think was caused by BP meds.  She is/was walking around more and said she felt better.  Here's hoping she keeps up the good work!!!  And no more visits to ER!!!

Goodbye to another friend....

It's always hard to say good-bye to our friends and it was difficult to say goodbye to another one of my friends today.
This is my 'old' horse buddy, Carol, who passed away earlier this week.  Carol was a great mom, grandma and friend.  She loved her kids and grand kids more than anyone.   And she was almost as much of  an animal lover as I am!
Carol and I met in the early 70's and became great pals.  Since we both had horses, kids and jobs it was only natural that we understood what each of us were going through at different times.  I have to say, Carol was always there to help me!  And to make me laugh or cry!  We did a lot of both while being buddies and I'm so thankful for the memories I have of her.

Death certainly makes me/us think, doesn't it.  Are we being the best mom, grandma or friend we can be?  Or are we just being selfish people more concerned about ourselves?  I try to think I'm being a better person at this stage of my life but am I really?  I have to say, Carol certainly did her best and always put her family and friends before herself!  She was always there any time I would call!  I mean anytime....I once had a foal born and the dam died 24 hours after foaling.  I was working at EDS at the time so who came to my rescue?  Yep, Carol...she worked nights at the GM plant in Lake Orion but would come over after work to make sure the foal was fed (via bottle) every 2-3 hours until I got home.  Then I'd take over with the 2-3 hour shift(s).  
Carol also got stuck holding a goat in the front cab of my truck!!  My vet recommended I get a goat to keep the foal company and to teach it to eat hay!   So off we went to buy a goat for the foal...I didn't think to bring the horse trailer so Carol held that goat the whole trip home!  We laughed so hard while that goat struggled on Carol's lap!  
I have many, many memories to make me smile and make me cry.  I only wish I could have had one more cup of coffee with her just to talk about our "good old days"....but we'll meet again sometime and we'll have lots to talk about.   Yep...that's what friends do........

Lesson 2

I did get to practice somewhat this a.m. on our 2nd lesson of Watercolor Lettering by Val Webb

I only had enough time to work on this practice piece before heading out for a hair cut.  Monday was our fiber meeting, tomorrow is day with grand kids and Thursday I have to go to the funeral home, as an old, old friend passed away suddenly early this morning.  Carol was a great pal back in the day when i raised horses.  She and I were single at the same time.  We hauled hay, stacked it, got feed by the ton, clean stalls and trained horses...all the while having a blast at it!  We did more laughing (&eating!) during the 'day'....she was quite the animal lover and never wanted to sell a horse or foal.  I do have fond memories of our time together.  I did notice something as I was looking up old pictures of Carol....she isn't in any but 3-4!  Why is that!

Well, she was the one always taking pictures of our group.  We had started a saddle club back in the mid to late 70's and met each weekend to trail ride or attend horse shows.  Carol was the 'keeper of the albums'...but because she took the pictures, she wasn't in any of them!  I do know how this goes...in the old fiber group I belonged to, I took all the pictures monthly and posted them on our yahoo page...same with our current small fiber group.  I take the pictures but there aren't any of me in them because I'm taking them....not sure if this is good or bad, but something to keep in mind for the future.

So that's my week this week...not sure how much I'll get done in my art work until the weekend.  I'm going to try to add some beads on my sun/moon piece...Tigers are on tonight so it's a good night to do some type of hand work. I've already taken Kalee on her walk so she should be resting and not wanting to play...guess we'll see!