April Scheme

I've made some progress on my collage using Folt Bolt's January scheme...and I'll catch it up on the blog soon....but the April colors are out.

Even though I'm anxious to do something multicolor....shades of blue is one of my favorite schemes.  I'll catch you up on my progress with the aqua and red but I may also start playing with the blues!

I made this simple piece for my show last May using an altered photograph and fabric. You can read about it here.

Facebook

On the last day of the month Kriszta from Folt Bolt features several of the color scheme pieces on her Facebook page...and this month she chose mine as one of them. That was a nice surprise to wake up to.  Tomorrow brings a new color scheme for April.

Unexpected Art...

...as seen on a morning walk.

Perfect Combo

Last Saturday Paul and I took a little destination drive to Littleton and had lunch at the Gallery 529 Cafe. It was the perfect combo of interesting art, good food....and even better company. I even got to color a little bit while we waited for our food.                                                                                          

The black bean soup had a little artsy flair.

My favorite piece was this funky mobile....it might have come home with me but it wasn't for sale. It was simply wire and tissue and it reminded me of fabric flowers I used to make when I was young. I absolutely loved it and am going to give it a try at some point.

I found this image online....just like I remember.

Ahhh!

That's all...just ahhh!

Life

"There is no joy without sorrow....it is in fact the pain and the suffering that allows us to experience and appreciate the joy." The Book of Joy

I'm so lucky to have so many good friends....a few have reached out since my last post. So just in case you're wondering....I'm just fine. There has been a lot going on....so much of it good and wonderful. But, the most important priority in my life right now is my dear friend Connie.

I have talked quite a bit about Connie on this blog. As a matter of fact if you put her name in the little search box in the upper left hand corner more than 40 posts come up where her name is mentioned. That even surprised me. I've been Connie's friend, decorator, gardener, seamstress, caregiver, driver, and errand girl.  We've spent hours and hours crafting, problem solving, and puttering....she is an inspiration and a role model. My fist post about her was called "Let Me Introduce You to Connie" in the first weeks of this blog and she has been a regular presence ever since. It was always with her permission and she has loved reading her stories here so I know she won't mind if I continue.


Just recently Connie's health has declined and she is transitioning to Hospice care. I will be part of the team that will be helping with this end of life process whenever and however I can...it will be both difficult and powerful.

But....spring is coming, creative projects continue, and decisions are being made about houses and homes. Yes...life is full...but life is also very good. I'm so grateful for my very full life.

"The more we turn toward the suffering, our own and others, the more we can turn toward the joy." The Book of Joy

A Moment in Time

Every once in a while life events come together at the very same time that deserve extra time and attention. Joyful things and difficult things all at once. Things that take me back to reflect on what has been and decisions and opportunities that propel me forward to what might be. That's what's happening now. It's one of those moments in time.

I'm going to pause this blog and regroup for a few days. I'm not going anywhere....I'm just going to catch my breath and tend to some of these things and give them the attention and energy they deserve. And...I'm going to start a new puzzle....this crazy one I got from my sister LaVonn. 

The last one is done and tucked away. Is there anything else that you work on for months....and when it's finally finished you just take it apart?  I'll be back soon. 

Hello Spring

This image came across my Pinterest feed and it made me smile. Just what I needed today.

It's been cold and blustery lately....but the sun was shining this afternoon and there seemed to be a little hope for the coming spring.

The image originated here.

Paint Panel Heaven

I've said it before and I'll say it again....I love wooden paint panels. They are inexpensive and have a multitude of uses. In this case I used them to turn colorful wrapping paper into wall art. Last time I was in Portland I stopped at my favorite art store to pick up a few more panels. I had plenty to choose from....it was paint panel heaven.                                                                                          

Artist and Craftsmen Supply has 30 stores all over the country...but the store in Maine was the first. It's a employee owned company and full of really cool stuff.

You can see all my projects using paint panels by clicking here.

Savoring

....the finish line.

My friend Becky recently finished two puzzles in a relatively short amount of time. I know lots of people who can't leave them alone once they start. Becky joked about having to set a timer to remind her to stop. Not me. I love my puzzles...but I'm OK with a few minutes here...fifteen or twenty minutes there. Sometimes they sit untouched for days...even weeks. I've been plugging away at this one since Christmas.

But...I'm getting close and I'm savoring the finish line.  I very purposefully only do a few pieces at a time here at the end....they go in so fast at this point and I like to stretch it out.  I don't really know why...it's just what I do...it works for me.

Children Welcome

I may have mentioned before that I really enjoy the view from my puzzle table. Looking ahead there's a shelf filled with some of my favorite things...

...and to the left I have a window where I can watch the weather or the world go by.  And I even have a view of the TV is that's what I want. It's a good spot.

Sitting in front of the bookshelf is this sweet little antique bow back chair. Years ago Paul and I acquired two of them from Brookmeade Congregational Church in Nashville, Tennessee.  We lived in Nashville for six years while we went to graduate school and Brookmeade is where Paul worked as a youth minister and where he was later ordained. One chair sits here in our home and one sits in Paul's office at church. In both places we want our message to be clear...."children are welcome here."  

I will admit that I love collecting children's books and toys. But mostly I love sharing them the kids who come to visit. I have a whole shelf of books...several baskets of toys and trinkets and all kinds of puzzles and games on hand ready for my little visitors.

Yes....children are welcome here.

Series

I've enjoyed the challenge of using the Folt Bolt's color scheme as an inspiration for a monthly project. It also pushes me think outside of the box...putting together colors I might not have on my own. So I think I'm going to try and do a year long series of mixed media collages using each month's scheme. Let's see if I can pull this off...it's worth a try.

I'm even going to back track and tackle the January scheme which was reds and aqua blues.





One evening back in January while watching TV I made these wool, felt, and beaded circles with the intention of making something to submit to Folt Bolt....but this is as far as I got. It's a combination I've never used before and it's really grown on me.

Today I started gathering  inspiration. As of right now one of my felt circles is missing...hopefully I'll be able to uncover it over the next couple of days. 

Mulling it over.....

Theme

I wonder what the April color scheme will be.
I'm sensing a theme.

Bein' Green

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  

I used to love watching Sesame Street with my kids....there was enough clever humor for me and enough of everything for them.  

I'm especially fond of Kermit....and love his little song "It's Not Easy Be'in Green."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4ZxxHbJGbY

My little Kermit moves around...but for now he's on my kitchen window sill.

It's not that easy being green;

having to spend each day the color of the leaves.

When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow, or gold...

or something much more colorful like that.

It's not easy being green.

It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things.

And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're 

not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water...

or stars in the sky.

But green's the color of Spring.

And green can be cool and friendly-like.

And green can be big like an ocean, 

or important like a mountain,

or tall like a tree.

When green is all there is to be

It could make you wonder why, but why wonder?

Why wonder, I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful!

And I think it's what I want to be.

Finish Work

Fabric, Buttons, and Art Papers

The finish work is done on my little mixed media project inspired by Folt Bolt's March color scheme. Like many of my projects there are things I would have done differently...but I'm pretty happy with it.

You can see the steps in this project in several previous posts.

I am a big button fan...so added a few more.

I used a thin layer of gel medium to adhere it to the front of the panel. This gave me the opportunity to make sure it was centered and secured before I fused the border which is backed with Wonder Under.

Then I clipped, wrapped, and ironed.  I had barely enough fabric to wrap around to the back....next time I'll make sure I have a little more. 

Because I wanted to make sure that the sides were fused well I used a piece of the release paper as a pressing cloth. I didn't want to risk scorching the fabric while I ironed.

There are a few bumps and lumps and that might have been avoided if I put a thin layer of batting under the front like I did on the last one. There's always next time.

Focal Point

I was just about ready to go back to the drawing board with my project. I was struggling with a focal point against that busy center square but I was determined to make it work. In the end I decided to do a plant pot similar to what I did on the last project.

I started by fusing skinny strips using hand dyed fabric. But I didn't think the first one had enough contrast to the busy background...it blended in too much.

So I picked more of a contrasting muted green and made round two. It think this one shows up a little better....the color looks better in person.

I have been using this leaf fabric I had in my stash. I ironed fusible webbing on the back of and I've been cutting from if for these last projects.  

I added a little joy...and green pinstripe fabric border just like the neutral I used in February.  The final step is fusing it onto the paint panel....but that's for another day. I'm glad I mulled this one over...I'm pretty happy with my little green scheme.

Texture

Today was a snowy blowy stay inside kind of day.  I tried to tackle a few chores...but mostly I played with my current project and worked on my slow moving jig saw puzzle. Becky gave me the little "joy" hanging on the bottle while I was in Wisconsin and this is where it has landed for now. Thanks Becky!

I like the texture that stitching gives a project whether it's paper or fabric. But...

...if I were to do this again I wouldn't do the stitching going both ways on the center square.  This works really well on solid fabric...but not so sure it works as well on this busy mixed media strips. I would really like a pop of color but I'm being loyal to the Folt Bolt March color scheme which is pretty monochromatic. 

I'm auditioning other mixed media elements...but it was time to set it aside for a few days and mull it over.