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"I do believe in an everyday sort of magic...the inexplicable connectedness we sometimes experience with places, people, works of art and the like; the eerie appropriateness of moments of synchronicity; the whispered voice, the hidden presence, when we think we're alone." Charles de Lint

Sunday, June 8, 2025

Dotted Swiss

This quote made me chuckle: If you lose a sock in the dryer, it comes back as a plastic lid that doesn't fit any of your containers.  

I'm currently missing three of my favorite socks....one from three different pairs. I guess I better check the plastic container drawer. 

Does anyone remember dotted swiss fabric? I had several things made out of it growing up. I think this painting technique looks like dotted swiss.

I painted the dots with white acrylic paint using a fineline applicator. After it was dry I watercolored over it. I love the way the paint stains the dots just a bit....but mostly they resist the paint.

The page is in an extra junk journal I made back when I made mine for the art group trade. I thought this was one might be too big...so I made a second smaller one for the trade. Just today I decided it was time to start working in it and added this dotted swiss page. (I was supposed to be cleaning and organizing.)  

The opposite page is from the Reverse Watercolor book that Becky gave me and is calling for some doodling and/or collage at some point.

I found the circle paper cut in my stash and added a couple Margie card strips along the edge.

I used a page from a Gudrun's calendar for the cover.....just the right weight.
I used another page from the same calendar for my trade journal.


I'll share pages as I go along....but I'm quite fond of this little journal and I'm going to enjoy working in it.  

Here's what it looked like with just he acrylic dots.
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4 comments:

  1. dotty seiter: now playingJune 8, 2025 at 7:39 PM

    Dotted swiss! Yes, yes, yes! I have such strong sensory memories of the various fabrics that were part and parcel of my "growing up" years—dotted swiss, seersucker, corduroy, calico. Your dotted swiss journal page is very evocative, MaryAnn, and your junk journal has much of the distinct sensory appeal of those fabrics, with its textural elements and colors, and stitching, buttons, and ribbons. Totally scrumptious, and I love the way you used the dotted swiss as inspiration to go on to created a developed composition. Well done! Are the two vertical strips on the right edge of the dotted swiss page strips leftover from cards to Margie??

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    1. MaryAnn ShupeJune 9, 2025 at 8:17 AM

      It's a very sensory/tactile fabric. I remember it kind of bothered me a bit at the time. And yes...seersucker and corduroy too! Yes...the two strips are from Margie's cards....I still have a lot of them to use here and there. Thanks for chiming in Dotty! Your comments always make me smile.

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  2. AnonymousJune 9, 2025 at 6:09 PM

    Honestly, MaryAnn, you really inspire me! Yes, I remember dotted Swiss fabric from my childhood and I love French knots when I embroider. What you've done with these dots is so pretty! I think your journal is wonderful and what a perfect cover. Too nice to be called a junk journal!
    Judy

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    1. MaryAnn ShupeJune 10, 2025 at 7:21 AM

      Thank you so much Judy! Most of my inspiration comes from other artists so it's heartwarming that you are inspired by some of the things I do. We are all just trading ideas aren't we!

      Ellie called these Joy Journals....so I have to train myself to call them that. It's a much better name. And by the way....I adore french knots on anything!

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