Turtle Bag Redux

For the past two years, I've been carrying around a Miss Spider-themed turtle bag I bought at Target and blinged up for the Quilt National opening. Everyone loves it. I could probably sell one daily. But of course, there's the Target and Miss Spider issues. So I came up with my own version of the blinged up turtle bag:

Blue felts, buttons, buttonshole stitch details.

Closeup of buttons and rhinestones.

View of the interior, Kaffe Fassett print for the lining.

We dropped off two batches of cookies, a cinnamon loaf, chocolate poundcake, and Aisha's world famous banana nut muffins at Donkey this morning. Get them while they're hot!

Colorful Creations for the Body and Spirit

Dear Ohio University Department of Art,
I'd like to thank you for the many hours spent learning at your wonderful university. For all the knowledge imparted. For the fun times lounging on the campus green, watching the other students playing frisbee. For the late-night pizza and beer parties. And most of all for this:



Teaching me how to use my BFA to create baked sculptures decorated with impasto techniques.
Sincerely,
Suzie Q Bobcat

Beating the Winter Blahs

It went from temperatures in the teens to temperatures in the 30-40 degree range, but with the warmer days came more clouds and our front yard is a bog of old unmelted ice and mud. It's a good thing that I have bright things inside to play with!

Luna pin, inspired by Loteria cards, made using a delicas from the stash and the wonderful Charlie moon cabochon from Earthenwood Studio

And, inspired by the new Interweave Knits, an entrelac bag in process, using all the wonderful Noro Kureyon, Artyarns Regal Silk, and Araucania wool in the stash. This has been my reward project for doing the other tasks I need to do (baking for Donkey, writing bios for the various books, trying to come up with projects for other books).

And a detail of the stitching, featuring the Artyarns slik and the Noro Sakura, wool with a rayon thread wrapped around the core wool. Very reminiscent of the tulips, crocuses and violets that will soon be peeking their heads above ground soon.

Crow Crow Crow

I am playing in a chunky book swap over at Violette's and the theme is Crow. Today I made a reverse applique crow on a piece of Pellon 50 weight interfacing, and have been playing with digital images of it:
The original crow, mixed silks and cottons, embellished with Sulky holographic copper thread (the background color is a painting on the design wall showing through).

Colored and "enamel" filter applied in Paint Shop Pro.


Contour filter applied in Paint Shop Pro.

I am thinking on making multiples of the crow and then applying it and the embellishments to some paint board I found upstairs (after I have painted it, of course). There are 22 players, so there is plenty of room for experimentation. Nice to have a diversion from everything else, and it sure was nice to get back on the sewing machine, very rhythmic and soothing to be hearing the hum of the needle and moving the fabric.

The Rewards of Driving

We went to Columbus today, in search of yarn for a baby project, and organic vanilla, unsalted butter and cocoa powder for our new baked goods. Aisha drove til we got to 70, and then drove from south of Lancaster home, even getting in some night driving!

Here she is, going the speed limit (entering the two lane just north of Nelsonville)

And this is what was waiting for her at home (sour cream cutout cookie with vegan frosting).

Oh, and it was a quasi-successful hunt, with baby project yarn purchased, but Whole Foods didn't have the Green & Black's cocoa powder. I did get the vanilla, butter and a bottle of rosewater to make rose cupcakes.

Fun with Golden's Clear Tar Gel

I am participating in an ATC/4 x 4 swap over at Violette's forums and Frida is the theme.


La Nina Frida, using a photo I took of my daughter when she was 2. Twinkling H20, Lumiere paints, Golden Tar Gel and adhesive dots to 3D the flowers in her hand.

My Monkey Heart, self portrait inspired by the monkey painting Frida did. Photocopied image of my childhood monkey (who I still own), metallic leaf, Lumiere paint, cellophane, Loteria images, adhesive stars, tar gel. Reflective view.

My Monkey Heart, angled view.

And I've had so much fun using the tar gel and creating these collages that I decided to make some more.

Deva's Moonlight Walk, clayboard, Lumiere paint, photocopies, shell chips and Beadazzles. 5 x 7 inches.

Deva's Afternoon Soiree, clayboard, Lumiere paint, metallic leaf, an ATC base I made using 300lb watercolor paper and Golden Acrylics, photocopy of Deva wearing the family heirloom crocheted dress. 7 x 5 inches.

Izzy and I Collaborate

Izzy and I made a cake together, Pillsbury Valentine Funfetti mix and frosting, yes, I can do scratch, but sometimes box is just what the doctor ordered. I let him go mad with the sprinkles, he added to the Funfetti selection from our collection of colored sugars and shapes. I used coffee kisses I got on clearance to ring the piece. The towel is from a KMart Martha Stewart package of polka dot tea towels.



We are also designing a quilt together, he is in charge of buttons so far (I think I will also have him design the sun for the sky, but he doesn't know that yet). Here's the group of them, post baking:

And a closeup of them with color added, it is going to be quite some farm, with sheep, vegetables and fruit and even a fish pond! My favorites are the chickens and apples, I had him make some extra for me to use on something else (a farm beaded necklace, perhaps? hmmmmmm)

My Rewards, Part One

As a reward for a job well done (when the beading gets tough the tough get beading), I got these (extra moon is already in process, Charlie Moon cabochons and heart pendant in lava texture with cherry red finish):


Which I used in part to make this ("Tonight, Tonight" or "A Trip to the Moon") :

Closeup of the rocket ship:

Closeup of the Charlie Moon cabochon:

And, as if that weren't enough, a milagro themed piece is already in process too (Swarovski cabochon heart, size 13/0 Czech bead embroidered flame, on Peltex) :