Sometimes, Something's got to give

Unfortunately, that something has been time in blogland. Jenny (DD age 11) finished 5th grade last week. She is on a year-round calendar so she finished a week earlier than her brother, who will finish Wednesday (he and I both wish he was already done!). Here, elementary school is K-5 so finishing 5th grade is a big deal. There were many "fun days" and celebrations. I created a bound memory book (nothing artsy, more like a yearbook) for the 5th graders, which took up quite a bit of my time. Pablo, our Guatemalan student, finished exams last Wednesday, and we put him on a plan early Saturday morning. He gets to spend the summer with his family and will return mid-August for his sophomore year. I think his family gets the short end of the deal with this, as they only get to see him for a couple of months a year. What a sacrifice for them to make so that he can have a better life.

Rosi and I have been out for some good walks *almost* every day for the past few weeks. I really enjoy it, and I think she does, too. I try to go every day, but when you get a 6 am phone call that DH and DS have been in a car accident, some things just don't happen. That was last Friday, and I thank God that they are ok because it could have been really bad. Joseph (DS) banged his elbow a little, but he played 4 baseball games yesterday and was able to pitch well in the last game, so I think he's ok, maybe just a little bruised.

Here are some things I finished up recently. Unfortunately I haven't been able to accomplish much art beyond my obligations. Soon Soon Soon...

This is a "meditation room" (8x8) that I did for a "Dream House" swap. The person it is for said she wanted a place of peace and solitude. The Shoji screen is crinkled silk and has a pretty sheen to it that you can see in the photo. The paper lanterns were made from tags colored with alcohol inks. The floor mat is stuffed, and I wish I hadn't used a fabric with rectangles on it because it sort of ruins the point of perspective. Oh well! I hope she will like it.

This is the "Victorian House" I made for the Textile Challenges year-long exchange. I didn't want to do traditional gingerbread moulding, bay windows and all that stuff, and someone already did tea dyed lace and roses, so I tried to think - what's Victorian? Of course the clothing came to mind and that led me to the corset. After a few failed attemps, I finally put a plan into action that I was quite pleased with. The contour lines on the corset are wire stitched into the bodice...might as well go for accuracy! The photo below is the back ... a photo transfer of Queen Victoria (ink jet and heat and bond lite) and a famous quote of hers ... which I imagine was probably exclaimed on a day that the corset was tightened a notch...

I have another room to make in June, and hope to start on it shortly. I signed up for a beading class on Quilt University and it has just started. I am gearing up to do some painting ... of the wall variety ... and will share my progress with you.

My friend's three young kids are coming over in about an hour and staying for the morning while she goes to work. Rosi and I are off on our walk as soon as I close here. I want to thank those of you who still pop in to see what I'm posting, even though you are seldom rewarded these days. I really appreciate all of you very much! I'm hoping to spend some time in blogland today catching up with all of you.

xo ~ Michelle

Glorious Fabric and One Funky Tree

I have some new fabric. Well, it started out dyed orange and black, except the dyes were old and spent. I knew this when I dyed it, but I thought I'd see how it turned out anyway. It was not attractive in the least. So when the little fabric round robin group (that formed due to a trade on Surface Design, and stayed together through 3 rounds of complex cloth, and counting!) decided to continue with another round, I grabbed that pale peach and gray fabric and overdyed it with blue and gold. Here's what I sent along...And here is the glorious fabric I got in return! Isn't it fabulous? I need a new handbag, so I think that's where this piece is headed. The circles are huge, and the bubble wrap stamping is so cool. I can't remember everything they did to this piece, but I never thought I'd love it as much as I do. You can still see bits of the peach peeking through, which actually lends a really nice effect. Go figure! So thank you, ladies, for my beautiful fabric!

And about that Funky Tree ... you may recall a few months ago I shared a photo of a fiber leaf that I was sending to the International Fiber Collaborative for The Interdependence Tree Project. Well, you HAVE TO go check out the tree. It is amazing! Be sure to click on the photo to see a larger version. You will be blown away. In August it will be on permanent display at the Earlyworks Children's Museum in Huntsville, Alabama.

I received some beautiful art in the mail this week and I hope to get it photographed to share with you next week. Thanks for stopping by!

puzzled

Just a quick little photo today ...

I'm doing a swap later this year with a small group that I belong to. We are making pieces for an advent calendar ... I have day 12. I decided that I needed to take a little break from my other commitments and work on something different, so I made my pieces. I used puzzle pieces from and old puzzle. I coated them with black gesso, then added a pink and gold tissue paper to the top. On that, I added some pale green crackle paint. I painted the edges bronze. I'm pleased with how they turned out, and that's one more thing off my list!

This project has got me thinking about making advent calendars for my neices and nephews for Christmas, using recycled and repurposed items. If I manage to actually do it, I'll be sure to post a picture. I think it would be fun!

I'm thrilled that my collage sold during Collage Mania. The event raised over $18,000 for the ACS. I believe the grand total for the last few years since Virginia Spiegel began Fiber Art for a Cause is near $200,000. Isn't that amazing? My collage will be on its way to Tennessee soon!

Collage Mania Happening NOW

You have less than 3 days to acquire a beautiful piece of original art for a great price and all to benefit the American Cancer Society! Collage Mania is going on but only until Thursday at 5 pm CST. Please head over to the Collage Mania Website and take a look at all the beautiful pieces that are available. My piece is on page 31!

See you there!

Old News

Or at least that's what I used as a base for these ATCs I made yesterday ... They are for a swap on the Fiber Art Traders group called "Recycle Spring". I am keeping the one on the lower right with the red flowers and trading the other three.

The requirement for the swap was to use recycled materials and not buy anything new. Works for me! I decided to try something a little different and I'm pleased with the results. I hope to work this into a larger piece sometime. I took an old newspaper (a few days old ... truly headed for the recycle bin) and tore some of the articles into small bits. I collaged them onto my Peltex base and painted them. Once they were dry I stitched them by using up all the bobbins of colorful thread that were left over from projects gone by.

The moose in the upper right is from the top of the wrapping of a wine bottle. The three red flowers (lower right) and one larger flower (lower left) were punched from a soda can ... scraps from another project. The large flower was colored with alcohol inks.

Around the edges I couched some yarns from a rope toy that Rosi destroyed in about a day. On the back (which you can't see) are scraps from an old map. And finally, because I could not resist, each piece has a recycled spring on it - some were painted and others were colored with alcohol inks. I could not help but to truly "recycle spring".

Collage Mania and a taste of Spring

The collage preview is now online for Fiber Art For a Cause Collage Mania. There are 39 pages filled with 383 pieces of gorgeous art that will be for sale May 5-7. This is an awesome opportunity to acquire a piece of original art for a reasonable price, and even better, the money is paid as a donation to the American Cancer Society! Virginia Spiegel has raised over $170K for the ACS through FFAC. My collage is on page 31.

These photos are from a couple weeks ago. I have been really busy lately and needed to take a break from blogging. Hopefully I will be back in the swing soon. For now, enjoy these photos of April in North Carolina, all of which were taken at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens.

Wisteria. This stuff is gorgeous when in bloom and smells divine, but the vines are so strong they will pull down all but the sturdiest structures!

This tulip was begging to be photographed. Isn't it beautiful?

Lilacs! OK, I grew up with lilacs in Western NY, but they need the cold winters to set there blooms. Lately I have heard rumors of a new variety that can bloom in our warmer climate...could it be true? Oh I hope so. This bush was gorgeous and it has been YEARS since I've had the opportunity to enjoy lilacs.

There was this little patch of purple Anemones hiding under a tree. They were so sweet and impossibly purple. No matter what I tried, they photographed blue, but the looked like they'd been doused in grape KoolAde. Something else for my garden!

And fianlly, bamboo, better in that garden than mine! Some of the stalks had been cut down and were sending out squiggly new green shoots. Very cool.

I hope you are enjoying the season, wherever you live, and whatever it may be!

Life's A Beach!

I told you it was madness! I have been feverishly working on bottlecap jewelry for the Cary SpringDaze festival coming up on April 25th. If you are local, please come and stop by and say hi!

I also have some GREAT news! I entered the "Life's a Beach" challenge offered by Cloth Paper Scissors magazine, and my piece was selected! It is in their hands and I am hoping it will make its way into the July/August issue of the magazine. I will let you know!

In the meantime, I made another page for the book page swap that I am doing with a private group. The theme is "dream home" and this page is for Lori, whose dream home is at the beach. My room for her is the Lanai, or back porch ... with a view, of course!

The sea shell wind chimes sway in the breeze, the coconuts are buttons made from coconut shell, the flowers are punched from a tin can, and the sea foam is made from a cellophane gift bag.

On the back, I included some items necessary for life at the beach... most importantly, margaritas with salted rims!

This month I am making a page for Heather in Scotland. I have my idea and hope to begin work on it by week's end. I'll be sure to share the results! Just think, I might actually post twice this month. Gasp!