Silk Painting 101

I taught Silk Painting Basics to a lovely group of ladies today. We started with a small piece in an embroidery hoop, to feel comfortable with the materials and technique.

They did a great job! Next week they will complete a larger piece, suitable for framing or to use in a sewing project.

Deconstructed Screen Printing

I learned a new technique this week from fiber artist Kerr Grabowski. Here's a photo of one of my pieces of fabric, printed with her amazing Deconstructed Screen Printing technique:

Abstract....colorful....unique....this will most likely be used in an art quilt!

Silk Painted Pillow

I'm teaching a Silk Painting class on December 1st and 8th...here's an example of what can be done with the finished art:

And here's a downloadable flyer that describes the class:

 Pretty poinsettia art, just in time for the holidays!

Shabby Chic!

Finishing up a few "vintage look" items to offer for sale at the Art & Antiques Studio & Gallery in the EGAD.

These are some of the cuffs I made from vintage lace, antique buttons and beads, and handmade rosettes. 

And this is a purse, also using repurposed and vintage materials:

Just in time for the Vintage Revival happening this weekend!

Fabric Surface Design Basics....

This week we learned and played with stamping and stenciling techniques. The studio was set up with a plethora of "toys"....looked like a Kindergarten classroom!

After a brief lecture on using stamping and stenciling tools and mediums, the students went to town creating one-of-a-kind "complex cloth" samples.

Here are a few of the results:

Here is a work in progress:

This is way too much fun!!!

I know you're dyeing to see the results!

We had so much fun in our Fabric Dyeing workshop at the Courtyard Studio in Eau Gallie Arts District! The students were very focused, as you can see...

...and yes, that's shaving cream we used as "size" for the marble-dyed fabrics.

Here are some photos of the other results. We did dyeing in a cup, on a tray, around a pole, and finally on shaving cream.

So much fun! Next week we are stamping and stenciling to create "complex cloth" suitable for all kinds of fiber art projects!

Fabrics to Dye For!

Expect nothing less than stellar results if you take my Fabric Dyeing Class this coming Monday, September 8th. Here are the techniques we will be playing with:

DYEING IN A CUP

Also sometimes known as Baggie Dyeing, although we will be using small ("fat eighths") pieces of fabric that fit nicely into a plastic cup. Love the burst effect, don't you?

TRAY DYEING

This sample was done with 2 dyes...imagine playing with more colors!

SHIBORI POLE WRAPPING

This is just one of the many patterns that can be made with the Shibori technique.


MARBLING

Four different effects from the same base "size", which in this case was shaving cream!

This is the first print, pulling the dye in one diagonal direction:

For the second print, I pulled in the other direction over the first one:

The third pass got kind of "muddy", so after I printed the fabric, I blended the dye into the shaving cream.....

Which made a nice soft background for the fourth print (not really obvious in this photo)

Anyhow, this is a lot of fun....hope you can come to my class!

Vintage Wearables in the Works

So much flotsam and jetsam! These are so much fun to make....I'm addicted!

Photos of finished cuffs coming soon.

Perfectly Piped Pillows!

My own pattern and instructions!

By popular demand, I'll be introducing this new class on June 11th, 14th and July 26th. Make a piped pillow cover with a zippered closure in the back. I'll also show you how to make your own piping and pillow inserts.

Contact me if you'd like to join the class!

Blue Fairy is on display....

...she's at the Suntree Library with some of her friends and a collection of amazing art quilts created by my Seams Unique Fiber Arts group!

I have a few of my fiber art creations in there too!

I am

This is an art doll I created for a challenge by the Space Coast Doll Artist. 

The theme was entitled “Who Am I?”

It’s impossible for me not to feel pulled in many directions, and lately I have realized the importance of taking time to center myself, to remember who I am and why I am here. However, as soon as I come to that place of peace within, I again feel pulled away, by things or concepts or thoughts that are important at that moment, such as Family, Health, or Finances. Then there is always a cloud of Expectation, Duty, and Obligations, telling me those are more important. I am surrounded by Chaos, Issues and Expectations. The only way I can stay sane is to keep reminding myself remain calm and centered, as my life franticly surrounds around me.

Materials: star-shaped muslin body stuffed with fiberfill, painted with acrylics; faux-porcelain clay cabochon face; upholstery fringe; embroidery hoop surrounded with shredded repurposed silk strips; embellished with beads and metallic threads.

Permission to play today....

It's a beautiful day and for once I have NO deadlines or appointments, so I treated myself to a "studio day" literally in my own backyard.

I was inspired by an article in the latest issue of GreenCraft Magazine to paint papers. The article touched my repurposing soul, so I gathered some newspapers, gesso and sponge brushes and prepped my papers.

After the gessoed newspapers dried, I added color with acrylic paints just on one half of the paper, then folded it to monoprint the other half. Some of them I monoprinted again just by pressing the already printed papers to others that were still wet. 

Look at all the pretty textures!!!

The hardest part of this project so far has been waiting for the paints to dry! Next I will add more surface design with stamps, stencils, textures....not sure what at this point. Not sure what I'm going to use these for, but I plan to share them with my friends, and maybe make a piece or two of Abandonment Art.

More pix to come....after the paint dries!