Day 44 -- 365/2014

Day Forty-Four

Tonight was Second Thursday!  A few folks couldn't make it and I switched the original activity I had planned (we will do it when more people can be there) with what turned out to be a pretty fun one.  I love this group!

Tonight's group:  Peggy, Joan, Leann, Jane, Janice, Took.

I had us use an image from a old book, pictures, illustration, wording, yearbook, etc. and work it into a picture.  Several people turned theirs into Valentines.

Working!

Joan with her Valentine...she still wants to use a kangaroo picture she liked a lot.

Leann's piece, front.

Leann's piece, back...a Valentine.  Leann works with cigar boxes a lot (some of these lids came from Leann in a giveaway) -- I think maybe Leann is a little weary of seeing cigar box lids...but she was a sport and played along.  She did leave her piece behind, though...I think this may turn into a collaboration piece.

Jane and her piece.

Janice and her Valentine.

Peggy and her piece.

My first piece.  When I opened the old book we were using for wording, the chapter was to do with a stampede...pretty neat...I randomly opened to that page.

One of the snippets of wording.

The other one.

My second piece...altered yearbook page.

Peggy's piece, close up.  I really love the depth an dimension...she said it was all accidental...I like this a lot!

Janice's piece, close up...cute baby gorilla.

Jane's piece, close up...I love how Jane positioned the owl so that the crown is on his head...way cool.

Earlier in the day I attended a new committee meeting for a new project/artist opportunity with the Northville Art House...I will be heading this up.  Lots of good discussion and everybody had a lot of great ideas to share...super input.  This will be good.  More details after next week's Exhibit Committee meeting when things get firmed up.

365 Day 301

repurpose-ing cigar box lids and test prints

I have a number of cigar box lids that Leann Meixner gave to me. Tonight I am beginning to repurpose three more of them.




This box lid is a long rectangle.
















I used one of my test prints for my block print called "Kitsune" and wrapped the lid like a present.






















I like the images showing through the paper.












This almost looks like it could be made into the cover of a book or sketchbook or something.
















Here is another one of the cigar box lids. I love the bright yellow color with red wood grain pattern.



















I tore around the image and glued it to the lid.
















Again, I really like seeing the images and words coming through the white areas on the test print.










One more box lid tonight.















I almost like this just as it is. I like the colors and the border on the lid.



I have no idea how I will finish any of these yet. I just wanted to get started on them.

365 Day 296

un-fuzzing yarn -- and -- trying something new

This morning I did more prep work for the Tookies. I usually do this step individually with each Tooky (and I also usually do the soft bottom edge at the same time) but today I was thinking I could go in a more assembly line fashion if I broke down the yarn steps, too.

For the colorful side seams I use Sensations - It's a Wrap yarn from Jo-Ann Fabrics.
I realize I am totally defeating the purpose of the yarn, but for my use I cut the fuzzy part and strip if off the strand.

















That leaves me with the soft, colorful part and creates these little cocoon-like pieces. (This time I saved the "cocoons" and gave them to Juana for use with her art.)



















This yarn comes in several colors -- I use three of them.











Here are the three color variations I use plus another colorful yarn that I don't know the name of.












And here is how that yarn looks as a side seam.

1 down, 89 to go!










Also today...



I am trying something new (for me, anyway). Ruth suggested I might try doing other things with my prints. She also gave me a basket FULL of cool stuff I can use in projects. Leann gave me the lids of the cigar boxes that she didn't use when she made her small voodoo shrines. Today I put some of these things together.








I used gel medium to secure one of my prints to the cigar box top. I like how you can see through parts of the print. I also like how the ink ran a little in places.









I also laid down some color registration dots with gel medium. You can see through those, too.















Again...using the gel medium and a little Yes! glue...I used a small section of honeycomb-like paper from the stuff that Ruth gave me.



This is not done yet...but I like how it is looking so far.