Saturday, April 05, 2008

April Showers?!!?

This was what greeted me outside my windows this morning. It's been snowing all day long nonstop. It is April isn't it?
Meanwhile, down in the studio... I've started on the 2nd Calendar Girls challenge for this year. We each filled a 1 ziplock bag with stuff (including fabric & anything else we wanted to throw in), then each of us drew a number & took someone else's bag. I got Mary Gerkin's bag. She seemed to have an aquarium, or under the sea theme in mind.
Not wanting to do the obvious, I focused on this fabric that looked like bubbles, & took my inspiration from there.
I started by drawing circles of different sizes on Timtex, & cutting them out.
I like how they look here, but of course couldn't just leave them like that.
I poured blue & green Dynaflow paint all over them, & added a little water to help it flow more.
They were still very wet this morning, so I layered parchment paper on my ironing board, then the circles, then a layer of pale blue fabric for more absorbency, & topped it with another layer of parchment paper, & ironed until they were all dry.
The fabric absorbed a lot of the extra.
The circles turned out nice.
Here they are on some wash-away stabilizer & a piece of blue tulle with some sparkles on it, a little bit of Angelina fibers thrown in, & now I can start cutting & layering on the fabrics.
That's as far as I've gotten for now. This is how the bonus fabric turned out below. I think this will be a fun project.
I also made this purse last month. It was for my friend Ilene's birthday. We got together with her & her husband Stu in Port Townsend Washington last month. It was a small Reverse-a-purse.
black on this side,


and dark brown on the other.
I used 2 pieces of Mindy's fused glass on it.
Thread painting holds the glass in place.
I've got it ready to send finally! Better late than never?

9 comments:

Vicki W said...

Your project is really interesting - I like seeing the in-process steps. The purse is beautiful - someone is going to be thrilled!

Judi W. said...

Love the purse and the thread painting. It snowed up here in Fairbanks today too.

Micki said...

Interesting project going on there. Fabulous purse, too.

Barbara C said...

These last three projects you've posted are all wonderful. I'm curious to see how your bubble piece develps, but it looks like you're having a very fun time.

I love the way you couched the glass onto that purse. and the echol of the tree in the frame of your calendar piece is inspired.

Rian said...

That project is exciting! I can't wait to see where you go next. Thanks for showing the process/progress.

Ack, that snow looks heavy and wet. And cold!!!

Anonymous said...

I sure am lucky to have a friend like you!
I love the purse:)

Melodie said...

What is the criteria for the challenge? Aren't you supposed to use the materials in the bag? How big is the end result supposed to be?
The purse is cool!!

Granny Fran said...

Your creativity never ceases to amaze me. And, also, motivate me. I find myself admiring and saying why am I not trying some free flowing projects like the circles and the trees. I love my pieced blocks but I am getting in a rut and need to fly free.

Kathy -MIQuilter said...

I'm planting pansies and your shoveling snow! What happened to spring break up? The circles idea is wonderful, I don't know how you thought of it. I also love the purse, the fused glass is great on it.