Foil on Fabric, Pins & Purses

In my classes a couple of weeks ago, I demonstrated how I do foil on fabric. It was late in the day & everyone was already overloaded. Most of the students just didn't get it, & it bothers me when they can't be successful. These are the products that I like. I also like Aleen's 'It's OK To Wash It' glue, but I've used both successfully. 

My first step is to place a good glob of the glue on to a piece of glass. I use glass from an old picture frame, & put blue painter's tape around the edges to to cover the sharp edge.

I use a roller, & roll out the glue, the roll it on to my stamp,

& stamp it on my fabric. (Just a thin layer)

I lay a bit of the gold leaf on the stamped image,

then run it with a soft paint brush, or old tooth brush, or just my finger-tip, & this is what it looks like.

The students who weren't successful were just applying too much glue.

I also used the same stamp to make a couple of pins. I brushed Pearl-ex Powder directly on the stamp, the pushed it into some foam that I had heated with a heat gun. After making the impression, I used a rub-on gold wax to high-light the raised image.

I sewed each foam medallion on with a bead in the center.

Finally here are the purses I finished last week.

This one is a microfiber body & silk front flap, (I painted the strap to match).

It reverses to this odd hairy fabric flap with a velvety body.

I used one of Mindy's glass pices for the front.

The other purse I made is for myself. I started it in my purse class.

Another of Mindy's glass bits, held on by my threadplay.

Here is the reverse side.

I used a rock for this side. I love rocks.

I've been thinking about the comments from the previous post. I really don't know when this snow will all be gone, but I think it might be fun to have a little contest to see who comes the closest to guessing the correct date. So here it is, the "Rabbit Creek Snow Classic", (a take-off from the Nenana Ice Classic). I will photo the ground in the northwest corner of my yard starting in May. & you all can pick a day for the snow to be gone from that corner. The person, who chooses the correct day will get on of my pins. ONLY ONE PERSON PER DATE, SO THE 1ST PERSON TO PICK A DATE WILL BE WRITTEN ON MY DESK CALENDAR.

Springtime in Alaska

HI yall! Yep that's me, standing all 5 feet 4 inches waving hello. Standing flat footed on the ground (well as close to the ground as the several inches of packed snow under my feet allows. I suspect we'll have snow until June.

I'm tired & heading for bed. I did finish a couple of purses last weekend, & hope to get a quilt on the frame this weekend, so I will be posting some fiber content next. Happy first day of spring!

Class Weekend

I'm at home today. I awoke at 415 with a splitting headache, to the point of nausea. It didn't get better when I got up, & I was unable to drink coffee (which I thought might cure the headache), so I ended up calling in sick.  I went back to bed & woke up a few hours later with just a dull ache on the left side & the nausea subsided, so I'm feeling better already.

Here are a few photos from my classes on the 3rd & 4th.

In the Surface Design & Embellishing class we started out with the "Straw Dying" that I learned last spring.

I gave each student fabric & a pair of bamboo socks for dying. Barb Russell really got into it. She used her socks to clean up her bucket when she was done dying her fabric.

The students did rubbings with oil pain sticks,

& I tried to show them how they can use foil & stamps, but at some point I felt like I had lost control of the class. By about 2 o'clock everyone was fried on overload. 

Sunday we did purses.

My students were great, & everyone did their own design. Ruthe had made her flap ahead of time, using a beautiful crinkled fabric that she then sewed on to Texture Magic, & got more texture. She put together a great bunch of buttons & beads, & took one of the fused glass bits that I brought to share (made by Mindy).

It was a great weekend. I took this shot of the Ravens & the moon outside of the Beartooth Restaurant after class on Sunday. I wish I'd had my telephoto lens with me.

Verification Words

A quick note about Blogger's new double word verification for commenting. I have removed it from my blog due to the difficulties it's causing in trying to comment. Thanks Kathy for emailing me about it. I've had the same problem trying to leave comments on other people's blogs. The words are so illegible, they are impossible to read. I complained to Blogger 2 weeks ago. Maybe more of us need to complain! 

Lecture Design Inspiration

My lecture last night was well received. I feel very lucky to belong to such a nice group. I showed 231 slides, while talking about "Design Inspiration" & trying to explain where I find it, & ' how my mind works'. 

I also Demonstrated how I try out different designs on the computer before stitching quilting on the quilt. I used my friend Jackie Carley's quilt top to show how I do it, then I offered to let others try it out. Ruthe was a great sport & gave it a try. After that I asked if they had had enough, or wanted to  see my suitcase load of quilts.

 They all wanted the quilts, so we pulled out about 30 quilts & passed them around, chatting & laughing & having a good time.

 I ended up having a banana & glass of milk for supper, & crashed at about 10:30! Too tired to bother eating. Today we're dying, doing Surface Design & Embellishments. Tomorrow it's Reverse-a-Purse, & Monday it's back to my regular job.

 I had nursing nightmares just before I awoke at 4:30  this morning. I dreamed I gave a patient a glass of water because she was thirsty, & got fired for it, because she was supposed to be going to surgery & wasn't supposed to eat or drink anything.

Tonight.

Tonight is my lecture at the Lutheran Church on the corner of 15th & Cordova. If you can, come join us!

I just posted a nice Show & Tell from yesterday's meeting, Please follow the LINK! & enjoy!

Sweet Dreams.

This is my latest quilt/wall-hanging. It's one of those projects that I started years ago, had all the parts made, but just needed to sandwich it together & quilt it. I finally did it. I call it "Sweet Dreams", which is appropriate, because I just went back on Weight Watchers, & I tend to dream about sweets when I'm trying to lose some weight!

I was thinking Cinnamon swirl streusel cake.

The fork is probably the first thing that I ever sewed with wire inside to help shape it. It has layed around the studio for at least 7 or 8 years now.

I also made myself a new pin & pair of ear-rings.

& the last thing I jsut finished is another quilted clock. I promised to draw names from people who sent me photos of their, & I got them from 2 people, so it's between Judy & Margaret. I'll put one in each hand & let Warren pick a hand. I'll let you know next posting who won.

Addendum-Margaret G. my pal in Kanab, Utah won.

Sonoma Rose by Jennifer Chiaverini

I have to tell you all, that this is a REALLY  GOOD book.  I was sucked in on the first pages.  If you've been reading the Elm Creek Quilts Novels, I think this is the best story yet. It's another trip back in time, to Prohibition & California. This time the main character is Rosa, who we met in an earlier novel, when Elizabeth & her husband moved to California. Rosa & her children are being abused by her husband John.  Some of the children are ill, & Rosa fears for all their lives. The story is gripping from the very beginning, & is a good story whether or not you've ever read any of the Elm Creek books. 

 It will be available for sale on the Feb. 21st, 2012. I was very lucky to have been given an advanced copy to read, & I'm telling you this is Jennifer's BEST BOOK YET!

Happy Valentine's Day (belated), & Happy Birthday Sisters

Well, this back to full time is making it a bit harder to get my blogging done, but I'm thinking Thursdays will be my day. I did work today, but it was for my pal Mindy, who is off in Hawaii getting some vitamin D. I got home just now (4 pm), where I usually get home around 7 from the hospital. Above is the Valentine card I made for my DH . I stamped the image of the soaring birds on to the fabric of the heart using a fabric glue, which I then sprinkled with embossing powder, & heated with a heat gun. If you try this, just be careful not to hold the heat on too long in any one place, you could burn the fabric.

I have a sister,( Em) & several sisters-by-heart, (Mindy, Ilene, & Kate), who all have birthdays this month. So happy birthday girls, I love you all !

Mindy was here for Super Bowl Sunday, & we (us girls) watched the commercials, then played our own games, while the guys watched the game. Warren being from New England was a little sad at the end of it all.

Mindy's hat was left over from the Women's Ski she had participated in earlier in the day.

Below are Blueberry cupcakes I made  for her cake.

This table full goodies is what I came home to on Valentine's day. Fabric wrapped packages, chocolates, & little luscious tarts from my favorite bakery, The Flying Dutchman.

I found this book in a package on the front porch, left by the mailman. I'm looking forward to getting into it. I love these books.

Warren is really enjoying the retired life. He has been my chauffeur, & cook, & I'm loving it too! I had been a little worried about the cooking part, but he follows recipes well, & has made some really good food! Who knew life would be so good!

Spider Silk Textile

My friend Margaret sent this link , & I thought others might be interested. My arachnophobia makes me shiver to think of how this was done, but the end product is a beautiful textile!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2012/jan/23/golden-silk-cape-spiders-in-picturesPublish Post

DAY CANCELLED ON ACCOUNT OF SNOW

These are views from my windows today. Above is the deck through the kitchen window. Below our bedroom window.

The view out the back door. Those were foot prints in the snow an hour ago. Warren went out earlier, & he had a hard time getting back home. The roads are the worst he's ever seen them. So due to weather, after discussion with a few other ALCQ members, we cancelled the lecture tonight, & classes this weekend. We're going to try & reschedule in a couple of weeks.

I've got the bags packed for classes, & lecture, & will just put the aside & try not to trip over them. I'm going to look upon this as a bonus weekend of time to work on cleaning up the mess I made preparing for these classes!

Warren's Retirement Dinner

My apologies to those who read this blog for it's quilting content. I promise the next posting will be back to quilts.

Things got a little wild at Warren's retirement party last night. We had a small get-together organized by some of his friends, at Simon & Seaforts. 

They were a lot of fun, & the dinner was really good.

Gifts were opened, & Tim Tebow was mimed by one of the nurses teasing Warren's buddy Will.

Ellis gave Warren a book that was appropriate for our Wednesday evening crowd,

& the group gave him some nice tappers for his kegerator. They also gave him a nice Visa gift card.