Wednesday's Painting Class

I finally finished a painting today in the 'Go with the Flow' class I've been leading at the library.  I started this one two or three classes ago and as I said, finally got around to finishing it...I think!  One never knows when something abstract like this is finished.  I just like the colors...

Many layers, many colors.

Marking Time

Waiting for Spring...we've had a few nice days in a row here in the Ohio River Valley.  Lots of sunshine, wind, and oh-so-much-milder temperatures.  I think I'll make it!

I've been keeping busy with lots of odds and ends...little and big art projects, a painting class, the Documented Life Project, and a mid-winter getaway.

Here's one of my new "favorite things":

 A collage sheet, microscope slides, and UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel).  No soldering required!  I'm anxious to learn to solder, but I feel that I might lack the coordination to be successful at it.

 Scarlet Fields taught a crown and tiara making class at the library.  Everyone had such a good time!

My Documented Life journal...a junior Moleskine planner loaded (really loaded!!) with watercolor extra sheets and lots of Washi tape.  You know the phrase "everything's better with bacon"?  The same applies to Washi.

This doll head has been the object of my wants and needs for quite some time.  I keep seeing cool things made with doll parts, and now I have my very own doll head (and the arms too).  I couldn't help myself when I photographed her head in my wine cabinet.  While cropping the photo, I saw the meme maker option.  Had to do it.

I'm looking forward to the end of the Olympics so we can get back to regularly scheduled programming...I miss all of those somewhat trashy shows I watch...Scandal, Grey's, Revenge, etc.

Easy book binding tutorial

Here's something new and different for the PlumWater Cottage blog...a tutorial!  I think the last tutorial I documented was back in the summer of 2008 when I showed you how to make a dress form, using my daughter as a guinea pig.  That was fun...this is much easier.

It's easy to make a little travel journal using postcards(cut paper twice the length of the postcard), or, as I've seen on Pinterest, you can bind postcards into a booklet.  Send postcards home from all of your travels, and when you get back, voila!, a nice little memory book.  It's all done using the same process.  

In order to better utilize your resources (paper, etc.) here's a simple Japanese Stab-stitch binding to use.

Here's what you'll need:

Materials:

·         Notecard, cut in half, trimmed to 4” x 5.5”

·         Copy paper, trimmed to 8” x 11”.  Sub-cut this paper to 4” x 11”

·         Ruler

·         Pencil

·         Awl or Screw punch

·         Waxed linen thread

·         Needle

Select note card.  Cut in half along the fold-line.  Measure, and cut the card(s) 4” x 5 ½”.

Cut copy paper (regularly 8 ½” x 11”) to 8” x 11”.  Cut this paper down the middle to create two long strips 4” x 11”.  Cut 8 full sheets, making 16 strips.

Fold each sheet in half (they are now 4” x 5 ½”) and crease the fold.

After all sheets are folded and creased, put them together with the folded edge to the right.  We will be binding the journal through the cut edges, then open up the folds for a nicely finished edge.

 Measure in ½” on the front and back journal covers and score.  Fold these scored sides so you can see the crease.

 Using a ruler, make 4 marks an equal distance from top to bottom.  In this case, make a mark at ½”, 1 ½”, 2 ½”, and 3 ½”.  Put the marks in the crease of the top cover.

 Add the paper (also called a “book block”) to the journal covers, making sure all folds are to the right, and the marked cover creases are to the left.  Hold pages and covers together with a clip.

Using an awl or screw punch, make a hole through the cover and the pages beneath.  Make sure you go all the way through the book block and come out through the back cover.  Continue with holes 2, 3, and 4.

The journal is now ready to bind. 

Follow the ins and outs of binding, using this chart from Lineco:

And this is what you end up with:

 After you bind the journal, it's time to take care of the page edges.  Insert a bone folder (or in this case, a Popsicle stick!), and slowly "cut" up the edge of the folded sheet.

 This will give you a nice, finished deckle-edge.

This is from one of the bookbinding classes we've held at the library.  It's a fun, inexpensive, and personal gift!

Anticipating...

Not that 2013 was a bad year...it was far from it...but I like fresh starts.  New Years, new months, new weeks, new days.  There's always a fresh start, sometimes right around the corner.  I have no real resolutions this year...seriously...why bother?  I'm not very good at keeping up with something that I truly don't feel a part of.

I've signed up for a couple of on-line classes...one is just for January, the other runs the entire year.  Alena Hennessy's Year of Painting, and N*Studio's (January) Creative Jump Start.

My simple goals are to somewhat pare down the massive amount of art and craft supplies I've accumulated over the years.  If I can't do that, I'd at least like to have them organized.  That's the hard thing...I'm an "out of sight, out of mind" girl, so if I don't see it (or can't easily put my hands on it), I'm either frustrated, or I buy a replacement.  That's not a good thing any way you look at it.  I've been working on this massive project since just before Thanksgiving, and I probably won't finish it any time soon.  Taking my time to do it right.

I started 2014 off by attending a yoga class.  Yoga seems to work out some of those kinks I have, and the feeling of well-being in the hours following a practice is, as they say, priceless. 

The year seems pretty fresh and new to me, even though it is already (already!!) the 10th of the month.  We've had "way-too-cold" to go to work cancellations, an early dismissal due to a serious city water treatment issue, and now we're at the end of just week #2 of the new year and we haven't had a normal work-week yet. 


While at home on my "bonus day off",  I fell down the Pinterest rabbit-hole.  I came across a pin that truly inspired me...and took off with it like a dog with a tasty bone.  The pin was of a hacked Moleskine planner/art journal, and as I clicked links I came across a wonderful huge group of journalers subscribing to A Documented Life.  All it takes is a weekly planner (Moleskine or other), add-in papers (they call them tip-ins) and Washi tape.  You end up with a thick, chunky combination planner/art journal.  I used the small size of Moleskine (because it's what I had...and I like the fact that it easily fits in my purse) and spent some quality time with my paper cutter making tip-ins of watercolor paper.  Add the colorful and fun Washi tape and here's what you get:

 

Instead of stressing over a large art journal (the plan, for 2014), I now will just be following the weekly prompts and documenting my little life...and reveling in all of that Washi!

Happy 2014!

Sunny day...my favorite!  No resolutions this year, but hoping to document life a bit more than in the past few years.

Star Jasmine

Looking forward to sunny days (and warmer temperatures) ahead!

Road Trip

I've had this post "in limbo" for several days...I needed to locate my notes and a gallery guide so I could give proper credit to the fiber and textile artists I've featured in this post.

The Carnegie Center for Art & History, New Albany IN

Last Thursday, a friend and I went on a day trip to New Albany, Indiana.  The Carnegie Institute of Art and History was featuring an exhibit of textiles created by the Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists Group.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Embroidery with beads by Leigh Payne

Multiple layers of dyed and printed silk broadcloth, fused to backing, embroidery and beads as embellishment by Pat Sturtzel

Grandma's Gift Cotton fabrics and found objects by Sallie Manassah

by Sallie Manassah

Chestbuts Roasting hand-dyed silk shibori shawl by Pamela Mattel

Zion Sunset  Cotton fabric, dyed, overdyed, flour paste and soy wax resists, screen printing, textile paint & machine quilting

by Marti Plager

Silk thread on noil, hand embroidery by Bette Levy

My friend and I had a lovely time...there were lots of cool little shops in downtown New Albany, and lots of neat little cafes.  We lunched at Toast...what a great menu!  I'm looking forward to going back to New Albany in a few weeks for a one-day Indigo & Itajime Workshop.

Feeling the Fall vibe...

The weather is still muggy in our little corner of the world, but a cool front is set to move in overnight wiping away the humidity and bringing lovely weather.  This has, so far, been an easy summer...it just seems like all of the rain has been bypassing us for the past several weeks.  I'm looking forward to the bright yellows and oranges of autumn...mums, hay bales, fall decorations. The world of Pinterest is filled with autumn images...

In the meantime, I need to be in the present...enjoy whatever comes my way and finish up on my summer reading list.  In the mail today...Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield, author of The Thirteenth Tale.  It's an advanced reading copy, and I'm anxious to settle into it.  Nothing like a gothic novel to accompany a gloomy summer afternoon!  Pour the tea, please.

Favorite New Recipe

Photo via Pinterest from A Hint of Honey.com

Earlier this week while pondering my dinner-time fate, I found this picture on Pinterest.  Clicking through to the link, I found that I had all of the ingredients for this already...a good sign, I think.  I pinned the recipe, went straight home, and pulled started prepping.  

Photo via Pinterest from The Lemon Bowl.com

While the chicken chunks were sauteing, I mixed up some tzatziki sauce from a pin from this site.  Easy, also on-hand ingredients.

This was the most delicious meal I've made in ages!  As much as I like to cook, it seems like I've fallen off the wagon when it comes to fixing real meals...hard to do for one person.  Sometimes that bag of microwaved popcorn just has to do!

Summertime Learning Adventures

I love to learn new things, and there seems to be an overabundance of web-based classes to teach you anything you'd ever want to know.  This summer I've indulged in a few e-courses:

 Flora Bowley's Brave Intuitive Painting

 Dawn Sokol's Doodle Camp 2013

 Jeanne Oliver's (taught by Jen Rizzo) Santos Doll Class

Jeanne Oliver's  Creatively Made class

It's a good thing these classes can be accessed long after the course has started.  As with everything, I always think I can do/accomplish more than I actually can.  As always, I am wrong.  It has been big fun getting my supplies together for the classes, and it was especially nice to be able to do all of the shopping from my personal supply closet.  

What a difference a day makes...

By the time yesterday afternoon rolled around, I found that I had tamed the wild goings on in my head and had formulated a do-able program plan for September and October.  I guess that's part of my problem...I'm always thinking and planning ahead for my job, and feel like I'm skipping over the "now."  Take a deep breath and relax!

I found this cool little package of yarn at JoAnn's yesterday...100% cotton, thin yarn--rather like single strand embroidery floss.  Just looking at those cute little skeins makes me smile!  I was actually looking for a ribbon yarn I purchased several months ago, similar to ~~ and I say this not knowing what I'm talking about ~~ sari silk ribbon...only much less expensive!  I've come up with a really cute "treasure necklace" for a class and it hangs on sari silk.  No go, JoAnne's!  Instead, I went online and purchased it from a supplier on Etsy. 

This (above) is a sewing stiletto made from a turkey lacer.  I saw it on Pinterest (of course!!) and we talked about making them in the Dear Jane quilting class.  One of our members made us each one and presented them to us at the luncheon carry-in.  Super cute and handy too!  Can't wait until the turkey lacers are in stock at the supermarket for the coming holiday season.  

I'm looking forward to Monday's class...a mixed-media embroidered and beaded cuff.  We have a full house for this class and it should be really fun!

Want to's, have to's, and what I end up doing...

Once again my head is a swirl with different projects, ideas, and activities. This usually happens when I'm busy with work things...or have to complete something under a time limit.  I can always think of so many other things I'd rather be doing.  Since I'm pretty undisciplined at this stage in life, I tend to blow things off and do my own thing.  Not always a good idea.

I'm struggling with my Dear Jane quilt squares.  We had a meeting this morning and several of the women brought in their stash of completed squares.  They're truly beautiful.  I always leave those meetings inspired to go home and sew.  In the hours between the end of the meeting and actually going home, something always seems to get in the way.  By the time 6PM rolls around, I'm no longer in the mood to sew...or clean house, or do laundry, or any of a number of chores on my "to do" list.  It's surprising that I still continue to write a weekly "to do" list.  While sorting through boxes in my storage room (aka, the big bedroom), I came across a notebook with lists from 2006.  Not too much was crossed off that list, sad to say.

Want to do:
Complete my Dear Jane quilt top
Simplify my "craft"/hobby equipment **(see note below)
Get books together for a donation to the library book sale
Go through kitchen stuff...do I really need all of the gadgets and gizmos?
Retire...need I say more?  Not gonna happen any time soon...I'm so jealous of all of my retired friends.

Have to do:
Basic home maintenance and cleaning, laundry, etc.
Work stuff...planning programs and classes.  This also falls into the "what I do" category...lots of my time is spent sitting and thinking, dreaming up possible fun things to do at work.

What I do:
Sit in my chair and contemplate...read, and watch television--whether there is anything of interest on or not.  I start each day with the best of intentions...I'm usually up by 5 or 5:30 and I don't have to be at work until 9.  This is where it all starts...drinking lots of coffee, watching the news, reading, then rushing to get ready for work and out of the door on time.  Precious time wasted on a daily basis.  Color me pathetic.

So far for this summer, I can honestly say that I'm happy with my potted front porch steps garden.  I walk by these plants on a daily basis;  the location is handy for watering and weeding, and I enjoy the scent of the herbs as I walk past them.  Usually by this time of year, my plants are neglected and sun-scorched out in the back yard.  Out of sight, out of mind.  At least this is one improvement I've instituted and have stuck with.  One "atta-boy" for me.

One thing that I've wanted to do, and have completed is sending in a mixed-media jewelry project for a national magazine.  Hope I get published!  

**I have begun divesting myself of things I know I will never put together or make.  The first item I listed on eBay sold at the "buy it now" price within a few hours of listing.  Now I need to list more "stuff".  Awesome.