Have fun today!

Dyeing and painting on silk

It has rained the last three weeks here at the OBX.  We just dodged hurricane Joaquin.  Still a lot of wind, rain and flooding.  Thank goodness my street didn't flood and all is well.  I spent my time playing in a lot of yarn boxes and dyeing silk.  I love the majiccraft of taking plain white silk and mixing dye and watching how the colors evolve.  You never know what will come out.  There are no predictions.  You just go with the flow.  Then the process of discharging the color with bleach and stamps adds another layer of unpredictability.  I love this process though.

Then I started thinking of my other silk art I had painted over the years and am pondering a new venture in silk art.  Taking it to another level not just creating and sharing with friends but really finding and exploring my artistic voice in silk.  Knitting, weaving and spinning has caused carpal tunnel syndrome at times.  I love fiber color and texture so much I'm going to explore silk more.

September Spinning

September has been a very creative month.  I started out the month making quilt tops from my hand crafted fabric and making felted beads and turning them into jewelry.  All along knitted cross body bags and a sweater.  I finished off the month spinning yarn  on my spinning wheel and creating art yarn on my hand spindle.  Then dyeing and stamping silk scarves while waiting on hurricane Joaquin to disappear from the radar.  I guess I've been channeling the creative and Upleveling spinning energy of the Universe this month.

Improv Quilting with Hand painted fabric

Twelve years ago I started painting on fabric.  I wanted to design my colorful collection of fabric to use in home decor.  One of  the projects I wanted to make was quilting with hand painted fabric.  I'm not a precise sewer.  My finishing skills suck to say the least.  I'm also a perfectionist so I never let myself be totally free in my improv attempts.  This all changed this week.  I finally got that 'aha' moment yesterday when I was playing with scraps from a patchwork quilt top I made last week.  I'm not finished with this mini quilt or the patchwork one.  I still gave to do the backing and I think that I will paint more fabric for that.  But, I'm in love with this little scrappy quilt.

My process in crafting this quilt.

The patchwork quilt I made last week.

My first stack of handpainted quilts from 2003.

End of Summer

It's been a great summer at Camp Crafty Diva!  Thank you all so much for participating in our summer program.  I enjoyed meeting all of you!  It was such a pleasure teaching you and seeing your finished projects.  Thanks to Jennifer Johnson, Avery Johnson and the staff at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn for their support and assistance this summer.  Have a great school year and fall!  See you next summer.

We've also had a very fun and productive summer at the Crafty Diva Fiber Arts Workshop at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn.  The ladies have made some very creative and colorful hand crafted art-to-wear and home accessories.  I'm so proud of you all and look forward to more knitted projects this fall.  Next week we launch our fall schedule of classes.  Stay tuned and enjoy this last week of summer.  Happy Knitting!

Scarf to Quilt

Remembering the process.  I started this last February.  After I washed them the fabric frayed on a few of them.  So, then I couldn't sell them as planned.  Next I put them in a bag in the back of the closet.  Next I made space in my studio had my machine repaired.  I was frustrated and confused about what to create next.  I picked up my neon knitting (which is pure meditation for me) and voila the idea came to dig in my closet and see what would resurface.  I got this brilliant idea, but it was too hot in my studio yesterday.  I was frustrated , crabby and zen all day.  I wanted to start stitching but couldn't make myself go in there.  I let it go.  Woke up this morning and boom started stitching.  Love it!!

The process.

My batik scarves stitched together. Now, the question is do I hand quilt it? Machine quilt it? Or both? First though the backing fabric. I'm loving it and I don't want to ruin it by over thinking.

Camp Crafty Diva

We had fun crafting on Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn porch this morning.  Two sister-in-law's Pamme and Joyce stopped by to make and create their own art-to-wear scarves.  It always amazes me to see the gorgeous fashions my students create.  I enjoyed working with these two ladies today and so happy that they left with big smiles.  Aren't their scarves beautiful?

Mom & Me at Camp Crafty Diva

Awesome morning on the porch at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn.  We had a Mom & Me group making and creating beach memories at CAMP CRAFTY DIVA.  Three generations crafting fun and fabulous fashion accessories.  It was a joy to work with such lovely ladies and girls.  Didn't they make wonderful projects?

Camp Crafty Diva

We had lots of fun this morning at Camp Crafty Diva.  A young teen visiting her grandparents came in to craft today.  She made a beautifully handpainted and stamped matching backpack and skirt.  She's ready to go back to school and show off her art-to-wear fashion.  Such a lovely young lady and hope to see her again next year.  My studio assistant Avery and I made scarves today too.  All in all a great morning crafting on the porch at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn.

Surface Design

I love hand dyeing silk.  I use the plastic bag, microwave technique.  I squirt on color and squish the colors together to form a pattern.  I let go of the outcome and trust whatever is revealed later.  If I don't like the color I can put it back in a bag and change it or intensify the colors.  Later I add texture by block printing with black or discharge paste (bleach).  Still if I don't like it I can add more and more printing.  This technique is called surface design.  ( tie dye, shibori, ombré, block printing, stenciling, fabric painting)

Camp Crafty Dude

We had a great day at Camp Crafty Diva yesterday.  Aunt Sue brought her awesome nephews for a special 'Crafty Dude' workshop.  We were also joined by Patricia a regular shopper at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn.  The boys hung out on the porch and painted and decorated a Totebag for their mom and a backpack.  Patricia decorated a backpack to hold her shells and other beach treasures.  Aunt Sue dyed, stamped and embellished a beach poncho.  Come join us next week Wednesday from 10-1 and Thursday from 3-6.

Summer Crafting

We're ready for beach crafting this summer at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn.  Sign up NOW for our workshops and craft camp.

Totebags for the Summer

Those who know me well know that I am a bag lady.  I love my purses and Totebags.  My closet is filled to the brim with purses and totes.  The last couple of weeks I have been making totes, knitting them, painting them and teaching others to knit them.  I've had a great time designing and crafting these totes and using texture and color to make each one unique.

Last week at Camp Crafty Diva, Nancy from Illinois came to knit a sophisticated beach tote. Black and white color way. We had a great morning enjoying soulful chatting and sharing stories on the porch here at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn. There were many visitors to the gallery this morning and we had a great conversation with another visiting artist. You never know who you might meet on this great porch of ours. I can't wait to see Nancy's finished project. Come join us this summer for 'Fun in the Sun' at Camp Crafty Diva.

Did I mention That "I LOVE TOTES!"

Samples for Camp

I spent an enjoyable time hard at work designing, creating and crafting samples for this Summer's Camp Crafty Diva which will be held at Blue Pelican Gallery & Gifts.  Stay tuned for more info.  The weather was gorgeous, just the right temperature to make and create on Jenn's beautiful porch.  Melissa the store manager was very helpful and attempted to make a sample, but we got a lot of customers.  As I was running out of ideas my 'Crafting Buddy'  Suzanne showed up and got right to work creating cloth.  We had a great rest of the afternoon crafting and creating.

5 Day Artist Challenge

I was nominated by Delia Marsellos-Traister who is a Fantastic Fine Metal Jewelry Artist in the Los Angeles area to participate in a 5 day Facebook Artist Challenge.  I took it as an opportunity to present my past work on line and to nominate some wonderful artist friends of mine.  I'm currently moving in a different direction fine tuning my skills in other mediums.  I enjoyed revisiting the past and seeing the continuity in my artistic journey.  Vibrant color, texture and whimsy was the constant theme through the use of a variety of artistic mediums. Here is a brief example of my work.

Day 5 - I presented my 'Soulful' collection.  I express my soul and creative spirit through vibrant colors, textures and all kinds of materials. 

Day 4 -  I presented another phase of my artistic journey, Hand weaving.

Day 3 - I presented another phase of my artistic journey, Ceramics. I found my voice in hand building clay after many poor attempts at the wheel. Once I went to hand building I was singing. So here are examples of my storytellers and baskets of course.

Day 2 - I presented pictures of my next phase of creativity, my knitting.  I began knitting again as an adult while going through some heavy duty life issues.  Knitting brought me comfort and joy and helped me find a new way to express my artistic voice.

Day 1 - I began my work as an artist when I found my voice in basketry.  Here are three examples of my work.

Vibrant Color

The past couple of days have been really bleak.  50+ mile an hour winds! driving rain! howling and swaying! rocking back and forth.  I couldn't even create anything the past two days.  I had to be patient and wait.  (not my strong suit)  yesterday I got my house cleaned, did laundry, ironed and ironed fabric.  (I told myself. 'Let it cure one more day.'). Then bam I couldn't wait I had to wash the fabric.  I would try one piece and let the rest wait until tomorrow.  Once the water hit the fabric I was in Heaven, the reveal.  Brilliant, vibrant colors better than I had anticipated.  I'm going to wash them all.  I Hand washed each piece with loving care.  Draped them over the bathtub, stood for a second to admire my work.  Then BOOM!  Power out!  What?  The storm is over WTF!  Just when I got happy and excited and almost literally jumped for Joy, and all goes to black.  I freaked for a minute got out candles and flashlights and waited patiently.  And waited and waited, visions of vibrant colorful fabric dancing in my head.  Almost an hour later and boom, lights again.  Reality set in and I had to drive my daughter to basketball practice.  I would have to wait a couple of more hours until I could revel in the reveal.  But, it was so worth it.

Fabric Painting and Duck

Yesterday I finally got out my paints and stamps and made a real mess in my cottage.  I've been chafing at the bit to get going on my fabric experimentation.  My intent is to find my voice in fabric, I just haven't found it yet.  I'm continuing to explore all avenues and can't wait until I sing.  But, until then I'm enjoying the process.

When I began painting I felt great, I was in a rhythm.  Then it became work, but I wouldn't stop.  I keep pushing myself.  This is a long process.  It takes a couple of days to see the end result.  I was hand painting on cotton and faux batiking using a resist paste.

Then I decided to take a break.  I had been in the house all week through all of the weather changes.  The sun was shining it was almost 60 degrees so I went to the beach.  The wind surfers were out.  It was extremely winding, but felt good.  Nala and I got out to touch the sand.  There were a lot of washed up seashells.  So I started picking them up and before I knew it I was strolling down the beach.  This had been a visualization of mine a few years ago when I was almost immobile and very sick.  Wow, dreams do come true!  I couldn't believe it I wasn't huffing and puffing. Yay!  When I got back home I was ready to paint, but had a duck to prepare and cook.  My sister had sent me it for New Years and I was ready to cook it.  So, as the duck was cooking I was painting more fabric.

I went to bed tired, yet fulfilled.  I had accomplished a lot and my visions were manifesting before my eyes.  Bright colors on fabric, collecting shells on the beach and beautifully roasted duck ala orange served with baby peas.  Healthy goodness.

Fabric painting

I'm ready to take my fabric painting and surface design techniques to a new level.  I've been experimenting on them for years. Dying, stamping, discharging, serti painting, batiking, on silk, cotton and canvas.  I still haven't found my voice in any one method.  This year my intent is to find and explore all the avenues.  Today I'm just playing around.  Can't wait to see what the finish product will be.

Two days later, Finished work.  'Ta Da'!