A notable first...

My son's first drawing of a person. Not too bad for a three year old.

TGS-here y'are

as they say in the vernacular: go crazy. (But not too crazy. You'll lose an eye!)

Hope this is closer to what you had in mind. Also hope that next time we can arrange a deadline with more than 48 hours notice. Sadly, I no longer have the luxury of pulling an all-nighter.

And then?

We got a dog. Because if I'm not busy, I get melancholy.

Hey-TGS-this is for you

Here are some t-shirt designs for the men of The Ghost Sonata.
(I hope that we're headed in the same direction, guys. Let me know what you need changed)


sample one. bee on fence. feedback?




Sample two. Leaf & scales. feedback?

here a bird, there a bird...

Hey! My ducks are in a row! (Har dee har har) This one took forever to finish because during my spare time I was mostly asleep.

This is the start of a piece call bird on a wire. It has gone much faster. I'm not sure if that's because the bird is bigger so my stitches can be bigger or if it's because I'm more confident with my needlework at this point.

At any rate, I'm prepping a wall hanging that is going to be a gift for my Aunt's wedding in October and working on some t-shirt designs for my brother's band. I guess that's one thing that school did for me: I really enjoy having projects to work on. I like doing a series of works, rather than pieces that don't really flow...which reminds me that I need to finish my state-based series of paintings.

Done and doner

Here is Birds of a Feather with embroidery done & stitched onto a larger background piece. The whole mammajamma now measures 8" x 12". I still haven't picked out a backing fabric for any of these yet b/c I can't decide if I want them to all have the same backing fabric or what.

Here is the next piece I've started, Get Your Ducks in a Row. The above measures 5" x 7" and will be stitched onto a larger piece once I finish the embroidery. I'm taking this one slow b/c I want to take it with me to the hospital on Thursday*. I figure that I'll have 5 minutes here and there to work on it while I wait to be discharged. And then we'll see how much time I have at home. I figure if I set for myself the goal of one a month that's not too outrageous. However, I am open to the possibility of revision there.

*Don't panic--I'm just having a baby. Details over here.

Photos at long last!

This is my first foray into fabric-as-fun-art-media rather than fabric: you wear it or fabric: you cut it into pieces and then stitch it back together and sleep under it. This particular piece is comprised of fabric that I have printed on, fabric from the lovely fabric store, a bit of silk fusion that I printed on, and 3 star-shaped glass beads. (Overall, it measures 8 inches by 12 inches)



Detail of center panel.



This work in progress is part of a series that I have decided to do based upon sayings that have to do with birds. This particular one is entitled Birds of a Feather Flock Together. I'm embroidering the birds and once I've finished that, I'll stitch this onto a larger fabric panel. This center part measures 5 inches by 7 inches.


Detail of above work. I know that the birds look different--which would be because they are different types of sparrows. See? All the same, but all different. At this point, I've finished the two birds on the left and I'm working on the details of the last one.

New Work!

Hello again!

I realize that once monthly is not going to hack it and I apologize. I have some works that are new (and as of yet unphotographed) and they're done in FIBER. I have taken my obsession with the fabric store to a new level and I'm finally putting these fat quarters to use! And doing it thematically!
Are you on the edge of your seat? Because you totally should be.

Photos within 24 hours.
No, really.

Travellin' can

(2.5 inches in diameter)

This vignette contains a photo of a moonflower, some antique lace and a seed pod.

And I have got to figure out a better way to photograph these things to give you a better sense of the interior detail. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Indiana Dunes

This is a piece I made with a bit of map and things I picked off of the beach when Aaron and I went to Michigan City last October. (It's 2.5 inches in diameter)

Some small work

(without the lid)

(with the lid)

This was built in a 2.5-inch (diameter) tin. A collage in miniature. I did 3 others, which I will post as the week continues. I had some paper scraps and a giant collection of things that I have found and the two came together to be showcased here. I'm not sure what I'll do with the final collection--I like the smallness of it, the idea of looking through a window, but presentation is eluding me. It's one of those things that you have to experience firsthand, I feel.

In other news, I'm working on more bird print plates. Currently I'm carving out a red-tailed hawk. I still have to stitch the background fabric on to my first bird art quilt, as well as stitch together a quilt for a friend who is imminent with child. I feel like I should have a big pile of things ready to sew before I set up the machine...on the other hand if I finish the art quilt that's one less unfinished piece haunting me. (it's hard to make decisions when you can argue both sides all by yourself)

More later, lovelies!

The next best thing

This past winter the grandmother of a friend of mine passed away. Being half way across the country makes it mighty difficult to deliver a casserole to the bereaved, so I did the next best thing. I made art. The whole thing is a metal tin(roughly 3" x 2.5") The exterior is pictured above, notice yet another bird print. The next two photos are of the interior (and you'll have to tilt either your head or your monitor)

Before his grandmother passed, this friend of mine was debating on whether or not to move. After his loss, he decided to go ahead and pursue the move and career change.

Which is why on the interior of the shiny box there are two maps: one for where he's going, and one for where he came from.

Sorry the photos are sideways, but I though it was important to get them up here and I didn't want to take another day to upload on to another computer, edit in Photoshop, burn to a disc, and then upload onto the computer with internet access.

The joys of pregnancy

Much like last time, heartburn has become part of my everyday existence.

And sciatica as well. Which makes trips to the basement that much more exciting because I'm not sure if I can make it back up the stairs without searing pain.

Wheee!

Just us birds

I'm back! And I've brought a print of a great big bloody bird for you. Lately I've been very bird-oriented. I'm not sure if it's being pregnant, approaching spring, or just missing their cheerful chirruping. But I have been working on a series of bird prints and bird related imagery.

More pictures to come...within a week. Honestly.

And then...

I've spent a few hours in the studio the last few days, designing and cutting print blocks. I've got two more to cut and will post photos once I have the test prints done.

Today, I watched the music videos for They Might Be Giants "Birdhouse In Your Soul" and Modest Mouse "Float On" and it's given me a few ideas. We'll see if I can translate them satisfactorily from brain-space to real world.

More later, ducks!

Wouldn't you know...

I get some energy, I clean up the studio, I start making plans to actually create again and I am struck down with a sore throat excess mucus virus.

Maybe next week I can get in there and start afresh.

In the mean time, I have experimented with silk fusion (fun!), designed a tree skirt (which my angelic mother stitched for me), and grown a tiny human being. I am now in week 17 of my pregnancy and things are rolling along quite smoothly. (Which is to say: whee!)

In early December our computer took a nose dive and I just last week re-installed Photoshop which means that there is the possibility that I will post pictures again soon. Don't hold me to it, though. It's safe to say: Pictures to come before February first!