21 October 2012

Stampotique SDC70 Backgrounds Art Journal

I have been doing a little journalling this week and again it is a little "dark" to reflect what is going on in life.
The Stampotique challenge SDC70  was to use a stamp to create the background. I began with some scribbled words, paint and ink. Then I used TH mask and Dylusion inks.

Next I used a clock face stamp and a mask of Olivia to create a sense of chaotic time. When I then stamped Olivia she seemed lost so using acrylic paint and fingers I lightened part of the page. I then masked and sprayed again.
I liked how her face was now ghostly and left that on the original page but stamped and coloured a headless version of her. I then used the tube of paint to create circles in the clocks.


I added some red watercolour spirals and my journaling about Time and my lack of control over it.
The reason for this is my poor mum who has been in hospital for many weeks. This week she developed an infection and had another op to remove the hip replacement. She will be without a hip for 6 weeks and on IV antibiotics before she has her fourth op to replace the hip. Unfortunately she will need to stay in hospital all this time - but at least they have no identified the problem.
I am trying to stay positive but after it could be a lot worse. Thank you for dropping by.

17 October 2012

Quilting Work in Progress

I have three projects on the go at the moment - never let it be said that as a beginner quilter I am taking on too much. I am linking this post to the Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday. The first are three scrappy log cabins at 12 1/2 inches as part of Ellison Lane Quilts Scrappy Stash QAL.
I have enjoyed creating these as they do not need as much precision cutting as other projects and I can mix and match fabrics as I go. I have chosen to repeat my fabrics a few times as I like the look of this and I have a small character in the centre of each block. I intend to make a rainbow coloured quilt for charity with this one. I am also going to try a quilt as you technique show on Maureen Cracknell's blog.
Row 4 of Bee in My Bonnet Row Along in Progress

Rows 1 to 3
The next project is a Row A Long by Bee in my Bonnet. I have completed three rows and am working on row 4, the instructions are super clear but require precise cutting and seams which I am still getting to grips with. I am improving with each row though.
The final project is a quilt for mum which she wants to be mainly duck egg blue. I don't think it would work so have found some bright pink and beige colours with a cream dotty background. But which pattern. I have both Elizabeth Hartman's books and am favouring the Small Plates pattern but after playing with logs I wonder about a skinney border between the square and log surround.

14 October 2012

Art Journal - Dangerous Words


These pages are about the words and feelings I have been experiencing in the last few weeks.  Mum is still in hospital with more complications and infections but we did mark her month anniversary by getting her an ipad and that has made her life less boring. My life is one of those groundhog days of get up, work, visit hospital, home late and sleep. I now have a week's holiday for  half term which is good but we had to cancel our original holiday plans due to mum's hospital stay.  I was able to pass our week in holiday cottage onto good friends who are also having a bad time at the minute. I remind myself constantly that many people are much worse off than me and plaster a smile on my face.
These pages have been evolving in my very limited spare time. It began as an experiment with alcohol inks being thrown on the pages as I have had these for ages and very rarely use them. I also put some random letters on the pages using gesso and a stencil.
When I blotted the page I turned the letters into a splodge and the page sat waiting forlornly, for days, for more input. The other evening grabbed some white and black posca pens and began to doodle everywhere. I then found a stamp a little like an art noveau shape and scattered this on the pages. 
As the page was very uneven due to gesso and ink layers it was not a flat surface for stamping. I have a lot of feelings about my current circumstances but did not want to vent too much on the page so resorted to my dictionaries and tore out words and meanings I was feeling and experiencing. I swiped these with distress stains and added these to the pages and outlined and circled the words.
Looking at the words I thought they were quite suggestive and added "Dangerous Words".
In between hospital visits (and the endless telephone conversations that you seem to have afterwards to keep family and friends up to date) I am planning some sewing and journalling and maybe even some more blogging. But don't hold me to that as life recently has had the habit of disrupting any plans I make.