Pool Floor

 Pool Floor collage #8, 9x12" painted and stamped, monoprinted papers, with ink drawing, mounted directly on cradled wood board.

 I have a set of ink pens with bright colors and two tips, fine and bold, and can't resist using them to spotlight the surfaces, making bubbles.

The papers are wrapped around the board's edges and then I painted the blank spaces. This really helped unify the composition, but as I was pasting away, I had no plan on the final piece, and when the board was covered, it was challenging to try to bring it all together. My solution was to do a gelli plate mono-print directly overlapping the top and center parts. 

Here's where the 'magic' happens. Ha! 

I start with a clear table, but it doesn't take long to get cluttered up with materials and tools. My table has a shower curtain covering it, plus a 20x30" sheet of white paper. I clean my brayer on that sheet and can use the dried paint to collage.

Gray Matters

 Gray Matters collage #7, 12x12", watercolor paper mounted on cradled wooden board, stamping, drawing, mono-printing, painted papers. $100 Email me.
In case it is not totally obvious, I am having a great time playing with paint and papers, stamps and prints and making collages. Such discoveries. I tried for a neutral base with just a little color, of which yellow became the necessary focus. Yay yellow!

And in the mail today I received two little gel press plates, 5x7" and 3x5", which I got half price from Joann.com. I already have the big Gelli plate which is 12x14"and makes big mono-prints. But sometimes one wants to just have smaller formats...so I ordered these. 
I'll be playing with these soon as I can clear off my desk. ha!

Twins ?

 

 Betty and Carolyn model their twin cardivests, in front of the full length mirror at church. We were saying they were twins, but now as I look carefully at the two vests, I see that they are far from the same. What did I do differently? I made the autumnal colored one a few weeks ago, and maybe I just kept thinking about tall knits for tall women. Who knows. Obviously Betty doesn't rank as tall, but she still looks fabulous in her longer vest.
Carolyn got to pick her yarn combo in person and it is Noro Taiyo and Ice Merino, whereas Betty's is Malabrigo Rios and Cascade Casablanca.

 I loved knitting for these two and seeing them in their finished vests. Yay!

Now We're Talkin'

 Now We're Talkin' collage #6, 12x12", painted, stamped, mono-printed papers with acrylic paint and inks. Watercolor paper mounted on wood panel, painted edges. $100 Email me.

 The secret to doing art, if there is any secret, is to just keep doing it until something works, and then you're in the zone and it will continue to get better from there. I am so happy to be back in that zone. 

 Collage is an additive art, and that is also like the fused quilting that I make. One has a bunch of material and selecting just the right pieces to use is the trick. Then limiting the fussiness is next. I've held back overdoing things on this one and I am satisfied with the result. 

Cardivest Semi-Pattern

 I've had several (two) requests for this pattern, so you non-knitters, just chat amongst yourselves whilst I elucidate. This not a real step by step pattern, so you must figure out your own yarns, gauge, needles, swatches etc. Be brave and try stuff! This design works with any yarn combo, or even one color (boring). I usually use size 8 needles and worsted or dk or a combination of both, or either. 31 stitches for triangles and 63 for the diamonds. The side panels are where you can figure your needed dimensions. More rows equal wider inches. Simple. Sometimes I use size 9 needles for the side panels.

I begin with casting on 3 stitches and make the first triangle, #1, increasing one stitch in from each of the edges, front side only. In this instance, I arrive at 31 stitches and then I begin the second triangle #2 by decreasing on the left side only, until the stitches run out. Cut yarn and begin triangle #3 by picking up stitches along #2. Decrease on right side only until stitches run out. Do not cut yarn. Make #4 by picking up stitches along #3, decreasing on left side, cut yarn and begin on #5, decreasing on right side. 

Second front panel is the same only reversed.

 The ruler is placed where triangle #1 ends and #2 begins. The blue yarn is always the color to begin.

 The back is done similarly, with two beginning triangles, #1 knit separately (31 sts.)and then #2 is knit (31sts). Joining them begin diamond #3 and add one center stitch for a count of 63 stitches. Diamond #3 is made with decreases over the center 3 stitches, so it pays to mark those until you can recognize where to do decreases on following rows. Decrease: Sl1, k2tog, psso.  For triangle 4, pick up stitches along #3 and knit them as you did on the front panels.  For triangle #9, decrease in the center 3 stitches as usual, but also decrease on each edge until 5 stitches remain. Bind off.

 Pick up stitches for side panels, connecting front and back tops with knit markers or tie the two end threads together. This is just to keep them in place until the side panel is knit. I don't count how many stitches I pick up along the front and back panels, but you can if you seriously want them to match. 

 After I finish the panels, I sometimes go back and add a teeny triangle to round out the hard neckline angles of the meeting panels. It varies every time I do it and you might figure out a nice way for yourself. 

 Looks ok here, I guess.

Sew up sides with mattress stitch and add buttons. Oops, make the button band by picking  up stitches and make 5 buttonholes in right side band, but you knew that.

Weekend Works

Now that my days include collage I am spending half of my waking hours in the west facing studio, and when it gets too sunny and hot, I retreat to the east facing bedroom where I knit for the rest of the day. A super schedule for continuous creating methinks. Housework can wait.
This is Four Crosses collage #3, 9x12" on watercolor paper mounted on cradled wood panel. Acrylic paint, stamping, ink, and mono-printed papers. The framed edges are painted to match the front and it is ready to hang. I've made up my mind to just use the materials on hand and that means I have as much as any craft store at my fingertips. Some of my paints have dried up and out they go immediately. So I may have to mix some of my fave colors when I run out.

I like the combination of cut edges and torn edges, with just that little bit of white, plus opaque sections with transparent overlays, using deli-paper.
 I spent a few days painting papers and then adding surface treatments. One never knows where this will lead, which is half the fun.
Either collage is available for $100, free shipping. Email me.




 This is Fresh Squeezed collage #4. 12x12" Painted, mono-printed and stamped papers, on painted and stamped gallery wrapped canvas. Now that I have finally put a hanger on the wall, and aimed my LED lamp at the artwork, I am able to get more realistic colors. Hurray!

 

Paint and Paper

 It's been quite a while since I got my paints and papers out for artmaking, but now that I have, it is again taking me for a ride! Oooooh I am having some fun. Rediscovering bins full of blank canvas panels, gathering scraps of painted papers, stamping and gelli printing, and making a huge colorful mess has brightened and filled up my days.
#1 Goldenrod collage, 12x12", acrylic painted papers mounted on painted gallery wrapped canvas. $100. SOLD

 

#2 Creamsicle collage, 8x8", acrylic painted papers. stamping and monoprinted,  mounted on gallery wrapped canvas. $100. Email me.

#3 Bluerings collage, 8x8", acrylic painted papers. stamping and monoprinted,  mounted on gallery wrapped canvas. $100. Email me.

Two Vests Today

This vest was knit for Linda S. and is made from Plymouth Boku (multi colored) and green Cascade Venezia.

 
  I've been knitting in sections, like the front panels of multiple vests and then going back and knitting the side panels, where I don't have to pay as close attention to stitch count.
When you look at the yarns before knitting, it is difficult to know what the resulting fabric will look like, so in the next few posts I will be posting knitted samples to make choosing easier.

And this vest is available for $100, made from Noro Silk Garden and Araucania Toconao, both multicolored yarns. It measures 29" long and 42"bust. SOLD

Happy Days!

We've been busy readying the house for our guests, Dave's sister Carol and her hubby Dan. This cleanup took days, but was so worth it. I got the kitchen organized in such a good way that it has stayed clean for over a week. Amazing. Not counting the floor.
O well.
We had a super fun day with them and at the end took this selfie, including Tony's better side.
Then because the house was still clean I invited my friend Patsy, a Knit Wit, and my BFF over and we played with paint and paper. We made our own envelopes and note cards using the Gelli plate and stamps and acrylic paints.

 We dinked around quite a bit first until we got the sizes down and then really began to crank out the beauties. I learned the folding method from this video.

I had some painted papers to start, which take the most time, so we had a lot of material at the ready. Patsy brought her paper cutter which was so important to make the right size envelopes from the large sheets we had painted. We ended up using 9" for the envelopes and folded them in near rectangles, ala the video. Then fit the cards to match or coordinate with the envelopes. Lots of wonderful scraps resulted and I will use those for collage.

What a wonderful day. And there is knitting and new yarns to share. Stay tuned.