Ali Manning's Little Link Stitch Book

Ali from Vintage Page Designs had a bonus book lesson to practice the link and kettle stitches. No hard cover this time and a little different way of attaching the first two signatures together - took me a minute but it was fun. It's supposed to have a cord or ribbon attached to the center spine stitches that wraps around to hold it together but I didn't have anything I liked so will add that later.

This was made with scrapbook paper for the covers and some rice paper in varying shades of green as covers for the signatures inside.

5 Day Fabric Journal Challenge

 Last week Ali Manning at Vintage Page Designs taught a 5 day challenge making a journal which included how to make your own bookcloth and using link, kettle and long stitches to sew the signatures and covers. 

The was the first one, using fabric from a skirt I bought several years ago and never wore. I had waxed thread but it was a little too heavy and made the stitching kind off tough.

This was using fabric from Joanns and sewn together with embroidery floss that I had at home. It was much easier to sew and there are tons of colors so it might be a better choice for me from now on.

This last book's cover is paper collage and also sewn with embroidery floss, but I waxed it a little first. There's only one set of long stitches because the cover (which was made awhile ago) wasn't as big as the other two.

I forgot how much I like making books and have joined Ali's Handmade Book Club. 

Can't wait to get started!

Fodder Challenge

Last week Willa Wanders had a 9 day free FODDERCHALLENGE featuring a different artist and technique every day. I didn't get to all of them, but it was fun and really interesting to see how other people work.

DAY 2: STICKY COLLAGE FODDER with Rebecca Chapman

the shapes on these collages were made by painting "color swatches" on adhesive label sheets then cutting out shapes to make the flower stickers - such a cool idea

DAY 3: WORKBENCH REMNANTS with Dee Dee Catron

She used strips of fabric with paint marks for the ties and on two of the collages, stamps, sewn parts; basically pieces you had on your workbench/table and fabric swatches

DAY 4: STRIPS AND STITCHES with Tiffany Sharpe

collage started in a journal by using strips of paper, fabric, washi tape glued to a piece of patterned paper, then random sewing and the addition of hand drawn leaves

The course is open until August 7th - to register: https://willa-workshops.teachable.com/p/fodder-challenge

MAX

 

This is MAX, who left us on May 16, 2021

oil on canvas

Whoa..... almost 7 years since my last post

 Obviously life has gotten in the way, but now that I'm retired I'm setting up my art studio again and look forward to experimenting with bookmaking, collage and gel printing. 

A pastel started a couple days ago.......of course now I have to finish it.

A few more photos...........

taken on my iPad and using photo apps to enhance (snap seed, DistressedFX, Camera+, XnView FX and Pixlromatic+)

IPhoneography

I'm taking an online iphoneography class with Bob Weil and it's awesome!
I have no idea what I'm doing yet - I was able to do a couple basic edits on these photos, but I have to watch the videos a few more, probably many more, times.  There are so many subtle changes that can be made - over the whole or just parts of an image.  I'm a little hesitant to show these, but, whatever.........