Did Anyone Enter 'The Eye of The Quilter' Contest?

Just wondering if any of you sent photos in for the 'Eye of the Quilter' contest that will debut at the IQA Quilt Festival in Houston in October. I was really disappointed with myself this year for not entering a quilt since I have had one in the judged show the last 2 years. Somehow I felt that this year I just didn't have anything good enough. I thought maybe if I could get photos into this exhibit I might feel a little better about not entering a quilt. You were asked to enter up to 3 photo on any subject and you could manipulate them if you wanted.

A couple of years ago I visited a lighthouse in Florida and was fascinated by the play of light on the original lamp that was on display. The glass was thick and cut to best intensify the light. As I walked around it, each angle provided a rainbow of colors and I couldn't stop taking pictures. I was a teenager in the 60's and loved the psychedelic colors. I used Coral Photo-Paint to create a different psychedelic effect on each of the images. Here is one of the original images and my psychedelic interpretation. I think this would make a great quilt.



I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping I get selected.

Hope You Are Not Tired of Painting..........

I love this tie-painted piece! These are really fun and easy to do. Start with a fat quarter of PFD fabric and then pull up sections of fabric, wrap them tightly with string and tie the ends so they are secure. Do this randomly pulling up different amounts of fabric until the fabric is covered. These will look like little fingers sticking up on the fabric. Spray the whole piece lightly with water. In this piece it looks like I had 11 different ties.

Next using a paint mix of about 50% paint and 50% water, paint each 'finger' multiple colors being sure the paint saturates the fabric. Dab the paint around the outer edges of the 'fingers' so you cover most of the white. Let the piece sit for about 1 hour in a dark place so the paints will spread and blend. Then place the piece in the sun and let it dry completely (or let it dry overnight). Carefully cut the strings and be surprised by the results! Heat set by ironing on the back for a couple of minutes.

Each of these circles remind me of flowers and I plan on quilting them with multiple colors of thread. I think I will then embellish this with yarn, threads and beads. So many projects so little time.........

My New Online Class at joggles.com

There is a reason for all of my fabric painting lately. I am writing a new online class for joggles.com called 'Painting Your Own Fabric Landscapes'. This is the latest sample that I made today inspired by my recent trip to Colorado. I think this is my favorite so far.

The class will start October 14 and run for 4 weeks. Each lesson will have at least 5 projects so you will have plenty opportunity to practice your skills. There is also an interactive forum for discussions and posting pictures of your work.

Here is the link to Joggles if you want to take a look.

Thanks For All Your Comments

I just wanted to give a quick thanks to all of you for following my blog and let you know how much I appreciate your comments. Sometimes I get a little behind and don't take enough time to get back to your blogs and let you know how much your opinions mean to me. All of you are great!!!

Another River Bank Background

I have started another 'On the River Bank' background. I know this doesn't look like much yet but this is how the other piece started. This will be a view looking up from the water level. This started from a piece of fabric that I was trying to sunprint but the sun went behind the clouds right after I laid everything out so it didn't really print. Then I just over painted it with some leftover paint from another project ( I really do hate to waste anything :)

I will work this background a little more with some screening and stamping. I am going to try some different overlays on the water and see it I can get it to look like there are some rocks or something underwater. I also have a couple of extra bluebirds and will see it I can integrate one of them for continuity with the other piece. I'll keep you posted on how it comes out.

My New Photo

I just put up a new photo of myself since I felt the other one was a bit dated. My granddaughter took it 2 years ago when she was just 4 1/2 and we were playing with the camera before we went out for dinner. I hate to be a silly old braggart of a grandma but she is of course very very smart :)

My husband and I are in Denver at a conference and while he was in meetings all day yesterday I got a little bored and decided to see if I could take a new picture of myself. I must have taken 20 shots before I got one that was ok. No matter how I sat my nose still looked big but I guess reality is that I do have a big nose......... I have my short summer hair and it gets really blond in the summer due to all of the time I spend at the lake and pool. Also for me this is really really tan. So this is how I look as of yesterday.

More Fabric Painting

Yesterday I did a couple of painted landscapes. This is good for me since there is only so much control you can have with these paints and I do like to have control. If anything I tend to almost 'overpaint' things and I am trying really hard to let the paints do the work.

In this first landscape I don't really like the sky. This is a case where I didn't let the paints do the work. I can always cut away the sky and do another one....humm not a bad idea. To do these you have to work in steps and have a little patience. First paint a horizon line on dry fabric and let it dry, next the water on damp fabric and let it dry, then the sky and land on damp fabric.

In this next one I was going for a kind of impressionist look. The sky was painted with very watered down cobalt and ultramarine blues mixed with a little pearl and black, and yellow mixed with orange and a drop of black again very watered down. In this piece I think I let the paints do there thing a little bit more.

I plan to paint a couple more of these and then quilt and embellish them for a small series of painted landscapes. Each is fat quarter size.

Painting The Sky

I have been busy today painting sky's. I use Setacolor paints and hake brushes are my brushes of choice. This first sky is kind of a fantasy sky and I really love the colors. When you do these it is important to start with the lighter colors and then move to the darks. Also leave some white areas since the paints will run together. Keep the brush moving in a scrubbing like motion and don't use too much paint or you will get blobs.


This next one is the sky reflected in the water. Not sure about it but again when painting you have the freedom to create what you want and although I have never quilt seen a sky like this it is my art.


I love this next one. It reminds me of the tropics.


Lastly just a plain old blue sky. For these I go back in with the white to create the clouds after the blues have dried. Important again to leave some white so you can scrub in some clouds. The streaks in the upper right where made by dragging the handle end of my brush through the wet paint on the fabric.