Mosaics from Art Retreat Weekend

Star fish mosaic approximate size 12" x 9"

Flaming heart mosaic approximate size 9" x 12"

Art Retreat projects

Journal cover and some inside pages from the art retreat weekend

My art retreat weekend journal is made with a needlefelted cover - ribbons, yarn, dyed cheesecloth and copper metal mesh pocket with a mailing tag inside, nail heads, free motion machine stitching and hand embroidery. The inside pages are made from canvas with a monoprint, leftover silk screen images and doodling.  I will add photos and more memories to the pages about the weekend.  I love visual journaling!

Bagettes Art Retreat Weekend

What a great weekend we had snowed in at a wonderful home near Saline.  We laughed and laughed while creating mosaics and deconstructed screen prints onto cotton.  I am anxious to spend more time on the deconstructed screen print method.  It is so exciting and serendipitous.  I also loved just painting on top of the screen with a brush and dye.  Thanks Kat for introducing me to this method!  It goes back to my days of creating rainbow dyed wool roving and decorating paper with radiant pearls and wax pastel sticks.  I could dye or decorate forever and never worry about using the end product - just creating color and patterns is very satisfying for me!

Baby Gifts

My oldest daughter and I have been sewing burp clothes that make great presents for expectant moms.  It is really fun if there are ribbons from shower presents that can be recycled as the decoration on the burp clothes.  It is best to pre-wash the diapers and then sew on the ribbons.   Can you think of other versions of a burp cloth?

Happy Valentine's Day

I have been working on Valentine's Day gifts.  In the above pic are the package toppers for cup cozies or cup warmers I needle felted for my art study group - the Bagettes - and my co-workers at Knitter's Kove.

Hugs and Kisses and Hearts for Bagettes

Hearts and Initials for co-workers to tell our coffee cups apart!

The cozies are needle felted from all felt, double layered, sewn and pinked around the edges with an elastic loop and button closure.  They were a lot of fun to create!  Happy Valentine's Day to all - Hugs!

Earth Challenge Show

If you have some time in the next couple of weeks visit 212 Art Association in Saline to see the Earth Challenge show.  It is a great mix of fiber, jewelry, mixed media, paint, and more.  I entered two enameled jewelry pieces.  Only remembered to take a picture of one....

The inspiration picture is posted at the bottom of the piece.  My jewelry has a very organic feel to it all the time.  I've always spent  a lot of time outside.  As a kid playing and collecting in fields and swamps and as an adult gardening in my yard.  I even studied nature at college.  It just comes naturally to me.....

More gifts

My daughters supplied pics of the handknit gifts I gave them for Christmas.

Sarah took this pic of her fingerless gloves as we waited for a table at Slow's BBQ in Detroit.  Yummy food - love the "yardbird" sandwich.  If you get a chance to eat there don't pass it up.

Anyway.....handknit socks for Molly.  I do love knitting socks.