One lone tree and moon in winter: my first journal quilt for the CPS Journal quilt group. I actually finished this late last night but was hoping to write a journal piece on paper before I posted it. I am running out of time and the deadline for the group, while "there are no police" is January 31. Though it is only 3 p.m. here, over in Australia it is quickly approaching a new day, a new month. And so I post.

I have had so much fun doing this quilt and have learned so much along the way. I will not show the back. I used a layer of actual quilt batting and the layers were not pinned very much before I started sewing. I will next time use something much thinner like a piece of flannel or something similar. The light blue and light purple fabric were both hand dyed. I recycled an old sheet for those pieces. They dyed nicely. The different textured pieces are dryer sheets painted with inexpensive metallic acrylics. Around the tree I zig-zagged over embroidery floss. Most of it was complete a number of days ago. I did more quilting lines, finished the edges (please do not look closely) and added the beads and sequins last night.

Watch for the further posting about one lone tree and moon in winter.

Until later, after my dentist appointment:

A Candle in My Heart Prayer of An African Schoolgirl
	Oh thou Great Chief, Light a candle in my heart, That I may see what is therein, And sweep the rubbish from thy dwelling place

A wealth of knowledge: I think it was last Thursday when I received a wonderful package in the mail from Mary Ann. She is such a sweetheart. The stamper's sampler magazine is packed with knowledge. I can hardly wait to have a closer look. Before that I must finish my first journal quilt for the CPS journal quilt group. I also decided to enter a valentine postcard swap by pookieville so must have 10 postcards finished for that besides the ones I am sending for gifts AND do some art for the 2 people who signed for the meme I had put on my blog.

I also love the sweet little book that also came from Mary Ann. That will get some special treatment.

These two books I have borrowed from the library. I had mostly in mind for painting fabric (Skydyes) but will also receive some marvelous ideas for paper (Color on Paper and Fabric). I hadn't realized that Ruth Issett's book has information on paintsticks until after I had purchased the Shiva at Periwinkles Quilts in Saskatoon. I am actually being impressed with the supplies I CAN get in Saskatoon. I've not yet had to go to on-line ordering. Sometime. Not just yet. And the more I talk with people and the more I investigate the more I will learn about others closer by that are also into mixed-media - more on that another day.

Angels be with you.

Too much: Too much to say (to you), too much to do, but mostly too much feeling tired. And so it is best if I don't do too much of anything.

On Wednesday night I got news of friends separating. Yesterday and today I had meetings and travel. Parts of the meetings were very stressful.

I do not understand what is happening with my friends. I am worried.

I am trying very hard to remind myself not to worry too much. But yet I worry. Yet I am sad.

I will be renewed after some rest. Tomorrow is another day. Wishing you a beautiful Sunday and for angels to be with you.


"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Mahatma Gandhi

Wind - the word for artwords this week. Wind is important to me. I decided I would try to create something that would speak simply about wind. This very simple journal quilt says part of what I know. I have also written a small piece for windyangels and you that you might like to breeze through.

Please click on picture to get a more clear view.

Layers - a journal quilt made with fabric of cling wrap. I saw this technique on the blog of faerydi. As I knew I had some fuschia coloured cling wrap in the basement, someplace, for a number of years, I decided to give this a try. Basically you layer fabric and thread bits on top of a piece of cling wrap and put another layer of the wrap again. You iron this together, of course with parchment paper on top and bottom, and then you add as many layers as you like. There are real fabric layers because I turned it into a kind of quilt. I just used flannel between the top and bottom. The binding, if you can call it that , is quite rough. That's the way I wanted it. Besides, I didn't have lots of time to study up and practice as I wanted to finish this to get it into Inspire me Thursday. I hope I'm not too late.

Life is GOOD - Day 2: My assembly line is still happening. I got busy this morning and was into a French knot mode again. I think there are 11 on this piece. If I ever want to finish these 13 postcards I'd better get to work on my machine and stop all this hand sewing already.

Besides a continuation of the assembly line I also started this cling wrap piece. I'm quite happy with the results. I just placed the lace down on the scanner to do the scan but will probably do lace on the final whatever I do with it. I'm kind of in an eclectic mood as you'll see when the postcards get finished. I'm mixing multi coloured rick-rack with fancy pink lace. Fun stuff. I wasn't really certain about this cling wrap but thought I'd make it and then see what I come up with. Tomorrow will not be so productive with art. I've other things happening as well as Friday and Saturday. So I'll see what will happen yet for these postcards. I'd like to finish some so I can mail them to my friends and they be received before Easter.

I also have to finish my journal quilt page before next Tuesday and I must post something for artwords this week as the theme is wind. I got an idea for that today. My only hope is that I can print pictures onto fabric as well as I did with the words. It's being a bit tricky but I shall persevere.

'Till next time. Angels be with you.

I just did another meme as first seen on the little stitcher's blog. No surprises here.

Your Power Color Is Blue

Relationships and feelngs are the most important things to you. You are empathetic and accepting - and good at avoiding conflict. If someone close to you is in pain, it makes you hurt as well. You try to heal the ones you love with your kind and open heart.

What's Your Power Color?

Another meme. OK! TIME TO STOP PROCRASTINATING. But I'm proud as this is the year I turn the big 50.

You Probably Look Younger Than Your Age

You live a healthy lifestyle and know how to take care of yourself. You'll probably have a youthful glow for many years.

Do You Look Your Age?

Life is good: It feels like often I don't have the inclination to say that. Today was different. There was a tiny glitch but I'm working towards not focusing on the glitches but instead that "life is good." I'd seen words to this effect in someone's profile and I thought "WOW! I wish I could say that." Then I thought, "why don't I try to say it?" Today was the day. Hopefully there will be more.

I have so much I want to say. However part of the idea that "Life is good" may mean trying to get more sleep. So I will just say for now that these are three of the thirteen postcards I am working on for valentine's day. Exploration of the topics of love, the number thirteen, miracles, french knots, hand dying fabric, printing on fabric, "talk" and self-esteem will all have to wait.

Stay tuned.

I've just done the book quiz as seen on the blogs of Nance and Darcy. I thought I'd give it a try. Now I have to check this book. Hmmm - should prove interesting.

You're Watership Down!

by Richard Adams

Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you're
actually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink their
assumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where they
build their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You'd
be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Thinking on valentine's day

Thinking on valentine's day
Originally uploaded by Windy Angels.

Though I am busy trying to make postcards and ATCs for Valentine's day it is somewhat of an assembly line process. In the meantime I came across this collage which through dumpr becomes a gorgeous Valentine.

Rabbit tracks

Rabbit tracks
Originally uploaded by Windy Angels.

This was taken during our time at the farm over the holidays. I love the sparkling snow and all the tracks in it - natural that is.

Art Quilts University - This looks like a great place to visit and I can do it in my jammies if I want. Ok. I'll get to work on my Valentine's pieces first and then I'll check it out. No, not tonight anymore. It's getting late.

TIRED but - Friday's finds AND Valentine Inspiration:
I'm having much difficulty focusing today. It's been kind of a tough week. There've been appointments in Saskatoon. At one we learned that our daughter did not have a seizure. Her EEG was totally normal and she fainted instead of having a seizure. Huge relief sigh. I was reminded by two important people that as a large part of a teen's developmental tasks involves establishing identity, I should not be alarmed by her low self esteem but just to be encouraging and supportive, as much as one can to a teen, especially when they have issues. I have been challenged with trying not to get overburdened by other people's challenges but again to be supportive. I have realized that I have been quite strong the past few weeks even though this has typically been one of my most difficult months, for many years. I also finished a project started month's ago.

Today I feel tired. I think I should. I'm allowing myself to feel OK that I didn't do art today, other than taking a few pictures. I didn't even feel like having fun with doodling or stamping.

Yesterday I used part of some Christmas gift certificates at Fabricland. I got some taffeta, chiffon, lace, and lots of buttons. They were 50% off. I'm planning to do some experimenting with cling wrap. I happened to have some red cling wrap stashed away in the room I will eventually have cleaned to put a studio in. I'm finding numerous treasures there.

The other picture is of some of the fabric and treats I have in store for Valentine's day.

Tomorrow is another day.

Believe in love. Believe in magic. Believe in Santa Claus. Believe in others. Believe in yourself. Believe in your dreams. If you don't, who will?

Jon Bon Jovi
American Rock Star

Inspiration Peak


My first squares 1" x 1". I am amazed by the options of supplies I actually have here for making valentine's "candy". This is just the beginning.

Tah-dah - My first postcard: After many months and numerous challenges around this piece I think it is finally finished. I learned lots. I've still got questions. I think the most important things I've learned are that I CAN complete a project and I should persevere regardless of the difficulties. I decided all the valentine projects had to wait till this was done. Good choice. Now I can use what I've discovered for doing those projects. Of course there'll be more concerns, problems, but they will be just more obstacles along the path to achievement.

The fabrics on this piece were hand dyed other than the yellow. I used Caran D'ache Neo Color ll crayons for the green and yellow part. Sue B. told me they worked well on fabric. The larger star was dyed using the gel glue technique. I was very thankful to Terri for teaching it to me. Terri has provided me with great inspiration. I also found both of the ideas later in Quilting Arts magazines from 2005.

I have to do some writing today, e-mails, comments. Hopefully back to the sewing soon, or at the least, planning and preparing the pieces.

Time Management: I'm trying to make better use of my time. I've decided to try to do some simple tasks while Greg drives us to our destinations and back. This morning on our way to Church, half hour away, I was cutting apart images from a little book I'd gotten at Michael's. Unfortunately my scissors were not very sharp. The other day, I think Friday, I was trying to sew some beads onto this piece of felt. On our way back it was starting to get dark. Greg kept asking about the light. I didn't need it yet.

I'd seen the idea, done with real felt. I didn't have such a thing so got cheap felt. The buttons are from my Mom's old collection. I'm not sure how old they'd be. The scan does not do them justice. They are cracked and darkened around the edges. I might sew some more beads on if I can find the right ones. then it gets blanket stitched with another and stuffed. I guess it's supposed to be a Christmas decoration. Oh well. It can just be for anytime too. I need the practice mostly.

I got a little bit of sewing done on my journal quilt but will wait until more done before I show that. I'm not sure how much I'll be able to accomplish as our daughter is having continuing problems - no seizures, but social, behavioural. This time of year and next few months tend to be her difficult time. Hopefully we can make it through. We'll get as much help as able from school.She admitted to major self-esteem problems, in her own way, on Friday. I'm trying not to agonize. I'll communicate as best I can with the people I need to. Otherwise I try very much to just place it in God's hands.

Forgot to mention, Fran has a wonderful gift for someone chosen from comments left on her blog all this coming week. Good luck.

Friday Finds: I decided to start sharing in this Friday's Finds group with the hopes of being inspired even further to actually do what I plan to do?? Plans are great but can I carry them through? Hmmm. I've shown fabric before but some of this is for a specific reason and I have ideas for doing something soon.

I absolutely adore the art of my friend Judy Scott. I love her choice of fabrics, mostly with flowers. I especially love a couple of pieces she's posted for Valentine's.

I really thought I'd never touch silk flowers again. My mother used to make and try to sell arrangements. Just not my style. And then I saw Judy's valentine with silk flower bits. I've been very inspired AND I've also seen silk flowers used on fiber pieces under chiffon. OK, this I can handle.

These purchases were made locally We have a wonderful Haus of Stitches close by. The silk flowers and a couple of other pieces I got at "the Mall". I forgot to mention that the fabric was purchased partially from a gift cert. from daughter for Christmas. She has some very good friends working there.

While I was there I also received the "In a Stitch Newsletter". I think I have decided that I may actually be brave enough to try a couple of their classes in the next weeks. I've been paranoid about classes since I tried a painting on wood, Baurenmalerei class a few years back. The instructor was just too critical for sensitive me. After being brave with my blog and writer's group I might be ready to try to learn to knit. Enough already with trying to learn on a virtual website.

Please remember to review post below, huge leap

A huge leap - kind of like a swap:

I got brave. As I said on Diane's blog I am scared. I am so much not able to complete projects. AND, I'm uncomfortable about whether people might like what I make. Sigh. Self - confidence - where are you?

This is how it works -"The first five people to respond to this post (via the comments section) will get some form of art made by me. The only catch, of course: as with most memes, if you sign up, you have to put this in your own blog as well."

Above is just one example of an unfinished project. This is a postcard I have yet to compete. Now that I've tried a couple of things with my first journal quilt page I think I'll be able to finish this postcard and do some more in a breeze. HUH! I call it "big talk". We'll see.

I guess I'll need your snail mail address if you decide to participate.

HUGS! I need them. LOL

Wendy

Please also see post below. I CAN finish some projects sometimes.

My FIRST - tiny shipping tag book: About stamping, play, simplicity?, and being inspired by the very sweet Mary Ann. Ever since I have been receiving real mail from Mary Ann I have been so impressed with all the stamping she does. On one recent comment on Mary Ann's blog I believe I said something about starting to do more stamping. Yesterday morning, or maybe it was the day before I was looking through one of the stamping, inspiration magazines I had received from Mary Ann. I noticed especially a little shipping tag (not really certain what they are supposed to be called) book. I've always really liked them and thought I could easily make one. So on stormy yesterday I found a few of the shipping tags I have and did some tea staining. When they were dry I yanked out my alphabet stamps, my licorice scented (Yummm) black stamp pad and a couple of other things. It took me awhile. I knew I also needed practice with a steady hand. It's not perfect - YES! I had such fun AND I really like the looks of it. What do you think? Would you decorate it any more or leave it simple? I think I like it simple but...?

Journal quilt stage 2 or maybe you could call it stage 3. It's a stormy blustery day with very cold temperatures. For anyone wishing for snow I can empathize most days, not today. Actually it is a lovely day to vegetate in the house and do some art, between phone calls of cancellations, postponements and the like. We were supposed to have our writer's group tonight. Sigh. Greg got stuck in the driveway on his way home at lunch. Children are being kept home from school and tomorrow has warnings of severe cold.

I've had time to wonder-under the painted fabric softener sheet pieces to my started quilt. I'm disappointed. With the pressing, the sheets lost much of their beauty and texture. A learning process I guess. I suppose it would have been better to just sew them on with the quilting.

I want to put on some beads yet. I was thinking about sequins BUT I don't have any here and I don't think I'll consider going out to get any. Greg called to say they are all being sent home and ALL the school kids are to come too. Oh NO!!!! There goes my time to myself.

I've been trying to learn EXACTLY what a journal quilt is. I'm not certain if I'm supposed to put writing on the back of the quilt or write it on paper in a separate paper journal. Either way, I think I can manage. I definitely know I will be learning new techniques and letting myself stretch and grow.

YES!!!! I'm excited.

hoarfrost creekside

hoarfrost creekside
Originally uploaded by Windy Angels.

Another photo of the hoarfrost. The dogs would always wonder why I stopped so often while walking them. They're probably getting used to it by now. It gave them a chance to clean their paws of snow.

creekside Tracks

creekside Tracks
Originally uploaded by Windy Angels.

Creekside photo taken while w e were at farm over holidays. We had gorgeous weather most days. I loved to get photos of the hoarfrost especially.

Having Fun: I added some words to the white on blue.


As heard on the radio - "remember, it's your backbone, not your wishbone".


Do you know what the fibers are? I was trying to figure out what I could do for fibers for my journal quilt and remembered this, which I'd seen in a Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine.

Stage 1 of my first quilt journal. I plan to do much embellishment yet. I am apprehensive about the actual quilting. Hopefully I can show you more accomplished tomorrow night. I also have to do some e-mails and introducing of myself to the group so you may have to wait until Monday. I should say that I may not actually use this one for the group as I intend to do more of these this month.

The fabric is that which I coloured myself, except the deep blue on the bottom. I'm pleased with the moon. I'm not sure if I'll do anything further with it.

Art - new year; old year AND tagged:
I'll start by explaining that I've been tagged by Suze. It's a book tag. You are supposed to pick up a book that's close by. Turn to page 123, go down five sentences and then look at the next 3 sentences. Oh yes, and be sure to say the name of the book and its authour.

Well, I put a bit of a twist to it. I had signed up for the quilt journal group, an off shoot of the CPS group. Each month I, and many others, are to create a quilt journal of, I think, 8 x 11 inches. Since I signed for the group things have changed a bit for me but I have decided I would still like to try to do this. With all of my art I've been having much difficulty trying to choose from many possibilities, ideas, what I would like to do or perhaps focus on. I am hoping this will give me some direction. Maybe I shall try to focus more on using fibers. We'll see. I'm not even sure if I'm still part of the webring I had joined last fall.

But back to being tagged - I have a binder with a number of Cloth Paper Scissors and Quilting Arts magazines. I decided to use this binder as my book. I didn't have the challenge directions in front of me and I accidentally went to page 213 in my binder. On looking back I found that page 123 does not have the required number of sentences, so I'll just stick with page 213, or I guess it was actually 212, after having added together the pages from the first magazine in the binder to the second magazine. So I found myself in a Quilting Arts magazine, Fall 2006, Issue 23 .

"I'm pretty sure they didn't use a MacBookPro, with dual Intel processors, nor did they use Adobe Illustrator, because, well, all they had were pencils back then. And maybe some nice technical pens. And a compass."

In these particular "Ramblings" by Robbi Joy Eklow she is discussing how she loves Art Deco. A particular piece inspiring her was finished in 1929. Robbi writes about the minimal tools used to develop the piece initially.

I started to think too, about the tools which I use and how technology has changed what we are able to do. I appreciate how there are still needs for hands, hand stitching, painting, sketching, moving the mouse of the computer. Though technology has greatly enhanced what an artist is capable of, there must still be the planning, the creative eye, the dreams, sometimes visions, beliefs and imagination in order to develop art.

I'm rambling. The top piece, 8 1/2 x 11 inches, is the newer one completed, anyway I think it is completed, just yesterday. I started it at the farm. I had some purchased pieces in the letters, bird and cut outs. I did the main background with wax crayons and then did some scratching of the swirls with a nail file. Later I pulled out the gel pens and started to go over the swirls and add more words. The fabric was at home. It is quite modern - meshy and metallic. So this piece was started with some pretty basic tools and then added to with more modern pieces.

The second piece I did last summer. I was playing with tape transfers. The size of the taped piece is 7 x 8 inches. It is of a cat we used to have named Doby. He had a wonderful face. I miss him still. I am quite pleased with how the transfer turned out. I'm not sure if I should play with it or just leave as is.

I want to say more about the particular magazine I chose for the tagging. As I had pulled it out of the binder to do this post it was sitting available for me to look at otherwise. Coincidence, luck, I'm not sure. On the cover I find "The Art of Journal Quilting". Leaps of joy. I discover information about how journal quilts actually started. I find yet more examples of journal quilts and I discover that I've made a good choice in joining this group. The authour speaks of play, of not worrying so much about perfection, and of going beyond the fear. These are things which I have been trying to deal with the past few years and I think I've been doing well. But this may be an extra little nudge to remind me to keep working in that direction.

If you are reading this and want to be tagged please feel free to accept. I will personally tag Fran, Darcy, and Terri.

Spoiled or very loved? The top picture is of the card my very dear Greg gave me for Christmas. He wasn't planning to get me a card but this one absolutely caught his eye. He is a man of very few words but many ideas. He can usually know precisely what is important, especially when it comes to technology and machines. Occasionally he surprises me with his perceptions of what's important otherwise, matters of the heart. I think this card was the most beautiful gift I got for Christmas this year.

The reason I say spoiled is because we also got a new computer for Christmas. That was not really a surprise. This one is old - 98. It's very slow. We worry about me losing some of my work, some of my writing. We worry about it crashing. I got the computer as a gift. We have another computer downstairs for the past few months. Because my husband is the main computer person at his work place he was able to retrieve a computer from the recycle stash. He and Cat know I have first dibs on the main one. Lucky me. Greg will probably start setting it up tonight.

I've also included a sketchy sketch done on blue paper with mainly white. I did it to show a friend of Cat's. J. enjoys art but is not so much into whimsical or collage. That's OK. She's only 14 and is from a family somewhat set in their ways. I'm glad she is able to do as much art as she is. She is very talented. Someday... The piece is another WIP (work in progress). I may be showing many of those because of "should."

Happy New Year to all.