We've had a lovely...

 ...summery week here in the Creston Valley, and that made it perfect for an hour's leisurely drive up Kootenay Lake to Barefoot Handweaving in Crawford Bay to take the embroidery basket to Janet Wallace, the owner.  

It was a joy to see all the colour there (do check out their website on the link above) and to be gifted with some more mouth-watering embroidery threads.  Will there be more basket making?  With this lovely batch of threads I suspect so.

We stopped for lunch in Crawford Bay at Black Salt Cafe where we enjoyed the fabulous open air seating, an extraordinary panini, and ogled their desserts.

In the studio, I'm working on another, larger collage and using a heavy equipment book as a weight.  The title alone should ensure it seals the seam, don't you think?

And for the first time ever I had a fail with the plastic wrap technique I was using to ameliorate the hot pink on Chloe's painting.  What should have been an easy peel off was a sticky mess.  I've always told my students that 90% of creating is solving problems, and this is one HUGE example of that!  I've been doing some sanding on it, but I'm not sure it's going to be enough.  Keep your fingers crossed for me, please.  And if you've ever had this happen, I'd love to hear your solve.  

I did manage to do some stamping for names to accompany a crowd of unicorns, and there's another phrase I've never needed to use before.  😎

How's your week gone?  And just a note - if you don't hear from me next week, it's because the two days my computer is supposed to be in the shop for a fix has turned into something longer (and no doubt more expensive).  Happy weekend and more to you - may the weather in your area be sunny and light!

It's good to be getting back into the studio...

...and playing with colour.

I had a chance to 'finish' (do we ever really finish anything??) the half dozen 4" x 3" collages,

and I'm really enjoying these colours.

I was gifted a pile of threads recently (thanks, Eileen!), so turned them into a collagraph.  And yes, I know you thought I was crazy for asking for them. 😉

It  looks really lovely turned into a gel print, though...what a luscious background this will make!

I've continued to work on Chloe's birthday painting - it's coming up much too quickly.

Of course, the leftover paint has been made to enhance a dryer sheet, and that, too, will be utilized elsewhere.  No doubt you're relaxing into this quiet colour.  😄

We've had a mixed week of sunshine and rain, so our irises are looking rather lovely!

This past long weekend was our Blossom Fest (the 83rd, I believe).  Although John was too ill with a cold/flu and unable to enjoy the huge number of events, we did happen upon the setup for the Childrens' Parade on Monday.  I really loved this costume on one of the volunteers.  It cracked me up when she told me 'my mom made it for me'.  

Between the costumes on the volunteers and the childrens' enthusiasm, I've no doubt the parade was outstanding!

I'm hoping your week was colourful, fun and just as playful to boot!  See you on the other side...

Woops!

I seemed to have missed creating a post last week, and at this point I'm unsure whether I actually did anything in the studio given I was out and about while John was in respite.  I have been in there this past week, though, while I started on a unicorn project for a granddaughter' 5th birthday,

tore up some of those papers I was making,

worked in a sketch book on some collages with them,

and even made some progress on three.

With any luck, I might even finish them all this week.  It's such a treat to have play time in the studio that I'm putting it on my wish list for every artist in the world for the coming week, and everyone is an artist in one form or another.  Here's to us all getting our art on!! 

The studio saga continues...

 ...as I hop from one project to another.  I've done some more work on the manganese/hansa collection of papers,

overlaying some of the tissue prints onto less-than-interesting ones, 

adding painted dryer sheet overlays to one of the circle pieces,

and painted cheesecloth over another.  They look more interesting now, don't they?

I had a quick mini gel-printing session with leaves from an Easter bouquet, and while the prints weren't stellar, I was struck by the paint-covered leaves in turquoise and red.

I made another embroidery thread basket which will head up the lake to the owner of Barefoot Handweaving, where many of the threads came from initially.  I'm sure that Janet will smile at the use those threads have been put to. 

And just so you know that spring has officially arrived, I've added a couple of shots for you here.

From shrubbery to grasses, there is glorious colour everywhere (and yes, I do count dandelions in that category!).  

May your locale be as beautiful, and your colour-eyes be finely tuned to the glory!