What a curve...

 ...learning curve, that is.  I've been working on the slipcase for Coptic stitch #2, and after four paper prototypes, some major cursing (learned from my brother who spent some years in the navy), and hair torn out by the roots, I finally finished it.  I also finished all forty-six spreads in the book, no small feat in spite of the tiny (5 1/4" x 3 3/4") size of the book.  It heads out into the world in the next few days.

The book is an accolade to a woman who has worked prodigiously over the last year and a half (and prior, of course) to lift our spirits and guide us through these rough waters.

It includes a number of descriptors, photos of an event she organized, her quotes that have been helpful to me, and the usual colourful shapes and mini paintings that inhabit my studio.  I thought you might like to see some of the pages here.

 

A quote that arrived in my inbox yesterday via 'Notes from the Universe' really reminded me what this kind of thing is all about.  It reads, in part, 

'When you understand that what most people really, really want is simply to feel good about themselves, and when you realize that with just a few well-chosen words you can help virtually anyone on the planet instantly achieve this, you begin to realize just how simple life is, how powerful you are, and that love is the key.' 

Thanks for checking in, for sharing your posts with me, for your comments and your caring attitude.  I love it all, and appreciate you more than you can know.  💗

I found my 'round-tuit'...

 ...and finished the stitching on my second Coptic stitch book.  

5 1/4" x 3 7/8"

The signatures (11 of them) are a comprised of a gel print and sheet of Stonehenge paper.  I've not yet determined what's going into the book but I can feel something percolating in the back brain.

I'm really enjoying the look of the covers, made from my Typar house-wrap play a couple of weeks ago and suspect that this wrap could become my go-to for covers, both for its durability and infinite possibilities.  The house wrap takes paint, alcohol inks, stamps, stencils and a whole lot more.

And I so much enjoy the way the underlying texture peeks through everything...kinda sneaky, don'tcha  think?!  😉

Here's to sneaky colour play - do let me know what you've been up to in the comments!  

Can you hear me cackling?

I've been in Mad Mixed Media Scientist mode this week.  For some time I've been wanting to test dryer sheets on wood panels with the same technique I've used for cheesecloth.  Here's one of the results, used on a painting background.  

It's luscious whether used over another colour, or on a white gessoed panel, don't you think?

And I finally managed to find a roll of Typar house wrap.  I've been on the last of my 100', seven-year-old roll, and knew I needed more.  When I scored some, I just had to whitewash it and then throw some alcohol ink at it, followed by stencil work.  While it's not done yet, I think it's looking pretty juicy already.

The closeups are even more fun... the grey house wrap gives a subtle textural look underneath all that colour.

Now there is a reason for the madness, of course.  I want to create a cover for the second Coptic book in process, and I'm all about the subtlety, right?  😄

The stack of signatures awaits the completion of the cover 'fabric', and with some beeswax to wax the thread, I'm definitely going to be in business.  

On another corner of the table, I've got a stack of toppers which have been created through Ruth's studio time.  Every time we had leftover mediums of any sort or unused paint, we threw it at a piece of canvas.  They're going to make fabulous cards for sale at her November show.

There are other projects on the go, of course, and a list as long as the taxman's reach of things I have yet to try.  Here's to experimentation, failures and successes!

Die, procrastination - DIE!

I'm celebrating this week - I've had the Coptic stitch on my list of 'things to learn' for so long that it's lost in the mists of time, and this past week I finally managed to get the lead out and try it.

It's tiny (5 3/4" x 4 1/2"), and has enough flaws to qualify for "Book Fails in Canada' fame, but I've made a list, learned a ton, and look forward to trying it again.

I enjoyed making the signatures as well, using gel prints for the base, going mad with alcohol inks on white-on-white wallpaper, and generally drooling over the results.

Because this was a practice book, I paid no attention to the prints on the signatures, and then had to come up with something to tie them together colour-wise.

While it works as a prototype, it does so mostly for future possibilities.  I may have to up my alcohol ink stash, perhaps!

In any event, I am gleefully celebrating the death of this particular procrastination issue...a few thousand more of these and I'll have the skill to put together that tall stack of signatures I showed you last week.  That is cause for elation indeed.