Finishing Up a Visual Journal

I have been trying to put the finishing touches on a 9" x 12" visual journal that I started last year.  It is a Strathmore Visual Journal for Mixed Media. 

I used some of the printed/painted papers from the Traci Bautista Strathmore Artist's Workshop to make the front and back covers and inside covers.

Front Cover

Inside Cover and Title Page

This spread had remained half done until today when I added a lot more collage elements to make a "Spring Fever" spread.  There are more of my printed/painted/stamped papers at top. Hopefully the photo will enlarge if you click on it.

This one features a print of one of my watercolor figure paintings on the lower left and a silly painting doodle on the right.

This one is a hot mess.  Had too much stuff going on in the background, so I added some white elements (dogs and clock) and large text on vellum.  Still not crazy about it, but it looks better in real life!

I've been adding finishing touches to a few other pages.  Forgot to take pictures of the back cover and inside pages.  Next time!

Tissue-Bleed Fabric WIP's

I had a little extra time today, and did some free-motion quilting on the tissue-bleed fabric I created at my last art quilt bee meeting.

This is the piece where I doodled with neocolor II crayons over the fabric, and sealed it with Textile Medium.  I fused it to a piece of Timtex, a very stiff interfacing.  Then I did some free-motion machine quilting on my DSM in two different variegated threads.  

I plan to make a journal cover from this one.

I also started a few fabric bookmarks from the scrap pieces.

These will be zigzagged around the edges and maybe have some funky fibers added.

Last night we went to see Gravity at the IMAX.  Wow,  a very compelling plot! And it had gorgeous, beautiful scenes of the earth from space.  I highly recommend this movie!

Baby Quilt on the Design Wall

It's been a busy week!  Valentine's Day, babysitting for little Charlotte, a trip to the mountains, and, yes, a little sewing!

On my design wall is a quilt top for my baby granddaughter.  (Yes, I am ashamed to admit, she was born without a handmade quilt ready for her when she came home.)

 

My daughter-in-law, her mother and I made an excursion to a fabric store back in August and selected an assortment of novelty and coordinating fabrics for the mermaid-themed nursery.

 

 

My original idea was to make an underwater scene.  These fabrics were not working too well for me, even with the addition of fabrics from my stash.  After I made a few applique pieces, they stayed pinned on the design wall for months with nothing else happening.

 

I decided to go ahead and make a more traditional quilt.  I made square-in-a-square blocks using the fabrics provided plus some from my stash.  The quilt will be colorful, will match the nursery,
 

and will soon be ready for our sweet little mermaid.

Besides, she already has a pretty awesome original painting of a mermaid family, courtesy of Emily's talented sister Ellen.  Anyone recognize the mer-dog, Roo?

 

 

Here is a little project I finished in a couple hours.  It is a fabric journal cover for a sketchbook.  I used a gorgeous commercial fabric that looks like it has foiling and mixed media.  It did not need anything else!

 

 

I made it exactly like I used to make textbook covers out of brown paper grocery bags back in the day.  The only difference is that you clean-finish the inside edges, and sew a seam across the tops and bottoms of the inside pockets to keep them from coming undone.

 

 

I added a ribbon closure, and it's done!

 

The mountains were cold and a little snowy.  We took a ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway on Sunday.  These icicles were covering the rocks on the side of the road.

 

 

Although our snow barely covered the ground, the distant mountain tops were covered in snow.