fat book swap - 2011

The wonderful results of a Fat Book swap that I participated in on the Mixed Media Art Friends Yahoo Group. This group is run by the generous and talented Belinda Spiwak. We were asked to make 37 pages of one technique on either cardstock or heavy weight watercolour paper. Some of the participants dropped out, so I received four of my own pages back. I guess that life interfered!!

On the back of each page are the instructions for the technique. What a wonderful resource for the future!! Belinda has had these huge swaps before, but the timing was never right for me to join. Of course, I regretted it every single time. The swaps on this group are infrequent, but she's hinted that the next one might be either a charm or ATC swap. I'm hoping for a charm one, because that's another I missed in the past. Boo hoo to me......because they were incredible!!!

Belinda's is the first one on the top on the left hand side.



Mine is the green one, second left on the bottom.







Three of my pages are in this shot. The mottled one in the middle of the top row and the two on the bottom.




Instructions for my technique are shown in my original post on the subject.

These pages will eventually be made into a reference book or I might even make a storage box. But for now I'll just fondle them and dream! As my bookbinding experience and time is limited, the final construction will need to wait.

Let the experiments begin!!!!! Now, does anyone know where to buy sequin waste?

what's blooming in Toronto 2

More images from Marilyn and Rain's garden.

The poppies are winding down, so this is was my last chance to catch the elusive sunlit poppies. It's no wonder you see so many of these in paintings. They're just breathtaking!







This clematis had a visitor!!



Living in harmony!




The lupin begins to bloom,



A beautiful new peony and quite long lasting as well.



All the pansy faces, remind me of a conversation grouping. I wonder what they're gossiping about?



This shot of the white rose was taken across the fence in the neighbours garden. I just heard that the lady of the house passed away on Monday, so I'll use this as a memorial. May she rest in peace.

what's blooming in toronto?

Peonies in Marilyn and Raine's garden. I confess that I can't resist the white ones so the "taken" is also literal, as I need to confess to pilfering three of these beauties......the smell is absolutely divine!!!





More flowers to come tomorrow..............

receiver's choice update - sara's block

As many of you know, I've been working on a "Receiver's Choice" block exchange with my friends at the Sparkly Chickens Yahoo Group. This one is for Sara who's just about to escape from the toils of the classroom for a relaxing, creativity filled summer vacation. I thought that the image of the escaping kite, would be a particularly appropriate image. I envy Sara her extended time off (sigh!) and wish her sand in her toes, wind for her kite, a wonderful collection of shells, thread for her needles and an exciting and creative summer. Use your time wisely, it goes pretty fast!!

Sara's theme was the "Beach"!

Hand applique, hand embroidery, couching, commercial batiks and other fabrics.




Detail of the kite and the waves:





Detail of the driftwood, the couched Kite string and the waves:



Sorry, Sara! I was trying to convey the foam on top of the waves, with the white french knots!! Any shells on my beach would have been greyish and mixed up with the driftwood.