QCArts: Moline Airport

 I always enjoy the airport gallery, making sure I arrive early enough to not be rushed when looking. Artist Cheryl Holz's mixed media art is currently on display. 

Travel ahead!

 This morning I fly to Miami, then leave tomorrow morning for Ecuador! I've been making payments on this trip for almost 2 years and now the day is here. Galapagos - I finally learned how to spell it.  

Extra sunscreen is packed and I treated myself to a new hat to wear on hikes. So much fun ahead.

Earth Fragments: Drought

 Quilt #9 of my current series.  "Drought" is inspired by my trip to Morocco last year. This quilt urges each of us to conserve water and to be mindful of the decreasing amount of fresh water available on our planet. 

Much stitch work ahead!

Day 31 - Letter

 I did it. 31 days of journaling. Now, I must either sew them together, or store away in a little box for another time. Store away will probably win, as I have the pressing matter of completing the rest of my "Earth Fragments" for a gallery show in May. 

Day 30 - Fabric

 Haha - I've had a month of using fabric. My stash is still over flowing.  

Day 29 - Reveal

 Reveal - Make known to others

Day 27: Crumpled

 This little collage created itself! I wetted and crumpled some rust dyed fabric and let it dry for a day. It held a flower shape quite well.

Day 26 Movement

 My car moves a lot! Seems like I'm always going somewhere.  The store, my mom's, church, the library.... 

Day 25: Modern

The prompt, "Modern" reminded me of my visit to the Tate Modern in London. It's probably been over 10 years, but I still remember my joy of walking thru a Matisse exhibit and taking in this fabulous museum. I want to go back... 

Day 24: Line

 

Day 23: Newspaper

 The prompt, "newspaper" is challenging when one no longer reads a hard copy! I kept thinking - what's red and white and read all over?

Day 22: Repeat

 Pete and Repeat went out in a boat...

Day 21: Map

 I love pouring over maps.  At an early age my father had my brother and me looking at maps while we traveled from place to place - probably to keep us quiet in the car! Are those early map years what sparked my love of travel?

Day 20: Tissue

 I reached back in time to making "fabric paper" - layers of tissue papers attached to a base fabric with matte medium. For this exercise, I used a painted coffee filter for my base. 

Day 19: Bubble

 When I set out to stamp fabric with bubble wrap for this prompt, I discovered that I much preferred the look of the paint left to dry on the bubble wrap. The yellow flower is a broken pin from my stash, that once again, I just couldn't throw out. I think it was in my grandmother's tin of things she also couldn't part with. 

Day 18: Bright

 This little angel was in my stash. I just couldn't throw her away, even with her arms missing. Yes - very much junk. Now she sits on a little wooden spool. Still junk?

Day 17: Fragile

 I've learned that glass is not a fragile as we think. When breaking bottles to make my own "sea glass" in my rock tumbler, I found that some bottles (no matter how hard I hit them with a hammer), just wouldn't break. 

Day 16: Unfold

 An old blouse was cut up for the fabric to use in a quilt. The cuff was saved for what reason? I suppose in the back of my mind I knew it would be useful some day. It's crazy how much junk I've saved - but - we all know that as soon as it is trashed, a fabulous idea will make us wish that it had been saved.

Day 15: Neutral

I have a whole box of neutral fabrics that probably should just be pitched. Does that make them junk? 

Day 14: Balance

Odd number create balance in art. But seriously, does this group of three seem balanced? 

 

Day 13: Opaque

 I was watching a National Geographic program on Antarctica when inspiration hit for this journal entry. Ice is clear, yet opaque. Why is some ice opaque or cloudy? I read a bit about it and learned that air and impurities are trapped in the water and are pushed to the center as ice forms from the outside in.  My ice maker in my refrigerator spits out opaque ice. Does that mean it has impurities? Probably not, as the water runs thru reverse osmosis before traveling to the freezer. So much to think about!

Day 12: Overlap

As collage artists, we know layers. Lots and lots of layers. We overlap papers, inks, more papers, paints, and what ever else seems to fit. Working in fabric is a bit challenging. Too many layers and the needle just won't push thru. I kept overlapping to a minimum for the sake of my fingers.

Day 11: Magazine

 What magazines do I have stacked in my house? Old Somerset Studios from the library exchange, a few copies of Art Quilting Studio, and a couple of What She Creates. My entry for this prompt actually came from my proof copy of #morningtea. I couldn't throw it out, so now it is in the cut up bin for journaling. 

Day 10: Trim

 This prompt made me think that I really need to schedule an appointment to get my hair trimmed. That will have to wait. A small piece of lace that I dyed orange at some point was in my stash. Combined with a piece trimmed from a bag of cuties is my trim entry. 

Day 9: Hidden

 What is hiding in my pocket? I'm reminded of the Girl Scout song, "I've got something in my pocket, it belongs across my face. I keep it very close at hand in the most convenient place. I'm sure you'll never guess it, if you guess a long long while. I'll take it out and put it on, it's a great big girl scout smile!"

Day 8: Antique

 It was fun to search the bins for little pieces of ancient treasures. Prompts like this are easy to do when you can't throw bits away!

Day 7 - Tuckspot

 A little place to hide a secret? 

Day 6: Embossed

 The prompt for #januaryjunkjournal day 6 is "Embossed". 

This little belt buckle has Germany engraved on the back. Very sweet.

Day 5: Depth

 Layers of ice dyed fabrics. Not exactly a fabulous collage, but time is better spent today celebrating my birthday! Today I am 66 years old!

My mom always comments on this photo saying, "the photographer had so much fun with you, it was a happy day and you behaved well".  I wonder what colour the dress was? I must remember to ask her.

Looking forward: 2025

Today is my birthday. I've always felt that the New Year actually begins today. It's my fresh start, although I also feel that everyday can be a fresh start. What's on my wish list for the year?

Art Journaling - I do enjoy gluing, painting, stenciling, etc. in my scads of journals. I want to set aside a few minutes each week to just play

Felting - After being gifted a large amount of wool, I know that using it must be on my list. I have my drum carder set up in the garage, wool dyes ready for use, and a list of ideas. This will be fun!

Travel - Travel is always on my list. I am to leave tomorrow for St. Louis. From there, Jes and I will fly to Hawaii to visit his aunt. I'm just praying that the huge snow/ice storm is past and cleared up by early afternoon. Weather!  I also have 4 other very cool trips planned, but have purposely left my summer free to garden and enjoy my mid west outdoor season. (It's 18 degrees outside right now - no outdoors for me today)

Earth Fragments - This series of quilts is very near complete. The gallery show begins the first week of May. There are 2 quilts to finish, photos to take, descriptions to write and art studio cleanup after finishing. I received a text yesterday that the ceramic fish I requested a friend make were on the way to the kiln. Excitement! My completion goal is April 1st for the Earth Fragments Series.  

UFO's - This pile is not too big. I've repurposed some unfinished quilt tops into quilt backs over the past year. Another old top went to the dye pot (black) and is in my fragments series. I believe I have 2 quilts that need binding and one quilt that I started at the March crop last year. Not a bad list.

Dye garden - This year I plan to work more with natural dyes. 

Seek peace. This should actually be at the top of the list. It's a goal combination of down sizing, attitude change, and a spiritual journey. This is huge. I've started re-reading the Bible in a year, watching minimalizing videos, started a clean up plan, and will take quiet time each day to soul search and pray. 

Day 4: Outline

 This sun print was created a few years ago using hyacinth bean leaves and a plastic grid. I always liked the subtle colour and gentle feel of the print. The beaded outline almost feels too harsh. 

Day 3 - #januaryjunkjournal

 "Tickets". So I didn't really like this prompt, even though I have tickets to fly to Hawaii next week. Any more our tickets are in an app on our phone. Times do change! I decided on "mark making instead!

So... That's the ticket!

Day 2: #januaryjunkjournal

 The prompt is 'envelope'. A little note tucked in an envelope tells a romantic story... But, I believe he was more in love with his painting.

Lisa Gherardini's portrait is estimated to be valued at $830 million. Wow!

First Finish / 2025

 Quilted, bound, and a sleeve finished! Now -  block it and wrap this gift up. So satisfying to begin the year this way.

#JanuaryJunkJournal

 Day 1: Cover

My approach to #januaryjunkjournal is to use fabric and "junk" to create a long piece instead of working in a book. The "cover" uses some of the treasures I picked up at Lake Erie this past August and hung on a spindle that a friend gave me when she started to clean out her stash. 

Each day has a different prompt - I plan to stick to the list as much as possible. Working with fabric instead of paper does make it a challenge. I'm also headed to visit my sister in law for a few weeks during the month. Double challenge. Isn't that just how life is? A series of challenges.