Bloomin' Hammock Flowers on Tuesday

My next door neighbor has trees in his backyard that hang over our shared fence and the wind seems to blow their lovely flowers onto my hammock... These photos I took are just as they were found, not arranged by me, but by the wind...

in beautiful pictures that pleased me no end.

I had an absolutely LOVEly day today at home alone (well, me and the cat, but he spends so much time outdoors I hardly saw him at all).

I had time to tidy up the place; make some calls; do a little creating...

and still had time to take a good book out side to read while laying in my hammock!

Happy Bloomin' Tuesday!

Sunday Fun!

It was another beautiful sunny day, but not hot so I decided it was perfect for making more fabric paper. I tore four big sheets of muslin this time and slathered them in glue/water mixture with a wide paintbrush then layered on the torn tissue papers and brushed wet water/glue on top. Then I laid them out on the hammock to dry. And dry they did.

This is an example of how the fabric paper is used as the lining for a cover on one of the little fabric pocket books I make. I had four orders for them and got busy this weekend.

I finished two of the four. But since the buyers all purchased via email and have not advertised their purchases, nor have they of course received them as yet...

I am showing just a few hints of what they look like...

as they should be surprised when they arrive...don't you agree?

It's fun and relaxing to make them. Takes a couple to three days to do two. I especially enjoy the handwork in the evening sitting in the recliner with feet up. I also liked hunting for special do dads that seemed a special touch for that particular person(s). I hope they like them as much as I liked making them.

Now to get started on the next two!

Student And Member Show at Vacaville Art Gallery

Saturday was another busy day for me which included a stop at the local art gallery to see the latest student and member show. I had a delightful talk with artist Estelle Kirkendall, who works part time at the gallery. Estelle had told me she painted in acrylics, but this was the first time she had entered one of her paintings in a show. I was interested in the Native American woman she painted wearing an elk tooth dress, much like those we'd seen in museums in the mid west on our car trip travels. Estelle shared with me that she was part Apache and Tarahumara. The details of the beads and hair on this woman are simply wonderful. I sure hope to see more of Estelle's work in future shows. Thank you Estelle for taking so much time to talk to me about your art and life.

There were a few other visitors there while I was there in this room with other members art.

And on this wall you might see two of my pieces that you are familiar with. The fabric group work "Stone Soup" on the left, and watercolor "High School Girls Walking" on the far lower right.

This is the fabric quilt made by 15 artists from around the world that I pieced together.

I like how the outdoor reflection of trees on the left of this frame complemented the painting so well.

My watercolor, "High School Boys Walking" had a nice wall space too!

You will recognize this painting from my blog banner.

The highlighted artists were this father (Jack Shiner) and son duo, the teen (Frank Shiner) being a mere 15 year old, and below you see his art. It is stupendous!

These were done by the father.

Perhaps this article about the boy is legible when enlarged. I hope so.

It's a good show. I'm glad I stopped in.

I never quite believe I am seeing my own work on actual walls in a show!

Who me?

;-)

I HAD SUCH A FUN FRIDAY!

I had such a fun day today!

I love my days off from my wage earning job. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate my career and especially love it when people get better and tell me how much I helped them. That is a grand prize of satisfaction for a job well done! And that DID happen this week too~!

All the more reason to treat myself on my days off, right? RIGHT!!!

So today I did. First I enjoyed a morning at home...swifting my new floors (which was really fun...I am amazed anew at how pretty they look!) Have you ever been obsessed by floors? It's crazy I know, but a wonderful kind of CRAZY~! Then I gathered my things needed to go run errands. First to the post office to mail Kaeli's birthday gift [the fabric pocket book] (and a few other parcels)...(This is NOT Kaeli) Then to the library where I picked up my art that has been hanging there the past several months! I got LOTS OF Positive FEEDBACK on how it was appreciated, oohed and ahhed over by patrons, etc. Photos of it taken by cell phone camera etc.

That feedback is worth all the tea in China!

I was very close to the thrift store so I had to go in. I hadn't been other than to drop things off for donations in a very long time. I got some FREE BOOKS, lots of tissue paper for fabric art making; and other odds and ends for crafting!

And finally I went to Michael's for art supplies for ART AND SOUL. I had some coupons. I LOVE Michael's COUPONS!

I got a $20 art journal for $10.99! (45% off) And I got Acrylic Matte at 40% off! And acrylic paints were only 77 cents instead of $1.39 or more~~~ I got some other cute inexpensive doo-dads for my treasure pocket books! I am saving my list of things I need for A & S for other days with other coupons! I am a smart shopper! LOL

And THEN...I took myself out for Espresso Gelato! (see first photo) ANd it was GOOD!!!!!!

My energy level was sky high long before I ate it. And now I am REALLY FLYING!

Happy Friday!!!!

I have three orders for my treasure pocket books so will be busy sewing all weekend long!!!!!!! (the little kid photos are old photos of a fun ice cream day with them...all the photos just show my jazzed, happy, elated state of being!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

For Sale!

If anyone wants a little fabric/fabric paper/beaded book of pockets like these posted yesterday I will gladly make you one for $25. (postage is whatever it says on the package when you get it...just send it to me then.) You can tell me in the comments here or email me at lyn_fred1@comcast.net. Send a mailing address and a theme or I will make one up to suit you as I know you to be from your blog! ;-) (the above 3 already have homes)

[money made from these sales will go toward art supplies for my two days at Art & Soul]

Grateful Thursday and Embroidery Joy!

This is the cutest little sewing machine that DH brought home and surprised me with a few weeks ago. He put it on the mantel over the fireplace and I spied it while we were eating dinner! Where did that come from? The little wheel goes around and the needle goes up and down...

and the treadle just like grandma's machine I used to have works too! I just love it!

It's all of 3 and a half inches tall and 3 inches wide.

I do have the most thoughtful DH on the face of the earth!

Remember our Nephew Allen who stayed with us for almost a week on his way to LA to make his way to stardom? I am embroidering him this pillowcase to encourage his coming back up to SF

to study at the American Conservatory Theater Master's Program! Hoping!!!

and on the back I just went a little crazy...

I love making French knots!

Soon he can rest his sweet head on it! To sleep perchance to dream, Allen! Happy Grateful Thursday.

My list for this week:

1. A new blog follower, who turns out to be a former HS classmate, whose new blog I discovered about his new ranch and horses, writing, poetry reading and much more which can be reached here. 2. A potential new art commission I will tell more about if and when it evolves. Just being asked is such a compliment!

3. Reading about the first day of school in first grade for my twin grandchildren!

4. Getting art ready for a new juried art show OUT OF TOWN!

5. Receiving my tickets for ART and SOUL in Portland in October!

a good week

good health

happiness

and yours are?

Birdy Wednesday: 3 Fabric Books and More Figs

It's hot where I live this week. 106 degrees F. yesterday! So I enjoyed looking at my photos from the ocean and beach of several weeks ago and found these sea gulls for Animal Wednesday! There are now Three Fabric Treasure Books completed seen here on top of my sewing machine!

buttons and yarn/strings hold pockets closed, beads are added to the ends of the strings

binding done with embroidery floss

Clips and beads add more embellishment

view from above

all the pockets now lined with fabric paper (see process for making it on earlier blog post)

inside back cover lined with fabric paper printed on using Transfer Artist Paper (TAP)

And then there is more manna from the fig tree...SWEETER than the best decadent candy!

Wishing you a sweet Wednesday!

The SketchBook Project or What Lynn Does When She is Bored

I came home early from work today!

I had no plans.

I cleaned up my work area (putting folded fabrics into their bins in the garage)

I watched the tail end of a fairy tale movie.

I dozed.

I got on line.

I found a project called The Sketchbook Project. It's on a website called http://www.arthousecoop.com/. They say they are revamping their website, but you can go to the Projects page and sign up for this one if you are interested. You can also get there from the logo on my sidebar.

The people running the site are in their early 20's. There are two of them.

The gist of this project is you send them $ and they send you a moleskin sketchbook.

You draw in it.

And then you send it back to them by Jan. 15, 2011 and the books go on TOUR all over the country

(see pic of map on my side bar) and they live in a library in Brooklyn, NY and people with library cards can check them out and "read" them.

And they give YOU a library card to track your sketchbook in the library and when it is on tour.

I believe you can put your book up for sale too if you want.

Prices range from $5 to a $1 million. Some people have great senses of humor, or they are really really good artists.

I just thought it would be a fun thing to do.

I hope my Pay Pal had the funds to cover this project!

LOL

I better not come home early from work too many days a week.