She won a Ribbon!

Congratulations to all the Fiber Art Society ladies

who were involved in this collaboration.

At the 2011 Corpus Christi quilt show

we were awarded an Honorable Mention

for our 'Exquisite Lady'.

Here it is at the show,

with the HM ribbon.

When I first came up with the idea

of doing a collaboration quilt,

about a dozen ladies

 wanted in on the challenge.

It was done like the old parlor game called

'exquisite corpse'.

Each person created a different part

of the chosen design,

without seeing the other parts

in the process.
Each used their own fabric
and embellishments.

This type of work

was the first for many of those involved,
and some were very hesitant in the beginning.
BUT...

Everyone did great!

Laura did a wonderful job

creating the life size pattern
from the Gustav Klimt print
Donna con Ventigliano.
She also constructed the quilt
after we were all finished with our blocks.

I think everyone is pleased
with the results of this project.

Now, at the next meeting
we will discuss
what will happen to this quilt.

This project was dedicated to
our dear friend Darlene,
who did get to see it almost finished
before she passed away from cancer.

Job well done ladies!

Savor the Day!
Yvonne

 



Winter Texan quilt show

I attended another quilt show

the other day.

We have several RV parks here

and one of them has a

quilt show every year.

The winter Texans put on a great show.

There were 20 plus quilts showing this year

and these are some of my favorites.

They also have a program that many of them participate in.

It is called Threads of Love.

Threads of Love...is an organization that provides

hand crafted caskets and clothes and blankets etc. to families who have lost their

newborns and are in need of a little help. 

This group has been doing this for the last ten years and provides

a wonderful service to the local hospital.

I salute them all.

Savor the Day!

Yvonne

Vanilla beans, flowers, and art

Have you ever made your own homemade

vanilla extract?

I found a recipe....

Homemade Vanilla Extract

4 oz. vodka

1-3 vanilla beans

Cut open vanilla bean.

Place in vodka.

Let sit for one month.

This is how mine looks after one week.

My vanilla beans were kind of dried,

but they are still working.

I can't wait to make a cake with this!

Below is some flowers that my

watercolor teacher brought into the studio today.

She got the bulbs at Christmas time

and look at them now!

Each flower was about 8 inches across!

Just gorgeous!

The art below, is an ink pouring

with watercolor.

Last week in my watercolor class I poured the ink

onto watercolor paper.

Next I crumpled up saran wrap and placed it on top

of the wet ink,

to create texture.

Then I put plexiglass on top of that,

with lots of books on top of that,

 to act as weights.

It dried all week.

Then on top of the ink pouring

I added a negative painting

to create and bring out flowers and leaves.

I'm not sure I'm finished with it yet.

I need to get away from it for awhile,

then decide.

I still think it needs a little tweeking.

I have to say this was fun,

and I will do it again.

Hope you all are having warmer weather.

I believe spring has arrived here.

Savor the Day!

Yvonne

Tea Day Blues

Happy Tea Tuesday!

No, I'm not having the blues,

just the opposite really.

This morning at my computer,

 I am enjoying

Pomegranate Oolong

by Harney and Sons

in my blue mug.

I added some dried blueberries

for a little extra flavor.

Try dehydrating some fresh blueberries.

It's one way of preserving the fresh taste.

Just throw them in an electric dehydrator

till they are leathery.

Much better than drying them in the oven BTW.

Visit http://www.harney.com/

to see all their wonderful blends of tea.
They are delicious on their own,
but I have fun adding things sometimes
to all my teas.
Try creating some blends of your own.
One of my easy favorites is...
Orange Cinnamon Tea Blend

1/4 pound Ceylon tea
4 tablespoons diced dried orange rind
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Do you have a special tea blend of your own?
If so, I would love to hear about it.

More Blues.....

My DH bought me a blue ceramic pot water fountain.

Isn't it lovely!

The color is beautiful

and I love having water in the garden.

It's soothing to watch the water bubble up and spill

over the sides.

Hope the weather is warming up where you are!
Here it is 75+ every day
and I'm enjoying getting out in the garden.
I just planted some roses.

For more T posts,
visit Kimmie
at
http://artinredwagons.blogspot.com/
or just click on the Tea on Tuesday logo
in my sidebar.

Savor the Day!
Yvonne

Shirley--- Quilt artist

My friend Shirley keeps bringing out more and more quilts
each time I visit her.

She started quilting in 1990 and has won many awards for her quilts.

When she started, she was making traditional quilts,

 and now, due to the larger size handling difficulties,

she only makes small art quilts. 

The art quilts show her talent just as well,

if not more.

She told me that this quilt below will be the last

traditional quilt she makes.

Below is a quilt with a favorite...

Sunbonnet Sue.

Each block theme

 is for the 12 months of the year.

She also has a bird in each block,

with a bird key on the back of the quilt,

telling what each bird is.

Shirley hangs several quilts

on her walls,

changing them out periodically,

for not just her own enjoyment,

but for all her visitors as well.

The small art quilt below

is a reverse applique technique.

She used this reverse applique technique

before she learned bleach discharging.
You may have seen her bleach discharging
in some previous posts.

Now she is also making her own batik fabrics.
We get together and create all kinds of fun fabric.

Again she used the petroglyph design
in this lovely art quilt.
Shirley is truely an artist!

Savor the Day!
Yvonne

Tea Day and Sewing

Happy Tea on Tuesday everyone!

This morning I got up bright and early as usual.

I am having Lemon Zinger tea by

Celestial Seasonings.

My sweetner is the agave nectar that I love.

It's wonderful.

Read more tea posts

by clicking on the Tea on Tuesday logo

in my sidebar.

You may even want to join Kimmie

and the rest of us.

Yesterday (Valentine's Day)

 reminded me of some unfinished projects

that I had started last year.

So, yesterday afternoon

I dug out the red heart candlestick pin keeper project

and finished making me one.

The heart is cut from an old red wool jacket

I found at the thrift store.

You cut out a heart, stuff it,

then attach it to a glass (or other) candlestick.

I can not remember which book

 I originally got the idea from, so if you know

please let me know, so I can give them credit.

I have already cut out more hearts to make some more

of these easy pin keepers. 

They will make great gifts.

I also picked up several old candlesticks

at the thrift store

for 29 cents each.

In my UFO tote, I also had a quilt project.

It is a red and white quilt

called Lover's Knot

by Eleanor Burns.

The blocks were all finished last year,

so yesterday I sewed all the blocks together

and today I plan on sewing all the rows together.

Then my friend Mary will quilt it on her long arm

and I will add the binding.

Then it will be finished!  WhooHoo!

All of my day won't be spent sewing inside.

The weather is just too gorgeous

not to get outside and get my hands in the dirt again.

Savor the Day!

Yvonne

Something Fishy

 Today is Every Inchie Monday!

Below is #7 of 52 inchies...

This week's word prompt is

FISHY.

I am still keeping my inchies

very simple, and using

watercolor paper (an old painting I cut up)

 as the background for each one.

For each inchie I cut out the word prompt

from an old tattered dictionary.

This week I used a cute little fish bead

and then used a rounded plastic thingy,

(not sure what you call it),

to magnify the word and to look like

an air bubble from the fish.

When I get 52 inchies for the year, hopefully

there will be harmony, balance and unity

for creating one piece of art.

Visit Kris at

http://everyinchiemonday.blogspot.com/

or click on the logo in my side bar

to see more interesting inchies.

You might want to join in the fun!

Hope you have a wonderful,

love filled

Valentine's Day today!

Savor the Day!

Yvonne

Come on Spring!

After that last cold snap,

we are now back into the 70's and beautiful weather.

Yesterday I was out planting seeds in the garden.

I already have lettuce coming up

from the seeds I planted prior.

It sure felt good to get my hands

in the dirt yesterday. 

Gardens inspire me in my fiber art

and also my watercolors.

One of my favorite garden books

is called

Simple Pleasures of the Garden: Stories, Recipes & Crafts from the Abundant Earth

by Susannah Seton

The book is separated into seasons

and filled with interesting information.

There are also quotes throughout the book and

these are some of my favorites.

You can use them in many of your projects.

Every gardener knows that under the cloak of

winter lies a miracle...a seed waiting to sprout,

a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl. 

And the anticipation nurtures our dream.

---Barbara Winkler

Nor rural sights alone, but rural sounds,

Exhilarate the spirit, and restore

The tone of languid nature.

--William Cowper

In the garden every man may be his own artist

without apology or explanation.  Here is one spot

where each many experience "the romance of

possibility."

--Louise Beebe Wilder

Even if something is left undone, everyone must

take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.

--Elizabeth Lawrence

A happy life, must be to a great extent a quiet life,

for it is only in an atmosphere of quiet that true

joy can live.

--Bertrand Rissell

Savor the Day!

Yvonne

Still having fun!

I'm still having fun

learning watercolor!

This one is my latest.

First I drew the flowers,

then I started dropping in color

on a wet background.

After that I added the flower petal shadows

with a blue violet.

The background had to dry before going on.

Then I wet the flower petals with clear water

and then dropped in color.

The flower centers were done the same way.

After all was dry I put in the

dark little stems into the background

for added texture.

I guess I need to start naming my pieces.

I will sign them soon too.

I have been working on a signature.

Any suggestions for a name for this piece?

And how about my previous dove painting?

How do you sign your work?

Full name or just initials?

Savor the Day!

Yvonne

Art Doll RR half way point

This is Onoma. 

A very cool art doll.

Onoma originated in Canada with Arlee.

Traveling through 2 artists in California
 and then on to another in central Texas,

Onoma finally arrived here in south Texas.

We are now at the half way point

in the Art Doll Coolab 2010 project.

  --Onoma close up--

As we know, by the time a doll reaches

the half way point, a lot has been done.

The doll almost seems complete.

But as I have learned in my first art doll RR

you really have to stretch your imagination.

--Onoma full view--

So now I must listen

to Onoma

to find out what she wants next.

Yes, I think Onoma might be a female...

as she has been gender neutral up to now.

What do you think?
By the way...

Did you notice the tail?

To read about and to view more details on this doll
and others in the project

visit our art doll blog here.

One more thing that makes this project wonderful
are the journals that go along with each art doll.
The story lines, the poetry,
the art, all make them amazing.
So go see what is happening.
My art doll Raisa
has had quite a transformation too.

Savor the Day!
Yvonne

New Watercolor and a Lampshade Tute

I've been practicing my watercolors.

Trying to get LOOSE, as they say.

If you know me, you know I love color.

I have seen all the doves puff up their feathers

trying to stay warm these days,

so I thought I would paint this one.

He's kind of abstract too.

___________________________

Lampshade Tutorial

Last year, almost to the day,

I found a tutorial on making

a very cool lampshade.

My Desert Cottage blog

has lots of great things going on.

To link to her lampshade tutorial click here.

I had a lamp given to me recently. 

My DH just did a bit of

rewiring to make it work.

But of course the lampshade was terrible...

plastic and dirty.

So I tore that off of the metal frame

and remembered the tutorial I had found.

Here is what I did.

You can't go wrong making this.

I just used all the things I already had,

old lace, ribbon, twine, yarn,

feathers (you know I love feathers)

keys, cabinet cards, vintage tags, silk flowers,

fabric lace doilies, a vintage wooden clothespin etc.

Here is a close up showing the strips of rusted muslin I used to tie on a key,

and an old wooden clothespin to pin on a cab card.

This key is tied on with twine.

The lace and doilies were bits and pieces from a garage sale.

I just used a hole punch to make holes in the cabinet cards.

You can find old cabinet cards everywhere for about 1 dollar.

This cabinet card is just hanging with a strip of rusted muslin tied to the top of the shade frame.

The vintage 'birthday hat' tag is tied on the top of the shade frame also.

I got some vintage tags from my friend Teresa at Cedar Junction Studio.

Go visit Teresa here to see what all kinds of goodies she has in her Etsy shop.

She is a wonderful collage, assemblage and mixed media artist.

She is making unique and wonderful jewelry now too.

You just never know what you may find at her studio.

The last thing in the tutorial

was putting an old clock face

under the top finial. 

I just happened to have one.

I love the results of this lampshade. 

The new shade looks especially pretty when the lamp light is on.

Savor the Day!

Yvonne

Buttons and Tea

Good morning!

Happy Tea on Tuesday!

Let's see....

what is on the agenda today.....

While I'm having my organic

Trader Joe's orange spice Rooibos herbal tea

I wanted to look through some vintage buttons

for a project I plan to do.

My mother collected buttons,

all kinds, all colors, all shapes and sizes.

She loved buttons.

A few weeks ago,

I was organizing them by color.

I already had some great old jars to put them in

but I felt something more was needed.

I found some great free button labels at Cathe Holden's

Just Something I Made website.

If you don't know about that site,

then you will be in for a treat.

Anyway, I love my button labels!

To find out about

 Tea on Tuesday

just visit

Kimmie at

Art in Red Wagons

by clicking on the Tea on Tuesday logo

in my sidebar and it will take you right there.

Hope you are having a good week.

Savor the Day!

Yvonne

An Inchie and Progresso, Mexico

This week's word prompt for

Every Inchie Monday is

electrifying.

Kris has featured some great inchies on her blog.

Some of them are just amazing!

So go check it out!

_________________________________

Progresso, Mexico

Awhile ago I went to Progresso

with some friends of mine.

It's only about an hour and a half from my home.

It had been about a year since I had visited.

But I always love to see the colors

and people of

Mexico.

We drove over the International Bridge.

We parked, did some shopping,

ate lunch at Arturo's

and left a few hours later.

There were guns across the border,

but of course I didn't take any photos there.

This woman is carrying bags/totes for sale. 

 She and others selling their wares,

 will always tell you,

"It's almost free!"

I love the chima-neas she is walking beside.

The pottery is wonderful in Mexico!

These are little burro planters.

Very colorful!

I used this photo as inspiration

for one of my watercolors.

Had to get her photo with all her dolls for sale.

She was embarrassed and didn't want to show her face.

She just kept giggling! 

Many women and men are out on the street

walking and selling their goods. 

 This woman has beautiful handcrafted flowers.

I was looking for textiles and I did find some

and also an embroidered blouse.

The handcrafted textile traditions

are vanishing in Mexico.

Progresso was designed

for U.S. visitors

they tell me.

It cost 2 dollars to cross

over into Mexico.

We needed out passports

to come back into the U.S.

We got stopped coming out,

and everything was looked in.

Even one of my perscription

Migraine medicine bottles,

and my purse were checked.

Many questions were asked of us.

All was okay of course.

Then again about an hour back into Texas

we have another border check and questions.

This is all done routinely.

There are drug dogs there too.

I think they are doing their best on our borders,

to protect all of us.

Savor the Day!

Yvonne

Mixed Media Art Necklace and Ice Pics

Thespa at Vintiquities Workshop is offering

free mixed media art classes now.

I watched her first video

and made this

mixed media rose necklace.

I used my rusted fabic, an old key

and a broken rhinestone barrette.

Thespa's video is easy to follow

so go check it out.

I made this necklace on
one of our coldest days.

We are 80 degrees today,

and that is hard to believe

because we were just in the 20's

and iced in.  No snow at my home,

but enough ice to close roads etc.

We are just not used to this kind of cold,

this far south.

But it didn't stay long.

When the sun came out the next day,

the ice starting dropping from the trees,

and I got tickled watching it from

inside the house. 

Every branch was covered with ice,

so it was quite a show

with all of it falling.

This little bird was trying to stay warm,

out in the sunshine, up against the brick

of the house.

 

My fox tail ferns survived the ice.

But these succulents did not survive.
These were blooming and the
butterflies were all over them last week.
Once the ice melted they were just mush.
I cut them back, so maybe the roots
survived and they will come back.

Stay warm everyone!

Don't forget to check out my other blog...
Gathering Small Stones.
I continue to write,
as it helps me to.....

Savor the Day!
Yvonne

Tea, watercolor and my other blog

Today is Tea on Tuesday

and I am having some lovely tea

that Nathalie at An Artist's Legacy sent me. 

I've been having it every day since it arrived.

It is very good.

She also sent me this lovely teacup.  

Nathalie was my swap partner

in a teacup swap

that Artfully Ooglebloops hosted

a few weeks ago. 

Teekanne Herbal Wellness Tea... Relaxing- Evening Plum

Teekanne is a product of Germany

and has been around since 1882
and can be found at
http://teekanne.us.com/whatsnew.aspx

Tea on Tuesday

is hosted by

Kimmie at Art in Red Wagons.

Come join us!

__________________

My watercolor classes with

local artist Dolores Price

continue once a week.

The red dragonfly is my latest.

I was mainly trying to get the wings to look transparent.

Also, I was trying a different background.

If you haven't read about the red dragonfly

I had contact with, go here in my blog posts.
It was actually pretty amazing and I did manage
to get a few good photos.
______________________________________________

My Other Blog
Gathering Small Stones

Do you enjoy words?

Yesterday was the end of the January
A River of Stones project. 
I have gathered all of my small stones together
in my new second blog and
I will continue to write
new small stones,
just not on a daily basis as before.
So, I hope you visit my other blog,
Gathering Small Stones.

Savor the Day!
Yvonne