For all those interested in bead loom patterns, I have finally added some new patterns to my Etsy store: www.thebeadedcat.etsy.com . While I'm in transition these will probably be the only items available on my site. I also have a Moving Sale on some earrings and supplies.

Lots O'Art

I've often said that I have time either for being on the computer or making art, and that goes double now. I have been packing up knickknacks and art supplies getting ready to haul it back to Hawaii. How I am ever going to fit all this stuff in a much smaller area in Hawaii, I do not know. But, as Scarlett O'Hara would say: I won't think about that today, I'll think about it tomorrow.

I wanted to share a couple of projects that I finished recently:

The first is a special piece that I made in memory of my darling Persian cat, Ferdi. He passed away April 30, 2007 and until recently, I couldn't manage to make any memorial to him. For every cat that I've had that has passed away since college I've made some kind of memorial to them. For the first two, Moska and Keegan, I made quilts. I still hang Keegan's quilt in my bedroom. Moska's has begun to fade, so I don't display it very often. Keegan passed away in 1997 and Moska in 1990.

I didn't think that Ferdi would want what everyone else had. He also fancied himself extra-special. And he was. I couldn't really think of what to make him until I read in an issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors about making "shrines."

Here's my shrine to Ferdi:

It's truly a shrine fit for a little Persian Emperor, don't you think?

I call this piece: Autumn

The polymer clay face is the first one I ever made. I beaded around it with citrine and gold seed beads. I wish the picture had come out better. This one doesn't do the piece justice. The background is sparkly and shimmering. I used more of my polymer clay pieces just because I could....:)

This piece is one of my favorites! I call it Beaded Spheres. I fused pieces of black and white scraps and then some red over the black and white. I fused spheres on top and then beaded my head off. I used all kinds of beads: square, seed, circles and some really neat butterfly beads I've had for a while.

That's about all I've finished to this point. I have several pieces in the last stages of creation, so check back again to see whatelse I've come up with!

ANNOUNCEMENT!

I have an announcement! I might as well get it out of the way right now at the beginning of the year: I will turn the BIG 5-0 this year! Some women cringe, others cry...I just scream it out because it's better than the alternative. I don't lie about my age. I couldn't care less who knows. I'm not vain enough to wear contacts (although I do have these ultra-chic, Euro-cool, glasses frames that I got here last year) and sometimes, on weekends, I sit in my jammies until at least noon. Today I am sitting on my couch, in my blue flannel night shirt and mismatched snuggly socks. And that's all 'cuz I'm old enough to do what I want!

Since 50 represents a half century, and I have no expectations of reaching a full century, I want do something monumentally creative to commemorate not having expired yet, not being in jail and not living in a trailer park. So, I'm proposing a series of Celebrate 50 Quilts. I want to celebrate the colors, sounds, smells, sights and moments that I enjoy. I'm thinking small quilts...not more than 10x10. Today I'm going to start thinking about my first opening quilt. A splashy affair with lots of color and noise. My actual birthday will not be until October, but by then I'd like to have my quilts done and on display. Who knows maybe I'll have a party :)

Tea Dying

I looked into my tea cabinet today and realized I had waaaaaaaaaaay to many boxes and bags of tea. I've been drinking coffee the majority of the time since my DH, Bob, got his new Italian coffee machine. We call his coffee efforts "Bobsbuck" and it is MUCH less expensive that that other 'bucks' should we even have access to any here in Bavaria.

So, I have lots of tea which I must either drink or do something with before we pack up in April. As I was rooting around in my fabric I found some white on white and cream on cream stuff that I always meant to dye. I used up all my dyes before coming here. I got the bright idea to use the tea to dye the fabric. It went very well all things considered. I achieved a light rose/purple from using a German tea of blueberry and vanilla. And I got a really nice mocha color from jasmine and vanilla tea. I'm going to try a few more kinds today.

One thing I did learn is that loose tea left loose is not a good thing to dye with. The color was fine, but rinsing the leaves from the fabric was a pain! I have a few ideas for vintage-look quilts which will use these fabrics.

New Look!

I'm getting wound up to return to Hawaii! I have dressed my blog in hibiscus and lots of green! We've still got 4 months before we actually leave, but only 3 months before our stuff is packed up and shipped out. We're shipping early so, hopefully, everything will arrive in Hawaii at the same time or right before we do. I'm even shipping my car early. On Monday, our cats are going to the vets to get their blood test and shots so they are all ready to go. The moving is going to be hardest on them. They are old and it's a really long trip. We are stopping over on the east coast before we get to Hawaii just to give everyone a break. It's not quite halfway, but it will be a rest stop for about a week.

I've been cross stitching a lot hoping to get a few things finished before I leave. I'm already packing up my craft books and some supplies. Europe has been fun, but it will be nice to be home again. I'm not fond of living in rental quarters. I owned my own house for over 20 yrs and I prefer it to being paranoidly careful at home. Anyhow...onward and upward!

New Work

I hope everyone had a good holiday! I finally got time to take pictures of some new mixed media work I've done. Some of it is quilted, some not. I had great fun making it all!

This piece has been done for a while, but I never took pictures of it. It was done using water soluble interfacing and layering fabric, then stitching through the layers. This was my first piece like this. I embellished the piece with fabric beads, fire-polished beads, Swarovski crystals, and a couple of yo-yos for good measure. The following are close-ups of the embellishments:

This is a close-up of the yo-yos and fabric beads. The yo-yos have Swarovski crystals sewing to them.

Close-up of the bottom of the piece. Fire-polished bead dangles, fabric beads and a yo-yo.


This next piece is a quilt I made and then beaded. I stitched freeform beaded flowers. The last picture shows how I "tied" the quilt with beads.

This is a piece I did to experiment with using used dryer sheets which I painted.
I used flowers that I had used watercolors on and after placing on the quilt top, I thread-painted and beaded the flowers. More of these are to come.




This piece is done on a stretched, painted canvas. I used layered painted and melted Lutrador. I added a string of beads for sparkle and texture. I call it: "The DNA of Life."




This piece is also done on canvas. I used some painted, melted Lutrador, Angelina film, polymer clay beads, glass beads and a copper metal sun charm.


I call this: "Sunrise On The Beach."



This piece is on painted canvas with painted and melted Lutrador, Angelina film, glass leave beads and polymer clay beads. I call this one: "Sunlight Through the Leaves."


That's it for now. I do have some experiments that I've been working on. I'll be posting them in the next few days.

Thanks for visiting!

HO HO HO!

I've dressed my blog up for Christmas! I'm finishing up all Christmas presents this weekend and getting them in the mail by Monday! Pictures coming up!