The Color of Fall

I love pumpkins--real or created or artificial. Good friend Sherry Laughlin showed a group of us how to make a fall decoration with a Cinderella-type (uncut) pumpkin by adding moss and succulent plants in the center around the stem. These stay beautiful for five or six weeks with water misting every few days. 

I love this satin brocade pumpkin made by Susan Carlson's mother

The persimmon tree in my yard continues to have green and orange leaves. The black gum tree (perhaps my favorite) in my front yard is beautiful with dark and bright red leaves.  Then there are bright green and yellows to enjoy, too. Crepe myrtle are orange. And falling pine straw makes an orange carpet.

Japanese persimmon

Black gum

Black gum

Black gum

Black gum

Black gum

Japanese persimmon

Crepe myrtle

Pine needle carpet

November's End and Fall Leaves

Leaves everywhere! More on the ground than in the trees. But it's kind of a beautiful carpet. On Thanksgiving Day at my mom's house when the kitchen was too full of people helping, I used to take a walk and gather leaves to bring back to decorate the tables. I have enjoyed this display of artificial pumpkins this year, with dried seed pods around them. I treasure the cloth one with the wooden stem, made by Susan Carlson's mother, Oma, a reminder of my October 2017 class in Portland, ME.

The cutwork felt banners have been displayed at my church--University Baptist--this month as a beautiful fall reminder of our blessings.

This turkey cookie jar has been in my kitchen since my children were small. Its value is precious though not monetary.

 The pilgrim dolls didn't make it out of the cabinet shelf this year. They go way back, like the cookie jar.

These are real leaves, painted and framed, which I enjoy in my entryway all the time. I was helping Ruby Walker clean out her art studio many years ago and she was throwing these away and I asked if I could have them. She said, "They're dead leaves that my students have been painting, Martha." I said, yes, I know, but I want to paint them--literally paint them." They are on a fabric background.

I finished the Ireland Street piece; also quilted Improv Zebras, then made some fabric postcards. Cleaning up and sorting strips brings on postcard making. These are so much fun and make people happy to receive them.

 Another way I make people happy is getting my hair dyed with blue and purple streaks again! I hear every day "I love your hair!" One guy walked up to me asking, "Can I take your picture? I'm sending this to my wife." As he left I thought, "I should have asked him if he was saying "Hey, honey, this is a neat idea." OR "Hey, honey, I'd leave you if you did this." Anyway, it brought me and my friends chuckles. Tarbaby doesn't care what color my hair is, as long as he can drape himself on my shoulder.

Fabric Collage Past and Present

My most recent obsession is fabric collage using Susan Carlson's technique of laying on a multitude of fabric bits to create a piece. Think of a painter dipping a brush into paint and applying it to canvas, whereas in fabric collage I cut a bit of just the right piece of fabric and lay it on the background. Having a huge fabric inventory is essential, because there isn't the option of mixing paint to get the right color. You have to search through you fabrics--which is a fun activity in itself!

I have completed The Window Watchers; Green Carp is complete except for quilting and edge finishing, which will not alter the look much. In Green Carp, paper is laid on to show where the edges will be when finished.

The Window Watchers, 22" x 28"

Green Carp top before quilting, 24" x 18"

I have done fabric collage for many years in a more simplified way. Here are a few earlier pieces from 2006-2013. Red Hibiscus is a Lorraine Covington pattern (called Pink Hibiscus); all other designs are mine.
Campfire 2006
Pacific Coast 2009
Amaryllis 2012
The Atrium at Ochsner's 2012
Red Hibiscus, 2012
When Worlds Collide 2013

Campfire, 2006, 22" x 23"

I located an in-progress picture of Pacific Coast from 2006 and can recall that I constructed it on a background by cutting bits of fabric and building the scene. The sky was a white piece which I painted. Water began as white with paint, then cutting strips. Angelina fibers and painted, crinkled cellophane simulate frothy water.

Pacific Coast, under construction, 2009

Pacific Coast, 2009, 18" x 15"

In The Atrium at Ochsner's, large sections were used for the buildings, with leaves depicting the tall palm trees in the atrium. Smaller pieces were cut for the foliage on the floor, but still in larger, representational cuts for the objects.

The Atrium at Ochsner's, 2012, 19" x 29"

Red Hibiscus, 2012, 29" x 24"

In When Worlds Collide, the circles and donuts were applied over a pieced background, with addition of organza, feathery ribbon, and beads.

When Worlds Collide, 2013, 34" x 18"

Linking up to Off the Wall Friday

Progress on Yellow Carp and The Window Watchers

This fabric collage is exciting and enjoyable . . . and addicting! It's not quick, but when you are enjoying what you do, it doesn't matter what time it takes. Well, maybe a little more discipline here would be a good thing.
   The Yellow Carp (by Susan Carlson's Carpe Carpem pattern) is finished and ready to quilt, trim, and finish the edges. The background was as challenging as the fish body, mainly because there were so many options about how I wanted to do it. I used dark geometric shapes to help highlight the busy and organic nature of the fish body. The backing will only take off a seam allowance all around.

Yellow Carp (yet unnamed), 22" x 18"

   The Window Watchers (my three cats looking out an east window) is quilted and ready for facing. They are Rahrah, Tarbaby, and Elizabeth. Elizabeth was featured in an earlier piece, Elizabeth, My Almost Perfect Cat, in some earlier blog posts. Susan Carlson included her in Volume 7 of her Finish Line blog posts. Susan posts finished pieces from her students, and it is an honor to have Elizabeth shown there.

The Window Watchers, 23" x 30"

Tarbaby is solid black, and the sun shining on his back gave me the opportunity to use a variety of textures in addition to cotton prints. It's hard to photograph organza, and the black flannel and lace don't show in photographs.

Detail of blue and black satin and organza.

Working at the computer. What we put up with to humor our pets!

I should have both the carp and the three cats totally finished in the next post. I will also have progress on the Green Carp to show. It's going to be a great 2018!

Linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Ending with Fish

It's traditional at the end of a year to look back and celebrate or complain. Without getting philosophical about what's wrong, I admit I am at a very happy place along this journey. Having just turned 82 and being able to pursue my passion of art quilting, I am looking forward to more creating, more cats sleeping on my lap, more pictures of my granddaughters and great-grandchildren, more wonderful friends, and more music! I hope to be sensitive to the needs of others and lend a hand and support worthy causes.
The Window Watchers is nearly finished, but it has been shoved out of the way in my enthusiasm for creating two more fabric collages, using Susan Carlson's Carpe Carpem fish pattern.
Click on any picture to enlarge.

When I gathered the possible fabric choices, it was obvious that I needed to make two fish. Here was my starting dilemma:

Beginning the yellow fish. (Ignore the polka dots; my white base fabric was thinner than I wanted, so I backed it with a scrap mint green/brown dot fabric for stability.)

Completed yellow fish, ready to glue and add background

Completed  yellow fish, ready to glue and add background 

Next I began the green fish. Here is his progress. Some of the yellow fabrics were needed for the end of the ruffled tail.

Completed green fish--ready for gluing and background

I use the term "completed" loosely. There is always the chance and temptation to tweak and keep adding more beautiful touches! And, of course, there will be quilting stitches over all.
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Daughter Linda has thrilled me with her falling in love with quilting--not just the idea and admiration, but the actual sewing and quilting. She has completed far more than I did when I started, even donating two quilts to our guild, Pine Belt Quilters. We have enjoyed discussing and sharing our projects. Here are two of her completed quilts. And she just started watching videos and buying fabric in January.

Started in Barbara Cline class at 2017 MQA Educational Seminar

Started in an online challenge

Looking forward to another creative year in 2018!

Linking to Off the Wall Friday

Susan Carlson Retreat Part 3--Elizabeth, My Almost Perfect Cat

Elizabeth, My Almost Perfect Cat, 34" x 25"

Well, Elizabeth's whiskers are done and facing on the back, even the sleeve.
I thought and experimented with several ways to depict her whiskers (and even those little eyebrow hairs) and decided on a Madiera Glamour thread in two sizes--two-ply and six-ply white/glittery thread with a touch of glue for stiffness. The whiskers are attached to the face but are loose except where they are sewn in. They are stitched to a tiny bit of batting over white lace, which added a slight fullness or puffiness to the two cheek pads.
Click any picture to enlarge.

Detail of whiskers

Elizabeth checking on the Madiera threads

Ear hair made with hairy ribbon overlaid with tulle

Okay, can I take a nap in your lap now?

Linked with Nina-Marie Sayre's Off the Wall Friday http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/2017/11/craft-vs-art-off-wall-friday.html