Gel Printing update

I've already reported just how much I enjoyed the #31daysof gelprinting that I took part in on Instagram but now I want to let you know what I've done with all the prints.

First, I decided to make a book for the majority of the print so that I would have a record of them for the future.  I debated whether to make a book myself but in the ended I took the easy option and bought a scrapbook to add them to.  I got a kraft paper book with a spiral spine so there was plenty of room for expanding.

Each day has it's own page with two or three prints together with a record of what I used to create the prints.

Cover

 

Crayon Resist

Circles

Hearts

Tissue Paper

Feathers

Letters

Leaves

Primary Colours

Then, with some of the paper left, I covered some small notebooks which I may use myself or give as gifts.

GelPrinting Challenge

During March I took part in a gel printing challenge organised on Instagram by Birgit Koopsen.

It was quite time consuming (in a nice way!) so I tended to do three or four days at a time just in case I wasn't able to do a day.   We were also away for part of the month at our caravan so I took loads of stuff with me but of course as all you crafters will know, despite taking loads of stuff, there is always one or two things, or even more, that you should have included!

I enjoyed the whole process and learnt so much on the way thanks to Birgit who not only posted each day with us but also included videos many days which gave me loads of new ideas and techniques.

I did three or four prints for each day so now have well over a hundred A5 sized prints.  I decided to get a scrapbook to keep many of the prints to inspire me in the future so as soon as I get started, I will share it.

I also decided to print a fabric piece each day and make postcards.  I've done the first few days and have nearly finished stitching the rest - some on the machine and some by hand - so I will have to have a day of finishing off.   I might well send them to people I hope will appreciate them.

Just to give you an idea of what I did here's a compilation of the 15 'best' ones.   I'll get together some compilations of each day and post them in a few days.

You can also see the whole collection on my Instagram account @lccreatingchaos.

Mixed Media Dabble

I have long been a fan of Maggie Grey having been to a couple of workshops with her while I was a member of Context some years ago as well as subscribing to her Workshop on the Web (WOW).  Things have changed with WOW and now instead of the workshops being published online, there is now a WOWbook that was first published in December with the plan to print two each year.  I personally like this more than the online format as I always printed them off so to have a book is much better for me.

As well as the book, there are also some extra online workshops, including a mixed media course that Maggie has written.  I spent some time last week having a go at the first ideas and plan to continue my way through the ideas soon.

After starting with an exercise with the colour wheel, it progressed on to making colour charts with torn magazines.  Also had to look at pictures etc that appealed, collecting ideas together on Pinterest to  help to show coloured preferences.

We then moved on to explore tint and shade, first using a stencil with gesso and paint on paper and Vilene and then ink and bleach using mountboard.

  

I think I was a bit heavy handed in places with the Gesso so I only added stitch to the right hand side where the squares are more defined.

   

Love the shell designs I used and have some ideas going round my head for using again.

I've come to a halt on the course as the next stage is using Decovil which I know I have but can't find it anywhere! 

I've loved having a play and doing things that I would not have done on my own and although I may not use all the ideas again, it has sparked ideas that I want to have a go at and maybe take further.

Anniversary Gift

Back in March I shared some textile art I had created based on a Workshop on the Web workshop and inspired by some Dorset buttons I had made.  Here's a reminder....

My daughter Clare loved it so I decided to make another for her wedding anniversary and as they were decorating their bedroom at the time, I made it in shades of yellow and grey to match their new room.    The anniversary has now been and gone so I can share it with the world!

The background was once again made using strips of different papers and as Clare enjoys sewing and dressmaking I included some garment patterns and instructions.  After painting, I printed some random lines using an old credit card as the new bedding they had bought had similar lines.  Again I was using Dorset buttons so decided to use the circular shapes as part of the design.   So with the addition of fabrics and lace, beads, washers, sequins, machine stitching and hand stitches - again reflecting the same linear design - the Dorset buttons finished the design.

  

  

I'm glad to report that it was well received.

July Journal Quilt

Finally had a chance to post my July Journal Quilt on the Contemporary Quilters Yahoo Group so I can now share it with the world.

Once again I have been inspired by Phoenix Canariensis, a common tree in Gran Canaria and one that we saw everyday on our walk to the beach.   Looking up into the tree you could see the newly forming leaf spikes silhouetted against the blue sky and it was this image which inspired me.

My original plan was to foundation piece but after having a go I gave up!  Never been a fan of that particular method and when I have done it, the results have been somewhat hit and miss so I think that is it now - never again!

Instead, I drew the image on to the background fabric and used Inktense Pencils to colour in before 'painting' it with water.  I haven't used this method before so I'm pleased with the results, apart from a little bit of bleeding.  

I free machine quilted in some areas with a variegated thread to give some texture and then quilted around the leaf shapes to finish.

I wish the background fabric had had a bit more colour bit apart from that, I'm pleased with the finished quilt.

Collage for a change!

Just for a change I have abandoned  fabric and threads and have completed a collage, still under the theme of "Seen From Above".

A few months ago I bought a Gelli Plate so have been experimenting and watching demos on You tube!   For anyone who, like I used to, thinks that you can do mono prints on a sheet of glass so don't need to spend, let's face it, quite a lot of money on a Gelli Plate .... well you're wrong! They are superb so if you need convincing try to get on a course or see a demo in person to be convinced.

Having produced a large stack of printed papers I had to do a collage so used the isle of Portsea as my subject.   We go to Portsmouth quite a bit so it seemed appropriate.

I started by painting an A3 piece of cartridge paper with orange acrylic as the background and then used various printed paper for different areas of Portsea, leaving small spaces in between all the pieces so the orange showed through.  I used the same orange acrylic to paint the edges of a canvas frame and then collaged blue printed papers as the sea surrounding the island.

To use up the left over pieces, I made some cards!

Two more Journal Quilts

In the nick of time, my March and April Journal quilts are finished!

In March, in the UK we have Mother's Day and as my own Mother also had her birthday in March, I wanted to include her in this Journal Quilt.  

I chose blue for the colouring as this was one of her favourite colours and the photo I used is from her much younger days but it is a lovely photo of her which is the main reason I used it.

I started by monoprinting the background (using my new toy - a Gelli Plate) and then printing with the same wooden block I used on the Gelli print.   As I have planned to use text in all my quilts this year, I printed 'mother' in various languages and forms using foam letters and a variety of rubber stamps.    I  printed some paper at the same time and used these in stacks together with a printout of the 'mother' words which were stitched down with a button.   After binding, I stitched beads around the edge, similarly to the other quilts I have done this year.

As a late addition, I also included a photo of my daughter Clare as she was born on Mother's Day in 1977.

    

In April this year the daffodils all seemed to come out at once so I decided to use that as my subject for the April JQ.

The background is a piece of my own dyed fabric on which I painted the stems and leaves of the daffodils using fabric paints before machine quilting them.  The daffodils were made my layering painted Bondaweb on to yellow Lutradur and then free machining them in place.  Some yellow bugle beads were then stitched on.

A photo of daffodils was machined close to the lower edge and then, continuing the use of text, I wrote the Worsworth poem "Daffodils" around the edge.   Yet again, after binding, I stitched yellow beads around the edge.

 



Altered Books

Yesterday I spent a wonderful day creating Altered Books with Laura Kemshall at her Wooden House Workshop.

First of all the venue is superb, set in the very picturesque Shropshire countryside and we had the bonus of a lovely sunny day. It was a pleasure to be able to work in the Wooden House as there was everything we needed to hand with plenty of space to work in.  And the home-cooked cookies and muffins and the lunch provided were just a welcomed and tasty bonus!

Laura gave each of us a book to alter and we have each brought one or two of our own to work on.  She went through each stage, giving us time to work on our books before moving on to the next stage.  Working on two or three books at once meant that we could have one drying and still have another to alter.   We also have loads of examples of Laura's and Linda's altered books to look at and inspire.

Here are some examples of the books I was working on.  They are still "works in progress" so I will post more photos soon with any updates.

 

   

    

    

 

 

          

     

 

 

I can thoroughly recommend Laura's workshops - I for one will certainly be returning.