Clasped and Other Weaves- More Samples For Learning

I found out that the rubber webbing that you use under area rugs is also good to help keep my cricket loom from sliding on my TV tray!

I learned to do the clasp weave and the hemstitch to finish the ends off! Above is a close up, still on the loom, and below is all the samples right after I took them off the loom and before I cut them apart. This was fun!

More close ups of the samples and patterns after they were hemstitched and cut apart below...



I tried to make a sitting up bunny pattern on this one. Not very successful, but I learned! Well, maybe it was a little successful, since I didn't use a pattern...

I decided to try using a pick up stick to make a new pattern on both of these. I loved the way it looked on the front until I turned it over and saw all the threads I had missed that were hanging loose on the back. I stopped on it, moved up on the warp, and started another sample! :o Again, I learned!

Back to plain stitch for this one!

All seven from one warp! I used all Peaches and Crème cotton yarn and no patterns, only imagination (I HATE math). Now, they can be used for mug rugs, dish cloths, stitched together to make something bigger, or any number of other things my imagination can conjure up! I had fun making them and look forward to making more!

Flag Love-Mixed Media on Canvas

I love Sue Pelletier's work and am about to take one of her online classes "Loose and Raw Painting." And I know that the patriotic holidays are over for now, but I saw this idea and article by her in the July/Aug 2013 issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors after I had seen some pictures from some online artist friends who had taken the live class, and I immediately loved it and wanted to make one too!

In the article, Sue uses a 16 x 20" gallery canvas, but I didn't have one handy, nor did I have the room right now, so mine is a 5 x 7" gallery canvas. It is composed of layers of collage, acrylic paints, a shoe soul stamp (stars), writing with different things, and of course, gel medium and gesso.

I had so much fun with it! Now I want to make a bigger better one! :)

Work in progress: I've been brushing my excess paint onto this blank mixed media board while I worked on the flag. Today I added a butterfly stencil, some writing, spray inks, and some spatters. We'll see what comes next!

Also sharing on Creative Every Day and Paint Party Friday (see sidebar for links) challenges. :)

Weaving Samples

 

Playing with some rug yarn (the gold thread), wool yarn (burgundy), micro yarn (off white), and sport yarn (yellow). These are samples and haven't been wet finished yet. Just having fun experimenting!

Featured Art on Trodden Path!

So excited that my heart has been chosen for the featured art on the homepage of the Trodden Path this week (Sept. 9-15) http://thetroddenpath.ning.com/ . Scroll about half way down to see and while you're there check out the whole site and what it has to offer! Sorry, this site is no longer available.

The piece that is featured is my memory project portrait "Cirque du Rabbit Hop" which was inspired by Heather Murray's class at the Trodden Path. There is also a short story that goes with this piece in a separate post  https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2166294406108711940/7727967085061048190 .

What an encouragement! I am honored! Thank you so much Jane! (GrittyJane) :D

PPF & CED - 20 minute Paintings (Heart of Green and Rose Bleu)

I am sharing for the first time on Paint Party Friday (see the link on my sidebar), which I discovered on a blog that I follow. I am also sharing it on Creative Every Day (link also on sidebar). Both sites have a lot of wonderful participants and you can visit their blogs to see their creativity in full bloom by going there and clicking their names on the list, which is new every week.

This is a 20 minute timed painting that I did a couple of days ago, in which I used glass bead gel medium and open acrylics on a 6x6" gallery canvas. It's an unusual color for a heart, but I like it! :)

I did this painting the same day, also timed for 20 minutes. The title is "Rose Bleu" and she is painted in gesso and acrylics on a 6x6" gallery canvas, and I can see that she has some spots that need to be a little darker. She is from my imagination, and I think I may write something in the grey space by her head. We'll see! :)

Both paintings were done for a group called "20 Minute Paintings" at the Trodden Path artists' social network (link also on sidebar). A wonderful place with all kinds of classes, groups, and fabulous creative people. Free to join!

I am tortoise slow, so to do a painting, even this small, in 20 minutes is quite a feat for me! :)

I hope you enjoyed your visit and will come back soon! :)

Backgrounds on Canvas WIPs

I didn't want to waste leftover acrylic paints when I was working on my mixed media portraits, so I used it on these 5x7" gallery canvases for the base layer for future work. Sometimes I use the extra paint on pages in my art journals as a starter layer too. It makes for some interesting combinations sometimes.

The heart one at the back is a finished piece ready for a final coat of gel medium. I did it during the grieving process after losing my dad.

So many ideas and projects; so little time! :)

Mixed Media Memory Project 2- "Cirque du Rabbit Hop"

Happy Labor Day to all of you who are celebrating today! I hope you're having a safe and fun long weekend!

I've finished my second project from Heather Murray's class (mixed-media memory project) at the Trodden Path, where she shares lots of great tips in some wonderful videos. I have shared a picture there, and also am sharing it at Creative Every Day! (Links to both on sidebar)

I hope you enjoy this post as much as I enjoyed creating the memory portrait in it! :)

 



First background layer on a 9 x 12" gallery canvas using acrylic paints ...

 



 

 

"Old Pat", the first horse my dad bought for me in the sixties, when I was about fourteen. I know her nose is missing. It was behind a post! She was a very gentle old gray mare. My grandpa had one just like her. 

Me, at age 10 in 1959, and my Pekingese from way in the future (the eighties), trying to decide where we want to be...

 

Ah! Here we go! A miniaturized version of one of my doodle drawing horses coerced me into letting him join in the fun and now Old Pat has a nose...

 

 



More layers added, and I decided to write the story of the circus into the background (would have been easier if I had done it before the figures were in place) with a Sanguine Pitt brush pen...

More layers and details added and I believe I've captured a pretend memory circus moment! What do you think? :)

I am also writing the fictional story to go with this painting (the one in the background of the painting), which I will share in another post. I couldn't resist! Thanks for stopping by! :)