DLP Week 16: A Lot On My Plate...

The week 16 Documented Life Project challenge had us using Gelli plates for printing, and the theme was "A lot of my plate". Ironically, this page is a couple of weeks overdue because...yes, I've had a lot on my plate. LOL

The Denim Series Finishes...At Least For Now

The final piece in the series, goes back to using some rust dyed fabric along with a piece of hand dyed coral 'waffle' fabric.  The French knots found their way onto this piece as well.  I seem to be in a bit of a French knot kick these days.  The coral fabric seemed to invite simple cross stitch in those wonderful little square depressions and I decided to use a simple running stitch to provide some movement in the rust dyed area.  The mono printed denim was machine quilted using a repeating squared spiral pattern.  Since I wanted to leave on the two buttons from the original denim shirt, I've called this piece "Two Random Buttons".

My Denim Series Continues...

I've deviated slightly in my denim series, bringing in some other commercial fabrics for this latest piece.  I especially like the combination of the mono printing done using my Gelli Plate and bubble wrap, combined with the hand embroidery on the shirt tail.  I pulled the colours from the beautiful piece of commercial fabric with it's loose and easy floral pattern.  I did some random French knots on the lighter green band on the left to add some more texture to the piece.  For lack of a more creative name, this piece has been called "Blue and Green".

Xs and Os

On Sunday I posted about a new series I've started, using a consistent 12" x 12" format.     I've finished the first one and my mats arrived in the mail yesterday so it is all matted and ready.  Fortunately this image is true to the actual colour (unlike the previous post).  I've called it Xs and Os because of the circles that I had printed on the denim using my Gelli plate, and the Xs that I stitched into the rust dyed fabric.  I echoed the Os using little round discs (actually the ends of those pre-wound cardboard bobbins...'cause I can't seem to throw anything out. LOL)

I've posted it here without the mat so that you can see a larger image, allowing you to see more detail.

A New Series in Progress...

I've started a new series of work which will be matted in 12" x 12" mats, with an 8" square 'window' in the mat, ready to be framed.  I've been playing with my Gelli plate to create some mono prints on pieces of an old denim shirt I inherited from my husband because the sleeve were too short for him.  I'm  adding various other elements, including rust dyed fabric, machine lace which I made using water soluable stabilizer, pieces of silk fusion and some batiks from my stash.  Here are a couple of them ready to be quilted and hand embroidered.  

Time to go listen to some TV...

Life in the 'Burbs...

Life in the 'burbs...peace and quite while still being close enough to the city to take advantage of the museum, art galleries and theatres.  Another spread, this time inspired by Karen Ellis' Creative Jumpstart video.  The background and papers were made using a Gelli plate, acrylic ink and stencils.

Repurposed Map Book = Art Journal

I dropped by Waste Wise the other day and I picked up a map book with a great coil binding.  It will make the perfect repurposed art journal since the pages lay perfectly flat when open and the bonus of course is that the full page maps will make for a great first layer as I add paint, stamps, stencils, etc.












So far all I've done is the outside cover.  I used my Gelli plate to create the green textured background on both the front and back of the journal.  As you can see in the close up of the back, between the spiral stencil I used and the actual paint texture, it looks really great (I think :o)) so I've decided just to leave the back with only the bit of a doodled border.

On the front, I've used some sprayed and stamped paper on which I had written "Create" using matte medium (mixed with some black paint).  I cut up some extra bits to add spaces to write the other words and to create the little circles.  The doodled border you see is the same on the back of the journal.

Cost of my new art journal:  .50¢
Daily art journalling enjoyment:  Priceless!