Week 43...
Hard at work, I've been.  This week's project is from a class with Lyric Kinard. This woman is amazing.She is high energy and a goddess in the mixed media world, quilting world and the world we all live in. I had to buy her DVD " Bead it like you mean it" because I learned so much in her Surface Design Sampler Platter class that I wanted to learn more of her beading techniques. Awesome is the only word that can describe....
I learned foiling, screen printing, how to make stamps out of erasers, photocopy transfers, how to make stencils and am working on a sketchbook cover with most of these techniques. Here is the cover (not actually finished and on the sketchbook yet, but you get the idea.

Now all I want is a thermofax machine. Ok, maybe not all I want but I'd like to have one. The eye is from a picture of her son's eye and she made a thermofax screen of it. I did foiling above the eyes like brows and then did beading above the right eyes and then played with caging a cabochon on the lower right. I will finish this project for sure. To check out Lyric's work go to www.LyricKinard.com. Lots to see...

Week 42....
For this weeks project I've been doing some beading. I finally learned how to cage a cabochon. Now, many that know me know that I have been collecting beer caps for various reasons. One, I can't see to throw much away, no I'm not a hoarder (?) but I keep talking about my beer quilt. Well, It's in the process now...

Here is an example of the beading that I am practicing, and what better way than to use beer caps as cabochons. Smart cookie huh? I need more practice but I've got a load of caps so I'm set.

Week 41...
This week's profect is a quilted sketchbook that I made in a class with Naomi Adams while in Houston. I was skeptical about taking this class because, well I have my reasons. One was that this girl was so young I could have given birth to her. Wow, I did have fun and created a great belated birthday presents for one of my BFFs

The outside of the sketchbook.

The inside where I sewed the papers in the book so it would be a
working sketchbook.

The back of the book.

Naomi has a website- naomisadams.com so you  can checkout her stuff there.Quite the go getter, she is. Many people in class free motion quilted their sketchbook, but since I do all my freemotion on a longarm I put the new Brother sewing machine through it's paces using the computerized stitches. It sewed like a dream and I almost bought one and brought it home.

Week 40....

This week's project I created from a class by Heather Thomas while I was in Houston.

It was a monoprinting class using a Gelli plate. I already own one and had never used it so I thought, why the heck not. I made some amazing fabric pieces and had a great time. I have a picture of the Gelli plate with the fabric and then some of my individual pieces that I liked the best.

I worked in the same color scheme and used fabric paints, stencils and anything else I could get my hands on. I used bubblewrap, combs, coffee cup lids, washers, all kinds of found items. It was a blast.

See the jellyfish?

This was bubble wrap.

Bee stencils.

A comb in a circle.

A comb for effects and washers.

Here are my fabric samples.

Week 38....
Ok, again I'm playing catch up but in my defense I have been truly very busy.I went to two quilts shows, was sick and have worked 2 jobs. I'm tired all over just thinking about it.
For this weeks project I did another job for a friend. With all the glitter I wonder why I can't say NO....

They are sashes for the seniors at a local high school. I used glitter tulle ribbon, black batik and steam a seam  2 lite and viola..... I cleaned glitter up for a week and am still finding it in the oddest places.

Week 39...

I took a trip to Santa Clara to see my three quilts up on the walls. That's a first for me, so I wanted to be there. On the second photo, to the left of me is a quilt by Mary Pal. Her work is awesome and you should check her quilts out online.
As for my project for the week....

I took a class with Judy Coates Perez while I was in Houston working with Tsukineko Inks. I am working on one of her designs learning how to paint with inks using aloe vera gel. It's not finished yet but I learned lots.