Simply Artistic Pleasures

Brush Stroke Skies

Marci — Tue, 14 May 2013 03:27:58 +0000

Slow Stitching

Marci — Sun, 12 May 2013 23:51:42 +0000

The past few days I have been searching for something, something to create, something that will soothe my spirit, calm my mind.

This is a cloth-weaving in muslin layered on top of another piece of muslin. I hand stitched all of the weaved pieces to secure them to each other and the backing. Then I sat and stared at it wondering what I should do next. The blank-ness of it intimidated me, the same way a blank page in my art journal does. I knew I wanted to add scraps of fabric, but then I froze at what colors to choose. I spent a few hours going through my fabric stash, reminiscing on why I bought certain pieces and how those projects never were started. Ugh! I put the folds of cloth away and instead focused on a drawer that had remnants from other projects that I had completed.

This is the first patch. It was a pieced square that I cut into a circle and tacked down with stitches. I thought about matching threads, stitching a true appliqué stitch where the stitches don’t show and then I realized that I am once again over thinking. I have to remember that it is the process of doing, not the project itself that is enjoyable and mind-altering. It is the movement of the needle and thread through the fabric that gives meaning to a piece. So many times you just have to start and see where the journey takes you. (to be continued).

Keep it simple!

Tagged: hand stitching, muslin, needle and thread

Full Moon Rising

Marci — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 03:58:47 +0000

What a beautiful evening!

Tagged: full moon

The Goldfinches have come back

Marci — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:48:45 +0000

I just happened to look out my front door and saw the lovely American Goldfinches have returned. Three boys and a girl. Time to fill up the thistle feeder.

Enjoy!

Tagged: birds, goldfinches

The Blue Squared Quilt

Marci — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:21:23 +0000

Remember my past posts, here and here, on making my youngest son’s quilt?

It’s finally finished! I had our local quilt shop, Sharon’s Attic machine quilt it using the “popcorn” pattern. It looks amazing and my son loves it!!

Now, I’ll be thinking about the one for my bed!

Keep it simple!

Tagged: 2013, Quilt, twin size

Journal Card

Marci — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 04:39:06 +0000

Here is my first journaling card background from Kate Crane’s Journal Soup class at 21 Secrets.

Lots of media on this card: spray ink, acrylic paint, oil pastels, dye ink. This card measures about 4.5″ x 6.5″ and was a piece of left over watercolor paper.

I’ll be using a dip pen and calligraphy ink to journal on this since there is oil pastel in some areas.

Keep it simple!

Tagged: art, journaling

Doodling and Collage

Marci — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:26:33 +0000

Below is my piece from Cathy Bluteau’s class “Doodling Our Way”, one of the on line classes taught in 21 Secrets. This was pure fun – no rules, just collage, doodle and color in. Not sure it is all the way done, every time I look at it, I want to add more.

Keep it simple!

Tagged: art, colic markers, doodling

A Visual Promise

Marci — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 01:58:38 +0000

A perfect way to end the day. Taken from my deck at 6:45pm.

Tagged: photo, Rainbow

A Journal Canvas

Marci — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 05:30:34 +0000

Tonight I was playing with an idea. I wanted to journal my last week, but I wanted to hide the journaling after I had written it. I could have done this in one of my art journals, but I saw this unopened 11″ x 14″ canvas and thought “Why not?”. The canvas was already primed so I pulled out my black india ink and my dip pen and wrote in a circular motion all around the canvas. (I have blurred out the writing, but you can still get the idea).

I let the canvas dry for a bit and then covered it with a light coat of gesso. As it turned out, the india ink had not completely dried yet and was bleeding into the gesso. Hmm, now what? I finished coating it with gesso and then grabbed a paper towel and started rubbing the paper towel in a circular motion, top to bottom, in strips. This is what was created.

Shades of grey in wave forms. You would not know that there was ever any journaling underneath, but I know that the writing I did tonight was soothing and put an exclamation point at the end of a very difficult week. I’m going to let this dry overnight and see where I want to go with it tomorrow.

Keep it simple!

Tagged: art, canvas, journaling, paint

Happy Easter

Marci — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 15:58:24 +0000

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Luke 24:5-6

Tagged: 2013, Easter, Jesus