Snowmen at Sandra's Open Studio

 Last Saturday, my friend and I drove to Cambridge to Sandra's Open Studio to have some mixed media fun! Inspired by a Cloth paper Scissors article on Snowmen, we made our own characters. Several had fasinators! (royal family hats). Here are the results!

My friend Marie created the snow lady with the purple fasinator.

The whole crew!

Marie is working so hard!

My gold accented snowman under construction!

I added a hat with a BIRD on it.

First time I used my new i phone 5 camera! ( my early Christmas present!)

Sandra's Open Studio

Cloth Paper Scissors Doodle Challenge

"Stitch a Doodle"

My entry to the Art Supply Doodle Challenge with Cloth Paper Scissors

I was inspired by the Machine Lace I was making for my class at my Guelph Embroidery Group.

I used my fabric colour green and some scraps of fabric that I stitched down. I used both hand and machine stitching. I then made my sewing machine on organza between dissolvable stabilizer. I added additional embroidery to cover other colours since it was a one colour challenge. You can see it on the Cloth Paper Scissors website under Galleries -  Readers' Challenges. CPS

Open Juried Show at the MIlton Centre for the Arts

La Maison Des Fleurs

Side View of Wisteria

A week ago was the Opening reception for the Open Juried Show for the Fine Arts Society of Milton. I entered this 3D piece that was a published challenge piece for the magazine Cloth Paper Scissors.

I also entered my Rose Journal, a mixed media book. I was thrilled when both of my pieces were juried in!

On Thursday I took my time going over to the show, not knowing the committee was waiting for me. To my surprise I won second place for a 3D art piece! The jurors comments were darling about my tiny piece of art.

If you get a chance to go to the show at the MCA, please go. There are at least 6 pieces of Fibre Art and many more wonderful painting, photographs, and other media. The show is on until January 6th. Milton Centre for the Arts 

Happy New Year!

 It has been a very busy year and I have neglected my blog since September! So sorry ! My New Year's intention will be to keep up my blog. It really started with a new computer. I am still trying to navigate around my picture files. And then I got very busy teaching classes, entering shows and so on. I do a lot of volunteering which takes some time. I am the editor of my embroidery group's newsletter, membership coordinator for my fine arts group and I will be a communication person for another fibre group. I did give up some groups but I still have little time for house cleaning! :>)
Above and below is a highlight for me for 2011. My little house was published in Cloth Paper Scissors! There it is with the little green roof and orange door. This kind of collage and embroidery is really my style!

 Here I am at a Mixed media workshop I helped run for the Fine Arts Society of Milton.

 This my collage piece that is being critiqued by my instructor, Jill Segal.

I also taught an adult class at the new art centre in October called Art Quilt.

Below are three of my students, Sharon, Shelia and Annie.

 Mary was the also in my class and I enjoyed introducing her to fibre art.

 My other class was at the Canadian Embroiderers' Guild Guelph. I was teaching The Book of Stitches from the Jan Messent book on Celtic, Viking and Anglo Saxon Embroidery. This is 92 year old Dorothy who put the rest of us to shame with her creativity and work ethic. Her book of stitches was completed at the end of six weeks. Ellen, a retired teacher enjoyed the class as well.

 Barbara Lee, below, created a very beautiful accordion book!

I taught a children's art class at the Milton Centre for the Arts for 10 weeks. ( once a week ) We had a delightful art show of all student's art work at the Holcim Gallery in December.

Whew, it was a chaotic season! Did I mention I taught at my friend's Open Studio, did Studio Tour with the best sales ever and fitted in a few supply teaching days? I did make a bit of art in the evenings watching television to sell at the AM Gallery. I continued to do the Sketchbook challenge each month, even if it was only one sketch or collage.

Its two hours into the New Year and I will not be making New Year's Resolutions. I will work at addressing my intentions for 2012 which will include my passion for all things fibre and stitch and mixed media.





Celebrations and Publication!

This photo is for all my dog fans. Oatie will be six months on July 2nd! He is getting to be such a good companion. He sleeps on the floor almost under our bed, follows me everywhere, loves to go to the beach and is a good rider in the car! This is his second haircut and he is too cute!



More Swap ATCs arrived last week. Thank you to Meri, Barbara and Marci from the cloth, paper, studio forum! I am busy now making 6" x 6" cloth doodles. I just sent off my painted journal pages for a trade. If you would like to join our group, go to http://www.clothpaperstudio.com/



Symbols of the Beach

My cause for celebration is 3 fold this week. I was published in Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine in the July/ August issue! WOO HOO! Thank you again to Susan Sorrell for the Symbols class! Today is my youngest son's birthday. Matthew is 25 years old and he proudly wore his Bluejays Baseball watch that we got him to the game tonight at the Rogers Center. My third celebration was for my son James' graduation from the University of Toronto Teacher Education. (OISE) He is now a Secondary School Teacher!



Finally I took a picture of my finished 'GO Green' Challenge that was an extreme challenge, using mostly leather and lace. Below are two of my painted journal pages.




My three Dotee dolls for the cps swap!

A graduation Photo: me, James and my hubby Ray. Got to love the coordinated green!

Until next week friends, I'll be on summer holidays!