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 

Studio Tour and Inchies

These are my small wallets or purses for sale for the Fine Arts Society of Milton Studio Tour taking place on October 2 and 3. I have been working hard to complete as many as I can. I used recycled scrap fabrics from a costume maker in Toronto. They include decor fabrics, silk, linen and organza to make the base on top of a stabilizer. I have really loved making them.

I chose a variety of lining fabrics, but I really like the natural linen. I have found out it is hard to find natural linen since I have run out. I zizag the edges, freemotion quilt the whole base fabric and add hand embroidery and some beads.

This is the back of the one I made for me! I added my word of the year, 'Inspire' and my initals.

This is the front with my little leaves, a button, some beads and french knots on the decorator fabric.
Finally, my collection of inchies for a swap with Cloth Paper Studios social internet group. The inchies are scrap from the paper cover I made for my Art Journal I made this summer. Each is embellished with lace, beads, vintage lace or appliques. Such fun! I really miss doing my Stitch a Long one inch embroidery every day. I finished my 100 days a while ago and I plan to have it framed in the near future. It became more of a journal of my 100 days. Photos will follow soon.
Happy Stitching!

Sandra's Open Studio

This is my young friend Sandra, a very talented Mixed media artist and president of the Milton Fine Arts Society. We are learning all about altered photos at her home studio. She holds open studio once a week at her Brookville home, outside of Milton.
My first altered photo of my niece, Emily, with Sandra's two daughters.

The studio!!

Another altered Photo of my art work using a bleach pen

Sandra's organized studio

I am continuing to go to the open studio each week. I have experimented with decorated and painted papers, collage and making an art Journal so far. I have made several trips to art stores to buy medium, brushes and lots of paint. I also like to buy old or discontinued books for pages to alter. It is lovely just to play while doing art!

Eco Totes Silent Auction at the Milton Mall

My Eco Tote, Good Earth, at the Gallery

Janis's tote next to mine

Sandra's Mixed Media Tote

Bravo Sandra!


Kelly's Tote

Anna's Tote

The whole display at the gallery in the Milton Mall

The auction was finalized on April 24th at 2 p.m. I bid on Anna's tote because I love her painting. Inside each tote was a pass to the Halton Region Conservation Areas, a very good eco prize. I am proud to announce that my tote sold for the most money, $140! A friend bid on it and won. Please don't tell her husband! :>)

Auction Eco Tote, Good Earth!

I was lucky to be asked to make a Auction Tote Bag for a silent auction at the Milton Mall. The tote bags, with a season pass for the Halton Conservation parks, are displayed outside the New AM Gallery at the Milton Mall. I decided to use my eco recycled art designs for the front of the tote bag. My signature red and green leaf is on the right side of the bag. I was inspired by a tote on the front of the Stitch Magazine by Interweave Press.

Here is a close up with the words: recycle, reuse and repurpose. The bag was mostly made of scraps of fabric from a costume maker in Toronto. I did add some of my eco fabric, Green Planet by Debbie Mumm.

I machine embroidered my purple tree on some hand painted fabric, which really was the drop cloth fabric from a former project.

This is the back of the bag with my signature and personal symbol. I called the bag, 'good Earth'.

TA DA! Finished! I also appliqued a bird on one of the silk strips of fabric. This is another personal favourite symbol of mine! This bag was very hard to donate, but it is going to a very good cause, the Halton Learning Foundation. The final day will be April 24Th, come out to see our totes at the Milton Mall and bid, of course!

Keeping Busy Creating!

Maddie ( 14 months) and Oatie at Great Grandma's house.

My Grand niece is so sweet and intelligent. We just love her to pieces!

Oatis is on a diet! Yes those treats , table scraps and cheese have increased his size and made him a fussy eater! The vet was clear about our new regiment and since Oatie hates the vet's food, he is FASTING. I think he will finally eat when he is hungry enough! This is preventative medicine. But it still cost us a pretty penny!

Stringalong Sampler, 100 blocks

Block One


Blocks 2 and 3

Block 4

My friend, Marci, from Cloth Paper Studio forum got me hooked on Stringalong. Instead of 39 blocks, I decided to do 100 blocks since that's how many I drew on the background. I am working on a spring theme with some of my favourite things, like Peaches! I stitch one block just before bedtime.

Lesson 2 of Fertile Earth

This is my stitchery finished except for the edges. I stretched and lightly ironed it. I am pleased with the colours and the satin stitching.

Nesting Pincushion

I just couldn't resist when I saw this project in Interweave' s Stitch magazine. I really enjoy this magazine as well as Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors. I hand needlefelted the top and eggs from some recycled felt and roving

Here is a side view, showing the leave fabric, I added extra hand stitching and my initials

Creative Cue - Shake

Creative Cue - Rich ( in colour and design)

I love Indian colours and designs for stitching. The inspiration for this came from Stitch Magazine from the Embroiderer's Guild. (UK)
I am currently working on a Fibre Art Tote Bag for a promotion and silent auction for the Milton Mall where our Fine Arts Gallery is found. Photos soon,

Keep stitching!

Silent Auction Piece SOLD!

Garden

Sold at the Heart to Hand Show

Fine Arts Society of Milton

There is nothing like procrastinating to meet a deadline! I started on a Tuesday afternoon and had this piece in an Ikea frame for Wednesday! Machine quilted and collaged background, recycled fabric for appliques, lace, hand embroidery. I love this piece and it was fun to make!

My Little Fat Bluebird and bad puppy!

This is one of my new stitcheries inspired by Quilting Arts magazine! Marker lines, painted areas and embroidery.

Yarn spread throughout the living room!!!




The bad puppy trying to ignore me!

A small landscape for the AM Gallery.

These are six more bookmarks I made for the gallery and my friend and fellow artist, Sandra Spagnuolo. The chicken one is just for her. We traded art and now I own one of her little house collages. I love trading with other artists!