Quilter's Mis Bee Haven

Organic Embroidery, Lesson Three resting on painted face wipe. This is from an image I took in Florida of an interesting beach garden.





Lesson Five, with Susan Sorrell, a pastel drawing and collaged Japanese papers, ready to be stitched. The image is an aerial photo of the earth.





Last weekend my friend Sandra, (below) invited me to a free weekend at Quilters Miss Bee Haven in the small village of Raymond near Lake Rosseau. The sign says, ' Everyone loves Raymond', as you approach the farmhouse retreat nestled on 18 acres of land. Above, are all my new friends at the weekend retreat. ( left to right: Doug, Kim, Theresa, Sherri, Marg, Sandra and Francis. Sherri won the weekend and invited the rest of us. Whoo hooo!!! The accommodations were great, the food was scrumptious and the crafting was fun.






Here is Sandra working on her Scrapbook.

This is a view of Lake Rosseau from the Cross Roads restaurant where we had a glass of wine and tasty lunch on a sunny day before arriving at the retreat.

Just a thought! Let's Misbehave!

This is the front of the Farmhouse!

Our bedroom with an on suite. I called it the Three Bears room! I slept in Mama Bear's Bed.

Another photo of the girls, including me on the far right!

I enjoyed the conversations I had with my new friends. We laughed alot and took turns providing the meals which was such a treat! I worked on scrap booking a few pages in Oatie's baby album and I continued working on my Organic Embroidery Lessons. I had a great time. Thank you Sherri and Sandra. We are thinking we should have a reunion next year!

A Birthday, Beach Baby and Janet's Show!

This is my son James on his 28th Birthday at his favourite restaurant. The young lady is Katharine, Jamie's girlfriend. They are both teachers!




My grand neice, Madelyn is enjoying her first visit to the Beach at Turkey Point, Lake Erie. Such a cutie, at eight months old.




My neice Holly and Maddie. Holly is a teacher too!




Maddie! I hope she will like to stitch some day.



Lesson 4 of Organic Embroidery with Susan Sorrell. This is a microscopic photo from the internet of bubble wrap. Here are my appliques before stitching using painted fabrics.

Lesson 2, completed using a photo of seeds for inspiration.

Lesson 3, almost completed on a background of painted facial wipe. I used a photo I had of a beach garden for inspiration. I call it impressionist since it is not completely abstract.

My friend Janet recently had her opening at the Greenwood Gallery. Here she is in front of her stunning art works.

Finally, a word about the World of Threads Festival in Oakville during September. To learn more and see the venues go to www.worldofthreadsfestival.com I will be showing at the Joshua Creek Gallery, Abozzo Gallery and The In2Art Gallery. Exciting times!

Three Times a Charm

Lesson 2 With Creative Chick, Organic Embroidery

Again I am having a great time doing an on line class with Susan Sorrell. I love the freedom of working whenever I want and having all my materials right here. Often I make meals and paint backgrounds in the dining room at the same time. Proximity of my art space is important to how much I get done. Above is a photo of seeds I found in the neighbourhood manipulated on my HP 927 camera. Below is an original photo.




It is important to follow your lesson as you go along. I ended up doing it three times. I'll have three different art pieces based on the same photos.




This is effort number 2, the correct size but I stitched on the wrong side of the lutradur. All the sparkle and print is on the other side.




This is effort # 1, wrong size, too big at 8"x10". It will take forever and a day to stitch the inside patterns.

This is finally effort #3, correct size and the lutradur is the correct side up. I have had a lot of practise with the back stitch. I switched to pearl cotton which I had to rescue from Oatie dog, he was all tangled in it with the ball in his mouth and he wasn't giving it back. After the outlining I will be adding pattern to my shapes using a variety of stitches. Stay tuned for the finished projects! P.S. I finished Lesson 1!


Finished Cloth Doodle for Material Girl, Janet.

Cloth Doodle for Marda.

Cloth Doodle for Leslie!

Close Up of 'Nesting'. I hope you like it Leslie!

Finally, I was busy writing an artist's statement for my quilt that will be in the juried show, The Common Thread, in September during The World of Threads Festival. Thank goodness, my new Q' Arts Magazine had a very good article about writing these statements. Must get back to work! Toodles to Maggie, who always reads my blog!

Fun Fibre Retreat

Delightful flowers outside the Erie Beach Hotel in Port Dover on Lake Erie.

My group of four fibre artists, ( the Material Girls ), had a little retreat at my cottage at Turkey Point last week. We stitched, painted, and discussed everything fibre art. One highlight was our dinner at the Erie Beach which is famous for its salad cart and celery bread. I particularly like the horseradish jello and pickled pumpkin. After dinner we shopped in the area and found some very nice things to buy. Marda found these giant keys for her studio and couldn't resist a new straw bag. I bought a cute little nest with three eggs in it for my book shelf. Later, we all enjoyed ice cream at the local stand in Turkey Point.








Janet, in front, Marda and Leslie.






Janet, me and Leslie.





A view of the board walk in Port Dover.

Oatie, sleeping finally in his bed after a hard day of watching us make art! Note his toy he got at a garage sale, a Tasmanian Devil. He carried it home by himself.

A very good time was had by all, we made painted journal pages and worked on cloth doodles to trade with each other.

I've started another class with Susan Sorrell of Creative Chick Studio. This is my Organic Embroidery Sampler in progress.

A close up of Lesson One. This is really fun!

At the cottage, Oatie and I stayed over the weekend, I finished my sock stuffie. I call it Little Brown Dog. He is made from a pair of my socks and it is completely hand sewn. I used pipcleaners to give the ears some character, like Oatie's ears.

I traded for some journal pages with the Cloth Paper Studio ladies. This is one side.

Side 2.

Dotee Doll swap! I got one of my own back!

Postcard from Kathie Meyers. (Fibrein2Art Forum)

I sent my postcard naked through the mail today to Norma Soulet. The lady at the post office was so impressed that I got wonderful service. I think I made her day! Its nice to brighten some one's day with your art! Until next week, stitch away!

Before and After

The last two weeks have been busy as usual. Here is a photo of Oatis before the BIG Operation!




Here he is after, no worse for wear and all duded out in a red kerchief! Today's check up went well . He is all set to go.




This is my first paper stitchery mounted on a painted canvas. I just need to stitch it in place. I used the same method, using paper,crayon, paint, stitch witchery, fusible pellon. I machine stitched then hand stitched with added beads. I am very pleased with the results.




This is my first piece with all the embellishments completed. I just need to paint a wrapped canvas for it.

Button Cloth Doodle for a Cloth Paper Studio swap.

Go Green Cloth Doodle

More paper pieces ready for stitch.

I started embroidering my flower pounding piece I made last year with Kim Maticiw.

A felted piece waiting for some hand stitching.

I discovered this really old machine embroidery book at our guild. It was published in 1961! The year my baby sister was born. The drawings are amazing! I am practising in my sketchbook using Enid's drawings for inspiration. I hope to add some of these to my crayoned papers as design or in stitch.

Finally, I found an Ikea frame for the felted art I bought from Aileen Clarke. It is hanging up in the living room.

I also displayed my ATC's from My Embellish and Enrich Group on a memory Board my sister gave me.

My first spot is complete with all books in the bookcase next to an easy chair. I still want to buy an occasional table and a free standing lamp.

Well, I am off to a retreat to my cottage with my friends, The Material Girls, for stitching and relaxation with a bit of food and wine! Hope you are having a warm and inspiring July!