Trees, Threadworks Artist Reception

Today, my friend and I travelled to the Wellington County Museum to the Trees Fibre Art Show for the artists' reception. Here I am in front of my art piece 'The Message." Below is a favourite piece called, "Wild Desire", a mixed media artwork by Carol Weibe.

My friend Sandra, is posing with her favourite, "Shoe Tree", by Nancy McNab.



Grand Prize
"Three Leaves" by Gordana Brelih

"Can't See the Trees for the Forest" by Linda Heibert
Yes those are lambs in the trees! Delightful!

"A New Beginning" by Hieke Blohm
Honourable Mention

Curator's Award

Frankie LeMonde-Meunier's "Trees Dancing for Joy"

I love Frankie's fibre art, it appeals to my love of colour and texture. Frankie bought an art piece of mine last year at my solo show.

This is just a taste of the show which is exceptional in every way! It is a privilege to be included and a great affirmation of my fibre art. There are many artists in this show that I admire and have been a student in their classes. I intend to go back to see the show in more depth! For more information about the Museum and the Trees Show visit, www.wcm.on.ca

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! :>)

Canadian Embroiderers' Guild, Guelph Open House

Fresno, a guide dog in training at the Open House

My CD Challenge Block, "Leaf" for the Ontario Network of Needleworkers
Woven rug canvas stitched, thread sandwich leaf, beaded

A mini landscape
stitched by Allison

Beautiful Embroidery

Embroidered Garden

A Brooch

Bayeau Embroidery

by Margaret

My Darned Landscape
This was very addictive to stitch.

Quilt by Ellen

Goddess by Cynthia

who trains guide dogs

These were just some of the marvelous artworks at our Open House last Tuesday. Many people dropped by to see the finished artworks from the year. This is a great teaching guild that offers two classes a year with extra workshops and afternoon programs. I had a wonderful time this year meeting new people and sharing stitching projects. Thanks to Ruth who taught the Mini Landscapes and Renata who taught the Knotted Gardens. My Autumn Trees is finished (see last post) and my Parterre Garden is still In Progress!

Stitchalong and Trees Entries

I have been enjoying doing the Stitchalong every evening. I am journalling my daily events in stitch. It has been a challenge every evening to reflect upon the day's events and interpret it in a single illustration. Somehow I have managed to focus on the positives. Above is a nesting square related to my stitchery guild's theme for our challenge.

A Spring crocus, Go Green with my personal symbol, a tree for my Trees entries, an Easter egg and bunny, a darned square for a project I am doing, Echinaceas, a favourite flower

A heart and a key, needle and thread for a day of stitching

Finally after 3 days of finishing stitching, I completed my postcard hanging for the Threadworks Juried Show. I made 10 Go Green Postcards each containing a message to the good earth. I mounted them on painted rug canvas that I wove strips of fabric around the edges and in some blank spots and machine stitched on top. I put hours of work into each postcard with embroidery and beading. The consistent fabric in each postcard is the painted one with the machine embroidered tree. I used a couple of new eco type fabrics but all the rest were scraps that were repurposed and reused. Some were skating costume scraps form my friend, Sandra. I had a great sense of accomplishment and of a job well done. I called it 'The Message'. The hardest part was deciding on a name!

This is my second entry called Autumn Trees. It is completely hand stitched with one strand of embroidery floss. It was started in class at my Embroidery Guild in Guelph. It was one of the most difficult projects I've ever undertaken, blending the fall colours in stitch. The large rock has coloured scrim under the stitches.

Today, I drove to Elora to pick up my entries because sadly they were not juried into the show. Yesterday, I was so disappointed! And I thought why do I do this to myself? But 12 hours later I had a plan of what to do with my entries. I believe when one door closes another door opens. When I arrived in Elora at the Museum, I saw 'The Message' on a table waiting to be hung! I still wasn't sure until I checked with one of the members. Yes!

I hadn't been sent an email of my results. I did get an apology and explanation. My faith in my hard work and creativity has been restored! Why do I need this affirmation? When I no longer feel disappointment when rejected that will be a time for celebration!

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!

Creative Cues Catch Up

This is an inspiration photo for a future art piece. I cropped it and posterized it right on my camera. I look forward to manipulating my photos in Photoshop. This little outhouse is on my mom's farm near Grimsby, Ontario. I guess my dad had it moved near his bush.


I've been neglect in doing my Creative cues, so I did 4 of them to catch up! I love to collage with paper as well as fabric. The TIP refers to the tip of the Eiffel Tower!

I love this one using CLIPS of thread and paper from the dollar store. I love those handmade papers from India. I've been making little mini purse booklets to sell with the dollar store papers.

I like this one too! STEM

Finally COOKIE, my absolute favourite dessert!

Now I am back on track for Creative Cues and Tuesday night Blog entries. I am getting ready to work on Lesson 5 of Fertile, Earth, Stones, Rocks and Shells.