All about Oatie

Calling all dog lovers. Now here is something to howl about! Oatis is about 14 weeks old and is having many firsts!



His first raincoat with detachable hood!



His first bath at his forever home!





His first home haircut! No more puppy cut for Oatis. He looks like a real mini Schnauzer now! Look at that tongue!





The new polished Oatie! I didn't realize his ears stuck out so much. He was getting so furry, he looked fat! Oatis had his last expensive shots this week as a puppy. Soon he will be neutered, so he can have a nice long life.
I have been busy stitching and teaching this past week. I have two deadlines to make for our Stitchery Guild Meeting, for next Monday. One, is our Guild project for the Ontario Network of Needleworker's annual meeting. I am putting together a kind of quilt! I got the idea from an old issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. I am really loving that magazine! I am also working on my Go Green Challenge for the Guild. We exchanged secret scrap and mixed media bags in October and our challenges are due next week. I started by making some paper fabric and studying Beryl Taylor's Mixed Media Explorations book. Most of my scrap bag contained leather and lace!!!! But I came up with some ideas and now the pressure is on to finish!! I will have photos for next week. I also signed up with Darren of Problogger for How to Improve your Blog in 31 days. I am already behind! I hope to get to it soon. Until next time.... keep stitching!

Soft Rocks with Susan

Hello everyone! Here is a posterized photo of Oatie. I call him OT like in hockey, OVERTIME! He definitely was overtime last night until 2 a.m. having that burst of energy and madness that puppies often have. We call it having a FRAT! Posterized photos can be useful making art and I plan to use this some day. Another good resource is Virtual Painter, they give you 32 free photos to alter. I altered Oatie right on my camera, which is a good feature.



This is my finished Soft Rock made during Susan S.Johnson's workshop. Also some sample stitching to add to my rock to create texture. Stay tuned for the finished rock.




Here I am happy to be at a workshop with friends.
Below Susan is demonstrating some stitches.

This is my rock after it baked in the oven for a couple of hours.

This is my rock covered in Press and Seal and some materials I will use to cover it, such as chessecloth, roving, washi paper. We used a combination of white glue and flour and water to create the glue to make the Pabric. This part was very messy and I couldn't pick up my camera.

A sketch of my rock, found by hubby at the reservoir in Milton. I think it is shale and has lots of details of which some may be trauma from earth moving machines.

This is my dear friend, Leslie! We are in Sybil Rampen's studio, Joshua Creek in Oakville.

This is Susan beginning her workshop with the members of the Oakville Stitchery Guild on March 28th. I apologize for the photos being backwards, I forgot to download them opposite as I usually do. We had a lot of fun with great food at our lunch time pot luck! This is our last workshop for the year, and do I have some plans for next year!! Please have a look over at Carol Weibe's blog, Silverspring Studio for a review of my show at Greenwood Gallery. Thank you so much Carol! While there have a look at Carol's art work! Until next week, keep stitching!

Showtime

My very first show! The opening event was on Saturday, April 4th at Greenwood Gallery in Guelph Ontario. I was thrilled with the hanging of my art. Christine and Joanne did a great job. It all looked amazing! Some very close friends and family came by to see the show and give best wishes! Thanks to Leanne for the lovely roses! Following are the pieces in the show.



Intuitive Hearts This is a smaller version of my auction quilt! I finished the binding the night before delivery!




Isadora, looking saucy in the stairway alcove!





A Taste of Africa , on the way up the stairs.






Autumn Ice and Lake Erie Sunset




Energy, named so because of the colour of the painted fabrics reminiscent of Van Gogh's palette of colours. Echinachea, a fabric collage.




Fantasy Garden, my first original design!




Award winning, Masks and Rusty Metal.




A view of the upstairs gallery

Another Door Opens, published in Quilting Arts Magazine.

Maternal Love, published in Quilting Arts Calendar, July 2007 and Black Dog, Blue Chair.

My newest pieces, Secret Garden and Cascade.

African Art Quilt looked amazing in the gallery!

Walk This Way

Intuitive Hearts and Poppy Field

Ready for the reception. On the table, my bag, Embroidery of India.

I hope you have enjoyed a tour of my solo show! If you are in the area, the show is on until April 3oth at 275 Woolich St. in Guelph. I have photos to share of the workshop I took with Susan S Johnson, making Soft Rocks for next time. I can now relax and get back to more stitching!

The Stitchery Guild

Last night at the Oakville Stitchery Guild, we had a wonderful presenter, my friend Susan Strachan Johnson. Susan , a former painter, started making fibre art with me in a class with Penny Berens at the Elora School of Art several years ago. Her work is remarkable! Our guild really enjoyed her presentation on 'The Fine Art of Recycling'. You must see her work on her website: www.strachanjohnson.com As the program cordinator for the guild I have really enjoyed arranging excellent speakers for our members.



I finished this embellished piece for my show at Greenwood Quiltery Gallery, opening on April 3rd. I love the look of the silk duponi borders. And it machine quilts so easily! This is the second in my series of garden arches. I am calling it, 'Secret Garden'. The embroidery was inspired by the random placement of the embellished colours. Below is a close up showing the stitches.




I am sending off this postcard, 'Go Green' to the Grand National Postcard Challenge at the Joseph Schneider Haus Museum in Kitchener. Its not too late to participate, the deadline is April 1st.



Lastly, an update on Oatis. Here he is almost 12 weeks old. He had his second visit to the vet for several shots. Oatie is snuggling down in our bed. I put him there so I know where he is while I am doing things. He tried to build a tunnel in the pillows. He now weighs over 9 pounds and is a bit pudgy but he is only eating his proper amount of food. He doesn't know what treats are yet. We got advice on how to get more sleep at night, let him cry after his pee break. No playing! I am looking forward to more sleep tonight.



Until next week, hug your pets!

Life's A Beach!

The weather is amazing today! It feels like Spring has come to Ontario. We went on a long walk around the neighbourhood tonight, talking to neighbours with Oatis. I am still longing for the Beach, in Florida or at Lake Erie. I love the yellow green colours of spring and I can hardly wait to visit the cottage with our new dog and all the new buds bursting from the trees. And the robins will be back.


Close up of my Beach Symbols, made completely with painted Peltex with embroidery and beads.
Port Dover, on Lake Erie, has 2 transplanted palm trees on the beach. Who knew!



At the Beach, a mixed media piece on painted peltex.

I ordered lots of lutradur to further experiment with my symbols class that I took with Susan Sorrell. I also ordered Lesley Riley's book on Lutradur to further experiment with this unique material. Shoppellon delivered to Canada within a week with a very reasonable shipping rate. Thanks to Susan for the tip.
In other news, in the popular Ning forum: www.fibrearts/mixedmedia.com , Susan has set up new regional groups. Arlee started the Canadian Fibre Artists Group and we are having some good discussions. I am also participating in a Group called Barenaked Postcards and we are swapping one on one. I think Susan is going to open it up to the whole group until we have about 20 participants.



This is my Beach Symbols piece completed. I used raffia as a border with shells and vintage bead embellishment. I was motivated to finish to meet the deadline for the Cloth Paper Scissors Challenge. I've got my fingers crossed that it may be suitable for the magazine. Back to working on my Heart project for my show. Until next time, keep stitching friends!

Dog Tired, Show Time

'Fibre Art from the Heart' is the name I chose for my first gallery show at the Greenwood Quiltery Gallery in Guelph, Ontario. The show runs from April 3rd to April 30th. I will be in attendance on the 4th from 2pm. to 4 pm. I was inspired by the work and words of Lesley Riley for the title of my show. Above is pictured one of the blocks from my auction quilt, Intuitive Hearts. I have started a smaller version especially for the show, I am now working on the embellishments using embroidery and beads. I also hope to finish a couple of felted pieces for the show.
I had a very enjoyable evening last night with the executive of the Oakville Stitchery Guild. I am the Program coordinator for the group and will be that and vice president next year. I treasure the people I work with at the Guild. I am constantly inspired to create. We will have Susan Strachan Johnson as our guest speaker on March 23rd. I first met Susan at the Elora School of Art when we were both beginning fibre artists. We were taking a week long class with Penny Berens who is an exceptional teacher. Susan has found her style in fibre art and her work is intriguing. Go to www.rooster@quican.com
to see Susan's art work.



Here is sleeping Oatie, when he is at his best! I am dog tired, getting up at 4 am. to let him out and then he wants to play for about two hours! Today I got to sleep mid morning to catch up on some needed zzzzz's. Oatie has learned so much in only 11 days, like going up and down stairs, going outside most times, and coming when called. He seems to be very smart and trainable, he is certainly training the whole family.




Here he is sitting on his daddy's lap. I now know why puppies are so cute. Would we run after them if they weren't? Until next week, happy stitching!

Postcard Workshop and a Forever Home for Puppy

Happiness is a Warm Puppy!
Hi all, this is my son Matt with our new puppy on pickup day. Oatis is giving Matthew a welcome kiss. All is going well on the homefront. Oatis is going outside for his business and had his first visit to the vet today. He seems to have adapted to sleeping in his doggy crate as well. All in two days.
The day before I was teaching a workshop to some gals from the Yorkshire Rose Quilt Guild in Toronto. We were making fibre postcards in the morning and learning the basics of using the embellisher machine in the afternoon. Below are some wonderful works of art by the ladies. ( Mary Lou, Sandi, Karen, Coral, Karen. Carol, Deb and Katie)



Carol's impressionist type collage was amazing.




Karen has a keen eye for colour and using her fabric as design. The embroidery and beading was very effective!





I just loved this postcard by Karen about the dog beach.




Here are most of the gals admiring each other's work. I had a wonderful time sharing what I know about fibre art. I felt like I made eight new friends. Lunch was delicious and a very nice treat at a workshop. Thank you to Deb for arranging this workshop for me.




Finally, I am all consumed with this new little being in our home. He is still little at 6.9 pounds. He is a very warm little body when he sits on your lap. I am going to enjoy him as much as I can while he is a puppy. Besides he is just too cute. Until next week, love your pets!