Busy not Blogging!!

     It seems like I have too many things going on (all my own doing, of course), so I try to finish something before putting it on the "waves."  I really need to start showing process not just product.  I'll try.

     Some things I have been working on this week:  gelatin printing; drawing class at Desert Museum; on-line sketchbook class with Jane La Fazio; trying a new technique (appliquing sheer fabric); and organizing an idea about setting up an Etsy shop.  Un huh, my daughters agree--adult-onset ADD.  Anyway, here are a couple of the results:  I'm calling them my Easter Egg gelatin prints.  I don't know what I'll be doing with any of them yet, but I'll leave them up on my design wall until inspiration hits.

     These prints were all made using an inexpensive bouquet of flowers purchased at the grocery store.  I actually wanted a few purple aster-like flowers to sketch for a water-color print and not wanting to waste the rest of the flowers, I decided to tackle another round of gelatin printing.  Next time, I am going to show a step-by-step rundown of the process. I also printed the leaves available in the bouquet, but I'm not happy with the results--not enough texture.  This time of year there aren't many usable leaves available in AZ (or in MI, for that matter!!).

     This (journal cover) is my first real attempt  at appliquing sheer fabric using a pattern (my own drawing) sketched onto tracing paper.  I made several major mistakes!!  First of all, there should be more contrast between the sheer fabric design and the background (I ended up adding some Lumiere paint to enhance the final result);  my individual elements (leaves) need to be larger for more impact, AND, most importantly, I have to be more careful when stitching around the pattern twice--removing the tracing paper took FOREVER.  By the way, this technique is beautifully explained by Deborah Boschert in the new Emag, In Stitches from Quilting Arts Magazine.  I will definitely be using this wonderful application again, hopefully learning from my previous attempt.