Monday, July 26, 2010

Happy Java

The last time I embroidered was at least a decade ago... using a combination of the cutesy iron on patterns and my own designs. As I moved around a lot those days my embroidery supplies were packed and forgotten.

I've been keeping busy since the online art journal class with Red Velvet Art has ended. One neat thing I tried this summer was entering three pieces of my original works in the Stevens Point, WI Riverfront Art Center 2010 Visions show. They chose my Sushi Hat for the show, which was very cool and I was so happy I was bouncing off the walls for several days.The place was so packed I couldn't get a photo of opening night, but it was fun. It was a milestone for me as it was the first time I've ever shown my work! I was very nervous but I got lots of positive feedback. 

One item I tried entering in the show was Happy Java, an embroidered piece. Even though it was not accepted to the show I wanted to share it with you all here, because I am rather fond of it. This embroidery was the first I've created in over a decade! When dreaming it up I knew I wanted to create something that was a familiar topic for the medium but simple enough so I could reacquaint myself with the skill. After looking over an embroidery stitch book I felt I could master the simple stitches required for my simple design.

First I chose this lovely fabric which reminds me of blue sky days. (I also made a cloud pillow, for my niece, from the same fabric.) I knew I wanted to have a rainbow but rather than having the rainbow over a landscape I chose to anchor the image with one of my favorite things: coffee, complete with a marbled fabric cuff. I balanced the design out at the last minute with a cute cloud.... what do you think?




Rediscovering embroidery has been fun and I do think I may need to make many more... I must say there is something very captivating about creating something stitch by stitch. Maybe it's the infinite possibility of design and color combinations, maybe it's the taught fabric between two circular hoops or perhaps it is the meditative quality of embroidery itself... whatever it is I hope to develop it further to see where I can take it.

xoxo,
Blueberry Blonde

Monday, June 14, 2010

Tell Your Story - Art Journal Page - May 28, 2010 - My Favorite Memory

"Tell Your Story"

I will be posting a journal page a day! While I'm taking an online class, through Red Velvet Art (RVA), called Tell Your Story. (registration is closed) It is a 6 week class so, I'll be posting one page a day to my blog for the six weeks.

This will be a visual journey of self reflection via mixed media collage and a personal challenge...

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My Favorite Memory... Can also be viewed on flickr, along with comments from other class members...


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My favorite memory is of my dad...

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Ingredients: orange acrylic paint, green floral vintage cotton fabric, black & white photo that I took on my trip to NY that summer, lined paper, pen, glues

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Please look but don't copy.
All comments, thoughts and constructive criticisms welcome!

xoxo,
Blue 

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Tell Your Story - Art Journal Page - May 27, 2010 - I'm Afraid

"Tell Your Story"

I will be posting a journal page a day! While I'm taking an online class, through Red Velvet Art (RVA), called Tell Your Story. (registration is closed) It is a 6 week class so, I'll be posting one page a day to my blog for the six weeks.

This will be a visual journey of self reflection via mixed media collage and a personal challenge...

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I'm Afraid... Can also be viewed on flickr, along with comments from other class members...


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says: I'm afraid... (you know just a little...) loss, failure, rejection, limits, bullies, intolerance, illness, pain, letting people down, being selfish, never getting to travel...

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Ingredients: catalog page, torn practice paper, page 42 torn from a book, markers, highlighters, pen, ink, my hand carved leaf stamp, silver doily, paint chip, torn security envelope

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paint chip colors: Oak Bay, Ocean Falls, Mellow Mood, Smoky Lake, Saxton, Bethel, Cascade.

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Please look but don't copy.
All comments, thoughts and constructive criticisms welcome!

xoxo,
Blue

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Tell Your Story - Art Journal Page - May 26, 2010 - My Own Advice

"Tell Your Story"

I will be posting a journal page a day! While I'm taking an online class, through Red Velvet Art (RVA), called Tell Your Story. (registration is closed) It is a 6 week class so, I'll be posting one page a day to my blog for the six weeks.

This will be a visual journey of self reflection via mixed media collage and a personal challenge...
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My Own Advice... will soon be uploaded to Flickr... I am currently getting my lap top fixed. Can also be viewed on flickr, along with comments from other class members...



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Says: My Own Advice... take the sour with the sweet. Know the path & walk the path. Love. Appreciate. Empathize. Know. Learn. Share. Be there. Listen. Hug. Help. Observe & participate. Create. Enjoy. Explore. Experience. Adore. Be open but lock your door. Don't trust if your gut tells you its not safe... Know your limits. Respect others' limits. Carry on traditions & create new ones. Always have art, music, & science in your world.

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Ingredients: acrylic paint, magazine page, doily, store bought rubber stamp, hand carved stamps, ribbon, page of a book, lined paper, pen, tissue paper, tracing paper, glues

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Please look but don't copy.

All comments, thoughts and constructive criticisms welcome!

xoxo,
Blue

Friday, June 4, 2010

Tell Your Story - Art Journal Page - May 25, 2010 - A Happy Time

"Tell Your Story"

I will be posting a journal page a day! While I'm taking an online class, through Red Velvet Art (RVA), called Tell Your Story. (registration is closed) It is a 6 week class so, I'll be posting one page a day to my blog for the six weeks.

This will be a visual journey of self reflection via mixed media collage and a personal challenge...
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A Happy Time... will soon be uploaded to Flickr... I am currently getting my lap top fixed. Can also be viewed on flickr, along with comments from other class members...


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Says: A Happy Time... my first ever winter - dog sledding - camping trip!!! 1997 - Hovland, MN with Bill, Gus, Madge & Nik. Snow covered pups upon waking & oatmeal in the road... Lovely sounds & smells <3 <3 <3

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Ingredients: fabric, thread, photo, ribbon, paper, pen, glue

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Please look but don't copy.

All comments, thoughts and constructive criticisms welcome!

xoxo,
Blue

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Tell Your Story - Art Journal Page - May 24, 2010 - Today I Feel

"Tell Your Story"

I will be posting a journal page a day! While I'm taking an online class, through Red Velvet Art (RVA), called Tell Your Story. (registration is closed) It is a 6 week class so, I'll be posting one page a day to my blog for the six weeks.

This will be a visual journey of self reflection via mixed media collage and a personal challenge...
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Today I Feel... will soon be uploaded to Flickr... I am currently getting my lap top fixed. Can also be viewed on flickr, along with comments from other class members...

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For this page I chose not to use words to express how I feel. I believe the image that I found of a couple, sitting outside, in the back of a pick up, next to the water, under a canopy of trees, hugging under a blanket says it all.

The colors of the paint chip are Lemon Cream, Dipped in Honey, Saffron, Yellow Brick Road, Downy Chick, Sunnyside Up and Golden Path. I added a few doodles around the image, on it and on the paint chip to tie them all together.

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Ingredients: catalog page, paint chip, pen, marker, gold leaf pen

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Please look but don't copy.

All comments, thoughts and constructive criticisms welcome!

xoxo,
Blue

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Tell Your Story - Art Journal Page - May 23, 2010 - Party

"Tell Your Story"


I will be posting a journal page a day! While I'm taking an online class, through Red Velvet Art (RVA), called Tell Your Story. (registration is closed) It is a 6 week class so, I'll be posting one page a day to my blog for the six weeks.

This will be a visual journey of self reflection via mixed media collage and a personal challenge...

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Party... will soon be uploaded to Flickr... I am currently getting my lap top fixed. Can also be viewed on flickr, along with comments from other class members...

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Says: camp-out, cook-out, movies, dance, music, surprise, kites, friends, sushi, cake, pinata, fun, cookies, balloons, family, dress-up

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Ingredients: magazine pages, pen, vinyl, ribbon, staples, double stick tape

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Please look but don't copy.


All comments, thoughts and constructive criticisms welcome!

xoxo,
Blue

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Tell Your Story - Art Journal Page - May 22, 2010 - Monday

"Tell Your Story"


I will be posting a journal page a day! While I'm taking an online class, through Red Velvet Art (RVA), called Tell Your Story. (registration is closed) It is a 6 week class so, I'll be posting one page a day to my blog for the six weeks.
This will be a visual journey of self reflection via mixed media collage and a personal challenge...

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Monday... will soon be uploaded to Flickr... I am currently getting my lap top fixed. Can also be viewed on flickr, along with comments from other class members...


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In the speech bubble there is some scribbling which is meant to look like its writing in another language... follow the dotted line for 'translation' = Monday & Tuesday did not prepare me for the hell that was Wednesday.

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Ingredients: catalog page, fabric, burlap, embroidery floss, security envelope, feather, vinyl, sticker, pen, marker, glue, anguish...

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Please look but don't copy.


All comments, thoughts and constructive criticisms welcome!


xoxo,
Blue

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Tell Your Story - Art Journal Page - May 21 2010 - Hidden Message

"Tell Your Story"

I will be posting a journal page a day! While I'm taking an online class, through Red Velvet Art (RVA), called Tell Your Story. (registration is closed) It is a 6 week class so, I'll be posting one page a day to my blog for the six weeks.
This will be a visual journey of self reflection via mixed media collage and a personal challenge...
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Hidden Message... will soon be uploaded to Flickr... I am currently getting my lap top fixed. Can also be viewed on flickr, along with comments from other class members...

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First I filled the page with text, written backwards, in black sharpie.
Which I feel is definately in line with the theme. Something to decode...
Then I painted over it in several colors, from dark to light.
I intentionally covered nearly all the text so it wasn't visible...

Lasty I wrote in black sharpie then finger painted, n white, the word Nevermind.

I wanted to write it backwards to further reinforce the hidden message theme...
I also added one of my fingerprints in the three of the corners, in white paint.

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Please look but don't copy.
All comments, thoughts and constructive criticisms welcome!
xoxo,
Blue