FEELIN' THE BLUES, IN PAPER AND FABRIC

The "Deep Blue Sea." Collaged papers and acrylic paint, Micron pen, and charcoal...

8" X 10" art board

Printed on fabric, and embellished with hand and machine stitching, fabric scraps, and vintage buttons and beads.

8" X 10" fabric backed with Cotton Naturals batting.

"Deep Blue Sea"
Hoping all your blues are the art and music sort. XO.

FRIDAY

I apologize for the cryptic title. Having trouble concentrating. The dogs are wrestling next to me on the sofa, pausing now and then, so Scout can try to snatch my pen and lick the screen. It's still 90+ degrees outside, and I have hay in my bra. If you have horses, you understand. For those of you who don't, it's one of those facts of horse-keeping, that a pretty fair percentage of the hay you're trying to feed your horses will end up in your bra. No one seems to know why this is. Really, I've discussed it with horse people. You should see my bathroom floor after I've showered in the morning. Well, no, you shouldn't because I've been CREATING this week, and housekeeping has taken a back seat. Okay, not just this week. Anyway, hay in your undies makes you CRANKY, especially when it's 90 something and HUMID. Also apologizing for my excessive use of caps, which I tend to do when stressed. 

Where was I? I'm still collage-ing backgrounds, and turning them into quilts, plus thread-sketching.

Paper and vintage fabric with acrylic paint.

Printed onto fabric and embellished with hand and machine stitching.

Dude! Embroidered with pearl cotton.

In nature news, found this tiny snapping turtle on the sidewalk this morning.

Then, there was this little tragedy. Found a wasp killing a butterfly. He had pulled its head off. Yikes!

Under the category of "cool finds," I bought this bit of iron fencing at an estate sale this morning. Planning to make a corral for the garbage can. Actually, I'm planning to have Mr. C. plan to do it.

More nature news, we have the most amazing collection of fungi in our woods and pasture. These giants, grow to about the size of a baby's head! They are quite heavy, and if left alone, they will turn dark brown, and explode in a cloud of black smoke, if you kick them or run over them with the lawn mower (my personal favorite).

If you think that whole "itchy hay thing" was making me CRANKY, I've lost my MiFi connection  FOUR times while downloading these pictures! What's up with that?

Anyway, TGIF. I'm pretty sure it's wine o'clock!

TUESDAY COLLAGE: FOCUS ON THE FLOWERS

Happy Tuesday! Here's what I'm working on today...

Vintage papers, acrylic, charcoal, Pitt pen, on canvas.

Focus on the flowers, and the spiders will take care of themselves! XO

SUNDAY

Today was a puttering around kind of day. As usual, I did not get all the way through my to-do list, partly because my cranky back started bothering me again while cleaning the barn. We did wander into town for some lunch and knocked the mud off the little "piggies" in the barn. Then, Mr. C. did paperwork, while I played around with my camera, made a new blog header, and "tortured" the animals with St. Patrick's day props, in an attempt to discover who's going to be a team player on the day. 

Spent two hours on Picasa, making a green collage to use as a header, only to scrap it, and go with daffodils! Sometimes simple is best! What do you think?

Muddy, but still pretty!

Shameless mooch! Must do something about those goat whiskers this week!

Lily (bless her heart) wore the shamrock headband, but only around her neck. Couldn't keep it on her head!

Kitty was not amused, at all, not the teensiest bit!

Nigel, dapper in a bowtie. We'll have to work on wearing the hat. Nigel goes a little crazypants over hats.

Hope your Sunday was all you hoped it would be!

It's Blog Hop Day!

Welcome to the "Spreading Our Wings" blog hop. Participants completed the Kelly Rae Roberts e-course, "Flying Lessons" over the summer, and have continued to support and encourage one another through a private Facebook group. Each participating artist has created a post inspired by the course or the group. We are all posting today and including a blog roll of participating artists, so that we may visit and comment on each others postings. Sounds like fun, right?
So, without further ado...

My piece is a thank-you to Kelly Rae without whose advice to "just make a start," I would not be five weeks into my blog already (I know!). And also a great big thank-you to the Flying Lessons Facebook group who welcomed me with open arms when I finally got the courage to participate, and offered some really helpful and encouraging words about the blog.

Don't stop now. Keep hopping!

If you like what you see, don’t forget to subscribe, like and follow us!!!

Amaranthine Violet:  http://magic-gypsy.blogspot.com/

Amy Hillenbrand:  http://amyhillenbrand.blogspot.com

Beatriz Peñas B.:  http://beatrizbepe.blogspot.com/

Beth Cougler Blom:   http://sobliss.wordpress.com/

Carmen Patti:  http://carmenpattistudio.com/wordpress/

Carol Bray:  http://theredpaintedcottage.blogspot.com

Christina Fajardo:  http://christinafajardo.blogspot.com/

Cindy Jones Lantier:  http://www.lantier.org

Connie Rawlins :  http://www.dabblinginlife.blogspot.com/

Dana Brock: http://www.dzynbydana.blogspot.com

Deborah Velásquez : http://deborahvelasquez.blogspot.com

Elissa Brown:  http://thefreckledarmy.blogspot.com

Hillary Courson:  http://www.hillarycourson.com

Jacquie Williamson:  http://www.jacquiewilliamson.blogspot.com/

Jane Paynting: http://inkspiredwings.wordpress.com

Janet Forrest: http://tatterednworn.wordpress.com/

Jennifer DeVille:  http://jenniferdeville.com/blog/

Jill Lambert :  http://www.jill-lambert.blogspot.com/

Julie Hamilton:  http://spaark.wordpress.com

Kanchan Mahon:  http://Kanchan-Mahon.blogspot.com/

Karen Claverie:  http://giddyupletsride.blogspot.com

Kari DeSaulnier:  http://karidesi.blogspot.com/

Kathleen Conard : http://newfromoldcreations.blogspot.com/

Kathleen McKinnon:  http://harmonyschoolhouse.com/expressions-blog.html

Kathy May:  http://kathymaydesigns.org

Kelley Miller:  http://www.kelleymillerartworks.blogspot.com/

Kelly Corso:  http://birdinatreecreations.blogspot.com/

Kelly Hoernig:  http://www.kellyhoernig.blogspot.com/

Kim Hyer:  http://www.apaperaddict.com/

Kris Lanae Binsfeld:  http://cherishdesigns.wordpress.com

Lenore Angela:  http://www.lenoreangela.blogspot.com/

Linda Barutha:  http://lindabaruthadesigns.blogspot.com

Lisa Michele Products:
http://www.lisamicheleproducts.blogspot.com/

Liza Zeni Baker:  http://lizazeni.wordpress.com/

Lynn Richards:  http://alittlebluesky.blogspot.com

Lori Leissner:  http://leissnerart.blogspot.com

Lori Moon:  http://lorimoonstudio.blogspot.com

Mary Cottingham:   http://www.barnbugstudio.blogspot.com/

Mary Sterk:  http://justmarydesigns.wordpress.com

Megan Schmitt:  http://www.schmittenwithwords.blogspot.com/

Melanie Douthit:  www.douthitgallery.blogspot.com

Michelle Dwyer:  http://www.magnetisedbylife.com/

Michelle Reynolds:  http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com/

Rachél Payne (Rae):  http://collectingyourself.wordpress.com/

Rain Hannah:  http://honeyandollie.com/

Rhiannon Connelly:  http://www.starrybluesky.wordpress.com

Ruth-Mary Smith:  http://patchworkfamilieshub.blogspot.com

Sherry Richert Belul:
http://simplycelebrate.net/cherry-blossom-soup

Shirley Ann:  http://leonardarenaissancewoman.blogspot.com/

Stacey Chadwick
Brown:  http://staceybrownarts.blogspot.com/

Susan M. Walls-Beverly:
http://www.susanscharmingtrinkets.blogspot.com

Teresa Cash-Czech: http://www.asmilemaker.com/

Tina Carlborg:  http://www.tinachicky.blogspot.com/

Tonya Love:  http://passport2creativity.com/

Ursula Smith:  http://www.EasyScraps.com/blog

Zulma Cadena:  http://edustory.wordpress.com/

Mary Cottingham  http://www.barnbugstudio.blogspot.com