Bright Leaves

Work in the studio this week was intense as I re-designed and painted organza for new "personal use" jellies. I will be washing out the silk tomorrow and posting the outcome later in the week.  Mean while, I spent several hours with Flossy picking berries in the woods today.  Fall is definitely coming.

Amazing blueberry leaves touched with crimson red at the tips.

The sun lit a single yellow devils club leaf deep in the shadowed woods.

Devils Club

This beautiful plant is starting to change color along the roadsides and in the woods.

When we came back along the beach last evening, the deer were grazing near our house.

   

New Series In Progress

I am working on a new series of small (6x8 inch-ish) pieces related to beach walks.  Here are three:

'Tideline II'; 8"x6"; Procion dye on cotton, couched yarn, hand and machine stitching

'Red Tide'; 5"x3"; Procion on cotton, beads, machine stitching

'Tideline I'; 8"x6"; Procion on cotton, couched fibers, hand and machine stitching

New Toy, Camping Dogs, and the Half Moon

I treated myself to a new set of Prismacolor pencils - the 72 pencil set - and was happily trying them out yesterday.

My work for Rain Forest Festival looks on from my studio window ledge.  Last week I built the base for the Deer Woman, and gave her a skirt (come to find out, she is modest)!

Outside this window is a little park on pilings over Hammer Slough.  The flowers are lovely - nasturtiums are one of my favorites.

Last Saturday, my friends and I went camping out at Ohmer Creek campground.  Flossy had the best time of her life running (and begging) with the little pack we had out there.

And finally, the beautiful half-moon at twilight early in the week.

Walking on the Beach

 

After work on Monday I took the beach walk north of my house and was captivated by this bulb kelp draped across the tide line.

This skunk cabbage leaf had the most lovely tobacco chartreuse hue - my photo doesn't really do justice.

Doors Project

This week I got to a resting point on my doors for the 'Curiosity of Doors' exhibit next month. 

They are a set of bi-fold doors; the black pair represents hopelessness, the sky-blue pair represents the hope and joy of a God-centered life.

Detail

Detail 2

Late Summer Signs

The dwarf fireweed is in bloom along the side of every logging road.  Late summer is moving in on Mitkof Island.

Though it will still be a month until we get a good frost, the leaves are starting to tire, their colors going all yellow and brown, marvelously textured.

This devils club plant had the most fascinating patterns - reminded me of old leather in places.

So bored, even school is beginning to sound good.  (I asked them if they ever watched The Wire.  They hadn't, but they sure reminded me of crew on the couch in the Low Rises).

 

Norwegian Forest Cat in the Wild and Flossy in the Studio

Another busy studio week - three ring circus of projects, with the Doors, dye commission, and ongoing machine quilting in progress.  Uncle William Wallace was waiting for us when we came home this evening.

Here he is up a small tree.

Flossy hard at work (note scrap of cloth adorning her ruff).

Door project, detail 1.  Silk organza with Xerox transfer, broken glass.

Door project, detail 2.  Silk organza, Xerox transfer, bullet.

Door project, detail 3.  Bi-fold door, black enamel, silk organza bags, hand-dyed cotton.

Doors project - in process.  

This 13-Woman Invitational exhibit opens September 17 at the Clausen Museum in Petersburg.  Exhibit title is 'A Curiosity of Doors'.

Morning/Evening

I caught the sunrise through the trees as I left for work this morning, my 'Friday' at the Mighty Mighty Day-Job.

I signed up for The Sketch Book Project today; picked the theme 'Make Mine A Double', so in honor of that Flossy and I walked out in the beautiful evening to bookend this day with a shot of the sunset.

Face Plant Challenge

Susan over at ArtSpark Theater is having a make-a-face challenge and I am getting in right under the wire (I hope)!!  I had fun in my woods this evening making the following:

Face #1

Face #2

 Face #3

Flora of Southeast Alaska - Ohmer Creek Trail

Flossy and I took a long, blueberry picking walk on the Ohmer Creek trail this afternoon.
 

The gray, curly plant is the type of lichen we dyed with last fall.

These berries are not edible, but their vermilion color is amazing.

 The water meadow was particularly lovely.

Some of the leaves are starting to show color - too early!

Pond lilies

 The high bush cranberries will be ripe later this month.  I will be making a relish out of them that goes well with venison and wild fowl.