Free Toys

There is time here in Denver to do some exploring and experimenting with the fabulous Photoshop Elements.  These photos of poppies blooming wild on the morning walk trail and big old cottonwoods were doctored up with a background from Free Photoshop.org. 

I like the way these free toys can add a patina of age to my digital photos, and am only just scratching the surface of possibilities.

Details

The latest Fiberactions Reveal was yesterday.  I wanted to show you some details of the two pieces I completed for the "split complementary" color challenge. 

My first color choice was yellow-green/red/violet.

Detail of the first piece, 'Language of Crossing Over', acrylic on cotton and linen, machine stitching

Detail 2 of  'Language of Crossing Over', which is 23"x24.5" in its entirety

Detail 3, showing the mix of my hand-dyed cotton (far left) and linen (center panel) and commercial batik (bands and right most panel)

 The second piece used green/red-violet/red-orange and is called ''Snare'; 26"x10.25"; acrylic and prismacolor on hand dyed and dye painted cotton.  Here are two close-ups:

The original background cloth was stamped with thickened procion dyes and then immersion dyed before additional stamping with acrylic and Prismacolor shading was added.  There is hand stitching and machine stitching as well.

Showing Prismacolor extending into the border of hand-dyed cotton, and hand-stitching.

New Small Work

The following small pieces hatched from a single length of raw silk were completed over the past few days. 

Some of the bits were joined together with a zigzag stitch over fibers.

Some stood on their own.

Seed beads were added on each, sometimes in scatters...

...and sometimes in lines.

Sizes range from 3.5"x6"...

to 5.75"x9".

 Happy Mother's Day tomorrow.  I get to see my mother (and Dad) on Thursday when I go to Denver.

We Talk (briefly) about the Weather

One word: Snow.  Here's a memory of spring as it was unfolding the past few days...

alder

blind river rapids trail in a moment of clearing between squalls

fiddlehead fern

crystal mountain under a squall

alder again

lovely spring, I know you will return again!  (hurry back)!!!

Hatching

Several small works emerging from a larger piece of raw silk eco-dyed last summer and textile painted in the fall are now being stitched and beaded.

the raw silk was dyed with onion skins and rust

After being fused to two layers of felt and machine stitched, the cloth hung on the design wall all winter.  Sometimes work has to incubate, right?  It's fun hatching a new little series this way, chopping up and re-configuring the pieces.  I plan to add hand stitching and seed beads, and whatever else seems right as I go along.

Daily Drawing and the Latest Blossom

pigma pen and prismacolor pencil in 8x6 Gamma

Early in the week, I was sunk in a fog of self-imposed, self-centered gloom, living in the past and the future - both real bad neighborhoods.

'Web of Spring' - watercolor and inktense pencils in 8x6 Gamma

No amount of glorious spring rain or prayers for help could lift my heart.  God seemed remote as the moon.

'Deer Girl' - pigma pen and prismacolor pencils in 8x6 Gamma

Yesterday God's help came in the form of a listening ear and wise words from a fellow human being - angels suddenly apparent everywhere.  My stick said 'Live and Let Live'. 

Heart soars again in this day...

...this moment, this morning hour when everything is just as it should be and I don't feel compelled to judge any of the amazing NOW.   Hey, thanks God, for doing for me what I cannot do for myself once again.

The first salmon berry blossoms are here!

Scene, Recently #26