June TIF Challenge

What not to do!! I spent time laying out all these pieces on some black backing fabric, then when I went to iron it all, realised that I should have fused them on. I will have to redo this before I free motion stitch it. Anyway these are leftover pieces of fabric from projects I have done using the materials in my stash. I was thinking of sticking to one colour for the background, but I couldn't help myself and went with all colours. Using such a colourful background is going to make it quite challenging coming up with the rest of the piece. It will be interesting to see how this one turns out.

April TIF Finished and Initial thoughts for June TIF Challenge

April TIF Challenge finished - Change - "Go with the flow of Life"

For the April TIF I used a background that I had made using a silk material backing, covered in threads and then a top layer of green chiffon. I then free motion stitched all over and then burnt away some parts. Then I did lots of layers of green embroidery over the top using cross stitch and chain stitch. Then I added flowers. The concept on change is often a hard thing to accept and go along with, so my theme of Going with the flow of Life is to remind me of the natural cycles of life and to sometimes just let go and go with the flow. Sometimes the heartache and struggles are just from holding on so fiercly and not just accepting and going with the flow. It's easy to say as some times change can knock you flying. This is a happy piece to show that change is not necessarily bad it is a transformation to something different.

June TIF Challenge - I've got to get a move along with this. I have some days off this week so hoping to spend some time getting this done. The concept for this month is Stories that are and stories that are possible. The first thing that came into mind was a picture of a person with hair made from all different materials and fibres, with some pictures forming out of these. Representing ideas going from the materials to solid ideas.

I'm thinking that I will do the background as lots of small pieces of material from my stash, freemotion stitched together onto the background. Then I think I will do a self portrait picture. But I'm still thinking, so it might end up as something completely different. I'll keep you posted.

Week 3 Organic Dimensions Background Class Finished

Yeah - I finished week 3 of my background. I was on a roll and did both weeks 2 and 3 today. This isn't a great photo, the colours look all dull and washed out, but you get the idea anyway. I'll have to have a think about my main focal point and what wording to put on there. I would like to use a polynesian or tropical theme, I'll have to do some thinking.

Week 2 Paulette Insall's Organic Dimensions Background Class

I'm running behind with these lessons, but I finished Week 2 today and hoping to get Week 3 finished today too. Its a great class and its been great seeing it all on video. The people in the class have been doing some really great work. I better go and try to get some more done.

May TIF Challenge

I didn't do the May TIF challenge due to being ill for alot of the month, but I thought I would briefly comment on the concept. It was about what you call yourself in relation to your creative work.

I don't really have a need to call myself anything. I like the freedom of being able to dabble where ever my creative urges take me. I am in the exploring stages with my work. Maybe someday I will be a Textile artist or Art Quilter, depending on where my creativity takes me.

I don't like some of the snobbery that can go along with being called an Artist and if you don't have a degree or masters in fine art you are a nobody. I think that some of the best artists can be self taught, where they rely on their creative intuition and don't overthink their work.

Also I don't like the names Maker or Crafts person, I think they belittle the art that the person is creating.

Anyway, just a few of my ideas, I'm not sure what piece I would have developed this into. Maybe something to explore in the future.

Now onto June's TIF Challenge!!

I've been a bad blogger!!!

I wasn't too well in May so I haven't been blogging for a while. But I'm feeling alot better now. With yesterday being the first day of winter, I've been dosing up on the vitamin C and getting the winter woollys on to ward off the dreaded flu. I don't wont to get it again for awhile.

Last week I received Quilting Arts in the mail - the first one of my subscription. I really love the cover this issue. The art quilt is by Frances Holliday Alford. I love the colours and the painted look that it has.

I'm expecting a parcel from Quilting Arts any day now. I bought the Quilting Arts TV DVD and also a couple of books. I'll show you when they arrive.

I've started Paulette Insall's class but I've only completed week 1. Our internet speed slows down towards the end of the month if we have downloaded our maximum allowance, so I haven't been able to download the video for week 2 yet. Week 3's video is out tomorrow. We get our full internet speed back on 4th of the month. So I'll be looking forward to looking at these two videos on Wednesday.

This is my progress so far. Its interesting to see how everyones work is progressing it changes so much from one week to the next. It will be interesting to see how it ends up.