I got a little side tracked this weekend. I'm trying to get my weaving studio into some sort of order. Fall is coming and I'm itching to weave but things are pushed all around and sort of crazy. We had to make an office space for my husband when Covid-19 hit so he could work from home, so he is in the weaving studio. Months have passed and we don't think he will be going back to the office any time soon. So I need to probably do some down sizing of looms etc. I've been thinking about this for some time. I really need to sell some looms. It's hard to decide what to keep and what must go. I'm all over the place with this decision. If your a weaver then you know what I speak of. It's hard to let go sometimes. Oh well, I need to get on with it. 
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Now back to the challenge subject. My art journals in progress are all over the studio upstairs. I work in batches. I can never just start one thing and go from start to finish. Maybe I should. I have book covers in progress and pages and the sewing of cloth journals going on and I'm feeling like I need to get organized. It's feeling a bit crazy. So today when I get into the studio after this cup of tea and I stop procrastinating maybe I'll try and get organized. I hope to be back with some pics of something getting closer to being done. Done is good. Well, the day got away from me again. No pics yet but I'm getting there soon. Working on testing out a grommet or eyelet kit that I got for the fabric journals. Nothing beautiful to see yet just a big mess on my work table. Hang in there Peeps. And some new digital printables are coming soon. 

I'm doing a little fabric dyeing for some art journals and thought I might do some faux shibori. Instead of hand stitching or hand tying resist areas I sometimes like to just use my sewing machine to add stitching that I pull tight. I can also add some hand wrapping to it as well. It's fun and fast to do. I have found that my Bernina baste stitch works great for this. That stitch sews every other stitch so it is long and easy to pull out after dyeing. If your machine doesn't have a long basting stitch just set it to the longest stitch you have. Sometimes a gathering foot helps but with this stitch I don't need one.

There are so many ways to experiment with your machine and doing various resist techniques to fabric. Chain Stitch is another that is very helpful because it pulls out easily but you have to make sure you knot it so it doesn't pull out during dyeing. The only machine I have right now that does chain stitch is an old Singer 626 Touch-N-Sew. That is why I bought it for the chain stitch set up. If you look for one of those make sure you get a model that has metal gears. You don't want those old plastic ones. The Touch-N-Sew 600 series had metal gears but it's always best to look inside the machine to check before buying one. If your doing Craig's List or Thrift Shops just bring a screw driver with you.  Here is an article about the 626 if your interested.

​ I purchased mine for the chain stitch but it does a lovely satin stitch as well and a beautiful straight stitch. I heard someone refer to this series of machines as "Stitch and Throw" once. I think many people might have had issues because they were not winding the bobbins correctly and you must keep the bobbin area clean. It has that wind in place bobbin system. I have never had any issues with it. But you know I love Vintage Sewing Machines as well as my Bernina and Juki. All of my other machines are Vintage. The thing I love most about Vintage machines is that I can work on them myself because there are no computer parts. Also they are just cool. The look and the sound that they make and the stitch quality is really outstanding. Ok, I got off on a rant about Vintage Machines. Anyway, if your getting into resist dyeing or Shibori looks give your machine a try for some interesting effects. I'll post these after dyeing. Here is a little video clip of the basting stitch. Catch yo later.

I took some time off for the holiday weekend. But I did get a couple of photos of my book sewing frame that we made. If there is enough interest Ron says he can make them as made to order so I'll list it in the shop if people contact me and say they are interested in one. 
I'm so happy with the way it turned out. I love it. And the fact that we made it makes it even better. The maple is lovely and I have always loved beautiful grain on Maple. It will only get darker and richer over time. That honey look of aged maple is so sweet. Catch ya later. And if your interested in a Sewing Frame drop me a line from the contact page. Or Direct Message me on Instagram. 
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 This is my first Youtube video and there is a learning curve. I thought I would add some little snippets of me at my work table etc. Still working on some little book covers. Hope your having a lovely Labor Day weekend. Me.... I'm going to try and figure out the ins and outs of Youtube a bit for now. Catch ya later Peeps. 

I'm still here plugging along. I'm working on some simple bindings. This one is pamphlet stitch.
And google says:pamphlet stitch is a simple binding often used to bind chapbooks. Chapbooks are inexpensively made booklets, originally sold by “chapmen” door-to-door and village-to-village.
And there is the term Chapbooks again. It just keeps popping up.

Anyway, I used pamphlet stitch and hard boards. I made a linen bookcloth for the spine. I have purchased bookcloth before and it was quite heavy so I wanted to make my own with a finer linen cloth and it turned out very nice. The weight was lighter and not so bulky. I'm going to be making more. The linen I used was a medium weight not too coarse. 

The cover boards are where I just played with collage, stitching, digital papers, pastels, and wax. I was worried that the wax would warp the boards but I put them into my handmade press and that worked. The edges that I left uncovered I painted and dyed. More experimentation with that is in order. To wrap the edges or not? It depends on the paper. If it is too thick it doesn't wrap nicely. Heavy watercolor paper for example, it looks better trimmed clean to the edge. I wonder if I lightly sprayed it with water first if I make it more pliable? Maybe. Ok off to the studio to take it out of the press. 

Well lesson learned. I forgot to put parchment paper on the top of my waxed cover before putting it in the press. It stuck to it. Ugh! Not too bad I got if off but I did lose a little wax in the process. No biggie it just adds to the wabi-sabiness of it. I had sealed it with spray varnish and I thought that would do the trick but now I know. It's always a learning process but that is what keeps things fun and interesting and never boring.

​The back cover was fine no issues with sticking there. So as you can see this is just a simple pamphlet stitch binding stitched with waxed linen thread. The paper is a 80lb drawing paper. It  takes all dry media very well. The next one I do will have mixed media paper  so you can use wet media. I love how the asemic free form stitching I did is bonded into the wax and also with the hand stitching on the back cover. I'm going to keep experimenting with the coldwax and when the weather breaks I'm firing up the Encaustic wax pot to use on some covers. I'll probably use wood or masonite boards for that. The hot wax might be too much for the book board. Ok, another day is slipping away. I've got to get back to it. Ta Ta and hope your getting some creative time today. We have a 3 day weekend coming up so maybe you will. The weather is suppose to be fine here so I'm going to head to the mountains again for some forest bathing and recharging of my batteries. 

Hello,
Today I played with fabric hinges for journal pages. I'm thinking about combining them with sections that are pamphlet stitched so the whole book would not be only fabric hinges. I don't know if that will work but it might. I'll just have to play around with it and see. I also got a new Digital Pack into the shop today. Asemic Art and just for fun I put an image of myself in one of the pieces. That picture is from many many moons ago. I think I was sweet sixteen in that photo. That got me thinking I might want to do a pack with old family pictures. Maybe just title it Family. So on my list it goes. 

I still have not gotten a good photo of my sewing frame. It is stormy here today. So black with no good light. Sigh... I'll get it. 

So here are my fabric hinges below. Some watercolor paintings collaged with silk organza overlays and some tea printed paper. Well, it is time to get off of this computer. Too much time on here today and I'm getting what I call a "computer eyeball headache" my body is telling me enough all ready. Later Peeps...

Good morning. Well, Saturday I got a few things on the work table and yesterday was a gorgeous day here in Pa. so we went for a lovely country drive. I try to do that whenever I can on the weekend. I just have to get outside and breathe some fresh air. I'm getting excited because Autumn is coming and I get all fired up to weave and do other fiber like things. So there will be many drives to the mountains coming. Ok enough of me salivating over Autumn. 

Back to book making stuff. We did get the sewing frame made and today I hope to get some good shots of it. But first I have to ship out an order that makes me happy. "One Held Breathe" sold and she is going to her new forever home. The reason I bring her up is because I've been thinking that a mixed media stitched piece like that could possibly make a nice book cover. I would have to find a way to do it where the edges would not be too bulky. Perhaps the stitched work would just be collaged on to it. Hmmmm....thinking about that. Also thinking about printing the image of the finished work on to canvas. So many ideas running around in my head. 

Well, my tea is getting cold. I'm off to the studio as I always like to start these post in the morning and finish after my studio time. Maybe I can actually open a window today, wouldn't that be great. Can't wait to say goodbye to Summer.  I'll be back with pics. 

And I'm back.....
I worked on some more of my little weavings and playing around with some of my digital papers to see what goes well with them. Asemic writing with a rosegold weaving, bluegreys and teals, blacks, creams and a navy indigo style blue weaving. It looks black in the photo but it's really more blue. That color is one that I dye that simulates indigo.

All of these little weavings are using my hand dyed yarns. The yummy texture in the digital paper under the black actually started as a photo I shot of winter snow on a brick sidewalk and a rusty fence image that I shot near an old barn. Pa is loaded with that sort of rustic rusty stuff. I love it!

The teal and greys are on a watercolor painting I did. I also cut out some more text for collage. I just cut things out and stock pile them. I also cut up an old book to use the boards and I think I'm going to add that tree digital I did to the inside cover. Nothing is glued or stitched down yet. Isn't it the worst to glue something down and then change your mind. Ugh! I try my best to not break out the PVA until I'm sure about the composition and layout. Live and learn.

Speaking of PVA glue... I have found that it drys so fast. So I have been mixing in some paste to slow it down when I'm working so I don't feel so rushed. I use Yasutomo Nori paste and sometimes I make my own. Nori last longer than homemade paste. And I love the way it smells. I love the stuff. It's great on delicate papers too and it's acid free. 
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I've tried a 50/50 mix of Nori with PVA and a 75/25 PVA/Nori just play around with it and see what mix percentage you like. For Book Cloth I have made my own paste because it takes a lot of paste. I haven't tried the Nori for that yet but I might. I keep a couple in the fridge, that is the best place to store it. You can get it at Blick here. I get the 10oz. containers. I'm sure Amazon has it too. 

And FYI I did take some photos of my sewing frame but the light was running out and I didn't like them so I'll try again tomorrow. So that's all for now. Ta Ta my Peeps. 
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A new project is at hand and I have a helper. My hubby is helping me make a Book Sewing Frame. I have drawn up a sketch and we have all of our supplies ready, and he is now the owner of a Router so that is going to help make the slots where the tapes and cords go etc. I will post some pics when we are done. I have wanted a sewing frame for some time now so I'm excited to make one. With all of the little copper tapestry looms that we have made we had several of the parts already on hand. It's very similar to making a little loom with the threaded rod for tension. 

As for todays work on my books and journals I have to get to the studio and see what happens. Still drinking my morning tea and getting ready for my studio time. So I'm off now and I'll be back and you won't even know that hours have passed....... 

And just like that I'm back. Didn't get pics of the new Sewing Frame yet, probably tomorrow. It's looking good, almost done. I'm loving it. So today I continued with the idea of something woven on the book cover page but I wove with paper. I pulled out my paper strip basket and used them for the warp and the weft. Then began a collage page on coffee dyed paper with linen, a little asemic stitching leftover, other fabrics and Japanese papers etc.

​Also a couple more digital paper print outs to play with. The woven paper is from a Japanese book, I love how Japanese text looks, it's like little mark making magic. It probably seems even more enchanting to me because I can't read it. Ha Ha 
This text is from a wonderful book with poems and it is translated to English as well but I'm only cutting up the Japanese text. Well, so far.

​So here are a couple of pics for you and I'm off to dinner for Friday night Sushi. If you didn't already know I'm a Sushi Monster. That's right. I love it!!!! One of my all time favorite foods. Yummy! I have my friend Ann from grad school to thank because she got me started on it and she created a Monster! Thanks Ann! Twenty some years later and I still love it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Got to go EAT! Later Peeps. 

Hello, today I continued with yesterdays ideas. I used my old barn digitals to cover more boards. I really like the look of those and I'm super critical of everything so saying I really like them means I must really like them. Ha Ha  

Still playing with these little mixed media collaged tapestry pieces. Laying things out... I like to cut a window the same size as my cover to help with the layout and composition. I started  doing that all the way back to my days in school in Montana, when I was working on my textiles and clothing degree in the fashion department. It's a great trick. I use it all the time. I always save old mats and modify them to the size I need.

I determined today that the fringe on the first one seems to be fine. We will see once I glue it down and stitch the book. So a couple of people on Instagram said they would like a digital package of the old barns so I will be making one for the shop.
​Time to go and make some dinner. Thanks for stopping by and as always thank you for your kind comments on Instagram and for you support. I really appreciate it.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention my little hand carved wood book corner cutter I made. You slide it up on the board corner and then make a mark on the paper or just cut it. It gives you just the right amount of paper for the corner turn in. Not sure if book corner cutter is the correct name but that is what I'm calling it. 

Ok so today I'm starting my next 30 day challenge. So far so good and it really felt good to get back to my work table after all of that digital work. I was missing the hands on work. Touching fabric, and paper and all that yummy tactile stuff that I adore.

I got one book board covered to see what I think of my old barn doors on book covers and I think I love it. I haven't made a digitial papers pack of this yet but I think I might. What do you think? Read on to find out more about that little mixed media tapestry collage. I was having so much fun I'm heading back to the studio for more. Catch ya later. 

So I was playing around with some of these little tapestry weavings and I wondered if it could be a book cover? Is the fringe too long and will that be an issue? Not sure yet. I'm going to use my digital peeling paint paper and cover my board then put the tapestry collage on and see what I think. If it seems to long I'll just snip it down. This was really fun to make today. I have a whole basket of these little weavings that I want to collage etc. A little mixed media tapestry fun. A very tactile art journal experience. Old hand dyed linen, Japanese papers, tea dyed paper, text, a tiny weaving on a small weaving. Talk about layers, hand stitches, all the things I love.

Yay! My first 30 day challenge is complete. And I don't have any images for you today because I have been working diligently on my digital papers (printables) that will be coming soon to the shop. Themes are being used in each package. Today I worked on Trees I, as I'm sure I'll do more than one package with a tree theme. So I just want to thank everyone that stopped by during this 30 day challenge. Your support is very much appreciated. So stay tuned for the next challenge. In the mean time I'll have more to post about the digital papers and art journals coming soon. Thanks Peeps.

As this experiment of 30 days of stitching is coming to a close and I'm thinking about it; I would have to say that it really worked. It got me to my computer so I would blog regularly. I just needed a self imposed push, a goal, a little discipline was in order. I'm going to continue with this 30 days of.... there is still many things I want to explore and having a 30 day concentration really works. It's not about a finished work of art it's about freedom to explore and play and see what happens.

It can help you freshen up your perspective and hone your approach to making. Also small time blocks can be used very effectively. And there is something to be said about repetition. A daily practice is very important to a self employed person. I work every day pretty much, I think all artist do because you really can't shut it off. It's wired into you. But I can withdraw into the studio and I'm finding that this ritual of blogging daily (if I can) is helping me connect more. Even if a post doesn't get read by tons of people which was never really the goal.

​The goal was about getting me to talk/blog more about my work and process and what is the point of having a blog if you don't use it. Right. And thru that process of writing and just talking you can discover and discovery is always a good thing. So I'm feeling good about it and getting ready for the next go. What will the topic be? I'm still adding to my list and deciding what will be next. 

Today I found some more of that yummy discharged fabric and discharged shibori. Little bits but enough to work with. Also some black rayon hand stitched with linen that I forgot about. Pairing these with some digital papers I made and coffee dyed papers. I'm lovin this palette. 

On my table today. Tea and coffee dyed papers and some print outs of my photography and digital papers. Just testing the waters printing out on my inkjet printer on card stock and regular printer paper. Also testing watercolor paper tomorrow. I found out today that I have to get an add on application to offer pdfs in my Big Cartel shop so that will  be next on my list so I can offer digital papers in my shop. There will be themes. Asemic, old barns, peeling paint, splatters etc. Still working it all out. I'm going to make the pages for standard printers so 8.5" x 11" so anyone can print them out. My printer will do larger but I think I should stick with what most people have. Anyway, I have a lot more to do but they are coming along. Wabi-Sabi love. And that is my hand print on the right. A little bit of me in there. 

On my table today....stitching and painting on Japanese paper. Collage with tea bags and waxed handwoven fabric, some little tapestry weavings that I hope to use in a mixed media piece. Those are a series I'm working on.... working name is "Remnants" still figuring that all out. Some of this may end up in an art journal. That black discharge fabric is from my sash and I need to do more. I love that fabric but I have not found another black rayon that discharges this same wonderful creamy color. Still looking. I got that black in Savannah years ago when I was doing my grad studies at SCAD. Those were fun times. A great school. Only three days left in this challenge and then a bit of a break while I think about my next 30 day challenge. I have a long list of ideas for that. Here are some the ideas I have on my list. These are things that I want to work on more in a daily proactice.
1. 30 days of... Mark Making
2. Print Making
3. Encaustic
4. Book Making(bookarts)
5. Paper Making
6. Eco Dyeing 
That is my short list for now. I have many more on the list to think about.
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A couple more pics for you and I'm off to get dinner and get back to the studio tonight. Ta Ta Peeps.

Yesterday was a beautiful Sunday and I decided to take a break from the Studio and we went for a lovely country drive in the Pa. mountains. It was very relaxing and just what I needed to help me recharge my batteries. Hubby was driving so I could just relax and look out the window in a dreamy haze. I love doing that. I just let my mind go and observe nature. A walk in the park does the same thing for me. Probably even more so. The Japanese call it "Forest Bathing" 
Goggle says: Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, is simply spending time outdoors under the canopy of trees. In Japanese, “shinrin” means forest and “yoku” means bath, or immersing oneself in the forest and soaking in the atmosphere through the senses. 
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I recently saw a movie about trees and they had a segment on Forest Bathing. That was the first time I heard the term and I loved it. Does it count if your in the car in the mountains surrounded by trees with the window down, and your head hanging out like a dog with a big shit eating grin on your face? 
I think that might count. And speaking of counting. I'm counting down the days on this challenge and the days until Fall arrives. Then I will do a great deal of Forest Bathing in the Autumn leaves. Come on Autumn! So yesterday was a mental health day and today I'm hoping to get back to work with a refreshed feeling. Off to the studio I go and you don't even have to wait.....I'll be back with pics. 

Why is there a stick in this image? Good question. I have been picking up sticks for a really long time. I don't know why. I'm compelled to do it. I've always had hopes of finding a way to use them. Maybe for a handwoven wall hanging or maybe a book bound with a stick spine. Or maybe to carve a crochet hook....who knows. Well, at least I have a good stash of them so maybe something will come of it.
So on my work table today... some art journal pages, some drawing, stitching on a weaving sample maybe could become a bookmark etc. Some free motion stitching I think will become a journal cover. Still thinking... A little stitched pocket with a printed photo of wood from my outside table. In the pocket, a tea dyed recipe page, a seed pod, a little bit of linen. I thought that might be fun to put in a journal.
​These recipes are from an old southern country style cook book that is yummy. I don't cook from it anymore because it will make you fat! Or in my case fatter! But I still love to read the mouth watering recipes. So I thought I would dye a few pages and use them in journals. Ok it's time for dinner. I'm off. Later Peeps.  

Just playing....on my work table today. What will these become? Collage? Art Journal pages? Maybe a little of both? Not sure yet but I have a few ideas swimming around in my head. It's a nice quiet Saturday afternoon and it feels good to just play with my materials. Little bits and pieces, I'm all about that lately. Finding little scraps here and there; that is perfect for collage and art journals and it feels good knowing that I'm going to use some of these bits. The journey continues and I'm on my path. Really the goal is the path don't you think? Ok, just throwing that out there into the Abyss. Going back to my play for now. Ta Ta Peeps.

Day 22 I didn't get a post up because I was so busy with the Shop Update. Now that I have that done it's time to get back on track and finish up this challenge and get going on the next push for my shop. The Art Journals and Digital Papers are coming soon. So you will be seeing some work in progress on that front. Some stitching will be going on for sure. I'll be back with pics soon. 

I finished these two Tree Studies for the shop update. Painting with free motion stitching and hand stitching. With little bits of metallic stitching, it's very subtle but when the light hits it just right you can see a little bling. 

This lady may look familiar to you. She was a study that I started for a work called "The Messenger" that became a tapestry. In the tapestry there is a door and a crow also. Here I was working only on the lady and I decided to weave the image instead. Today I decided to finish this study and if all goes well she may make it to my shop but not this Thursday. Maybe next week. I'm working on a new way to present them without a Mat and frame. Fingers crossed that my idea works.  

Here is another that I've been working on. Not finished yet but I'm happy with her so far. 

This mixed media painting will be in the Shop Update, August 6th. Not a lot of stitching in this piece but just enough to do the trick. I'm very happy with the results. The tiny weaving was done with silk/wool warp and woven with paper text strips, wool, metallic thread, and a bit of tea over dye. The metallic gold is hard to capture in a straight on shot so I've shown it at an angle so you can see the bling.