Experiments with "Citrasolve"

Last night I spent time my art space - above -the -washing -machine -and -next -to -the- back- door - playing with a technique I have read about in the Cloth Paper Scissors magazine which is published by Interweave. It is an American magazine but stuffed full of brilliant ideas and very inspiring. For some time I have been intending to have a go at paint the pages of an old National Georgraphic magazine with Citrasolve. It is a cleaning fluid which does not have harmful odours (apparently must be true as I am still here!) You soak the pages one by one with the substance and then leave it for 20 minutes while it goes to work on the print in the magazine. You rub the whole book and squeeze out excess liquid (it will be black) using kitchen paper. It is a bit of a messy business but I like messy so that's ok.

After the 20 -30 mins is up the pages come apart easily and they are beautiful, decorative swirls and gorgeous colours. They can be used for collage or scrapbooking when dry. I am thinking up lots of ways to use them. Above are just a couple of the pages I ended up with. I got loads!

Making Fabric Paper

Over the past couple of days I have tried Beryl Taylor's (Mixed Media Explorations) method of making fabric paper. I enjoy the process. Not sure if I have the right paint consistency yet. Beryl recommends diluting the paint and I think I may have underdone the diluting.I was keen to produce something inspired by the autumn colours in the leaves on the wall and the end of my garden but I am not sure that it has come out quite right. I am not displeased with the piece but it lacks the crimson look I was after! I spread a little bit of gesso on with a paper towel because I wanted to lessen the orange and then used my finger to add some crimson rub-on metallic. You can just about see the printed paper beneath which was added before the tissue paper.

I also am a fan of pale blues and pinks - I am a bit girli! Used wrapping paper beneath the tissue, on top of the fabric and am quite pleased with the results especially since I then put silver rub onto the raised creased parts. Next will be the experiments under the sewing machine.

Autumn Walls

I am planning to experiment with a fabric paper quilt using the pink and blue fabric paper I think.

Autumn!

I love this photo of pumpkins taken during a visit to New England in the fall! Our American cousins really know how to celebrate the time of year...there is so much colour displayed in the shape of fruits and flowers.

Autumn is possibly my favourite time of year. I love the chill misty mornings and the leaf colours on my garden wall! It inspires me every year. I have gathered some arty supplies and hope to spend some time creating something to celebrate my faviourite season!

Monoprinting Experiments

I fell in love with the little kiwi!

I have been experimenting with monoprinting for my assignments for my on line course with Design Matters, run by Linda & Laura Kemshall. I used some motifs from my recent rip to New Zealand to draw into thick acrylic paint on perspex, using the end of a paint brush.

....and here is the popular fern shape. Ferns are everywhere and give a very lush and green carpet to the landscape.

I drew the shape and then placed paper gently over the perspex sheet. Slight pressure with a sponge roller, then peeled up from a corner - then here was my drawing. I then proceeded to use up the paint with other prints and finally when it was almost all gone, I got this....

I have been very pleased with my results so far...might try it with fabric and thickened procion

dyes?

New Zealand was brilliant!

Arrived back in UK on Monday 24th after nearly three weeks away in New Zealand.Abeautiful country and that was only the North Island. Staying with our son and daughter in law in Auckland we hired a car and went off exploring on our own. It is coming up for winter there but we still had mostly sunny weather apart from a couple of days torrential rain. I took photos to use in my Creative Sketchbooks course and also to use in creating art quilts and journals. I kept a journal whilst there and collected all sorts of things to add to it with my Pritt stick! Photo at right taken whilst visiting the geothermal park near Rotorua. The chemicals make the water in the lakes lots of different colours. We visited Waitangi in the Bay of Islands where the Treaty between the Maori tribes and the europeans was signed in 1840. Beautiful place and glorious views of the sea.

The time spent with our family was lovely. Lots of reading stories and playing trains or cars with our grandson Ben and playing with baby Amalie who was 1 year old whilst we were there.

It was good to see our son and pray with him after his motor bike accident and see how he is improving. We enjoyed the countryside and also spent a day in Auckland, which probably was not enough! Day or two before we returned home Matt and Claire took us up the Sky Tower and we had a meal in the revolving restaurant. The night time view of Auckland was amazing!

Now that I am back I am concentrating on art quilts, Creative Sketchbooks and the garden.

Looking forward to all that the summer has to offer.....let's hope there is some sunshine in store!

Retired...and off to New Zealand

Yes..it has finally happened....I retired last week and have spent a busy time this week preparing for a visit my husband and I are about to make to see our son and his family in Auckland. I expect to take lots of photos and bring back loads of ideas for art projects. Packing all over the spare room bed.....we are trying to pack sensibly and not take too much ...and I have been on the net tracking down fabric shops in Auckland and surrounding areas.

Back in February my son had a motor bike accident so I am eager to see how he is doing.He injured his foot and wrist and is just about on his feet now. Hard times for him and his wife but God has been great and their church (who had only known them a matter of weeks) were very supportive!