Inktense pens and other tools

These are the Inktense pencils I wrote about in the previous post. These are easy to use. They work like the watercolor pencils when used with a wet brush to blend the colors together and smooth the hard lines. The difference is that these are not water colors but ink. Once dry they are permament. The dried ink without using heat setting didn't run once dry. You can draw out an entire work and go back to it later for finishing, But once it has been brushed/blended with water and dried there is no going back. In that respect is is very much like ink. You can also wet the pencil tip and use it for drawing a fine line like you would with a pen but be aware that when wet the sharpened tip will blunt quickly! I used these on fabric as well as paper with fine results on both.

These are the water soluble oil pastels I use. Made by Crayola ( yes the crayon people ). Inexpensive and available in different sized sets. Not as easy to use on fabric as fabric paints or the Inktense pencils. These need to be heat set and will sometimes still bleed out even after setting. I would only use these on work that will never see a washer! My favorite way of using these is to cover a small piece of waste fabric with color and then dip the color filled fabric into water and smoosh,stipple and otherwise work it into the piece I am working on. Kind of like using a sponge for printing - stamping work. Not to mention the 'waste' fabric is a wonderful work in and of itself! I also use these to highlight or shade an area of a work. You can use the pastel as is or by dabbing a stiff brush with the pastel. I do both. These will also work wonderfully well for rubbing on fabric over a textured surface like I did with this leaf.

Now for the answers to the frequent emailed questions I have gotten lately.

1.  Do you draw the designs yourself or use copy right free ones?

Answer - The work is all mine. From design concept to finished piece. I usually draw out the work and go from there.

2. Is that hand embroidery or machine embroidery?                    

  Answer- Hand embroidery. I love the slow process of working on a piece. It feels very intimate to me and I am sure that is why it is so hard to part with them once done.

3.Are any of these for sale and if so where?

Answer - I don't actively sell them but have considered it from time to time. I suppose the best answer to this one is to e mail me about a piece. I have sold some in the past this way .

If you have any other questions please feel free to e-mail me or comment here.As always I am very grateful to all who pop in to see whats up!!

garden bug

where does the time go!!!? I have not been idle. Working on three different pieces. The Cat Dreams is hanging on the wall while I try to figure out where it wants to go next. Sorry no photos yet..The wildflower pillow top is resting for a bit as I have picked up this one.

 This little bugger just wanted to be made. I used the Ink-tense pencils for the basic drawing and did a wash with them for the color. Originally I was just going to make this a simple quilted piece. But to my eyes it was just so plain. So, blah. I did a running stitch out line. Still pretty blah. Added the yellow triangles. and french knots. It was starting to get better. The flowers and vines happened when I was thinking about the garden and all the bugs that thrive there.

So here it is as it looks today. More to follow.

Playing Around with bits

While I was making Wiggly I thought that it was a good time to play.

using up scraps and pieces to make a fun nest and bird.

This bird is from Terry Grants' pattern with only a few changes.

(no legs and no separate beak fabric)

All told I made three. One is gone to another home.

these two live here happily.

Using up scraps has its drawbacks though. I ran out of rope for this basket so it is a bit smaller but the bird still fits nicely in the little nest.

And here is Wiggly 2. Still working out the kinks but I like this one better. Wiggly 3 should be the final prototype I hope! I call it Wiggly because when you hold it or move it all those little tabs flutter and the toy seems to wiggle!

Now I have toys on hand for the grandchild!

winters coming

hear it in the rustle of leaves 

feel it in the air

a sting against skin

                           

trees swaying in a wind dance

yesterdays mud wasp home blown down

laying in a heap of paper thin layers with the leaves

        a summers toil gone in a gust of wind                            

a lone leaf

blush of color

clinging to a barren branch

                             

             

shaken from the trees

the sky fills with birds

flocking before the long trek south

                                             night falls

                                            winds calm

                                           someone took a bite out of the moon tonight...