Oh...

yesterday, before class, peeking through the window...

 



there they were...

 



 

winter beauty.

Working on winter...

With frosty pictures nearby, I'm working on a winter collage today.

Frosty windows and wintry weeds.  Everything reminds me of The Center.

I have taped edges, so put mats around to see how it will look.

And another, beginning with the browns I see.

hmmm...

And feeling February with quilting, just starting to put squares together with a new quilt I'm sewing...

Brrrrrrr.....

Most art classes cancelled this week due to the frigid weather/dangerous roads, so here's Dan and Angel clearing our driveway on Sunday.

I guess that's my art for the week...snow pictures.

I made biscuits & gravy for breakfast and then they used those calories well...

They didn't quit until they were down to the bottom.

It' s been a good week to curl up on the couch and read and I have also been sewing on a new little quilt I'm making...that'll be next!

"Be happy, and a reason will come along."    
Robert Brault

this week's collages

Trying a painted background this week, I painted the taped down watercolor paper with acrylic, letting it completely dry, and then painting over it with a darker color and, while it is still wet, with a circular motion and a paper towel, rubbing off a desired amount of paint, leaving a lovely dark halo around the edges.  I used Payne's Gray mixed with White for the first coat and full-strength Payne's Gray for the second.

These backgrounds reminded me of the winter colors that I am seeing this freezy month.

For this one, I think I used Burnt Sienna and Payne's Gray.

Monday's class made the gesso'd tissue papers first and then on to trying out those backgrounds.

A coat of white gesso on Art Tissue Paper, using a soft rubber brayer, drying, and then a coat of acrylic on top of that, hitting, at time, the high points of the gesso'd paper, drying, and then another color of acrylic, controlling the pressure and again hitting the high points or places of your choice.

Like this!

 



Wednesday's class had all their papers ready to go and also tried the painted background as an additional choice.

Here, I have begun my collage with the painted background, a distressed paper window frame that I found and replaced the panes with the paper we made last week.  Again, I had used Arches Text Wove, black gesso, dry, white gesso and while wet lay saran wrap on top and with fingers create some pinches and lines in it, leave for about 20 minutes or so, and gently peel off while still wet.  Makes this frosty look.

Perfect for frosty window panes.

 



I have just started the trees in front with the masking tape paper that we also made last week.  Also using Arches Text Wove and applying raggedly ripped pieces of masking tape leaving paper show also, and then painting with acrylic washes.  I think it works well for trees and buildings.

Everyone seems to have an idea from the list of themes that I gave them and is ready to get started.

Barb's beautiful blue background creates a mysterious start.

 



Lora Lee very pretty snowy start using some white gesso'd bags.

 



Peggy had a beautiful idea in mind and worked on it during the week.  Almost done!

One last holiday treat...

My dear friend, JoAnn, (we're best friends for 58 years!)  left her Christmas decorations up for me to see and invited me over for lunch...

Three little trees in a row...this one so pretty with the Nativity below.

And "Bernie" slumbering on his favorite couch.  Isn't he the cutest?  What a fluff!

The Village

 



The Delicious Lunch:

Pasta Fajioli

Bruschetta

Did I tell you that she's from a wonderful Italian family?

opps...smile JoAnn (I forgot to tell her I was taking her picture)

 



Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

Coleslaw (her family's recipe made with sour cream)

 

Her geese, still dressed for the occasion.

A lovely time!

 



 

Then, feeling warm and fuzzy, home to work on my Valentine Party plans!

Books!

Last Saturday was Laura's Bookbinding Workshop in Naperville.  We were so excited to make this book and the Coptic Stitch.  I have done this stitch once or twice before, but if you don't continue to practice it, you lose it.

This time I am determined to learn and continue doing it.  I do journal all the time and am tired of buying plain ol' boring journals.  I want to do it from scratch!  I love journaling and everyone in the family knows, when they want to know when something happened, to ask Mom.  So first we collaged the covers with papers we brought.  I had ones that I already had prepared with polymer so I was ready to iron on!

It was a really nice group and everyone was very excited!  The morning hours were spent creating the designs on our covers and in the afternoon, we sewed. 

Laura did a wonderful job of explaining every step.

Mine and Marge's all done!  Yay!

Here is the bookbinding cradles that Laura's husband made for the class to mark their signatures easily.

And here are some of the finished ones.  Missed getting pictures of a few before some of the class left.

Everyone was so happy with their books...thank you, Laura for a wonderful and successful day!

Whenever I make a little book, I am always hesitant about writing in it.  You know, the "blank page" syndrome.  Well, I decided I was going to begin with this one the very next day after the workshop.  My current journal was at the end, and this would be the start of my new one.  Now to continue on and prepare another while the instructions are in my brain...