EROSION BUNDLE

For those of you unfamiliar with THE EROSION BUNDLE PROJECT see this blog http://erosionbundles.blogspot.com/. Basically it is this:  "the idea is simple: create an artistic bundle made from materials of your own choosing and 'hang, bury, submerge or just place' the bundle in the elements. This collaboration is to be with the ultimate partner...MOTHER NATURE. (taken from the blog) Crazy you say, but oh so fun. For my bundle I chose silk and cotton fabrics, vintage book pages, dead leaves, rusted wires, tea leaves and coffee grounds. Wrapped it all up and buried it in my front garden. Only problem was we had the driest winter in probably ten years so I had to remember to go out and water it throughout the winter to get some chemical action going which didn't happen very often. So the pictures below show my results. I had the best results on the silk fabrics getting some rust action  and even a couple of leaf prints (see 2nd photo). I've decided I am going to start over, but use the same fabrics and some new fresh leaves and see what kind of natural dyeing action I get.  I plan to do lots of eco dyeing this summer so stay tuned. For now, taking a break till the end of the school year when my son graduates from high school.

May

Can't believe it is May. It has been snowing lightly off and on all day. But a big warmup is supposed to start tomorrow. Maybe this is the end of yucky cold weather for the foothills of Pikes Peak.

More coming this week.

BLUE WATERS

Here's my latest bracelet added to my Etsy shop:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/72166624/handstitched-fiber-art-bracelet-blue

HAPPY EASTER! Hope you have some blue waters to sit next to this holiday weekend.

SPRING COLOR AND TEXTURE

I've been spending a lot of time this week pouring over the art of two of my favorite artist. First is Judith Baker Montano, http://www.judithbakermontano.com/, who is well known for her crazy quilting. More recent works are beautiful landscapes that are heavily textured by the use of a variety of fabrics, threads, ribbons and adornments. Everytime I look at her work I want to go back to my first fiber love, embroidery. Carolyn Saxby is a recent favorite artist. Her work is also all about beauty and texture, but her art is a little more abstract. I anticipate each post of her blog. She has two, http://love-stitching-red.blogspot.com/ and http://carolysaxby.blogspot.com/. Her photography is lovely and her words even more special. I hope you will check out both of these artists.

A few nights ago I got the itch to stitch. Just wanted to practice some couching with different threads to see the different textural affects. Well before I knew it I had a little bit of a design going and couldn't stop. I limited myself to my two favorite spring colors, spring green and daffodil yellow, but some of the threads and yarn were variegated in color so added some nice contrast. Love doing this free form stitching--just letting my subconscious take me for a ride.

Enjoy your weekend!

Bracelets

I spent most of last week retaking pictures of all of my bracelets in my etsy shop. It got me to realize that I don't think I have ever blogged about how I started making them. So here's a little history on my bracelets:

Needle arts have been a part of my life as far back as I can remember. Embroidery, dressmaking , tailoring, quilting, beading and needle felting have all played a role in developing my creativity. With all of this stitching has come a hugh inventory of fabrics, beads, buttons, ribbons and fibers. My bracelets were born out of a desire to use up all the bits and pieces I have amassed over the years. Small lengths of silk ribbons became flowers, strands of fibers were intertwined with each other to create a base for embellishment with beads and buttons. These bracelets have taken on a life of their own. I now have people sending me their leftovers to use. The most fun has come with creating special bracelets for clients who wanted a keepsake created with cherished ribbons and yarns from their own collection. I hope that everyone who views my art can appreciate the fine detail work as well as the process of creating something out of what may appear to be destined for trash.

To see more of my bracelets visit my etsy shop at http://pdlugos.etsy.com/

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!

At last, daffodils blooming in my garden. Been waiting so long to see their happy faces. Spring has finally come to the Rocky Mountains.
                                                    
"Daffodils"
I wander'd lonely as a cloud
     that floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a  crowd,
    A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
   And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
   Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
   Out-did the sparkling waves in glee;
A poet could not  but be gay,
   In such a jocund company:
I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
   In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
   Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

               William Wordsworth

SPRING BREAK DAY 5

And on the fifth day I rested. Phew, it's been a busy week with all the journal making. Woke up tired so I decided I needed a rest, but wanted to do something creative. My old standby for when I'm feeling this way is to pull out my watercolors. Painting with watercolors makes me slow down. There is no rushing this. Have to let things dry thoroughly before proceeding on. I'm noticing the return of many of my favorite birds, so I decided to make them my subject. Here's number 1--warming up

Number 2--getting there

Number 3--Now I'm having fun. Looking forward to lots more painting this Spring and Summer.