January Review

Journaling

I am not very good at

Journaling.

I am good at making books to journal in, and I always start with good intentions, but I never seen to get very far. But I think I have finally figured out what works for me, thanks to the Duct Tape Journals and moving. First off, the Duct Tape Journals are made from junk mail etc., so it is hard to take them too seriously. Since the pages are removable I am not worried about messing up a page. If I do, I can just replace it. I have at least a dozen of them. And secondly, since I am moving, I am going through all my piles of stuff that I have saved for one reason or another, taking things off of my bulletin boards etc. So, I have just been sticking all that stuff in one or another of my Journals. I am not worried about chronological order; I don't care if there is a recipe next to a picture of a Grandchild; I don't have time to worry about writing anything profound next to a drawing. I always over-explain everything anyway. I have just been having a wonderful time. I suppose I am really making small scrapbooks? I don't actually care what they are called, I am just happy to find a way to use my books and they are fun to "read".

By the way, the one pictured above, is not a duct tape journal, but the heart stamps are in one. That was the other thing I had fun doing this weekend making heart stamps with fun foam. I buy packages of self stick Fun Foam at the dollar store, cut out the shapes and stick them to scraps of foam core.

Embroidery Class

Here are two sections from my embroidery class with
Karen Ruane
Since I am moving house, I am finding it all a little challenging
but I am doing my best to keep up.
It is often a toss up between packing a box or
doing another group of French Knots.
Guess what usually wins?

Tessie Tries To Take An Afternoon Nap

Poor Tessie. She wanted to take an afternoon nap, on the back of the sofa, on her green blanket. Her usual place. But what has happened? The sofa is gone and someone threw her blankets on top of a green chair full of books! Oh well.

Any port in a storm.

Isn't moving fun?

Sunday In Texas

It is a beautiful day in Texas.
Springlike actually.
Tessie and I took a break and went for a walk down the road.
I photographed several "feeders" that are gathered at the end of the road and
Tessie saw something to bark at.
 We both had a good time.

Give- Away Confusion

I think there may be some confusion about my Give-Away.

Above is a picture of a journal made from the cardboard from a box of dog bones,

duct tape, and scrap paper with a rubber band binding.

I am calling this a "Milk Bone Journal".

If you want to win one, please send me a comment

unless you have all ready done so!

If not, that's OK too.

I will love you anyway.

Be Happy

A new

Duct Tape journal

with fancy decoration on the cover.

 Also a new portfolio I made to hold the materials for more journals!

Breakfast At My House

Two Teenagers fight over some bread.

My bread.

No, it is my bread.

Meanwhile

Mom eats the bread.

Another Panel

8 x 8

I finally finished the third panel for the online embroidery class I am taking with
Karen Ruane.
This one took me awhile. Have you ever seen so many French Knots?
And I thought they were a good idea because?
Well, it is true that I like the way they look and I am glad I decided to do them.
As a side benefit, I have also gotten really good at making them!
At least that would be considered a plus in some circles.
Practise, Practise, Practise.

Meanwhile, I am also packing and moving into a new house.
Pack a box, do some embroidery, pack another box, do some more stitching
and more stitching and more stitching.
Opps. Forgot to pack another box!

A Slippery Slope

Is It Safe To Come Out?

Progress Update (including a Give-Away!)

If you are reading my blog, you might be curious about what happened to these projects:

I don't think I took a picture of this piece after it was stitched. If I did, I don't know what I did with it!

Water Under the Bridge

15x20

And then there is this:

Remember my "ripple" blanket? I bet you thought I stuffed it in the UFO box. It started out as a project to use up my $2 thrift store bag of yarn (the hot pink) and now I am buying yarn for it every time I turn around! Talk about false economy. It now measures 50" wide x40" long. I guess I will keep going until it is at least 60" long.

Maybe you remember this?

This is the multi-colored pencil roving I bought and then couldn't manage to spin. No matter what I tried, it constantly came apart. Finally I core spun it and the chain plied it. It was such a frustrating process that I am NOT in love with this yarn at the moment. Maybe later....

And then here is the piece that you have seen in the In Work portion of my blog page:

I wasn't happy with the center section, so I cut it out and added a piece of mono printed fabric instead. I am still not sure about it. What do you think?

And finally, for the comedy portion of this posting:

Right, another Milk Bone notebook. So here is what I think. I have never done a

"give-away" and I think it would be fun. So if you would like a Milk-Bone, duct tape notebook, write me a comment telling me why you like it and I will send them out to 3 randomly selected people. There I did it. That wasn't so hard!

Inverted Print

This is fun. Another gelatin monoprint from yesterday
only this time I inverted it.
Isn't it cool what you can do on the computer!
It looks like a piece of toast or the palm of my hand.

Gelatin Monoprint

Embroidery Class

12x13
This is the first of the pieces for the online embroidery class with
Karen Ruane.
It is not finished
only just started!
I think I am going to have a hard time keeping it clean!
Today it was on the table while I was gelatin printing.
I guess I like to live
dangerously...

Followers

If you are one of my small band of followers,
Thank You So Much
If you are not,
I would love to have you.
And, let me know you came to visit!
My door is always open.

Remembering December

Milk-Bone Notebook

I have made a couple of these Milk-Bone duct tape notebooks,

but this is the first one with Dog Tags!