Krawczyk-inspired project

If the name Krawczyk is not familiar, let me introduce you to her. Lynn is a wonderful surface design artist and her work can be seen in magazines including Quilting Arts. I’ve been following her blog for quite a while now. Her major love is printing fabric with thermofax screens. She also will make them for you from your designs or you can purchase hers from her Etsy shop.

Last summer I won her blog giveaway of Print, Design, Compose, her Quilting Arts Workshop.

Print, Design Compose

I’ve watched it numerous times, but until a couple weeks ago that’s all I did. I’ve not had time to play with her surface designs on this CD. However, one of the sections of the video includes her way of using fabric that she has designed. That’s just what I needed – a push to use some of my fabric.

So I took these two gelatin printed fabric from this post

gelatin print

gelatin print

and a piece of my petroglyph-inspired rubbing plates fabric from this post.

rubbing plate fabric

Then I cut them up and put them together. I really had no idea whether they would look good together at all.

Fabric collage

Then I added some paint. In addition to the white dots, I pumped up the white of the rubbings and also added gold.

After adding paint

Now it was time to add some stitches. I really enjoyed hand stitching when I took that Craftsy online class “Stupendous Stitching” with Carol Ann Waugh.

I spent some time Sunday evening on the porch stitching. Here is some of the stitching on this piece.

Closeup of stitches

Here it is finished.

Completed collage

Now to mount. Since it is ironed onto felt, I don’t have to finish the edges – Yeah!  I painted the canvas to match the turquoise in the piece. I’ve not yet glued it down to the canvas but this gives you an idea of what it will look like.

Almost finished project

I’m real happy with the results. I’m going to make two more from similar fabric so I’ll have a series – my first!

A big thank you to Lynn for inspiring me. Check out her blog for some inspiration. And if you are interested in thermofax screen printing, soy wax batik, and freezer paper stencils, check out her video. I am definitely interested in having her make me some thermofax screens when I can decide on my images.

It sure was fun to see this project come together. Stay tuned for the other two pieces in this series.

I’ve been craving chocolate for the last several months since I’m trying to stick to my new eating plan.

What you need for this recipe.

This is a real simple recipe. The first batch I mixed in the blender – what a mess and not needed for this small amount. The second batch was made just using a spoon and a bowl.

Mash the avocado. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix until all is blended. And here is what you get!

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

I know. My first reaction when I saw a similar recipe I thought Yuck! But it is so good. You can’t taste the avocado and it has a lovely texture. Since strawberries are in season, I added them to this treat.

Strawberries on top of pudding

We’ve also added avocado to our smoothies in the morning making them so thick and creamy. Yum!

Hope you are having a great Mother’s Day weekend!

22 inch asparagus

We have had a wonderful asparagus harvest this year. I have one more week to pick and then it’s time to put it to bed for the year.

The cherries are also turning. Now is the race to wait for the cherries to ripen and hurry out and pick them before the birds eat them all. I picked the first ripe ones.

first cherries

Meanwhile a few more irises have bloomed.

#21 rust-edged

The next two irises I’ve not seen before. The yellow flag I planted several years ago and it never bloomed until this year.

Yellow Flag

This one has also never bloomed and I think it is Orange Harvest but not sure. It’s a very pretty iris.

Orange Harvest

Looks like this will be another year with not very many irises blooming. Guess I’ll have to wait until next year to see some of my favorites!

Our new kitty Dusty has really become Puddin’s buddy. It’s taken awhile, but they are finally friends. I don’t think he knew how to play with other cats so she’s been showing him the ropes. He also has been playing with toys the other cats never liked.

This toy was in the garage. I brought it in to the house yesterday and Dusty had so much fun with it. He was moving so fast that I had a hard time getting him in focus.

Dusty and toy

Puddin saw how much fun he was having that she just had to check it (and him) out.

Puddin checking out Dusty and toy

That was the calm before the storm. Shortly after that picture was taken, he jumped on her and chased her around the livingroom. Then he settled back down with the toy.

Dusty and the toy

Later on I caught them hanging out next to each other in the cubes. These are hooked together and they both like to play in them.

Puddin and Dusty in cubes

I started jury duty last week so it may be a tad quiet on this end for this month. I have lots to share and more projects in my head, but they will have to wait until this is over. Have a wonderful what’s left of the weekend and a great week.