Janet's Fiber Artistry News

Piping, piping and more piping

2012-01-27T18:44:00.000-06:00

Still working on my black and white quilt. I'm excited about how it is turning out. I'm learning to do some things I haven't done before and practicing techniques I haven't done often. Piping is something I have done before but only a small amount. By the time I finish this quilt, I think I will be an expert. I did finish all the piping today. Here is a sneak peek.

Have a creative day
Janet

Black and White and Read all over

2012-01-25T14:58:00.001-06:00

I am working on my challenge for Minnesota Quilters. It's a fun challenge. I bought a bag at the show last June containing some black and white fabric and hidden inside was one marker. I have to use the two black and white fabrics I was given but also pink, which was the color of my marker. I can use plain black and plain white and other black and white fabrics along with the pink. I haven't used my two fabrics from the bag yet but here is the beginning of my wall hanging. Now to figure out what to do with it....hmmm.... Seriously, I know what I want to do, just not sure if I can figure out how.

The paper work needs to be turned in at the end of April, and the quilt needs to be turned in at the start of June. Yeah for me, getting something finished early is not how I normally roll.
Next I will work on my Words of Wisdom Quilt for Minnesota Contemporary Quilters. This also needs to be turned in the first week in June for the show! This is the new, organized me, at least with this part of my life. I have a long way to go with house work, but that doesn't really count does it?
" My laundry room

has the

LATEST

DIRT"
Have a Creative Day
Janet

Craftsy Block of the month, Traci Bautista continued...

2012-01-22T19:57:00.000-06:00

Have you found the Craftsy site yet? There is so much inspiration on this site from many creative people. There are also a number of classes you can take from Knitting to Quilting and everything in between. This month they started a block of the month class which lasts all year. The class is free so even if you only learn how to do one or two blocks you come out ahead. I think they are showing how to make two blocks each month. Here are my blocks for January. By the end of the year I'll have a new quilt! The instructions are in video format as well as a print version. The video is great and you can post any questions you have as well as talk to others taking the same class. There is even a spot to write notes to yourself while you are watching the video. I'm very impressed with the format and I have to admit I am a class junky on the internet.

Asterisk

Wonky Pound Sign

I posted about the journal pages I created from the class taught by Traci Bautista (you can preview the class through youtube link). She is the free art class on the Strathmore Online Workshops site this month. These instructions are also in video with a printable list of supplies. You can ask questions and have your own page to post photos. I really had fun creating doodles using her techniques and wanted to try it on fabric as well. Here is the beginning of my layers of paint, markers, paintsticks etc. on fabric.

I missed a photo of the second layer but I also have a few close ups of some of the doodles emerging from underneath.

(bottom left corner)

Have a Creative Day

Janet

Journal Doodles

2012-01-17T16:59:00.000-06:00

I finished my visioning board. It was kind of a fun exercise and definitely made me think a little more about where I want to go this next year. Things like this are geared to be individual so I won't show you my board. I would like to share the saying at the center of the board.

"Though no one can go back and make a Brand-New Start, anyone can start from now and make a Brand-New Ending." by writer Carl Bard

So here is to the start of a Brand-New Ending. Should be a fun year.

I've been working on my journal for the year. These two pages are for the month of January. I will have one small square for each day, just like a calendar (the squares will be glued on top). This journal is to keep track of my creative pursuits. Today was spent, painting the pages. This is my interpretation of Tracy Bautista's work. Here is her book Doodles Unleashed. Tomorrow I'm hoping to try the same thing on fabric. I'd like to get some india ink which is what Traci uses for her black lines. It really seems to pop more than the marker I used.

The next project is a challenge for Minnesota Quilters. I bought a bag of black and white fabric at the show last June. In the middle of the fabric was a marker. For the challenge I can use black and white and hot pink(the color of my marker). Here is what they gave me.

Here are some things I've been collecting since the show.

Should be a little like a zentangle.

Have a Creative Day

Janet

It's a New Year! I'm taking New Classes!

2012-01-12T16:03:00.002-06:00

Inspiration!

Am I a little behind in posting this? Maybe. Maybe not. I have been busy lately but not with anything I can show at this point. This year as in past years, I resolved not to make any resolutions for the New Year. That doesn't mean I'm thinking I am perfect and don't need to make changes. Far from it! No, I have come to accept that I'm not perfect and I'm OK with that realization.

I do work on improving myself daily, I just don't try to make any huge, overnight, about face changes in my life. Change is a slow process for most of us. If I try to make a big change I set myself up for failure. So, I work on baby steps, every day of the year not just on New Year's day.

I joined Linda Matthews Creative Explorer's Club. This is a year long group. She is giving us tools and we decide whether or not they will helpful for us on our journeys. I'm really enjoying learning all that she has presented so far, can't wait to see what else she has in store for us.

Have a Creative Day

Janet

Even More December Daily Doodles

2011-12-26T22:10:00.013-06:00

I'm still a few 'doodles' behind but this gets me up to 18, I think.

Have a creative day
Janet

More December Daily Doodles

2011-12-13T18:12:00.010-06:00

Here are a few more of the little doodles I have been trying to do this month. The pages in my sketch book are only 3.5" x 5". These are tiny relaxing little moments in your day. Just clear your mind and let the pen flow.

Have a Creative Day
Janet

Postmark'd Art Song Titles

2011-12-12T14:06:00.012-06:00

I am a member of Postmark'd Art. This last round of trading I joined in the group trading postcards based on a song. Mine was for the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", I made it with my embellisher.

Here are the post cards I received in return. Such a fun exchange! It's like getting small pieces of art in the mail.

"Here Comes the Sun" created by Suzanna in California

"Autumn Leaves" created by Lynn in VA

"If I Could Save Time in a Bottle" created by Maureen in Australia

"Jingle Bells" created by Deb in Minnesota

"By the Light of the Silvery Moon" created by Laurie in Connecticut

"The Little Nash Rambler" created by Sarah in Maine

Have a creative day
Janet

Landscape challenge

2011-12-09T20:21:00.005-06:00

The Val Hearder Landscape yahoo group is having a challenge. Val sent each of us a piece of fabric to use for our landscape. The only requirement was to use colored pencils somewhere in the piece. I tend to use my colored pencils mostly on paper so this was new for me. Here is the fabric we were each given.

It is just amazing to me that we all started with the same piece and yet they all look very different. The fabric was about 8 inches by maybe 15 inches. I didn't use the entire piece. My finished piece including the borders is 12" x 9.5". I had some trouble getting the pencil to show as dark as I wanted so I also used pentel dye sticks for a little of the color.

It looked like a scene I would enjoy so I added the chair, don't you just want to sit back, relax and watch the sun rise. (Especially when it is 10 degrees outside here colder with the wind chill) I can feel the heat of the sun right now, I can dream right?
Have a creative day
Janet

December Daily Doodle

2011-12-08T18:41:00.010-06:00

Donna Kallner is a fiber artist, teacher and writer. I was fortunate enough to take a class she taught at the Textile Center in St Paul, Minnesota a few years ago. If you ever get the opportunity she is a great teacher.
I've been following her work through her blogs and now on facebook, (does that sound a little creepy). She has fun ideas. Right now she is doing December daily doodle. Once a day she is making a doodle on a 3 x 5 index card. So, this isn't a huge commitment. It's almost a type of meditation to doodle away for a few minutes at a time.
Here are the doodles I have finished so far this month.

Have a creative day
Janet

Christmas ATC's

2011-12-05T09:42:00.004-06:00

I've been busy lately, several projects in the works. The first is Christmas ATC's. Many people think of ATC's as strictly mixed media, paper, paint etc. Mine are stitched, cloth and beads for embellishment. I really liked this postcard I made last year.

So, I decided to try to shrink it. Postcards are four inches by six inches. Artist Trading Cards are two and a half inches by three and a half inches. I made ten of these and they are now traveling to five countries. I've already received two in the mail, once I get more I will post photos.

Have a creative day
Janet

New techniques

2011-11-12T15:44:00.011-06:00

Isn't it fun to try something outside of your own box! I did that this week. It all started with a piece of paper fabric I created when playing at my friend Kathy's house. Here is the piece I made sometime last winter.

I wasn't sure what to do with it, or if maybe it had already served it's purpose. It gave me time to create with my friends.

I was looking at some of Beryl Taylor's work. She likes to use grids. The paper fabric seemed to speak to me, telling me it would be a perfect background fabric for a grid. She also does some work with metal, which is fascinating to me. Not sure what the draw is but I really like to work with metal. The grid was cut from some light weight blue metal. I sewed it to the fabric paper with a piece of felt to cushion and protect my sewing machine. The fiskars punch was a perfect way to create flowers in two different colors.

The paper fabric grid seemed to end up looking like a basket to me, so a basket of flowers was born. It's all about the experiments with this project so I decided to use a stretched canvas to pull it all together. I added some of my modeling paste and some beaded gel, some paint too and strategically hand sewed all of my parts to the canvas. Now it needs a name. Maybe a leaf or two as well. I'm just letting it hang out while I decide if it is finished.

Have a creative day
Janet

In Remembrance

2011-11-11T16:11:00.005-06:00

November's theme for the ATC's is "in Remembrance". I finished my card today so I thought I would share it to thank those of you whom I can't thank personally. I know I have many people in my own family to thank for all of the freedom I have today. In loving memory, I thank my dad(Air Force) and Harvey(Navy) (WWII) and Dick(Air Force) (Korea). I thank my brother John, cousin Doug and his son Mike who were all members of the National Guard. My brother Jim(Navy) and sister Judy(Army) for their service in Vietnam, I know you never received the proper thank you, you deserved. My brother-in-law Joe(Air Force) and nephew Mike(Marines) for their multiple tours in Iraq. I hope I am not missing someone, but know that you are all in my heart today as well as the hearts and minds of a grateful nation.

My ATC is a miniature version of Van Gogh's "Field with Poppies." I filled in the field with tiny red beads for the poppies and I added a little frame to make it more like his work of art. In America we use the poppy more for our Memorial Day in May. Many of the people in my group are from other countries. The organizer is from England and today is Remembrance Day in England and Canada as well I believe. Here it is called Veterans Day and we are thankful to all veterans for their current or past duties.

"The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month marks the signing of the Armistice, on 11th November 1918, to signal the end of World War One."

Have a creative day
Janet

October ATC

2011-11-07T14:04:00.004-06:00

I am in an ATC (Artist trading card 2.5" x 3.5") exchange group in Stitchtalk. We exchange 1:1 each month. There are about 10 of us in the group and we are spread across the globe. So fun to receive a little package from England. For October I decided to try something I hadn't done for awhile. I made mine using needle punch. I have to admit I had forgotten how to thread the special needle used in this technique. It's amazing what you can find online though, and I easily found video's, patterns and more. Since it is fall here and Halloween is in October, I went with a pumpkin design for the needle punch and some Halloween fabric for the back.

Here is the lovely ATC I received from Mandy in England. She used silk ribbon embroidery which I just love but have never tried. It is called Autumn Blush. Might have to try this myself soon.

The suggested November theme is Remembrance or Veterans Day. I'm thinking thread painting might be a good choice for this month. I need to start thinking about December too. We are sending to everyone in December, so something that can be done in quantity, yet still show how much I appreciate each of these little treasures.
Have a Creative Day
Janet

New Show--The Palm Tree challenge

2011-11-06T07:16:00.012-06:00

My small group, The Rosie Quilter's, had a challenge to create a quilt based on a photo of a palm tree. We each started with the same photo and created our own version of what we saw in the photo. Our quilts are now hanging at Woodbury City Hall for the month of November. There is something very exciting about seeing your work hanging in a public place. I feel fortunate that we were able to have this opportunity. Here is a mini tour of our show.

First, the original photo we all used for our work.

Here are the individual works.(remember if you click on the photo, it will enlarge)

Zannah Martin

Kathy Tuominen

Melissa Nellis

Janet Hovde

Stephanie Forsyth

Nancy Wick

Janet Hartje

These are the photos taken at City Hall.

It was fun to do this challenge. What should we try next? Our small group is a spin off group from Minnesota Contemporary Quilters. Judy Lewis is also a member of our group but was unable to do this challenge, maybe the next time Judy?
Have a creative day
Janet

Lucky Day!

2011-10-13T09:17:00.005-05:00

Fall in Minnesota

Lately I have been having some good luck! I won a blog draw prize from Belinda Spiwak and she sent some fun extras, I received an ATC from Charlie in England along with some bonus prizes, and I won first place in a photo contest.

Belinda Spiwak is the moderator of the mixed media friends yahoo group. She taught at Create in Chicago, and has been published in numerous magazines. After Create Chicago she had a series of giveaways on her blog. I won three stencils from Crafter's Worshop which are wonderful. If that wasn't enough she also sent me one of her Halloween themed ATC's and some additional cut out's I can use with future projects. I made my technique book from an exchange in this group, the altered altoid tin purse and fabric paper are two other creations from being involved in this group. These are photos of my prizes.

I am also a member of Stitchtalk, not as active as many people but I have joined the ATC group. We have a one on one exchange each month. If you don't know ATC stands for Artist Trading Card, they are only 2.5" x 3.5." So far I have sent and received three cards. September's card came from England. Charlie sent a wonderful representation of her part of the world and I feel as if I just went on a virtual trip to the Peak District. The little cookbook she included has a number of pictures of the area. The postcard is a photo near where she lives, she said she likes to walk her dog in this area. Isn't it gorgeous! The red strip is a leather embossed bookmark. And the tiny stitched English Cottage is just amazing work. Thanks Charlie, I love it. Here are some photos of my bounty. I guess I will need to start a new slideshow for my ATC's. My October card will travel to Australia so I hope to finish it today and get it in the mail, it has a long way to travel.

My third lucky project was winning first place in the pets category for a local photo contest. Although maybe it is more persistence than luck. I have been entering this contest off and on for about 11 years. My son has a pet hedgehog. Not your typical pet, I know. He told me he was going to be watching her for a friend who was going on vacation. About ten days later I asked him when his friend was coming home. Well, the red flags went up when he kind of hedged the answer with a mumbled reply of "Not sure." Turns out his friend no longer wanted the hedgehog and he thought I would fall in love with her and not mind. She is kind of cute. I told him as long as he took care of her completely he could keep it. He does ask me to watch Boom(that's her name) while he cleans the habitat. Most of the time I just hold her with a towel on my lap. It was a beautiful day so he decided to let Boom walk around on our patio behind the house while he cleaned the hedgehog home. I came out to keep an eye on her because she can move really fast on the exercise wheel. She didn't go far in the yard, it was a pretty new experience for her. I brought my camera and caught quite a few shots. Last night at the City Council meeting I received a certificate from the mayor along with a $50 gift certificate to Axel's of Prestwick(a local restaurant). Boom's photo was in the city newsletter (October 2011) I received yesterday and may be published in the monthly city magazine(October, 2011). She is famous! This isn't the photo I won the contest with but I thought you might like to see a photo of "Boom."

Have a creative day.
Janet

Embellished Songs

2011-09-17T19:56:00.004-05:00

I've started my postcards for a group exchange. In Postmark'd Art I signed up for a group making postcards that fit a song title. I originally thought I would make them for "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." But, my son looked at it and said perfect timing "The Lion King" is coming out in 3D soon. I only did one so far and have six to go, seven if I want one for myself. Maybe by the time I finish all of them I will have made up my mind, or come up with another lion inspired song.

I started with a blank piece of felt. I added cream colored roving for the cheeks and chin.

Next I added black for the mouth, nose and eyes.

I mixed a few colors together for the face to give it a little more dimension and to try to define the nose. Finally I used yarn for the mane. It was fun, I'm going to have to pull my embellisher out more often.

Have a creative day
Janet

Artist Trading Card

2011-09-16T15:52:00.000-05:00

I finished my ATC (Artist Trading Card) for the September exchange. Hopefully it will arrive on time, this one is traveling to the UK. This exchange is through the stitchtalk online community. I'm 'meeting' some very wonderful people on this site.

I'm trying to extend summer by making a card which brings to mind flowers and water. The fabric I used for the background has always made me think of Monet's garden. It's a flowery color wash.

I worked on this card at our small group meeting for Minnesota Quilter's earlier this week. I asked the others to help me come up with a name for the card. Nancy's first thought was that it brings to mind Monet's garden (Great minds think alike!). So, I said "Monet's garden if he had worked with beads." It seemed a little cumbersome for such a small card. June came to the rescue, suggesting "Monet's beaded garden." Much better! I could fit that on the back of my card.

Monet's beaded garden

Artist trading cards are only 2.5" x3.5." The front of the card is an example of your work and the back has your name, the title of the work and the date you completed it. You just slip it in an envelope and send it in the mail. Very fun to work on such a small scale.

The photo at the top of the page and the second photo I took last summer at a local garden show. They were a little of my inspiration for this card.

Have a creative day

Janet

Pat on the back, new ATC

2011-08-28T17:55:00.007-05:00

I have exciting news. Judy Coates Perez posted a photo of my technique book on her blog. It's always fun to get a pat on the back from someone. I love her work so knowing she liked something I made is very much a compliment.

I went to our city's celebration today. Lot's of businesses have booths, a few craft people, some restaurants, and of course there was a parade and carnival rides. Sometimes you can get good coupons from the business people if there is something you want to buy. There aren't as many craft people as there used to be. Kind of expensive to set up a booth and even harder to sell enough to make it worth while. It's tough to find a place to sell our work that doesn't eat up all the profits. I did buy a tiny purse that someone had for sell. I needed something for change. It isn't homemade but it is very cute.

I also received an ATC in the mail. I sent one in return but forgot to take a photo before I mailed it. Darn! I hate it when I do that. Isn't this cute! The little knitted part can be removed from the ATC and worn as a pin. Very clever.
My husband and I have been doing lot's of walking in the parks lately. That is where I took the butterfly photo. I've been getting quite a few nature shots. We have been blessed with beautiful weather.
Have a creative day
Janet

Technique Book Cover Art

2011-08-18T14:18:00.007-05:00

Some time ago I posted about a mixed media exchange. I received about 40 half sheets of paper, each with a different technique for surface design, each completed by a different person. I wanted to put them all together in a book so I would be able to find them when needed. Each of the pages has directions on the back of the page detailing the steps to replicate their beautiful work.
I took a class taught by Judy Coates Perez at the Minnesota Quilt Show and decided that was the technique that would make a perfect cover for this book. I made the cover art soon after the show in June. Summer gets so busy with travel, yard work, getting sick (bummer!) but I did finally finish my book cover.

I didn't want to leave the edges of the metal exposed, because knowing me I would have cut myself at some point. I used to make fabric frames, so the front of my book is basically a frame. I used leftover fabric from a couch I re-covered, it's a faux leather. I think it looks really good with the metal. Now I need to start experimenting with some of the techniques in the book.

Have a creative day
Janet

ATC's and rusty stuff, MCQ quilt for show

2011-07-25T11:18:00.011-05:00

I finished my first ATC (Artist Trading Card). It was really fun to make. I thought I took some photos as I was making it to show the process but I guess that was only in my mind. Next time, I will. Picture a simple flat piece of copper, 2.5" x 3.5". That is where it all began. It was shaped, painted, backed and stitched. Above is the card I sent and below is the card I received. I love the one I received it is called Behind the Garden Fence.

Here are a few photos of my rust dyed fabric from the hot humid days we had last week. I love this one. I know I could never make one exactly like this and that is one of the things I appreciate the most about rust dyed fabric.
This next one was hand dyed before I added the rust.
And a simple washer can add a cool touch of dimension to your fabric.

I don't think I ever posted a photo of my quilt for the Minnesota Contemporary Quilters challenge. This years theme was Twin Cities on the bias. We were supposed to show something about the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, St Paul) that shows our bias for one or the other. I created a map of the two cities and printed on fabric some photos of a few of the more notable buildings in the area. The only building with color is the photo of the Textile Center. That is my bias in the Twin Cities area.
Have a Creative Day
Janet

High humidity! It's good for...

2011-07-19T11:16:00.008-05:00

When I woke up today the humidity was over 90%. Not a fun day outside unless...you are a tropical plant. The hibiscus on my deck is loving the heat and humidity. It has more blooms than I have ever seen on it's little branches. Just gorgeous to look at from my air conditioned house.

It is also perfect weather for rust dyeing fabric. I dug through my stash and found some fabric that was dyed and some fresh new white fabric, some silk and some cotton. It is all wrapped in plastic on my driveway right now. Do you think my neighbors wonder about me? The answer is, Yes! Now I am hoping it doesn't rain before it has time to leave an impression.

I have two different grates, some rail road spikes, an old pan, a popcorn popper (the metal kind you would use in a fireplace), and a few nails and washers. Don't know what I will use these fabrics for in the future but I couldn't pass up the chance to make something.

Now it's time to do some inside art while I cool off a little. The 'feels like' temperature is 101, not my favorite time of the year. I need to make an artist trading card for an exchange. I plan to make something with metal to practice what I learned in my class at the Minnesota Quilt Show.

Have a creative day!
Janet

Playing with mixed media

2011-06-23T13:57:00.006-05:00

Awhile ago I joined a Mixed Media group. An exchange was initiated in the group to make altered paper. I made around forty half sheets of paper, all with the same technique. I sent my papers through the mail along with my return envelope and received forty different half sheets in return. Each of the sheets includes how-to instructions on the back. They are each a work of art! So many talented people out there, I can't wait to try all of these techniques. I'm planning to try some of them on fabric as well as paper.

Last week at the Minnesota Quilt Show I took a class called Heavy Metal Play Day, taught by Judy Coates Perez. It was a lot of fun, an entire day playing with designs on pieces of metal. I decided to use her techniques to make a cover for all of my altered paper techniques. It isn't quite finished yet but I just started yesterday. I need to buy some inks to add some color, and finish adding some texture to the background of the picture.

I had a wonderful time at the Minnesota Quilt Show, took three full days of classes. I've only taken one class before and that was four years ago. I am almost ashamed to admit I have never been to any show but the Minnesota Quilt Show. I haven't been quilting long, so four years ago was the first show I went to and that was only for one day, half of which was taken up with a class. Last year I went to the MQ show in St Cloud Minnesota but only for about half a day. That was a quick run through and see as many quilts as I could manage. This year I ran down between morning and afternoon classes to see all the quilts. Amazing work! This show is completely run by volunteers and they do an extraordinary job. Next year, I plan to do my part and volunteer for one or two spots. I have several big shows in mind to try to attend in the future. I think the AQS show in Des Moines would be good for a first big show.
Have a creative day
Janet

Encaustic Wax

2011-06-08T08:57:00.012-05:00

I have been absent for almost two months but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy creating. Just the opposite is true. Lately I've been working on my house and yard, weeding flower gardens, planting new flowers, painting our deck and adding a few new shrubs. So nice to be outside after a long, cold, extremely snowy winter. I went away for a quilt retreat with Minnesota Contemporary Quilter's one weekend in May. I will have to show you photos of what I worked on while I was there. I went to visit my mom a time or two. One of the visits we celebrated her 93rd birthday! We managed to get 19 of us together at her nursing home for the party.

In between all of those things I finished my quilts for the Minnesota Quilt Show and a challenge quilt for my small group. I have my first solo show at the the City Hall in my town. It's exciting to see my work hanging up in this beautiful space and is inspiring me to do more and make it better.

One of the fun experiments I have done lately is play with encaustic wax. It is very fun and you really can't make anything that looks bad because you can re-melt the wax and change it until you like it. I like the landscape images I can create with the wax. I just like landscapes, and to find a new way to create them is exciting. About a year ago I bought a video and tools to learn how to work with this medium. But, it sat, and sat and sat on my shelf. I kept saying that I was going to get to that project but kept pushing it back.

At our March SAQA meeting we talked about goal setting. My example goal that I wanted to accomplish was to pull out that video and play. I guess writing it down as a goal is what it took. The next week I pulled it out and played for an entire afternoon.

Here are some photos from that day. I have since taken one of the landscapes scanned it into my computer, printed it on fabric and quilted it for the SAQA exhibit at the MQ show.

Here are my rolling hills
These are a little higher peaks

These are higher and more distant

This one is a sunset on a canvas, I like the metallic wax!
This is one of my son's favorites. It looks a little like dracula's castle, way up on the hill.
The video I have was created by Michael Blossom, I had so much fun I just bought another book by him to take my landscape to another level. Can't wait to play again, this time I will pencil it in my calendar in the near future.
Have a creative day
Janet

Mixed Media and Postcards

2011-04-17T18:44:00.009-05:00

My postcards for the Irish Patchwork Society are finished. I will get those off in the mail tomorrow so they are sure to arrive long before the end of May, which is the deadline. You still have time to make one or two and get them sent. They will be in two shows in Ireland and than sold to raise money for breast cancer research.

I made three postcards in loving memory of my mother-in-law who had cancer three times. I also made them for my Aunt Alice Marion(who inspired my crafting), my cousins, Suellen and Beth, my father-in-law, and my friend Joni. For the survivors and for the memories left behind, love you all.

I also made 40-5 x 8 sheets of altered cardstock for the mixed media group I joined. There are approximately 40 people in this exchange. We each chose a technique for altering our own cardstock. We send our sheets to one wonderful person who will put one of each persons in an envelope and send it back to us. Each of the sheets has an explanation on the back explaining the process used. I'm excited because this is very new to me and now I will have a wealth of information at my fingertips. With visuals!

I stamped my paper randomly to add some depth to the background. Next I put a wash of acrylic paint on the paper. While it was still wet I sprinkled rock salt on the paper. The rock salt absorbs some of the pigment creating some interesting little shapes on the paper. Let the paper dry thoroughly and than remove the salt. I've used rock salt on fabric before too but not for a long time, have to try that again.

Have a creative day
Janet