Sunday, April 11, 2010

Altered Book Cover & Sunday Bits

At least 3 years ago I took a one night workshop to learn about altering books. I was able to get an old discarded book covered with black velvet and some images I made or found. The instructor showed us how to glue clumps of pages together to form one "page". I carved out a little niche in one of those clumps inside..love a niche! I just dug this up and reminds me that I have been interested in mixed media/altering books for a while. Must be the reason I am so enjoying the Book RR I am involved in with 4 other talented, creative women.
I have decided on the image I will use for Denise's nature inspired book. It is a thistle flower, at one of its growing stages.  I posted this pic a few posts ago. I printed out multiple images on a great canvas looking fabric sheet. I must check which manufacturer makes this sheet...it looks awesome! Not sure where I am going with this, but it is my start!

Yesterday I  sewed at Melissa's new place. I hemmed and enhanced some curtain panels for the living room/dining room and today made a cute two fabric valance for their kitchen window. I somehow got conned into making her little office/craft room's valance too! I have 2 coordinating pink/gray polka dot fabrics.....will look cool!

I had a guy come look at the upstairs to do what needs doing. Here are a few pics of the space as it is now.

That is the wall that will come down to open up a huge space for all my stuff!It is approximately 15' x 25'. I plan to paint the whole room a creamy white or a warm gray. Halogen lighting on a 12' coil is what I am hoping he can install. Various oriental-ish rugs will cover the floor. I am so anxious to claim this room!

I spent many hours today working on a CQ Purse for a contest on CQI. I signed up for this months ago and worked on it sporadically. It is due on the 15th...in 5 days! I was going to give it up but I hate to not do what I commit to, so I had at it today. I can't tell you what I did however. (I  hate that) and I can't show you where things are going since it is a contest. All I will say is it is undeniably mine!

I meet with my little art quilt group Tuesday. We need to gather & size  what we will be displaying at GoArt! in our show in July. I have almost 20 things so far! Of course most of them need finishing!

Quilt guild next Saturday. Janet Root, a very talented quilter, will be giving us a trunk show and a workshop after meeting for 20 of us lucky enough to have signed up for it. Liberated quilting. I love that!

I have learned:

  1. How to use the keypad on my phone while texting.....numbers, some exclamation marks & caps. I never realized I could use, for example, the "2" key for not just ABC but the 2 also! 
  2. Jalapeno potato chips are addictive. Like a drug. Really. 
  3. I am very intrigued by shibori methods of dying and discharging. I want to learn more. 
  4. Fiona (Vixen Banshee) is an escape artist! She  flew out the door yesterday. I remind you I live in a 55 MPH zone, which means cars often reach speeds of 75 MPH, so surviving a sprint across the road is  a gamble. I wish I had a video of me (minus the expletives!) of my chase. At one point I thought I could pounce on her. Literally. Grass stains on knee's and elbows. I ended up opening the door and she darted back in, leaving the cruel world behind! I hope she learned a lesson. I love that dang kitty!


6 comments:

Debbie said...

Your girl cave will be great when finished. And so glad kitty made it back safe!

Denise said...

Kathi, you new sewing room is going to be awesome, I can't wait to see how it all develops!
AND, The thistle flowers look intriguing.... :)

CarolynPhi said...

Your kitty is gorgeous!!! The matching eyes and coat are amazing! She looks as though she is the ruler of her domain...looking down on the world from her perch, and saying, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful!"
Big hugs!!!

CarolynPhi said...

Kathi, I am sooooo jealous of your new sewing room!!! LOL! It is going to be wonderful to have such a beautiful room to work in! I really love the floors, too!!!
I had no idea you were doing so much with your art books!!! WOW!!! I can't wait to get started on my cloth journals!

Elizabeth Braun said...

Wow! How lucky are you to have that as a future craft space! I'm really looking forward to getting a new place when we move home as we're going to get an extra room - ie a room to be a studio for me that will double as a guest room (ie the sofa bed will go in there and we'll get a new suite for the living room). Yippee!

NickiLee said...

WOW! You are going to have one big awesome room to play in - so excited for you!!!

Hey girlfriend, I'm pretty sure I know which purse is yours... you are right- it is so you! Awesome job!!!