Sometimes I surprise myself

 I challenged myself with this landscape and managed to pull it off which came as somewhat of a surprise.  There were techniques and challenges but where there's a will there's a way.  What do you think?

'The Red Chair (Muskoka Tuberculosis Sanitarium)'

Measures approx. 22x29"

FOR SALE!

The original photo is this one by Michael Lalonde and used with his kind permission...

- THIS concept is intriguing.

- HERE is something you might like to try.

- And HERE is a rather clever idea.

- There are tons of really great tips HERE (some of which I intend to implement!)

Today's quote is from Rob Bell..."What every artist must learn is that even the failed pieces are essential"

There's been more

 Yes, more progress on the landscape, namely some areas have been quilted, others have had netting added to tone down some of the fabrics, and there's been a layer of Mod Podge and crumpled tissue paper highlighted with paint to create  the cement floor.

- THIS is one of those awwwww things.

- Have a look through the galleries of THIS artist!  And THIS one too!!

- THIS process intrigues me and if we still had a garden I'd be tempted.

- THIS made me laugh.

Today the quote is from Jon Acuff..."Be brave enough to be bad at something new"

Progress and another addition to the Christmas box

 First of all, these came off my knitting needles over the weekend...

Pattern is my generic one and the yarn was Paton's Kroy Socks FX in the geranium colourway.  Already added to the Christmas box.

And...I've made a good start at the current landscape as you can see from this...

- There are a number of ideas HERE for using lavender from your garden.  And have a peek at THIS (sorry, can't find the original creator, but I liked the idea anyway)

- I haven't shared an 'awwwww' lately, so how about THIS one?

- Have a peek through the gallery pages HERE.

- And the creations of THIS amazing artist too!

Today's quote...'There's really not a difficult thing unless you decide it's a difficult thing.  Otherwise, it's just the next thing you're figuring out"

Never let it be said....

 Yes, never let it be said that I don't attempt to challenge myself with each landscape I do.  This next one is definitely falling under the 'challenge' category!  

Photo used with the kind permission of
Michael Lalonde
( Talking Walls Photography )  

Stay tuned to watch the evolution of this one!

A little back-history to explain my interest in this particular subject... this photo was taken inside the Muskoka Sanitarium which was once a hospital used for victims of tuberculosis.  My mother was one of those patients and spent four years of her life starting when she was 18 as a resident there.  She was one of the lucky ones in that my grandparents were able to afford for her to be housed in the building itself.  Many others weren't so fortunate and were left to reside in tents on the grounds where many of them died from a combination of TB and exposure to the elements.  At the time pretty much all they had for treatment was fresh air, so the patients were required to sleep outside - winter and summer.  My mother often said she had to shovel herself out from under snow in the winter time.  If you are interested in reading more about the history of the building, read Michael's post HERE. 

This picture was taken of my Mom when she was a patient - taken in 1941...

- THIS link takes you to a ton of fun crocheted bookmarks that would be a great summer project.

- Of course you know I would be intrigued by THIS!

- Have a look through the gallery of THIS artist!

- THIS artist does interesting work as well.

Today's quote..."We live on a blue planet that circles around a ball of fire next to a moon that moves the sea, and you don't believe in miracles?"

Squirrel!!!

 Yes, I had a squirrel moment and I'm not the least bit ashamed.  Some of you might remember the tea towels I made to put in the Christmas box and from those I had some leftover fabric, just enough to make hot pads as an add-on to the original gift idea.  At least I used up the fabric AND pretty much put an end to the Insul-Bright I had too.  Win/win!

- Do you remember making pillows using THIS technique? I know my mother had several.

- Have a peek through the creations by THIS artist!

- And scroll down through the works by THIS artist too!

- Nann left a comment on my previous post pointing me to a fun YouTube video that discusses making crumb blocks (and her storage system is genius!).  Go HERE.  Thank you Nann!

- THIS is really pretty (I know it's labeled as 'winter' but I think it would be perfect for summer evenings too).

Today's quote..."I make art to show my soul that I am listening"

Who'd a thunk it

 You will have noticed a definite lack of crazy quilting here at Chez Magpie and that's by design.  After spending so many years doing projects for publication in the Crazy Quilt Quarterly magazine I think I was burnt out.  Even went so far as to get rid of a lot of my CQ stash in favour of fabrics more suited to landscapes.  Ebb and flow of life, I guess.  Well, there's a rumour that I might get asked to teach a workshop in the fall so I had to come up with a prototype.  Several years ago I taught making a hussif * but it takes two sessions to even come close to completing.  So my thoughts turned to doing the entire thing by machine and this cover for a hard-backed notebook is the result...

Front

Opened, to show the back

* if you don't know what a hussif is, check out the links in my sidebar.

- I think THIS process would be fun to attack those pesky fabrics scraps you have been saving for a rainy day.

- THIS is such a pretty pattern that would work in so many different sizes and yarns.

- Although the pattern isn't with THIS, I thought it was worth sharing anyway.

- I love the creativity of THIS artist.

Today the quote is from Caroline Myss..."Perfectionism is the fear of being criticized"

A completion

 Yes, I completed the latest landscape - never to be repeated again, at least not this way...

FOR SALE!

"ROADS NO LONGER TRAVELLED"
Based on this photo by Dale Stewart,
and used with his kind permission...

I liked the idea of using a map but (and here's the issue I had) I tried to use a paper map because I didn't have the capability of printing it onto fabric.  Methinks the copy shop would frown on trying to put fabric through their printer.  My search for a decent 'map' already on fabric didn't bear fruit so I attempted to change the 'hand' of the paper using different products I had in my stash, finally settling on Golden Soft Gel.  It left the paper feeling somewhat like plastic which wasn't the texture I hoped for.  My stash didn't yield anything else however so I went with it.  Lesson out of all this?  Don't do it again.

- Have a look at the amazing creations of THIS artist!  I can't imagine working with that many individual pieces of fabric!

- And the creations of THIS artist too (be sure to check her other galleries while you're there).

- I thought THIS article was quite interesting.

- THIS is a really cool idea!!  And HERE is something else you can do with the same material.

- I don't think I would wear any of THESE but they are definitely interesting to see.

The quote is by Paul Klee..."Art does not reproduce what we see.  It makes us see"

Poof!!!

 

Well, the grandiose idea of using map thought bubbles on the latest landscape evaporated due to sheer ugliness.  Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?  We won't mention the fact that it took me an entire day to come to realization that it looked just plain stooooopid.   It's now back to what you saw in my previous post and I'm struggling with quilting it now.

- Have a peek at THESE.

- And THESE are interesting (be sure to scroll down)

- The knitters among you might find that THIS is quite pretty (and would be a good stashbuster too).

- You know that THIS would catch my eye.

Today's quote.."Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by colour"

There's more

 I really wish I had kept track of how many hours have gone into the embroidery on this landscape, but if I had to hazard a guess I would say close to 40.  Am I obsessed much??!!!

Now, it comes to an executive decision and part of my 'experimentation' process that sometimes leads to dismal failure.  I initially had the map embiggened at the copy shop and thought I would use the paper version in my landscape.  What to do to change the 'hand' of the paper to make it softer.  Some experiments later, I decided that I'd use Soft Gel medium brushed over top.  It sort of worked but more on the side the sort of didn't.  I could use it, but stitching it was going to be a chore.  Another consideration would be how durable it would be over a period of years...would it change colour and yellow with time...or worse, turn hard?  A search through my stash has (wonder of wonders!) yielded a couple packages of T-Shirt Transfer paper by Avery which has led me to wonder if...big if....I could print the map onto that and then iron it onto the fabric to make it the texture I'm wanting.  Next ponderment would be how to join the pieces together because, of course, the transfer sheets are only 8 1/2x11".  Then my mind wandered over to wondering what it would look like if I simply went with that size and appliqued them willy nilly over top of a blue sky background....or maybe....what about using them as 'thought bubbles' of a sort, so that my working title for the project of 'The Roads No Longer Travelled' would reflect the old truck thinking about its past life.  Sometimes I really marvel at how my mind works (or doesn't!).  Stay tuned!

- THIS is something you might like to try making.

- You'd best have at least a loaf of bread crumbs to find your way back out of THESE resources.  If you click on the older issues, they're free and you can read to your heart's content.  So much inspiration!!!

- I'm being serenaded outside my window.  You can have a listen to a recording of what I'm enjoying by going HERE.  

- Seeing THIS sent me hareing off to look at my needles.  Hmmm....who knew? 

- Have a peek through THIS gallery of embroidery art!

Today your quote is from Pablo Picasso..."It takes a long time to become young"

A little glimpse

 Here is a teeny little glimpse of what I have been working on for several days now.  There are several more days before this part will be complete...

-  THIS would make great gifts!

- THESE wee birdies are definitely awwww-worthy.

- I hope THIS will work for you...talk about amazing!

- Some of THESE are quite incredible.

This quote made me smile..."Some people are so poor, all they have is money"

Just a stitchin' away

 Yes, stitching is happening but it's not at a point where I can share quite yet.  Serves me right for thinking that the current landscape needed embroidery.  I'm obsessed, I tell you.

So, instead of a photo of what I'm working on, you no doubt know what I shall do instead....

- THIS is a little sumthin' you might like to try making.

- I know at least one of my readers is playing with pin looms, so perhaps THIS might be of interest.

- HERE is another technique that would be fun to try.

- THIS proves you can recycle pretty much anything!

This oh-so-true meme was snagged from Boud's blog (thank you!)....

Somebody's feet

 Yes, somebody's feet will be warm this winter because these are headed for the Christmas box.  Sock recipe is the generic one I always use and the yarn is Paton's Kroy Sock yarn.

I had a fun Saturday spent teaching a landscape workshop for one of the local guilds.  I'm never quite sure when I go into these things whether I can instill even a small percentage of my passion for landscapes but they seemed happy enough to want to know if I would teach an intermediate workshop in the fall.  

- You might enjoy having a peek through THESE.

- Finally found a good use for vodka (heartily dislike the stuff)!  Go HERE.

- THIS is a technique some of you might like to play with.

- And THIS would be a fun thing to experiment with.

- THIS technique might appear in one of my landscapes at some point.

Today the quote is from Ray Bradbury..."So while our art cannot, as we wish it could, save us from war, privation, envy, greed, old age, or death, it can revitalize us amidst it all"

A beginning, sort of, maybe

 Remember I showed you a photo last time that I hoped to turn into a landscape?  And that I had a scheme in mind to attempt to use a road map?  Well, I've been putzing with that idea and this is what I have so far...

I had the copy shop embiggen the map and print it out at the 18x24" size.  But.  It was too white.  Too stark.  So, out came the tea bag** heated with a little bit of water and sponged on.  Still not quite aged enough to suit me so next up was a little bit of water and coffee, also sponged on.  Then...how to make it act as fabric?  Well, first of all I tried attaching it to fabric with HeatNBond but I was still afraid it would rip.  So...multiple tests were done using various potions I had in my stash with me ultimately settling on 'Golden Soft Gel' - two coats, applied in two directions.  There it sits.  Me...here I sit....contemplating the wisdom and the how of attempting to quilt it now.  

** Did you know....that Red Rose tea no longer uses bags that dye successfully for future use?  Instead they seem to be using some sort of plastic-y material that refuses to stay coloured.  Boo.  

- If you like aprons for yourself, or want to make them for gifts, there's lots HERE to choose from.

- THIS is a really pretty shawl pattern.

- THIS was created as a cosmetic bag but I can see all sorts of other uses too.

- I think THIS would be fun to try.

- Once more I have a little tidbit that proves you never know what you'll find when you visit with me...go HERE to see what I'm talking about.  I didn't know such inserts existed and I can think of several other ways to use them.

Today your quote is from Nelson Mandela..."Our world is not divided by race, color, gender, or religion.  Our world is divided into wise people and fools.  And fools divide themselves by race, color, gender, or religion"

You knew it, didn't you

 I'm sure you're not the least bit surprised that another landscape is underway.  This time I'm using this photo by Dale Stewart (and used with his always kind permission)...

I have the hare-brained idea that I can incorporate a road map in to the design.  Stay tuned to see if that thought will bear fruition or whether it might be a total flop.   Right now it's pretty much 50/50.

- You might want to give THIS technique a try.

- THIS looks like a useful bag you could make.  And there's THIS one too.

- The creations by THIS artist are interesting.

Today's quote is from Abraham Lincoln..."Discipline is choosing between what you want now, and what you want most"

Done!!

 

 'The Witch House'

(near Dollard, Saskatchewan)

measures approx. 27x29"

FOR SALE!   SOLD!!

based primarily on this photo by
Dale Stewart (and used with his kind permission)
as well as photos by Michael Trueman and Glen Bowe

- I rather wish I could sit in a corner and take notes when THIS artist is creating!  Be sure to check out her eco-prints HERE as well.

- THESE are cute and would be easy to make...perhaps attach them to a 'pick' and plant them in your flower pots?

- THIS artist takes pintucks to a whole 'nother level!

- Although  THIS was originally geared towards Christmas, I don't see why it wouldn't be pretty hanging in a window any time of the year. OR maybe THIS take on it would be fun too.

Today the quote is from Teresa Funke...."Putting our art out there is one of the biggest risks we can take.  It's a special kind of vulnerability.  It takes guts to be an artist"

mmm, mmm, good!

 

Resident Chef made this and I can attest that it's delish!  Thought I'd share in case any of you would like to try it.

GINGER PORK/CHICKEN STIR FRY

2 lb. pork, chicken or beef, sliced thinly
Sauce:
2 T. veg. oil                             1 c. fine chopped onion
1 ½ c. chopped green and/or red peppers
1 ½ c. grated carrots
_____________
12 T. white vinegar       1 c. brown sugar, packed
4 T. soy sauce               4 T. ketchup
1 tsp. ground ginger     1 tsp. garlic powder
_________________
8 tsp. cornstarch          4 T. water
________________
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
200 grams (approx) Udon or Rice noodles - cooked
        Heat oil and stir fry onion, peppers & carrots til
soft.  Add next 6 ingredients.  Mix cornstarch & water;
 add & stir til thickened. Heat 2 T. oil & add pork strips.
 Stir fry til no longer pink.  Add mushrooms & sauce.

- The quilters among you might enjoy seeing some interviews of the winners at the Quilt Week Show at Paducah.  Go HERE.  

- And, better get those bread crumbs ready for when you visit all the free patterns to be found HERE!

- Sometimes you just never know when a tidbit of information just might be the very thing you need to know as THIS will likely attest (and yet another example of you not quite knowing what to expect here!).

- Although I don't often work with paper, I thought THESE would be a fun project.

- Must admit THIS is beyond my abilities but I know some of you enjoy spinning so perhaps you'd like to give it a try.

Today's quote is from John Bunyan..."You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you"

A close up

 I've been wanting to attempt this sort of technique on one of my landscapes and decided that the time is now.  I didn't know if I could pull it off but I'm quite pleased.  The original photo I'm working from for the landscape shows a field of autumn grasses in the foreground and I didn't want to spend the days/hours/ weeks?? of time it would take to embroider them individually.  This consists of bits of hand dyed cheesecloth and various other fabrics of unknown origin and some teeny bits of tatted edging that had frayed to the point of being unusable for anything else.  What do you think??

I tried to do a video but it doesn't want to load, so
you'll have to see it this way instead.

- Perhaps you'd like to try THIS?  As a little side note, I saw an idea for using a splatter screen from the dollar store instead of the frame they call for in this post.  I'm all for cheap supplies!

- I think THESE would make a really pretty 'curtain' in a window.

- Have a peek through the gallery of THIS artist!

- THIS is a cute little project you might like to try.

 I thought I might point you to a really interesting post about the actual Witch's House in Saskatchewan....go HERE.  And now, perhaps you can see that I have quilted the sky area with a vague nod to a trapunto technique for some of the clouds...

Over the weekend Resident Chef appeared in my sewing room doorway bearing this...

Sourdough Cheese bread!
Yum!

- I must admit my jaw was dropping as I scrolled through the work of THIS incredible artist!!  AND, when you get to the bottom of the first page, click through to the next one...and the next one.  

- THIS might be a fun technique to try.

- HERE is another take on doing a temperature quilt.

- I enjoyed seeing THESE.

Today's quote..."Worry is a conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change.  Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things He can change"

Maybe now?

 Maybe now you can see the progress on the Witch's House?....

- Have a peek through the portfolios of THIS artist - very creative.  And if you want to read more about her work go HERE.  

- If there's a bridal shower in your future, perhaps making the bride one of THESE would be a perfect gift OR you could change the colours and make it for yourself (maybe to carry your phone).  You could also make THIS to go with the bag.

- HERE is another artist you might like to visit.

- HERE's a technique you might like to play with.

This quote made me smile..."Today I completed a chore I'd been putting off for six months.  It took 15 minutes.  I will learn nothing from this"

A lovely surprise!

 These pretties arrived from #2 son and daughter-in-love for Mother's Day....

I'm blessed!!!

- THIS would be a fun project to create for your summertime decor.

- Please walk to your kitchen and obtain a loaf of bread.  You will need LOTS of crumbs to find your way back out of THESE!  There are pages of them!

- THIS sounds intriguing and we all know the raw materials are plentiful this time of year!

- THIS is a pretty piece of clothing that would be relatively simple to make and would be perfect for an additional layer.

- And, just to prove that you never quite know what you will find here at Chez Magpie, how about trying THIS?

- Or maybe THIS?

Today's quote..."Not sure if I'm bad at sleeping or just really really really good at thinking"