Friday, April 17, 2015

Gifted me by my friend Kathy, and a Friday smile

I had hoped to have pictures from Kathy's and my day together ready to show, but I have not had time to do that.  So sharing her birthday bash will have to wait a few days.  Right now, I'm taking care of two households, and time is not on my side.

Instead, I'll show you some things Kathy left me, and how I changed them into the front cover for one of my scrappy visual journals.

Several years ago, I joined Kathy for a gelatin printing session.  She had seen a technique on the cover of her Quilting Arts magazine that used round gelatin images that were sewn together in an artsy fashion.  After reading the article, she got it in her head she wanted to make the quilt.  So, she set out to make a gel plate that was round.  This was before Gelliarts came out with one of their own, of course.  She got as far as printing the images, then the circles sat for several years until she cleaned out her stash.  She forgot these the last time she came to see me, so I got them on Tuesday.

Since I'm still not quite ready to decorate my spoon jewelry, I decided to sew a bit.  I took six of the pieces she left me

and cut six hearts.

I cut six squares using my scissors, because I didn't want a precise square.

Next, I sewed the hearts to the squares and auditioned locations I wanted on my background fabric (which started life years ago as a pair of shorts I've deconstructed). Please be aware, I have no way to drop feed dogs on my sewing machine, so everything I do is hand guided.

I sewed the squares to the background, then tore the background to size.  My goal is to make several of these before the end of the month, in order to have them when I make and assemble several of my scrappy visual journals.

On my way to the office to upload my photos, I found this guy in the kitchen.  He looked almost scared and so old through the camera lens.  Of course, when I tried to center him in the viewfinder,

I realized there could never be any do-overs where Squiggles was concerned.  And since Squiggles always makes me smile, I'm sharing this with


This is Day 17 of 22, and I created a front for a scrappy visual journal from gifted fabric provided me by my friend Kathy.  I also got two photos of Squiggles that made me smile.

Thanks as always for visiting.  If I don't make it around for a few days, it's because I'm watching my friend Sally's house, and feeding her two cats, while doing the same at mine.  I've already had one catastrophe, where I found water leaking from her vanity.  I placed a bucket under the leak, because I couldn't find where it was leaking.  So much for being a good neighbor!

17 thoughtful remarks:

froebelsternchen said...

Fabulous idea .. love this heart pattern you came up with!
Squiggles is just beautiful!
Happy Friday Elizabeth!
xxx
Susi

voodoo vixen said...

Love what you have done with the geli prints from long ago and the hearts look lovely designed that way. Such a good photo of Squiggles... taking photos of Tom-Tom is easy peasy but Pandy... yep, like Squiggles you have the once time to get your shot!

Annie said...

I love the hearts sewing....another 100 or so like that and you could make a wonderful quilt ;-)
Squiggles is such a pretty cat....and to think there is another like that out there somewhere :-)
Hugs,
Annie x

Robyn Oliver said...

Hi Elizabeth....well so far your patchwork is fabulous...love all the recycled printed fabrics - looking forward to seeing more pages as you progress. Squiggles is a lot like my young Arthur. Have a great weekend Robyn

Nan G said...

Well Squiggles ya went and done it buddy! Nab the fancy of my other girl, Baby. She is all ga-ga over you. :)
BTW Elizabeth, love the hearts! Feed dogs or not that's better than I can sew. ;) the Girls and I are sending smiles and hugs to y'all.

Halle said...

Love what you did with the gelli print circles! Squiggles is really cute. He hasn't graduated to handsome yet like Bleubeard. :)

~*~Patty S said...

Beautiful hearts you made out of those gelli rounds E!
Squiggles makes me smile...he is such a handsome fella too.
You are a good friend and neighbor having a leak or some such catastrophe is the last thing you want on your watch or ever!
Happy beginning of the weekend to you and "the boys"...
oxo

massofhair said...

Your friend is very forward thinking Elizabeth! I do love the new round Gelli Plates, not sure if i can afford another one so waiting for a while. Kathy's colours are amazing and i am so glad she gifted them to you as i know you will use them very soon.

Must be difficult looking after two houses, take things easy! Bet Sally will be pleased you caught the leak early enough for it not to damage anything.

Squiggles is so cute, he is a gorgeous colour and takes a lovely picture ;-) xxx

Krisha said...

I really like how visually appealing the Geli prints became once you cut them into hearts.

I own 3 sewing machines and can not tell you how to drop the feeders.....LOL I much prefer your hand guided stitching anyway.

Looking forward to seeing those heart being used.

TwinkleToes2day said...

The prints are beautiful as they are but your transforming them into hearts and sewing them to a backing has made them gorgeous!!
Lucky you saw that pesky leak!
Squiggles has a beautiful face.
Have a lovely weekend {{Hugs}} x

Hettie said...

I love what you are doing with those gelli prints. Hearts are my favourite shape.
Gorgeous photos of Squiggles.
Hugs
xx

Craftymoose Crafts said...

Your heart and hearts are just lovely! I can drop the feed dogs on my machines and use that feature to do free motion quilting.

Squiggles has gorgeous golden eyes!

mamapez5 said...

Squiggles is beautiful! I like the heart pieces and the printed squares. I don´t even know what you mean about the machine but I am no sewer, so I leave that to those who do understand. I think you are a good friend to ´catch the drips´even if you haven´t fixed the problem. She´d have a much bigger problem to come home to if you hadn´t. Kate x

505whimsygirl said...

Love the hearts. The fabric gelli prints (old school) your friend made. The colors are great.
I can see why Squiggles would make you smile!!
Kay

johanna said...

wonderful Gelatine prints you were able to use for your hearts!! and i love the torn look of the patches ... nice photo of squiggles, actually i find it very hard to get a photo of my cat, he always turns his head away.

pearshapedcrafting said...

What fantastic fabric and I love what you have done! You are going to have some amazing covers for your journals! I adore the pics of Squiggles…Oh I do wish I could have another cat…sigh!!! Hugs to all, Chrisx

Dianne said...

ahh...the hearts are super duper wonderful! a quilty tradition and fun for any art project! that Squiggles kid is a cutie!