My background swap entries and Joseph's new "Buddy"

Our background swap on ABC is complete and I just had to make one final set last Friday. The top one is Staz-on and alcohol, a background technique I demoed a long time ago.

The next background is Tie Dye using dryer sheets. Looks like I never created a tutorial for that one, so you will need to click on the scan to enlarge and read how to make it. I added zig-zag stitching for decoration.

I demoed both these recently. In case you missed it, the top one is here, the bottom one here. Click to read the instructions or see the pieces in detail.

OK, you ask, why is there a DOG on Bleubeard's blog? And what does that have to do with art? Well, the answer is, my friend Joseph, who I spent 3 weeks with in California last year, and made an altered paint chip memorial book for, got a rescue dog on Friday who he named "Buddy." He sent me a photo via his I-phone of Buddy on the patio. I can tell because I spent a lot of time on that patio making art. He looks like such a cutey and Joseph is already head over heels for him, since he was all Joseph could talk about on the phone. Looks and sounds like Buddy has Joseph wrapped around his paw already! Incidentally, that's not a crown growing out of Buddy's head, but a water feature that sounds dreamy when plugged in.