Hodge Podge

Last year, many of you tuned in every Monday to see my 365 somethings, those 4 inch square collages I made every day for a year.  These things have languished for months and months while I tried to find a way to use a few of them in my art.  Today I have done just that.  I call it Hodge Podge for lack of a better title.

I'm joining three of my favorite challenges today.   I'm joining Erika, aka Bio Art Gal, our host this month at Art Journal Journey with her themes polka dots, stripes, plaids, and patterns.  I think I've got everything covered except plaids.

I'm also joining Try it on Tuesday, where their current theme is Boys/Girls/Children.

And finally, I'm joining Moo-Mania and More with their current theme Use a stamp.  Granted, you will find three squares I chose that have stamped images on them (two with matching butterflies and one with a lion), but I felt that would be cheating, so I added this collage butterfly stamp I used a few days ago that was gifted me by Valerie. 

I sewed everything together, but had a terrible time doing so. 

It was hard enough to position everything in place, but when I had to fight my thread breaking every few minutes, it was more than I could take.  I finally gave up and returned to the project the next day when I wasn't so frustrated.

This is my addition so I could join Try it on Tuesday.

And the random patterns, lines, and dots fulfill my Art Journal Journey commitment.

I rotated the page so you could see it from a different angle.

I started with a sheet of 12 X 12 inch (30,48 centimeter) card stock.  I measured the center lines and the centers from point to point.  When I found that center point, I sewed the first square (with the sentiment) in place.  Five squares were sewn whole to the substrate.  I then cut four squares in half (although I did a better job on some than others) and sewed them to the substrate using variegated thread.  When everything was in place, I glued the paper doll in place and stamped the butterfly three places using black pigment ink.

I can't say I had fun making this, because it came together better in my head than it did on paper.  However, even after the sewing problems, I was quite pleased with the final results.  Thanks for stopping by and seeing this journal entry I created for you today.  Also, please join Bleubeard and me at Art Journal Journey, Try it on Tuesday, and Moo-Mania and More, too.  Looks like I'm in under the wire on these fortnightly challenges.  And of course, I'm always grateful for you comments.