Sylvia's Simple Shots

The tomato plant which my sister brought back at the end of June is producing fruit.  My Mom used to order seeds in February, start plants inside in April and put plants in the garden late May and got results in July to September.  That takes patience.

I did keep it watered and with good sun from the east for long enough each day I got tomatoes. There are still some to come.  Better results than the place downtown.

The marigolds are doing well too!

Very happy! 

I finished this book recently.  A Vintage Affair bye Isabel Wolff.

Phoebe has opened a vintage dress shop filled with wonderful dresses, coats, handbags, and much more.

She gets a call from Mrs. Therese Bell a french woman who is interested in selling some of her vintage clothes. They meet at the elderly lady's home and spend time going through the treasures. There is a blue coat though that is off limits and not for sale.

Emma is Phoebe's best friend who has recently passed away under very difficult circumstances. 

There are 4 men - A remarried father, Guy the ex, Miles the older man with a spoilt 16 year old daughter and Dan the color blind newspaper reporter.

The story has WWII backstory which I loved.  It all turns out well but not with a few curves.  Wonderful story!

With the help of my aunt's husband the shelf I prepared was installed this week.  

It helped to get stuff off the floor and put away instead of in the way.

It is all light stuff up there - coolers, plastic bags, the canner, and some paint boxes.

The brackets are from IKEA - Krokshult which I really love.  The shelf is smooth knotty pine from HomeDepot. I did have to put about a foot off the end.  I sanded it by hand and was really happy with the final result.

I attended the Allied Arts Council's Open Art Competetion reception on Friday night.

There are over 100 pieces of art in this and on the walls of the Spruce Grove Art Gallery. 

Wonderful evening - seeing fellow artists, good food, and good conversations.

The best part was having the awards in the Black Box Theatre where everyone could see the winning art, the artists receiving their prizes and all seated and comfortable.  What a great idea!  The theatre holds 175 and it was very nearly full. Great support for art and creators.

I did not have art in any shows this year due to renovation at the old place due to flood, listing and selling my place down town, buying a new place in the west, renovation the new place before I could move in, packing and moving, and then unpacking into a smaller place.

I brought the last of the moving boxes to the ReUse center this week!  Yeah.  It felt really good.

I found a cobalt blue plant pot at ReUse this week.  What an amazing find. No damage as far as chips or cracks.  

The inside and outside have evidence of the surface being affected by sitting in some kind of liquid.  That is near the bottom.

Not sure which plant will be placed in it but what a great addition to the living room.

I found a small cobalt blue votive holder which will be added to the couple I already own.  They will look great with candles inside.

I purchased a new to me shower curtain this week because the lace one has yet to show up from packing boxes despite there is very little left.  There are several missing pieces still.

I am sure they will show up but I was tired of seeing the bathroom looking unfinished so I bought one I could live with long term so the other one not appear.  I have been living with just the liner for months.

Beautiful green foliage at the bottom with embroidered butterflies stitching on going up the curtain. Very transparent so does not darken the showering space at all.

Five dollars well spent.

Cards - I Win - Glitter Butterflies

I made a few more cards for the I Win charity today.

I used some glitter paper I made a while ago in tones of blues with some green and purple for the butterflies.

I chose Stampin Up Gorgeous Grape card stock in the A2 size as a base.

I embossed a mint green layer of heavy paper with a leaf folder which I adhered to the card front.

I added a die cut butterfly made with the SU Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die. I added a black cotton thread antennae then mounted it with 3D foam tape.

I added a SU Modern Label greeting adhered with 3D foam tape and a white quarter sheet insert.

Another Gorgeous Grape card base.

The mint green layer was embossed with a SU floral folder.

I mounted the die cut butterfly with it's thread antennae with 3D foam tape.

A SU Small Oval punchie greeting adhered with 3D foam tape.

A white insert was added.

They are pressing overnight.

For this set of cards I chose a Taken with Teal card stock and cut it in half to create two A2 card bases.  Scored at 4.25 inches and folded in half.

I chose a sheet of designer pape from the Adventure Bound small sheet pad. Love the subtle pattern.

I added a wide coordination ribbon from my stash. It has silver metallic thread along the edges. 

I added a silver ribbon for antennae on the butterfly and mounted it with 3D foam tape.

The greeting is a Modern Label punchie in silver foil with a Word Window greeting layered onto it.  White quarter sheet insert.

I made this card in the wide (landscape) orientation.  

Used the same wide silver and blue ribbon from my stash.

I mounted the butterfly cut with the Beautiful Butterflies die with 3D foam tape once I added it silver ribbon antennae.

Punched another SU Modern Label punchie from silver foil card stock.  The is reflection of my shirt.  Added a Word Window greeting.

White insert and I was done.

Cards - I Win - Acetate Butterflies

I make some cards for the I Win charity.

 I was at ReUse Center yesterday and found a 12x12" sheet of acetate with pink butterflies on it.

I cut the sheet into 4 pieces I could use. The one corner had butterflies too big for my A2 cards.

Then I dug in my stash to find paintable 12x12 card stock.  I used some of my alcohol inks to stain the paper in 4 different colors.

On this card I chose a scallop patterned paintable card stock and added green alcohol ink diluted with rubbing alcohol applied with a sponge.

I mounted the acetate and green paper to the Kiwi Kiss card base.  Greeting and white insert was added.

For this card I chose a heavy 110lb white card base.

I trimmed the acetate to be a bit smaller than the purple paintable card stock layer.  These are held together with black tiny brads. Then this layer was adhered to the card base with double sided tape.

I added a SU Word Window punchie greeting in black to coordinate with the brads.  It is mounted to the acetate with 3D foam tape.

A white insert was added.

Love this one!

The A2 card base is SU Crushed Curry.

I added a paintable card stock layer which has script on it.  It has been painted with yellow alcohol ink diluted with rubbing alcohol and applied with a sponge.

The paintable layer and the acetate had held together with yellow mini brads in each corner.  This is adhered with double sided tape.

I added a SU Word Window punchie greeting in pink.

A white insert and we are good do go.

I will press these over night.

The card base for this cards is Stampin Up Taken with Teal.  

The paintable layer has a script pattern. It was colored with alcohol ink diluted with rubbing alchol and applied with a sponge.

I attached the acetate and the blue painted layer with white tiny brads in each corner.   This was then adhered to the card base with double sided tape.

I added a blue SU Word Window punchie greeting in the top left hand corner.  It is attached with 3D foam tape.

A white insert and we are good to go.

Inktober 2024 - 15 Be Free

Inktober 2024 Challenge

15 - Be Free

Micron Black Marker on Mixed Media 154lb paper with Watercolor.

I created a textured background that worked out well.

Three different butterflies, some with defined parts and the last one is just dropped watercolor into it.  That one worked out really well.

Sewing Project - Book Sleeve - Butterflies

I decided to jump right in and try again to make a book sleeve.  I chose this beautiful butterfly fabric given to me by a fellow quilter. Used the same light blue cotton poly for lining.

I had changed my mind but my mind had a mind of it's own and I ended up with another book cover instead of a sleeve so I added side panels again.  I had just enough fabric.

I added a pocket on the inside.  I did add a pocket made with the lining fabric but it end up upside down in the side seam.  Pretty useless. 

It has handles and an elastic button closure as the earlier one did.

I did quilt a piece of flannelette which is an inch smaller than the outside fabric to provide some padding but not bulk up the seams.

The finishes size of the book sleeve:

11 inches wide

9 inches tall

2 inches deep

handles 8.25 inches long

One of the handles was twisted so I had to take it apart, turn it and sew it back in but it will not be as strong as they others.

I probably should have waited for the sun to rise into a new day before I tried again.
 
I spent some time this morning trying to define what my book sleeves will be like - size, padding, closure and handles.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

I visited the St. Albert Botanic Park with my aunt this week to see the peonies in full bloom.

Gorgeous big flowers in so many colors.

This is the third book in the Angelic Letters Series by Henry K. Ripplinger.  The Angel of Thanksgiving.

Henry and Julean are happy with their new daughter, a new home and Henry's new job.  He still cannot forget Jenny his first love.  Julean hears Henry talk to Jenny in his dreams at night and is troubled about it. 

Father Englemann has returned from the seminary and is as popular as he was as the grocery store owner.  He is now the parish priest still dispensing his lessons of love, forgiveness and thankfulness for all things.

Jenny accepts James' marriage proposal but puts the date far in the future hoping that Henry will be in touch.  Jenny and James eventually marry and Jenny has a son. She now lives on an estate with beautiful grounds and the flowers and nature and the gazebo are her solace. 

The angel her father commissioned before he passed eventually makes it's way to Jenny and is placed near the gazebo which brings her much comfort.

My aunt are just a few years apart in age and both celebrate our birthdays in June so we decided to treat ourselves to Delux Burgers - mushroom and sweet potato fries for lunch.  They were super delicious!

She had a pecan tart for dessert while I had a slice of tiramisu.  I saved the Nanaimo bar for supper.

The insects were a buzzing and flitting at the Botanic Park.  On the left is an Ashy Mining Bee - I had not seen a black and white bee before, the Ferris Ruddy Copper Butterfly just perched itself on the edge of the leaf for just a bit - I managed one shot, a Hoverfly on a pale purple Aster. 

It was a good week!

Watercolor Cards - Butterflies

I worked on more watercolor cards this week.

I needed a sympathy card and I have found that butterflies are a great symbol for that occasion.

I drew a basic butterfly outline that I will be able to use then adjust the shapes of the wings as I choose.

I again cut a long strip of 140lb water color paper and taped it to my desk.  I applied a light coat of color across the whole piece and let it dry.

Once dry, I cut it to 4" wide pieces then added my elements.

Here I have put the butterfly on the right and filled the wings with mostly lines.  I used a blue, yellow & green color scheme.  I added some color below the butterfly to make the bottom a bit darker which helps to ground the composition.

Once, dry I spattered a bit of blue and let that dry again. Trim the piece to it's final size and adhered it to a card base of Bordering Blue.

I created this butterfly with just lines in the wings put down with a Faber-Castell Ecco Pigment Black pen in size.4.

Painted with some pink, purples and blues.

Again, I added some additional color in the bottom left hand corner to ground the composition.  

A bit of purple spatter.

I believe the card base is Brilliant Blue.

Really loving the subtle colors in these cards.

I used my Lowe-Cornell watercolor palette.

The blue one will be mailed out today for a friend who lost her husband last week.  They have been married for over 70 years.

On this bulrush card I just lightly drew a rough composition with a pencil.  Started with my horizon line, added the sun, then the bulrushes.

I have a brown in this palette so I did not have to mix it but just darken it a bit.

I mixed a warm green for the bulrush leaves.

A warm golden yellow for the sun and some blue for the water.

I had to make decision about whether the bulrush stems were in front or behind the leaves.

Once dry I added a bit of yellow above and below the sun to have the sun glow.  This worked out very well this time.

Once trimmed I mounted it on a card base of Crushed Curry.

Each will get a blank quarter sheet insert and a white envelope.

Special Project - Thank You cards

 

I made some thank you cards for the friends and neighbours at Mom & Dad's apartment building.  They have been so good to them.  We planned some treats for them which I will deliver this week.

I started with the watercolor paper which I taped to glass then applied the color to the wet paper.   It was allowed to dry overnight which left it very flat.   I cut the circles with Spellbinder smooth circle thinlets - this one measures 3.25 inches.  I added a length of silver metallic embroidery thread.

I found a few simple images on line - birds, garden and butterflies.  I placed them on my light table and loosely traced them onto the watercolored circles with a black marker.  I added the border all the way around.

I cut pieces of white card stock which measured exactly what I needed then ran them in the BigShot with the Cuttlebug Thanks Words folder.  

I chose a card base that matched the colors in the ornament. I adhered the Thanks layer to the card base then used a black brad to attach the ornament to the card front.  This will allow the receiver to remove it and hanging it in a favorite place.

Decorative Magnets

I had fun a while back making liquid acrylic paint backgrounds using 4x6 photo paper. 

I lay drops of liquid acrylic color on a piece of glass, spritz it with water and then lay the photo paper on top.

It always creates wonderful colors in random patterns.

Great abstract art.

Almost always the ink is completed absorbed by the photo paper's front layer as it is meant to be.

This time I found some of the inks acted a little differently, in that some color lay on top of the surface instead of being absorbed.  It may be that I had took much liquid and it could not all be completely absorbed.

With Christmas just around the corner I have decided to make a few small gifts this year.

With these wonderful papers I chose to make decorative magnets.  Since it is photo paper I decided that I could easily print on it with the inkjet printer.  I set out find images and sayings I thought would be compelling.  I have used some sayings I gathered from the internet. I love the flip magnets which you turn over to indicate something.  Like the Clean/Dirty one for the dishwasher.  I have used some of  my Stampin Up digital sets as well.  Again, I had to keep my images and fonts to thin lines because ones with too much surface area did not absorb and stayed wet which was a bummer.  These will make great stocking stuffers.

Sympathy Card - Butterflies

I made this card for a family who lost their father and granddad to COVID19.  Very sad!

I started with a dark blue green card base.

I added a layer of warm toned designer paper - K&Company - Addison Swirl Collage which was adhered to the card front.

I added a piece of vellum on the left hand side, folded over on the top and bottom and adhered to the inside of the card with tape.

I cut butterflies with the Sizzix Winged Beauties thinlit set.  Large and medium are layered onto each other and adhered to the vellum.

I punched a Scallop Circle from the green card stock, a 1 3/8 inch circle from pink and an ivory 1 1/2 inch circle greeting in ivory.  These were layered then adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Photo Coaster to Gallery

I made a few more sets of photo coasters.

This set is called Beautiful Butterflies. 

I love the shadow captured on the fist one. 

I made a set of 4 of the same image of this magnificent Bison at Elk Island.

I called this set Majestic. 

It features Sunlit Mountains in Canmore, the Hoodoos in Drumheller, Niagara Falls and the large Oak Tree.

This set is called Winged Ones 2. 

The beautiful rust colored in the top left, gorgeous large Blue Morph, a lovely Red Lady Bug on a green/silver leaf and Bumble Bee on purple globe flower.

Apron - Cross Back - Blue Butterflies

Whew!

Another apron.  This one is cross back again with a beautiful Blue Butterflies and it is 100% cotton.  I bought this fabric so long ago I do not recall what it cost me.  I paired it with an aqua 100 % cotton.

I added a bit on the fold and quite a bit on the back edges.  It is almost 5 inches wider than the pattern when folded.  It provides a great cross over at the back when it is on. 

The patch pockets come from the armhole cut out and I added a bit of aqua to the slant edge of the pockets.  They were top stitched onto the front piece of the apron before assembly.  Two and half inches from center and 15 inches down from the top of the bib. 

The stitching I did on this one is just at the top edge of the back pieces straight across. I ironed it then sewed it from the back side where I could easily see the crease.  Then a line of stitching from the previous line, down by the edge of the pocket to the apron bottom edge.




I put the hanging loop on the front of the apron this time.  I think that works better.

 

Super happy with this one as well.

I am not sure how selling these will go.  I guess people will have to try them on to see how they fit and how long they etc.

I have to move on to other priorities as this has been a marathon sewing session.  I will make a few shirt aprons for sure.