Moodboard Smood Bored

I've just completed a repeat pattern class over at Skillshare and one of the assignments was to create a moodboard.  So I did, and well while I did put some effort into the board using some of my original sketches and bunch of photos I had taken of vintage goodies from my studio...

For some reason when I just take the elements and lay them out onto my table... well they are more exciting.

I don't know about you but my grandmother's sewing basket contained all sorts of wonderful goodies, not just mending or traditional quilting.

Her sewing basket contained a mass of antique lace, sequins, beads, buttons, reclaimed strips of fabrics that were wound into large balls, impossibly tiny scissors that looked like birds, and so much more!

Yeah, my original mood board while well intentioned is just plain boring!

Waiting

... on gesso to dry, after this layer has dried I'll apply a final layer of gesso. 

WIP - What the Corn Knew

Many more layers will be applied this week.
Acrylic on Raised Panel Board

WIP - Encaustic

From last Wednesdays Ustream.  These are in need or more surface manipulation.

Encaustic Panels EVERYWHERE!

Encuastic Setup

Set up for working on two panels simultaneously.

To Frame or not to Frame

I’ve noticed a rush to stretch quilts around stretcher bars/frames of late and am seeing a good many of these go up for sale on etsy.com. Not all pieces are meant to be stretched, maybe it needs to be matted and framed, maybe the piece needs a shadow box, or MAYBE it actually needs a sleeve sewn to the back and hung on the wall like a traditional wall quilt.

What I am noticing is a bunch of quilts that have been stretched and it does more to detract from the piece than it does to help it. I remember my screenprinting professor, Tim McIllrath, coming unhinged at one student who stretched what “was” a lovely hand stitched screen printed piece, unfortunately it distorted the stitching – which is something I’m seeing in a lot of pieces, and when the student removed it from the frame the damage had been done and was fairly permanent.

When deciding how to finish a piece one must really step back from their baby and ask themselves does this piece stand on it’s own merits with or without a border/matt? How will stretching this piece affect/effect the stitching, pattern, piecing, embellishments, etc?

There is no easy answer to this dilemma expect to experiment with scraps, stitching techniques etc. this will give you your answer. It is, however, very disconcerting to see what would otherwise be a gorgeous piece stretched around stretcher bars and I suspect the artist doing so believes that the pieces will sell better in doing so – and this couldn’t be further from the truth especially if you are looking for collectors for your works.

Also sometimes a piece simply needs a large plexi frame, this would include the sides, expensive yes but your beloved creation may find a home much sooner in doing so.

Chopping Green Beans

Dh's hand is next to the knife blade so you can see where it is at. The knife is longer than the width of the box. For the frozen beans a serrated bread knife works best.

End view of the box the box holds about 4 gallons of fresh beans.

To simplify this process we use a green bean board! We bought frozen beans for

our soup, they came unsnapped so dh chopped them into bite sized pieces.