Free Motion Embroidery

I checked out this awesome book on free motion embroidery at the library this week. Not only are the images in it amazing... my sewing machine is made to do this kind of stuff.... I decided I better get some of my money's worth out of my toy that cost more than alot of used cars.

Can you believe this ocean scene is made from thread??

It also has ways of making different trees, which I really love doing so I've set aside some time every day to practice some of these techniques. So far the only thing I've really learned is that it takes ALOT of thread to make them. I could see my little shoebox of thread I inherited from mom rapidly disappearing. So not being one to deny myself much of anything I really want.... I called Melissa to see if she had any thread left from the store closing. She did.... so I took some of my carefully guarded quilt money and splurged on every color of thread she had. Now for the fun part... organizing it all and breathing in all that beautiful color...

The first atc I tried making was an underwater scene. It took me all day but it was alot of fun. I traded it to Julie, from Texas, for one of her dragons and she even worked a tree into it. I just love accomodating people.

Rainbow Swap Done!

I finished up the final 6 cards to the rainbow swap. The hardest one for me to do was the indigo (Celtic Heart) It was difficult to show a design since the fabric was so dark. I ended up highlighting the heart with a white watercolor pencil.... it gave the darker shades of the fabric an almost bronzed look. Next I'm working on a series of trees... along with organizing my project room so I can get a new quilt in the works.... I've loved making the ATC's... they are quite addicting but I really miss the quilting.... I'm afraid I'll forget how and I won't progress the way I want to with them. Such delemias... have I mentioned how much I love my life?

S
"Purple Realm"

"Celtic Heart"

"Chameleon"

"Sparkle Clouds" I know I'm real original with the names.

"Yellow Vine"

"Rainbow Speak" Or I suppose it could be called "Rainbow Vomit"

Halloween-Art-A-Thon

This weekend was a frenzy of trading on IllustradedATC's. I'm not a big holiday person so it was a bit of a departure for me. I wasn't going to participate but then there was so much great art, I had to join in but only had time to make 3 cards. I'll know better next year, but I was very happy with my 3 trades and I met a few new people that we will do some trades down the road...

Mine - "Halloween Love" I added some tiny flowers on the grass and by the fence but forgot to take a picture of it. Traded for "A Perfect Stranger by Myrthe of the Netherlands.

"A Perfect Stranger"

Mine - "Touley's Owl" I knew she collected owls so I made this one just to see if she would ask me to trade. My experiment worked. :) She made me the Canadian Geese. They reminded me of the Geese that would fly overhead in Colorado, their songs trailing behind them. It always made me feel like all was well in the world.

"Anticipation of Spring"

Mine - "Hanging In There" traded to Margaret of Arizona. We have done a few trades before and it is always a treat to get one of her cards. All of her cards could be titled "Magic In The Air"

"Magic In The Air"