Something About Nothing

What happens when you carry Gelli plates and paint in your suitcase to your daughter's house? An improv art party!

On Friday I hosted one more make and take of wristlets. I like seeing what people will create when given the same materials. All the stops are always pulled out at Art and Soul! I only have a couple of shots of items at Vendor Night, but I made a video too.  And before I left town, my friend Nancy Raymond and I stopped at the Fabric Depot where they were having a giant warehouse sale. The line was just too long to buy anything but it was fun to look. The bridges in Portland are beautiful, even on a rainy day.  Goodbye Portland! Until next time!

This was my first trip to Portland and I loved the view of Oregon out the window as we flew in. I didn't realize Portland was so far from the mountains! During Opening Night at Art and Soul , I taught a make and take.  The ladies used my hand carved stamps, Gelli plates , and Artistic Artifacts Fluid Textile Paint to create their own wristlets to carry supplies in. Teresa created a lovely design we both loved. Lara decided to use the plate and stamps to decorate her tote bag too. Roxie found some faces which she felt represented her  and her friends to commemorate their time at the retreat. Ruth Chandler invited me to join her classes (and schlep stuff about for her since she was going to have back surgery the following week). I eagerly agreed to help! The first class was from her book " Modern Hand Stitching "  and we were creating a stitch sampler book. These beautiful trays of  Wonderfil Threads   mak...

I took a quick trip to Boston (Fenway Park) . . .  . . .to visit with my friend Cate (middle). . .  . . . and teach her how to carve stamps to use in Gelli printing. Cate had a great time carving her heart out, starting her own Stamp Book Project and printing on fabric with the newly carved stamps. And of course we used my favorite fabric paints from Artistic Artifacts. This is the heart stamp I carved and then added it to my Stamp Book Project.

Liz  and  Ruth  were scheduled to teach a few Take n' Teach classes before Market started on Sunday and Monday mornings and so we all piled in the truck and left at o-dark-thirty to live the dream! A couple of Liz' samples for the Sunday morning class. Sunday morning's class was making embroidery pins with wool from Valdani. I had the privilege of being minion (aka tagalong) and photographer for the class. Ruth and Liz have written several books on hand stitching and run The Thread Lab in Colorado. Ruth showing a student how to make a French knot. Ruth explaining a stitch to Libby Williamson Ruth Chandler's sample book from her Modern Hand Stitching book. Just a few of the beautiful pieces made by students in class. Monday morning's class was all about printing on Roc-lon Ava-lon, Osnaburg, Canvas and Multipurpose cloth fabric using mono-printing on gel plates with wooden printing blocks , s...