Ups and Downs

Today I had my heart set on seeing the red and white quilt show at the NY Armory after work. I scooted out the door at 5 sharp, having checked online for the hours of the exhibit, which was scheduled to be open until 7 pm. Well, apparently the online hours and the real hours were not the same; it closed at 5. I was allowed to peek in the door but not enter the exhibit room. It looked just like the photos I saw online, but darker. I did see a surprise exhibit: giant tulip sculptures up and down the center strip of park avenue. Here is the one right near the armory.

Organic Cave Hunters

For Lisa Lisa Lou's March ATC swap on Facebook, the theme was 'organic.' That covers a lot of bases, so I couldn't decide what to do...natural fabrics? earthy colors? collect wrappers from organic food and collage them? use flowing, gentle organic shapes? paint with natural dye, like beet juice?

Finally I decided to go the earth theme, earth route: I took an old fabric design that I made years ago of cave hunters and cattle. I printed it from my computer on a homespun type ecru rough-hewn cotton [I ironed freezer paper to the back of the fabric and cut it 8.5 x 11], added hand needlefelting in earth/rust colors at the top and bottom, and a small feather. I left the side edges rough [seemed more rustic] and did the stitching by hand.

Deco Blues

I made ATCs using one of the photos I snapped in the graybar building last week. I used a filter in photoshop to change the color, bumped up the contrast, and viola, an indigo deco image. I used torn strips of cotton indigo colors, arranged from light to dark, then put a little snippet of the indigo deco in the center.

Check out my group blog, artsinthecards.blogspot.com, for more indigo ATCs from a really great group of creative women.

Deco Bumblings

The other day I took a wrong turn coming out of the Grand Central subway station. I ended up in the basement corridors of some nearby building. I think it was the Graybar building, but am not entirely sure. I stood mesmerized by the deco artwork, snapping photos like a tourist with my iPhone. I haven't decided how to work these designs into my own artwork, but I am sure I will.

Little Bunny Artist

I cut up the needlefelting that I posted last week; here are the ATCs for my spring themed Roses on my Table groups trade. I hand blanket-stitched the edges and tacked the bunny on with tiny aqua seed beed. The center design is a vintage image...Mr. Bunny is busy painting his egg if you look closely.

Pretty Pretty Pretty

Maybe its that I am anxious for spring. Maybe I'm feeling my girly side. Whatever the reason, I've been using lots of pink lately. My two latest projects are for the groups Roses On My Table. I made a pinkish hand needlefelted piece, about 9"x12", then stitched over it in springy shades of lilac, aqua, pink and lime. I later cut it up into atcs and added a small vintage illustration of a bunny painting an egg. Really cute and sweet; I embellished it with little turquoise beads and hand blanket stitched the edges.

The pink floral pieces are art tags. The theme was floral for this trade, and what could be better for a textile designer than flowers? I used some of my own fabric, New York Roses. I underprinted a floral on cardstock, then modge-podged sections of my own rose print (available at spoonflower.com under edzellinni). I accented the floral with squiggles of gold dimensional paint, punched in pink grommets, and added pink satin ribbon and fuzzy fiber. I finished it with my own hand-rolled tyvek beads. [made from used fedex envelopes]