Winter Night Rug

Winter Night Mat, 2012

Wool strips on linen backing, 10" x 9"
Private collection

I'm enrolled in Deanne Fitzpatrick's new online course, "Getting Wild with Style". This piece was created with a Van Gogh influence and my fascination with vast expanses and "big" skies. I love the color of snow on a moonlit night.  I might be standing in the darkened room in the farmhouse looking out the window.
The wool for the snow was dyed in a roll.  I sandwiched together different colors of wool, rolled them like a jelly roll, and tied it with string.  I put the roll in water in the dye pot with soap, put it on the stove, and let the colors bleed out of the pieces.  After a while, I added vinegar and the color reabsorbed.  I like the result, but I can't replicate it.

Pillow

Rug Hooked Pillow

Hand dyed wool, 14", 2012

This pillow is made from an old Karlkraft pattern that I bought on Ebay.  The pattern is the rooster with a plain background. Not wanting to hook the background in one color, I took my Sharpie and drew a landscape.  I used the colors from the bird in the background. 

I put the pillow together 4 days ago and already had to take it apart and repair "the cat" pulls.  Guess I'll have to put it away for now.

Penny Rug

Penny Rug

Hand dyed wool, 29" x 21 1/2"

Private collection

I completed this penny rug in a class at The Quilted Crow in Boxborough, MA with Diane Daniels.  This is her design and it is made with hand dyed wool. I cut each applique and basted it to the base fabric before doing the decorative stitches to attach the pieces. All the tongues are backed for a neat appearance. The back is covered with a pumpkin colored cotton.

Library Project

Library Doors

Micron pen on Strathmore bristol, 8.5" x 11"
Private collection

Our library is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2013.  I've been working on some illustrations for a coloring book.  This is one of the 17 illustrations I've done.

Barn Owl

Barn Owl, May 2012

Acrylic on canvas, 4" x 6"

ps. September 8, 2014.  The Barn Owl was entered in the 2014 Sterling Fair and received a first prize blue ribbon.

Negative Space

Trees, May 2012

Watercolor on Strathmore Bristol, 5" x 7"

After reading Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines by Linda Kemp, I thought I would try painting only the negative spaces.  So.... I didn't paint the trees.  I painted the spaces between the trees.  It was a fun exercise, one in warm colors, one cool.

Hooked Miniatures

Hooked Miniatures

Wool Strips on Linen, 2012
each 2 3/4" x 3 3/4"

These pieces began with the idea they would become hooked Artist Trading Cards.  However, when I designed the patterns, I didn't consider that the hooking would enlarge the design.  ATCs are supposed to be 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", so I decided to finish these as ornaments.  Each piece has a strip for hanging, a wool backing (to cover the backside of the hooking), and a strip around the edge to neaten the sides. The cat's eyes and nose and the crabs eyes are glass beads.