Morning Dew Drops

Memory Flag for Memorial Day

Celebrating with the Fleur de lis

 A special mention in honor of those who have died fighting for our freedom here in the United States of America as we celebrate this Memorial Day Weekend.   

  Broken jewels, tattered lace, music notes and letters written over time with three fleur de lis as in the flags of Acadiana and New Orleans.  

Faded and translated held together with running stitches and a bracelet mailed to a sweetheart.

  

  No matter where they were stationed many traveled the globe,

  

fought and died from WWI to Vietnam, the Middle East and maybe even all the way back to the American Revolution as mine.  

 Layered antique pieces, remnants of our loved ones

remembered for our freedom.

 

 A fleur de lis memory flag 

 In Honor ofMemorial Day!

(tutorial tips below) 

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An Interview Last May

Morning Dewdrops Interview at Artists in Blogland

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  Please leave a comment and let us know what you think of our interview, celebrations or Memorial Day

What have you been celebrating lately?

Blessings Terri

Tutorial Tips

I've previously talked about Lutradur, a spunbounded synthetic fabric.  I stamped the fleur de lis with acrylic paint, then I ironed on magenta foil.  I had fun burning/distressing  the Lutradur with my heat gun.  The acrylic paint acts as a mask, so the fabric will not burn in that area.

 I created a second layer when I printed music and lettering directly onto the Lutradur without a carrier sheet. 

The layers are white craft felt, the letter writing layer, the fleur de lis layer, some tattered lace and torn scrim.  Then the entire flag was covered with metallic pink organza.  Make sure enough of all the layers show through.

Then I took embroidery thread and hand-stitched the layers together.  I used basic running stitches.  I wanted it to look pieced, not well put together, tattered and old.  I took jewels from bracelets, earrings and a necklace and sewed those on.  I did a little decorative embroidery stitches in a chain stitch. I hung the flag from a broken necklace.

I kept my pallete for the flag muted with antique/old fabric scraps and used only two other colors, pale pink and purple.

I enjoyed the process and journey this little flag took me on.  I hope some of these ideas inspire you and take you on a journey too.

 

Artful Background Boards - Layering

All that Pillow Talk and Art Candy Inspiration we've shared

helps create interesting background layers.

 

 

These backgrounds are on canvas boards.

 

 

I like to work on several layer boards at a time, so when I am ready to paint I can just pull out a completed background board and start.

 

 

Some of this pattern will peek through, some will not.  

Be sure to take pictures  of your background boards before you draw or paint on them because they make GREAT copyright-free collage papers.  

Use them over and over in all sorts of ways, just print them out.

Blessings Terri

 

(I created these background boards from techniques I've used over & over, but some techniques/ideas were new & I learned them from Juliette Crane. Thanks Juliette!)

 

Soulful Molly - Art Journaling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love this art journal because it tells its own story

-- S  O  U  L !

 

 

 

 

I started sketching Molly Dolly concentrating on her face then her body.  I was going back to her arms, but was moved to complete her eyes and mouth - something I normally save for last. You know the expression "eyes are the windows of the soul" - her eyes immediately drew me in. 

I like the phrase, "...Molly Dolly touched my soul." because physically she can't touch, but she touched me deeper than through her hands. I saw her soul in her eyes. They so spoke to me.  "Molly Dolly has a heart of soul."

Have you ever been sketching, embellishing or painting and a inner voice screams, "STOP!"  Molly was not meant to be sketched with arms.

 

 

 

I remembered a doll given to me when I was young.  She was an old cloth doll. Her head and legs were wobbly and her arms were completely detached.  We had to put her together again.

And so began Molly with a question, "Would we love her just as much if she had no arms?"  Could we get past her handicap and see her, I mean really see her?  I think we can and if we can in a doll, surely we can in people - for no one is perfect and you have to seek their soul. 

 

Some of the techniques used in the art journal "Soulful Molly" are:

 

 

I used a paper bag as my foundation.  I painted wonder under with washed down acrylics (not on the release paper side), then it was ironed onto the paper bag painted side down.  I removed the release paper and ironed on silver foil in sections using parchment paper to protect my iron.  If you are applying foil in sections, try not to hold the iron over the areas not being foiled and cover all areas with the parchment paper.  Be patient ironing the wonder under onto the paper bag takes longer than ironing onto fabric.

 

 

 

I saw balloons floating away as I sketched Molly.

White cardstock was painted and lettered to create the balloons. They were then covered with blue organza to create a 3D effect. Molly and the balloons were glued down. A water soluable pen was used on her dress to achieve a watercolor effect. 

 

 

 

 The paper bag was backed with craft felt (8 1/2 by 12).  Layers were created with paint, machine and handstitching. 

 

 

 

The fabric leaves were roughly raw-appliqued on the bottom.  

Smaller embellished pieces were added in the shape of hearts made from molding paste.  The hearts were painted and embellished with beads.  An antique glass button was added to the center of the big heart.  Some of the glass beads are missing in the button and I knew I was supposed to include it because Molly isn't perfect either -- we all have pieces missing (maybe not visibly). 

 

I fell in love with Molly.  I believe this is only the beginning for Molly and Me - our journey -- expressions in art journaling!

 

Let me know what you think of Molly Dolly.  She loves comments too!

Blessings Terri

 

 

Art Journal Pages & Covers

 

 Unlock Your Passion

 

 

 

Unleash Your Heart, Untie Your Hands, Let Go

This is the inside cover of an art journal I've entitled "Unlock Your Passion."  I'm experimenting with the background using paint dabbers, alcohol, then drawing and highlighting.  Art journaling allows me to try new techniques on small canvases so to speak and nothing is ever wrong!

  

 

B L O O M !

 

This page was a surprise and I love how it turned out.   The word "bloom" didn't come to mind until later; it was the last thing I added.  I exaggerated the petals, doodled on them and  worked with water soluable pastels and crayons.  I also used LePlume II water-based pens.  The page was getting too dark, but when I sprayed it with water "voila" the colors started spreading.  I also used a white pen over the flower to make it more defined. 

  

 

 

 THE COVER

 

I recently got a Baby Lock embellisher, a needle felting machine and I'm hooked!  I made the cover then glued it to the journal front.   The name of the journal came about when a keyhole on some fabric became big and distressed -- also 3D, like the butterfly -- from needle punching front and back of piece until it was out of shape.  The 3D effect became more prominent when I placed additional felt under these areas.  A fun technique I learned from  Cloth, Paper, Scissors Magazine  was stamping and painting on wonder under, then needle punching it into the piece.

  

 

 

 THE BACK

 

I used fabric with a larger keyhole on the back once I'd come up with a title.  Here I've used wool roving, yarns, dyed scrim to needle punch onto a felt base. 

 

 

 

 Art journaling helps me not to be so serious, opens me to try new products or experiment and whatever I envision in my head is not how it turns out.

 

 

 

 I hope these images has inspired you to go out and buy some crayons or color pens and a journal -- draw, doodle, just do it.   You'll find when you open the doors to your creative soul, more possibilities come your way you never thought of and not just in the area of art -- business, relationships, problem solving.

 

Unlock Your Passion

 Unleash Your Heart

Untie Your Hands

Let Go

B l o o m !

The Way-Word Girls

 Debuting

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inception

It seems every September God leads me somewhere new.  I started this blog last September and two years ago the phrase "The Way-Word Girls" came to me in a dream.  Creativity is always bountiful in His Kingdom, but when you ask for it with a purpose, gifts and talent come you didn't know you had.  I do not draw; yet I have created these four young women. God is aligning me for His purpose and I am excited.  What are you passionate about? It's funny but I think He is taking my compassion for young girls and using my passion as a mixed-media artist to reach them.  And Oh, if I could reach but one for His Glory!

In September we usher in the Jewish New Year.  This time of year God propels us into the upcoming 2012 with enormous creativity.  Let no small idea go.  Cherish it, nourish it and let it grow for if it is a desire of your heart, it was God-given and He will supply the "how" we just need to take the first step.

 

 

 

Two years ago in September, God put two verses in my heart, (you know when words jump off the page and grab your heart -- rhema words)

Proverbs 7:8-9 "...walking at twilight down the street to the house of the wayward girl..." (TLB) and

Jeremiah 31:32 "...How long will you wander, O wayward daughter? For the Lord will cause something new and different to happen..." (TLB)

And so these four young women came from two verses in The Bible and in a dream I saw the word "wayward" written as "way-word" and a thousand "what ifs" followed in my mind. Within months of their inception, I was busy drawing them, naming them and imagining where they were from and how they met - then for 18 months I let them go.

 

 

I learned Photoshop Elements -- I created a blog and then about six weeks ago, "The Way-Word Girls" came back to me in another dream. Do you suppose God wanted me to wait? He was preparing me for His timing and now He is ready for their birth. If you've had ideas over the past years that did not come to fruition, I encourage you ask to revisit them - now is the time for their manifestation.

 

 

Within the last few weeks, I have envisioned The Way-Word Girls doing many things, but their purpose is to help young girls -- girls, who don't know who they really are; they may suffer from victim mentality -- I know I did. They may just be hurt and need a kind word. They may be abused or depressed or they just might love to be enlightened in Jesus Christ and through God's Word.

My daughter calls them surreal because the drawn characters live in real places. I looked up the word "surreal" and it means "resembling a dream," so I became a fan of that word.

 

 

Last night an idea came to me -- Wednesday with The Way-Word Girls; a blogpost of a short video or collection of images depicting The Way-Word Girls. I see girls from the early ages of 9-12 learning from a Christ-like foundation their value and then I see teenagers, women young and old, renewing themselves in the truths of self worth.

So I've been journaling about these girls, I've been drawing, painting and collaging with them. I've made a fabric-paper pamphlet to introduce them and will be featuring the coolest, hippest quote -- at least my interpretation of it on Wednesday.

 

 

So if you know of any young girls who might be inspired by The Way-Word Girls, please have them join in on their new adventures as they meet, attend classes, create and experience life on the university campus. 

 Also, I'd love to know what you think, so please leave a comment.

Blessings Terri

 

 

Please visit the blog parties I'm linking with, I know you will love, love, love them and Thank You Hostesses!

 Beverly at Pink Saturday

Cindy at Show & Tell Friday

 Courtney at Feathered Nest Friday

 

 

Featuring Magazine - Fabric Art Collage

As you know from my last blog, my fabric art collage was published in Featuring magazine in the Theme Gallery - Cheering, Stomping & Applauding. Many of you asked me to provide some closeup shots and go over some of the embellishments, so let's take a look.  

 

I've used the images of the faces and bird before in my work.  I recommend scanning all your drawings into your computer or from your camera to use again digitally. I printed the images onto Ludratur fed directly into my printer.  You don't need a carrier/feeder page.  Ludratur is a spun bond web material and is transparent, so anything printed on it appears softly faded.  It's great for text too.  Next week, I'm showing another piece using this fun material.  

This piece has been stenciled with acrylics, stamped with foil and stitched away. 

 

 

The letters, flowers & fleur-de-lis were first dye-cut, then painted, stamped, embossed with a heat gun and then sprayed with ink.   

 

 

Here is the collage in the beginning stages.  I drew the hands (Applauding) on Lutradur.  The image of the sneakers (Stomping) is taken from a picture I took of my granddaughter playing on a see-saw.  You can also see where I've created an ink wash of greens and pinks along with applying foil at this stage.  The foundation is white craft felt and muslin. Most of my fabric collages start with this foundation.  

 

 

Don't throw those scraps away!  This piece is embellished with buttons sewn over hand-made paper, scraps of organza and lace.  The basic embroidery stitches I use over and over are the the cross-stitch, chain stitch and fly stitch.  I actually cross-stitched over strips of metal in this collage.  

 

 

I had so much fun embellishing this piece.  I used brads and grommets.  I've even hand-sewn with some wire.  That's right the wire going through the grommets and silver pieces was hand-sewn with a needle.  Fabric squares have been stacked and sewn on with buttons.  And I drew the champagne glasses (Cheering) directly onto the Lutradur like the applauding hands.

 

 

Before any embellishing, I stitched the layers together on my sewing machine in a very random way (no pattern here) starting in the middle and moving outward.  I finished the edges with a zigzag stitch couching over ribbon. 

   

 

 We're Cheering, Stomping and Applauding in the Theme Gallery of FEATURING.

To see me in print, click on the BUTTON above (or on left sidebar), scroll down to the middle of the page where you will find "Preview", click on "Read more...", then click on "Take a Look, click here..." and a Preview PFD file of the magazine will appear in another tab.  I'm on PAGE 23 of the Theme Gallery and I'm on the back cover of Inchies -- PAGE 26 (center four squares)  YEAH!!!

Or see the post below to view the actual pages in the magazine.  I love hearing from you, so leave a comment

Blessings, Terri