Paper Fabric and Peeps

I've been doing some free demonstrations on making "Paper Fabric".
I'm also working on a new class about backgrounds for mixed media art work.
I'll include the paper fabric as part of the class (a tiny portion). I did the demo at the Asheville Quilt Guild and the ladies loved it! When you learn the process, it really opens a lot of creative doors to other possibilities.
I've included a few scans of some that I did.
I think that you'll be surprised with the progression of what you can do with cheap craft paint and distress ink pads.
And a couple of other things that I withheld for the workshop - secret weapons if you will.

This is the base of the technique. Paper collage on fabric.

I've added a few thread blobs and gauze for texture. This piece also has fabric dye on it - was just trying to see how it reacted with the paper/fabric combo.

This scan shows what adding a scrape of paint does for the overall blending of the piece.

I love the way that this small piece ended up. It was part of the above one that I added dye too.

I added some cream paint - didn't really like it.

Added a blue paint - that was okay but not quite "there".

So I added more cream paint...more blue...

Then I began messing around with the Distress Ink Pads (Ranger).

Now I like it.

The texture is amazing - the areas where I added the gauze and thread is just so cool! The ink really picked up that area of additional height and shows it off.

This last piece is one that I used more of the ink pad painting on. I do have a layer of paint underneath that.

Several layers actually.

I usually have about 3 or 4 pieces of paper fabric like this "going" or "cooking" in my studio.

They keep me busy when my muse is resting...or hiding...

I hope that you all have a blessed day today.

In my "previous life" there were a lot of days that were filled with chaos, unrest, and just down right bad stuff - but my life now is the opposite.

I am surrounded by love, acceptance and just down right good things.

My hope for you today is that your life is good. It's peaceful and those that surround you love you.

Accept you and appreciate you.

And if they don't - well, maybe you need some new peeps...

Her Awakening

Well, I can finally post a few pictures of "Her Awakening",

my latest mixed media fiber art.

I used a lot of rust media that my husband and I rust dyed.

All of our pieces have this wonderful depth of color, don't they?

My husband is the one that does the good job there...

I'm much too, ummm, well,

let's just say that he is much more organized and methodical for that job.

Be sure to check out my Etsy shop for some great

fabrics.

I'll be adding Rust Media packs soon...just keep checking.

Or, better still, email me and ask about them!

Lots of yummy rust fibers such as vintage lace, kimwipes,

tyvek, drawer liners, fabric, sheers...

lots of really cool items that we have rusted.

And at a very economical price!

Here she is, with some close ups.

I drew the face on rust dyed Kimwipes,

which are low lint wipes used in industry.

They are so durable and strong...

we dyed them (in a wet environment), machine washed

and dried them in a lingerie bag. You can see that

it has a few areas that washed out

but is still intact and quite vibrant.

I use these wipes for so many different things in my studio...

anything from general clean up to

the main element of a mixed media fiber piece!

This is a close up of the hand dyed cheese cloth on the left hand side.

I don't usually do hand stitching but this piece insisted on it.

I found that I really liked it too...

kinda like a kitty "making bread", the stitching is a calming, stress free activity for me.

I'm sure I'll be adding more to my work.

Here is the small mixed media heart on the lower right hand side.

It is gilded with a gold pen.

Behind it is a piece of the paper fabric that I made

with the word "believe" adhered to it.

The fabric behind that was sent to me

from Pokey Bolten.

I won a blog give away and have

been hoarding the fabric

for just the right project.

This happened to be one of the

"perfect projects".

Thanks Pokey!

This is a vintage doily that we rusted and I

did some hand beading on.

And yes, I sewed a bead at each little

intersection of the doily.

From a distance, it looks like there is

just some type of shimmer...

but when you get closer,

you are rewarded with

a slew of teeny tiny seed beads!