ANGELS

Just had to add a small school of Angel Fish.

SOMETHING FISHY

Because I like to quilt as I go rather then quilt around a lot of objects, I need to add a fish now even though early on.  So I draw him out on tissue and then take a sheet of fusible and trace all the parts of him labeling them with what they are and what color they are.  This is all done in reverse of the way he will face on the quilt.

 

 Then I cut out all the pieces and peel the fusible off.

 Using a long my teflon sheet, a long needle and my tissue drawing I place the parts onto the fish in order.  It does not have to be exactly precise....it is your fish you know.

Once he is finished.....I place him on the background and will fuse him down and quilt him.

This construction took me one full hour before quilting.

Ducks Ducks Ducks

 Last night and today I worked on the ducks.   Lots of single feathers to add on to each one.

The feathers will be blended together better with the use of thread...I am excited to bring them to life with the quilting now.  Details in the beaks and feet will also be added with the thread.  It is the quilting that transforms them .

Getting ready to begin.....this may take a few days.  Once the ducks are quilting more will be added.

Pier & Rowboat

The pier is in the water!   It was a challenge but worked out well and got the right angle and perspective which is the most important part.  Opted to paint in the reflection with a wash of fabric paint.

It has all been quilted.   So next comes the focal point which is the white sailboat.  I have it sketched so should be able to work on it tomorrow and place it into the scene.

I enjoy this part so much because  these foreground pieces  unite everything together and it is only until they go in that you begin to feel the emotion of the piece.

Moving Into The Water

 I am slowly moving into the water now.  The shoreline is pretty much finished on the land  and now need to work on the pier soon and then all the reeds and lily pads.

Put in two red twig dogwoods not in the inspiration photo but what is found on the shoreline on this lake.  Need to tone down the leaves on the one on the right but am not concerned about it yet.  Will first see how it plays with the other elements that are yet to come.   Great progress in four hours time.

Next will be some lighter colored reeds and then the pier and the rowboat parked behind it.  This will be difficult as I must get the angles right or it will not work.  It is when you do have to use your math skills and think about angles etc.  In my case that is where I need to mentally prepare myself first and wake up the other side of my brain!

Hope you all are enjoying this so far!  Can you smell the water yet?

Lac Du Flambeau

 Each summer we rent a house on Bolton Lake located in "The North Woods" on the Native American Ojibwa  Reservation in Lac Du Flaumbeau (Torch Lake) Wisconsin.
I took this photo last year of a lake house owned by an elderly couple.  You do not see much of them but early in the morning or late in the evening they go out in their sailboat and peacefully and quietly tour around the lake after which they dock their boat and return to their home.   Even though the photo was over exposed I saved it to use one day.  Today is that day.  

So I have prepared the background and will start working on the foreground next.  I am excited about working on this piece as it will take me back there early....to the peacefulness of the setting where you can hear the loon calls at night.

Three Boats and Fog

Some very good progress....everything is added now.  Had a few small boats but am happy with this as it is so will not add them.  I did the reflection with Inktense pencils and then added more fog over then and the boats.  Now will quilt quilt quilt and then it is finished.
It needs the quilting on the boats and the new fog as well as a few details so this will take my a few days for sure.  Then I will bind it and show the finished piece.  Right now it measures approximately 28 inches by 28 inches.

One Boat Two Boats

Well finally I have been able to continue on with the journey of this new piece.  Two fishing boats have been added......I need to quilt these now as they are in the background of one other boat.  Hopefully that will happen today.  There still is some tweaking to go on the buildings and the area around the buildings but I will wait to see how much will actually show.  No matter how I sketch it out previously,  I usually always change the composition as I go along when in the reality of the construction.

Fish Shantie

Made some good progress today with the addition of two fish shanties.  I am happy with them ...it was my second selection and construction of these two buildings.   The first one were not good.and as hard as it was to undo...I took them off and changed them to these and it is so much better.  I will quilt them tomorrow before adding a few windows and doors to them.

Woke up to another 3 inches of snow....seems this winter is bringing 2 or three little snow storms each week instead of the big giant blizzard storm.  In some ways that is good as it is adding up to a decent depth for winter sports enthusiasts and removing  it is easier.  I sort of miss the big blizzard though, but maybe it is yet to come.

Starting Again

I started a new piece yesterday selecting fabrics etc.  and began fusing today.    It is not a farm this time...need to take a break from them and go in a different yet calming direction for one piece.  I have a few ideas for another farm piece but will "ponder" it while working on this one.  I am excited to work on this and am hoping it works out like it is in my head.    No hints yet but you will begin to see where I am going soon.   Come join this journey with me again and hopefully it will not have too many bumps in the road.

Keep On Boating

Work continues on my water scene....slowly.  Lots of distractions this week mostly of my own doing.   I have decided to get a bike, Fuji Hybrid,  and am so excited to start biking to locations to difficult to stop and photograph with a car.  Then in addition to that I bought a new camers Canon Rebel t5i.   So  there will be a bit of a learning curve with the camera but I am excited for it to arrive this coming week and go out and experiment while the weather is still beautiful and warm

This morning went to the Farmers Market in Elkhart Lake again this morning.  This time ran into a High School Classmate.  He does beautiful exotic wood pieces that are exquisite.  It was fun to see and talk to him again.  Then stopped at the Sewing Basket, our local fabulous quilt shop, and bought some new fabric which  hopefully will help me finish the above piece.  I need to remove the larger lily pads as they are way too big in comparison to the boat as you can see.  This will take a bit of time but necessary.

It is my daughter Molly's birthday today  and she has turned 30!  How can that be???? Where did that time go. We are going out to celebrate tonight.  Will go to Wild Truffle up in Appleton.

Should be a lot of fun.....

Beginning Anew

 I have several of these hand dyed fabrics I purposely bought for doing water scenes.
So now i decided to do a series of water scenes.  This will be my second in the series.
It lends itself to imagine lots of things floating or growing on it surface.

Our store is closer to closing.  We have moved some stuff to Bob's new workshop where he will continue with clock repair.  Then...we have scheduled an auction out the back door for all that is left after our sale.  After that it is all over.

I am saying goodbye to good customers which is hard to do.  I have known many of them for over 20 years now, but I have no regrets.  We are definitely ready for this now and anticipating less stressful days ahead.