Tying Up the Odds and Ends

First project to leave was my Quilt National entry. Next to hit the mailbox was the dreaded brown ATCs. I guess I am not a brown fan because I had to buy some fat quarters to do these. Actually there were 9 of them to ship off to the QSDS ATC group. I came in as a late player so I do not have the full set of colors but what I do have is really great. White, Black, Gray. Hard to work with but some really neat Mini Art. Thanks guys. These are in the mail to Etta.

Then I started another self portrait. So far the base is down and a layer of modeling paste with dots imprinted in it. It will, I think, contain some old patchwork that was de-acquistioned from the Cleveland Museum of Art Textile Department. They donated over a 1000 pieces from their collection to Textile Art Alliance, which is an affiliate group of the museum, and we have been auctioning and selling pieces to raise money for the CMA Textile Department. Sort of one hand washes the other.

The other thing occupying my time is my continuing work with what I call mini fabric books. An out growth from Dorothy Caldwell's markmaking class. And a good hand and time occupier. Below is a sample of a 5-1/2" wide x 4" deep book. Fits perfectly in your hand. Click to enlarge.

I probably have done a half dozen of them so far and I have plenty or scraps of cloth to patch together. I keep a small sandwich sized bag with scraps, needle, scissors and metallic embroidery thread in a bag with my sketchbook with a pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am never far from amusing myself.