new site

I am pleased to say I have got myself a new domain - novembermoon.com. I've wanted my own 'proper space' for some time and now I can start building on the basics..... So, there is a new blog to find over at my new site...Novembermoon. Thanks for kind comments here and please stay in touch over there!

Monoprinting..... girl brooches

Two little girl brooches.... I printed these little figures on to cotton fabric and today I made them into brooches. I like the faded/aged look of them. I'm not aiming for a 'perfect' print - that's not what monoprinting is about, for me.

Some of the monoprinting I've done so far really lends itself to a few careful lines of stitch. Other prints I will work on more elaborately. There are a few different approaches I want to explore......... ooh I'm being a little cryptic....

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I've discovered podcasts just lately... and I really enjoy a knitting podcast by Lime n Violet. Entertaining, lifts your spirits and helps you get through the slightly boring bits of any knitting project.

Girl in Red - in progress

Oh my gosh.... it's been far too long!



Here's one of several projects I am working on at the moment. My starting point for 'Girl in Red' was a monoprint on paper. I'm using paper, paint, stitch and fabrics in this mixed media work. So far, I'm quite pleased with her/it. I'm not sure if this will become a wallhanging/quilt or something more 3-D.....

monoprinting - brooch/pin

This is a textile brooch I created yesterday. Cotton fabric with acrylic monoprinting. I hand stitched around the image, backed with felt and lightly filled with polyester. And of course stitched a brooch pin on reverse. She's sort of forlorn..... I plan to make a few more, I think. I'll be listing this on etsy very soon.

Started work on a book - Creative Dolls for Textile Artsts - is the working title. Sort of self-explanatory:) Early days yet so I won't go into too much detail, Planning out chapters at the moment. The book will explore the doll as an object for textile experiments! I hope it will be fun and filled with textile eye-candy. This will be my first crafts book. I've written both poetry and fiction, and been published, but this is a different kind of adventure......

My two links of the day....

I don't think many a day goes by without me visiting Camilla Engman's site and reading her blog. Her paintings are beautiful and her blog always interesting, and lovely photography.

Whilst exploring monoprinting and collage I was looking at a book called Collage Sourcebook 'Exploring the Art and Techniques of Collage' and particularly like the work of Deborah Putnoi.

Printing experiments

Monoprinting on fabric - this is a stuffed pebble-type 'painting'. I've been experimenting on paper and fabric. My next steps are to experiment on different papers and fabrics, then also to work stitching into some pieces to elaborate, see how that goes.

Once a week Tiny Showcase offer a limited edition print, a new one each Tuesday evening, US time... so I have missed out on mostly all the prints I might want to purchase, ah well.... Tiny Showcase.

Currently reading: Fiber Arts Jan/Feb issue of the American journal.

Today I emailed an 'old friend' from way-way back who I got to know via dollmaking. Infact I think of her as a 'doll mentor'. I was thrilled to receive an email response this same day. So good to be in touch again.

monoprinting

Yesterday I spent some time getting to grips with monoprinting - I've done it before, but it's a very hit-and-miss art technique. I kind of like that. Monoprinting suits my personality and art-style, maybe, kind of spontaneous with a hint of planning involved:) Anyhow, the picture above is not the print but the image before making a print..... I put acrylic paint on an old china plate then draw into the paint, put damp paper over paint and lightly press down. Allow to 'settle' image for a few minutes at the most before removing paper. This technique works on fabric also. It's fabric I really am keen to print on, as I want to do some embroidery work. My plan is to make some embroidered postcards.

Interesting photography - the glass door knob.

Most days I like to take a look at Karin's style blog.

Herbert and Maudie

Time for an update..... Here are a few new creatures....



I enjoy the process of making dolls not knowing how they will be, what exactly they will become, look like. I had little idea, for example, that Maudie would be quite like a female doll and have a human-like face.

I don't make my creatures to look like anything or anyone in particular. They are tactile objects that have their own stories. I make them because I like to work three-dimensionally, rather than paint, or draw, though I do paint and draw. My creatures are a lovely way to play with different techniques and ideas.

It's been very chilly today, but the sun came out and the creatures love to have their photos taken on the windowsill. Taking photographs of black fabric is not all that easy though, I love the contrast of black with colours.

A friend said to me recently: I love all the colours you use, they are so happy!

I did not always make happy dolls, for some time they had subdued tones. Now I love these rich vintage-y tones.