Paper Piecing and Paint

If you are familiar with quilting or needlework, you may recognize this little sunbonnet girl.  Sunbonnet girls were very popular in quilting and to embroider on dishtowels.  This is based on an old pattern, and was such a fun project for me!  It’s sentimental in a number of ways.  My grandmother did a lot of quilting, and my mom loves hanging clothes outside.

I actually created this piece for my mom.  Her clothes lines hang next to my old playhouse, and there are clematis vines that grow on the side. Paper piecing as well as painting, and a few rub-ons are included in this piece.  I was afraid the clematis flowers may be a bit too much, but that is actually the way they look!

Paper piecing is such a great way to use up scraps of your patterned paper!

If you run across some vintage patterns, you may want to think about using them in this way!

 

 

Freedom of Mixed Media

As I was creating this piece, I realized how liberating it feels to use items I have on hand, and not worry about what specific medium I am using!  Mixed media has really allowed me to feel free to create!  Grab some supplies and see what you can create.

This red, white, and blue stripes on this piece are all made from torn paper, adhered to an 8×8 canvas.   The letters U S A, as well as the large star, were cut and used as a mask.  The image transfer is of the famous painting of Francis Scott Key, the author of the song, “Star Spangle Banner,” of which there are lyrics from a very old piece of music.  There are numerous layers of stamped images using both ink and paint.

For some reason, this is one of my favorite pieces!

Mixed Media Girl – Music of Life

This mixed media girl was made for a special friend.  She truly follows the music of her life and makes every single moment count!  She has a vibrant and colorful personality and is truly and inspiration for anyone who has ever “wished they could” do something.  Make time and make it happen!  Learn a new skill, try a new technique, but if you want to try something, give a try and don’t just “wish” you had!

CLC, you are an inspiration!

Oh, and this piece is done on a 6×12 canvas with layers and layers of ink, paint, stamping and rub-ons.  The girl is paper piecing and paint.