A reminder or two

Just a quick reminder that the drawing for some of my rusty threads

 
in celebration of my 3rd blogging anniversary will take place this Wednesday morning once the little urchins have awoke. That's around 6 am New York City time, in case you're wondering. If you're interested in adding your name to the hat, you've until then. If you are interested, just leave a comment on this post or on 3. Good luck!

And...

detail of stone building in Baltimore, MD

the search for Roy G Biv continues this Thursday with black and white. As fascinating as the finds for white were last month, I can't wait to see this month's offerings!

3

Three years ago today, I was sitting at my favorite Starbucks, fingers poised over my laptop keyboard and trying desperately to think of how to start this blog. After all, a blank computer screen = a blank canvas and we all know how intimidating those can be.

Three years later, I continue to be amazed at all that has come into my life as a result of finally figuring out what to write that day. The most precious being the friendships that have formed.

Unless you are totally new to the blog...like just-this-week type new...you've seen photos of the rusty can that was rescued from the side of the road.

The last time it appeared, I'd wrapped it in cotton thread and thrown it out in the snow. I don't think it appreciated being put out there. In fact, it refused to play nicely with the thread and didn't share its rust. So...back inside it came and we've been having fun ever since.

Rusty can + cotton thread + a spritz of vinegar + or - a spot of tea =

a few unique and colorful threads.

To celebrate my 3rd blogging anniversary and, especially, to say thank you for finding my little blog and going on this art journey with me, I'd like to share some of my rusty threads and maybe another tidbit or two with...what else?...3 of you.

If you'd like to throw your name into the proverbial hat, just leave a comment on this post with your email address or some way of contacting you in case your name is drawn. On January 16, I'll let my little urchins each choose the lucky winners.

Good luck!

Getting rusty

An old rusty can relaxing by the side of the road caught my eye the other day.  It practically begged me to stop and take it home. Being that the road is a rather busy one, it took a few more days before the perfect opportunity to safely stop and retrieve it was available.

The minute I saw the can with all that glorious rust, I knew just what to do.

So after shaking the dirt out of it

and taking a few photos, 

 I selected a spool of thread given to me by Joan earlier in the year

 and wrapped

 and wrapped until the whole spool had been used and only tiny sections of the can were still visible. Then I sprayed the thread with vinegar, put can et al in a bag and gave the vinegar time to work its magic.

 

  Not too bad, huh? With that thread drying and snow falling, well...

I decided it was time to let Mother Nature have a bit of fun too.

What a week

It's been a week of what if's in the studio. Major what if's. Breakthrough what if's, in fact. Yep. It's been that kind of week.

My Morning Tea, my sketchbook for the 2013 Sketchbook Project, is nearly finished. Just need to think about the cover design and what blurb about myself to put in back.

The pages...spreads really...alternate between marks and text. The marks are made of tea and rust using the tea bag my morning tea was brewed with on any given morning. The text is a memory from childhood regarding tea. More about the sketchbook once it is complete.

Pam's tip about ironing the tea bags on freezer paper to run through the copier worked so well with the tea bags that it was impossible not to try on...hmmm...

 a piece of rusted cotton or

 rusted silk organza.

[this is the breakthrough part, in case you're wondering]

Given organza's translucent qualities, it just begged for further exploration, don't you think?

 I did. A second printing was called for.

  And a third.

 It needed turning this way

 and that.

And then the tea bags were calling too. 

 They wanted to play with a canvas.  

 It became a bit of balancing act, needed turning this way and that, 

needed a bit added here and a tad added there.

In the end, all was right. A good balance of tea bags and rusted mono printed cotton.

 

And then...yes there's more...

A friend emailed to ask if I'd like her stash of DMC threads on a spool. She's moving and lightening her load in the process. I said I'd be happy to have them and promised to put them to good use. I'll admit my mind latched onto DMC threads and so was picturing DMC floss. 

What arrived yesterday from Joan was far more delicious than cross stitch floss! As I unpacked the box - oohing and aahing all the while - the patterns of the wrapping caught my eye. I'd never noticed how beautiful spools of threads are. 

Thank you Joan for the wonderful threads! One spool has already taken a good long soak in green tea with a rusty bit or two for company. It's now resting, airing itself in the studio.

At the end of partial week 2 of kindergarten, I can safely say that my brain cells are beginning to work again. And holy smoke Batman! does it feel good.