Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Song Bird

 A journal page for Try It On Tuesday today. The theme is based on a mood board with lots of beautiful spring images. 
Here's a close up of my little bird. This image was made with a stencil and black paint, and then I went in and painted in most of the details.
The background is  made from me cleaning off a stencil, and also some stamping and coloring.
Stop by TIOT to see all the great pieces.
Thought I would also show you how my studio cleaning  is progressing.
Or should I say degressing.

I did dump all my scrap fabric onto the floor, and then I actually did clean  it  up, but you can't see that in this before photo. I reorganized it from color (the way it was organized) to more specific topics like plain fabric, vintage designed, flowers and nature, and lastly a little bin of stripes, plaids and polka dots.  The only fabric I left sorted by color is my white pieces because I seem to use that the most. Now I have moved onto my rubber stamps, which I will say I have a lot of. It is almost embarrassing how many I have. But I do love stamping if that justifies my huge number of stamps.
 I am making a major purge there too. I'll bet I will have a hundred fewer when I am done with this project. Maybe even a few more than a hundred.
That is making me happy, even though this cleaning project- seeing I have so many things on the floor- is really getting in the way with actually making art.
Oh well, it was time to clean out so I could actually find things.
That is all for me today. Hope you're having or had a wonderful Wednesday.

11 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

Good for you doing the cleaning, it always looks awful before it gets better. Need to start here, too! Love your creation for TIOT, love the little bird in his nest and the lovely colours. Have a great day, hugs, Valerie

Anonymous said...

that is a beautiful journal page,, the words are beautiful as well,, purging is a good thing,,,

Gibby Frogett said...

Lovely journal page - lots of lovely details.

The clear out looks fun and will be worth it in the end... I empathise about the stamps - I started stamping in 1994 and last year took most of the wooden tops off the older ones to try and make a bit more space but the space has soon been filled with something of course.

Gill xx

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

WOW!! I am in LOVE with that bird in its nest. It is simply super. I am quite in love with it AND the background, too.

I am also impressed with your organization skills. I don't have enough fabric (commercial fabric) to have categories within colors, which is how I sort mine. I DO have several old bed sheets, though that I use for dyeing my fabrics to whatever color I'm using (or needing) at the time.

I had to laugh at your stamp collection. Needless to say, you will be getting rid of more stamps than I have ever owned. In fact, up until a few months ago, ALL my stamps were stored in ONE drawer of my gray file cabinet. I now have enough for two drawers! So, dear, you are very, very lucky. Quite the purge, I suspect. And since you are purging, I feel compelled to do the same sometime next month.

You asked about washing my iris dyed fabric. The ONLY fabric I have ever washed was that which I left in black bean water and grape juice. Of course, I wash my rusted fabric in baking soda water, but that is so it is safe to handle. And if I'm using kitchen items like oatmeal, flour, or syrup, I only wash out the dried "goop," but nothing more. Even my Staz-on and alcohol ink fabric never gets washed. I always "assume" the fabric is NOT washable, since I only make quiltlets or use it in an assemblage which I know I will never wash. To answer your question, I'm going to say wash at your own risk!

Divers and Sundry said...

A spring bird nest is certainly an encouraging image :)

Anonymous said...

Clean out is so hard but so satisfying in the end. I always feel like space in my head has opened up after I clean. xox

froebelsternchen said...

An amazing page Erika! Thanks a lot for joining TioT's with it and your cleaning out is super or sure.. I should do the same!!!

Wishing also a happy belated T-Day -
was a bit busy recently with gardening and family.

oxo Susi

Jeanie said...

Thank you for showing your studio. I have been feeling rather awful about mine these days. Good for you on the purging. I really need to do that -- I have stuff for projects I'll never do and it's just taking up real estate.

On a completely different note, thanks for your visits to the Gypsy and especially for your more than kind comments on my art journal post. The comments arrived on a day when I was feeling particularly non-creative and they helped me back at it!

sheila 77 said...

Your bird looks seriously sweet and she has a look in her eye as if she is thinking deep thoughts. Maybe wondering how her chicks will turn out, or wondering when the male is going to get back home with the food?

Marjut said...

Lovely page. Thank you for joining us at TioT.

Mrs.B said...

A great page Erika, love the background for your little bird.
Good Luck with the cleaning/clearing - a job I hate!
Thanks for sharing with us at TioT
Avril x