Cheryl’s IRR

I don’t actually have any IRRs right now and I wasn’t at the BAMQG meeting, so I couldn’t take another. I had three in quick succession, with Cheryl’s being the last before my brief hiatus. Ruth‘s and Claire‘s pieces were the other two in the trio.

Michelle and I met at Trader Joe’s again and exchanged IRRs. I took Claire’s to pass along as she wouldn’t be at the meeting either. I headed up to the North Coast again with DH for NSGW/#politicalwifery events and Michelle was headed to Spain. Rhonda was kind enough to take both bags to the meeting for us and I gave them to her at the CQFA meeting.

All of this meant that I had to get Cheryl’s done in time to get it to Rhonda. I had about a day once I figured out all of the timing, so I got down to business.

Cheryl's IRR - before
Cheryl’s IRR – before

Cheryl’s piece looked great when I got it and I was loathe to wreck it, but Michelle had added half a row, so that missing section was perfect for me to complete.

Cheryl’s piece is turning out really well. I love it, thus the feelings of avoiding wreckage. I really wanted to use the Paris map fabric, but couldn’t really fit it in once all was said and done.

I walked around with it on my design wall for a few days and decided to add some Flying Geese. Yes, I am still in love with Flying Geese.

I also needed to add my signature fabric, but I didn’t want to add a large patch or strip as I have on other pieces, because I wanted to preserve the mainly white and turquoise color story.

There were a few small strips left over from other piecing, so I pieced a few of those together to make another strip large enough to handle my signature fabric. I wanted something that would look like it fit in.

Cheryl's IRR - my part
Cheryl’s IRR – my part

I made some Flying Geese. Since those were the main parts, I started working getting Michelle’s strip completed. I added some white and a strip of the black and white stripe, which came to me after looking at the piece.

After making my piece, I think the white on the edge needs to be corralled, but someone else, or Cheryl, will have to worry about that. I am pleased with how my part came out and I think my signature fabric piece fits in well without overwhelming the whole design.

 

Cheryl's IRR - finished with my part
Cheryl’s IRR – finished with my part

I also think the piece needs some space at the top. The bottom is getting to be quite breezy while the top is looking a little cramped. Not fatally so, but a little. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Good things about this IRR

  • no rules about how much you have to do
  • don’t have to add much fabric

Creative Prompt #351: Cushion

This should be easy for you! You can even make a cushion!

pillow

whoopie cushion

foam cushion

Definition: “A cushion is a soft bag of some ornamental material, stuffed with wool, hair, feathers, polyester staple fiber, non-woven material, or even paper torn into fragments. It may be used for sitting or kneeling upon, or to soften the hardness or angularity of a chair or couch.[1]

A cushion is also referred to as a bolster, hassock, headrest and a sham.[2]

Cushions and rugs can be used temporarily outside to soften a hard ground. They can be placed on sunloungers and used to prevent annoyances from moist grass and biting insects. Some dialects of English use this word to refer to throw pillows as well.

The cushion is a very ancient article of furniture; the inventories of the contents of palaces and great houses in the early Middle Ages constantly made mention of them. Cushions were then often of great size, covered with leather, and firm enough to serve as a seat, but the steady tendency of all furniture has been to grow smaller with time. Today, the cushion is considered an upholstery item.

Cushions were, and are, used as seats at all events in Italy and Spain at a very much later period, and in Saint-Simon‘s time it is found that in the Spanish palace they were still regarded as a peculiarly honourable substitute for a chair. In Italy, the right to kneel upon a cushion in church behind the king was love guarded and strictly regulated, as it is learnt again from Saint-Simon. This type of cushion was called a carreau, or bird. When seats were rude and hard, cushions may have been a necessity; they are now one of the minor things of life.

Decorative cushions are likely to have a fancy cover material which are patterned style and generally used on furniture.” (Wikipedia)

cushion grip

seat cushion foam

medical cushions

cushion cover

scatter cushions

cushion cut engagement rings

M Cushion is the first fashion forward shiatsu massage cushion.

Lumi Cushion, a liquid foundation infused in an innovative sponge that delivers the perfect amount of makeup.

As your body position and shape changes, your ROHO cushion adjusts creating a safe and comfortable seating surface.

The Magical Cushion that helps children with attention deficit disorder and sensory procession issues focus better when learning.

Darma is the world’s first smart cushion that monitors your posture, sitting habits, stress level, and coaches you to sit better.

carpet cushioning

Zabuton cushions

The Cue & Cushion is a pool hall, bar, and lounge located in Hooksett, NH.

Carpet Cushion Council

meditation cushions

CPAP mask cushions

sofa cushion covers

Arctic Wire Spring Aircool Cushion

Zafu cushion

Brooks Cushion Me running shoes

wheelchair cushions

The Galaxy Cushion combines multi-cellular air technology with a patented, contouring design, shaped to fit the anatomical form.

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and get familiar with your blog or website.

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to  post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.

We are also talking about this on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP

throw pillow

Mighty Lucky January Challenge

I already wrote a little bit about the February challenge, but look for a full fledged post about it soon. I am just catching up with the January challenge. I am happy with my first effort with bias tape. It was interesting and a good learning experience, but I want to try this picture again. I like the image, but my rendition didn’t come out as I had hoped.

Mighty Lucky January Challenge
Mighty Lucky January Challenge

I really like the thin beak of the original picture. I didn’t get the beak as thin as I would have liked. I used a lot of pins, but it was hard to keep the bias in place as I sewed and I am not sure why. The wobble also resulted in all of the straight lines ending up wobbly. This is because I didn’t have the Wonder tape called for in the directions (I have it now). I didn’t add fusible to my bias tape, which was an option I didn’t think about.

Still, I made something for the challenge. I was also expecting progress not perfection. WooHoo!

I was excited about this challenge, because I had been wanting to learn to make bias tape using bias tape makers. It might useful for embellishing or design purposes in the future. This was the perfect opportunity.

After cutting and sewing the bias, I fed the piece through using a pin and the device started making bias tape! I couldn’t believe it that the process worked. Once I got going, I found it incredibly useful to poke a pin into my pressing surface to hold the bias in place. As I reached the end of my pressing mat with the iron, I had to move the pin.

Bias tape maker seam allowance problem
Bias tape maker seam allowance problem

I was disappointed that the directions did not talk about type of fabric or any challenges that might occur. I found a couple of things that were challenging.

First, I used a Kona Solid for the red bias tape. As I have mentioned in the past there is a lot to like about Kona, but its loose weave is not a bonus. I cut my strips about 1/2″ wide and as I fed them through the bias tape maker to make 1/4″ bias, the seams got hung up on the device. The bias tape maker had a real problem going over them as I pulled the tape through. I ended up helping them with a stiletto, but the seams looked terrible once the tape was made, as you can see in the photo with the blue arrow. The photo is of completed bias tape. You can see that the line is not smooth and there is a marked bump in the tape. Yes, I pressed the seams flat and they are still not attractive. The seams are also already starting to fray.

I am thinking that the problem could have been the fabric, as mentioned, combined with the size of the bias tape I chose to make. I’ll have to experiment some more to see what works. Looser weave fabric might work just fine with a larger sized bias tape maker. I do think I might try this technique with Art Gallery Pure Elements Solids as they are thin and tightly woven. I am not sure if that line has a bright scarlet.

Look How Many Bias Strips!!
Look How Many Bias Strips!!

Second, there was no way of knowing how much bias tape could be made. There was no chart like a bias binding chart included with the directions. Would a bias binding chart used for binding a quilt work? I tried looking at one, but it don’t go down to a small enough width of tape. I now have about 500 yards of bias tape still to use, which is why I am not concerned about a do over.

Yes, I had to sew all of those tiny strips together, which was another ordeal in itself. I should have used the tube bias method.

Next, I used the 1/4″ bias tape maker. It worked like a charm, but is very small. I would recommend using a 1/2″ or 3/8″ bias tape maker on your first time out.

Fourth, the directions did not talk about using a Point Trimmer. A Point Trimmer helps you line up the edges of the bias tape to sew it together in a long string. You can use it for your binding strips as well if you don’t use the tube binding method. As an aside, if you don’t have Point Trimmer ruler, you really need to get one. I like the Judy Martin version because it helps you trim two types of triangles in one tool BUT there are other manufacturers who make them and almost any are good.

Bias tape makers
Bias tape makers

Fifth, these bias tape makers are not readily available. I went to three stores, checked Amazon, Fabric.com and some other places before I found a full selection at Beverly’s. The quilt stores didn’t have them. Amazon, etc had a few, but not all the sizes and not sold in sets. None of the online places could get them to me in a timely manner. I now have a set of them and won’t need to buy them again, but I was surprised. If I were Lucky Spools, I would have made a deal with some shop to sell kits of the bias tape makers and the Wonder Tape.

Pressing Matters
Pressing Matters

Sixth, there were very few instructions about pressing. The author of this ‘lesson’ did say to keep your fingers away from the hot iron, but not much else. I used a type of stiletto, which prevented me from burned fingers. It is two pronged, which gives me more ‘holding’ surface. I think I bought it at a booth at the county fair or PIQF where they sell every kind of scissor and small metal tool known to mankind.

There is more come on this technique as I will post about my next effort.

Mighty Lucky Member
Mighty Lucky Member

Learning is not a smooth process. I am not complaining about any of the above; I am just telling you my story. One lesson for me is to try different brands of solids. Kona is just so easy to find! I am glad I tried this technique and learned how to make bias tape with these devices.

Creative Prompt #350: Woman

After this one, I will post only 15 more prompts, then something new or not.

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and get familiar with your blog or website.

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to  post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.

We are also talking about this on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP

I am Woman, Hear Me Roar

woman of the year

Definition: “A woman is a female human. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent. The term woman is also sometimes used to identify a female human, regardless of age, as in phrases such as “women’s rights“. “Woman” may also refer to a person’s gender identity.[1] Women with typical genetic development are usually capable of giving birth from puberty until menopause. In the context of gender identity, transgender people who are biologically determined to be male and identify as women cannot give birth. Some intersex people who identify as women cannot give birth due to either sterility or inheriting one or more Y chromosomes. In extremely rare cases, people who have Swyer syndrome can give birth with medical assistance. Throughout history women have assumed or been assigned various social roles.” (Wikipedia)

womanhood

International Women’s Day (IWD) is March 8 and the 2016 theme is Pledge For Parity. Celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women

women

Women’s rights

UN Women is the United Nations organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Pioneer Woman

Women Organized to Make Abuse Nonexistent, Inc. (W.O.M.A.N., Inc.) has operated since 1978 as a community-based, multi-service agency

women’s college

Women for Women International: Non-profit humanitarian organization dedicated to financial, educational, and interpersonal support of women survivors of war, poverty and injustice.

Women of the Vine Alliance. The world’s leading membership alliance dedicated to the support and advancement of women in the alcohol beverage industry.

Global Fund for Women is one of the world’s leading foundations for gender equality, standing up for the human rights of women and girls.

Women Who Code (WWCode) is a U.S. based 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to inspiring women to excel in technology careers.

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, etc.

National Organization for Women

National Women’s History Project: Originator of Women’s History Month.

women’s suffrage

League of Women Voters

Society of Women Engineers

women’s shoes

Woman’s Day

National American Woman Suffrage Association

women’s health

Go Red For Women

The National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) is dedicated to reclaiming the missing half of history – women’s history.

Center for Women Veterans

 

The position of woman in society has given rise to a discussion which, is known under the name of the ‘woman question’

Woman also can refer to:

  • Womyn, an alternate spelling for woman

Contents

Music

Albums

Songs

Entertainment

Religion

Art

Creative Prompt #349: Word

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and get familiar with your blog or website.

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to  post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.

We are also talking about this on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP

Word” is the shortened form of the phrase: “my word is my bond” which was originated by inmates in U.S. prisons. (Urban Dictionary)

Word of the Day

Word Jumble

Word Notebooks – The unique bullet point system used in Word. Notebooks lets you organize your tasks efficiently. Simply fill in the bullet point when writing an item on that line. Trace the circle around it when it’s important and add a slash when you’ve started work on it. Once the task is complete, simply mark down an “X” and move on to the next item on your list. It’s an easy way to keep track of all your notes.

Scrabble Word Finder

Words with Friends

word on the street

Word Search Puzzle

word of mouth

The Words – 2012 movie

Animated Super hero WordGirl fights crime using her superhero strength and her colossal vocabulary with her monkey sidekick, Captain Huggy Face.

The Word (band)

F-word

word games

Word Riot is an online literary magazine celebrating the best writers on the internet.

Word Club.  The Scripps National Spelling Bee provides children with powerful lessons about language, learning and life.

Six Word Memoirs

Race Forward’s Drop the I-Word campaign to eliminate use of the word “illegal” was launched in September 2010

Words without Borders – Working to promote international communication through translation of the world’s best writing.

The Word Detective – The online version of the newspaper column answering readers’ questions about words and language.

Word & World is a quarterly journal of theology whose readers are concerned with Christian ministry in and for the world.

Prepare students for reading success with three sets of high-frequency word books, featuring the most commonly used words in printed text.

word for word

Words & Phrases

Word Count Tool

Urban Word NYC champions the voices of New York City youth by providing platforms for critical literacy, youth development and leadership

PDF-to-Word converter

Microsoft Word

Ruth’s IRR

Finished: Ruth's IRR - complete
Finished: Ruth’s IRR – complete

Yes, they are coming fast and furious! I got two at the last BAMQG meeting, as I mentioned. I was able to work on Claire’s piece during my last free sewing weekend, but I didn’t get to Ruth’s. While having little time to sew on the weekend, I have had to cram the work into bits of time during the week. Of course, I forgot to take a before picture. 🙁 C’est la vie. If you imagine removing my part, that is the before. 😉

There is something that makes me think of a castle. The ‘mountains’ could be points of a tower and the curved sections could be arches.

My addition to Ruth's IRR
My addition to Ruth’s IRR

Ruth’s piece has a clear color story and large curved center with triangles seem to be a design focus. The piece spoke to me immediately after I put it up on my design wall. I saw the triangles on the top that looked like mountains and decided to add something similar on the bottom.

I had to do some fancy sewing with background around the mountains since I didn’t want to cut off the tips. I think the background looks like Mary Mashuta’s Pushed Neutral concept and I like it.

Creative Prompt #348: Black

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and get familiar with your blog or website.

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to  post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.

We are also talking about this on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP

lack of color

Blackbeard

Definition: “Black is the darkest color, the result of the absence of or complete absorption of light. It is the opposite of white (the combined spectrum of color or light).[1] It is an achromatic color, literally a color without color or hue.[2] It is one of the four primary colors in the CMYK color model, along with cyan, yellow, and magenta, used in color printing to produce all the other colors.

Black was one of the first colors used by artists in neolithic cave paintings. In the 14th century, it began to be worn by royalty, the clergy, judges and government officials in much of Europe. It became the color worn by English romantic poets, businessmen and statesmen in the 19th century, and a high fashion color in the 20th century.[3]

In the Roman Empire, it became the color of mourning, and over the centuries it was frequently associated with death, evil, witches and magic. According to surveys in Europe and North America, it is the color most commonly associated with mourning, the end, secrets, magic, force, violence, evil, and elegance.[4]” (Wikipedia)

Black Founders is an organization dedicated to diversity in tech. Our mission is to increase the number of successful black entrepreneurs in technology.

blackboard

color of mourning

Black Beauty – an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell

black pearl (also a ship in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie)

Jack Black

black hole

black gold

black friday

BeagleBone Black is a low-cost, community-supported development platform for developers and hobbyists.

Black & Decker

Orphan Black

Black Girls Code-STEM education San Francisco, Technology training for girls, diversity learning, Social Entrepreneurship in San Francisco

Black Sabbath

Black Bar Hollywood

The Black Keys

The Black Lips are a self-described “flower punk” band from Atlanta, Georgia.

Country music star, Clint Black

black jeans

Black Hat

Black Lives Matter

The Black Swan is a standalone book in Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s landmark Incerto series, an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, …

black cat

Black History Month

Cara Black is the New York Times Bestselling Author of the Aimee Leduc Mystery Thriller Series of novels set in Paris, France.

black and blue

Black Hills

Ladysmith Black Mambazo – all-male South African a cappella singing group.

The Black Crowes

Orange is the New Black

documentary photographer Matt Black

black box

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

People
Places
Films
Music
Albums
Songs
Video games
Other uses

 

17 more creative prompts to go! respond while they are hot!

IRR Again

Claire's IRR
Claire’s IRR

Next on the IRR list was Claire’s piece. Claire was in my original group so I wanted to make sure I worked on all of those quilts. I received her piece at the January BAMQG meeting.

Claire’s IRR was a challenge. The colors are perfect for Claire, but they are not my colors. Also, many of the fabrics had been used up or smaller pieces were left. This is why the project is called a challenge! I did not let these things discourage me.

I put the piece up on my design wall and tried to see the focal point or the place where Claire started. I couldn’t really tell, so I looked at who had worked on the piece and still couldn’t tell what might have been Claire’s start.

Trying out the Grandmother's Fan idea
Trying out the Grandmother’s Fan idea

I put the focal point aside and looked at the piece. I saw some good curved lines and thought something like the Grandmother’s Fan block might work. I cut some blades and put them up on the design wall.

I really did try to keep, mostly, to the 20 minute rule. I find that rule to be hard as the pieces get larger. Of course, cutting is still a challenge. Also, the curves on Claire’s were not an easy design element. And, right on cue, life got in the way and the piece sat on my design wall for a week or more.

Claire's IRR - continuing the curves
Claire’s IRR – continuing the curves

As I walked in and out of my workroom I decided I did like the curves. At one point, I adjusted the fans so the existing curves would be continued — or give the illusion of being continued.

In the photo, I tried to point out to you, in a very obnoxious color, what I thought of as ‘continuing the curve’. No, the blades aren’t all the same size, but the curve seems to be the most important in terms of design. I hope the curves I added work with the existing curves to create a focal point.

The bad part is that I didn’t square off the fans. I know I should have, but I just didn’t feel like it. I know I can offer to do it later, if push comes to shove. I am hoping that someone else will square them off down the road.

Claire's IRR with my addition
Claire’s IRR with my addition

I am happy with what I did. I gave the piece to Michelle on Thursday and will look forward to seeing what she does.

Now I am on to Ruth‘s piece.

Creative Prompt #347: Lilac

scent

flower

color

Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens

The Library Information Literacy Advisory Committee (LILAC), established by the Council of Chief Librarians and the University Librarian in 2004, grows out of an ongoing interest and responsibility in promoting information literacy across CUNY.

National Lilac Rabbit Club of America promoting Lilac Rabbits. [Lilac rabbits???]

The Lilac Fairy Book

International Lilac Society

Lilac Clothing

Lilac Patisserie – A dedicated gluten free bakery and café on State Street in Santa Barbara, CA.

Lilac City Grille – Rochester, NH

Pine Mountain Clubs Annual Lilac Festival

Definition: “Syringa vulgaris (lilac or common lilac) is a species of flowering plant in the olive family Oleaceae, native to the Balkan Peninsula, where it grows on rocky hills.[1][2][3] This species is widely cultivated as an ornamental and has been naturalized in other parts of Europe (UK, France, Germany, Italy, etc.) as well as much of North America. It is not regarded as an aggressive species, found in the wild in widely scattered sites, usually in the vicinity of past or present human habitations.[4][5][6]

Syringa vulgaris is a large deciduous shrub or multi-stemmed small tree, growing to 6–7 m (20–23 ft) high, producing secondary shoots (“suckers”) from the base or roots, with stem diameters of up to 20 cm (8 in), which in the course of decades may produce a small clonal thicket.[7] The bark is grey to grey-brown, smooth on young stems, longitudinally furrowed and flaking on older stems. The leaves are simple, 4–12 cm (2–5 in) and 3–8 cm broad, light green to glaucous, oval to cordate, with pinnate leaf venation, a mucronate apex and an entire margin. They are arranged in opposite pairs or occasionally in whorls of three. The flowers have a tubular base to the corolla 6–10 mm long with an open four-lobed apex 5–8 mm across, usually lilac to mauve, occasionally white. They are arranged in dense, terminal panicles 8–18 cm (3–7 in) long. The fruit is a dry, smooth brown capsule, 1–2 cm long, splitting in two to release the two winged seeds.[1][8” (Wikipedia)

Lilac Bijoux believes in carefully curating their fashion to make sure they bring you the best casual-chic flair your can find.

The Mackinac Island Lilac Festival is a 10-day celebration, June 5 through 14.

“The story of lilac, according to Greek mythology, begins with a beautiful nymph named Syringa (lilac’s botanical name). Captivated by her beauty, Pan, the god of the forests and fields, chased Syringa through the forest. Frightened by Pan’s affections, Syringa escaped him by turning herself into an aromatic bush – the flower we now refer to as lilac.

The 8th wedding anniversary flower and the state flower of New Hampshire (symbolizing the hardy character of the Granite State’s citizens), lilacs are frequently considered a harbinger of spring, with the time of their bloom signaling whether spring will be early or late. In the language of flowers, purple lilacs symbolize the first emotions of love, while white lilacs represent youthful innocence.” (Teleflora)

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and get familiar with your blog or website.

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to  post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.

We are also talking about this on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP

Mighty Lucky Inspiration

This week turned into an unexpectedly busy week. Nothing bad, just a number of time sucking curve balls. As a result, I still haven’t put bias strips to background for the Mighty Lucky Quilting Club challenge. If I had won the Powerball, then all that busyness could have gone away and I could have immersed myself in sewing. HA!

I can now, at least, make the bias strips since I was able to find the one of the bias tape makers I wanted to play with at Beverly’s. Yes, I did order them from Amazon and I received the 1″, but the 1/4″ tape maker was on back order. I made trips to a couple of quilt stores, knowing I could cancel the online orders, but both Always Quilting and Scruffy Quilts were out of bias tape makers. I guess the MLQC is popular OR making bias tape is popular.

I was out for a walk and stopped in at Beverly’s even though i didn’t have a coupon. They had all the sizes in the Clover brand! Since I had some simple ideas in mind, I bought the 1/4″ tape maker and cancelled the Amazon order.

Aside from the sketches that I made and showed you the other day, I found two pictures that also make me want to make them using bias tape.

Bias tape water bird
Bias tape water bird

I saw the first picture when I was, again, out for a walk (I walk a lot). It is a cool line drawing I saw a on the back of a car. I think I might have mentioned that I love water birds once or twice and this sticker reminded me of an egret. The body is a little fat, but I can adjust that – or not – when I get the bias tape ready.

I could also do an outline of myself, though there is not a lot of detail, because I am bundled up and in shadow. I am not inclined to do that, but the outline is clear enough.

Statue
Statue

Then, yesterday, I was early for a meeting. I didn’t want to announce myself until closer to the meeting time, so I started to organize the photos on my phone. I have too many and I need to off load them, but organizing always calms my nerves. In the course of that exercise, I found another bird statue that would be a great bias tape drawing.

I remember taking the photo from a magazine wanting to remember the swoops and lines of the beautiful piece of art. Sadly, I don’t remember any details about the artist or the magazine. I did not make this statue!

One bird is one thing, but I am not sure I want to make both. If these challenge pieces are just challenges piece, then I can make as many as I want. If they will be a quilt, which is what I was thinking when I was sketching the confetti lines, then I might need to think about how many I make.

I suppose making ONE is the first step. 😉

Creative Prompt #346: Peace

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and get familiar with your blog or website.

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to  post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.

We are also talking about this on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP

Peace Corps

Freedom from disturbance

peace sign

symbol of peace

Nobel Peace Prize

pax

Kiss of peace

Peace Review Journal -University of San Francisco – Peace Review is a quarterly, multidisciplinary, transnational journal of research and analysis, focusing on the current issues and controversies that underlie the promotion of a more peaceful world.

Peace Action West – Membership organization fostering broad-based civic activism to create a strong voice for peaceful and pragmatic solutions to global problems.

U.S. Institute of Peace

Peace Revolution strives to bring peace to the world by supporting individuals to find inner peace and sharing that peace with their families, friends and …

Peace out

International Peace Bureau – Federation founded in 1892 supports peace and disarmament initiatives and creates international projects.

Peace By Aristophanes Written 421 B.C.E.

Peace Pilgrim – 1908-1981 – Walking over 25000 miles from 1953 to 1981, Peace Pilgrim spread her message of world, group, and individual inner peace 

Peace First – Program uses cooperative games and community service activities to empower elementary school students to be peacemakers.

International Day of Peace

Peace and Justice Studies Association

Seeds of Peace – Non-profit, non-political organization that helps teenagers from regions of conflict learn the skills of making peace

 

 

Mighty Lucky Quilting Club

Mighty Lucky Quilting Club
Mighty Lucky Quilting Club

I talked about the Mighty Lucky Quilting Club in a post on Tuesday. I actually wrote those words a few days ago…before I saw the first challenge at BAMQG on Saturday. At that time I wrote “I am interested to see what they do, but don’t want to put another ‘should’ or ‘must’ on my list. I am also not much interested in playing with negative space or more on improvisation, which is to say that it may not be for me…”

I like the name they have chosen. There is something about the words Mighty and Lucky and that make me feel powerful and capable. Silly, probably.

Then I saw the results a few people brought for the first challenge. The first challenge has to do with making and using bias. The idea of the ‘club’ isn’t, at least in the first month, just how to make nine patches and sew set in seams. Now I was interested.

MLQC challenge sketches - January
MLQC challenge sketches – January

I signed up as soon as I got home and started imagining designs. I have wanted to learn to use one of those bias tape makers, but never took the time. As I let the challenge settle into my brain, the ideas started to come. While I was waiting to pick up my nephew from swimming, I did some doodles, not in a sketchbook as is suggested, but just in my journal, which is fine for me. My doodles stemmed from my thoughts of confetti streamers. I don’t think any of my sketches look like what is in my mind, but they are interesting regardless.

MLQC challenge sketches - January
MLQC challenge sketches – January

Drawing the ideas out in long rectangles made me think of the top of a quilt. The quilt would have blocks of different sizes put together in an interesting way. I was thinking that I would use turquoise as a background, perhaps different turquoises, and then red on top. I know you have seen it a million times, but I am stuck on that combination for the moment.

I received, immediately, a nicely formatted PDF with the information about the challenge.

Yesterday, I got home and went looking for the bias tape makers. I am sure I bought a set and can’t find them anywhere, so, sadly, I bought more. Sadly, because I know I will find them as soon as the new ones arrive. I did not buy a 2″ bias tape maker. For this challenge, I think I will stick to thinner lines.

I hope this is fun and am not adding to the ‘shoulds’ in my life.

 

Creative Prompt #345: Captain

El Capitan

Captain America

Captain Underpants

Definition: “The army rank of captain (from the French capitaine) is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to the command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today, a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery (or United States Army cavalry troop or Commonwealth squadron). In the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, a captain may also command a company, or be the second-in-command of a battalion.

In NATO countries, the rank of captain is described by the code OF-2 and is one rank above an OF-1 (lieutenant or first lieutenant) and one below an OF-3 (major or commandant). The rank of captain is generally considered to be the highest rank a soldier can achieve while remaining in the field.

In some militaries, such as United States Army and Air Force and the British Army, captain is the entry-level rank for officer candidates possessing a professional degree, namely medical professionals (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists) and lawyers. (In the United States Army, lawyers who are not already officers at captain rank or above enter as lieutenants during training, and are promoted to the rank of captain after completion of their training if they are in the active component, or after a certain amount of time, usually one year from their date of commission as a lieutenant, for the reserve components.)

The rank of captain should not be confused with the naval rank of captain or with the British-influenced air force rank of group captain, both of which are equivalent to the army rank of colonel.” (Wikipedia)

Captain Vineyards, Contra Costa County

Captain Kirk

The Captain Euro Team are always acting on the side of good to promote global sustainability.

Clad in distinctive armor of salvaged chromium, Captain Phasma commands the First Order’s legions of stormtroopers.

CaptainFTP

Captain Fawcett’s Emporium is home to a simply delectable range of first class gentleman’s grooming requisites.

O Captain! My Captain!

By Walt Whitman

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
                         But O heart! heart! heart!
                            O the bleeding drops of red,
                               Where on the deck my Captain lies,
                                  Fallen cold and dead.
O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
                         Here Captain! dear father!
                            This arm beneath your head!
                               It is some dream that on the deck,
                                 You’ve fallen cold and dead.
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
                         Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
                            But I with mournful tread,
                               Walk the deck my Captain lies,
                                  Fallen cold and dead.

Source: Leaves of Grass (David McKay, 1891)

Captain Morgan rum

The Captain Beefheart Radar Station focuses on the art, poetry and music of Don van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart.

Captain Planet Foundation

CAPTAIN California Autism Professional Training and Information Network.

police captain

Jackpot Captain – California Lottery

Captain Murica

Captain Cuts is Ben Berger, Ryan McMahon, and Ryan Rabin Management

Captain Up offers game mechanics and social tools for maximizing engagement, retention, virality and monetization in your web and mobile apps.

Captain Cook

Captain Hook

 

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and get familiar with your blog or website.

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to  post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.

We are also talking about this on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP

Creative Prompt #344: Year

Happy New Year

Year of the Tiger

fiscal year

calendar year

Definition: “A year is the orbital period of the Earth moving in its orbit around the Sun. Due to the Earth’s axial tilt, the course of a year sees the passing of the seasons, marked by changes in weather, the hours of daylight, and consequently vegetation and fertility. In temperate and subpolar regions, generally four seasons are recognized: spring, summer, autumn and winter. In seasonal tropical and subtropical regions, the wet (rainy or monsoon) season and the dry season are generally recognised.

A calendar year is an approximation of the Earth’s orbital period in a given calendar. The Gregorian calendar (and Julian calendar) has a calendar year being either a common year of 365 days, or a leap year of 366 days. The average year length across the complete leap cycle of the Gregorian (modern) calendar is 365.2425 days. ISO 80000-3, in an informative (cf. normative) annex, proposes the symbol, a, (for Latin annus) to represent a year of either 365 or 366 days. In English, the abbreviations, y and yr, are used.

In astronomy, the Julian year is a unit of time, defined as exactly 365.25 days each of exactly 86400 SI seconds, totalling 31557600 seconds.[1]

The word, year, is also used of periods loosely associated but not strictly identical with either the astronomical or the calendar year, such as the seasonal year, the fiscal year or the academic year, etc. By extension, the term, year, can mean the orbital period of any planet: for example, a Martian year or Venusian year is the time in which Mars or, respectively, Venus completes its own orbit. The term is also applied more broadly to any long period or cycle, such as the Great Year.[2]” (Wikipedia)

Putting Idealism to Work – City Year, an AmeriCorps program, is a national service organization which unites young adults, ages 17 to 24.

Year in Review

Year of the Rat

Person of the Year

year dot

Pantone Color of the Year

Year of the Sheep

multi-year low

year in photos

gap year

10 year forecast

Year of the Monkey

years of service

4 year degree

Teacher of the Year

Year of the Goat

10,000 Year Clock

Year of the Dragon

Year-end tax strategies

One year later

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and get familiar with your blog or website.

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to  post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.

We are also talking about this on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP

Creative Prompt #343: Christmas

Nota Bene: For those of you who don’t celebrate, I apologize. This was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Please select your own word and post a link to your response. I appreciate your understanding.

Noel

Nativity

Xmas

Yule

Christmas tree

Holiday music

ornaments

lights

music

family traditions

gifts

“Do They Know It’s Christmas,” a charity single released by Bob Geldof’s Band Aid 30

Advent calendar

Family gatherings

cards

greetings

A Charlie Brown Christmas Movie

cookies

Christmas Eve

artificial Christmas trees

gingerbread house

Christmas decorations

Christmas cheer

Merry Christmas

A Christmas Story (1983 movie)

 

Definition: “Christmas or Christmas Day (Old English: Cr?stesmæsse, meaning “Christ‘s Mass“) is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ,[7][8] observed most commonly on December 25[4][9][10] as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world.[2][11][12] A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it is prepared for by the season of Advent or the Nativity Fast and initiates the season of Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days and culminates on Twelfth Night;[13] in some traditions, Christmastide includes an Octave.[14] Christmas Day is a public holiday in many of the world’s nations,[15][16][17] is celebrated culturally by a large number of non-Christian people,[1][18][19] and is an integral part of the holiday season.

The celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix of pre-Christian, Christian, and secular themes and origins.[20] Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift giving, completing an Advent calendar or Advent wreath, Christmas music and caroling, lighting a Christingle, an exchange of Christmas cards, church services, a special meal, and the display of various Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees, Christmas lights, nativity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly. In addition, several closely related and often interchangeable figures, known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, and Christkind, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season and have their own body of traditions and lore.[21] Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.

While the month and date of Jesus’ birth are unknown, by the early-to-mid 4th century, the Western Christian Church had placed Christmas on December 25,[22] a date later adopted in the East,[23][24] although some churches celebrate on the December 25 of the older Julian calendar, which, in the Gregorian calendar, currently corresponds to January 7, the day after the Western Christian Church celebrates the Epiphany. The date of Christmas may have initially been chosen to correspond with the day exactly nine months after the day on which early Christians believed that Jesus was conceived,[25] or with one or more ancient polytheistic festivals that occurred near southern solstice (i.e., the Roman winter solstice);[26][27] a further solar connection has been suggested because of a biblical verse[a] identifying Jesus as the “Sun of righteousness”.[25][28][29]” (Wikipedia)

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and get familiar with your blog or website.

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to  post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.

We are also talking about this on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP