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**from Quilts of Provence**

**from Quilts of Provence**

For today's post... please read it on the Artslice blog.... I didn't have enough tea while posting this morning!

The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle

Here is a little song that is in the classic children's book, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle by Beatrix Potter. I'm a big fan of hers, I love her animals and naturalist style drawings and paintings. She had quite an interesting life, there's a great biography on her...published in the past few years.

This is a song we sing to our kids, and they love it! I decided to write it out in a fun lettering style I found in the magazine Bound and Lettered. (a calligraphy and book arts journal, published by John Neal.... of Paper and Ink Books ...a wonderful journal but a bit pricey!) Anyway, I just found it stuffed in a magazine, and thought I should color it with my Prismacolor pencils and frame it! (I made the birth announcements for both of my kids and this lettering style was used for my son's.)

Spectrum Gallery Show, "Hooray for Spring"

The School Teachers and Other Lovelies Jewel boxes, block prints by me, block prints by Gretchen and Romy Ehrsam and Paris Banner by Cate Goins.

Hand made glass bead jewelry by Lisa Moss

Some block prints by Gretchen and Romy Ehrsam, and myself. Baby banner by Cate Goins.

The delectable refreshment table.

Hand felted wool purses and linen block printed purses made by yours truly.

Here are some photographs from the Spectrum Art Gallery show I am in, there are 11 regional artists showing. Today is the last day if you are in Spokane... come on in and have a look! They are at 33 W. 34th St. from 1 - 5 pm today or by appointment. (509) 747-5267. The show will run through May 31. This is just a taste of the work there, I'll have to take more photographs to show more of the artist's work!

(For a closer look, click on image.)

A New Book

Here is the new book I made yesterday... it was so much fun rooting through old prints in the studio and cutting them up. I tried to use a lot of "margin paper" with the intent of writing in the book... writing around the images, in them, adding more drawings... or anything else, it's all up for grabs at this point. (actual book from Maya Road, Landscape Binder Album) I used book cloth for the spine and it worked like a dream. No more taught binding.

I started some new woodcuts based on the beach and ocean & will put them in books. These are more abstract than previous work.... much more about shapes, pattern and layering. It's very exciting to be trying some new approaches.... experimenting. I love not knowing what it will look like or quite how it will evolve.

Soon, I will try to make an actual BOOK but need to find a style that is simple and easy... (one that uses binder's tape or glue, not sewing). For now, using ready made books offers instant gratification and skipping a step. (Confession: I'm terrible at measuring which makes for a bad book-maker!)

Groovin' with My 4 Yr Old Artist

Abstract Drawing, by my 4 yr old son.... Marker on paper.

Portrait, by my 4 yr old son. (His friend, 'Boy at McDonald's').

My son is really getting into drawing faces, people and imaginary friends. He can talk for hours (especially in the evening) about friends, trains, animals and all sorts of situations of play. He free associates about these friends for at least an hour or more, usually while playing trains or pre-school computer games. He's fearless with his art making and no one needs to tell him how to draw, he seems to know exactly what he's doing and doesn't need any help with it. (although he still prefers to be fed if he can find someone to do it for him!!) :) Oh how I love to watch him create... and he usually sings to himself while working!

Handmade Book

Well, not quite handmade, it's a "Suitcase Binder Album" board book by Maya Road.

I thought it would make a good book for ghost prints and test prints that are not 100% 'good'. Next time I'll use bookbinder's cloth for the spine so it will be more flexible, the paper is too taught on this cover and the book doesn't close all the way. Oh well. I plan to write in it and doodle/draw too. I'll be making more, maybe I'll put some in the Etsy shop if I ever get the program to shrink my photographs so I can post stuff again!

Dog House - Santa Cruz

Here's a painting I did a few years back. The house is gorgeous, set on a bluff, it overlooks the Pacific Ocean and the famous wooden roller coaster on the beach below. Originally, the painting had a profile of myself but, I hated it and turned myself into a dog. Ah, much better! :)

The School Teacher Series

Miss Alice Hess Acrylic on wood box.

The jewel boxes are finally done, along with the prints and purses... I took them all to the gallery today. What a nice feeling to be finished, it takes such a long time to get ready for a show these days with 2 little ones. They inspire me in so many ways though!

My First Garden

Hand painted woodblock print.

These are the Bleeding Hearts I planted in my little garden last year. I'm so happy to report they are still alive and sprouting up after such a hellish winter!!! As a fairly new gardener even the smallest things make my heart swell with pleasure. I think the Clematis did not fare as well :<

Doodle Sashiko

I did this last night, I just drew on the linen with a white chalk pencil and started stitching! I might have to repeat the design, I like it!

Lavender Fields

Lavande Bleu, 4 x 4 in. Woodblock print, hand colored.

Ah to be in Provence again... maybe one day. This is a Mas (farmhouse) we stayed at in Arles, France. Until then, I have many memories and lots of photographs that I can work from. My mom has a Lavender farm on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State and I hope to do some domestic sketches this summer.

Boxes n' Borders

Here are all the jewel boxes with the completed borders - I loved painting these, so much fun!

Piecing and Pondering

Here's the latest progression of my linen quilt. I put it on a throw quilt to see if I had enough blocks.... and what I should do next. A bed sized quilt or a throw for the couch???? I don't know yet! There needs to be a lot more sashiko.

Dog on the Dock

Here's a diptych of 2 dogs... they were Chocolate Labs in real life but look more like black here, obviously! I have painted the background on both, but am not quite happy with it. Maybe I'll carve a pattern (or 2) and print them in the sky area with light colored inks. OR.... possibly chine colle in the large white spaces and water.... hmmmm.

Flowers in her Hair

The show looms closer... I picked up the announcements yesterday and dropped off some purses and woodblock printed cards. I also showed the gallery owner some of the jewel boxes and she was very pleased with them. :^) Now, I just have to finish 3 of the faces and I will have 8 boxes, plus I need to hand color some prints and package them as well as re-print one that I had to re-work. sigh!

Linen Quilt

Click on the photos for a closer look at the sashiko... I used a white chalk pencil to draw my designs and just stitched ... so much fun to watch it come alive.

Quilt experiment... I've always wanted to make a quilt with free-form applique and sashiko. So, here is the beginning of something exciting! I bought a heap of linen a few days ago since it was on sale and I need it to print on and later make summer purses with the results. .. but then, I got a 'wild hair' and decided to make a quilt with some of the fabric instead!

Misbehavin' Book

I have been adding color and pattern to this alphabet accordion book lately as a way to 'do something I want' other instead of finishing up my work for the upcoming show! This kind of work is such fun, it's really just doodling and relaxing. I plan on making one (I bought this one -blank- at Island Blueprint on a visit to Victoria, B.C.) and giving them both to my kids for their own little keepsake alphabets. (Alphabet stamps by Gretchen Ehrsam, Rubbermoon Stamps).

A Beautiful Spring Tree

Painted by my son, a sweet tree... now we just need to grow some little green leaves.

Let Me In

Detail of a new woodblock print, hand colored.

The Music Teacher

Jewel Box Bobbed Hair Lady...