Dabbling in ink

With a feeling of relief, I have finally finished and posted off the latest AK doll made for a grandchild.

The final doll is quite sweet, but it took me about 6 months, and in the end the guilt of being a bad grandma forced me to actually get back to it.    I used to love knitting.  I knitted lots of jumpers for the children when they were young. Why does it seem such a chore now?  I think it is because my tension problems change all the measurements.  When I have the chance, I really need to get some knitting therapy from an expert to help me solve my knitting issues.  Given all this, imagine my horror when instead of putting the needles away, I picked them up and started a different doll. And this one is bigger and needs clothes! Talk about self -flagellation!

I have been enjoying a lot of my other projects a lot more.  Mainly because I am more confident about them.

I have been examining the remaining eco- dyed papers, trying to think of ways to use them.  I embroidered one, but am still vacillating about the others.

Also, I have finished joining my Japanese fabric strips for my quilt, and the ironed result is rather smart, if I do say so myself. 

 Next, I need to back it, line it, quilt it and border it.  More decisions! And more money! And more work!  But, I still have some fabric left over.  I could make cushions or a small knee rug from the remainders later.

In addition, I have decided to finish off the sampler quilt I showed you last week as a wall quilt.  I am adding a hanging sleeve to the back. Then, I think, I might enter it into the members' exhibition at the BIA at the end of March.  I am looking at other pieces to enter too.  No idea what the limit is, but it is worth entering ( and visiting the exhibition if you want a piece of original art straight from the hands of starving artists).

I am loving playing with ink.  Inspired by the work of  Gus Leunig and Rosetta Santucci, I have been working on this painting.

 It still has a way to go, but I am enjoying the process of layering colours, textures and images.   I started with a layer of wax and masking fluid, then used different inks  textured with salt and various tools like gladwrap and bubble wrap, and finally added a layer of gouache.  I am trying to decide what to do to finish it off.

 I have also started a different style of ink painting depicting a beach village we visited a few years ago in Portugal, Peniche.

Again, I am not sure how to finish it off.  I'm enjoying this new media so much that I think I'll try a few more paintings while I think about the problem of finishing off the two pictures.  Are you getting the idea that I have a tendency to work on lots of things at the same time?  Stops me getting bored and jaded is one way of looking at it!

Lastly, I am waiting for the weather to change so I can dye my fabric that I intend to use to make my new fish.  Good fun is coming up!

And!  ( sound of trumpets) I have decided to start a new food blog. It is going to be called Patapan Food and will be found at www.patapanfood.com.au.  Stay tuned!