Pathetic Patty Ketchup

In my last post, I said I was going to discard my first pathetic Ketchup Sister into the scrap bag, but...something about her stopped me.. I tried out my new couching foot and gave her some orange yarn here and there, and she got some button earrings. and a fuzzy yarn border. She has apparently angered her hairdresser---how else could you explain that hairdo? Her plastic surgeon didn't do the greatest job on her nose, and what about those excessive collagen injections in her lower lip! You might also notice that Pathetic Patty is even more politically confused than I am because she's wearing buttons from three presidential candidates. (I'm down to only two, myself.) So, although she is still pathetic, she is pressing on in spite of everything.
More power to you, PattyGirl!

The Ketchup Sisters

It is confession time.
In August '07 I pledged to myself that I would produce four journal quilts a month, and I have kept this going pretty well, but in December, I fell behind! In my defense, I did make two little quilts that month that I gave away, but Ive decided that they don't really count, so I ended up owing myself four quilts! The Quilt Police will probably pull up to my door any moment now, so I have resolved to make up the deficit and redeem myself in my own eyes. (What would a therapist say about that?).
Since I have been wanting to play with making some human faces, I decided I'd make four portraits of women, and I'd call them the Four Ketchup Sisters! (Ketchup==catch up---get it? Yeah, I know that's pretty bad---sorry!) I've seen lots of neat looking primitive fabric faces, so that's what I decided to try first. My initial result is PATHETIC. (at left) First I thought that some embellishment might help but after looking at it some more, I think I may just consign it to the scap bag. I guess that whimsical-and-primitive just isn't working for me this week!
Then I thought maybe I would try a more realistic, photographic face, and that turned into attempt number two (at right). I do like her better, so I'll probably finish her and maybe I will try interpreting some more 'real faces' into fabric.
Stay tuned for more Ketchup Sisters.
Still having FUN!
AJ

Snow

Here is a picture of the branches of a big
evergreen in our yard during the recent
snow. I enhanced the digital photo to emphasize
the needles and shapes and printed the photo on
fabric. Snowflake beads were added and I
did some handquilting on top of the snow to
add sparkle, which doesn't show in the photo.

Child's Prayer

I am touched by this sweet children's prayer.
I couldn't find its origin online and I don't think
that it is copyrighted. I added a drawing that I
printed on fabric.

Here's some more color

Scrappy strips of fabric, joined and overlaid
with mesh from the bag that contained our
supper onions.

Hungry for color

Drawing was done on the computer. Plate was
fused and i used embroidery floss for the
colorful food. Color feeds the soul.

This is another watercolor crayon experiment.
Watercolor crayons on white fabric; machine
quilted with multicolored thread.

At our 'art bee' meeting in November, we played
with watercolor crayons. This is my result, called
'Wild Columbines'. The two borders are commercial
fabrics.

We lost a very dear family member on January 16
when we had to say goodbye to our 14 year old
cat, Miss Gwinney. She was a sweetie and I made
this in her honor.

Experimenting with some homemade
polymer clay beads and commercial fabric.

November 2007 -- 4 quilts

I call this "Spirit Dance." I used foil, fusing,
and fabric paint. I left dangling threads to
suggest movement.

A very old family photo and some odds and ends.

Hand dyed fabric combined with manipulated
iris photo on fabric.

Hand dyed fabric. Just experimenting.

October 2007 -- 4 quilts

My Halloween quilt.

Here I am thinking about the season, but also about aging.
The hands are my husband's and mine.
We celebrated our fiftieth wedding anniversary in 2007.

THE UNLIKELY PAIR
Everyone knew it wouldn't last.
She was ceramic.
He was organic.
It was over by lunchtime.
(Haven't we all attended a wedding like that?)

Another 'Ricky Inspired' quilt.