Various items I will have at the Contextural sale this year...

HANDMADE BOOKS

(with Resist-Clamped dyed Wool covers, 

6" square and  4.5" square and 5" by 7", 

all $50 each)

INDIGO DYED SILK DEVORE SCARVES

(various sizes averaging 14" by 70", 

with and without fringed ends, 

flat or raised velvet finishes, 

$70 each)

Indigo dyed Shibori silk scarf

KEEPSAKE POUCH necklaces 

( 2"x3" bags filled with semi-precious stones. 

Done in waxed Irish Linen, using a needle and thread and 2000 stitches, 

the technique is called "nalbinding", and ancient knotless looping stitch which predates knitting by centuries. Many different colours and decorations available. $70)

VASES

Pyrography and Watercolours on Watercolour papers

(Original artwork. 

6" square and 8" square, mounted on canvas frames, 

$60 and $70) 

NATURAL DYED SILK DEVORE SCARVES

with pomegranate, logwood, cutch, fustic and more

(average size 14" by 70", 

with and without fringed ends, 

flat or raised velvet finishes,

$70 each)

 NEWBORN AND INFANT SIZED COTTON TOQUES

(Hand dyed and illustrated, 

$25 each)

More necklaces for Calyx

During my travels last fall I have been stitching the bodies of my KEEPSAKE POUCHES and their 2000 stitches done with needle and a waxed linen thread. I have now decorated them with buttons and beads in preparation for Calyx this weekend. Here are shots of them with the semi-precious stones that are contained within and the spiritual properties of each. What can you add to yours?

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Red Jasper

Red jasper is a stone of fairness and justice. It decreases unjustness and helps in unfair situations. It enhances responsibility, choice, and compassion. It can enhance dream recall and assist in protection and rescue from danger. It is also a stone that helps in all areas of survival, and is a very protective stone.

Quartz

Clear quartz crystal is a power stone that harmonizes and balances. It enhances energy and thoughts, and purifies the spiritual, mental, and physical. It is also a powerfully protective stone, bringing the purified energy in. Due to its ability to balance, quartz is excellent for harmonizing and balancing one's environment. Quartz is also good for energizing other crystals.

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Carnelian

Carnelian is a healing stone that counteracts feelings of apathy, fear and rage. It fosters a feeling of peace within and without. It also imparts self-confidence and inspired verbal and written communication.

Red Jasper

Red jasper is a stone of fairness and justice. It decreases unjustness and helps in unfair situations. It enhances responsibility, choice, and compassion. It can enhance dream recall and assist in protection and rescue from danger. It is also a stone that helps in all areas of survival, and is a very protective stone.

Leopardskin Jasper

Leopardskin is a stone that aids in service to others – it helps to discover and connect. It makes it easier for one to take responsibility properly and it helps with creative visualization. As with all jaspers, this is a protective stone.

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Blue Lace Agate
Blue Lace Agate is a great choice for self-expression; it makes it much easier to express oneself, it helps one to speak their truth and makes it easier to convey your thoughts while speaking. This stone also works directly with the nervous system to alleviate physical tension, it is very calming and people who are agitated are drawn to its energy.

Amethyst
Promotes inner calm & peace, initiates wisdom & understanding. It works in the emotional, spiritual, and physical planes to provide calm, balance, patience, and peace. It engenders courage and inner strength.

Amazonite
Amazonite is an extremely soothing stone. It calms the brain and nervous system. It is a stone that helps you to see both sides of a problem or different points of view. It soothes emotional trauma, alleviates worry and fear; it dispels negative energy and aggravation.

 

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Pillows, pillows, pillows!

While I was dyeing with neighbourhood plant material last fall for my clothing line (see earlier posts) I would also throw some upholstery fabrics in that I had been gifted. First I culled the pile for only natural fibres (100% silk, linen, cotton were the most common) and added them to various simmering pots.

I have spent the past month making pillows - boy, are they a lot of work!

The sizes range from 14"x14" up to 20"x20". The silk has the most amazing shimmer and the patterning on some are great. I am very happy with how they turned out. And finally got outside today (on our 27c day) to do some photography. Here they are...

Here are most of them lined up for front and back pics:

Wrap around - 2 different silks front and back:

100% silk bolster:

Cotton printed front with black cotton back for contrast:

Close ups of two patterned silks:

CALYX DISTINCTIVE ART - SHOW AND SALE

It's that time again!

I will be showing on SATURDAY, April 23th only.

This is a juried art show and sale where 30 different artists show separately on each day!

I have many different types of silk scarves that I dye over the summer.
Plus I will have jewellery (brooches and necklaces) and lots of wall art.

All of my art is TEXTILE based, whether it is paper, natural fibres - animal (silk or wool) or plant (cotton, rayon), synthetic fibres - nylon, polyester (all the better for burning!) and all with a component of STITCH.

I will also have some eco-printed pillows made from silk, linen, or cotton upholstery fabrics I dyed with my clothing last fall.

ECO Printing 1

So very excited with what I have been working on for the past couple months, here is the big reveal - Eco Printing on natural fibres (silk, wool, cotton, linen) using plant materials from around the neighbourhood. Here is a wool-Tencel blend, large scarf, done with onions skins, oak leaves, eucalyptus. It sold within the first ten minutes of my sale last weekend.

Here is a cotton-modal shawl scarf printed with Smokebush leaves.

CALYX time again - 30th annual

I will be showing on SATURDAY, October 24th only.

This is a juried art show and sale where 30 different artists show separately on each day!

I have many different types of silk scarves that I dye over the summer.
Plus I will have jewellery (brooches and necklaces) and lots of wall art.

All of my art is TEXTILE based, whether it is paper, natural fibres - animal (silk or wool) or plant (cotton, rayon), synthetic fibres - nylon, polyester (all the better for burning!) and all with a component of STITCH.

Calyx 2

I have been working on small things for this year's "new" pieces because of the on-going kitchen renovation and the plaster dust in my studio!

But I managed to make some butterfly and moose...

The moose are so cute, with lots of personality and I have framed then a couple of different ways:

 burlap wrapped canvases (love them!)

 and shadow boxes

 

And the butterfly are in two different shapes with most of them brooches, and a couple that I put into frames:

 

Hope to see anyone who lives in the Calgary area on Saturday at the Crescent Heights Community Centre at 1101 - 2nd Street NW from 10am to 4pm.

 

Bi-annual CALYX show and sale in Calgary!

I will be showing on SATURDAY, May 2nd only.

This is a juried art show and sale where 30 different artists show separately on each day!

I have many different types of silk scarves that I dye over the summer along with my version of up-cycled cotton ones that I create.
Plus I will have jewellery (brooches and necklaces) and lots of wall art.

All of my art is TEXTILE based, whether it is paper, natural fibres - animal (silk or wool) or plant (cotton, rayon), synthetic fibres - nylon, polyester (all the better for burning!) and all with a component of STITCH.

Calyx 3

Another offering I will have this weekend are gelatin monoprints using plant material from the Alberta Foothills. In layman terms, making stamps out of leaves and grasses using acrylic paints.

Because they are mounted in mattes but not framed they are a steal for original art, i.e. $50 each for either the 11"x14" or 14"x18" size.

Calyx 2

I was out of town for the month of September, first on the west coast with my art group Articulation for our annual study session; then to Ontario for family visiting to show I was (almost) back to normal after the holiday accident in May.

While away I worked on stitching lots of my keepsake bags - the body part is made of over 2000 stitches out of waxed Irish Linen thread and takes hours to produce. Then I came home and got to decorate them all... the fun begins! And I become quite attached to the different colourways I select for each.

Pulling out beads and buttons of all sorts and sizes and colours:

Here is the shot of new necklaces all ready for Calyx:
 
And some close ups of the finished ones:

And a sampling of what they contain. I select semi-precious stones and gems (and give a handout of their spiritual properties) to add to them based upon the colour scheme of each:

CALYX time again!

I will be showing on SATURDAY, October 18th only.

This is a juried art show and sale where 30 different artists show separately on each day!

I have many different types of silk scarves that I dye over the summer.
Plus I will have jewellery (brooches and necklaces) and lots of wall art.

All of my art is TEXTILE based, whether it is paper, natural fibres - animal (silk or wool) or plant (cotton, rayon), synthetic fibres - nylon, polyester (all the better for burning!) and all with a component of STITCH.

Post CALYX

Great day at CALYX, talking to lots of people, selling lots of art, and having a wonderful time reconnecting with fellow artists! Thanks to everyone for coming out!

I will be adding items to my ETSY shop but it will probably take a month for that to happen - will keep you posted.