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One of my favorite beetles.

Unbound - An Insect Book

I've been entranced by the process of creating books. I've learned the coptic stitch and have two books partially finished for the Unbound show that will happen in Woodstock.

Here's a first look. This wee book is only three inches square.

A second page.

I'll post more, when there is more to see.

Carol

"Trillium and Bloodroot"

Two weeks ago I was sitting in my chair in the garden contemplating--an assignment given to me at Shambhala as part of my "Wisdom in Everyday Life" class.  "Find a meaningful place outdoors and sit and contemplate there for ten to twenty minutes every day."  During that week, each day was different in the garden.  The birds sang, the sun shone (or didn't), the hawks soared around high above, the little brook burbled along.  

And as the week went on, the bloodroot came and went and the trillium came and stayed.  Beautifully.  Not often have I just sat.  No weeding,  No drawing. Just contemplating.  I highly recommend it, because I fell in love with the trillium and bloodroot during those contemplations, and they became my latest prints....

"Trillium and Blood Root"

9" x 12" - linoleum print

"Trillium and Blood Root"

9" x 12" - hand colored linoleum print

I discovered that wild flowers are more about the leaves and less about the flowers.  The wild trillium leaves feel like they could fly and the quiet bloodroot leaves are like little fans of joy.

Rosette Border - line drawing

Here it is: my newest line drawing.  Can you find the five rosettes in this border? I am saving this as a coloring page.  I may paint this one as a border for a new quotation card.  We shall see.

Round tea bags?

What a pleasure to spend the cool, rainy days in my studio! I have just (finally) finished the tea bag book bound with a coptic binding technique. I think it will best be shown hanging on the wall, but it certainly could rest on a shelf or table:





I've also been working on a smallish "quilt" piece that I plan to place in an frame currently has an old unloved piece in it. The square bags are machine and hand sewn together. I've just temporarily taped the round tea bags on it as I decide how to finish it.....the jury is still out on whether the round bags really work........

Hat & Coat Ornaments

I am getting all my little elf-made items ready for the Open Studio Weekend in two weeks.  Since I sold out of the ribbonwork brooches I made last fall, I thought I would make some more. 

 This is the final batch of ribbonwork brooches and accessories I will be putting together this month. For the next evening or two I will sew the felt & pin backings on, package them, and list them on Etsy or bring them to Arjuna shop in town. These are much more elegant in person. The textures and shimmering ribbon is quite lovely.

I've been in my night studio putting together the ribbonwork flowers I made last week.  I embellish them with leaves, small flowers, beads, buttons, and other sundries. Problem is, I would like to keep them all for myself!  Here are the most recent ones. Now, back to painting....

Cyclamen and Snow Drop

Just finished are the latest prints in the flower series.  "Cyclamen and Snow Drop" will be January in the calendar.  Here is the black and white original....

"Cyclamen and Snow Drop"

linoleum print - 9" x 12"

And the hand colored version....

"Cyclamen and Snow Drop"

hand colored linoleum print - 9" x 12"

The cyclamen plant itself will grace our dining room table now that its work in the studio is complete.