Door Challenge - update

No, it is no where near done. But, it is much further along than my last post about it.

This morning I started with some thread work, but before I show you that, here's what you've missed -- don't worry, its only about a months worth of work (pictures) - not really, its actually only 8 days of work, and a few evenings here and there. We'll start with the brown muslin fabric that I painted using Shiva paintsticks and also Inktense pencils... okay ready - I HATED IT. Yep, agonized over it from the moment I took the picture. So, I slept on it, and... still hated it in the morning.

Which brings us to our next set of photos. I created a wash with paints, textile medium, and of course, water.

It was getting better, but I was still not happy about my door. Okay, several washes later -- I even added tea bags and coffee to the wash for better staining power, they stain teeth and ruin shirts so they could only help my door -- this is what we had:

Sometimes you learn things as you go right. I already know that I am extremely impatient. So, instead of waiting hours/overnight for the wash to dry I decide to hit it with a hot iron. Funny part -- as long as I slid the iron long-ways down the door it started to create this really cool wood-grain effect. Let me warn you, it also caused an awful smell due to the burning paint and the iron needed to be cleaned after each pull or else little burnt paint balls became fused to the next pull. But, the effect was so worth the stink and cleaning! So I continued to do this throughout the day and following day and my door made it to a happy place where it was loved!


Now, on to the hardware and signage... easy-peasy!

So if you've learned anything about me, you know when things are going good I like to question why, and for some strange reason I attempt to change them. I started thinking that my door was looking more and more like a room. So I went back and forth between these two pictures... even had a facebook poll... four rows of tile or three rows of tile. So the majority of friends and follows chose four rows, I also slept on it and kept telling myself to stick with my original concept. So four rows it is!!!

That brings us to Saturday and the afternoon of invisible applique. It does not go fast, but it does look like its not even there - I guess that's why they call it invisible!

And that brings us to today... thread work!

And that's it... for now!

Over Challenged--Under Idea'd

Wow, it is a season of challenges. I am currently involved in three, participation-wise that is. So far I have only started working on two, of which, only one is actually fabric at this point. Anyway, my three challenges are: (1) the Door Challenge for a small local art group (width 30"-60" x 30"+), (2) MCQG Challenge (40x40 max) - Stars, Stars, Stars, and (3) PSLCQ Member Challenge (24x24 max) - What's in Your Garden.

Now, I've never been very good at doing things in the correct order, because here are the respective due dates: (1) September 2011, (2) October, 2011, and (3) November 2011.

(1) I have drawn out my Door Challenge and am still not ready to commit my idea to fabric. I have made two attempts at this so far, but something is telling my brain to wait. My experience with my brain tells me to listen! So my door remains a drawing, waiting for a few more tweeks and the a-okay from the brain, then, and only then will I enlarge my drawing and turn it into a beautiful painted fabric masterpiece. In other words, the last week of August I will be a mad-woman thread painting and quilting wood and stone!

I'm jumping to (3) because I have done nothing on this challenge, not even a thought. I know, it is awful, but it is true. All my creative juices have gone in total other directions... good thing is I have until November!

Okay, now on to (2) My Star Challenge. This one is just about done. Well, no, not really, but close - at least it is fabric!

Here are the fabric choices, at least one of these must be used in the challenge - and yes, they are lame'.

Here is my original design. Yes, I am so old-school -- paper, pencil, scissors, photocopies, tape, and to think I am somewhat of a computer genius and have a background with graphic arts. I don't know why but, I am my most creative doing it the old-fashioned way!

So, the design resulted in the following fabric choices: the lame's and a beautiful silk for the main elements and black sateen for the background. I chose the black sateen for the background because the quilting shows up amazingly beautiful on this fabric; well, that and the sheen factor to match the silk and lame'.

Here is the progress since the design conception (beginning of April) until now. Soon I'll begin the invisible applique and then start designing the quilting layout. (If you peek at the left side of this photo you can see a tiny little piece of the door challenge.)

So that is my Challenge delirium in a nutshell. Hoping to keep you all informed as each challenge progresses -- I've been told that I share too much, don't worry, I'm sure a post on sharing is bound to follow!!!