Welcome!
Thank you for visiting artful embellishments. This is the third year for this blog and I am so happy to keep publishing. I started in 2011 and began with a quilt of the week, this lead to the leaf of the week for my newly designed paper tree that is located on the wall of my garage in 2012.......2013 is going to bring a lot of excitement and positive change. As a personal challenge for 2013, I plan on designing a artist trading card each week to be featured on the blog.
With so many interests, there will be quilting, art quilting, leaves (and more leaves), as well as experiments in thermofax screen printing, fabric dying, and tons of DIY recycle projects. I may even enter that altered fashion scene. To a happy and healthy 2013, may we all find happiness in those things we create....thank you for stoping by artful embellishments.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Eye Pocket #3
Friday, February 17, 2012
Leaf #4 Happy Valentines Days
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Paper Fabric
This fabric was made using a technique that was on Quilting Arts Season 1. The originator is Beryl Taylor. This fabric involves paper, muslin, acrylic paints and scraps of tissue paper. This is one of the most original ways to design your own fabric. I had such a great time making this fabric and will feature it in an upcoming art quilt.Sunday, February 5, 2012
Draw, Paint, Photoshop

Last spring I took Alisa Burkes online class called Sketchbook delight. In this fabulous online class I learned how to sketch and to use water colors.
In my sketch I did this blue bird. I pulled it into photoshop and began altering the photo using the color invert and posterize function. The results were funky and fun. I plan on using these alterations of the sketch to enter the Quilting Arts Contest called "Sketch".
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Leaf #3
Leaf #3 is made from an old sweater that has been felted with wool roving. Some of the wool roving is spun. The remainder is died wool that has not been spun. Colored thread was used to make the leaf veins.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Leaves! Leaf #1 and Leaf #2

The leaf project was my goal for 2012. A new years resolution of sorts. I plan on making at least one new leaf with a variety of materials each week to place on my tree. If you remember from back in November I had designed a life sized tree on my studio wall.
Both leaves were made using fabric that was hand dyed and sent to me through the Quilting Arts Fabric Challenge. The first fabric was done by Debra Olson. She placed fabric on an aged grate. It was then printed with Dye-na-flow ink using foam strips which were glued to card board to make a stamp. The rust came through onto the fabric for an amazing addition.
The second leaf was made from fabric Deb Sorem. She used a mono plate with tag board. She had used yarns and cords as the actual surface texture. She allowed to dry, sprayed with mod poge and then brushed on acrylic medium matte finish. The results are amazing, the fabric looks 3D without any additions.
Taking this fabric that I was lucky enough to receive, I cute the shapes using Sizzix dies. These were the Tim Holtz dies. The leaves are slightly smaller, but still provide that whimsical leaf shape. I then stitched the fabric leaves onto craft felt for stability!
Thank you Deb and Debra for adding to my growing tree!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Postcard#7 Friends
This fabric postcard was done using a variety of ephemera. An old picture of two children is the focal point. A piece of fabric from a upholstery book was cut to 4 X 6 for the background. This fabric was stamped with multiple types of Ranger Distress Ink. An old playing card that had yellowed with age was added. Machine free motion stitching was completed. As a final 3D embellishment, the word "play" was sewn on with twine.
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