Not just fabric-

About 12 years ago, I started a project at my parent's summer home, decorating the dining room table. The first session involved painting the table and the chair fronts and backs with the cream colored border and then painting the botanicals; then finishing it off with sealer. Not bad.

The leaves were unfinished and would cause momentary guilt when large gatherings would sit down to eat....like over Labor Day.

I finally finished it this last weekend. Yay for me! I am posting pictures of it so you can see that I don't just paint on fabric but occasionally paint on wood or walls or whatever is in need of some attention.

I made up the botanical plants and flowers with some butterflies in the mix that span the entire length of the table; going around each end as well.


The width of the border is about 4". The table, without leaves can seat 6. With the 2 leaves we can get 8 in there; 10 if we squeeze and have enough chairs. Please put the left handed people together on one side.



The paints are acrylics and of course I only bought yellow, blue, red, and white. (If you have taken my QU classes or "in studio" classes, you know I have a thing about that!).


Once dry, three layers of sealer will keep the paints from chipping and wearing off with time.

Anyone for Thanksgiving at "Aerie"? There's room now at the table.

Water silk and trusting God-

I apologize for dropping off the face of Blogger but I have been running so fast, I crashed into myself going back in time. Einstein would be very happy to know this.

One silk project you might like to see, is pictured above. The subject the customer was having me dye was along the lines of "spiritual water"/ "Holy Spirit as living water". I have never had a customer say for me to pray about how it should look; make it for her; send it to her and she knows it will be right. Woah. That's trust. That's totally believing that I am capable of transcending all wonkiness and able to let goodness out of my hands, mind, and heart. But she has seen my work; loved my work; come back to me time and again for more of my work and knows I love God.

The first run was prayed about as I saw in my mind's eye the water containing some green in the mix. It is lovely but not right. Had to adjust my sights. That looks like water that has been standing around for awhile.

The next run was better when I eliminated the green. I prayed over this one as well and while it is also beautiful, I felt it was too transparent and too cartoony blue for water that is living and healing. It also was a bit labor intensive and there is the potential for this run to be requested in multiple yards so can I/do I want to/should I streamline the process down more so that it is not only more transparent but also more user friendly? The answer was yes.

The customer also wanted streaks of metallic silver added to the mix which, along with the theme, were the only guidelines given. Here is how it looks on the final blues I dyed. Nice.

Here is a middle section of the run now called "Deborah's Living Water". It has several shades of blue which wick out into grays traveling the length of the fabric. Third try was exactly the way I was envisioning this silk to be so I sent it off today.

This was a first. I loved doing it for her, along with help from Above. I always seek God's guidance when I work, but this was extra special because of the free latitude given me.

Even if you do not buy into any kind of "higher power", it is an excellent exercise to work outside of yourself now and then. Try it. See where it goes. Allow yourself to listen and hear from outside Sources. Let me know how it goes or if this is a part of your fiber art making experiences.