Here is the journal for week three in Sue B’s class that I’m taking online. I used silk paper for the cover and a Chinese symbol for my name. I got this in San Francisco years ago but had never used it. So then I had to have the chopsticks for the binding. I thought this would be the perfect size to hold some of my postcards.

Here’s the inside front page.

Here’s a postcard from Lynda in it’s plastic sleeve. These can all be taken out to view the backs or if I wanted to change out which ones I have in the book. This is a cool postcard, isn’t it?

Here’s a side view. It got pretty thick so I had to stop at a dozen postcards. I used foam spacers on the binding side to keep everything even and allow the book to lie flat when closed. I am now off to work on April TIF with more to come soon.

First, I keep forgetting to say thank you for all your lovely comments. Also, a while back Annica nominated me for an inspiring blog award. Thanks Annica! It’s so nice to know that someone is taking a look at what I’m doing. I didn’t pass on the award because most of the people have already been nominated more than once and I admire so many blogs, it is hard to choose. So if you’re reading this, consider yourself nominated. I did have a question about my forest floor piece and what size it was. It is 8″x12″. OK, on to what I’ve been working on. Above is the result from the second lesson of my journal making course by Sue B. It is a sketchbook. I tried a technique in this month’s QA for edging. I did a zigzag around the edge first, then added a couched yarn around the edge with further zigzag. It turned out much smoother than previous efforts at plain satin stitch and really helped on turning corners.

Here’s the inside left cover with my drawing supplies.

And the inside right cover with my watercolor supplies and a few extra drawing tools. I am currently working on improving my drawing skills. I got a book from the library called “Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner” by Claire Watson Garcia. I highly recommend this book. I fit the category for this book perfectly but even after only a couple of weeks of working, I feel that I can draw much better. When I get brave, I’ll show you one of my sketches.

April TIF is about change. I don’t normally look at the header of my blog, but for some reason after my last post, I looked at it. LOL – the title of my blog means change or transformation. So I guess this category fits. Anyway, above is my start on the “change” design. I’ve taken the lowercase delta sign in orange and put it on a lime green background. The Greek lowercase delta is used to signify infinitesimal change in mathematics. These colors seemed nice and springy and I’m looking forward to a spring renewal any day now.

A closeup of my paper design. I was planning on taking this design, cutting it up and using different techniques to change each square. Then sewing the whole piece back together. The idea was to work in fabric, but I didn’t want to go and buy anything new. So I searched high and low and I have no fabric in these colors. So I looked further and found my paper towel “paint/dye rags” and I have several that fit the color scheme. So I’ve started with those and I plan to now make paper fabric out of those with muslin backing. Then I’ll continue along the same plan.

I can hardly believe it but this very slow work in progress (started last June) is now complete! It is called Vision Quest and is based on Crazy Horse, an Ogalala Sioux, who lived in the eastern Montana and Dakotas area. I wet felted the landscape background and hand needle felted his portrait and the red hawk. I used the Janome needle felt machine for the feathers and the war shield. The whole piece with frame is 30″ high by 42″ wide.

In his vision quest, Crazy Horse saw himself riding his horse through a thunder and hail storm with a red hawk flying above him. He was unadorned except for one eagle feather. Therefore, he only wore one feather in his hair. He also wore an inyan (fossil) behind his ear which I have included a felted one behind his ear. I based his portrait on a sketch found online. There are no known, verified photos of Crazy Horse.

This is the red hawk, his animal totem.

This is a depiction of his war shield. It is painted felt. The blue and white dots represent hail stones. The yellow lightening bolt represents the thunder storm. The red piece is “trade cloth” and the feathers represent red hawk feathers. The other portion of his vision was the hands of his people always reaching for him. Crazy Horse lived during the time of the government placing all Native Americans on reservations and fought in the battle of the Little Bighorn. He resisted going to the reservations and was an honored war leader of his clan. After he finally relented and went to the reservation, he was arrested and killed. I wasn’t sure about this piece, thus it taking me so long to complete. I am pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

I’m taking a journal making class from Sue B. I’ve made three journals – I was only going to make two but the signature pages I made first didn’t match these first two journal so I made another cover. I think I’ll give this one to my mother for Mother’s Day. It has an upholstery weight fabric.

Here’s the inside front cover and one of the pockets with tags.

Here’s the second journal. It’s made from fabric that I received from Vicki W. (thanks again, Vicki!) I used a small piece of copper to cover where I sewed on the velcro closure. I would have shown you inside photos but blogger only lets me upload one photo at a time now. Is anyone else having this problem? It’s taking forever to do this post.

Here’s the last journal. It’s a variety of green and purple fabrics. I think it’s my favorite.

Here’s the last felted purse that I made for my blogiverssary give away. Lynda finally received it so I can show you a photo. And just a note about TIF for April. The theme is change. I have heard about change everywhere – presidential candidates are “for change”, global climate change, change in the weather etc. etc. Actually, I like change. I have always believed in life long learning and continuing to strive to reach your goals. The only way you can do that is to change. So I’m still thinking how to design those thoughts into fiber. More later!

Here are the ten felted bead barrettes after being sprayed with polyurethane. I wanted to seal them a bit so they could stand a little harder wear and tear.

Here’s a felted bag that I made for my friend’s B-day yesterday. It’s wet felted, free motion stitched with a machine stitched cord and then sewn together.

Here’s a blurry close up photo of the “button” that I made from a wrapped pipe cleaner.

This is one of the gifts that I gave out for my blogiverssary contest I had in January. It’s a photo album with a needle felted face on the front.

Here’s another of the blogiverssary gifts. It’s a felted bag that has been free motion stitched with an antique button and an embellished then stitched cord.

And last but not least, my completed March TIF. I just received the first lesson from a course on how to make journals by Sue Bleiweiss that I’m taking. What fun! That’s what I’ll be working on next.