What I've been working on

I've been absent from the blog world for over a month; just a phase I'm going through.  As much as I love writing, it even surprises me when I stay away from here that long!
My absence here doesn't mean I've been slacking off, though.  Needing some PLAY time, I freemotion- quilted some scraps onto wool felt, playing around with some quilting motifs and patterns:

Can you spot the 3 ginko leaves?

Quilted pebbles.

Misc. quilting designs.

 Another evening, I made paper cloth (per Beryl Taylor's technique).  Dilute white glue 50/50 with water and use it to "decoupage" decorative paper, tissue paper, Joss paper, bits of torn ephemera (maps, paper placemat from a Chinese restaurant, gift wrap, pretty paper napkins, and pages from a 1937 personal diary -- not mine!) onto a piece of muslin, which has been ironed to freezer paper for stability.  I usually add a little diluted paint  to some of the white areas to add color, but because I'd used bleeding tissue paper, I skipped that step this time.

Paper cloth.

Paper cloth detail.

Once it's dry, paper cloth can be used in mixed media projects and holds up well to stitching.  In fact, I used some in the FMQ stitch sample on wool felt, above, though it's not visible in any of these photos.

My fabric postcard for the Wish Upon a Card show.

Last week, I made another of my "cupcake" fabric postcards and sent it off to the 6th annual Wish Upon a Card  juried show and silent auction.  This project has become the SOSQ's (Sisters' Outdoor Quilt Show) signature fundraiser. Selected cards will be custom framed, compliments of High Desert Frameworks, for this auction.  Cards not selected for framing are sold and proceeds from the sale and silent auction (about $50,000) are donated to Wendy's Wish Foundation, which provides support services for cancer patients in Central Oregon.

Two of our other member, Torrie and Deb, have made pieces for another of SOSQ's fundraisers, Small Wonders.  I'll try to get photos of those quilts to share here.
Our monthly Fiberexplorations meeting is tomorrow night at Deb's, and we're hoping to see her remodeled studio!