layers, textures,

Yesterday if you remember I was talking about some thoughts I'm having about taking a different approach to ledgers, artist books. This is the start of that, mixing surfaces....cloth and stitch with doodles and texture....larger pieces than I normally use in my artist books. I wouldn't say I'm there yet in terms of firm plans, I'm still playing and thinking and making notes. Maybe I will overlay pages with fine papers, sheer, lace like papers......again I'm just wondering, considering, laying those down. At the moment the overlay in the fourth image is my favourite, it's lighter, more delicate.

There's still a long way to go with these. I will keep playing, testing....

- See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.cOQ3T8Wk.dpuf

colour....

I have been doing a little work on toe wrap two. I had forgotten how much I adore the fine cotton lawn, the floral cloth in these pictures. It is quite hard to enhance with stitch though as it is such a 'busy' pattern so it tends to get a lot of attention with white.

The white piece in here, that was me kind of doodling with my needle. I had hoped it would improve my thought process and I think it worked. Now I feel as if I want to give it away, otherwise it will be staring at me saying get me finished, expand me, make me into something amazing. That would be far too distracting. It's good news for you though as you can expect to see this later in the week transformed into some kind of give away...now if I added a blue edge it would make a fine floor rag...hmmmmm.

Do you remember my sketchbook pages from last week? Well I have been asked to make a video about those. I am pondering again. Would that be OK with you? You know how much I love the sound of my own voice, maybe I need to wean myself off it? We shall see, addiction is addiction.......

Finally, my button girls are so amazing that I have to share with you,,,so much talent. Pop over here to our flickr group and have a look at what they've done....I fear I may soon be redundant....who needs me to teach them embroidery? Not these girls that's for sure.