Getting a start on a new show. Walk through the woods with me.

 I have a solo show in May 2011 so I got busy yesterday.

Primed 24 bare canvases.

  with a mixture of blue, purple and black gesso.

 It makes a navy under-painting the shows through when I paint.

Gives a nice glow to the finished painting.

The  14 8"x10" canvases will be a series.

       I ordered 20 more 12" x 12" canvases
      from Blick to do another series.

                 This painting starts with  a Jasper red gesso.
                 I like using a color gesso  under-painting.
                 Adds another dimension to the painting.
                 The photograph of the Kankakee swamp is the subject.

                    This painting has the purple gesso under-painting.
                    The  finished painting will be spring tones.
                    The inspiration is the photo below I took in the 70's.

      I haven't decided yet what I am going to do with the leaves.
      My theme is "Walk through the woods with me"
     my favorite place to be.
      I just like the way they curled. Great shapes.



Close up and Quiet on Wednesday

Whats new at Cedar Ridge.

               Thought you might enjoy last years Christmas card. I made 10 different watercolors.

      The female Cardinal is back at the bird feeder my husband made  from a plastic saucer.
 
           The Junco, female Cardinal and the Downy Woodpecker enjoying the sunshine today,

            Another of my presents to me. two small art quilt collages from Virginia Spiegel.

           You would think I had enough of Christmas but my daughter
           and I went in search of next years Christmas presents at 75%  off.
           When you do 30 stockings you can never start too early.

The finish of the tote saga

While the totes have their home. Am I glad I let them choose

 because I would have picked wrong.

My daughter choose the mans suit tote

My sister choose the front one on the right

Betty got the front left one.

Amy choose the flower pocket  tote

Starla choose the African tribal tote

And that left Liz the collage art major

with the bright pink Fasset fabric tote.

SO

I will have to make myself one.

Now to choose fabric again.

SO at the end of Christmas day

with 30 people

30 stockings

Dirty Gerty game with gifts

after everyone left.

My supper was 2 cups of tea

and 3 Motrin.

But is was great fun.



My favorite birds

The pesky Blue Jays seem to dominate the feeders

  I switched to suet feeders making them work for food.

                                                 I love the brightness of the  Cardinals

                                              Our newest bird is the Carolina wren .

                                                       The tufted titmouse is a shy bird. 
                                                                                                             
                                                                                          

                 
                                    Love the view out the back. Great bird habitat

                             Give yourself a peaceful week-end. A great present.

The day before Christmas and....

 Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, the stockings(all 30 of them) were done, the food is bought and  we are ready for the Christmas feast. The weather has been appropriate lots of snow - and more snow than more.

 As you see the land around Cedar Ridge Studio gives me lots of inspiration for the winter paintings.

I love trees and am blessed to be surrounded by acres of them.

The birds are busy at the feeders. We saw a Carolina  Wren yesterday on the suet feeder. That is a new bird for the neighborhood. We have 4 pairs of Cardinals. A whole flock of noisy Blue Jays. Downy wood peckers, Chickadees , Mourning Doves  and Tufted Titmice.They are so bright against the pines.

Have a Bright and cheerful Christmas and a Happy New Year

Merry Christmas 2010 Christmas Card

 Merry Christmas &
A Blessed New Year

                                      From

                    Bill & Mary Van Soest

This is how it looks outside today.

Another peaceful day in the country

It's been a good year at Cedar Ridge.

Bill got to go fishing lots of times

The garden produced an abundance of veggies.

We filled 2 freezers and 4 dozen jars.

Brought a lot to the neighbors too.

Mary spent a lot of time in the studio.

Sewing, painting, drawing & reading.

My studio is full of fun stuff to do.

Have a  great Holiday season.

Recyle Art

One of my artist friends sent me some photos of  scrap art. I though this was a clever use of spark plugs.

Tuesday the 21st and the days will get longer from this point.
 Another 4 inches of snow and more to come on the weekend.
Finishing off the stockings today all 28 of them. And the Dirty Gerty  gifts- a good way to regift.
We do Christmas different at our house. Instead of gifts I do stocking for everyone.
Our family and guests have to bring a $10 wrapped gift that we put in a pile and play Dirty Gerty. Everyone gets a number and you hope for the last number. When your number comes up you pick a gift but you don't always get to keep it because someone can take yours instead of grabbing from the pile. That's why you want to be last.
Of course we salt the pile with things like the belly dancing kit ( a older single man got that one)
The henna rub on tattoos ( 89 year old Reka picked that one year)
The year of the marshmallow guns was fun I found dry-ed miniature marshmallows for  several months after Christmas.
There are always some beautiful items the ladies take from each other like last year the beautiful throw.
Looking forward to Saturday to see  what  will be in the pile this year.

5 days to Christmas

The 6th  tote and my favorite. The batik fabrics make it special.

               That  zippered pocket again to hold your glasses or wallet.

 The roomy pocket for a magazine or book and a bottle of water.

I love the guinea hen  fabric.

 

 Notice the thread pull on the zipper. Laura Wasilowski of http://www.artfabrik.com/  makes the best hand dyes threads that I use in my art. This color is Burnt Marshmallow perfect for a pull. Check her out.

The finished works of art. The  pattern is the Winslow market tote featured in the magazine from International Quilt Festival " Quilt Scene " issue winter 2009-2010. I am sure Interweave  Press could find you a copy if you don't already have one. Have a very Merry Cristmas and a Joyous New Year.

Day 5 of Totes

 Day 5 and only one more to go. This is Betty's tote At Easter she picked out the fabric.

The guinea hen fabric for the pocket gave this tote some personality.

I am looking forward to getting back to painting after so much sewing.

See you on Monday for the finish

Day 4 of Totes & only 7 days till Christmas

                          Day 4 of making totes. Christmas is getting closer only 7 days to go.
                         Getting the house ready for the 30 guests who will be here for dinner.
                          We will have a feast.

This tote  was made with scraps someone gave me plus some yardage of  red lotus fabric. The rectangle of purple started me off  and called for red as a compliment.  I take a piece of batting and  using the fabrics like paint  create a art quilt impromptu.

Its almost like painting.

I love the brightness of this tote and it is perfect for the library.

Fill it with books and you will be set for 2 weeks of reading.

If I am ever snowed in let it be in a Library.

I got lazy with this one and did not put in the zippered compartment.

This tote doesn't have a home yet. Some one will show up who it will be perfect for.

The next tote will be shades of brown and green.

Betty picked out the fabric at Easter for her tote and the green caught her eye.

Check back Sunday to see the results.

                     

Ho Ho Ho Day 3 of Making Totes

                   Day 3 of making totes. Colorful tribal fabric .

 This will be my sisters Christmas present. She loved these colorful fabric  especially the tribal women.

               The zippered pocket will hold all those items you don't want falling out  accidentally.

                                                The lining is as colorful as the tote

A closeup of the front pocket detail. I machine quilted the pocket and highlighted it with paint sticks.

The next tote will be red and purple a nice combination.

Day 2 of Tote making

This tote is made out of a mans suit coat , suede and tapestry fabric. I found out that it is difficult to work  with such thick layers.Too hard on the hands. I think today I will go back to my batiks for the next tote.

 I like to put  large pockets in my totes so you can put a book or magazines in the pocket.

            I always put in a zippered pouch so important things like glasses & credit cards stay put

 I am not sure if I like the menswear look. What do you think? Would you like this for a gift.

Check back Friday to see the next tote.

Count down to Christmas

 

    

10 more Days

                          

I need to make 6 more totes for Christmas gifts

The print on the pocket inspired this tote.
I found the fabric at the International Quilt Show this spring without any idea what I was going to do with it.

 I like the handles in both purple and lime. Inside there are lots of pockets with a zippered for a wallet.

 The zippered pouch is divided  so you can put your eye glasses away so as not to lose them.
 Then the flap covers the  purse part, I think my grand daughter might end up with this one.