(Un)finished Objects: "Cat under the Ginkgo Tree" - "Katze unter dem Ginkgobaum"

Where do all these unfinished objects come from? Suddenly, after having resolved to finish them before the end of this fall, I keep finding them everywhere, even though I try not to find them. Here's the most recent one:

Collage Painting

Meouw! Don't you envy me,

relaxing under the ginkgo tree?

Adventures and fights,

life's troubles and plights

will have to wait for a while.

I'm here to daydream and smile.

Not a single twig does stir ...

Purrrrr!

Oh, to be a cat!

This collage painting started out a hopeless case, just ugly colours, ugly doodles, no idea in sight. It rested in peace for some time. Being fed up with having a messed-up canvas lying around, I added several layers of colour to change the background and cover up the doodles as far as possible. After that, it rested some more. Then I cut up an older hopeless case, and put the better section aside to use later. Two remaining cut-offs went into the dustbin. The second they landed there, I thought: "What a waste!", and out they came again. A ginkgo leaf, picked up in a neighbouring street two years ago and stored away in a book, surfaced. That's when I remembered the messed-up canvas. By playing on it with the cut-offs and the leaf, my imagination was re-animated. From there, it was easy going.
The motif has now reached the stage that I call "compatible with myself". I declare the painting FINISHED!

(Un)finished Objects: Cuff

UFOs coming along fine: The cuff matching the previously shown necklace is finished!

 Again no signature. This time I simply forgot.

Materials: Various knitting yarns, felt, fabric, buttons, beads

Techniques: Crochet, machine felting, sewing, beadwork

It's a cuff for winter time, keeping my wrist warm.

(Un)finished Objects: "Blue Bird" has an Eye now!

Who would have thought that blogging could have an educational effect! It does: My publicly given word to finish my UFOs (at least the ones shown in the blogpost below) before the end of this fall is forcing me to get a move on. Blue Bird was the first to profit: It has an eye!

Materials: Acrylics and newspaper scraps on wood.

I am not posting the painting because I consider it a masterpiece (it isn't - just the result of some happy playtime), but as a proof that things are moving and the picture itself is finished.

Make no mistake: There is a difference between the picture and the piece. The sides of the wood panel must still be coloured, and I have to fix a hanging device on the back. So - there will be a little more waiting time on the kitchen table, but still ...

BJP 2010 - Heartsquares - September

The colour scheme could be a hint to the colours of "golden autumn". I can't remember whether I made that association back in 2010. Most likely I simply enjoyed stitching those shiny beads and hearts to a likewise gold-coloured, shimmering fabric scrap.

 

Talking of oldies but goldies: You might like to have a look at the blog post before this one on the subject of unfinished objects - Big Sigh!! Do you know that nagging feeling?

UFOs weigh on my Mind

UFOs all around

(A conversation with myself)

– Mrs K., why aren't you able

to keep a tidy kitchen table?

– I don't know and I don't care.

Stop nagging and switch off that stare.

I tell you plainly face to face:

I absolutely need that space

for my arting and my crafting,

stitching, beading, painting, drafting.

– So many UFOs all around!

Don't you hear that humming sound

wafting through the air?

Your UFOs moan: „We all declare:

It really is most unfair

to keep us waiting in a queue

while you are starting something new.“

Just listen to that blue bird's sigh:

„Come on, Sabine, paint my eye!“

The dragon mosaic is shouting:

„I demand you do my grouting!“

– Oh dear! I'm feeling truly bad

because my UFOs are so mad.

Take my word, I'll finish all

before the end of this year's fall.

And there are even more unfinished objects around ...

New Necklace - Inauguration of my Embellisher

Was lange währt wird endlich gut ... Sechs Jahre lang stand meine Yanome Xpression geduldig herum und wartete auf ihren ersten Einsatz. Endlich ist sie erlöst - wie Dornröschen, nur ohne prinzlichen Einsatz - und filzt fröhlich alles, was ihr unter die fünf Nadeln kommt.

Would you believe it - I bought my Yanome Xpression in June 2007, and started trying it out end of August this year. I was so afraid that all the needles would break at my first attempt of using the machine that I didn't dare touch it. Stupid, eh? I have a few books explaining the use of the Embellisher, but I never took the step from theory to practice all that time. Then I bought two DVDs from Colouricious some weeks ago (Inspired Embellishing, levels 1 and 2, both with textile artist Myfanwy Hart) - and they did the trick. The Felting-Miracle Toy is up on my worktable, running happily and smoothly, with all the needles still intact! Here is my first finished project:

It's a necklace, supposed to add some pep to a much-loved, but rather dull T-shirt. That shirt definitely needs a BIG, RED something.

Backview, but without my signature, because I was so impatient to assemble the piece. The lining demonstrates the advantages of an extensive fabric stash: I had no difficulty in finding the perfect colour match.

Techniques: Crochet, machine felting, beadwork.

A matching cuff is awaiting the finishing touches (lining, beaded border, closure). I will show it off on my blog when it's done.

Alright, Embellisher, you may take a break now while I complete the cuff and prepare my September BJP piece (starting with the production of carrots) ...