Stained Glass Watercolors

The Stained glass triptych.

Do you remember when I made those mirrors with frosting spray and dorm mirrors? Well, before I did that I wanted to add something to my kitchen walls. My kitchen is dark. Dark cabinets, dark counter top, very little natural light and just can lights for the ceiling. I tried everything to lighten it up as I was FORBIDDEN to paint the cabinets. (sarge...... and his opinions. ) I painted the walls, several times, I added under cabinet lighting, I added a bead-board backsplash to cover the ugly brown tile. I tried to add light wherever I can.

 Before I got here....

Where  I ended up. (Gosh, the beige ceiling and floors flare so badly with the grey. ) 

I thought, Hey, how about something like this? It's not too dark and might actually lighten up the space.

Last year I started a project based on these leaded glass mirrors.

Ballard Street Mirror

I couldn't afford the hefty price tag and started coming up with ideas. Click below to look at my stained glass inspiration.












So before I did the above, I tried something else.

My Pinterest Gallery

Now, I couldn't find any mirrors I or stained glass  I could afford, and to do my own mirrors,  I thought might look too "homemade". 

Lets give some context. So, back in art school, I was on a study abroad program. It's focus was on drawing and painting. Specifically watercolor. I was fascinated by these old churches, the exquisite iconography and the stained glass. My final project was a horrible ink stained triptych of the stained glass and wood carved pieces in these old Swiss churches.

I don't have pictures which is good because looking back..I'm not terribly happy with them. But that's the thing about art, you get better. I lost them awhile ago anyway. So I started thinking , hey, I know watercolor (spoiler: I was wrong) why don't I draw some beautiful stained glass, and just color it in? Based on the stained glass gallery I made in Pinterest.

My drawings below. 

More drawing

Inking with acid free micron markers.

My sister, Sully an ACTUAL water color artist, helping me.

The only one I really like.

Oh God, this one is so awful.

Over-worked. Colors seem too muddy. 

I should have stopped here, The result is over done.

The one on the top right was awful. I started again.

The colors just aren't right.

I have stopped doing the stained glass triptych again. I just struggle so much with the color. Watercolor is the easiest the learn, the hardest to master.



Ps. I cannot for the life of me get all these pictures aligned. I have tried everything. Except changing the HTML code. Because no thanks.

Ruth

The latest rainbow quilt.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE RAINBOWS!!

I think they are super great. I can never decide on which colors I like so rainbows are it. My favorite color is rainbow.

Rainbow brite was super cool wasn't she? Gosh, I wanted to be her.

So wonderfully cool.

So, lately my color theory when it comes to quilting is RAINBOW. I was feeling like using some more of my fabric from the last rainbow quilts.

Picasso had a blue phase, this is my rainbow phase.

So I started brainstorming.

First brainstorm

Second brainstorm with Goose modeling her
favorite Elsa nightgown.

Another idea but I didn't like it.

Starting to like it better. I had to buy more fabric (what?)
and scrounge and sew more colored pieces to expand the quilt
size. I went on a fabric scavenger hunt all over my studio/sewing room.
There were all these large pieces of fabric I could use hidden around!
I really need to organize.

It wasn't a perfect rainbow without orange and purple,
so I added some. At Joann's my children found
fabrics of their own. Skylander and Frozen respectively
that are now some shorts.

My son decided he loved this quilt. So I measured
the size on his bed. But those navy blue ones really flared
out at me and I decided to change them.

I was finally happy with the colors. After I
completely looked thru my entire stash for more
dark blues. And I had to buy some more fabric. ;)

No onto the sashing for the border. More rainbow
please.

And here we have the finished quilt top. It's
folded twice to show the whole thing. It's actually
the size of a twin quilt.

Finished the backing. Which I love piecing.
Not only does it save on backing fabric (old sheet
and leftover fabric from another quilt) but it's fun!

The fabric avalanche in my stash. After going
through all my fabrics looking for a bit more
that matched the quilt. Oh well.
I needed to organize anyway. Or maybe I'll just
make another rainbow quilt.
Yep, another rainbow quilt.

,Ruthie

not quite finished

So, I'm finished with the Tutu's for this years Nutcracker. But, haven't finished a bunch of other projects because as of 6 am tomorrow, I will be in the hospital having a baby. (I hope)

Here's the round up of some stuff I started, and some stuff I didn't finish.

The cutest dress ever

the outlines of the embroidery

I finished the baby dress, but am not finished with the embroidery. I was going to outline the heart and her name, and then fill it in with satin stitch, but it looked so bad each time I started on the satin stitch I pulled it out. Now all I have is the outline, and it looks messy.

So, I'm putting it aside for now.

This upcoming project of giving birth to my daughter takes precedence.

Ruth