Jubilation

Along the Fields
This summer has been a difficult one for our family losing our 13 year old Portuguese Water Dog Maggie, during the visit of my 3 grandchildren so needless to say I have not been at my most jubilant. There was a piece that I had made in hounour of all the wonderful lessons learned from Maggie in our family and ended up gluing a picture of her to it instead. This is one of the pieces that I have recently finished while getting ready for the Hudson Studio Tour in September with Heather. I have been trying out a phototransfer technique onto cloth with gel medium using photocopies of my image first and a second image slightly offset to create that vibrating feel. Maybe that Van Gogh exhibition is still bouncing around in my head. I have added some additional colour as we have had the most beautiful summer and all the asters are blooming early. I especially like walking along the fields in the fall  to relax and take photographs. This is mounted on a 12X12 canvas that has been painted with acrylic.

Jubilation

I have to be honest - even after the celebrations we've had in the UK this summer I couldn't really get into this challenge. Perhaps it's a personality thing, I'm much more of your quiet inward glow kind of person than a cheering and whooping type. So I decided to use two images of 2012 - our Union Flag and the ubiquitous bunting and play with an insertion technique and some quilting:

mea culpa

I am not ready.  And am in the Arctic at the moment.  As usual Jubilation was left a little late but I did manage to assemble it and was waiting until I got home from the cottage to quilt it and finish it up - I gave myself 5 days - was that not enough!

Well, I managed to do a little damage to my ankle during our Text'Art retreat - slipped on a slippery rock.  More than just a sprain and so a round of appointments ensued.  As well as other delayed activities such as buying boots and wet gear for the trip.  So I ran out of time.  I will do it first thing when I get home and will post then.  And will hopefully get to enjoy yours when I am back in civilization!

A tribute to Rayna and Kaffe!

Jubilation!  Kaffe Fassett's knitting patterns, interiors, quilts, books and for the last many years his absolutely gorgeous fabrics as well as using Rayna Gillman's technique after admiring her style for many years, and then doing workshops with her and building a warm relationship with her were an obvious combination when it came to making something in this challenge. 
Other than the black and white fabrics and the solid yellow hand dyed fabric, all fabrics in this piece are designed by Kaffe.  The technique used in this block is Rayna's 'therapy sewing' - free form strip quilt piecing.
Had huge fun making this - quite addictive and difficult to stop.  Certainly a technique I love using fabrics I adore.

Ju-jubilation

I really thought I would move on from this idea and interpret a topic more personally jubilant but for some reason the little ju-jubes stuck with me. The binding fabric was included in a mail order by mistake, I think it works perfectly.

Jubilation - First Day of Spring

It is the official First Day of Spring tomorrow the 1st September in South Africa.  Since moving up to the Highveld 4 years ago I have actually experienced actual seasons and after our harsh winter cold (remember our houses are not built to accommodate the cold - just the heat) it has been miraculous to experience spring with lovely warm, and even sometimes hot, spring days.  The fresh green leaves are sprouting on the trees, my roses are budding and sprouting as you look at them each day and altogether everything is looking green and new.  Although we are still waiting for our first rain of the season that will come soon I am sure and we will be well into our lovely hot and sunny days.

Olympic Jubilations

I originally choose this theme after seeing the Union Jack bunting (banners) all over England ready for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee earlier this year, though I was actually planning to use a wonderful leaf pattern from a plant in my garden - a heuchera called Cherry Jubilee.  Then we had the Olympics, and, as in Canada for the Vancouver Olympics, there was a sudden outpouring of national pride.  Not only that, but for the first time I could remember we weren't then disappointed by not living up to our hopes.  We did better than expected, and all of Britain basked in the reflected glory of our sportsmen and women.  I felt I had to celebrate with them, hence the patriotism of my piece.  I even bound it in gold - it somehow seemed appropriate.

Cherries Jubilee

I had a wonderful time using my ice dyed fabrics for the cherries and flat dyed fabric for the background. I seem to have food on the brain these days, but this was the first image that sprang to mind with the theme of Jubilation.

Birthday Jubilation

Since I couldn't figure out how to express jubilation as part of my current obsession with Cityscapes, I went for an abstract treatment of celebratory colour and shape. For those of you clever enough to find a candle flaming away in there, yes, I did celebrate a Big Birthday this summer. There may even be the requisite number of "candles" scattered about.

Jubilation - New Orleans Style

New Orleans is known culturally for its jazz and in particular for its distinctive jazz funerals. Historically, the jazz funeral could sometimes  include a parade.  A brass band would play somber dirges and hymns as family and friends marched to the cemetery. The tone would remain somber until the coffin had been placed in the ground. The brass band would play a couple more hymns, though these were played with a swing beat, to alert mourners that the mood was about to change, then would launch into wilder music with tambourines and drums. Songs such as "When the Saints Go Marching In" would be played. The music and dancing were both a cathartic release for mourners and a celebration of a life well lived. In this state of jubilation, the group would then march back to the location of their reception. Those who follow the band and family members to enjoy the music are called "the second line", and any parasol twirling that occurs in that ensemble is called a "second lining" that compliments the family's handkerchief waving and umbrella twirling. 
I drew this on white fabric with a pencil, then stitched over my lines with black thread. I colored it with Inktense colored pencils and made it permanent by using a textile medium. I wanted to give this piece dimension, so I cut it out and fused it onto black felt, then stitched it onto my quilted background.

JUBILATION - SKA in South Africa

Just when I thought we were having a fairly good year in South Africa with lots to celebrate we have had to deal with a most horrific tragedy, the Marikana Mine Massacre, the likes of which we did not think we would ever see again in this country.

Back to my jubilant moments..... the fascination of the skies started as a child as we had telescopes in the household and were forever looking at the moon, stars and satellites. Our holidays in the nature and game reserves away from all the distraction of electricity enabled us to witness magnificent views of the constellations.

Earlier this year South Africa was awarded the majority partnership alongside Australia to host the world's largest radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).   The SKA in SA will be located mainly in the Northern Cape Province with the core of the telescope being located in the Karoo Regions, with outlying stations spread throughout SA, Namibia, Botswana, Ghana, Mozambique, Zambia, Kenya, Madagascar and Mauritius.

Hence my 'jubilation'!

 

 

Pieced background from a pack of dyed fabrics from a wonderful local source, Amafu (see pic below) ; painted applique sky and simply stitched.  The contrast on the dishes are pastels and pencil.

Next challenge - Hilary

OK,  I've pulled a name out of the hat - and it is Hilary!!  And as far as I am concerned - Hilary you are totally forgiven for not making the deadline this time.  I know how busy you have been, and I have a copy of the book 'CQ@10' to prove it!!  Well done on the gallery too, the quilts were beautifully displayed and the whole area looked interesting and professional.  Looking forward to what our next challenge is - but this time I'm hoping to get the work done well before the deadline (yes, I'm still finishing my piece!).