Illustration Friday ~ Clutter

To anyone else, her sewing room would have appeared full of CLUTTER. But to Mavis it was filled with the bits and pieces of life.


© Nancy Lefko

A Treasury of My Own

It was my privilege to choose among my favorites for an Etsy treasury of my own.

ALL of these fine artists have beautiful work to offer. Strolling through their Etsy shops is such a joy.

Monday Artday ~ Paris

The word "dull" just wasn't in Fifi's vocabulary.

However, "ooo la la" was one she knew quite well.

(Treat yourself to some wonderful artwork by visiting Monday Artday.)

© Nancy Lefko

Stormy Nights on the Lake Quilts

Mother nature produces some magnificent light shows in numerous night storms over Lake Michigan, especially in the month of June earlier this summer (go here to read a bit about some of those storms). During the first of those that we experienced, my older son and I got caught on the beach. A great amount of rain had fallen and made large puddles on the beach. Thinking the storm was over, we went to check them out and got caught there by lightening from another storm. It was very scary to run and crouch every five feet till we were off the beach ... soaking wet and shaking, but safe. I knew right then there were quilts about lightning storms at night in my near future.

Lake #58 (13"x 12")

The first one (#58) was presented to that adventurous son on his 42nd birthday last week. It was a challenge to capture the quality of night let alone lightening bolts. However, by the time this one was finished, I was ready to make more.

Lake #59 (13"x 12")

This next one (#61) I thought to stop long enough to take pictures during the construction process. The first layer in all the lake quilts is made up of larger scrap pieces. I chose dark valued ones for a night storm.
That layer get a spritz of temporary adhesive to hold the small fabric bits and threads in place. A metalic silver fabric was cut in slivers to portray the bolts of lightening and their reflections in the water. Dark colored wool roving helps to obscure some details while light value roving colors and highlights the clouds. All these night storm pieces are finished with a layer of black tulle netting.
This is the piece that was used to demonstrate my quilting techniques at Good Good's gallery last Saturday.

Lake #61 (13"x 12")

I took a break from the night storm pieces to make this large one that represents the kind of days we had the last week of August.

Lake Quilt #60 (28"x 30")

Good Good's show cased this one at their entry door on the street level (the gallery is upstairs).

To view and read about lake quilts featuring stormy daytime weather so here and here.

My Weekend at Good Good's

Creating several lake quilts at Good Good's gallery in Saugatuck, Michigan this past weekend was fun. I was scheduled only for Saturday, but ended up there on Sunday afternoon as well.
Many people, both local and vacationers from surrounding states, came to watch the construction and stuck around to talk about quilts, quilting, and art. I was most pleased that Kay ("Out of the Basement" blog) drove up from Indiana to see my work in person. We have been emailing and reading each others blogs for several years and it felt as though I was greeting a long time friend even though we were meeting for the first time.
This "after the sun has gone down" piece was begun and completed Saturday afternoon.

Lake #62 (13"x 12")

The previously constructed lake piece that I had taken to demonstrate my quilting and couching techniques will be posted soon. It's one of three that represent the night storms in June.

From Start to Finish

I rarely post photos of my works in progress, but I really do enjoy seeing that type of post on others' blogs. With that in mind, this weekend I took the camera into my studio so I wouldn't forget to take photos along the path of creation.


The piece doesn't look like much until I start to play with paints on the background of collaged papers. For this piece I also added prints made with foam stamps and acrylic paint. I have already sketched my "scene" on paper and transfer that to the canvas.


I add decorative papers which have been distressed and inked and before long I really have something. (At first I thought I would let some of the paint on the houses show through, but changed my mind and covered all with papers.)


Windows are added to give more life to the houses, which you can see are filled with "song." Shading with charcoal pencil and a little more ink and then I am ready for text which gives the piece its story.


This finished collage entitled, "Home to Our Hearts," is available in my Etsy shop. **SOLD**

© Nancy Lefko

Another Treasury

A heartfelt thanks to my friend Lisa Rivas of Flying Colors for including my collage "Endless Summer" in her Etsy treasury of beautiful vases. My sand pail may be the ugly duckling vase among beauties, but I am honored to be included. (I suppose at a beach cottage, a sand pail would make a lovely vase.)

A visit to Lisa's blog and her Etsy shop are absolute treats, so don't delay.