Inspired by Saskia, I decided to create fabric collage thank you notes for our B&B hosts in Santa Fe and for our daughters, who gave us the trip to New Mexico as a combined birthday gift.
I selected two of the photos that were taken during the rainbow/thunderstorm/sunset that occurred on our last night at Ravens Ridge. Printing them on commercial computer printer fabric, I knew the fabric would be too tough to handsew, but figured the sewing machine would be easier on the paper card backing in any case. And as I sewed, I found myself echoing the outlines of adobe buildings ...
I ragged-cut the edges of the photos to mimic my grandmother's travel albums from the early 20th century. And since several of the recently dyed cloths had edges and colors that reminded me of mountains, I layered them behind the photos ...
The lichen-dyed/kantha-stitched edges of an abandoned project reminded me of the 2500 miles of highway we traveled over two weeks, and therefore ended up on the bases of several cards ...
this is BeautyFULL Holding of a Place and Time....i love the daydreaming quality of
ReplyDeletethe remembering and then the doing
I could look at these and know in an instant, that they spoke of New Mexico; each one a heart scape and rich with the beauty of this land. All who receive them will love them.
ReplyDeleteGrace and Marti ... coming from New Mexico, you words warm my heart. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteoh how I love these! I didn't know you could print onto fabric, does it have to be the kind of commercial printer fabric you used or would any fabric work?
ReplyDeleteHi Saskia, I have used Golden Digital Ground (Matte) which dries to a matte gesso like surface to prepare cloth that will fit through the printer that you can fit through your printer, it helps hold the ink, it's good to glue the edge of the cloth to a sheet of paper first and cut it out
DeleteI've read that you can iron cloth to freezer paper, cut to size and run through the printer, but I seem to recall a post on spirit cloth that indicated it can really mess a printer up if it jams, so I've never tried it (cue clucking chicken sounds).
Deletelike the variations on the theme Liz
ReplyDeleteIt was fun for sure ... and I learned from it, as always
DeleteFabulous!
ReplyDeleteThank you Gill ... and welcome!
DeleteBeautiful cards - and they do really remind me of a driving trip through New Mexico a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteIt's really is a magical place ... except for the very steep, winding roads which freaked out my Atlantic coastal plain sensibilities (Hill Country living notwithstanding)
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