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Outdoor Metal Wall Art – Beach House Style!

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Flora and fauna are the subject of two prints I photographed. This dragonfly with hearts was photographed at Sandy Lake in Nova Scotia. It hovered on this stalk of grass almost as if it was posing! I love this image so much that I enlarged and printed it on aluminum. The metal adds a depth and luminosity that is so different from a print on paper.

Dragonfly metal photo by Doris Lovadina-Lee on white shiplap wall with flowers

8 advantages of Aluminum Prints:

  • waterproof
  • durable
  • scratch-resistant
  • lightweight
  • heat resistant
  • longevity
  • fade proof
  • modern

There are so many places to hang these beautiful and durable pieces. With only one nail or screw required they are also very easy to install. The dragonfly and Queen Anne’s Lace metal prints be available soon in my online shop.

12 best places to hang Metal Wall Art:

  • outdoors
  • cottages
  • beach houses
  • pool houses
  • patios
  • lanais
  • courtyards
  • porches
  • decks
  • boats
  • bathrooms
  • kitchens
photograph of Queen Anne's Lace printed on aluminum by doris lovadina-lee toronto ontario canada artist hanging on white wooden wall with a planter of flowers

Queen Anne’s Lace is considered to be an invasive weed, but I love this flower. It’s so light and airy. This photo was taken in Margaretsville, Nova Scotia. I isolated the bloom from a large snowy white bank of them.


More of the Flora and Fauna series greeting cards available in my shop, have a look around!

Quilts at the Creek 2019!

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Anne and I participated in Quilts at the Creek this past weekend. So many beautiful quilts, new, old, modern and traditional. I took a few photos in between selling hand dyed fabrics, scarves, presenting a trunk show and visiting with friends old and new!

Vendor's both for Doris Lavadina-Lee Designs and Anne Peters' Hand dyed fabrics at Quilts at the Creek Festival 2019

I had every intention of getting out into the show and taking photos of the beautiful quilts old and new on display. The reality is I didn’t even take these. I sent my son out to take some and he managed to take 2!  They were so blurry, I can’t use them!! LOL!

Our great aprons made by Anne blended perfectly with the fabrics and threads we were selling!

Atmosophere by Doris Lovadina-Lee

Luckily, the 3 quilts I entered were close to the vendor’s pavilion and so I did run out and he took a couple of me and my quilts. Just a tiny bit less blurry.

Transitions by Doris Lovadina-Lee
Traces by Doris Lovadina-Lee
Visitor’s at Quilts at the Creek 2019

The original title of this post was: Quilts at the Creek 2019 – last show! So happy to announce that this is not true. Seems that (TRCA) The Toronto Region Conservation Authority that manages Black Creek Pioneer Village know a great thing and they will be taking over from Valerie Prideaux. So contact Black Creek and let them know what you love and what you would change about the Quilt Festival. They are looking for suggestions and volunteers too. 
Here is to another fantastic quilt show in 2020! 

Perfect summer jewellery! Get it Quick!

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Don’t worry there will still be an amazing selection of Maria’s jewellery available, but not at this price. Maria’s star is rising and so are her prices. So, the prices in my shop will remain only until the end of the month! Along with a new lower shipping cost!

Pick one pair for yourself and another for a gift! Christmas is coming…
😁

Hand dyed threads and shibori fabrics

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plastic tub filled with hand dyed threads by Anne Peters
variegated hand dyed perle cotton thread by Anne Peters

Colour all around! These gorgeous hand dyed items by Anne Peters, a textile artist and passionate dyer, will be available for 2 days only. Anne of @dyeforfun and I will be sharing a booth and our love of shibori dyeing next weekend at Quilts at the Creek festival.

shibori cotton fabric
shibori cotton fabric
white and blue pillow with shibori strips by @dyeforfun
quilted shibori pillow

At 1:00 sit down and relax for 45 minutes while I do my trunk show in the Wilmot Town Hall. I will be showing and talking about my love of indigo and snow dyeing using shibori techniques. I will be bringing some of my quilts and fabrics to illustrate the techniques I use to create one-of-a-kind scarves and fabric. Then step across the Town Hall Green to see the items available for sale in the vendor located just steps away in the Event Pavilion area.
Come and see us, our indigo and hand dyed shibori cotton fabrics, kits, variegated perle and embroidery cotton threads. I am also bringing snow dyed fabric and scarves. A cornucopia of colour, texture, and designs will be available!

rolled up quilting cotton by anne peters
fabric bundles with thread hand dyed
July 27, 2019 @ 11:00 am – July 28, 2019 @ 5:00 pm

Anne has some bundles and fat quarters of shibori and hand dyed fabrics and thread that are greatly reduced. She is clearing out colours and designs that she is no longer dyeing to make way for her new ones. Visit us to see what she has available. But don`t wait!

fabric in plastic bags by textile artist anne peters ontario canada
fat quarter bundles in co-ordinating colours

Anne and I will be in the vendor’s pavilion from July 27, 2019 – July 28, 2019 @ 11:00 am to 5:00 pm

Quilts at the Creek at
Black Creek Pioneer Village
1000 Murray Ross Pkwy
North York, ON M3J 2P3
Canada

Come and say hello!

Indigo dyed hand woven organic cotton crepe scarf

2 Comments / Fibre art / By

I have been waiting, not patiently, for spring to arrive so I could do some indigo dyeing. Finally, it got warm enough and last weekend my friend Sheila and I set up a dye vat.

indigo striped fabric in tub of soapy water by doris lovadinalee toronto textile artist

One of the first into this spring’s dye bath was a pale turquoise cotton crinkle scarf. The colour was not intense enough and it was boring!

arashi shibori scarf in pale green wrapped around a pvc pipe by dorislovadina-lee

Handwoven organic cotton makes a luscious scarf, with a super fine crepe texture. I absolutely love the result. It is the scarf on the right hand side below.

3 unique indigo dyed scarves draped over chair dyed by dorislvoadinalee

These three indigo dyed crinkle scarves are so easy to care for. They can be machine washed in gentle and machine dried too. Ideal travel companions, wrapped around neck, shoulders or folded under to rest your head. Twist to pack, shake out and wear. You will always be elegantly dressed! Bon voyage!

Stitch Meditation – Day 29 and 30

Inspiration / By
White linen stitch meditation with drawn work and hand dyed ribbon insterts by Doris Lovadina-Lee toronto quilter
White Linen and Hand Dyed Woven Ribbon

Very little time being spent on the stitch meditations. I have been working on a minimal modern quilted art piece. That project has been progressing well. It is a combination of machine stitching on my hand dyed cotton and hand stitching too. I am excited to be working on a larger artwork.

stitch meditation in dark green cotton with a lighter cross shape and cross stitches in hand dyd perle cotton thread by doris lovadina-lee quilter and artist
Hand Dyed and Discharged Cotton and Hand Dyed Perle Cotton Thread

Stitch Resources

  • Article: Bes, Renee. Art and Craft as Meditation in Wellbeing blog
  • Blog: A Brief History of Drawn Thread Work by Sara Rickards of the blog Well Embroidered
  • Article: Ericson, Lois. Dyeing with Bleach. Threads Magazine, October 28, 2008.

Creating – One stitch at a time!

Maria Nunes and the art of crochet!

Fibre art / By

I am so fortunate to be collaborating with a local craftsperson – Maria Nunes. Her hand made crochet jewellery is beautifully designed and crafted. Maria learned to crochet as a child, growing up in Portugal at a time when there was still no television, not even electricity! In school they were taught to knit and would make simple scarves and hats. At home, Maria’s mother taught her to crochet to make doilies, table scarves and trim for her ‘enxoval’ or trousseau.

Hand dyed crochet cotton in fuchsia and green by Doris Lovadina-Lee Toronto Textile artist
Fuchsia Ombre and Blue to Green Variegated Hand Dyed Crochet Cotton

Maria has continued to crochet and over the years has made many household items using traditional patterns. Recently, she has changed her style to reflect modern tastes, creating handcrafted pillows, wallhangings and of course jewellery!

pair of indigo hoop crocheted earrings with blue glass beads on black surface
Indigo Hoop Earrings with Blue Glass Beads

Variegated, ombre, and with colour changes over very short areas have been a challenge for me. I have had to rethink my process as well as the amount of dye used! But it has been so much fun! I will also be indigo dyeing this spring and I can’t wait to see the jewellery she makes. I gave Maria all the indigo dyed cotton thread left from one of my projects. All of the pieces she made have been sold! It shows that blue and white is a much loved combination.

round crochet beige circle earrings with natural coloured beads on black background
Beige Cotton Circle Drop Earrings with Glass Beads

Magazines, and books are still places Maria finds inspiration, but more often she finds herself turning to Pinterest. Inspiration for her designs also come from working with the materials. A bead, the colour of the hand dyed cotton thread can start her on a new design. More and more often her jewellery includes beads, they really excite her with opportunities!

Crochet cotton round earrings and snow dyed scarf in fuchsia
Fuchsia Hand Dyed Round Earrings by Maria Nunes Designs on Snow Dyed Wool Scarf by Doris Lovadina-Lee

Maria believes that crochet is a dyeing art. She has tried to teach the next generation but with the competition for TV watching, and the internet with its so many social media outlets, it is a hard sell. Maria finds that crocheting is a relaxing and imaginative art. It has a calming effect allowing room for imagination.

Maria Nunes of @maria.n.designs crocheting

I am collaborating with Maria on dyeing some new crochet cotton. More experimentation with colours, ombre effects, indigo and more. Follow Maria on Instagram @maria.n.designs to see what she is creating.

Stitch Meditation – Day 27 and 28

Inspiration / By
Commercial cotton, hand dyed silk, hand dyed perle cotton

Very little time being spent on the stitch meditations. I have been working on a minimal modern quilted art piece. That project has been progressing well. It is a combination of machine stitching on my hand dyed cotton and hand stitching too. I am excited to be working on a larger artwork.

Repurposed silk, hand dyed silks, hand dyed cotton, hand dyed perle cotton

Stitch Resources

  • Article: Art and Craft as Meditation by Renee Bes in Wellbeing blog

Creating – One stitch at a time!

Stitch Meditation – Day 25 and 26

Inspiration / By

Falling into the rhythm of hand stitching, using the stitches that are most comfortable … automatic. The running stitch — my fallback.

Hand dyed cotton, hand dyed linen, cotton thread

That is how the meditations were begun. But, both pieces called for the addition of more, a fly stich and cross stitch emphasizing the beauty of the cloth.

Five inch square of upcycled beige silk stitched together with pink hand dyed silk
Repurposed silk, hand dyed silk, perle cotton

Stitch Resources

  • Book chapter: “Industries: Silk-weaving.” A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 2, General; Ashford, East Bedfont With Hatton, Feltham, Hampton With Hampton Wick, Hanworth, Laleham, Littleton. Ed. William Page. London: Victoria County History, 1911. 132-137. British History Online.
  • Website: The Silk Association of Great Britain

Using the finest scraps of fabric and creating – One stitch at a time!

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