Rust Hunting...

Last week I went on a treasure hunt in the barn lot

Rust Hunting

Click Images to Enlarge:

This is what I brought home in the bed of the pick up...

I love this rusty gear

Montgomery Ward Stove Door

The side of the rusty stove

This rust is bright orange!

Brad's Rusty Pick Up Truck

Brad's pick up has the coolest rust patterns....all over it!

I am lusting after Brad's rust!

Do you think he will mind if I drape vinegar soaked fabric all over his rusty pick up?

Hey, the tailgate comes off...

He could leave that home for me to rust!

Unfortunately, this pick up is used daily for farm chores.

It never sits still long enough for me to rust any fabrics on it!

Rusty Horse Shoes

This fabric started out white...

This is what it looked like on day 4 of the rusting process

Rusty Horse Shoes

Day 5....soaked in salt and baking soda, then washed in the washing machine.

This piece came out soft like silk.

Rusty Saw Blades

I plan to create sunflowers with this piece

Buffalo on Rusted Fabric

A work in-progress...

Horses on Rusted Fabric

A work in-progress...

When the weather warms up a bit, I plan to rust more fabrics with the new rusty treasures I found.

Rusting Instructions:

Soak your white fabric in vinegar (any kind of vinegar).

Lay the rusty items on the fabric.

Wrap the fabric around the rust.

You can wrap it with wire to keep the rusty objects in contact with the fabric.

Place it in a plastic bag.

Put out in the sun for 4 or 5 days.

The last day I take it out of the plastic bag and allow the oxygen to get to it while it is drying out.

Soak the fabric in a bucket of water with 1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of salt.

Next day, throw it in the washing machine and dryer.

Tips:

Use very good quality broadcloth or egyptian cotton.

DO NOT use cheap muslin.

DO NOT open up the bag and keep checking on the rusting process.

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

CLICK HERE to view Rust Fabric that has been painted

CLICK HERE to view Mixed Media Rust Quilt

CLICK HERE to view The Cow Pony Rust Quilt

In this post I give you lots of tips and hints for machine quilting your rusted fabrics.

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn

Challenge Project....Part 5

Here is another peek at the Challenge Quilt I am currently working on...

Click Images to Enlarge:

At this point, all of the applique images have been added.

I am anxious to get it under the needle and get things stitched down!

We have 11 working barns on the farm...

This is one of them:

Hole in the Barn Roof

A very BIG hole in the barn roof...

Inside the barn....looking outside through the hole

My favorite guy is removing the wind blown trees behind the barn that cause so much destruction.

The trees will be used for firewood for the winter heat supply

While Brad does the tree removal....I wander around with the camera:

I would love to quilt the veins in this HUGE leaf.

It is actually a weed that grows by the barn, but I think these tremendous leaves are beautiful!

Make a wish..........then blow!

Another weed that I find beautiful...

These old windows on the barn always catch my eye.

This window has a vine growing through it.

I love old barns, old quilts, old books, old dogs....I love old things.

Please feel free to use these images in your art work.

I am always happy to share my photography.

Click on the image to enlarge it, then download it to your desk top.

Enjoy!

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

CLICK HERE to view more Challenge Quilt Images

CLICK HERE to view Couching

CLICK HERE to view Jello Printing

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn

Bloggers Quilt Festival...

This is my entry for the Bloggers Quilt Festival:

Click Images to Enlarge:

The Cow Pony

The Cow Pony Detail

Dancer started out as my trail horse in 1991. He was like riding a rocking horse and he had the best personality. He eventually became my husband's #1 roping horse, and what a time they had together. I have videos of the two of them in the arena roping horns and feet. Dancer earned the name Cow Pony because he loved cattle so much. When he wasn't in the roping arena, you could find him out in the pasture surrounded by a herd of yearling cattle. This is known as being "cowy."

I have always believed in the healing benefits of creating art.

Working on this Cow Pony Quilt helped me through a difficult time in my life, and in the end healed me of my grief over the loss of Dancer.

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

CLICK HERE to view a slideshow of the creation of the Cow Pony Quilt

CLICK HERE to view more of the Bloggers Quilt Festival

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn

Take the Bitter with the Sweet...

Brad came home with the pick up & trailer.

We need to go across the river and check on the cattle.

There are new baby calves expected...

Click Images to Enlarge:

We are pulling the trailer just in case we need to bring a cow home to pull a calf.

Climb in the cab, we are on our way to check on the cows and calves.

Sure enough, we had to bring this heifer home.

She is having her first calf, and having a difficult time.

We loaded her in the chute so Brad can check on her progress...

Brad pulling the calf...

It's not a big calf, but she isn't able to have it on her own without assistance.

The calf is alive and came out mooing.......

Mama gets busy and cleans her new calf

Sometimes in life we must take the bitter with the sweet...

The mother cow on the right cleans her new calf...

The mother cow on the left stands beside her stillborn calf.

The dairy in town has a new bull calf that needs a mama...

Here is the mother cow with her new bull calf.

She didn't like the calf, she knew it wasn't her calf.

So the hide from her calf is tied on the new calf...

She smelled him......she likes him now!

After a few days, Brad removed the hide and she accepted the new calf as her own.

This cow and calf are now out in the pasture with the other mamas and babies.

Aren't you glad there was a happy ending!

Life and death are part of all of our lives, and more so for farming families. We never become numb to the bitter moments, and we rejoice in all the sweetness that comes our way.

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

CLICK HERE to view my Art Quilts

CLICK HERE to view my Contemporary Quilts

CLICK HERE to view my Traditional Quilts

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn

Challenge Project....Part 4

All of the cutting is done...

Click Images to Enlarge:

Raw Edge Fusible Web Applique

Now I am ready to put a few pieces up on the design wall...

Since this is a Top Secret Challenge Quilt...

I will share a few close-up peeks at my work so far

I just love the way these bright batik fabrics just jump off that black background fabric!

That's all I can show you for now...

There is more to come soon!

Goose Family

We stopped by the mill pond today to check on the new family in town...

Mama & Papa Goose have 3 new babies!

Rhodie Bud

The Rhodies are just beginning to bloom here in Western Oregon

Feel free to use these images in your art work if you are inspired.

They are downloaded at full resolution.

Just click on the image to enlarge it, then copy it to your desk top.

Enjoy!

Painting Plywood

If you don't hear from me for a few days...

This is why...

We are working on our patio out back.

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

CLICK HERE to view more Challenge Quilt images

CLICK HERE to view My First Quilt

CLICK HERE to view Woven Sunshine Slideshow

CLICK HERE to find out about Adventures with Jello Printing

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn