Tuesday 9 September 2008

September TIF (Lists and Colour Catchers)

The theme for Septembers Take it Further challenge is 'Lists' . There have been various posts from participants about their 'to do' lists - many people seem to get a huge sense of achievement from crossing things off but it doesn't work for me . Apart from shopping, the only lists I do are mental ones. I’m really quite an organised person but I was put off lists by a impossibly efficient and officious consultant on a time management course who insisted on them and I’ve been rebelling ever since. So what I had to work with was my shopping lists . The example I used was more legible than ususal as Ian was reading it and crossing items off as he found and ordered them on the Ocado website. Once you've placed a few orders, the site automatically pulls up previous orders and even prompts you ( as our first order was a Xmas one , these prompts tend to be of a beverage nature!) and the list can viewed as pictures of the items. I haven't used Photoshop to manipulate or alter text before - I was rather taken with the effect achieved with the filter 'palette knife' leaving just a hint of the writing.
I've been acumulating lots of used 'colour-catcher' sheets put in the washing machine to absorb loose dye from clothes. It's quite sobering quite how much dye comes out (the bright blue one on the far right was from a bathmat that had already been washed a few times) You sometimes get a nice random space dyed effect (especially from a 'darks' load) They seemed an appropriate material to use , being ephemeral.
To put them through the printer, I attached them to an A4 size sticky label ( which is what I use for organzas). Unfortunately they wouldn't come off the label afterwards so I had to incorporate them too (well I suppose that's the 3 layers of a quilt dealt with) , another time I'll use Freezer Paper
When I was wondering how to stitch it, it was Ian who suggested that I use black thread , to reintroduce the feeling of words
I'm rather excited by the ideas that this has generated: the manipulated text; the wonky lines;the large stitches; the crumpled texture of a material that is neither paper or fabric.
Oh look, I've created another list!!

4 comments:

Maya Sara Matthew said...

Wow! love your take on lists and you have taken it further in so many different ways.

Mai-Britt Axelsen said...

Oh, "Colour Catchers" - lovely stuff, the mere fact that they are non woven, non fraying fabrics........ and the colours! A surprise all the time.

Looking forward what your are going to make of them.

Aussie Jo said...

Very effective, I don't think we have those washer sheets here.

Susan Briscoe said...

Great use of colour catchers - must plan something for my "catcher stash"!

BTW, there's pic of you from our Japan trip on my blog. Reiko & the group have had an amazing exhibition last month.
http://susanbriscoe.blogspot.com/2008/10/fantastic-sashiko-exhibition-in-yuza.html