Creating For A Cause

Recently  I was asked if I would donate something to be auctioned at a fund raiser for Camp Nawakwa, a family camp run by the YMCA, in Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin.  This was the third time that I have created something for either a raffle or auction.  Originally I had hoped to have the time to create a photo quilt for this cause.  A quilt is a huge undertaking and time just would not allow me to complete it.  So I went with an alternative plan ... you always need a "back-up" plan.

Every year that we make the trek up to the northwoods for our family summer "get away" (which really can't be considered a "get away" with the number of family members that are there), I have to bring a small collection of natural finds home with me each year.

After several ideas floating through my head, I created a canvas wall hanging along with two decorated frames.

For the wall hanging I used natural canvas for the base.  One of my favorite photos of the Big Crooked Lake was printed onto photo fabric and used as the center focal point.  I created tissue fabric using a technique from the book "Fabric Art Collage" by my very talented friend Rebekah Meier. This was then put in place around the photos and stitched with some very simple free-motion quilting.  Birch bark was cut into a strip to represent the tall birches that found in the northwoods.  Moss, washed pebbles, small pinecones from the woods help to frame the photo.  I fashioned an embellishment from copper sheets,  to represent the four seasons .  Each one was glued into a corner.  Handmade paper was die-cut after an iron-on adhesive was placed onto the back of a strip.  A dragon fly was made from paper clay.  When dry, it was painted black and then brushed with Perfect Pearls for an iridescent look.  Fine copper mesh forms the wings and copper wire was twisted to make the antenna before attaching with glue.  The canvas was then attached with canvas loops over the lichen covered branch.  The dragon fly was wired onto the branch. To finish the hanging correctly, I applied a piece of felt to the back.

A very simple collage frame was painted with a metallic bronze color and glued with the "petals" of collected pinecones.  I covered the insert for the photos with a textured, handmade paper.

The smaller frame was painted in the same manner before applying cut pieces of birch branches and small cuttings.