I made this postcard last week at Sewing by the Sea, a sewing retreat in Ocean City, Maryland. One morning Sandy Sapienza, who organizes the annual event, taught a mini-class in muslin-backed paper for artwork. The technique is simple. Saturate a piece of damp muslin with matte medium gel, then affix a photocopied b&w image measuring 5" x 7". Laser copies are suggested but I used inkjet copies of photos I had taken. Cover the image with gel medium and embellish with thread, paper, fabric, glitter, etc. Let dry. When dry, paint with transparent paints or inks. Add more embellishments (collage, stamps, stitching) as desired. When dry, the painted image has a supple, leathery feel to it.To make a fabric postcard, back the painted piece with a stiff interfacing, such as Timtex, and another piece of muslin and stitch the layers together. (You could also use cardboard and paste.) The stitching becomes another element of the piece. To write on the card, use an oil-based marker. I made two cards. I sent one to Mrpotani and will keep the other as a cool memento of my first trip to Ocean City. For more about Sewing by the Sea, go to www.needlearts-adventures.com.
