Could it be???

Is this for real?

Actual green foliage in my yard?

And my little sedum,
looking all green and bright???

And surely, the hint of magenta magnolia buds,
unwrapping from their fuzzy-warm coats to
brave the mercurial Indiana weather
can only mean one thing.....Spring must be very close at hand!
I would have liked to have made it to the South acres,
but let's face it.....I was pushing the limits doing this.
Shhhhhhhh! Don't tell!
But who can resist Spring photos?
Not me!

Delicious Creativity!

In my book, there are two types of creativity; the artistic type (which covers a broad range of subject matter) and then there is my Southern cooking. If you are of Southern blood, then you know it is a prerequisite to be able to produce an absolutely perfect pound cake, rich with butter, crunchy properly browned top and last but not least, the absolutely perfect crumb inside. If you've not baked a pound cake from scratch before, then none of this makes sense. If you have, then you know the sheer delight of taking a razor sharp knife and slowly working it through the still warm cake, gently sliding that piece out and indulging in a portion of pure heaven.
This was my project yesterday, and I am sooooo glad I made it. It is wonderful---the comfort food of the gods. To heck with Ambrosia or those gooey salads---give me a large chunk of pound cake and I am happy and beaming.
Serve it with coffee or tea of choice and experience rapture.
Have it for breakfast. Yes. I do.
I truly wish all my gentle readers could be here to share this with me, and enjoy for themselves what we cooks strive to achieve; the combination of dense and light, rich but not overly sweet, melt on your tongue decadence.
Hmmmmmmmm..........
Well, maybe not! (that leaves more for me and I do need to bribe the gentleman who does my PT...)
Now go do something creative--whatever you do well. And if it's cook, drop a post on what wonderful yummy you have whipped up!
Life is too short for beige clothes, bland lipstick, bad food or lousy wine!
Cheers! :)

P.S. I might add, this did take all the oomph out of me, so today I need to kick back and take it easy. After PT. HA! And again......HA!

Giveaway at Couture de Papier!

"Bon Bon Bunny needs a home!!"

A quote from Couture de Papier about the giveaway:

Easter is time of Gratitude for me.I am grateful for all my connections in cyberspace.Just post a comment and this 'cutie pie' on your blog with my blog address and drawing information.Good Luck..Happy Easter!!

So go to Couture de Papier and leave a comment on Mr. Bon Bon to be entered in the giveaway!

Drawing is April 4th!

You can't beat this......go check out a lovely blog with delightful items! And make sure to compliment Mr. Bon Bon via the comment box!

Now have a great creative day and enjoy yourselves as Spring slowly makes her way here! (we had thunderstorms of quite interesting proportions last night, and it is NOT warm.....)

On a personal note, I am still hobbling but made it down to the studio yesterday to get my waterbucket for brushes and get it scrubbed down. Was carrying it up the stairs WITH MY TEETH since I had the walker and nothing else to use. Would have been a delightful picture.....eh? I am hoping within the next week I will actually have some *making art* posts to put on here. Otherwise, you get to be bored out of your skull with old photos and my ability to ramble excessively about anything and everything. Sorry! <:(

Delightful gifts from friends.....

Before my *Grand Adventure*, Dolly, one of my friends from the Pacific Northwest, sent me a package of wonderful tidbits including these amazing feathers. I so love feathers of all sorts and collect them and stash them and occasionally they get pulled out for use in fiber art.
However, these were of such spectacular color, they deserved to be preserved first as photographs, and then maybe I will draw or paint them before they are turned into something fiber-wise.

For the life of me I cannot remember what type of bird they were from and truthfully, the pics do not do them justice. I am hoping that maybe clicking and getting a close up will give you a better idea of their glorious texture and color.

It never ceases to amaze me how creatures of the wild are given such beautiful plumage and we, as humans, seem to drab ourselves down as much as possible. (except, of course, for your dear authoress.....)

At the present time Dolly and I are commiserating via one of our on-line groups; she has had surgery on her right hand and of course that is her dominant side and then there is my little bit of nonsense.......

So here is a toast to "Magoo" and "Peg-Leg", may we recoup soon and be back to our normal, feisty selves causing havoc and mayhem and just in general being artists!!!

And by the way, shooting these pics this morning is the FIRST creative thing I have been able to do since the accident.

And it felt wonderful!

Now get out there and take advantage of the day to be creative in whatever manner you excel! Or Peg-Leg will be coming after you.........very slowly, but the threat is still there..... :)

100th Post!!!!

"Did I think she would make it to this

many blog posts? Why, NO! No I didn't!"

Okay, you know I can't resist poking a bit of fun at myself and I do so love chimps....somehow this seemed appropriate for this particular day! I did not realize it till I was checking my Blogger Dashboard and it was one of those "wow...." moments. Not a big WOW; just a hmmmmmm.......doesn't seem like that many. (well, sometimes it feels like more, say, on those days when my brain is taking a vacation..)

Does this have anything to do with art? NO.

Is this earth-shaking? NO.

Is it anything to even comment on? Probably not!

But it makes me laugh and that counts for a lot of late!!! Hope you get a laugh too.

Maybe at the 200th post I will have some great, esoteric, thought provoking missive to share with my gentle readers, making your grey matter spin with delight at the new knowledge you have ingested and your heart flutter that someone cared enough to share it with you!

But probably not!

So go have fun, enjoy the day, do something creative and make some art!!! Don't let the time slip by---it doesn't come again.

Or at least have a banana in my honor for hanging in here this long. ;)

P.S. If I had had my wits about me, I would have done some little give away for the 100th post......phooey. Maybe at 150....that's a nice round number and far enough away for me to think about it!

Another PT day....a little Art

"Turks Cap Lily"

....So you get a pretty photo from garden, from last year I believe, and I get to get worked out.

Hmmmmmmm..........somehow I think you are getting the better end of the deal!

I always shoot a lot of photos in my flowerbeds as the different flowers come into bloom. In the winter they are wonderful inspiration and frequently they get made into something. If I am not mistaken, this particular photo was used in a piece of fiber art that was part of one of the Co-Op theme challenges. I know I have the pic of the piece---I'll root about here and see if I can find it.

"Fire-Tiger"

Ah, I'm in luck. It was right where it was supposed to be! This was a fun piece to make as it is dimensional and the actual lily photo was printed out on watercolor paper, which sucked up ink at an unbelievable rate. The leaves were sandwiched with the featured fabric, then felt on both sides. I did the stitching for veins, then hit the felt with a heat gun. Most of the felt melted, leaving an interesting texture and pattern. The paper lily was set up from the background by stacking scraps of felt until it was the proper height to look like it was hanging from the stem. I am hoping the photo is clickable (just discovered it is NOT)......things have been peculiar on here of late.

Anyway, I'm off to prepare for my workout and you should be off to make something!

Have a creative blissful day!

How do I top YESTERDAY????

Well, obviously I can't! And that's GOOD--it's how it should be! I think it was wonderful the amount of great remarks and verbal support you readers gave Val on her work; well deserved. Told ya she was good.... ;)


So since I am still in the less than mobile way, I'm digging through some old images and this is a favorite for a couple of reasons.
First, it was from the backyard at my parents house.
Second, it was a slide that had not been developed for a long time, so when it finally hit the chemicals, it just was not quite right. And I like that. I like the soft blurry quality, the colors that are slightly off, the whole somewhat surreal flavor of it. I always thought it would make a good pastel painting or maybe something in fiber or collage.
Third, it reminds me of my parents and Spring and how sturdy these tulips were no matter what the weather. They always bloomed and never were prima donnas. They were by concrete and the soil was poor but consistently they bloomed. Beautifully.
I am thinking that I could learn something from that statement.
Today is cookie baking day and I hope to eat enough chocolate chip cookies to make myself ill. I've been good and watched what I've eaten, but I desperately need chocolate chip cookies! (if you were closer, I'd invite you for warm, gooey, delicious cookies.....)
YUM!!!
So I shall be in the kitchen; gentle readers, you all can fend for yourselves!
Go be creative........cook, dig, plant, make art. Enjoy the budding Spring!!!

Valerie May: Artist, Friend

"Art feeds my spirit, nourishes my soul."

Valerie May

All photos in this post were provided by and are the exclusive

property and copyright of Valerie May, 2009.

"Falcons Facing West"

"Oriental Yin-Yang Collage"

"Light One Inverted"

"Greek Collage"

I thought I would simply start today's post with an artist's quote and ART. Pure, beautiful, unadulterated ART. The type that makes you stop in your tracks to look, pulls at your heart (and checkbook!), things you want to either make or make your own.

That is the type of work Valerie produces. After a long drought of not dealing with art she joined the Community Artists Co-Op--in fact, she was at our very first meeting--and has not looked back or stopped since. (please click on all the photos to view in a larger format--there is so much detail to enjoy that can't be seen in the smaller size pics.)

Val has an art degree but has a very Zen approach to what she does. While she can produce *exact copies* (extremely realistic paintings) her view is , "Been there, done that, why go back?" One of her favorite quotes is from Picasso:

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

And indeed it does as is evidenced by what she consistently produces.

I envy her ability to work with abstract in an apparently easy, nonplussed manner. She says she can teach me. I am thinking that she might have met her match on that one...."Little Miss Anal-About-Details" doing an abstract??? Oh, but I want to!

I could rave extensively about what I find appealing in each piece but I'm not going to. I want you, my gentle readers, to look deep into them and see what speaks to YOU. And please leave posts here directly to Val, because she does not have a blog yet, and she will be able to read and answer any questions you may have.

And now one more little tidbit I have to admit that I had been keeping secret.

At our LAA Show, Val sold a painting called "Quilt In Oil". The buyer chose to remain anonymous. Well, Kiddo, it is hanging in my kitchen. I had looked and looked at the piece loving it more each time I saw it and knew, at the right time, it would come home with me.

So I proudly own an original, and couldn't be happier!

I hope you all enjoy this small sampling of Val's talent and her delightful use of color and composition. She is truly one of a kind!

Now go do something creative and use your day well!!! OR ELSE!!! ;)

(I'll chase you with my cane....HA!!! Okay, you can get off the floor and quit laughing now.....)

Quick Blip From Anne-Land

Hey all---this is a shortie. I am running behind this morning, I have PT coming in about 1 1/2 hours, things to try and do and then I thought---oh yes, you have forgotten the blog. The old image is my usual humor.......I actually have boneset plants that grow along the side of my yard! Guess I should have chewed some or made a tea of them or dried some or something last year....... ;)

Anyway, this is a teaser. Tomorrow I will do a lovely post on a very talented lady who is a dear friend of mine. There will be artwork to see and I am sure you all will enjoy it much.

I thought about trying to do it this morning but I want to give the post the proper time it, and she, deserves. Trust me, you'll love it!

In the mean time, I am still hopping along and getting better bit by bit and ready to be WELL.

NOW.

RIGHT NOW.

So until I can make art, I will have to look through my photos and give you some "Cuts From The Crypts" and we can have a nice guest artist now and then! And then one day, I will post that I am back in the studio and I think that should be a national holiday, don't you???

Take care and have a wonderful, creative art-filled day!

Introducing my friend and photographer.....

Photo provided by Vicki Venable-Miles. All rights reserved.

....Vicki Venable-Miles. When I checked her blog "My 2009 Project 365: Just Me and My Camera...no edits*" and saw this pic, I had to coerce her into letting me do a post and link! Now, with my recent self mutilating activities, and my off the wall sense of humor, this photo was just too good to not share! I e-mailed Vicki and asked where on earth she saw this to shoot it and here was her reply:

"The hearse was on U.S. 31. I first saw it north of Markland Avenue(Kokomo)...had to chase it to Boulevard to get the pic. I thought it was going to cause a wreck...not only was it fun, it was being driven rather quickly. Either, they were in a hurry to start Spring Break or they had already started!"

You have to go to her site for the rest of the story!
Vicki is the type of photographer I admire; she shoots and only uses computer software to crop and file photos, the same way my dad and I worked in the darkroom. It is the majic in making photos by having a good eye and the skill to get the shot. Nothing artsy-fartsy...good plain photography.
I have one of her black and white prints hanging in my front hallway that always gets nice comments. Of course, I am such a sucker for B&W work......I still have all the equipment in the cellar to develop and print my own B&W. Where I would find the supplies? That's another story.

Photo provided by Vicki Venable-Miles. All rights reserved.

Here is another nice shot of something I would like to be out wandering around finding, daffodil buds. The pic is also clickable to go to the post.There is also a nice selection of Rural Indiana photos---it gives you an idea of how far out in the hinterlands we live.

So that's my plug for today gentle readers. Please go take a tour of *my* part of the country, thanks to Vicki! Leave a nice comment and let her know you've been there. (you can save the acerbic comments for ME since I love them sooooo much! LOL!!!!!)

See you all tomorrow! I have PT so not sure when I will be putting up a post.

A nice surprise!

(Photo courtesy of Candie Cooper, copyright 2009)

While spending a bit of time cruising blogs I checked Candie Cooper's and guess what I find???
US!!!! (click the pic to go to the post)
It was deceptively cold the day we had the photo taken and I had been out shooting pics in the cemetery, so I have that *rosy glow* of being outside too long!
Candie did a sweet write up (okay, that was an intended pun!) about our coffee day we had pre-concrete diving and also featured two of my box canvasses. This girl is so busy I don't know how she breathes, sleeps or has time to figure out which end is up. She is also involved in local art events besides her publishing career, so hey, more coffee! ;)
Although this is a tiny view inside the Cafe Du Cirque, I think you can get a taste of the warm comfy feel that it exudes. I will be sooooo glad to hobble back in there for a Latte. Or two.
And it may be a bit sooner than I was thinking. After a very successful PT visit yesterday, I was walking much further than I thought I could and did the stairs and seriously fatigued some muscles. So I am feeling better physically and emotionally. I am ready to get back to work!

(and you're all tired of hearing me crab about it too, I'm sure)

Now go make some art!!!!

The last good ME!!! (and ART!)

(Photo by Megan Mirro, copyright 2009)
I am posting this for two reasons; first, it is a reminder of how I was before the great adventure....and it wasn't that LONG before it either. Granted, I look fat as a tick wrapped in that luscious sari, which I did my own twist on so I could wear a sweater and skirt under. It was a glorious piece of fabric to wear; to cocoon yourself in and move the folds about until they were just right. It was a small luxury.

Second, it shows some of my art that I have not posted before. My red series, that mainly deal with hearts and Frida and Diego. They are the most obnoxious things to photograph due to a heavy coat of triple thick gloss finish on the hearts, leaves, and the built up ground of heavy gel medium.

Since this was taken from a slight angle with indirect light, it works.

I love these paintings; they are bright, cheery, have dimension, use mixed media techniques and overall, please me. Sure there are things that might be improved---I'm not blind to that. It's just that occasionally you make something that so emotionally pleases you that the thought of selling

it is not the issue. Having them in my house brightens the walls and reminds me of the fun of making them, trying out the built up gel that the printed pics were gently pushed into, so there would be a bit of dip in the center for more variety of texture. It was an experimenting process that worked well (well enough to show) and something I want to get back to at some point, or at least incorporate some of the technique into my box canvas series. They appear to have nothing in common but there is a connection between the two.

It is interesting to see how artists can move in a flow from two separate series that seem unconnected but when they are discussed, the step from one to the other is quite clear.

These actually would be a good class to teach; they are not hard if doing the heart piece and can be done on any size canvas, though the small deep ones are for the most part, more impressive. Some things just work better visually smaller.

So that is it for today kiddies. Actually, it took longer to tinker with the photo and I apologize profusely for the bad photo manipulation. No contacts in and lack of patience....not a good combination!

Your humble authoress begs forgiveness...... ;)

Now go make something wonderful, try something new or just be creative in your day and enjoy that! That's what you've been put here for!

Le Bas Rouge....or Anne's insult to injury

I am hoping the French translator I used was correct---some things sound more elegant, more gentle in French. There is a certain panache to what is really being said.
And Why, might you ask. is there a picture of a red, glowing lamp in this post?
Weeeeelllllll, one thing has to do with the other. This is not an art post---this is a "Joys or adventures of recovery" post.
I am, on a good day, allergic to numerous things, and have lived with it so long that when I go to visit a physician I can blither out the meds by heart and tell the dentist not to use this or that----it's just life.
HOW EVER.
Having never had surgery before, I was dumped into a world of items that I was clueless as to their ability to do odd things to me. (and not in a fun way either.....)
Tuesday I was cleaning up--a bath pretty much like the budgies take because the incision cannot get wet---and I kept feeling what appeared to be welts upon my nether regions. So I waddle into the front hall tree, (the nearest full length mirror I have) and sure enough, I don't just have a massive allergic reaction to where the dressing was taped on and ripped off, taking skin with it, I am red EVERYWHERE.
GLOWING.
Like the little lamp in the photo and the red wall behind it. Up my back, down my legs and blisters the size of my thumb.
---An Aside---
I cared for my ailing parents everyday for three years through numerous surgeries, critical health problems, cancer, just plain gross things, etc and have seen a lot, and for the most part, not much bothers me. Take that into consideration....
---Back to adventure---
As I was standing there, I just started crying because I knew this was NOT GOOD. So we made a trip to my Doc, and when he looked at it he said, "I have never seen such a massive drug allergy reaction in my life." (me either....) Then he asked how PT was going and I said "What PT???"
So now here I am, on steroids to get Le Bas Rouge cleared up, spent most of yesterday with the Physiotherapist and the home health care nurse and also allowed some time to whine and feel sorry for myself.
Or maybe that's the Medrol dose pac working on me. Who knows. I think I feel better. This is just crazy.
I miss my art terribly and cannot get to any of it.
And my e-mail has only been working sporadically, so my link with the outside world is interrupted.
So to close with a bit of self deprecating humor, I quote from the old standard.....

"Shine on, shine on Harvest MOON, up in the sky........"

I kind of think you get the picture.......or at least as much as you need to. Some things are better left under wraps!!!! ;)
Love and art and creativity to you all, and thanks for the cards and well wishes. They do mean the world to me.
Now go be creative and use the day well!

P.S. And please, have a laugh at this!!!!

It's the little things....

....that make life worthwhile. You don't know, until you have been unable to care for yourself how good it feels to wake, make your own coffee (slowly!), brush your teeth, do a few dishes and then rest.
No self-slamming because you did not accomplish more; just the pure delight of doing something for yourself.
This has made me take a hard look at Art. How often do we become so wound up in the process of finishing pieces that we have lost the joy of the journey along the way? How often have we hurried to the point that there is no joy what so ever in what we produce, though it may be technically perfect? Why is it always something BAD that causes us to stop dead in our tracks and say...wait a minute.....this isn't right......
I challenge all of you to do one simple task today and slow down long enough to savor what you do. Be in the moment. If it's dishes, wash them well, feel the water and the suds, look at the clean surface when you are done. Be proud of your work. Then apply that to your creativity. One thing, one moment, one enjoyable process.
You truly will not realize what you've been missing in all the hustle and bustle of outside demands, demands we place upon ourselves, demands placed upon us by others.
Our world we live in makes us feel we must gladly accept more demands. What if you were free of that?
Just slow down and do one small thing incredibly WELL.
You cannot imagine how good that can be!

Click ruby slippers three times and say.....

There's no place like home....there's NO PLACE like HOME!!!
And that's where I am. I'm okay, but won't be doing much other than rest and rehab for a while. And probably leaving comments on other blogs as I am able to sit up!
So be prepared......my life has reduced to a few limited square feet!
Ta Ta; must rest. Thanks to you all for your posts--much appreciated!


"Limpy"

HOSPITAL

Fell yesterday----broke hip. Awaiting surgery today.
please hold all comments and mail till I post I'm home.
A super nurse,Gwen, tormented IT till they got this up and running for me. But still too hard to use at this point.
Miss you all!!!!!

Anne

Focus

It seems the past couple of days my focus has gone out the window. I have always assumed I was Wonder Woman, satin tights and golden lasso in hand to reel everything in. This morning, just from age and physical fatigue, I guess I will have to settle for being a woman par excellance and nothing more.

I have to read my blog to remember the past week, it has been so hectic. So then I ask myself the question; how does this affect our art? Is this why so much trivial work is swamping the market and the truly wonderful, spiritual work is pushed aside, or harder to find?

The day I took the posted picture was one of those days of wonderful, blissful focus---one I don't have frequently. Everything was clear and I could look about my studio and see compositions in any corner. Consequently, I have a few days out of the studio, and although I can see what I have accomplished, I feel creatively exhausted.

How about if we took a focus break? One day, one hour, or five minutes if that works for you, to zone in and focus on what precisely it is that ignites our art passion. What is it with you? What makes you swoon to paint/collage/photograph or otherwise memorialize that which you see? What is it that makes your brain suddenly click and you know you can't stay away from your work? What drives you?

Focus seems to be a fickle tart; first she's right there by you, then off in some haystack far away. If I could improve one quality of my work habits, it would be in the area of hard, serious focus.

I love my friends and love sharing and working and seeing good things progress. I would give the shirt off my back to see another person ignited with the fire of art---it is part of my psyche to do this. But do I have to allow myself the occasional studio focus day? Is this a dilemma that any of you face? How do you deal with it? Do you retreat to the work at hand or go out in the world and do something totally different? Does the same thing work for us all?

I know this is one of my more serious posts (sorry folks, no rants or funny birds today!) but I really would love input on this.

What is it that makes you focus, and find the zone?

P.S. Got a book on Wabi-Sabi......very interesting. Will post about it when I finish reading.

Gabba Gabba Hey!!!

"I don't wanna be a Pinhead NO MORE...."

Okay, this is a desperation post because I am going too many directions at once. Yesterday I looked in at my little mosh-pit Budgie, Johnny (namesake of Johnny Ramone), the one who likes to bite me, and there he sat with a most annoyed look and a down feather perfectly placed on his head to approximate a weak mohawk!

You have to realize, for an old and decrepit Punk, this is humor worth getting the camera out and trying to coerce the bird to look towards it. (no such luck, in case you're wondering---he does his own thing)

And I was laughing too hard at the poor bird to get a really good photo, so this is it for the day.

Geez......I am reduced to making *da boyz* the subjects of posts. I am the avian equivalent of the Crazy Cat Lady.....except I only have two....thank the stars.

A fact: two parakeets CAN and WILL--given the opportunity--deafen you. They are better than any commercial alarm system known to mankind!

That's it.

I've humiliated myself and my bird enough.

I'll try better tomorrow! ;)

P.S. Am working on the circus banners---all five cut last evening after lugging a 50 yard roll of canvas up a flight of steep stairs. I would say how do I get in these situations, but oh....I know! Am on my way to town this morning to:

A) Get a car tire checked and then

B) Go back and SEW the hems on the banners.

Do you see the butterfly head?

Do you? Can you find it? And if so, do you know what it is from?

I had one of those round bulbs burn out in my bathroom---the bank of lights over the mirror. After I had removed it, I began looking closely at the insides and thought, hmmmmmm, if I carefully broke that bulb......and I did, and cleaned the edges with tin snips and then filed the rough edge with a heavy nailfile. Then I removed the lighting filament and had two pieces of copper wire sticking up that---on a whim---I curled slightly and suddenly I had something that vaguely resembled a butterfly head. Gosh, that was cool!

I love finding and using the odd or disposable in my artwork. It is rewarding, and makes an artist look hard at everything about. What do you see that you can use? What could it be turned into? Can it be totally revamped?

It's like a puzzle without pieces or with endless possibilities as to how it can turn out.

I was at a Visual Arts Network meeting last week, and one of the ladies was from a group who signs off with "Look! Art is everywhere!" I've always felt that. I have tried to live that. Sometimes people and life sidetrack you, but ultimately, you find your path back. Sometimes you have to fight for that integrity.

Art should be a great venture that takes you through odd twists and turns and builds your creativity through what you discover yourself on a daily basis. It is learning to SEE. I remember reading or hearing that years and years ago and it wasn't until one summer DH and I were driving somewhere and I looked out the car window into the rear view mirror and the light was such that I *saw* the colors the impressionists used in their work.

It was an Ah-HA! moment, and one I won't forget. Everyone has those available daily. Use them. Find them. Make them happen. Don't let the egos of others or the bullies of our modern world who think they know art dissuade you.

Get out there and find the butterfly!!!

P.S. Input is welcome on the sidebar additions. It was a tough decision.......there were skulls that I was quite fond of........sigh.........! And the worst part is on my monitor, I really cannot tell how this looks---smaller old monitor. Checked it on Gary's Sony Viao last evening and WOW---there's checks in the b.g. and lots more lace! So seriously---let me know what you think. Was it easier to read before? Does it add much? Does it fit the overall look of the page? Does it need to GO......

Why doesn't this LOOK like the amount of work that is involved???

Sometimes, you spend copious amounts of time on something and when the pieces are laid out, it looks simple. I mean, as in, should NOT have taken the time that it did. That was how I felt when I got the letters for the Easter banners painted today---it doesn't look like the amount of hours I put in. They just look pretty and easy.

DANG.

For instance, on the close up, you can see the texture. Let me walk you through this:

Gesso, then gesso again because of brush marks.

Trace letters on.

Mix heavy gel medium with paint and carefully go around every letter, filling the background without getting into the letter area.

Paint letters gold.

Mix glaze for background, paint like mad before glaze dries. Then redo part of the letters because the glaze didn't go on even.

Repaint gold letter because the paint sunk into the gesso.

Take light gold glaze and scrub into background of every piece with a rag, to damp down the color, bring back up some of the white paint/medium mix and leave a very slight residual bit of gold.

Hit self in head with hammer.

These are all on pieces of linen canvas about 18" square (more or less) and then will be hand stitched to the banner fabric because you can't cram them through the machine. Yes, it is heavy enough to handle it but the paint will crack and trying to deal with a 3 1/2 yard long silk quilted *worm* to freemotion....oh no way. I may have bad mental days but overall, they're not THAT bad.

So this is what has kept me busy between cooking, laundry, groceries, knitting, blogging, meetings, no real art............oy. Double oy. Because, this is just the beginning of these!

And I forgot to mention the Circus banners start Monday........

Morning....I'm Late......Not Enough Coffee.....

I finally have been released from the hellish grips of the Groundhog Day socks! Last night, I decided enough was enough and even though I had extra beige yarn, off the needles they went. This has been one of those knitting projects that I asked myself repeatedly "WHY?????" did I start them.

It was odd, because when they first began, they knit quickly, at least through the foot area. Even turning the heels went pretty quick, and that was considering I am not fond of short row heels (double wraps too). But then when I started the leg......oh dear. Obviously the Universe of Knitting decided I was being punished, and it went slower.......and slower....and slower....

One interesting thing on the yarn and pattern; on the sole of the sock, you can see what the basic stripe would be, which was okay but not overwhelming for me. Yes, I probably would have worn a sock with that stripe.

But with the addition of a very, very simple lace pattern without too many holes (for stability), the yarn coloring becomes transformed into something much more interesting! When I did the first couple of rows after the toes, I was struck with how pretty the coloring was, just because of the addition of a bit of wave.

I apologize for the quality of the photos but, hey---it's morning, I'm still trying to suck in enough coffee to get the internal organs functioning properly and NO, my
contact lens are not in yet......

Now, does anyone really NEED four pictures of their own foot on their blog? Probably not!!! However, after the murderous task of knitting these puppies, here they be.

I don't think they are particularly interesting photos, but perhaps it will be a visual reminder of why I should knit on larger needles, or knit shorter socks.....
Now if I just did not have such long legs to require such long socks, life would be easier, I suppose. :)

Blog Giveaway Challenge!!!!

I took the challenge from Tristan at Enchanted Revelry! Now I will pass it on to three of you!

The first three-count-em-three-3 people that respond to this post will get something made by me, it will be my choice, but made especially for you!

However, this offer does have some restrictions and limitations (known at the 'fine print")

***What I create will be just for you.

***You will receive this item before the end of the year, or sooner.

***You will have no idea what the item is going to be or when you will receive it.

***The catch is that you have to repost this meme and put something together to be sent out as 3 surprises of your own!What a fun way to share our work and get to see others up close and personal!

This should be a fun and delightful way of passing about good will and getting our work out there, a chance to share the love!

So come on Kiddies! On your mark....get set....post comment!!!! Good luck to everyone!

Odd things....and how did it take so long to make a tri-fold???

Yesterday was a productive day banner-wise, in getting more of the linen canvas cut and primed, and the pieces that were dry got letter outlines on them and the beginnings of the paint/medium coat that sort of gives it the rough plaster wall look. (sort of......)

So why, you may ask, do I have a picture of a trifold brochure and a pile of, well, beany-things??? Or maybe you know me well enough not to ask because I collect all sorts of natural things. Anyway, these bear a story.

I staggered out to the mailbox yesterday morning early in PJs and bunny slippers, to put a letter out to post and got looking at the wisteria seedpods. I picked one, rubbed the fuzzy layer off and thought, hmmmmm, these could be used for something. So I picked a handful, brought them in and dumped them on the computer desk. Then, in between waiting for linen to dry, I began the trifold.

I assume for people that are trained in this area, a trifold is no big deal. However, I use two different word processing programs, and naturally one won't import to the other, so I was having a devil of a time getting what I wanted, where I wanted it and getting it all lined up. By the time I was done, I was more efficient at doing it but was less than impressed with the time it took! I took a "Town Break" to look for fringe, came home, the linen was dry so started painting again and doing e-mail and talking on the phone all at once and still, the wisteria seedpods are on the desk.

This morning I come out to uncover the birds and I look across the floor and there are pieces of seedpods and seeds. All I could think of was a chipmunk got in during the night. (we have a lot of the nasty little vermin here....) I was about to freak out, fearing *da boys* might have been attacked--they were quiet--and then I noticed seeds and pods on the chair under the cutting table, down the basement stairs, on the sewing table..........grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiinnnnnddddd........the brain works slowly pre-coffee.

These things had EXPLODED during the night, being in where it was warm enough! So now I have pieces and seeds to be creative with, which is okay, but not what I had planned!

There again, that's creativity in a nutshell---not what you plan. What can you do with it now? Think outside the box.

Or POD, as the case may be!

And now to the worktable. Adieu!

Lost Souls.......continued

As promised, here are the side and back views of the previous canvas. I did not tweak the color on the side/top image; it is actually a bit darker and drabber, more of a *mud* look on the paste part. It was accomplished with Golden Crackle Paste, which will hold up well as long as there is a stable support behind it. Thus, using it on the sides of the canvas where it is wrapped around the wood works well. Using it on the canvas proper is another story.....yes, I tried it before......

But I digress. More of the blue butterflies are visible, the half acorn and the highlighting of the *mud* with blue, to represent water.
The back was interesting building up color--I ended up with brighter areas than I thought I would. Generally I sort of let this take it's own life and see what happens. The cavity contains stones, a shell, broken pottery, a dry twig and grass. The Fleur De Lys is distressed with paint and appears to be old and decaying---corrosion streaking down the back. it is not the proud symbol of an old and historical city but rather a forlorn survivor. The suspended heart is a subtle reference to Mardi Gras and the *anthem* "If Ever I Cease To Love". It is clean, suspended above the wreckage and a potent reminder that love and passion can survive any disaster; that through those emotions people join together to support, to comfort, to rebuild. However, at this point in the series, it is just the visual reminder.
The butterfly on the back can be interpreted in a couple of ways; as another person lost in the water and mud, or the soul of the city, hovering between staying or leaving.
Despite the actual description, these box canvas are beautiful to hold and turn and look at, and then to interpret in your own way. I think the layering allows the viewer to find whatever is there for them, to seek their own personal depth with the pieces.
Tristan had commented on how, even with the collage, they all look painted, and although I do collage quite a bit, I paint almost everything to some extent. So again, visually, it really reads as a painting with texture provided by mediums used.
And now I am waxing waaaaaay too artistic and cerebral, so I leave you with this:

Just enjoy it!

Art....but probably the last for a bit!

Since I am going back into *sewing mode*, I thought it only fitting to post one more piece of art before disappearing into Banner-Land. (oh how I would LOVE to be doing art for money and not sewing as much....sigh....)

Anyway--whining aside--this is in my series I have been posting on here, "Dualities". You get the front today. Chances are good I will need that back pic for a day when I am too pooped to post anything new or creative! HA!

The piece is "Reclaimer of Lost Souls" and was inspired by the number of people missing when Katrina was over. There is a fair amount of symbolism; the battered live oak, the roots deep in the soil with dots that represent the promise of new life, but most importantly, the cemetery statuary angel stepping down from it's post--a moment between something alive and something not--the slight glimmer about the creature as the souls of the lost are reclaimed and released to the beyond. All the small blue butterflies are my representation of souls. I recall reading years ago in folk literature how moths/butterflies were thought to carry the soul to heaven.

Atop the piece is a half of an acorn from a Live Oak in New Orleans. (yes, I brought nuts home.....in my purse.....) The promise of new growth from the devastation.Please click on the photo and see the detail

What I wanted to do with these pieces was to draw viewers in with pleasant images and unless they knew the story, it was just a pretty piece. Sometimes that's what you have to do. Often it turns viewers away to know too much at first.

Hope you like this......

I'll post the sides and back tomorrow, or later, depending on the oddball schedule I end up with at the sewing machine.

Till later......

Absolutely delicious yarn......

This is yarn to fight over......check out Yarn Exhibitionist for a chance to WIN this skein! Now, if one of my gentle readers wins it, there will be a scuffle as I will *visit* and demand sharing...... ;) ......(ahem!)

Seriously, I love the color and texture and want, want, WANT this!!!

I guess, after art, my passion is knitting, or at least the one at the top of the list at the moment. I used to spin, but had to keep my numerous diversions somewhat under control. So I envy hand spun yarn. There is nothing like the feel of the fiber going between your fingers and thumb, being coaxed into a single ply before your eyes, and then the delight of plying a couple of colors! It's magic, and falls into the dyeing fabric catagory. If I got started I would get nothing else done.

So go over to Yarn Exhibitionist and check out the luscious fiber!

I order you.......now.....no excuses... ;)

And yes, last evening while Iwas taking a breather between projects and a nervous breakdown, I was knitting on the Groundhog Day socks as Leslie so aptly named them! They just go on and on and on and I get no where. Like I am in this sock-hell-loop or something, waiting to get it right. Go figure! Seriously---I knit and knit and knit and there is still yarn left---when will it stop???

And that's the pin-up for the day Kiddies! Drool at will! Just not over your electronic appliances......