Sunrise......

(click for larger view)

I had planned to quietly slip into the day of work ahead without a blog-post, and then I stepped onto the porch and was greeted by this wonderful sunrise.....everything golden and magical with a hint of red tinge.
How could I pass it up?
How could I not share?
May you day be bright, glowing and worthy to remember.....

Pax....

Fiendish Fiber Art~~Posted Before, Worth Repeating

I know people who have followed my work for a while have seen this piece (okay, more than once), but with new followers, being totally wound up in the commission and--well--just because I want to and can, I am reposting the photos of one of my favorite pieces.

These are pretty large files and I recommend checking out the larger size to see the details.

I used to do a lot of smaller fiber work until I started the liturgical hangings. In fact, this piece was only 14" x 15" if I recall correctly. I liked seeing what I could do with a small area--how to make it work, how to fit the most in for what I wanted without having so much that everything was a blur. Working with positive and negative space, pushing things forward and backward visually~~playing with the viewers eye. Make it interesting. Make it real.

I think, truthfully, this piece was started because I used to save all my used bass strings and then I came across this great bag of skeleton hands around Halloween. Hmmmmmm......how can I put those both together?

Only one answer....portrait piece, Jerry Only--bassist for the Misfits.

However.

What do I do next? How do I get the feel and the look and oh-my-gosh it's absolutely got to have leather and spikes and studs! (if that needs explanation, Google photos of the band)

The portrait section, shown below, is dimensional.

Yes, that was a real little jacket that I cut of leather and sewed, real zippers, real studs, real spikes, synthetic hair stitched over the portrait to get a good Devil-lock going......

So much handwork; couching bass strings around the leather studded border, fancy threads laid in carefully for dimension in the background, a stencil made to get the ghostly Fiend Face painted in just so, layers of tulle to build up sheer images of the bass (and repeating it as strictly a design element)......beads, beads, beads.......

This small thing was HEAVY. When I would hold it, I had to be careful to support the whole so that it would not flop over and have a bass string pop off. (they're pretty wicked if you get slapped or cut by one....)

This was when my art quilting started to take on a mixed media feel. I may post a few more pieces I have that I feel were leading to what I choose to do with my spare time now, providing I can find photos.

Some are gone as presents, some were purchased, some began slowly disintegrating after being out on tour in shows. It happens; you can't control how they're handled on the road compared to hanging in the studio or in storage.

Maybe at the end of the day we just need to enjoy our art in the Here-And-Now.

Every day, whatever you do.

Make it, love it, "One last caress...."

Fiber Art Progress~~or~~She Actually Has ART On The Blog!!!

At last, I am able to post some progress of this on here. I had put the photos on FB first, but I can explain details here better. Work has been slow due to a number of things and I am frustrated from that aspect. On the other hand, the tree is developing in a rather amazing fashion, and for that I am very very happy! All of these are larger images, which should be able to be clicked on to see more detail.......should be......still don't like the new Blogger photo uploader AT ALL  ....grrrrrrr.....pfffffft......rant......

Due to where the piece is hanging in the studio, and the amount of *stuff* (and yes it is all vital! SNARF!) around it, my photo is sort of off kilter. The edge of the piece is actually quite square, but the tree is not distorted. That large piece of leafy section on the left is what has been giving me fits.

I start with the plain sections, which you can see on the brown paper. That is traced onto waxed paper, then from there I break it down into smaller subsections. This is tedious because every piece is a *puzzle piece* that must over or underlap the previous piece in the right direction. I also have to consider contrast, pattern, fall of the *leaves*......blah blah blah.

A LOT.

Just getting this front piece of the trunk/root section pinned in place, sewn to the trunk proper and  shaped took over an hour. The felt, after being decayed with a heat tool, is very difficult to stitch through (think melted plastic) and does not have the flexibility it had in it's original state.

However, the texture is simply to die for! I mean, it begs to be touched! That is good---worth the effort.

This side view also gives an indication of why this was such a pip to attach; there was padding behind it to bring the piece forward a bit. So while I was freemotion stitching, I was also pushing that puppy UP and trying to keep the digits free of the sewing machine needle. Oy. The two roots that are with this part had a heavy iron on under them, but the thickness of the fried felt made it extremely difficult to get it to fuse. It was a matter of heating the BG and then slapping the root down quickly, then holding the iron hard against the pin board. My upper body is in a state of revolt.

The worst part? I have to hand stitch the rest of the trunk down due to what overlaps where...pliers, big needle, heavy thread. Do four stitches and take a break. I am almost at the point of testing E-6000 on some of the felt scraps. I have this vision of it melting the pieces right on the wall! LOL!!!

And now to the section of leaves that has been occupying sooooo much of my time. As you can tell, there are numerous fabrics used in this. Every piece has a seperate waxed paper pattern made, it is moved around over the chosen fabric until the right elements are in place, to give visual texture and depth. And part of it was not too hard (other than the decisions of which should be lightest, medium, dark, etc) until I came to one leaf section that had to be subdivided again. The offender is below.

This was exactly what I wanted in terms of pattern, color, balance of light and dark.......
BUT!
All those leaves were going straight up and down on the fabric. Thus, another paper pattern was made, cut apart, the waxed paper was laid over each section, the plain paper piece slipped in, pinned, seam allowance added, then the whole was hand stitched together with paper pattern still in place, fitted under the large waxed paper pattern and finally, fused to the other pieces.
Kiddies, that was a full days work.
Still, I refer to the top photo and like it so much, a section of tree catching the light differently, leaves more distrinct........I think it was well worth the time!
Hopefully, you all can understand why I have been falling back on photos for the blog and have not visited as I should; this thing needs to be done, cannot be hurried, and my brain, well, it has been less than cooperative.
But, it is ART!  .........finally.........  LOL!
As this is further progressed, I'll do another post.
It will be a bit, so don't hold your collective breath.
I like blue, but not on my reader's faces!!!!

Pax....

I Am Late.......

.....and with but one photo to offer. Blogger is again tinkering with the upload feature; I'm too busy and tired to rant or I would. (trust me, I'll save it for another day....! LOL!)
Instead, I think I will leave the photo to do the speaking for me.
Click for a much larger file......I cannot get the next size up squeezed in between my cluttered blog-junk!
Have a wonderful weekend!
And big blue skies......

Pax....

More Colors, More Colors.......

(click on photos for larger versions)

Fall Aster, happily donning the bright purples of the season....

A spider in cloak so rich, it must be preparing for Halloween!

The gold of Goldenrod, back lit by the setting sun....

And Maples touch by faerie paint brushes!

The color so rich, my patience so little.

Hurry Autumn!

Pax....

Queen of the Setting Sun

Yesterday evening I grabbed a few minutes to waddle about the yard a bit and see what I could be creative with in my presently *confined quarters*. I have a large area at the back of the lot I have chosen not to mow; some due to fuel prices but mostly because I live in the country and enjoy seeing what comes up.
The Queen Anne's Lace was exceptional this year, and even now, dried, in seedheads, the plant is a delight.
This is another of my captured on the fly with fingers crossed, shooting into the sun, photos!
I love it.
I am guessing that maybe this is becoming my signature style; break the rules, shoot with abandon, hold your breath and hope one turns out!
I should have waited to share this with some of the other shots of the evening, but I think it deserves a post of it's own.......click gently, it should enlarge. ;-)

Pax....

Autumn Arrives Gently~~Morning Until Evening

(I am still somewhat limited in my ability to walk and wander.....all was gathered from within a  dozen or so yards of the house and studio.

 Surprising....there is still a lot to see.....

and no words necessary.  Enjoy.)

(on all photos, click to enlarge)

Pax....

Big, Big Sky

By chance, as I was scurrying about on a house errand (escaping the studio for a second) I looked out the front windows and saw this massive, amazing sky.

Click the bottom photo to get a better look. These are Autumn skies slowly gracing our views---the days may heat, but the clouds say that the cool of the year is on the way.
I shot these with my little Canon Power Shot A1100IS, as it has the panoramic feature on it, and when it does panoramic.....Holy Cow! What a big file! I think I could print a mural from it......
It looked like a sweep of a giant paintbrush across the blue of the ether.
A rather lovely start for a Monday morning, I think.

Pax....

Photo Manipulation For Those Like Me.....

......who live in utter terror of Photo Shop, and run like a crazed hedgehog when the program boots up, I have an answer! While wandering on line the other day, somewhere, I came across a photo someone had manipulated in Photoscape and my interest was piqued. Because they mentioned that it was easy......and free! Two words that send my heart pitter-patter!

So after finding the site and downloading, I started playing, and it is easy---all tutorials are on a link to You Tube and you just watch! (of course I looked at the help section after manipulating the photos below.......*sigh*......I should read instructions.....)

Yes, that is me. Young, thin and full of sass. A fun modeling session and I always liked this picture, though there was one that had red-eye from the same session, but I just looked like a little devil! It did not need retouching.....hee, hee, hee!

I digress. I ran this through I don't know how may filters and effects and below is the result, which I like because I have been looking for something to grunge down images to use in collage, or as transfers. (I think if you click on the images, they should enlarge some)

I decided to try some of the other effects and poor Sweet Pea was the guinea pig this time (in digital only!)--going from a simple vignette I had done in another program, to~~~~~

~~~a nice collage-look image that I would definitely put on a shirt or on a card. And again, quick and easy! And fun. There was no swearing involved in the altering on this image. *ahem*........

Finally the ultimate challenge, our photo from Halloween in New Orleans, the fabulous Fiend Night! I have loved/hated this photo due to areas of too much contrast and then lack there of, and if, if, if  I was adept at P.S. I could have changed that.

But I'm not, and the few times I have tried to tinker with the image I have had disastrous results with LOTS of swearing!!!!

So I just cut loose with all the different options and finally got the photo reduced to an atmospheric piece that has more of the feel of a haunting evening and less of a simple vacation photo. (which, don't get me wrong, I do LOVE the original for the sentiment and the fact that it was a good shot to work with!)

Oh yes, very skeletal......very Halloween, DeMeng-ish, quite Fiendish! Muh-ah-hahahahahaha!!!!  Very much New Orleans on Halloween night, too---walking streets lit by gaslamps and the echoes of older times.

Now, all of this seems to conflict with my previous post of missing the film era. And trust me, I do.

But I look at Photoscape as a simple tool to get me from point A to point B when I need something for collage. I don't look at it as an editing and enhancing program. I feel if I am not capable of framing up a decent photo by myself, maybe I shouldn't be shooting it. I have the simplest of photo editing programs (in fact, I don't think it is even made anymore) and basically it lets me crop and change pixel size and do very simple tweaks on exposure; all things I did in the darkroom. I know....I am archaic. I am stubborn. I am lost in another era.

Alas, I don't mind.

Thus, I give this two skeletal thumbs up for ease of use, over all fun, and instant gratification.

And at my age, those are all biggies. LOL!

Now go do something creative!

Pax....

Red Skies At Dawn......

A brief interlude from the previous story......I could not let this progression of an amazing and breathtaking sunrise go by......to stand and shoot this was absolutely delightful!
I will continue with my story from yesterday's post when I get everything up and in order, hopefully tomorrow.

Pax....

With Camera In Hand.......

I would like to say I was cleaning house when I found this photo; I wasn't. I was moving *stuff* from point A to point B in an effort to find a clear space to deposit more *stuff* on. It is another from the days of real film and f-stops, pre-digital, 1994.

I know exactly where I was; a small cemetery that now is exposed to the elements thanks to "progress"--a trailer facility that built some of the heinous, dangerous FEMA trailers. Yes, I say that with both venom and disgust. The building location ruined a piece of farmland and surrounding woods. It is an oozing open wound upon the landscape.

The cemetery is still atop a high hill, but most of the lovely protective trees are gone; the soil there is sandy and with each year and each heavy rain, more erodes. Frankly, I would not be surprised if at some point the inhabitants of the cemetery are deposited upon the trailer-sales building below. (which is a strange and humorous form of justice in Anne-Land)

And what does this have to do with anything, you ask?

My forefathers rest there.

The Thomas and Armstrong plots are at the top of that hill. When they were laid to rest, one would assume they would always BE at rest.

I was out shooting Spring flowers with a friend (now passed), who took the photo of me. It is a favorite. Many people ask why, because my face doesn't show, my hair was a wreck--thrown into a ponytail and hidden under a bandanna, I was dressed in my worst clothing.

But I was doing what I still love most---recording the seasons as they change. Laying atop the graves of my kin, covered with blankets of wildflowers, more delightful than any premade arrangement, in the quiet of birds and the wind. All was good. Everything was right with the world.

My old Canon AE-1, before the numerous and expensive repairs, shooting black and white film that I would develop and print. A day recorded in focusing and framing and shutter clicks.

Don't get me wrong; I love the digital age of photography in that you can see what you have instantly. But still, there is the side of me that misses so the smell of developer and stop-bath, counting off seconds, the smothering darkness required to load the film into the developing canister.........

And above all else, the physical freedom to just GO and move and shoot what I wanted. A day spent in the woods with no thought to anything other than the next click of the camera.

Yes, I think this is still my favorite photo of me as it is me at work.

And all these years later, I still do the same thing, but with more groaning and less grace.

All said fondly, of course.

Pax....

Delightful Goodies!

Yesterday was a great surprise as it was a *good mail day*, and I have to admit, with my *surprises* of late, a nice one was welcomed! The items below are strictly in the order I opened them!

First, a box from the Delightful Deb......and I wondered what on earth could it be? Had Milo escaped??? (that was a fear....)
But no, it was the very charming and personable Perriquin Pumpkin. Pam's little Skellie girl took an immediate liking to him, and Frida is keeping a motherly eye on things.......but I don't think there will be mischief!  ;-)

Thank you Deb!!! He makes me smile each time I look over at him, as he is right beside the computer desk!

Then the second package I opened was from Jan at Laughing Dog Arts and I was careful opening it as it was wrapped in brown paper stamped with all sorts of interesting designs....yes it will be saved for collage!

A beautiful hand beaded Sacred Heart Pin, with a milagro in the center, and gold beads in the flame that I could not get to show in the photo......trust me......it glows!

Wrapped around it, to keep it safe in the mail, was the following tea towel, which says it ALL!!!! (yes, Jan knows me far too well! LOL!!!!)

I am not sure after that quote there is any more I can say!
Yes, there is......THANK YOU GIRLS! Your timing couldn't have been any better for lifting my spirits and making me smile and feel the outreach of love from miles and miles away.
Sometimes, living in the middle of nowhere, being cloistered with work in the studio and not getting out, life gets far to quiet and lonely and yes, unfortunately, I have to do that to finish large projects.
And then there are beams of sunlight that come in on the wing and remind me I am not alone and there are wonderful people on the *other* side of my blog page~~~reading, laughing, commenting, and gauging how close I am to being sent off to the local mental facility...LOL! (joking...just joking....don't give anyone ideas....)
Seriously, thanks. Many, many times over.
Smiles are priceless.

Pax....

Balderdash!

Life has very quirky turns, and out of the last year and a half, I should be rather accustomed to them by now.
Except, I am not.
When I said I was going on *Blog Break* I meant a break from blogging-----not breaking something in order to be away from the blog!
Enter yesterday; A beautiful day out, I was progressing with the commission in the studio, I decide to take a few minutes for a cup of coffee and a little fresh air as the day was one of those rare, wonderful September days of bright blue sky, little humidity, warm not hot and a delightful breeze moving the corn stalks and leaves in the trees.
I step out, taking in the moment, getting a sip of coffee, breathing in the growing scent of Fall.......

.......and I promptly walk into a hole in the yard. Suddenly I am on the ground, left foot at an odd angle, coffee spilled and trying to figure out what just happened.
There is always that moment of sitting, checking everything to make sure that it is still in place.....fake hip? Yep. Fine. Other hip? Fine. Knees? As usual.

Left foot? Hmmmmmm.....no, something is definitely wrong there. I know the feeling of broken bones all too well. (at least my coffee cup didn't break.....!) Yeah, that little devil was giving me pangs of non-delight. SHARP PANGS.
So here I am this morning, with said lower extremity unhappy, swollen, quiet a colorful contusion and very limited mobility.
I think the next time I decide to go off-blog for a while, I will have a little different choice of words. *Break* just seems to have too much bad Karma for me.....
The illustration? It has nothing to do with anything...it is just a favorite of mine that I have had stashed away in the clip art folder and been itching to use.
Hmmmm......maybe I shouldn't use *itching* either.........  ;-)

Pax....

Perhaps Longer Than I Thought......

Just a quick pop-in to share a lovely *feel-of-Fall* photo I managed to grab the other evening and to say that my blog break may go longer than I expected.
While my commission is proceeding well, I am still having physical issues that keep me from being able to work for hours on end.
So, hopefully I will be back full time before Halloween as that would be nice......and it also makes me squirm to think of not having the work finished by then.
At any rate......I move forward......
Hope everyone is getting at least a taste of cooler weather and nippy mornings, pretty foliage and the sound of crickets.
And now, off to rest.

Pax....

My Apologies....

Yesterday evenings post was from a mind going far too many directions at once, sleep deprived, trying to figure out what had to be done first of about 1000 things..... and those who know me know I can manage one direction at a time! LOL!!! Even that can be difficult. HA! And really, it wasn't 1000 but more like 10---it just seemed larger.
Here's the scoop:

I have to take a break on the blog until this current commission is at a point where I am comfortable with giving my followers good content and know that I have the church hanging at an almost getting-to-done point. (plus that will mean photos...)
This has been difficult due to arthritis and muscle pain, aggrevated by the weather this summer, which I deal with daily. We have found no meds to address the problem. I make art to try and ignore it, but this is so large, I can't ignore it.
And I have not been pleasant to be around....had you noticed???? LOL!!! (I am sure DH has....)

SO!
When I get this further along, I will be back with pithy humor and poking fun at myself and maybe, just MAYBE........ART!!!!
In the meantime, I am as close as e-mail, which I will answer on workbreaks. And I do check into FaceBook as I have time, so if you're there, pop me a pithy message and expect the same in return!
May you all have productive, creative days, beautiful evenings and time to just enjoy yourselves........and to quote the Arnold-nator....... "I'll be bahck..."

Pax....

Anne-Tangles, Old and New

While I am busy with the commission, I thought I would post a few more of my old *Anne-Tangles* for your amusement, disgust, or any other emotions that might bubble to the surface.....LOL!

Below is the second one I tried----a bit better than the first as I discovered the use of repeating pattern.

Finding your own personal *voice* in repetitive pattern is kind of odd. I was talking online with Elena over at My Quest as she had done a few and she said "I don't want you to think I took your pattern!" Well.....it isn't mine and all these tend to look alike to a certain extent. But you do find that after doing a few and looking for lines, dots, shapes, you will end up with a *vocabulary* of pattern that is uniquely yours. I could see it start on this one. The woven background--well, you see that everywhere. Looking for things I could repeat from the sliver of magazine paper, disguising what was really there and discovering my "hairy olives"----I really like those!

One of Elena's pieces had what I swore was a guitar fretboard as the magazine slice! Come to find out, it was a boardwalk---so we all see things differently! Which really, is what makes these fun.

Below is one I started while laying on the couch last night--too tired to think.

I hate it. I hate that big honking daisy-looking thing and don't know where it is going.

But I work them through to the end, and I fill the page. That is the hard part, but also what makes them work. FILL THE PAGE. FILL IT!
Another thing I failed to mention before is that you need a heavy sheet of paper behind the doodle you are working on as there is bleed through. Ooops! Sorry......the brain is not what it used to be.
I do know this: I have to learn to LOVE that daisy! Because it has become the focal point quite by accident! But maybe, when everything else is filled in, it will receed a little. Or maybe a lot! (don't burst my bubble......let me dream!)
In the meantime, I am here issuing a challenge to Elena to finish the pages she started, because they are GOOD and I want to see them done.
And I think I heard everyone else say they do too.....hee, hee, hee! ;-D

Pax....