Dressed for the day

We were travelling in Arizona, and had just existed a cave tour when I found this beautiful scarf in a dio de los muertos display. I don't think it was actually for sale but when I pressed the salesgirl about it, she sold it to me. YAY! I posted the outfit to visible monday at notdeadyetstyle blog. (I tried to make a link but this post will not let me!!)

Bruce and I have some decorating to do. The candy is all ready to hand out. I will be working on an altar of remembrance for the dead (I'm late as usual). At this hour, it is cold, dark, wet and raining. I hope it clears up for tonight's trick or treaters.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Senora flaca

senora flaca 12x12 $175

Last day of workshop, phew....I'm ready for a break and to get ready for Halloween.

Rehash

Can-can is an older collage based on a old poster that sold some time ago. I just threw it up there because I was too busy painting and mucking at Jean Pedersen's workshop yesterday. She had us working hard. Lots of new ideas to consider. Must go eat breakfast and make the drive to Kimberley. Hope I don't run into snow on the way.

Senor Flaco

senor flaco 12x12 $175

I had an email telling me that my gallery had sold senor and senora hueso and did I have any more. Exultant, I painted hammer and tong over the weekend to create a new couple. Sadly, I then realized they meant they had sold the prints. Oh well, The new couple can grace my walls for Halloween. I rather like his engaging grin.

Off to a workshop with Jean Pedersen. Hope I learn something wonderful!

Autumn

The temperature is dropping. There is fog coming from the lake until nearly noon.

Yesterday there was hoar frost on the landscape. You couldn't even see a mountain. It was crystal, grey

and cold.

But when I was walking the dog's Sunday morning the sun was out.

The larch are beautiful in the late fall sunshine.

What to do with a life drawing?

life drawing sketch on 2 sheets of paper taped together

I made dozens of sketches when I was at Red Deer Summer Art Series this summer. It seem a shame to waste all that effort so I have been trying to turn some of the sketches into painting/collages. I like their sense of immediacy and maybe truthfulness.I want to know what you think and I want you to suggest a title.

sketch mounted onto 18x24 canvas, stamped tissue, gold leaf

p.s. check out my updated cool artists list and tell them Crazy Ravens Studio sent you.

IN the Mood

Suitably depressing, yes?

I posted on visible Monday at: http://notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.com/ I find a lot of inspiration for clothing there.

Folkwear patterns

The reason I called the blouse the armistice blouse (some people were asking) is because that is what it is called by the Folkwear pattern company. I have made a few folkwear patterns over the years.

I have made the Prairie dress a few times. Always a great and comfy heritage outfit. If you go to the Folkwear pattern website, they have a lovely gallery of other sewers projects. Inspirational.

Two projects

Here is Mabel modelling an armistice blouse I started in the spring! It is lightweight embroidered cotton and will be nice for next summer.


A little jumper I made from a length of thrift fabric. Initially, it was a jumper with a lot of fabric on the sides, very lagenlook style.... do not use cotton for that, too bulky...made my already ample hips huge. So I just scaled it down and made it a little longer and it is my halloween/autumn jumper now.

Senora Hueso

senora hueso 12x12 $175

The days are getting shorter and colder. We have lots of trees with beautiful orangey-gold leaves, Indian yellow it's called on some paint tubes...they will be gone with the first puff of wind, sigh.

Classic Halloween Movies

Below is a list of some of my favorite Halloween movies. I am a big scaredy-cat and can't watch anything too creepy. The ones below, though mild, frighten me enough.

The Legend of Sleep Hollow (Disney) 1949 with Bing Crosby narrating.

Sleepy Hollow (Tim Burton directing)1999 (I can't believe it has been that long!) visually stunning.

Monster House (Disney) 2006 ( reminds me of Halloween as a kid)

The Others 2001 (suitably gloomy atmosphere and haunting questions)

The Sixth Sense 1999 (same as above plus the fact the Osment was terrific)

The Birds (classic Hitchcock) love all the strange character interactions. I especially love Tippi Hendren (one of my favorite movies is "Marnie" but that's another blog)

Dracula 1992 (also visually stunning and pretty true to the creepy book)

What are your favorites and why?

Senor Hueso

Senor Hueso 12x12 $175

I am having way too much fun painting these skulls. I meant to put this one up in the dining room but he has gone off to Village arts co-op instead.

I also posted my "channeling garnet" outfit to:

http://notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.com/

Go check out some fashion ideas there.

A stroll in a graveyard

I love to walk through graveyards, especially older ones. The tombstones have such stories to tell. This graveyard near Elkhart Illinois features a lovely chapel.

Hand pointing to heaven.

Modern version, not quite as artistic but gets the job done.

I really like this simple hand. Maybe, I'll have a stone like that some day (yes, I know I'm going to be creamated but I insist on a memorial stone somewhere.)

Poignant handclasp.

If you look closely, you can see the weeping willow, another grief emblem.

I was impressed by the elaborate carvings on this stone.

Do you think Nashua was a trucker?

This guy doesn't just rate a stone...

he has a bridge!

Anybody else wonder where the heck Mr. Morton ended up?!

Rose skull

rose skull 8x10 $125

I am trying to develop my Crazy RAvens Studio Facebook page.
You could go to :

http://www.facebook.com/pages/CrazyRavensStudio/119370388073501

and like me or leave me a message or a link.

Sometimes Life is not fair

One of my real regrets in life is not having seen Lhasa perform when she was in Victoria BC. I love her rich, dark voice and unusual choice of background instruments. Sadly, she passed away January 2010 of breast cancer. I did not know of her passing until a day or so ago. Farewell Lhasa.

Do yourself a favor and listen to her here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGNk_zHy4Mg

Off to the ball at Willow Manor

I am going to slip into my snappy travelling togs

hop on my Norton

and pick up Georgia O'Keeffe.

Clint Eastwood said he would follow in his pickup and give us a ride home if we got "a little too merry".

Darling Gregory said he would show me his waltz and cha-cha moves

This is the dress I am wearing. Pretty smashing, eh?

You can check out this affair at: http://willowmanor.blogspot.com/

Book BAg

Inspired by other cool bags on other websites, I decided to take a plain grocery bag from the thrift store and turn it into....

My new library book bag! I wish I had tea stained the lace first....ah well. Note to self, NEVER pass up a piece of velvet.

Purple Skull

purple skull 8x10 $125

Holy cow, How do the days go by so fast? I am trying not to end my work day when it gets dark. The tendency is to flop down in front of the television....nothing gets done. This is not so bad when it is light out until 10 or 10:30 and you can zone out for an hour or so but it will start getting dark at 6PM soon and that is just too short of a day. I worked seriously at cleaning a quarter of the kitchen, washing and purging...zip.. the day is gone. Now I am trying to get a little sewing done before I settle down for the evening.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day...

Mom Jeans vs. Low rise

Ah, low rise jeans. We have been brain-washed to think that they are flattering. I beg to disagree. Unless you have a marvelous body, you look like this!

Mom jeans have been getting a bad rap for a couple of decades now. I like a jean that sits on my WAIST, that doesn't have 12 inches of gap at the back, doesn't show my crack (no one wants to see that) doesn't create a muffin top and does define what waist I have left.

So seriously, can you tell me that low rise is better?

Channeling garnet

I have always admired people that have the "style" gene. I do not have it, but I am trying. I just got really tired of trying to be invisible in jeans and a t-shirt. So, occasionally, I am going to bust out with one of my "outfits". A young stylish salesclerk actually complimented me on this one.

Congratulations to Diane E.! The flicker print is flying off to live with her.