Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

A caution and a collage


Always good to know what could be out there when your'e walking!
And a collage for the "moon" project.


Monday, February 27, 2012

What to wear (to watch the oscars)

The roads are too bad to go anywhere, so I may as well dress up to watch the oscars. I'm curious, what movie changed the your life in any significant way?

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Whip it




I loved the movie "Whip It" about an off-beat teenager who finds her place in the roller derby world. I am intrigued by the new roller derby craze, especially when they dress up for it. Hope to take in a competition this summer as there are several roller derby teams in the valley. But I really liked this quote.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Hula Hoop



IN all these years, I have Never learned how to hula hoop sucessfully.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

A skirt with big pockets

summer style

I saw a skirt with big interesting pockets on the internet and decided to make my own. I used the Folkwear walking skirt pattern reduced to knee length. I doubled the waistband and just made up the pockets.
They are sewn on the side panels after asssembly.

Pocket detail.

winter style

I am having a terrible time making good photos. There is just no light to be had on cloudy days.
These were taken in a room with the window open and a light on.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Beware the deer

I quite like this painting, but I haven't had too many people show interest in it...so it was safe for intervention, I thought. This, to me, is the beauty of acrylics. You can keep changing things.

I wanted the little bandit"s head to be more in focus. I don't like the line the trees make right in the middle of the painting so I may go back in and soften that line somehow. Urban deer are an explosive issue in this neck of the woods. They are becoming aggresive (they have attacked dogs and people). There is a movement to cull some of the them (not popularly supported by many people). Fortunately, in our little burg, we still manage to live and let live and give each other some space.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Another repaint

I painted this last August but have never been that happy with it. It is based on an old 1920's photo of a man and his chicken buddy. It was so dark, he just seemed to be lost in the painting. So, I lightened it.



Oh wait! In my list of Valentine loves I forgot to mention that I love the Canadian government. I went through tough times and had to live on welfare. I am thankful that I had welfare to fall back on. I hated the sense of inadequancy that went with it (like standing in line at the grocery check-out and having the lady in front of my quip--"You can tell it's Wednesday, that's when all the welfare people shop"...for the smug women who look down on divorcees, I want to remind them that they may be one husband away from welfare). But it was a hand-up when I needed it. I was also able to retrain (acad technician) through government programs. Now, when I have to pay taxes, I like to think I will be helping some other Mom and her kids to survive.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Take your time



This is one of the collages I made for the collage collaboration. I was in a hurry to ship it and didn't take the time to take a good photo. Now it is out of my hands forever. The tones of the collage were much warmer sepia toned than how it appears in the photo. I quite liked it, I could make another for myself...Ah well, lesson learned....slow down and take a good photo!


Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day

One thing I tell people is NOT to get married on Vaelentine's Day. If your marriage fails that holiday becomes exceptionally bitter and mocking to you. However, I learned to look beyond "romantic" love and appreciate other kinds of love.
The love of daughters. I am so fortunate to have a couple of WONDERFUL ones.




The love of good parents. I had a pretty idyliic childhood. I was lucky.

The love of good friends. I don't have many friends, but the chosen few are magnificent! And have gotten me through tough times.


The love of pets. Unconditional! Especially, those that aspire to be lap dogs.

But, again, I am very lucky and have my little cheesecake making pal....

A special Valentines greeting for all my followers and people who leave comments. You all mean a lot to me.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Happy Lincoln's Birthday




I found this cool skirt fabric in a thrift store. It is a collage of Indian prints, goddesses and elephants, etc. I used a simple skirt pattern and voila.



Saturday, February 11, 2012

Freedom Riders


The Freedom Rides took place in 1961. There is a great documentary about it here:  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/ 



I can't believe their courage in the face of such danger.
 
 I was unaware of this part of the civil rights movement until I watched the documentary. It's hard to believe that this took place in my lifetime.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Demeter

Demeter   8x10 collage
This is another collage for the collage project. One person's theme is nature. I kept thinking of the nature goddesses. The papers for her dress were made as a gelatin print. I also used embossed wallpaper, home made stamp, and stained tissue paper for texture plus a coupld of photographs.

I am finding the collages very difficult to photograph well. The colors and textures are much more striking in real life. I made the error of photographing a few at night in the studio in my hurry to get them off to their recipients. I regret that very much now!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Illinois railroad map

I finally talked my packrat brother (the king of chairs) into letting me have this old illinois railroad map. Unfortunately, it has been abused and mouse chewed. Because it is in such rough shape, I don't feel too guilty mounting it on primed plywood. I am going to touch it up and add a frame. Finished shot to come.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Basically Batik

I have had this dress for years and love the fabric but the style is not so flattering. So out with the scissors to trim the hem and sleeves...

  A belt and a turqouise necklace for summer....


A black underlayer for cool weather.

Check out other fashion ideas at Visible Monday #32 at Not Dead Yet Style blog:

Fresh Roses



I found a great weathered piece of green painted wood. I had been wanting to make a roses sign, so this is it.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

rustic sign

Inspired by all the rustic signs I have been seeing on Pinterest, I made myself one for the dining room. Shoot, now I want a good palm sander.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Redo tutu

I was happy with the figure in this painting but not the background. Once again, I was being too literal, following the photograph. Bad painter!


Simplifying the background made her pop out ot the painting. Now it is so much more about her and how the light falls on her tutu.