Memorial Day 2010

Friday Freebie

This week I'd like to offer you "Saddle Shoe Sally" for private use in your artwork. She just looks so darn happy that it must be spring time. Snow melting, birds singing....summer is right around the corner.

Enjoy!

Crazy eyed girl and gothic arches

It's that time again...  ABC_alteredbookclub is having it's annual anniversary swap. This year the shape & size was put to a vote and Gothic arches won out.
Previous years  have been skinny pages, chunky pages, charms and even my personal favorite...circles!

I've gotten all my arches cut out as you can see. I'm struggling with the paint I used to cover both sides as it has remained slightly tacky. To remedy this I glued dressmakers pattern tissue to the stickiest side. I'll have to come up with some thing to deal with the other side as well but for now I have a workable solution to start with.

See this gal.

I call her the "crazy eyed girl". The scan and subsequent digital work have really subdued the scariness of her eyes from the original photo. You'll be seeing her on my finished arches...hopefully. :)

Maybe my lucky day....

Found in my backyard on a whim. My first ever four leaf clover find!

Friday Freebie

This week I thought I'd share a group of kids. 

Look closely at the background of the picture.
Who's that kid in the doorway and why wasn't he included in the photo shoot?!?  Inquiring minds want to know.
If I had to make up a story, I'd say he was of child of the hired help.

As always..this image is for your private use. Don't be a meanie and take it for profit and ruin it for the rest of the class. 

Click on image to enlarge.

March Dress

I'm getting closer to being caught up with the rest of the Dress-up Project folks from the Alice and Camila blog.

I decided to use sheet music for the base of the dress. I did a quick wash of green craft paint and decided I liked the color.

Next came the necklace which set the tone for the dress. Gold flowers. The necklace is made of old earring parts.

Want to see more...check out the other March dresses.

Journal pages

I'm still having a hard time getting back in the groove of making art on a regular basis. I want to but then I sit down to do it and nothing comes. 

I decided I needed to do something different. Something experimental. So I grabbed a book and started slapping down some paint. I added what ever felt right at the moment. I didn't even wait for the paint to completely dry. I just made art for the sake of doing it, not for what my end result might be.  It was very free and very fun. I'm positive I didn't spend more than 10 minutes on each one.

I don't know if I'll go back and add actual journal entries in these pages or if they are done but who cares right!?!  

Planting time...finally

The sun finally came back out and it warm and dry enough to plant my new garden box!

I have 5 tomato plants this year:

• 3 yellow pear shaped (from saved seeds)
• 1 heirloom apparently striped traded with a friend for a little yellow plant
• 1 purchased Big Boy plant

We planted 3 kinds of peppers, chives, french thyme, basil and green onions. Although I don't have much hope for the onions.

Marigolds are planted along the front edge of the garden to try to detour the bunnies and deer from snacking.

As in previous years, I  have more herbs in containers on the deck as well as this year's experiment, bib lettuce.

Friday Freebie

I was going through some of my junk, I mean, art supplies and decided that it might be fun to share some of the images I have with you. 
Please feel free to use this in your art but don't be greedy and nab it to sell to others. That's just not nice.

If you do make something with it I'd love it if you'd show me!


Click on image to enlarge.

Feburary Dress

I decided to add a bit more fabric to this dress. It reminds me of one of my favorite Barbie doll dresses from the 70's. Well, at least the long straight skirt part. Sorry for the poor photo...it's been raining here for days. I can't get any decent natural light!!

Be sure to check out the other creations from my fellow Dress-up 2010 participants at the Alice and Camilla blog.

January Dress

I figured I'd better start at the beginning of the year and work my way forward in order to properly catch up with Margaret and the rest of the group at Alice and Camilla.

This dress is fitting for a Winter Carnival Princess. I even decided to give her a snowflake medallion to wear. The mesh apron was made from a garlic bulb bag from Trader Joe's. I've saved some red and purple as well. It's a fun material to use!

My daughter says the dress looks a lot like Cinderella's. I can see that too but that was not my intention.

A New Project

A few of the blogs I frequent have been participating in a special project this year called Dress Up Challenge 2010.  After seeing the unique take on this project from so many participants I wished I had joined.  Someone said..."well why don't you...you can catch up." Yet I still was reluctant.

My latest trip to the thrift store changed my mind. When I saw this small cupboard I knew it was there for a reason... I needed to transform it into a wardrobe for the dresses.

It doesn't look like much now but that is about to change. I've removed the tiny hooks and wood cross pieces from the inside. Next I'm going to give both the outside and inside a makeover. Lastly I'll install a closet rod for the dresses to hang from.

I'm very excited about this new project and look forward to sharing my progress.

The package has landed...

So I called my friend Elizabeth this afternoon and interrupted her day to have her check her mailbox. 

WooHoo... the package I mentioned has arrived!

Let me tell you...it was so much fun to be on the phone while she opened it.

I love making a gift geared directly for one person. Every little detail is specific to them or how they fit into my life.

It's even better when the friend "gets" the altered art sort of thing. Such as the  rusted piece of metal strapping I used. I picked this up on a walk with my nieghbor...who I'm pretty sure thought I was a nut job...but puts up with me anyway. :)  Actually, she's getting used to me stopping for odd bits of junk as we walk.

Getting back in the swing

I wanted to say thank you to those of you who emailed or commented on my previous post. You words were very thoughtful and heartfelt. It does get easier with time just as it's said.

I finished the gift I had started a while back but I can only give a tiny peek as it was mailed today. As soon as I hear she got it, I'll show you it in full.  Of course, it's late but it would have been even if my world wouldn't have fallen apart. Luckily, the recipient is a patient woman.