A Perfect Day

Last summer, before I got sick, I paid for 2 online classes in mixed media. I started one and never even got to the other. Since then, the website has shut down and has opened up into something new. Those 2 classes lost forever. This is what I started in the first class and have NO idea what I was supposed to do with the rest of it! lol It's been sitting in a closet just waiting for me to attack it.




I pulled out some tricks of the trade and just started putting things together. I have so much junk! My goal is to use up what I have. No more buying unless it's a supply I need like glue, ink, etc. I have a huge jar of gesso, so I'm happy about that!





I just started playing and laying things out on the canvas. I found the tree image on the Internet and the other images came out of an old book, as did the print the birds are made out of. I used a really cool technique of putting clear packing tape over the printed page. Then you run water over it and rub the paper off and the print stays on. I then took my bird template and cut them out. I really like the effect it gives to the piece.






I used pieces from an old sheet music. The #5 is stamped from an old printer's block I have. The "stick" with the jewels, which are old earrings, is an old "cake tester" that my bff sent along with all the lace, from my previous post. The piece at the top is also from that collection. The costume pearls are an old necklace. I used a charcoal pencil and distressed ink to highlight and give depth here and there. The last thing I did was paint some melted beeswax all over it.



I hope you enjoy my "A Perfect Day to Fly"...as much as I enjoyed creating it!

Lace...lace...and more lace!

It's 4am and I SHOULD be sleeping, BUT, I'd much rather read through endless blogs and search for creative ideas and on and on and on....

My wonderful bff, Janet, who lives in Southern California, is the Queen of estate sale and garage sale finds. (Love you, girl) I happen to be the lucky recipient of such finds..well, some of them, anyway. Last week, I get this box from her stuffed with lace...lots of lace. All kinds of lace! Some pieces look like they've been cut off of a garment. Maybe the hem of a dress or a collar. I'm a lover of many things and lace is at the top of the list. I will let the photos speak for themself.



Isn't this old paper spool of lace to die for? I wonder what my first project will be with this lace. Hmmmm...any ideas?

Stitched With Love...

Back in 1990, I stitched this intricate cross stitch (of which I need glasses to read now) for my now deceased mother-in-law. I wanted to do something for her with all the grandkids names and birthdays on it. I was fairly certain at the time there would be no more, so I was safe to proceed.




This is done on aida cloth and I don't remember the count, but it's the tiniest before you reach linen. I would love to do something on linen, but I know I'd go blind and no pair of readers could help out of that mess. It's a creamy background with beautiful shades of pink, green, blue, lavender, and yellow. The 10 grandkids are in chronological...youngest to oldest from left to right. I guess you can tell that by the dates, but not sure they show up in the pics. I signed it down in the corner...how the heck did I manage that?

I love the wooden frame, but back then I wasn't as creative as I am now. I have evolved, as some may of us have. It's a natural progression. I took the finished piece and just stretch it over a piece of matboard and some stuffing. Glued it on and then glued it to the mat opening. The problem was it didn't quite fit, but I knew mom would love it unconditionally. And she did.



In 1995, she passed away from lung cancer and so the stitchery was given back to me. I greatly appreciated it since I had put so much love and time into it. Somehow it got lost in a box somewhere with other treasures(I know...hard to believe)and I just came upon it a few weeks ago. It warmed my heart to see it, but that gap around the the mat and the stitchery made me NUTS! I couldn't believe I could do that being the perfectionist I am...or thought I was. So, I dug through my big glass candy jar of ribbon and found this luscious pale green ribbon with just the right curl to it. Out came the got glue gun and "viola" problem fixed. I must say, I am very happy with the results.







My only decision is where shall I display it now?