this is what our sunset looked like today. richard took this photo at the upper Ranch, Somis, CA where he has his organic orange and mandarin farm.  seeing this view made me think of a newfound quote at robin's amazing dream-come-true world which in turn made me take the quote after pondering deeply upon it, printing it on a fabric transfer and making another banner titled "HOUSE".

the photo below is a photo taken in Llico, Chile about 5 hours south of Santiago, one of Chile's most beautiful areas where i used to vacation.

and this is a path up in Sloughouse, CA where a great friend of mine lives

then dwelling even more upon its profundity, recalling my favorite line from Neruda.

oh my, life is truly beauty full as my friend maria cecilia would say and my other friend ale spreads in deed with her keen eye for observation

and my friend Lucy in Essex, England witnesses in her own backyard!

what a God-Given day all around!

Read more »

when you're on a roll, better keep rolling because, art block is usually around the corner.  that's how it has been for me since last friday.  after tidying up most of my art supplies, fabrics, buttons, laces and dusting the sewing machine, i have been working to create as many pretties as i can think of before the holiday season begins.  this latest banner is white on white on ecru and took hours to embellish with multiple floral machine stitches, appliques, rubber stamping, hand sewing, embroidery and embellishing with vintage jewelry findings.  i am so proud of it and once again would love to keep it but work is work and hopefully it will sell.

Read more »

WIP

Read more »

cosas que surgen de mi inconsciente cuando mi necesidad de crear se lanza

Read more »

embroidering Detentes on velvet

monday..... a new week awaits me. as i realize my accomplishments over the past five weeks (throwing away and letting go of so many things) i feel lighter. i have been sorting through photo albums, (why would i hang on to a photo of a sunset in 1978?), boxes full of paid bills, even old x-mas, birthday and thank you cards received over a lifetime. i have made a photographic image of them in my brain and they have now been put to rest. hanging on to the past, that's what i think i was unconsciously doing.

Read more »

fabric assemblage skirt with lots and lots of collected clothes and jeans tags

still in progress but had it on my mind for ages

Read more »

who would have guessed you could alter a coaster. thank God i had some i had intended mailing to my mother. turns out they make great backgrounds for altered art so this challenge was quite inspiring and made it easier than an atc since quite a bit larger. plius with a book you can add so many more elements. thank you MAMMA for always bringing us the best ideas.

Read more »

i couldn't have asked for a better challenge. my love of birds, my favorite motto

"and from the birds i learned infinite Hope, the certainty and truth of flight"

my bird art over the years, my bird art and bird collection

all pointed to this challenge by none other than my favorite MAMMA ofcourse.

Read more »

just loving making these altered art charms and totems

Read more »

IN VINO VERITAS

when i was first given this challenge it looked like an almost impossible feat. the tin lay squooshed on my desk lifeless for days. then i decided to give it a coat of gesso to minimize the thought of it being an aluminum can. more days passed and i could see nothing. then i opened a drawer and found a copper earring that looked just like a hat and i thought of maybe trying Sancho Panza. more days of idleness then suddenly my paperclay faces popped out of the same drawer and i began to paint one that would fit the hat. finally LIFE. from then on it was a labour of love giving him his arms and body. he spoke to me and guided me through the whole process non-stop for about four hours. art from nothing, amazing how it happens.

Read more »

ALTERED BOOK PAGE

using findings, an old book cover, fabric, rubber stamping and beading

Read more »

i had totally forgotten about my submission to the altered art challenge for January and i had been the one who selected the topic in the first place. chosing Margaret Atwood's poem "the moment" was easy since it one of my favorite poems but i would also like to introduce the group to two south american poets, Pablo Neruda and Mario Benedetti so will have to work on a couple more submissions as the month continues.

as i played with my paper and paints yesterday i made another mini, an atc honoring the earth. and MAMMA announced the "Bird" challenge for this week. Lots of green in my work this week for some reason; must be the tiring grew of winter beckoning spring.

i've been looking through all my magazines, especially Cloth, Paper, Scissors and Somerset Studio and there are lots of techniques and materials i haven't even come close to mastering yet. if only the mediums weren't so expensive.

Oh well, one step at a time.

Read more »

Challenges

Two weeks of challenges have brought out creative results in me that I didn't know I had. I have never been a glitter or bling person yet Mamma's Challenge on Flickr really pushed me to explore and luckily I had received a package from a swap in Australia which had all the right stuff.

The creative "block" happens to most of us, thus these ideas by others have really helped in avoiding stagnation.

I have committed to a few more before the end of the year, the Playing Deck ATC swap on ZNE, the leaf making for a collective and a Secret Sister Swap for X-mas. I cannot commit further since I get all mixed up as the deadlines and the shipping addresses and fear the wrong items will be mailed to the worng recipients.

Believe it or not, this is what the sky looked like from the back terreace today. It seems like it wants to rain but it's waiting till Halloween is over so the kids don't miss out again like last year.

Read more »

Momentum

I hadn't been creating anything for the online shop so decided I could try my hand at a few small handcrafted possible presents to list for the upcoming giving season. This Christmas will probably not be too good but we can always swap these things later if they don't sell or donate them to Tatiana's school for the Bazaar. I really enjoyed altering this paper mache box with an ATC and a mini cab on the side. I am working on a papier mache book too filled with hand printed poems and artwork which I will share tomorrow.

Read more »