Getting Ready!

My husband Bill, who wakes up earlier than I do, took this picture of the beautiful dawn sky for me. A lovely gift first thing in the morning!

Today I am readying some fabric and paper artwork for a display at the Holiday Stroll in my town, which will be taking place this Saturday. I have a large storefront window to use for my work, and I think I am going to pin the pieces on a pretty drapery that will hang in the window. My job now is to put borders on these pieces and add details where I feel they need them. I could offer some for sale if I want to, but suddenly they feel like my children!! Is that strange? I have sold artwork before, but unexpectedly have reservations about "letting go"! Hmmm.... Any thoughts from readers about this feeling?

This is the last day of Art Every Day Month. It has been a pleasure to participate in it. I've met and received comments from some extremely talented artists as a result of it, and I want to thank Leah Piken Kolidas of Creative Every Day for organizing and facilitating this adventure. I've really loved it!!

Lipstick Kitty

     

I had an empty lipstick tube and got the idea of a little kitty tucked inside who would twirl up and pop out when the tube is twisted!

I totally removed the lipstick, and cleaned out the tube, inside and out with alcohol. I then made a skinny cat body out of rolled up and glued felt, measuring first to make sure it would fit inside the tube when twisted down, and cut ear shapes on top. "Rhinestone"eyes were glued on with jewelry glue and a little nose embroidered. Finally, a tiny seed bead necklace was securely stitched on. I used hot glue to secure the bottom of the cat body inside the tube, and added some stick-on ribbon to the outside.

Making this little whimsy was so fun, and the recipient got a big kick out of it!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

"Cornucopia" Stitched Wallhanging 2006

As I reflect upon all the many things I am thankful for, I must include the wonderful friends and lovely people I have come to know through my blog. The world seems so much warmer as I communicate with artists and crafters and lovers of beauty and nature from all over the world.
My self confidence as an artist has become so much stronger due to the positive, supportive comments of people whom I have never met, but who have taken a moment to respond to my thoughts and artwork with a kind word.
So, as we celebrate the feast of Thanksgiving here in America, I'm sending out my thanks to everyone who stops by to read this, and to wish you a blessed "thanksgiving" of your own!

AED Day 21 - Cats, Cats, Cats!

I walked into my living room today, where my husband was relaxing with a sandwich and the newspaper. Guess who was sitting at full attention, waiting for a morsel to fall unnoticed, to be gobbled up in an instant!
I haven't produced any new artwork lately, but I have been involved in the world of art in a different way. A newly formed arts council in my town is planning a Holiday Stroll in December. I'm part of a group which is scoping out shop windows in the downtown area where local artists can display their work during the stroll. I'm excited that I will be able to have a space for my own work - a great opportunity to be in contact, as an artist, with people in my own community!
I thought it would be fun to use this post to share a few cats from my collection of 'little cats'. I have purchased some when traveling, and some have been given to me by my husband and daughter.

The one on the left was brought home to me just last night by my husband who returned from a business trip to Thailand. On the upper right is a jade cat which he had brought from Hong Kong and on the upper left is a cat from the Czech Republic. My daughter Kate brought the black painted cat on the left in the middle row from Mexico, and the one on the right in the same row from New York City.
Others have been purchased in Quebec, Maine, New York and Massachusetts.
They live in different spots in my house, but after this 'photo shoot' I think I'll give them new locations. All the better to enjoy my little guys with a fresh point of view!

AED Day 17 - Winter Thoughts

I feel like I'm going through a bit of a creative dry spell, so I'm posting a picture of a Fall-ish bouquet which I made some time ago.
It is fused fabric and cut from some decorator scraps I had lying around.
Today was a lovely day here - nice and sunny and a bit chilly.
Seems like the trees have lost most of their leaves, and that is a bit sad, but I actually like this transition to winter. I love the lacy effect of the bare branches of trees crisscrossing each other against a muted sky. I feel like nature is resting, pausing to replenish itself before its resurgence in Spring. Winter can be dreary and bleak, but snow is so visually beautiful and inspiring, I look forward to it. Of course it can be inconvenient, but I'd rather deal with some snow than have no change of seasons at all! For me, each season has its own special beauty.

AED Day 15 -Halfway Point

It is Day 15 of the Art Every Day Month challenge, and this is what I'm working on today. It is a fabric portrait of a young woman and I'm still in the process of designing it even as I begin sewing. That is how I usually work - with a rough, unfinished sketch which develops as I go along in the project.
It poured rain here most of the day yesterday, but there are signs of clearing today. I'm looking out my porch window at more leaves that need to be raked, but today is a day for inside work, reading the Sunday paper and sewing.
Hope everyone who reads this is having a great day!

AED Day 13 - Fabric Art

Here is my bit of fabric art for the day - a simple landscape made from scraps of hand painted fabric and a bit of machine stitching, mounted on some pretty scrapbooking card stock. I may add some stitching around the edge but this is it for now!
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!