FREE PHOTO

I've decided to add a free photograph every once in a while. I love free things, especially photos. I found this one at a consignment shop which has also been a great place for rusty items. I loved this photo. Looks like the teacher with the children of one family since they all resemble each other. I especially like the little girl. You can tell she has mischief in her eyes. Adorable. Please, feel free to use this as you will. I'd love to see the results of work done with this photo. Since I own it, I still have the right to use it as well. Have fun!

Matchbox, Doll and Dominoes

I decided to alter a small matchbox. The front is The Blue Lady and the back is the butterfly. It was fun. I may do it again if it sells. I have no need for pretty matchboxes but maybe someone does.

I tried altering a domino. I had an incomplete set of old Dragon Dominoes so I tried it. The first is decoupaged and the second is fiber adhered with gel medium. I dry brushed gold paint on it.

Here's the back of the fiber art domino. You can see the fibers from the sides as they cling to the back. Kinda cool. The dragon shows up well with the dry brushed paint. Both are on eBay.

I made this little baby a while ago and didn't like how it looked with the background so I cut the background off and here's a little doll! I added the purse to make it look cute. Bald is beautiful.

Four Years and One Baby Ago

It was four years ago this month when my daughter got married. I asked her to send a copy of the cross stitch I did for her and her husband for their wedding. This was enough to make me stay away from cross stitching for life (well, almost--I've done some very small things since.) It took me four months to complete it with my working 3-4 hours a day and a 15-hour a week college teaching job. Needless to say, I didn't do much more than that in that time frame. She does love it and it hangs in her daughter's room now. Hope I'm around for her wedding.
My daughter is not a decorator. She doesn't do knick-knacks or cutesy stuff but she does love paintings and impressionist paintings are her favorite. She was looking for an inexpensive poster of this painting and because they were watching their budget, they decided to hold off. In the meantime, I thought I could reproduce it using my style of quilt art. This is the result. I'm so concerned with copyright laws, I considered not showing this, but I've noticed impressionist works everywhere. Who does own the copyright? Anyone know? The paintings are old enough to be in public domain, but they hang in some museum, right? Oh, well, it hangs in her personal living room museum and she didn't pay for it, for which she's very happy. I'm happy, too. I think it turned out well. Everthing is yarn under tulle except the people made of painted muslin. If this breaks the copyright law, let me know and I'll remove it from my site.

Works for Mid May

This piece is called "Regarding Roses." It is ATC size, quilted and includes the use of three old handkerchiefs, tapestry, old buttons (green, pink and cream), and a copy of an old photo. On Ebay.
I love looking for "things" but I have way too many of them--more than I can use. I've put these things on eBay.
Life is not all "regarding roses." Sometimes things happen. In my Things of the World Series I've added this piece, "Trusted--Treated." You add your own story. ATC size and on eBay.
This is not a duplicate. I made this one measuring 7" x 7 1/2" and edged in black fabric bound over a specially-made artist frame. This one goes to the youth auction at my church Sunday for missions. The youth go to World Changers where they pay money to sleep on a gym floor and help needy people with construction of their homes in lower income sections of large cities all over the US. This is similar to Habitat for Humanity. The kids come home with their eyes opened to the needs and how they can be met. This money helps the ones who have money problems themselves have an opportunity to do mission work. I call it "Winter, Be Gone."

Bindings Hurt

Yes, I'm binding my grandson's cowboy quilt. Finally, today, God willing, I will be done! Bill quilted it in about 50 hours working maybe 1-2 hours a day, bless his giant heart. It would never be done if it depended on me to quilt it. He says the same of me--we'd never have quilts if I didn't piece them. I think we make a good team. We should since we've been married 39 years. Though we see things from totally different perspectives and can't understand each other's modes of communication, we have made it thus far and will, through the act of commitment, make it to the end. Why do wonderful things hurt? Our quilt is wonderful, but it hurts to bind it because binding is not creative, is boring and endless. Some things just have to be done anyway.

New Art Quilt Today

It was time for a small art quilt. I made this one this afternoon and put it on eBay.
Two weeks off have made me very art-making hungry. My art cards did not sell on eBay last week so I was disappointed and discouraged. I thought they were beautiful, but that's me. When I'm discouraged, I turn to art. It makes me happy. Hope you like it too.

I made this fiber art quilt for my niece's wedding last month. I got the inspiration and sketched it out on paper then did my clipped yarn fiber art technique and hand embroidery. I figure it took me about 7-8 hours to do it. She seemed to like it. My daughter wants one now--probably not. I did a Paula Vaughn cross stitch for her wedding and it took me 3 months. She wins! The quilt above measures about 9 1/2" by 12" not including the frame, an antique one found at an estate sale--I LOVE OLD FRAMES!

I made this fun little art quilt that measures about 8" x 12 1/2" from the top of the wood to the bottom of the quilt. It took a long time to get it done. I'd pick out things, put them together, look at it, move things around again, add new things, remove things again, blah,blah,blah, finally it's done. The label says: "There's a little Bohemian in all of us." Do you agree?
You can find it on eBay here:http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=011&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=320111953211&rd=1&rd=1 until May 14, 07.

MORE ALTERED ART!

These ATCs/ACEOs (Artist Trading Card/Art Card Editions and Originals) measure 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" and are on eBay today until May 14, 07. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=011&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=320111954864&rd=1&rd=1 and

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=011&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=320111956384&rd=1&rd=1.

Life Causes Artist Shutdown

After I made these ATCs/ACEOs I was immediately in love with them. Unfortunately, no one else was because they didn't sell on eBay. On to ETSY with them. There's got to be someone who has the same taste as mine out there! I don't know if I should continue with them, but I keep making them. Oh, well, my family knows what they're getting for Christmas.

One wonders about altered art. Why do it? What good is it? Who buys the stuff? All these questions and more rattle through my brain. That's not the problem. The problem is - I'm hooked on altered art! I can't help myself. Once I started, I can't stop! Who's to help me from this terrible fate. I'll have a house full of art that no one likes. What' s to save this poor wretch of an artist? This one bit the dust on ebay and now adorns my wall. :( ----:)