Working the Flood

I haven't been very creative lately. Time has been spent working the flood around here. First there were sandbags to be done, and let me tell you, sandbagging is a young persons thing. I have never worked so hard and been so sore and tired in my life.
Now I have been going into the next town over to help feed people who need it.
The town is Keithsburg and they have suffered greatly from this. A tiny place, full of nice people, many older, they really need help.
I have been working with the pastor of their church, and if anyone would like to help here is what you can do...
There are many many months of clean-up ahead of them. Many families lost everything inside their homes. The clean-up after a flood is really nasty. To see everything piled at the curb breaks your heart.
So if anyone is interested, they could use gift cards from Wal-Mart, Lowes and Menards. That way they can get lumber,drywall,bleach,rubber gloves and all the other things they will need to come back from this devistation.
Cards can be sent to:
Pastor Chuck Reynolds
Keithsburg Christian Church
2005 Main St.
Keithsburg, Il
61442
He will see that they are used correctly.
Thank you
Peace

An Inka original and a Skull

My friend Inka and I did a one on one swap and this beauty is what she sent me. I love it and am thrilled to have an Inka original. I am hanging it in my bedroom.
This is the skull I got from my friend Rose. I started doing the regular dot painting that I have done before and ended up painting it out twice! The base color makes it almost look like suede. But I couldn't decide what the design needed to be.
So after looking at it for days, it turned into this Tribal Skull.
Kind of simple and primitive feeling.
Peace

Another Vintage Sewing Shrine

I think this one is kind of fun. Very different from my other shrines. The figurine is big enough that I didn't think it would look right in a 'house'. So I got a wooden base from Hobby Lobby and stained it. the I mounted the wooden finials. They are from old flag poles from the town I used to live in. They were giving the poles away so I took them because, well, just because. The biggest one is the perfect seat height for the figure.
The buttons are vintage from my stash. So is the tape measure.
The thread spools are a hoot. They have the price stamped on them. 15 and 25 cents! That shows you how old they are!
I'm pleased with this, I think it is retro funky fun.
I will be putting it in my Etsy store.
Peace

I Got Tagged

I got tagged by my buddy Christie @ http://serenitynow.blogspot.com/
So the way this works is I post 6 things about me that people don't know. Then I tag 6 people and they post and so on and so on. Also I let them know they have been tagged by E-mail.
So, let's see, I did this once before so it's a little harder to come up with something interesting or weird.
1- Clowns weird me out! I don't think they're funny, I think they're scary. I won't even do an ATC exchange that is clowns!
2-I am painfully shy. I am uncomfortable meeting new people. And I would rather be in the background then ever have attention on me.
3-The only sporting event I will willingly watch from beginning to end is Heavyweight Boxing.Of course it was different when Michael Jordan played for the Bulls and when Ditka coached the Bears.
4-I cannot stand to have anyone use my pillow. Doesn't matter who it is, don't touch my pillow.
5-I get really freaked out by the wind in the pines. I am always afraid a tree will blow over onto the house.
6-I'm a good shot.

Whew, that was hard.
So now I am tagging:
Inka from http://inkaland.blogspot.com/
Linda from http://jewelsoftheeast.blogspot.com/
Kim from http://threadtales.blogspot.com/
Kim from http://vintagesprings.blogspot.com/
Dawn from http://goldbettyboop.blogspot.com/
Val from http://valsalteredheartjourney.blogspot.com/

Peace

Suggested by Val

My inspirational buddy Val-Vals Altered Heart Journey in my links-suggested that I tell about how I did the last textured piece I posted. So here goes...

I used Artist board for the base again. I really like it when I am going to be adding a lot of stuff. No worries about buckling or warping. And it isn't too expensive. I get mine from Dick Blick.
Instead of tissue paper, this time I gooped on gesso and layed cheese cloth on. Then I added more gesso, just glopped it on and threw in some modeling paste just 'cause.

I put the branch on first. Glued it in place and after it dried, I added the nest and other stuff.

The nest was a many step process. First I gel-mediumed it. Then after that dried I gessoed it. Then after that dried I cut it in half. I glued it in place with E6000, the same glue I used for the branch and window and bricks and bark.

Then I used gel-medium to attach the leaves.

After that all dried, I used modeling paste to build up around the bricks and window and branch and nest etc. I just use my fingers to put it on. Easier to smooth that way.

Then I put modeling paste on top of all the leaves. I let them set for a few minutes and took a toothpick and drew in the veins.

After that all dried I gessoed everything. After that dried I looked around at different angles and added more modeling paste where I needed to.


From there it is just painting. I do the whole thing in one color. Then I use a shade lighter for accent. Then I use metallic craft paints for hi-lights. This was a tough one to paint. Lots of nooks and crannies. I even had to use a toothpick to get into the nest spaces.

Oh I almost forgot, I mounted the eye in paper clay. And the arm coming out of the nest is from a doll I took apart. It is holding a little egg.

So that's how it's done. Very time consuming with all the dry time. But fun I think.

Peace

What I've been doing and what I'm gonna do

Boy, it's been a long time since I posted. I've been creating some, and trying to get some order in my studio. It may just be a losing battle. This is a shrine in the making. It has been developing in my head since I got the vintaged sewing figurines. They come from my buddy Rose in AZ. We met online and have been E'ing everyday since. We send goodie boxes back and forth and these figurines were in my last box. They are too cute so of course they have to be 'shrined'. But since they are so dimensional, I am doing a standing shrine instead of a house type. The vintage spools of thread came from Rose too.I am very excited about these. They are just too cute! Thanks again Rose!! www.myspace.com-roachez36 Check out her work, she is amazing!
She also has a website in my links-Altered Rose.

I have been doing another textured piece too. It may be finished, I'm not sure.
I really like the way the nest turned out. But man what a pain making sure all the little spaces are painted!
I completed Dawns little thingie, but I can't show it to you 'cause it is in the mail on it's way to her and she should see it first. Dawn is another amazing artist-Gold Betty Boop- in my links.

I'm really very lucky to have met so many artists online.

Peace

Mary

The Jawbone Of A ???

Boy it seems like forever since I posted here. We finally got some good sunny days and I've been working outside. With all the rain we've had the weeds are crazy. I have quite the crop of Dandelions this year.

The poor farmers around here still have water laying in their fields. I'll bet they are checking the want ads for summer work, 'cause it doesn't look good for planting.

But I have been working in my studio too. I have a couple of pieces in the works, and I finished this. I don't know what kind of jaw this is for sure. I think it's a Deer. I'm almost positive it is.

Anyway, I drilled a hole(very carefully) in it for the hangar. And then just started painting.



I gave it a light base and used the metallic craft paints again. They seem to work best on skulls and bones.
I did the black parts because the bone was so rough it wouldn't take dot painting.

I gave it a sinew hanger and a turquoisebead, shell slice and Duck feather embellishment.
I'm liking the black parts and may have to play around with them some more.

I am working on another heavily backgrounded piece like 'Life Outside The Window'. And another shrine.

Oh and I am doing a little surprise for my online buddy Dawn (Gold Betty Boop). I saw an image that made me think of her and I had to do something with it.

Peace