Before and Afters - Front and Back

I'm glad to be heading off to the post office this morning with a few more projects completed and ready to take flight, or hit the pavement! 

This week I plan to be searching the web for some instruction on how to create natural lighting when trying to photograph images.  You'll see why below as I have included some macros of the  cloth skinny page with the Paper Whimsy figure - I adjusted the colors and contrast of the image that shows the full skinny page, but haven't done any adjusting on the macros.  Can you tell the difference?

These two images make up the front and back, now sewn together.

Before and After - Back of Page  Skinny 4 x 8

Before and After -  Front Page - Digital to Cloth

A few close ups - untouched -

And, a photo of our new backyard resident - a Yellow Bellied Marmot!  These days, about 50% of the time I look out to the backyard during the day, I either see a cotton tailed bunny or this marmot!  I had never seen a marmot before and thought when I first saw him, it was a badger.  He most resembles a beaver to me because of his size (approx. 30 inches long) was surprised to learn he is considered a SQUIRREL!! He seems to love to feed on grass, often sits upright on his hind legs,  and oddly I often see him right in the middle of the back yard, seemingly not concerned with maintaining cover and also not that fast moving.

 

Painting by Carl Brenders - http://www.artcountrycanada.com/

PS - Here's the distinction  between a groundhog and a marmot -

The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as a woodchuck, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but the woodchuck is a lowland creature. It is widely distributed in North America and common in the northeastern and central United States. Groundhogs are found as far north as Alaska, with their habitat extending southeast to Alabama.[2]

So - the groundhog is a WOODCHUCK, where as the yellow-bellied marmot is known as a ROCKCHUCK - but both are from the MARMOT family.... 

......little known facts by Two and Wikipedia!

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Sunday Postcard Art - Mushrooms

This is the very first time I have been 'on time' for Sunday Postcard Art.  Click here to see this week's information and play along!

Sharoom!  4 x 6 inches

Image Credits - Holliewood Studios - mushrooms, floor and leaves - Spring Faeries, ATC 1 and 2 at DeviantScrap.com

Background - Tangie Baxter at Scrapbookgraphics.com and Lisa's Altered Art for figures.

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Creative Team Work - Tangie Baxter

Tangie released a digital pack this week entitled Tempest-Tossed  where she included some amazingly stormy backgrounds reminiscent of The Tempest.   Took me back to my high school days and studying Shakespeare... 

Here's my contribution to her latest work -

Tempest - 5 x 7 inches

Image Credits:  Tangie Baxter - Scrapbookgraphics.com

figures - creative commons

frame - Holliewood Studios - DeviantScrap.com

Quote - Morris West

And another Skinny Page that  I created using her Fairy Friends Version 2 -

A Bird in Hand  - 4 x 8 inch


Image Credits -
Tangie Baxter at Scrapbook Graphics - My Faery Friends #2,
and Tumble Fish Studio - figure



A couple of others I finished in July 2010 but haven't yet posted them here -

The Dolphin Dance

and me trying to release a bit of pent up sadness  creatively when considering the long lasting consequences of  The Gulf disaster....

The Gulf....

Image Credits: Tangie Baxter - The Shadowy Sea

Lisa's Altered Art for figures in #1

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Well, I'm not yet at my workshop...

 but I will go later today.  I had to make a decision, a very hard one, based on my own personality to instead be present to learn the techniques, benefit from Martha's wisdom but leave the 'creative exploration' part of this workshop to  a time when I am completely  alone.   I know it sounds probably a bit strange to so many people, but, well, that's not going to be something that I will allow myself to worry about.  

I have tried on too many occasions to count, to participate in a group setting, but my creative brain just doesn't operate AT ALL and it inevitably results in  a frustrating experience for me, and probably for those around me, as I find most artists are apart from being wonderfully creative are also lovingly nurturing. 

It's not that I express my 'block' - or look for attention, not at all.  I love being in the environment, but it is anything but condusive to me being creative.

I've already received a call from the organizer of the workshop wondering where I was.  I would have emailed her, but I didn't have her address, nor a phone number.

This is a silver lining for me and  a wonderful step forward for me because first off, I know myself and have this personal insight and most importantly, is that I am no longer afraid to 'be myself 100% - in other words, I don't conform just for the sake of pleasing the 'status quo'.   Truth told, my muse is extremely shy and she rarely makes public appearances. 

If this strikes a familiar chord for you, we'd love to hear from you :0)

Now, on to my true musings....

Below is a new series of 3 collages I've titled " As The Crow Flies" - and I have just listed them on Etsy here.   Instead of writing about the meaning behind each one here, I've chosen to include the story in the package when they are sold.   

I am having trouble getting my images to size larger, so you have to click on them to view at a bigger size...

As The Crow Flies - Series of 3 5 x 7 inch limited edition prints

Number One
This one also fits into this weeks theme at  Sunday Postcard Art's - Houses!

Number Two

Number Three

Image Credits:
Number One -

Mrs. Inman - for rocking horse figure

Tumble Fish Studio - street scene and window frame

Holliewood Studios - crow, moon and tassel

Background 1 - Albert Giralt - Spain

Number Two -

Tumble Fish Studio - figure and frame

Background 2 - Albert Giralt - Spain

Holliewood Studios - crow

Number Three

Holliewood Studios - clock, crow

Lisa's Altered Art - figure

Tumble Fish Studio - building

Background  3- Albert Giralt - Spain

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Another project completion today....

Another 4 x 8 inch fabric skinny page completed today and ready to go postal on Monday.   I thought I would try something a little different with this one by heat embossing.   These photos don't really reflect the results of the embossed areas and, as a result, look a little dirty to me.  Not the case in reality.

the is some beautiful antique lace I purchased from Ebay from France. 

a little bit of seed beading here and there

better close up of the heat embossing and sweet little button

hand embroidery along the edges front and back, two tiny buttons piggy backing...along with some machine stitching with metallic thread.

the back (right) has some lace sent to me by a wonderful friend and talented fabric artist - Viola, plus a paper flower sent to me by another great friend - Lorraine.

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Blogspot or Blogger Friends.....Ix-Nay and the Ode-Cays...

To all of my blog friends that I do my best to try to visit frequently because  I am always inspired  by your work and love to support our creative community....I have a suggestion that may translate into a benefit.

I confess my  ulterior motive is this:  I really am tired of passwords and codes.  It seems every time I turn around to log in, check in, google that, or blog this, I always seem to be having to either type a code or a password.  I just don't like it.  But because I  do try to minimize my tendency  to complain by  instead stating  the problem and offering  a solution, here  goes.....

IF you choose to monitor all of your comments by opting for the option to be  notified by email  of all incoming comments, then  you  will still have the option of  approving  them  or rejecting them before they are visible  on your blog. As far as I know, this  censoring process will then  catch the spam at that level and give you the option to reject it and approve the legitimate comments.

And , there is another potential  benefit.  On  several occasions, I have left comments thinking they were received and on their way to being read and listed only to discover that I missed the code step.  For some bloggerish glitchy reason, occasionally there is a second window that pops up after it appears the comment has been sent.    Am I alone here, or are there others that also experience this additional step....

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Studio Bedlum ??? ...trigger happy snapshots

This morning I have been slowly attempting to file all of my photos into their appropriate database categories.  Like any mixed media artist, sometimes deleting photos is much the same as tossing out that last little scrap of fabric or bit of ephemera....I don't...  Also, when I am snapping a photo of a project, I end up getting a little trigger happy and consequently snap a few more.... usually just of what's around me at the time.  This is the danger of the digital world...and also the gift of digital photography.  I've wondered how many award winning photos weren't taken in the pre-digital world because the photographer couldn't afford to process them in the lab.

Here's a few of 'those snapshots' - mostly of a room I've begun to convert into a part sewing studio, part library.  I recently learned Bea names the rooms in her house - romantic names.... like The Tangerine Sky Room so I've been considering what to name this room.  Bedlum was the first moniker that came to mind...but I'm still brainstorming.

The above shot was one of my musing baskets.  When I start to work on a project, I  grab a basket and rummage through all of my different bits of ephemera that 'may' work in it.  It's all part of my creative process - and one that I always look forward to -  that of generating ideas and possibilities.

The little butterflies were a birthday present from my daughter Jillian last year.  They are hooks, but as you can see, I haven't hung them - I would need a very large large house to hang everything I'd like to hang.

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No kidding - does it ever slow down?

Ok, my next collage is going to be based on s l o w i n g   d o w n!  I can't remember the last time I didn't have something to do.  I managed to finish all but one of my overdue projects and it seems like that as soon as I get caught up it's time to start the current month's projects.  I am also  registered in a class that begins on Monday for the week 9-4 pm.   The instructor is Martha Cole - the subject - "The Painted Book".   I decided to look into renting  a U-Haul in order to transport ALL OF THE SUPPLIES her  list contains. Here's the  link to the list if you have an hour and nothing else to do. But before the day of packing,  there is prework to do.     I have learned from experience I don't work well creatively in a class setting and so I'm going to do my best to take some pressure away from rushing through the book in order to have it finished at the end of the week.  Maybe that will also prove to be a way to encourage my muse to show her face and perhaps sit on top of and smother my inner critic...whose presence is never missed.

I have considered a few different topics  and spent several hours reading over the week on the internet.  Always inspired by any  work from  Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Walt Whitman, I began there.  First shock  was  to learn that Thoreau's Waldon's Pond was actually contained within Emerson's property and wasn't a remote, secluded wilderness area as I had always assumed it to be.  Now, again, this is googled information so reader beware.  What I also learned was  Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass was remotely  inspired by Emerson.  So apart from me having an interest in existentialism, I was quite delighted to learn that each of the 3 'minds' I chose to focus on were all acquainted with one and other.  And since all roads lead back to Emerson, that eliminated the other two candidates....hmmmm...Leaves of Grass does bring up so many visuals...may change my mind yet again.

Another idea I had considered and again spent hours 'toying with' was the notion of visualizing Cognitive Distortions.  It also proved to lead me down several different internet alleys where at the end of the searching, I think I was no further ahead than when I started.   

So here I am, writing a blog post, still in a bit of a kerfunkle about the topic.  Maybe google Kerfunkle - much like a kerfuffel but a little funkier. 

Below, a selection of digital collages I either created this week, or I've yet to post.  Much lighter than reading the above.

First, from  one of Tangie Baxter's new packs and play on Dali's famous  ROSE -

Salvador Dali

"SirUNreal" - 12 x 12 digital collage

Image Credits:  Dali - www, Tangie Baxter - NEW Gee that's Swell at Scrapbookgraphics.com

Crazy Daddy-0 - 5 x 8 inch digital collage

Image Credits:  Charlie Chaplin from Doctor Macro and the balance from Tangie Baxter's Gee That's Swell.

Moving right along - on to Tumble Fish Studio images...

"Team Work" - 5 x 7 inch digital

Image Credits:  Tumble Fish Studio for all images with the exception of the scuba figure from Bouguereau.

Below, I combined  one of Tumble Fish Studio's new images from Lovely Lya which will be available any day,  along with Tangie Baxter's My Fairy Friends

"A Bird in Hand" - 4 x 8 inch digital collage

and finally, using new stock from MizzD Stock - "Medieval Child"  along with another new batch from Tangie Baxter - Fairy Friends Vol. 3

"Magic"This is Ida's (MizzD Stock) daughter...now age 4

I can't promise, but I am going to try to consistently  provide direct links under each collage in the image credit section  for those of you who may be interested in purchasing any of the images that I work with on the various Creative Teams.  It's much easier for readers as well as for me so I don't have to respond to the emails wondering where to find a particular image.  Sounds like a plan? 

Thanks again  for reading  and an even  BIGGER thanks to those of you who take the time to leave me a comment or feedback...and  non-art friends and  even FAMILY hint.hint...I know you're reading.

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Outgoing mail today and new 5 x 7 inch collage

This is a quick post as I multi-task today, working in between several scheduled appointments I have in my part-time job, visiting the Farmer's Market to drop of photos,  while I also try  to catch up on my July collaborative projects - all 3 days overdue at this point.

In Character - 4 x 8 inch paper layered collage

Above, a cut and paste collage with elements from Tumble Fish Studio (http://www.tumblefishstudio.etsy.com/) 

as well as my own personal stash.   I wanted it to look aged and also a bit Haloweenish - so I added the bats hanging upside down and  imagined a goofy costume party where the participants had to  be in full character - thus the man also hanging down as a 'bat'.   I added a thin layer of old world antiquing glaze and sealed it with Liquitex gloss matte medium.    You can see the difference in clarity and apperance from the purely digital version  below which is a  modification of the same images for  another digital collage entitled House Guests and Fish below -

House Rules - 5 x 7 Limited Edition Print

This is a 5 x 7 inch collage that I just listed on Etsy as a limited edition print here   Perfect to hang in your lake cottage when you're trying to set limits of the number of visitors you get and politely inform them of the house rules!   We had a version of this quote by Benjamin Franklin  hung in our cottage as I was growing up.  The cut out letters and the EXIT sign  are from Holliewood Studios - The Thing Finder.  It truly has the Tumble Fish Studio 'style' to it I think! Thanks as always to Marsha for providing such a delightfully whimsical selection of images! 

Hocus Pocus - 4 x 8 inch paper cut layered collage

Above, is the  front side of the page and is also a  cut and paste paper collage  - one I completed long ago with some trim from Sandi Kreiger, shoes, dress and face from magazine clippings  and images from Tumble Fish Studio as well. 

Apology Letter from Collageville.... digital collage back

Finally, one side of a  note  I created digitally for Betsy apologizing for being late - from the land of Collageville!!  It is nestled in part of my ribbon collection in my sewing studio.  Images from both

Holliewood Studios at Deviant Scrap  and Tumble Fish Studio available on Etsy.

Thanks as always for your comments!

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Last Thursday

I had the good fortune to be a guest along side my partner and two friends visiting from Denmark  at a Hutterite colony situated approximately 10 kilometres east of Lethbridge.  The colony I visited is part of  a branch known as the Lehrerleut.    They practice a faith termed Anabaptist.  I have since  researched the web attempting to  learn more about this faith,    but refrain from further comments until my facts are verified and unless you are 100% sure, please do not add comments unless you are yourself of the same faith.    It is widely known Anabaptists do not believe in infant baptism and the choice of whether or not to be baptized is an individual one.

We were guests of  one family, with four teenager daughters and one son.  The daughters  escorted us through several different areas of the colony, and encouraged us to ask questions.    I was granted permission by their father to take photographs and spent part of today altering them digitally.  I will deliver them next Wednesday where I plan to meet some of the girls again at the local farmer's market.

It was an eye opening experience and  I loved it.   Every person  we met  was  hospitable, welcoming,  fun loving and generous.  We  came home with jars of  strawberry jam, gooseberry sauce,  sausage and even a pair of knit slippers from the Grandmother of the family.    It was an extraordinarily humble experience and I felt drenched in  warmth and genuine positive  human spirit.    And yes, I  was and remain aware of the   austerity, the minimal participation with the outside world, the partriarch, and on, but I  consciously choose  to suspend all judgement.  I've not walked a city block in their shoes.  They live outside of my definition of the world, but I too live outside of theirs.

For those of you reading not familiar with  Hutterite colonies   one of their distinguishing features is  their dress  code.  The  Hutterite women often wear  kerchiefs  that are primarily  black and some are  made of a fabric containing white polkadots on a black background.   The Lehrerleut women wear head scarves with notably  larger white polkadots than the other two branches - the Schmiedeleut and Dariusleut.    The  aprons are also a different fabric from their skirts and blouses whereas the  wear an apron that is identical to their skirt.   The younger boys (as photographed below)  wear 'caps' whereas the adult men where hats similar to cowboy hats.

From 10:30 to 2:00 pm we toured through the state of the art chicken barns, (130,000 eggs per week!)  the pig barns, the metalsmith shop, the carpentry shop briefly  the  ( I am guessing) the  two acre garden, the school, kitchen, and storage facilities.  And clean?  Sparkling and polished.   We had lunch  that included for us as special guests  a fresh homebaked slice of raisin bread, along with chicken noodle soup, chicken necks, carrots, pickles, and homemade potato chips.  We sat with the girls in the church where they explained the process for choosing the minister and discussed their thoughts and feelings around communal life, marriage rules, education and future plans.     There are approximately 150 people living within this particular colony, and 20 families. 

Below are two of the  portrait photos I've prepared so far... I'm in the process of working on two others. Following those  are a few self explanatory random snapshots.

Jacob - age 9 - He has such a classical  look to him, I think.

Sarah - age 8 - Isn't she adorable?  We had so much fun snapping photos but trust me, the ones of me are already erased!

This particular  method of captivity is termed 'free run chickens' and the eggs are transported weekly to Calgary where they are inspected and graded and many transported  to British Columbia where there is a large market for omega 3 eggs.  This then translates to them landing in your skillet approximately 10 days after they are laid.

Just a glimpse at some of the cold storage and canned produce.

Above, two of the girls putting rocks back to secure the tarp over an area that is still requiring protection due to the inclimate summer we've had thus far.  The crops are all 3 weeks behind. But the strawberries, peas, carrots,  saskatoon berries were prime for picking.  

My girlfriend Brenda with Annie, Melissa and Sarah

I hope you've enjoyed this brief visit of colony life  through my eyes....it's my wish  I  may have unlocked a bit of the mystery that often lies hidden behind  the hedges that border the land and the hearts of these unique and lovely people.

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