WIP's

OK, I give ... I really do like it when I have more than one thing on my plate at a time ... here's some "Works in Progress" First, I'm working on a new yarnish project & have been testing some squares like:

and:

I think I like the stitch better in the first square, but I LOVE the yarn of the second one ... it's super soft & the earthy colors feel good.

My mom-in-law threw down a challenge ... she wants me to try my hand at making a doll for an ADO (Art Dolls Only) challenge ... the theme is "Grimm's Fairytales" ... do you have any idea how many there are to choose from?!? Tons! I still haven't figured out which character I wan't to do, but figured I better get cracking on making an attempt, so I started by playing around with some aluminum wire I had on hand. I formeded some legs, arms & trunk:

and then started wraping (think hemp necklace knots) the legs in black and red embroidery floss:

here's a detail:

I haven't got a clue where this is going or what I'm doing next, but hey, at least there's something sitting on the table. :)

This one:

is the beginning of a sort of thank you project for a girlfriend. I know where this one (the gessoed cigar box) is going, but shhhh! it's a secret!

Finally, I have been trying to figure out what to make for my Peace Felt project. I think I might be onto something ... started with an aluminum "frame":

I thought I would wet felt an already too small black cashmere sweater, cut it to shape & sort of loosely whip stitch it to the frame ... then I was thinking I could cut a peace symbol out of the felted piece and "stitch" little Swarovki crystals into the open space ... I haven't got a clue if it'll actually work, but hey, I figure it's worth a try.

wish me luck ... lots and lots of luck!

Once in a while, late is actually better than on time ...

Case in point ... back in August I did a little side exchange (a charm for a charm) with the most gracious T of Running w/Scissors ... well, I got her wee package in no time flat (with a bonus charm to boot)

... AND ...

... well, uh, um ...

... she still doesn't have hers ...

BUT

she WILL have it before this week is over

AND

Because it took me 100 years to get my act together, it's not just one, not two, but three of the lil crane charms

AND

it doesn't stop there

Check out what's headed to her mailbox:

top/lid of an altered Altoides tin

bottom - if you've ever visited her page, you'll recognize her "logo" from her banner.

side
(ok, yes, this IS from before completion, but I forgot to take one of the side)

inside

and there's just a little bit more:

and here's a close-up of the goodies for inside the treat box:

(and yes, I did check w/her first to see if she wanted to be surprised or if it was cool to post pictures)

See what I mean?

Mandala

In case you're curious, here's a close up view of my profile pic:

I have a girlfriend in Phoenix that was redecorating her bedroom (this was actually about two years ago). She mentioned that she was looking for a print of a Mandala and I thought ... hmmm ... I can paint one! So, I did. This was the first one that I had ever attempted and I was really happy with the results ... she was too as it is still hanging on her bedroom wall.

This was one of those paintings that I really enjoyed working on. I broke out my ruler and a sharpened pencil to lay down the design - it started with the eight point star in the center and radiated out from there. I used acrylics on an 18"X18" canvas. Shortly after I finished this one, I painted another that's 12"X 12". I'm not as fond of the second as I am of the first (go figure, I still have the second hanging in the house). It's got a simpler design and the colors don't appeal to me as much ... but, I have been thinking about painting another one. I would like to revisit the first design again - or something similar to it. I just need to figure out the colors that I want to use ...

In the meantime, I have to set the art doll aside (I have done a little more beading since the last update, but it's dark and I prefer to photograph it in natural light). The more I look at it, the more it reminds me that I really don't know what I am doing. :) That's not really the reason that I am setting it aside ... I recently visited Monica's blog and saw mention of a Black and White charm swap ... I've never made a charm, so I am not sure what possessed me to add my name to the list, but I did. Now I actually have to create something - EEK! I contacted the host and let her know that I would work on something this weekend and would email pics so she can decide if they are acceptable for the swap. Since then, I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what I am going to do ... I have a few ideas:

1) I can "macrame" black and white embroidery thread (love that 100% cotton feel over rough hemp any day of the week - no offense, hemp) over wire, embelish with black and white beads and bend into a heart shape.

2) Make the charms from wood and paint - I'm thinking geometric. I kind of see a half inch square base with a quarter inch square attached (in the center and at an angle) on either side of the base ... i think just paint and no additional embellishment

3) making little frames from sculpy and printing off pictures of the elephant that I did last fall to set (and somehow seal) in the frame ... here's the elephant that I mentioned:

Considering it's Sunday night, I don't really have that much weekend left. I've got to get started. Wish me luck - I could definitely use it right about now. :)