last day of the year

Not that it matters because it's all over rated as to how magical and different and "better" things will be with a new digit on the end :} Still, i wish you all a happy, creatively challenging and fulfilling, lucrative, peaceful, healthy and exciting new year.

I dreamed last night of the border that will go on When Winter kisses Autumn---going to use the faced applique method and create lots of icicles to "frame" the edges; this will also extend the area so i can stretch it on the bars! Best of all, i get to use more angelina to do these, my soldering iron, heat gun and sparkly things! :} 

If you are involved in the Fabric Artjournals Anthology page swap with me, i have extended the completion time----the "official" deadline is still the end of February, but we will have a Grace Period of until the end of March, as some are having time constraint problems! Oh, and the pages that *are* done are FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Going to work on some more 1" squares today--i have ideas about adding "dimension" and void spaces that i want to try out. These are great little samplers as well and fit beautifully in a visual journal! For reference purposes, i'm going to do some slightly larger at a 2" size. It's quite amazing how much detail *can* be worked into these little gems!

Looks like Sharonb is having problems again with her wonderful blog Inaminuteago--- apparently she gets hit HARD by spammers in her comment section and the server/host keeps knocking her off----be patient, she *is* still there with her fabulous words and inspirations!

Might be back later; if not, see you next year! 

Update on Sun, December 31, 2006 at 06:57PM by arlee

If you didn't catch it on her site, Sharon has a "back up blog" where she will post when there are problems. You can find it at http://sharonb.wordpress.com/

WWKA detail shots

Finished the last of the fme frost and ice and have started the beading---randomly working my way around with sequins, seed beads and bugles in silver, white, cream, pearl, lemony iridiscent, holographic, clear iridiscent, frost white and matte finish clear. (note, these photos can be clicked on for larger images)

When Winter Kisses Autumn detail one

When Winter Kisses Autumn detail 2

WWKA detail 3

WWKA detail 4

WWKA detail 5

  I'll be doing a minimum of quilting on it so as not to destroy the lovely crunchy texture it has and putting it on stretcher bars to finish. Can't wait!

EDIT:oops, i eyeballed the size--it's actually 15 inches by 18 inches, which means i'll have to figure out a "border" or something so it fits on the stretcher bars that are larger than it! 

When Winter Kisses Autumn

If this entry shows up twice, blame squarespace!

I started work on this piece the beginning of November. The base is a piece of "fabric paper", about 20'x26", made from scraps of tissue, newspaper, lace, runny paint, glitter, faux mica and a sparkle organza over top. The texture is amazing! The original inspiration was from a rather drab newspaper article about snowflakes. I still have more "frost" and "ice" to stitch and plan some beading as well: maybe the lemony iridiscent sequins i bought yesterday as they remind me of the way the sun hits brilliant days on drifts.

 

And a detail:

 

NOT the Magic Bus

I've ridden a lot of buses in my day. The ex and i never had money for a car. As a single Mom i certainly never could afford it. I have never learned *how* to drive, though for a short while i did own "Trixie", a '73 butterscotch with white leather interior Mercury Cougar Convertible..........i dreamed of leopard seat covers and sequinned dingleballs waving in the wind as i did a movie star impression with hugeass sunglasses and a scarf tied 'round my bouffant.......but i digress....

What kind of major city puts the buses on a "holiday" schedule for the 27-29th of December? They're not holidays!!!!!! I didn't know this until i waited an extra 15 minutes for the first bus, 25 minutes for the second bus and 10 for the third, (the fourth *was* on time)....the first bus driver gave me a transfer, the second one took it away from me because the transfer was "for too long a period"and gave me another, the third busdriver was the second busdriver on his way back and he took the whole thing away from me because it was "no good for a return trip"---that's when i threw my wallet, which bounced off the windshield and caught on the farebox, ripping, when i ripped it away----Victoria's bus system is the most confusing and arbitrarily run system i swear........each driver makes his own rules, i think. You look at the schedule and it says it will get you to where you are going, but unless you read the fine print, you get confused when they boot you off at some point to transfer to another bus that completes the run! They never seem to coincide with the schedule, and sometimes you get dropped off in the middle of nowhere. I waited (a different day) at one bus stop for my home bus and a different one stopped, taking pity on me and asked where i was going. He got me on the right track, asked if i'd gotten the name and number of the original driver and belly laughed when i said "yes, i think it was Bastard #62." It took me three hours yesterday to get into town, pick up my paycheque and cash it, spend 15 minutes in Soupy's and come home. THREE HOURS to travel 15 kilometres and back. Vancouver's transit system has been voted North America's best transit system---Victoria's SUCKS THE BIG ONE.

And the fourth busdriver took the third transfer away from me because "you can't get off then on again"-----WHAT THE HELL GOOD IS A TRANSFER THEN??????????? 

Now for something completely different. I didn't realize how much red i use in my textiley stufff until i saw my Flickr photo sets. Orange is actually my favourite colour. Ruby red is probably how i looked yesterday after all the buscrapolapalooza...

You Are Ruby Red

You are warm and inviting - yet a little wild and outrageous. Well aware that you have a dual personality, you work it as much as you can! You like for people to be comfortable around you, but not at the expense of you stealing the limelight. Popular and well known, you make friends easily. You have your big personality to thank for that.

What Color Red Are You?

 

More fibery goodness later today, i promise. Thanks for your patience and understanding. Back to our regularly scheduled programming--and yes, THIS bus will get you there. On time. With an intact wallet. 

 

 

 

Arlee finds Ardee's

It ain't as stocked or as big as Dressew, and it certainly ain't as stocked and expensive as Michael's, but it will do in a pinch for a lot of basics. Several times on my way into the heart of downtown, i have spied this teeny little shop just past the edge of the "location location location" location. I stopped today to check it out. It smelled like soup. Old soup. The old man in it kept a soupy eye on me as though i were a soup thief. BUT, i did find the most luscious lemony iridisecent cup sequins and matching square ones  in the same tdf shade, a hugeasss cone of black thread, machine needles in bulk for CHEEP and star shaped studs. I spent a total of 23 dolluhs and had to dig exact change out as the soupy old guy had little in his till. He introduced himself as Charles and tried to fix the broken zipper on my wallet while i played with things. (I broke the zipper when i threw it at the bus driver, a different story for a different day....) I will go back; some of the stuff was overpriced, but most of it was more than reasonable---and the stock has apparently been accumulating ----a peek into his backroom looked like lace moths  and zipper bugs had cried havoc with the dogs of velcro and ribbon--he's got bra fixin's i've never even *heard* of before.........fascinating place. I'd rather support a small business than a conglomerate, no matter how odd. Michael's is odd, come to think of it: shiny glitzy prepacked "creativity"--gimme bootstrap basics and some imagination any day! 

And what *is* wierd? As all you artists out there in Upper Blogolia know, it is perfectly acceptable to keep styro meat trays, things that will melt or burn, odd metal bits,  do colour coded storage of computer parts,  dry out leaves/sticks/feathers/pods/skins ^{(i told you, i *did* leave the dessicated bat by the side of the road, same with the cat/raccoon (?) tail!)}, pierce holes in things that shouldn't have holes (and i don't mean body parts), glue things to other things, dissasemble perfectly in working order mechanisms and pick through the garbage for coffee filters, used tea bags and whatever detritus anyone else would classify as "waste"--so why not strange bra fixin's,  and whatever else Soupy had in there that i couldn't identify???? ^{The wierdest thing i ever did/used was-------}

I wanted to go to a bookstore as well, but...bus drivers..bus schedules...bus transfers....pox pox pox, so i still have some dolluhs burnin' in my pocket, a little treat to myself after werkin hard at the flowermines  before C*******s.

Tarot Tarot Tarot!

You are the World

Completion, Good Reward.

The World is the final card of the Major Arcana, and as such represents saturnian energies, time, and completion.

The World card pictures a dancer in a Yoni (sometimes made of laurel leaves). The Yoni symbolizes the great Mother, the cervix through which everything is born, and also the doorway to the next life after death. It is indicative of a complete circle. Everything is finally coming together, successfully and at last. You will get that Ph.D. you've been working for years to complete, graduate at long last, marry after a long engagement, or finish that huge project. This card is not for little ends, but for big ones, important ones, ones that come with well earned cheers and acknowledgements. Your hard work, knowledge, wisdom, patience, etc, will absolutely pay-off; you've done everything right.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Enshrined.........

UPDATED: Photos added in followup.

Put the finishing touches on "Nine Lives" yesterday. In memory of my special baby catboy, Slowroll, who passed away last year in April at the age of 12.

 

 

And as a florist who is SO tired of red and white right now, here is *my* antidote. This teacup is 12" high and 16" around---i jammed it with yellow roses and miniroses, white single petal and greenyrosewhite ruffled tulips. No Christmas here, move along, move along :}

 

I finished another bunch of 1" squares for the swap, but haven't photographed them yet.  Organized the daytimer that Kim (SkybellArts) sent me and set up the journal that Sue B sent.  Typed out all my committments to finish and am not signing up for anything else until these are done.  One of my goals is to finish things on time and not to take on too many thongs  er, things at once. I want to finish some of my UFO's, even if it means cutting them up, cannabalizing them or reincarnating them as something else. I'd like to start painting again too, on fabric though rather than canvas----

These are not new year's resolutions.  I don't believe life will magically change just because the calendar does.  If that were true, it would be magical every day.  I'll settle for magic once in awhile, of my own making and at my own pace, thank you very much :} _{I'd like to lose 40 pounds too but that ain't gonna happen easily........or magically......and win the lottery too........yeah right}

I'm not really sure where i'm going now with my art. I'm not exactly stagnating, but i'm not as excited by it as i once was. I can't imagine not doing it, but i'm at a point where i wonder why i keep doing it......blah blah blah...

I got my copy of Kay Greenlee's Sketchbooks for Embroiderers and Textile Artists=====DISAPPOINTING. I expected more: it's pretty dry and clinical feeling imho. I didn't want pictures of things i could "copy", BUT, i didn't find it terribly inspiring or helpful either. Not well spent money--wish i'd got one of Maggie Grey's books  instead. First time i've  beeen unhappy with a book of any sort!!!!!

Thanks for putting up with my stream of (un/sub)consciousness, peeples! Bestest to ya all for the next week--get through the last of the holidays safely and kindly!

Update on Tue, December 26, 2006 at 04:30PM by arlee

Purple/magenta 1" squares for swap:

purple/magenta 1" squaresAnd since coffee never stays that hot in an insulated mug unless you pay 49.99 for it--and i'm sure there *are* models that spendy----i made a coffee cozy just like everyone else. Mine has bells. Mine is discharged cotten velveteen and beaded. Mine is uncomfortable to hold because of the embellishments, but i don't care: it's mine for Mine Coffee!

 

A Few Festive Tips

1. As i mentioned before, pine sap has wonderful adhesive qualities. Just make you where you put it is where you want it.

2. Want a little extra sparkle in your eye? Just aim the nozzle of the spray glitter glue the wrong way. That would be facing *away* from the other object you want glittered.

3. Styrofoam bits enhance a hairdo with a lovely "just walked in the snow" look.  And static keeps them there.     And puts them in your underpants for extra fun. 

4. Pine needles make great floss--seive them through your teeth and out of your coffee first.

5. Crushed carnations and roses in the pink, red and burgundy families when rubbed on the cheeks give you a rosy glow that lets the boss know you're still breathing. It also gets them off the floor so he can't see the waste.

2b. Red spray paint will give the same effect but should be used discretely as there is a risk of looking like a shotgun wound. See 2.

_{These are probably only funny to another florist who has worked the last few day nonstop........} 

I finished work at 4 today--i am done for the season. For me, Christmas is

OVER ...

 

Have a great one!!! 

I am not winking

Only i could glue my right eyelid half open with pine sap at the flower shop today............

A Wink's As Good As A Nod

And 17 minutes to oneself is better than nothing :} YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I *did* get this card done to mail off to an sorely missed dear old friend. There are more in the works for family, a few special friends and a coupla bosses.

Stitched on paper from a dollarstore gift bag--great source for "handmade"!!!!----sequin scrap, floral wrap, a few beads and a leaf left over from a bag.