Oh, the weather outside...

I wrote much of the following post yesterday, but alas, with no Internet service I was unable to publish.  So I am leading off with a picture of our newly constructed wreath. 

and a closer view...

Ah, it is a wintry day in Michigan.  The snow is falling and blowing.  Our power is threatening to go out.  The Internet and cable are already down.  And yet I am having a great day.  My baby girl and I picked out loads of glittery ornaments yesterday and the wreath making is about to begin.  I will post pics as soon as we are satisfied with our creation. 

In the meantime...

It is truly beautiful outside the window.

We braved the weather this morning to venture into the village. It is only about a mile from home to some of the quaintest stores around. I bought this yarn today in order to knit some mittens. I really should have finished this project by now…obviously.

I love this yarn.  I worked on the mittens and they came together fast...so I'll be ready for the frigid temps coming our way.

I made these leg warmers last week and they did come in handy today.  I just love my combat boots but they are not the warmest.  The leg warmers help. 

A Work in Progress

Aside from all of the holiday preparations, I have been trying to squeeze in studio time to finish several new pieces and I thought I would give a sneak peek at one.  I have been contemplating a new idea for this blog starting in the new year and hope it will not go by the wayside as many of my resolutions seem to do.  One of my resolutions from last year, though,  is just about to come to fruition. So, without further ado, here is my newest project.  She is a work in progress...much like me. 

Happy Holidays!

A Thanksgiving road trip to Atlanta last week to visit loved ones resulted in a stop over and I was able to stock up on some novelties which are sure to inspire me in my studio.  A downtown shop specializing in rare books was the perfect spot to spend a rainy morning.  I would have taken photos but a mischievous pixie had pilfered my photo card.  Along with the goodies I gathered,  we spent some time exploring the historic areas in downtown Lexington.  Dream houses galore!

Time to get out the sugarplums...

I made this advent calendar last year and have been scouting the area for confections to fill the pockets.  I fashioned the pockets from recycled sweaters and added embellishments.  What fun we will have savoring the secret sweets!  Frosty helps us count down.  Click on the images for a closer peek.

Whirlwind

Wow!  What a wonder-filled week.  I spent the weekend celebrating the birthday of an adorable little jester!  Oh, the characters who visited my home to help celebrate!  My house was filled with enchanted children, beautiful ladies and chivalrous gentlemen.  All weaved in and out through narrow passageways, smiles abounding.  Tempted by sugary confection, the littlest one couldn’t help but dive right in…

I have been overflowing with ideas for my shadow play.  These enchanting creatures whisper their dreams to me as I work to unveil their charming personalities to the world.  They become a part of an ongoing fairy tale.  Their stories only hinted at, possibly revealed over time.

It is a beautiful day in Michigan.  The proverbial calm before the storm.  The holiday storm, that is.  Very soon, a flurry of activity will begin and continue throughout the year’s end.  It will very likely be filled with elfin magic, marvelous journeys and scrumptious feasts.  I can hardly wait. 

In the meantime, I will be content to laze this day away with my cat Loki, who seems intent on contributing to this page.

Shadow Play

*****

Shadow is a colour as light is, but less brilliant; light and shadow are only the relation of two tones.

Paul Cezanne

 

I choose not to use many colors when I create my subjects.  It is the use of varying shades that create the 3-dimensional effect I am looking for.  If you view my pieces from across the room, you may believe you are looking at a photograph.  Upon closer inspection, however, you will see it is only an illusion. 

Autumn Walk

I have been enjoying the autumn weather.  I tend to wither when it's too hot and the frigid cold has never been a favorite.  The snowflakes in the air yesterday tell me it is at it's end and I want to post a few pics of my recent walks. 

being sincere

 
                                 *****

A sincere artist is not one who makes a faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries to create something which is, in itself, a living thing.   William Dobell


Quite frankly, I don't seem to have enough hours in the day to accomplish all of the ideas that are currently coming my way.  I sometimes wish sleep was optional.  I realize I don't blog as much as I should.  I get caught up in the creative process and although I do take many pics along the way, it usually takes them awhile to make it onto my pages.  Alas, I will try, yet again, to be better. 

 I was frankly a tad disappointed at not winning the CPS Artisan of the Year 2011 contest but in reality I am still thrilled at being one of the finalists.  I did make my goal and will be published in the Jan/Feb issue.  The fact is I don't know if I was ready to be Artisan of the Year because I am just hitting my stride and haven't been creating my unique collages for even a year yet.  I did, however, create the following piece just after finding out the results.  She is a new favorite.

Adding embellishments is becoming easier as I go.  I coffee dyed the vintage lace I used to enhance her skirt. 

 

One of these days, I will receive a comment on one of my posts.  Who will be the first one to break the silence?  All are welcome. 

 

And on that note...

 

 



 

Hope your Halloween was as curious as ours.