Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Messing About

Well - I took out the vinyl tablecloth left over from Brownie craft time and decided to make a mess. I looked through my supply laden office and came across an over-abundance of "chipboard" (purchased at a rubber stamp convention over 2 years ago and still in the original bag). Thinking of a shadow box idea I used a ruler as a guide to cut the bottom of the box - 1" by 3" and to cut the clear acetate cover (slightly smaller). After stamping, watercoloring and cutting the Acey Deucy image to size, I constructed the sides and top. Dropped in a few pearls and beads and other fun things - decided I needed to adhere the dragonfly in a strategic place - then learned the hard way to mask off the acetate - especially before using wall spackle....yes girls, spackle.....to seal the "box" and smush in some tiny beads. After the spackle got a little drier, I used acrylic metallic paint in copper, silver, black and a tiny bit of gold and covered all sides. After the spackle and paint were dry, I carefully removed the piece of correction tape from the acetate. I'm not sure whether to use it as a magnet or put a pin back on it - but it was fun to make.........no - I didn't measure anything except to use the ruler as an eyeball guide.


Sunday, August 17, 2008

Anitra's Cute Art World ~ "Mr. Otis Toad"

All I can say about the talented and generous artist Anitra Williams is W♥W and W♥W. My little man (he's 5) named the toad in my slide show "Otis" - as he names every toad he befriends. Anitra has taken Otis into another world - we are so thrilled - please check out her blogspot - http://cuteartworld.blogspot.com/ - and read the poem she wrote to accompany this collage.........and prepare to be transported into Anitra's fantastical art world.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Summer blooms - an accidental gardener

After the snowiest winter on record and the 3rd rainiest summer ever in Vermont - I am truly grateful for the spirit lifting hues of my no-maintenance perennial garden....in fact, I am an "accidental gardener". I have no talent for it, no knack - I'm a dreaded "black thumb". Almost all the flower beds were lovingly planted many years ago by another woman who lived in this farmhouse. I had nothing to do with this bounty, I haven't touched them for fear I'd pull a weed that was something unrecoverable.

I wanted to share some of the recent photos I took (check out the slide show)- however, I think the blue hydrangea would be beautiful to use as a collage background....hint hint.....just my little tribute to a short, wet, but exquisitely colorful summer...