Old town Omaha, Nebraska
Creature Feature
Studio photos
Embellishing with Tyvek
Having fun experimenting with Tyvek.
I will be teaching a class on Tyvek in May, 2009 at the Great American Quilt Factory in Denver, CO, so I’m playing beyond my hearts content. Exploring controlling heated Tyvek to creating with the uncontrolled heated results opens up infinate options for creations.
The above sunflower petals, leaves and stalks were controlled. They were painted and cut before heating with an iron.
This morning I began working on an abstract face using random pieces of uncontrolled Tyvek. I hope to have a composition to show by the end of this week.
So let go of expectations and get your self some Tyvek and play play play.
Sis photo
Sis and the brood got to traipse through the park today. She was lucky enough to snap this photo of the resident deer.
So all winter long we have received next to nothing by way of snow in the greater Denver, CO area. Thankfully we are making up for it in April.
Update on this little fellow. I eyeballed him for months, every morning and every evening to and from home to studio. After finally stopping on the side of the road to take his picture, he disappeared. It was after a major snow and I wonder if his disappearance was due to snow plows. But now my daily drives are empty and sad.
Emergence
Emerging from winter to welcome the promise of spring.
The warmth of the sun melting snow into our parched earth.
Peeps of green tomorrow.
lost soul?
or an artist’s statement on land management?
I pass this sad lonely creature everyday on the way to the studio. I actually had a dream that a Cristo-type artist used these tigers on a large installation. There were hundreds of them on metal fence posts spanning nearly a half mile. A visual imprint on my subconscious? or a frightening commentary on the decline of natural habitats?
New Obie Brood
Three new Obie creatures waiting to go out into the beautiful wide world to experience life. Caesar is the one on the upper left (name given by SwirlyGirl, thank you). But the other two are awaiting names and adventures.
Wouldn’t it cool if they looked like this: 
I’m just saying…
Great Sock creature book
New library find. This book on sock creatures has fabulous pictures and Daniel’s creatures have lots of personality. I highly recommend it. It also has projects, but the photos are excellent.
I would love to tease you with a couple samplings, but I don’t think it’s allowed. It’s library call number (DD) is 745.59221. I hope you check it out and enjoy. love (and librarys) michele
Failures good and not so
I was just asked how I’ve ‘learned so much’. The truth is I let myself fail everyday. It is my belief we must allow ourselves to fail. Remember it is the successes that are seen in publications and on display. I would like to see a failure next to every success in a magazine or gallery. That would be uplifting. The magazines with the amazing studio spaces and journal pages are a disservice.
Have you every taken a class or workshop and been next to someone who is not loving their project, and you love what they are making, and you look at them quizzically? What’s their problem? It looks really cool. Expectations. We go into all projects hoping for the awesome breakthrough masterpiece. Stop it!
Remember some brave souls had the “what if” when they played with tyvek, nappie liners, heat, paint, etc. They certainly didn’t say “I’m going to melt this odd product and create my Mona Lisa. Take it to their next level and share your ideas and failures with others. Evolution is powerful.
And volume is key. The more you create, odds get better you will have more success. It’s mathematical.
Now if you are still with me and my lengthy diatribe, I apologize for my failure to treat the sibs to an outing Sunday. I failed to live up to the tradition of daylight savings. I wanted to go my own way: I saved the entire weekend. I slept nearly the whole 48 hours. I apologize for not getting new collages into the on-line store: I’m a hedonist and find no pleasure in editing photos. Sorry. My word for 2009 is Commit. I’m failing there. That is not so good.
What will you discover?
by: Terri Stegmiller
Discover what there is to discover.
Terri Stegmiller made me this beautiful art quilt. Together with Sue Bleiweiss they put out an amazing on-line publication Fibre and Stitch. I urge you to check it out. It has a bonanza amount of information in each issue.
I issue a challenge to all: How much can you discover this month? Some ideas to get you started:
Discover what 8 hours of sleep feels like.what would happen if you played hookie from work on the 1st day of Spring. how your garden photographs on St. Patrick’s day. how decadent a donut would be every Friday morning. how much joy fresh flowers in your kitchen would bring. Give it a try and let me know what you discover.
bad dreams
Recently, Sis has been teased about her teeth. Someone must be jealous. They are her finest feature. I overheard her telling Bro about the teasing and a nightmare she had as a result. Apparently, she dreamed of mass destruction. It was a dream wasn’t it?
Love Jim Dine
blue skinny by myc
Is it any wonder that the heart lives on in cliche infamy? In infinite shapes, colors and mediums, it is recognizable world wide.
My heart’s desire for hearts was sparked by the artist Jim Dine. Anyone familiar with his works? Please google him. I linked to only one site with a delightful sampling of his works, but there is so much more. I wish someone would publish a book of his art. Simple and lovely.
Bat cave extrodinaire
what a girl wants
Baddy Betty came to us after high winds in Colorado. Either she has lost her way or decided dreary caves were not her cup of tea. Velvet suits her.
living vicariously
Collectively, human beings have an obligation to share experiences. Teaching, entertaining, provoking. It is why we read, watch, listen, learn; experiencing what we ourselves have not. Alternately, is that not why we create?
Tracy B. is set for a fabulous trip to Italy, then sailing on to Croatia. How awesome is that? To encourage her to share every acceptable experience with us, I have sent my first creature child out into the world. Her name is Adriana. I will be observing her experiences from afar. The newly expanded Borders family is living in Washington, and will be traveling to Europe this spring. I eagerly anticipate all that they will see, and what I will be privileged to see through their eyes.
Adriana hanging out at the studio before leaving the nest
So far Adriana is being treated to lovely sites and fun experiences that can be followed on Tracy’s blog; I hope you join me in watching her life unfold. I would love to make it a requirement that all my future creatures share their lives with us all.(What do you say Fannie? are you game?)
To show my appreciation, we created the above personalized ceramic dish for Tracy. I hope she likes it and puts it to good use.
shamless Sibs plug
Since I’ve been neglectful of my embellishment collage cards, and only playing with the siblings, I’m consolidating:
enlisting the big brother of Hobie Obie (he has no name yet, any suggestions?) to help me announce a February sale.
For every collage card purchased from the On-line store, I will include a second collage free. The second surprise collage will be of similar size or similar theme. Therefore, I pledge to list many more options in the store during this new week.
exposed
Scolded by my brother for not posting regularly. We upgraded with WordPress and I’m a slow learner. On Sunday I created a new page for the Sib’s Sunday instead of a new post.
Rejected by Somerset Studios, again. This time without a note of encouragement to keep submitting.
Haven’t heard anything from a place I’m trying to get a supplemental job.
Trying to woo a house-mate to help with expenses. Feeling vulnerable, a little naked.
However, one art project might end up in Somerset Studios special publication: Black and White. One of my creatures, Hobie Obie’s sister, Adriana has a fabulous new home and she has adapted right in. She now lives with a delightfully creative soul, The Squiggle Chick. I hope you’ll visit with her often.
So I’ll assuage my self pity party and go have a wee little drink tonight. Join me?
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