Monthly ATC Invite- July Garden Calendar

Here we are again - ANOTHER month just flown right by....I just got my ATC for Penny's monthly challenge done in time...

I found this great ad in a 1948 women's magazine - love her hat. Unfortunately both the wallpaper in the background and the ad itself were on pretty brittle paper so had a couple of accidents. Still I like how it turned out. Enjoy. Jewels. 

Weekend Art Date

Yesterday I went to the 51st Annual Greater Michigan Art Exhibition here in Midland with my friend Marilyn (who is quite the gifted photographer by the way). My drawing teacher had a piece in as well as other local artists I know (apologize I did not pics for them all)...

Margaret Vega Recoleta Stone Angel Oil

What a great display...

Lon Baker Basket Weave Illusion Wood

A wide variety of media - 

Douglas LaFerle "Mad Science" Excellence in Creativity Award

My photographs (illegal it turns out LOL) hardly do these pieces justice

Paul Beyer "Parade Rest" Watercolour

Wonder why I liked this one? ;)

Tana Tapson The Singer Oil

This painting (not a photo) got a Juror's Recognition award..

Melanie Morris Home Is Where the Heart Is Paper

I was totally fascinated by this piece as it is all made from paper ephemera with some embellishments like old lace

I think the artist made individual blocks first

incorporating old letters, photos, really well done

Deborah Hyde Sunlight & Shadow Turquoise Fibers

This artist really blew me away 

Yes this is a quilt - tiny fabric squares brought together to form the image 

Deborah Hyde, Jeanne Fibers

This piece to which won the Excellence in Technique award - no kidding! This piece is 79" x 57" which gives you an idea of the amount of work that went into it!!!!
If your local get over to the Midland Center for the Arts before the exhibit ends on August 8th. And be prepared for the noise coming from the Bob the Builder hands on exhibit next door (LOL) - there were a lot of little munchkins running around having a blast.

I got inspired to do a quick piece myself last night (ha, ha not quite on par with what I saw earlier in the day).  Enjoy. Jewels

Seriously...

..."I didn't think anyone would want those old photos" said the young girl at the check out....

...sound of jaw (mine) dropping to ground...

...an instant family of sorts...

...including one young man...

...with an odd hair do - but nice eyes...

...do you think they are all related?..

...or maybe the same person over time? ...

...now she is a real cutie pie...

...but SERIOUSLY!!!...4 dollars!!! the Thrift Gods were on my side today lol. Enjoy. Jewels

Tag Tuesday - Shore Birds

Tag Tuesday's theme this week is Sea Birds. A while back I thrifted a complete set of 1920 Universal Encyclopedia of Ready Reference which has some great illustrations. 

One page had Shore Birds - I loved the sepia colours which reminded me of sand. I tried something new using a piece of corrugated cardboard for the background. I stitched the original illustration to the background along with some scrap paper and vintage lace. I added the buttons as a final embellishment. Enjoy. Jewels

As seen on TV...

...but available at my local grocery store.

You know what they say - necessity is the mother of invention (really?).

I am hopeless with hard boiled eggs

...so thought these might be the answer.

The shape is a little odd - but heh - it works.
And that is as egg-citing as it gets for me these days (har, har - at this point my friends and family should really be worrying LOL)...Jewels

Tag and ATC and Journal

Where to begin...well today is Tag Tuesday and the theme is Swimming. As soon as I saw this one I knew exactly what I wanted to do...I grew up on the Great Lakes - Lake Huron to be exact - in Canada. On the shore line is a park called Canatara (which means Blue Water) which we went to many times when I was young.

I have this great picture of my pretty Mum (probably late 50's early 60's) sitting on the beach (with her purse LOL). I tinted with chalk, used stickles for bling and some text I found in one of my scrap boxes. Sweet eh!

Over my vacation I also did some artsy things - including this "flawless design" ATC using some scrap from experimenting I was doing (yes they are right - keep it all because you never know). I believe she is from an old McCalls Magazine (I think the flowers tucked in her waist was a photographer's after thought, ha) . So what is that background you ask (LOL)....

Well I prepped my "first" art journal - using what I had (essentially water colour paint from the dime store in town, too funny - I would not vouch for its "archival" properties). I managed to bring brushes and gesso and stamps and ink  - but no paint! 

But I actually like how the colours turned out - what do you think? Unfortunately my pics don't show them well...

Hold on - that ATC has potential on this spread...

And what about my tag here? I can do some journaling  beside it about going to the park...How serendipitous (big word for the day)! Argh, now I have to do the rest of the pages... Enjoy. Jewels

I'M FAMOUS! (sort of)

One of my favorite blogs is Ephemeraology. I love to see the "collections" of ephemera that Mel shares on a regular basis (though I don't know where she stashes it all). Everything from matchbook covers, to grocery store ads, to food wrappers, to blueprints to....well the list just goes on and on. And she makes great art work from it all...
Recently Mel invited folks to share what they do with emphemera - and why they are hooked. Well I did and I am today's (July 4th) highligted art-tist (LOL). Go take a peek - she is very kind about the stuff I do especially compared to the other folks she is showcasing. Enjoy. Jewels
P.S. VERY HOT AND HUMID here at the cottage but still a wonderful break!

Down Time

Its cottage time again - looking forward to a little break - it is odd this year with today being Canada Day (HURRAH!) and Wednesday being the Fourth of July. 

No matter - cottage time is cottage time. I'm heading out Monday for the big border crossing and a whopping big overdose of my favorite country (no bias there, LOL). 

For those of you travelling this week - be safe! Jewels