Mother Nature---are you happy now? AND My Thread Spool Doll

Hello there, I have been tardy sorry about that.   Been doing whatever relaxed retired people do.   What you may ask is that?  Don't know just enjoying the moment and being sort of bums without any stress.  Hummmm that may be it.   

Now I don't know about  y'all but I know dear Mother Nature has been sort of ugly to us.   I have a ciggie/silkie done of her and thought maybe I will do a Crazy Quilt block of her.  Maybe to sooth the feathers so to speak.    I had her almost done and then ugly weather again including snow in May and in Montana and Northern New Mexico.  So I got the block out and finished her.

Here's to you Mother Nature.   Love ya gal and your weather changes but time to go into normal weather and semi retire on the bad weather for a while.

So here she is.  Sorry about the Watermark but sometimes you have to protect part of your work.    Any who, I added organza to the wings and some fancy dancy thread, gave this Mother Nature some bling on her crown.   I think I almost saw a smile when I finished her.   The golds and rusts I usually don't use a lot of but with that glorious red hair it just called for it.  

Here is the whole block finished.  I got to thinking what if she gets mad because I didn't share the whole block?     I did use some silk sari ribbon I had and the trim at the top left has mirrors in it, just something fun.  The black pretties on the right is from a bracelet I deconstructed ( how do you like that word instead of tearing up? ) from an estate sale. 

Now I also did a little shadow  box, my first and have been looking at Diane Salters beautiful work and thought ok it looks like fun and I want to play this week so here it is and I hope I will explain the  steps as my mind led me.


Here is the finished box.   Well not actually a box but an 8x8 deep ( 1 1/2 inch ) canvas and this is the back side.  With the wood etc showing.  I got out my craft black acrylic paint and painted this little thing stem to stern   Inside, outside anything that showed white.  

I then gathered and gathered all that I could think of that might go with some kind of a theme.   I did discover lo and behold I don't have enough stuff!!!! Yes you read that correctly.  More stuff.   I use to have lots of little things when I had my photography business but gave them all away.   Oh well don't want to be a hoarder but a semi one would be nice.  So off to the store with a good excuse to buy.  My motto has been    SHOP TIL YOU DROP, SPEND TIL THE END AND BUY TIL YOU DIE  or some such wording like that.   Hubby is so patient and just reads a book when we go this kind of shopping and then of course I am exhausted and we have to eat lunch out somewhere.  Isn't that the rules?   Mine anyway.  

After gathering things I measured the paper width I wanted to use and thumbing thru what I had a decision was made.  All the paper was then cut to where it wanted to go.  I even cut a piece for the back as well as the sides on the inside.  I didn't not glue yet even though I wanted to incase I changed my mind.  We ladies do that you know.  A lot. 

I am doing this for a special Princess so here goes.   I found the doll head thingie at Michaels.  It was a head with some little things fastened to it.   I took the gold crown with "diamonds" off of a necklace and used a lot of E6000 glue throughout the whole piece of art.    I then gathered some sparkled tulle and put around the empty spool of thread and glued some lace at the neck also and then tied ribbon and a bling button on this .  So far this is all I glued together.  

I placed and placed again and finally came up with a design I liked. 

 I did use Modge Podge for the paper though.   A friend told me when I was having troubles with air bubbles, thank you Janet, that to coat the paper and the base and you will be good to go.   But don't glue on yet.   Then I placed things and replaced them until I was again happy with it all.  THEN GLUE!!!!!   First the paper, then the pretties one at a time.  

A close up of the paper sparkle flowers and a broken pin for more sparkle.   Old jewelry works wonders.  Something no one wants anymore finds it's way here and I just reuse like crazy.   I even cut the jewelry apart at times.

 

Now this butterfly was bright red so with some glue and pink glitter it doesn't scream out at you.  Just an accent.   The ballerina is one of those birthday things you use to fancy up a cake.  Several years ago I received 2 of them in a kit I got and thought what am I going to do with these little things?   TaDaaaaaa   now I know.  Looks girly to me. 

 

The side of the canvas/box and I did cut all the paper a tad smaller so the black would show, I thought it gave it a good look.

 

 

 

I found some of the metal tags by Tim Holtz and they were perfect for little messages. 

 

So here it is again.  I hope my meandering thoughts will help anyone who wants to make one.  

 

So THANK YOU  Diane Salter for inspiring me.   Now I need to go to flea markets and pick up oldies but goodies for more of these little boxes.  It was really fun.     I did add a little guardian Angel at the top of the box just for special   I Love You.  

 

Now one more piece.  I am finishing up this front of a purse, using the wonderful Shibori Ribbon.. I found a piece that I had that was purple.   Now this is the same Ciggie/silkie I used on  another purse front but that is the only repeat.  I just don't like to make two things alike.  In fact I don't think you can.  Your mood or circumstances are different and they just don't turn out the same.  You can use the same elements but nope-nada they will not be the same.  

 

 

Alright that is my doings for a while.   This time of year the yard calls you and my goodness our is yelling at us.  What we usually do in March and April is just now getting done.  We love it though and really don't complain about the yard work.  We would like it to be lush but being in West Texas and a tremendous drought we are fine with it all.    Like I said the weather has been horrible with winds that howl and cold and you may remember we don't like cold.  

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.  

 

XOXOOX

Annette

 

New CQ Purse Finds a New Home

   

Hello and happy Friday or whatever day you read this.  Another week has flown by and have gotten a little done besides just rearranging my ever changing art room.  Moving paints from one container to another and threads here and there.  The usual Nana shuffle as I call it.  I always think I am going to----GASP- throw something away but I just rearrange it.  Looks different so should work also.   Right?  

 

Now when I start a new project I have to get my art room tidy and ready to go again don't know why but I do.   Then some of my rearranging is like hide and seek when hunting for my "stuff" I use.  I think why did I move it around but seems like a good idea at the time.   I have a rule that when something is lost it is usually within 18 inches of where I am standing or sitting.   Now when I do my messy work, painting etc I stand.  Yep stand, maybe I will grow taller?  I don't know but that is my work stance.  Doing the needle work though is in the chair beside hubby sitting or wallowing in the chair.   That chair, you can't sit comfortable in it, you have to wallow in it.   Don't know if it is me or the chair.   Probably me, kind of when babies a learning to sit and they seem to have round little bottoms and just tip over?  That may be my problem come to think about it.

I wanted to share the newest, hot off the press purse I just did and it sold instantly but did remember to take pics.  I forget to do that sometimes do you do that?

So with no further ado here goes the purse.

I at first was going out of character and printed this faerie lighter than usual and was going to  do a paler than usual purse or square.   So I tried and it was not working.  I remember Pat Winter telling us you need to go with colors you like.  I do like the softer colors and  the art created with the fabrics like that are beautiful and I think I can do that I know I can--- but the purse was fighting me tooth and nail.  So I just went with my usual bright colors and the whole piece just flowed.   I should have listened to Pat in the first place.   Sorry MB.  

 

I had to try some of the fancy smancy  Shibori ribbon going with the pleats and all.. I think it is so pretty and you just go with it and play and see where it leads you.  

I used part of a "prom" earring like the girls wear to prom and thought this will go perfect with this heart I had. 

 

I had received this beautiful green medallion from a sweet friend  and just hated to use it and it would be gone so I just cut it in half and now I have another one to use on one more piece of CQ.   Of course had to put bling on it and the roses just went with it perfectly.   

 

I tried my had a dying some of the lace and this little flower did perfect and enhanced of course with  beads and flowers and some of Geraldine's glitzy trim she sent me.  

 

 

I added to the back some crochet that I had picked up at an Estate sale to make a pocket for cell phones.  I know peps don't like to be very far from their phones.  Ready for a quick draw.   Now our phone, stays in the car when we are out and somewhere in the house when we are in the house.  

 

Kind of the scoop of the whole business put together. 

 

Here it is the finished piece.  Well I did add some more Jesse James beads to it on the side but I added a gusset around like the boho bags so it will hold more stuff.  Then did a body cross over strap and it is good to go.  It is purchased and now off to Europe for 6 weeks.  I guess I should have sent more cards with the lady who purchased it?   Naw just making them one at a time while watching baseball is good enough for me.  I did fall in love with it and thought oh I want this but a sweet friend wanted it if the new owner didn't .  So will start a new one, same Faerie, she loves this Faerie and different every where else.  

 

Love love love doing this CQ art, almost and I say almost better than eating chocolate cake.    So will be off and piece the new one and maybe get to start on it tomorrow. Baseball season is upon us and there is lots of games and lots of time to do the CQ.

 

There you go what is going on in my world today and thanks for stopping by.

 

OXXOXO

Annette