Good Friday funny

So my six year old son woke up this morning to a rainy and gloomy Good Friday. He came down stairs and said grumpily mommy it's all yucky outside - that's not good!! I said no not really. He proceeded to ask me " then why does my calender say it's good Friday cuz it's not! ;)

Actually it have me a perfect opening to discuss the meaning of Good Friday and Easter. So it turned out in fact to be a good Friday after all.

Vintage Sewing Shadow Box

I created this shadow box style creation for my boss Amy who loves all things vintage but especially vintage sewing items. I found several treasures including vintage needle cases, ruler from 1945 - a thin metal one - and a stuffed dog with a clothe measuring tape that - let's say appeared from the rear! I used some old hook and eye cards, needles, buttons, safety pin, and labels plus some vintage images from www.thevintageworksop.com together with the frame which I found on clearance at Joann's. The fabric is the base us created with was a tea dyed piece of cotton canvas. I added some Bible verse from a vintage book to complete the piece! I think Amy loved it! The pictures aren't the best but I think it gives you the overall look and feel.

Doing it for me and being okay with that

So I've been experimenting with techniques this past few days for my altered art pages. Trying to find my style and seeing how things work. What I'm finding is this annoying need to share my art for validation - we love it - yet being nervous they won't like it! How did this happen - where did this need come from?

Mom always taught me I could do anything. Growing up I was just treated and expected to act like a smart capable liberated woman who could take care if herself, didn't need a man or anyone else to take care of me. Independent. Strong. Creative. Talented. I never thought i was too egotistical about it - maybe a little bit of a smartie pants. But never doubted myself or my abilities.

Art makes me feel vulnerable and in need of validation. Hmmm...maybe it's my inner child acting up. I get it now...art is therapy! It helps me to deal with deep feelings that are too messy to deal with in the open.

I'm finding just the act of creating fun. I'm still working on the it's okay if no one else gets it part.

I'll post pics of a shadow book I made later. It's a gift but I live the way it turned out! Amy I hope you love it too.

Cute Babies with Cute Blankets

Here are the promised pictures of the blanket's I crocheted - okay mostly it's pictures of my best friend's cute baby girls sitting on them. I love that they have had pictures taken with them - of course, their mom, Rebecca (my best friend since third grade!!!) is a photographer (and a great one btw). She just told me today that their little hats don't fit them anymore. It's okay. She can save them and pass them down through the years - and the best goes on!!!

Here you go - Aren't they adorable?











I've also decided to make my sister an altered art photo album for Easter/Birthday Gift. I hope she loves it. It's turning out great.

Three More Altered Pages

I'm created three new pages of my Altered Book to share. So I began thinking I had a theme and now I guess I don't because I've just been going where my creative spirit sends me. It's got vintage, sewing, found object. I just love this outlet for expressing my creative side. It has given me the happiest weekend I've had in a long while. I have found some true peace!!! So here are my pages. I hope you love them as much as I'vd loved making them.

Cheryl

Altered Art Pages

Here are the altered book pages I just finished. What do you think? Be honest cuz I am not totally happy with these but it's my first attempt so I think they are not too bad. Some are in process pages and some are finished.



This is page one. I added a big red button to the bird nest of twine after the pic was taken.



This is page two.



This is a collage of sheet music.



This is the sheet music page finished also known as page three. The top caption reads Gather Compliments and the bottom one reads Reap what you sew.

More to come...

How Many UFO's Makes You a Real Crafter

So I know most sewing and crafting people know what UFO's are - I had never heard of this term until I read about it in Quilter's Home Magazine (which I absolutely love!!!). Un Finished Objects. I'd heard of unfinished projects - did I mention I grew up with a seamstress mom whom I'm now convinced has ADD - too much creative juice, too little time!!!! Currently she has embroidery projects, sewing projects, and I think she said five crocheting projects all going at the same time. She assures me that with age comes finishing, but I giggled at that. Yeah, right!!!

So tonight I plan on starting another one -altered art. I've found a wonderful Yahoo Group called Altered Book Club. Where have they been all my life??? I love the collage work and how you are so free to create something from the heart...no rules, no directions, no seams to keep straight, no fitting to worry about. It's pure art and I think it's right up my alley. So tonight I'm going to start on my book pages. I think I'd like to do something Van Gogh as I'm currently in love with Starry Night. Speaking of unfinished projects, I have a large project already working for this topic. I'm workin on a quilt with a large applique section for Starry Night in the middle with embroidered blocks in blue work and nine patchs around the edges. I've finished the applique and am in process on the embroidery. If I find the time tonight, maybe I'll take some pictures and post them.

I'll definitely take process pictures of my altered adventure tonight. Let's see if I can up my UFO #'s!! Later!