Friday, September 30, 2011

Circles!!

Circles... I have always loved circles... the continuous shape but always Open to more possibilities.
 
cir·cle  audio  (sûrkl) KEY

NOUN:
  1. A group of people sharing an interest, activity, or achievement: well-known in artistic circles.
  2. A circular course, circuit, or orbit: a satellite's circle around the earth.
  3. A sphere of influence or interest; domain.


Off to lunch with Kathy...from ROotie...down Pearl Street...was just talking out loud...what should I talk about in my blog this week?? Ohh look at these round berries!!...took a photo...
 

We decided to got to the Black Pearl for a bite (ok -really it was the truffle fries!)




Inside after a yummy lunch...humm what are those things??? Railroad wheel molds...took a photo...



hummm...starting to see a theme developing here- you???
Walking back to the studiOs...doggy bowl
 







 
 sidewalk art...self made from planters!

pOpped into the Ruffly Rose




Bought a really cute vintage aqua vase for ROotie...

back to ROotie...




cir·cle 
NOUN:

        4. a complete or recurring series, usually ending as it began; cycle; ...period.



Thursday, September 22, 2011

Missoni-Redo: Part 1

Missoni..oh the fervor...

I headed out with my Peep, Kathy, to Target on the the day (Sept 13th)...needless to say we missed it- ok- by two hours. But not to be discouraged, I said to Peep, this is just a challenge to use our imaginations!

Rapidly we jaunted over to the lingerie section and quickly plucked up a nightgown and a night top...close enough to wear as a dress and a shirt with a t-shirt underneath! 

Quick...ran over to the other departments and picked up odd pieces...when the going gets tough- we use our creative skills and expand our thinking...instead of it being the finished product it is- think of it as fabric... reuse-redesign. Over the next month or two I will be sharing what I did with these odd pieces to create something usable for us!

The Child's Little Dress:

Here it is in a size small- the only one
found it on a random shelf
 

Reuse the fabric to redesign as pillows!
Needed complimentary fabric for the sides and back.
Here is what I found- a wool with flower print.
It also has a weave of a paisley interspursed throughout. 

Also liked this above fabric because it continues 
with the circle design in the dining room rug.

Next cut the little dress into usable pieces.

Trim off the sides seams.

Pieces about ready to be sewn.
Decided to cut off the brown border...

Measured the pillow size for the backing
Marked the additional side piece for the front 
(adding 1/2" for seam allowance)
 
Finished and ready for action!!


Friday, September 16, 2011

School Days

Do you remember your first day of school? I do- kindergarten and Mrs. McCarrot- yes- really that was her name...young and sweet and had a glorious head of strawberry blonde hair that she wore in a bun!
I remember her sitting at the front of the classroom and all of us children sitting in a semi circle around her cross-legged on the floor. She read to us from a huge Dick and Jane book! I LOVED Dick and Jane...
So now time has passed...and it is Frances' time to go to school. I was fortunate enough to visit Frances' new school as the proud Auntie!!

A Place for Everything
Outside the Classroom

Entry to Frances' Classroom

Bright and Cheery Classroom
so much to see and do!

Helpers of the Day!

The all important-Playground

School Courtyard Statue

Off to lunch wearing Auntie Leslie's sunglasses
and showing here new little HK plaid pouch!
Frances' is one stylin' young lady!!
(btw- where did she learn to pose like that??)


Friday, September 9, 2011

to paint or not to paint...

We re-painted the entire inside of our house a couple of years ago...and when I choose paint, it takes me time to see what the color will do in different light. SO I get my samples, choose the colors I like and set them in each room to see  how they look at different times of the day. We have large windows and Denver is very sunny, so the light can change dramatically throughout the day. 

Another consideration is that our house floor plan is open, so all colors need to compliment one another. Here is what I chose a couple years ago and had all the areas painted in these colors...



So 2 years later I love all the colors...except just maybe...the kitchen color that wraps one wall into the dining area...it goes fabulously with my diningroom rug and the kitchen has black granite and birch cabinets. But the orange (topaz) is starting to wear on me a bit...I am thinking of re-painting but can't find another color that speaks to me.

Option 1:
Re-paint my kitchen..when I find another color I love!

Option 2:
So now I look at cabinets, and you know when you start thinking about it...all these like-things start to come your way! My friend Julie and I were emailing and she mentioned painting her cabinets...my hairdresser, Lisa- the same thing!! Lisa told be of this product by Rust'Oleum. WOW!! the transformations are incredible! Not so sure my husband would be up for me painting our cabinets- sticking this one on the back burner.
 ok- they did do a bit more than just painting the cabinets...

Option 3:
Back-splash. This could be it...although I don't want to do tile...something different. The other night Mark and I were out with friends at a new (hip) restaurant- Linger...I was looking around and they had these dividers for the service area. I didn't get up to look at them closley but from a distance I thought they were great- They seemed to be a scene of Mexico, Spain, Italy...somewhat watercolor-like 
and painted or printed on either glass or mat plexiglass...


So who knows what I will come  up with...maybe a bit of Option 1 and 3...but it is nice to lay it all out and share it with you!

UPDATE: Color possibilities! Not sure where to get this brands of paint..but sure like the colors!
Grey- the new blue...


THE FRESHAIRE CHOICE ORGANIC GARDEN FA064
 FINE PAINTS OF EUROPE SILHOUETTE GRAY







Friday, September 2, 2011

4 dolls

I have found that I like to put myself out there- challenge myself- it inspires great growth...and that can be a gift...and if it comes from the heart, everything will be ok...your care and love will shine though.

This past year, planning and chairing the NIADA Conference was just that...a great challenge. And with that great challenge came an unexpected gift of vintage Chinese dolls from the other NIADA Artists as a thank you. Whoa- I just can't imagine a better sweeter gift...

ok, so I know a bit about vintage pieces, having collected them for years...my guess was Chinese...the ones on the left older- maybe 40's...the ones on the right 50's. I knew they were souvenir dolls...so I set out to find info about them to share with you.

Road block...nothing really (hummm I thought everything was on the Internet!!). Then, I remembered a shop we have here in Denver, Turn of the Century Antiques! Not far from my studio and if I remember correctly they have dolls. 

Packed up my little ones and off I went...did I say dolls?? Oh man...I meant heaven...they have vintage and antique dolls of wonderful quality.

I unpacked my little dolls and Sally helped me...not too much more information but a kindred spirit of Asian (Japanese to be precise) dolls. She said my little ones where older- 20's-30's for the ones of the left and probably 40's for the ones on the right. The older ones where made in China while the right ones where made in Japan- makes sense to me because of the time period of Japanese imports at that time.

But what was so fabulous was the sharing of her cloth Japanese dolls, did I say I was drooling by that time?? She showed me the Japanese dolls that she has for sale...1800 to 1940's Friendship dolls (see my posting here). With every adventure comes a renewal...more information to be a better doll artist!

I decided that these dolls needed a little tender loving care. (*Side note: when restoring- check the value of your doll carefully, I would not refinish body or mend/change clothing on any doll of great value.) Since these dolls will probably be with me for the rest of my life and only of tremendous value to me personally, I did restore them- a bit...

 gently removed some of the clothing
notice the little squeaker box on his tummy!
 carefully re-strung...
 
 My new little ones- 
*touched up the chipped paint faces, shoes, 
re-braided hair, mended clothing.

I just love them so and am going to have my wood-guy, Gary, make little bench for them to sit upon. I will hang them in my house and just delight in the meaning of friendship in which they were given!!

Who knew when I was presented with these dolls that I would have so much fun trying to find their history that I would happen upon another person with the same great love of Asian pieces!  

AND if you know any more about these dolls, 
I would love to hear from you!

A drop of water shall be
returned with a burst of spring

Chinese Proverb


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...