Two days in a row!

Now let us return to the cool, crisp days of autumn--and my October Bead Journal Project. I worked virtually every day on the bead-encrusted border, and completed that part somewhere around Oct 25th. The remaining fiber art part of the project is, however, as yet incomplete--still, I wanted to share the beading with you.


The Sabbat that falls in October is of course none other than Samhain (pronounced SOW-in)--or Halloween. Prior to starting this project, I had been looking through back issues Somerset Studio to get holiday card inspiration. I stumbled across an article where all of the projects were done with a yellow, orange, red and indigo pallet and the colors just jumped out at me! I knew I wanted to use this color scheme in something--then, as I was discussing ideas with myself in my journal, the "AH HA!" moment hit!

This months technique is bead embroidery/encrusting--I absolutely adore the texture in this technique and while it is very time consuming, i would definately do it again!! For additional detail photos, check out my picturetrail.

Well, it certainly has been quite a long time since my last post. I was so excited that it was the beginning of my most favorite month of the year--i do love October--mine and my daughter's birthdays are in October--i love the fall colors--and of course, Halloween.



Unfortunately, in the middle of this October, I became a victim of the collapsing economy and I lost my job. Everything in my life seems rather unstable these days, so I am grateful for the ability to create. Art is an outlet and it is therapeutic.

The cover of the current issue of Cloth Paper Scissors caught my eye the minute I pulled it from my mailbox--it held a picture of the most adorable, sparkly snowmen made from re purposed bottles--I knew I had to make some of my own!

If you know me, then you know I hoard all sorts of things that I anticipate being included in some fantastic project--sometimes I have an idea of what I will do with the treasures, other times I simply must save them, knowing that their purpose will reveal itself to me eventually.

A variety of spice jars, the tins from tealight candles, funny little metal things i can't describe and all sorts of artsy odds and ends came together in a swirl of frost and snow (ok, maybe it was glitter) to remake themselves as thirteen "Snowpeeps" :)

Through a newsletter from a local stamp and scrapbook store, I discovered that one of my favorite artists, Tim Holtz, was doing "12 Tags of Christmas" on his blog. I adore all of his techniques and while I don't have ALL of his products, I simply couldn't resist trying my hand at this tag!!

So, Happy Mid-December, and I will try not to stay away so long ;)

October!!!!

YAY!!! I'm so excited that October is here!!! The best month in the the year!!! Beautiful fall colors!! Mine AND my Emma's birthdays!! Crisp cool weather!!! And the biggest and bestest--HALLOWEEN!!!! This weekend the decor will literally explode around the house!! In addition, I have plans for re-decorating Emma's room---are you out there Emma??? Start thinking about what you want to do!!!

I've started on holiday card designs, and my October BJP is ready to get under way!

Let October begin!!!

September BJP Complete!!

Wow! I finished my page with time still left in the month! I am, however still working on her permanent home--i've decided to build her a shrine :)

While Samhain and Yule are two of my favorite celebrations--Mabon holds the most personal meaning for me. The celebration of the Autumnal Equinox ushers in the start of fall (my FAVORITE season) and the zodiac sign Libra (which I am). I reflect each year with the balance of night and day, on the balance I seek in my life.

This month's page pays homage to the colors and bounty of fall, and the goddess holds the Libran scales of balance. The beading techniques I worked with were bead embroidery (running stitch and couching) and french beaded flowers.

the ideas for Oct, Nov and Dec pages are already flowing!! Have to write and draw it all out before they escape me!

For additional detail photos, please visit my picturetrail: mariasangel

September BJP coming along!

This month's beady project is coming along nicely! Time consuming, but I'm really enjoying it! I've been practicing my bead embroidery on the letters, and I've started making some French beaded flowers (still to be finished and attached--) I think at this point, I am about half way through--please leave comments and let me know what you think and any suggestions!

Pocket Dollies

It certainly feels good to have gotten a considerable amount of art done this weekend! I've been very eager to continue on this month's BJP, but I had a swap to complete--so that is what i did! YAY! I had to make nine dollies based on a pattern sent to us by the swap hostess. Mine are inspired by the Russian nesting dollies, but since they are flat, thay have a pocket on the front and on the back. In the front pocket is a mini paper dollie and in the back pocket is a tag with the artist's info on the back.

Still figuring this blog stuff out & the BJP!

Ok--i have to say I am REALLY excited that I figured out how to add buttons to my blog! Woohoo! and it actually works!! :D

So, August has come and gone and I've written next to nothing--shared no pictures--I went into August with many fears that I won't get into, but it is now September and things are ok...

So back to that button I added--yes folks, I've joined a year-long project! I hear you gasping in surprise--"You?? the one with a thousand and one WIPS and UFOs???" yeah--me--so it will be a challenge! I'm always game for a challenge!!! For your part, you head shaking sceptics, I expect you to encourage me, hound me and in general mock me if it seems that i am losing ground with this project!! Can you handle it??

I've started an actual journal to accompany this project, and have been writing down plans (which have already changed several times) sketching out ideas and basically talking to myself--so right now, here is what i know so far:

1. my theme will be the Wheel of the Year, with the additional four months being the elements (air, fire, water and earth)
2. as a mixed media and textile/fiber artist, each month's piece will incorporate a different beading technique as embellishment on a fiber art collage
3. the main "page" per month will be in the Gothic arch shape, 10" tall by 6"wide at the base. This will be the center arch of a triptych--

I have my ideas ready to go for September's arch, and am currently working on this and trying to finish up a swap that is due the 15th--yikes--no more swaps after this :D

Seriously--i will get some photos up soon :D

funny how the universe works

I'm not sure that it surprises me exactly, but i do take pleasure in the universe proving that which i have learned about it. In this case, I am referring to how things always balance out--this morning i was greatly annoyed while waiting for my coffee and yogurt parfait at McDonald's. Some young dopey kid who was obviously in his own world, oblivious to the fact that other people ordered food before him and were waiting, grabbed MY food and walks off--dummy--a few minutes later, he walks back and drops my stuff on the counter and says "oh-i grabbed the wrong food"--i just couldn't help myself "yeah--smooth" i said very sarcastically--

so anywho, I head out with my order and begin my short trek to the office. While I was walking, i notice a lady keeping stride with me and looking over at me--and then she starts talking to me--asking if i had any trouble from last night's storm and we got into a mini conversation--i don't know if she thought she knew me or just felt like chatting, but after i turned the corner I did feel better--by the time I got to work, I realized that I had just experienced the balancing act of the universe---guess i wasn't meant to start the day annoyed...lol...

i'm always seeking balance--not surprising for a Libra--and to balance out my unloved-of-late-blog, I promise I'll post more art soon--I actually have been working on things and have an entire tirade about ufos and wips---soon my lovelies--soon---

My Daughter, My Muse

This weekend turned out to be highly productive artwise. i focused quite a bit on my art journal-finishing several pages-printed photos and pressed leaves and flowers for my garden journal-started cutting pages and backgrounding (i love inventing new words) the covers for a spiritual journey journal-and worked on some backgrounds a la the current issue of Cloth Paper Scissors.




















While working on the backgrounds, my daughter stopped in for a visit--she perched herself on the exercise ball that i use as a chair at my sewing table--and bounced and chatted while i arted--in her teenage lingo, "Sweet!" told me she liked my results--she also offered suggestions, and instinctively knew to "add some of the orange paint there." I loved her little visit, and the collaboration--the backgrounds she offerend suggestions on will become the covers for the spiritual journey journal. It means a lot to me knowing such a meaningful journal begins with creative energy from both of us. If I may be so bold as to borrow the words of the young, thanks, Emma. You Rock!

more journal pages

Another prompt was to cut random words from printed sources--it did not surprise me that the words I "randomly" chose fit my feelings quite well--I stitched an additional fold-out page for a total of 4 hearts

i've come to the conclusion i hate the way this program uploads and arranges/rearranges photos and text...

Fear Journal pages

Several weeks and many summer activities have kept me from all of my creative endeavours. My gardens are doing quite well, and the final phases of planting are complete! Today I have finally been able to sit down and work on some art journal pages that are long overdue. I'm currently waiting for Golden soft gel medium to dry on new pages, so I will post the completed ones for now. I've decided to use this art journal as a way to try out new techniques and supplies--so far, i really like the soft gel medium and crumpling tissue paper to be glued down for backgrounds. the pop-up is neat, but i don't think i would do them too often--well maybe in altered books...lol...while i haven't used it in the journal yet, I also like painting on bubble wrap to make dots on the background as well--

a journal prompt from a few months ago was "Fear"--now, other than sharks, i'm not terribly afraid of much--but there is one thing that stops me in my tracks--in the form of history repeating itself--only worse--losing the person who i am madly in love with--who has captured my heart mind and soul like no other--to circumstance...i couldn't bear it and i hope the universe shall never be so cruel--

*****

I glued many textural bits to the pages and then painted over everything with black--i don't think it turned out the way i pictured, but it works. I wrote the text on white electrical tape with a sharpie--another new technique i like.

Not-so-Secret Garden

I have been nurturing (and occassionaly killing) houseplants for quite some time now--i have a regular jungle in the house these days...this is the first year, though that I have been able to plant anything outside and i have been LOVING it!

I moved to a new place in January, and had been eagerly awaiting warm weather to begin my latest hobby--i got all of my seed packets and my kits for starting them indoors (i have done that before and love to watch them grow from a tiny seed!) --however--winter was sooooooo cold and last sooooo darn long around here, that I was never able to start them even indoors :( next year i will invest in a grow light :p

but i digress...

i was finally able to start my gardening projects Memorial Day weekend--i purchased a few flats of this and that, a few pots of lavendar from the farmers market--hanging baskets and other containers..etc etc...after about 6 hours of potting, i had pretty little displays in the front and back yards--but nothing major--i've been doing (and buying) a little bit at a time, and Sundays have become my garden days--since memorial day, i think the look of the plants, pots and baskets have changed every week as i add to the mix and move things around.

yesterday, i was on a mission, though, to get the plants i already have into the best locations for them, and to complete to two sections in the back.

This is my favorite section, so far! It is in almost complete shade all day long, so the baskets have impatients and lobilium (sp?) and into the ground I relocated a sad hosta, a few coleus and two grassy things--don't kow how they will do as they prefer more sun--but time will tell--a friend of mine rescued some glass blocks for me and they make a great edging (as well as risers for a few pots not in the photo).

I have to say, there is something extremely rewarding about planting directly into the ground--up to now i had just been planting in containers--

On the other side of the patio, the garden area gets ALL of the afternoon sun--dahlias and lobilium are in the baskets and the lavendar and an edge of dusty millers are in the ground...

so, finishing up the shady side was fun and rewarding--finishing this side however was merely back breaking--i should have quit while i was ahead--but at least it is done, and will hopefully all stay alive!

Spiky Leo Bag

One of my recent projects has been altering the "reusable" bags they have at the grocery stores--I have to say most of them are awfully ugly--not to mention I always feel weird using one store's bags at a different store--I shouldn't, but I do--so here is a custom one that I made for my favorite Spiky Leo

And here is the Spiky Leo herself--see the resemblance?

In the beginning...

So, here I am--doing exactly what I have professed for so long that i neither had the time nor the desire to do--create and maintain a blog. Somehow, though, my art muses and goddesses have brought me here, and told me it is time...

Like the rest of my art, this will be a work in progress, so be patient with me while i figure out the technical side of these things--and by all means, feel free to offer suggestions--i'm all for customizing this ride, but haven't a clue how exactly to do that!