Thanks @HiddenEloise

As I was moving my mouse over the link from Hidden Eloise I thought 'oh poo! I never win anything!' So imaging my surprise when "I" was named the winner of her beautiful tiny book locket!

It's a locket with one of her gorgeous paintings on the front. It's just one of the many treasures you can purchase yourself from her etsy shop. I can't wait to receive it. I know I'll wear it often.

another cuff

I made one more cuff during my staycation. Love them! So easy to wear. I think I'll end up making one in every color eventually. :)

This one was a gift so I also made the packaging. The cuff was green; so was the packaging.

a mix of green patterned fabric, tea-stained laces, stamped muslin, colored glass beads and a faux bone vintage button.

Three Jewels

I felt inspired to make a cuff regarding the Three Jewels. I've been wanting to try my hand at fabric cuffs for a while. Last week, while on staycation, I decided to jump in.

The Three Jewels in Buddhism are The Buddha, The Dharma and The Sangha.

The Buddha or the Buddha nature—the ideal or highest spiritual potential that exists within all beings.
The Dharma - the teachings of the Buddha.
The Sangha - the Buddhist community.

I went with muted colors. I love bright colors, in my paintings and home decor. But for dress I like the look of faded laces and earthy neutrals the best. I embellished the cuff with a variety of laces, stamped muslin, pearls of various sizes and shapes and a big wooden button. At first I wondered "should I only add 3 beads?" But I nixed that thought pretty quickly. The jewels are the concepts, not the beads.

Grosgrain: Thrift Store Thursday: The Romantiks Frock

i am SO going to make this dress!!! very CUTE! Grosgrain: Thrift Store Thursday: The Romantiks Frock

experiment in upcycle - 1st try

I've been very motivated by the upcycle chatter in the blogosphere. So motivated I decided to try my hand at it.

The 1st try didn't turn out so bad. I mean, it's wearable. Is it fabulous and fashion-forward? No, not by a long shot. But my sewing skills are extremely rusty. I haven't sewed more than a straight line let along a complete garment in 15? 20? years??? Perhaps I need to do what my friend did and take a sewing class. It seriously couldn't hurt!

That said I like it ok. And it was very easy. It's made from 2 extra large grey t-shirts I found in the dollar bin. I didn't do the neck detail. That's how the 1st t-shirt was originally. I cut both down to my size and using the 2nd t-shirt (which was plain) I added my skirt.

My biggest issue with it at the moment is it's not very figure-flattering. But I'm confident in my current slow-but-steady weight-loss. Since April 1st of this year I've lost 24 lbs. And I'm confident I'll continue on this current plan (it's so friggin easy!!!!!) so once I reach my goal I think this dress will look cuter. I'll just have to bring in the top a bit.

many many w-i-ps, too little time

I haven't posted anything in a long while. So it would appear I haven't been too creative lately. Actually the opposite is true. I have so many W-I-Ps but no completed work. Here's a sneak peak at a few of them.

I love Halloween!!! I got this Bag-O-Skulls at the dollar store. I've got BIG PLANS for this. BIG PLANS!!! More on this later!

This is a mixed media piece I'm working on. I love it! I want to make more and use them as tradeable's when I go to Art and Soul next April. My problem? Finding the right containers. They just aren't easy to come by. So I'm working on adapting my prototype to something a little easier to obtain.

This is a small section of my experiment in upcycle. Upcycle, Trashion, call it what you will! I've been having a ball. Seeking out good material on shirts, dresses, Mumu, in the dollar bin that can be reworked into something fashionable. Well, fashionable by my standards. My taste in clothing has always run a little more towards the off-beat with a handful of romantic Victorian inspired items and a large dose of blacks, greys and browns.

A few shots of a painting. This painting = kind of Meh. I'm not totally digging it. Now I'm digging the process. I did a collaged background from 1 inch squares of decorative paper and I'm very happy with the results. But my composition is off. I think I need to sleep on it a while longer.

A few shots of a painting I LOOOVVVEEE! This painting makes me EXTREMELY happy! I love what I've got so far. I'm SO afraid my next step will mess it up. So I'm sitting on this one a while longer too.

Another work-in-progress is my sketchbook for the 2011 Sketchbook Project. I have the theme of Night Time Stories. I'm finding it hard to work within a theme. So I think I'm just going to draw and go back and rework a theme later. Right now, I just want to draw.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Peaches with Basil and Aged Balsamic

I got this recipe from a blog. I wish i could remember which one! It's oh-so-good!!! We ate it over a salad but it would also make a wonderful snack or appetizer.

Ingredients

*
* 16 thin slices of pancetta if you cannot find sliced pancetta easily, prosciutto will work just fine
* 2 medium freestone peaches-halved, pitted and cut into 8 wedges each
* Salt and freshly ground pepper
* 16 basil leaves
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* Aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Directions

1. Lay the pancetta slices out on a work surface. Set a peach wedge at the edge of each slice, season with salt and pepper and top with a basil leaf. Roll up the pancetta to enclose the peaches.

2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add half of the wrapped peaches and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until the pancetta is browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a platter and repeat with the remaining peaches.

3. Lightly drizzle the peaches with aged balsamic vinegar and serve

We've all got our monsters...

Sometimes they're more afraid of us then we are of them...

Give your monster a hug today.

From the sketchbook

I drew her this weekend modeling her features upon those learned in willowings world of whimsey course. Then I was teaching a friend how to use her new water soluable crayons so I colored and shaded.

You make my heart sing...

It's just dawned on me that I've never posted this picture. It was intentional at the time. It was a gift. It was a surprise. I didn't want anyone seeing it before He did.

But then... I forgot.

Until recently, when I saw it hanging in His office. :) So here it is. It's a small canvas (though the dimensions escape me right at this moment).