Beelieve

Monkee-ing Around

Spring is finally here and with so much to do outside I was happy it actually rained the other day.  I have several projects lined up for that proverbial "rainy day". Accidentally or maybe coincidently I navigated back to my youth for this one.  Can you do that?

  When I was very young I discovered repeats, yes repeats of the "Monkees".  I am showing my age but trust me, I was not even born yet for their introduction and first TV appearances.  "Daydream Believer" was one of my favorite tunes and I had no clue what half the words were.  I do remember the opening verse.  "Oh, I could hide 'neath the wings of the bluebird as she sings"  Such a visual when you are a small child.  What a wonderful daydream as well.  My rainy day took me to a jean jacket I picked up for Lauren at a second hand shop.  The cost, $1...my interpretation of this verse on the jacket...priceless.   I brought my youth back and added her vivid imagination.  Together we created her new jacket.  She loves it!

The verse I wrote across the waistband and the title across the collar. (Well, "OUR" title that is)

This would be Lauren," hiding 'neath the wings of the bluebird as she sings".  The music notes are all her daydreams cut from fabric items she likes.

This is my little daydream...my little daydreamer...my daydream bee-liever and my #1 Bee-liever!

Words of Wisdom

I am sure the majority of the artist out there as well as those who know me are aware of this popular quote from Picasso.

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life" 

For me there will never be a more true and powerful quote.  Before entering my lovely hive I throw anything that may be bothering me down the back staircase and freely walk in.  I just know by time I walk out again I am refreshed and content.  I am cleansed and at peace.  Over the years I have noticed less and less to throw down the back staircase and it correlates with the increases amount of art I have created. Many of you feel the same.  I would love to hear about ways you have put this quote to use in your own life or artwork.

Now I need to take a moment to share with you another talented artist.  Her Name is Belinda Joynes, but everyone calls her "Bee".  The art community is so wonderful and with power of the internet our paths crossed for she lives in Australia and I in upstate NY.  I am a firm bee-liever that we attract who we need in our lives for a reason and a new "soul bee" agrees.  We also surround our life with this quote.  Now take a moment to indulge me in a fabulous honor and read Bee's "Bee-lieve" entry on her blog.  Thanks again Bee!  Make sure your read my comment as well so you know I am the lucky one who bought her inspiration piece and will treasure it forever.

One last note on the above piece.  These mini collages are all done on 1&1/2 inch squares and were inspired by Cheryl Prater's article in May/June 2007 "Cloth Paper Scissors" magazine.  I have yet to mount them creatively but have scanned them in to use for correspondence cards, business cards and other print work.

Now stop reading and go create!

I did not roll far...

...from the family tree.

I have been wanting to scan some old photos of family to preserve forever.   Today I gathered up a few and began to look at some ancestors as they were living their lives.   Not much has changed, and by the way it is a "Nut Tree", something leaning toward the sweet orchard next door. 

Let us start with Great Grandpa...

...oh my goodness, looks like Great Grandpa has started without us!!  He is in the center and not sure if it is even noon in his country yet.  Cheers to you GG!

Next would be my grandpa, mom's dad. He is not the son of the lush above, he just married the dudes daughter!

That is grandpa (Michael) on top of the horse.  Things slowly start to make a little more sense.  I am beginning to realize that my impulses are not altogether my fault.  They are in my genes.

I think grandpa just wanted to say to the world the view is better from the top.

Thank goodness for Grandma, the gal he married. She "grounded" him if you will.

Grandma,(Wilma, or "Billy" as she was called) kept up on the latest trends and it showed.

Whether she was just out doing a little gardening.

Or in her stocking feet (with a wee one) in the middle of winter.  She looked beautiful!

I just want to know one thing.  How come she is not yelling at herself for going out in the snow with "stocking feet"?

Grandma and grandpa had love though.  I will always remember my grandma as happy.  She was always just happy, and they were happy together

These next pictures I love because when cleaning out Grandma and Grandpa's house, besides all the old photos, my husband and I claimed this very chair. (the pictures are dated 1929 and "in our own backyard")  The chair was covered with brown paint and I meticulously removed every last inch of it to discover a beautiful wood.  I re-cushioned it complete with upholstery tacks and it sits proudly in our living room.  We plan on taking it outside on a nice day and take an "in our own backyard" photo with it for a nice vignette of our connection to my family.

Look out mom, you are next.  I love this picture of mom with her dollies!  That is her in the picture below role playing the future with myself and my sister.

Mom prayed and prayed and prayed that one day she would have two daughters as wonderful and well behaved as her dollies.

  Mom's prayers always get answered.  Here we are.  This is my older sister and myself.  Perfect little angels all of the time

Well, OK.....mom is probably praying right now that I stop lying.

I was not always well behaved...

...But I would have been had someone given me whatever it was I am pouting about in this picture.

If mom hadn't said it out loud she did wish it on me.  That old curse that mothers are famous for.  "I hope you end up with a child like yourself someday"  With Lauren, my daughter, now 5, I vow never to wish this on her. 

I hope everyone out there decides to dig out old photos and enjoy.  While doing it, try to mark down as many names as you remember on them, have a family member help.  Treasure the photos you find, because whether you are an apple or a nut, you did not roll far.

  Your family will be with you in one way or another to make a very special...

Happily Ever After!

Look what is popping up

"Poppies"

These are fun little pony tail holders I whipped up this morning, (sitting at peace on real oriental poppy stems, the perennial kind).  Very easy and fast to make.

The 2 on the lower right, blue and red, and the pink mum looking one on the far left are made from old t-shirts.  More recycling, hope it never ends!  Speaking of which does anyone in the art blog world know where this week's topic for Inspire me Thursday is?  It is now Friday, am I missing something??

• To all my local buddies.  Please now add to your list entitled "Save for Karen" 
•    #99.   old t-shirts
• You are all saving for me right??

Do we need to review the list?

The instructions for these fun flowers I found on the WiseCraft blog while searching on line for anything interesting in the fabric flower department.  I made all these into ponytail holders due to our need of something new and fresh for Spring.

Lauren is sporting the old pink and white stripe t-shirt mum today as we set out to do some gardening.  She asked me why I liked to "work on my flowers so much"  I told her it was just another form of art.  Then she said something brilliant that only a 5 year old could say.  "That's right art is not always painting and drawing and gluing it can be anything.  It can be music, it can be dance, it can be gardening...but I like paint the best!"

"O' give me a home...

... Don't throw me away." Ahem, excuse me as a sing aloud here.  Debby, what do you throw away when I am not around to save things?

Just look at little "Lola" here.  That's right she has a name and the Kinks should be strumming through your brain right now.  "L-O-L-A, Lola".  Don't you feel horrible?  Where would Lola be without me right now?  It makes me ill to even try and vision it.  I mean in this "green" day and age when everyone is finally catching on to recycling things.  Golly, I have been recycling things for years.  Kev calls it collecting Tchotchokes, but I plan on being "green" in my art. 

(Debby, who owns a fun little antique shop is my main supplier of "things I don't know what to do with...YET" ) Well, let me tell you, the other day she was showing me some stuff she cleaned out from the remains of an estate sale and found this.  As she was showing me, she realized the end of the guitar was broke off.  Then, in a blink of an eye, Lola here was almost...well, you know...sniff...sniff...no longer with us.

Let me present to you "The New Lola"!  No extreme makeover needed here, well at least not for her.

Lola is sporting her newly flower tuned guitar, in her lovely drawer theater.  She is quite the gal and loved by many fans, including her puppy...ummmm..."Art".  Lola and Art will be playing at Debby's real soon as this is the gift of thanks.  Lola is thankful that she is not, well you know once again.

   

The little shelf at Lola's theater is for business cards.  The verse on the shelf, created by me, reads "Don't throw me away".  I won't get all deep on you, my message is simple, even if you think it is junk an artist out there may actually love to get their hands on it.  In fact, Lauren just had an "explorer mission" at her art school entitled "Found Art".  She was suppose to look around the house for interesting things that no one used anymore and create with them.  Instead she raided the Hive for Mommy's prize bits and bops and made a cute and interesting story out of them.  Hmmm, wonder where she gets it from.  Or more notably, where am I getting it from???

One last thing Debby.  There is a mirror on the back so you can check your hair.  You won't need it though, you look fabulous even when you throw out things that you shouldn't.  I am sure that is rare though, because if you did I would be out of supplies!  (recognize the flower beaded necklace???)

I will be bringing Lola into her new home real soon, see ya then! 

   

A lot to say about life

Did you ever notice there are several phrases about life?  It is interesting to see the author of the quote.  Were they an artist, philosopher, mom, poet, comedian or just your best friend?  In any case, they are all humans expressing themselves.  The photo above is of some fun artwork by Rodney White.  It just so happens one of my friends has this reproduction on canvas in her new kitchen.  She said the colors were perfect.  When I saw it the first thing I thought was the saying was perfect, and perfect for her family.  They, as a family, do not sit back and watch.

As an artist I thought, this dude has a cool style.  I will have to try something like this someday. 

My friend had an odd long area above her kitchen door and had mentioned someday she needed the perfect piece of art for above it.  Hello, I can do that, I thought.  With her birthday in January and a visit planned, I knew the perfect gift.  It needed to go with her style and not conflict with the wonderful Rodney White piece.

In my junk hunting I came across this.  It is an old hide stretcher.  We live in an area known for it's leather stocking and glove making.  This picture is actually of the back of the artwork once it was sealed already.  The starting texture was perfect for my project, old and rough.  I love fun finds to use as a blank canvas.

Next I needed the perfect quote.  Picasso is always an inspiration so I chose a "life" quote from him.  "Love is the greatest refreshment in life".  I transformed this into a creation inspired by Rodney White, (don't worry Rodney, I am too busy to give you any competition.  I just admire your work and it looks like a lot of fun to do).

My translation of 2 great artists turned into:

Of course my touch was added by cutting the words love and life out of old book pages. 

Many, many quotes about life.  It is very short so remember. 

What is

?

With out...

And the winner is.......

My Mom!

Yes, one of my biggest fans gave me some money for tickets to be placed all in the hive for chances to win my art piece and win she did.  Congratulations mom, next time just ask and I will create something for you!!

The Relay Raffle and mystery show was a big success.  There were a lot of generous people out Saturday night, there were also a lot of great raffle items to win.  (I really wanted the interior redesign consultation!) In any case if you were there and donated, participated or just out for fun, give yourself a hive-five from me!  Great job.  If you are new to my blog and art work please read  Just "Bee"-cause and forward it on.  Thank you!  Karen