Two heads better than one?

You know how much I love turtles, but this is just two much!
TTFN,
LB

September trade: autumn charms

Hello friends. As I told you last month, part of my vow to be an artist instead of wishing to be one, was to partake in a trade and/or challenge each month. Here are the results of September's trade. I really enjoyed making these- it took me back to my sculpting days. I made most of these while talking to Dy, Amy, or the Dude on the phone- they were easy and enjoyable to create. They consist of silk coccons and silk rods (go here to see photos of both), painted with Lumiere here and there, and embellished with silk wool. You probably won't want to click on these- when they are big, they are just fuzzy blobs.This is my sunflower. 2 silk cocoons, which I cut into to form the petals, nestled in part of a silk rod, with a button to hold the layers together. This one has the metalic Lumiere on the petals.
This acorn was the first one I came up with. A cocoon, with a bead attached at the closed end, and part of a brown rod glued on the open end, with some embroidery floss wrapped around to make the stem.
This one is a tassel. Some lace glued onto the cocoon, silk fibers, some with leaf bead, glued inside the cocoon.
Punkins! A bit of curly brown silk rod to make the stem, and silk wool stuffed into the open end of orange cocoons. Couldn't have been simpler!
Hope you liked them.
LB

WIP finished (sorta) L & L challenge

I last wrote about this challenge here. You can see how different the pieces look finished.
What I meant by sorta in the title of this post, is that I am done making the "fabric", but I haven't done anything with them yet. I have a plan, just need to execute it. As usual, you can click to enlarge.
So again, this is lutradur, an interesting fibrous "fabric", with lace and cheesecloth applied with many layers of acrylic paints, the last few layers being Lumiere, which I just adore for their iridescence. That's it for this post.
Ta ta for now,
LB

Tidbits: Toddler love and a link or three.

For Tami, here is a better shot of the mural. I haven't worked on it in several months, and I really should- I find that even though I have very little experience painting, it is very freeing, and makes me happy. I need to do more of it, how else will I get better?

Also, if you haven't met Lemondrop yet, you may want to head over and check her out. Tami is her creator, and the kids and I love to see new bits of Lemondrop's story every week. If you have littles, they will love the illustrations. My tweens are hooked!

I took a 2 hour nap yesterday, so was awake till about 2 this morning. It's all the Birthday Girl's fault, really. Miz Booshay posted links to the current Dancing with the Stars show, and I went over to YouTube to check them out. 2 hours later, and I had watched a LOT of ballroom dances featuring Mario Lopez. I can see why you folks with tv reception and cable could get sucked into this show. Good thing we don't do tv- probably a good thing Netflix doesn't have DWTS.

I had the most wonderful time with my borrowed toddler today. While his mama, TBPTOTP (The Best Piano Teacher on the Planet) and Piano Girl worked for 3+ hours downstairs, we did puzzles, and played trains, and read, and read, and read some more. We played our special games, the "I like/do you like" game, the "woof/meow/oink" game, and sang lots of nursery rhymes. Once a preschool teacher, always a preschool teacher. He calls me nanny (my 3rd person name for myself) now, and is just so sweet. And if all that wasn't enough, get this- every week, I sing him lullabies and rock him to sleep, then lay him down for his nap. I know he is way old for this, and I am the only person who puts him down for nigh-nights like this, but hey- he will grow up soon enough, and his mama lets me spoil and enjoy him this way. Anyway, I always say, "Goodnight, Abe. I love you. See you next week." as I lay him down, whether he is asleep or not. Today, he was really tired, but fidgety, so after about 20 songs,I lay him down awake, and said my usual. He snuggled down into his crib, and said, "I love you too.". Now if that just wasn't enough to keep me glowing all the rest of the day, I don't know what else would.

Edited to add this pic of Abe. It isn't the best, but he moves constantly- I took over 20 photos of him yesterday, and this is the only one that even sorta came out- but it is cute- notice his Thomas cap, and James the red engine- classic Abe accoutrements.

I have more I could update you on, but we are headed out the door to pick the Papa Dude up from the airport. I took tons of photos at the fair, and have some art to upload too, will try to be better at posting in the next couple of days- been fighting some bug, and actually sleeping!
TTFN,
LB

Where is LB?

I am here, I just have been spending time doing things that don't involve a computer! First off, I have met another man, and he and I have been spending waaaayyy to o much time together recently. Have to say, the Dude doesn't seem to mind. I have been engaged in a thorough deep cleaning of this old farmhouse, from top to bottom and stem to stern. It is taking up much of my time and energy, and doesn't show any signs of being over any time soon, but I am actually sorta-kinds enjoying it . At least I like the way a room looks and smells when I am done, and I don't seem to be reacting to the chemicals in the cleaner this time. And secondly, I have been spending lots of time teaching and supervising lessons. It is going good so far, but is time-consuming and challenging. A lot of the time, it looks like this, only imagine a kid sitting there, staring out the window, or getting up every two minutes to go downstairs to sharpen the lead that you would swear they keep breaking on purpose, etc.

One of the reasons cleaning and schooling can be draining to me is that I would really rather be here. I have been in the studio in little fits and starts- putting on a paint of coat here and there between lessons and laundry loads. My L & L challenge is coming along, I haven't taken photos of it lately, but my pieces have many layers of paint, and are just about done. I am now at the point where I am ready to make some things with it. I have a few ideas but will show them to you later.

It seems every time I get a few loyal readers coming to the blog, I stop blogging. I apologize for that way of being. I tell the story that I am too busy to do it, with everything else I have going, but the truth is, sometimes I feel like it, and sometimes I don't. I do hope that you continue to check in now and again, as I will be making a supreme effort to do this regularly. Thanks to those who always comment- that means a great deal and keeps me blogging.
Hugs. TTFN,
LB

Sunset Walkies, part 2

Okay, so I told you we were walking out behind Boeing. There are several buildings, and hangars. Here is one. As usual, you can click to make it bigger.Over to the left, you can see an airplane. It started from over here, and traveled across our line of vision. I don't know just what about this was so fascinating, but I shot tons of photos of it, and had a really good time. Maybe it was the cool color of the jet before it got it's final paint coat.
Here it is in a close-up. Isn't it pretty? For a plane, that is.
It was pulled by this tiny vehicle. What a contrast!
There it goes, over to the main airport. What fun!
That's it! Other than the plane, I took tons of photos of berries. There were berries everywhere along the walking path- all different colors and sizes.
Talk soon,
LB

Sunset Walkies, part 1

A couple of weeks ago (I know, I know, I am a terribly inconsistent blogger, sigh.) , the Fine Young Man was off doing something, and it was just the three of us. We went for an evening stroll along the river, down behind the Renton Airport. The sun set while we were out, and it was enjoyable all the way around. Lots of inspiration for future art, too.

Here is Piano Girl. Isn't she growing up? Gramma and I took her to Value Village yesterday and we shopped in the women's sections- sizes 5 and 7 fit her! Here is a washed out shot of the Dude and myself. We look a bit off, as it was about the 7th shot Girly took- she has a really shaky hand with my camera, lol.
A blue heron. I have a lot of shots of this- I can see a painting or little quiltlet composed from this.
Here is my favorite shot of the moon I took as we were heading to the car.
This is what Dude and the Girl were doing while I was taking the photos I will show you in the next post. Stay tuned.

UFO: Lutradour and lace challenge part 2

This one was so pretty I didn't even add lace to it. It has gold and copper highlights that aren't showing up well.This one is small. It is just the first layer of paint.

Here is the second layer on this piece.

I'll post more when I can , I gotta get the kids to the football game. I am hoping to spend some time on this project this weekend.
LB

UFO: Lutradour and lace challenge part 1

This is what I am working on currently. I am very short on time, so will elaborate later. For now, you can just look. For others in the challenge: I am not stitching things down, but using gesso in the first layer. I want to see how that works.

Work space:Layer one:

Layer two. It is a more golden color in reality.

Layer one of a different piece. This is a long piece. the left side:

The right side.

light bulb moment

Good morning invisible friends! I have figured something out (again)! To stay out of the dark places (I refuse to use the "D" word!), the two things that seem to help me most are creating every day, and eating right. If I can just get to the place where both of these are a priority, life will be so much more fun and full of light!

I am grabbing my camera and heading down to the studio depths. I was creating till 1 am, and want to do more. The kids can get their own brekky, the Girl is headed to her piano for a couple of hours, and the Boy is taking the bus to his classes, so I can go get covered with paint and it won't matter- I don't have to be anywhere until this evening, when I have to turn into the supportive mom who is helping out at the first football game.

The Fine Young Man looks so cute in his uniform- the nice black pants, the red jacket, and the oatmeal box hat with the feather plume and the chinstrap. I better pack my tissues.

I hope to be back here later with art pictures!
As Pooh says, TTFN,
LB

Tidbit: Thanks, I'm feeling better now.

Wow, you gals are the best invisible friends a person can have. I was feeling so alone yesterday, but you guys were nice enough to let me know you care, and that we all go through places like this. And Bridget, you were right- Mama hugs still work when you are 42.

Today is our busy music day. The Boy will take the bus to his classes, and then home again, as Papa is still out of town and Piano Girl and I are basically at The Best Piano Teacher's house from 9 to 2 today. I will get my toddler fix and a grownup fix too.

So far as art goes, I am creating today no matter what! I am taking my lutradour and lace with me- I am going to try to just hand-tack some pieces down, so that they might be ready to work on tonight.

That's it for now, gotta get us all moving here.
Loving my invisible friends, and realizing I get to create my own happiness.
LB

Tidbit: Breathe in, Breathe out. Survive.

I'm here. I seem to be in another one of my dark places. It is so easy to fall into the overwhelmed story, and then I lock up, and don't get anything accomplished, even fun things. But today, I refuse to use depression as an excuse, so will just focus on where I am going, not where I have been. I will not look at what is not done, but focus on what I will do. Today I move and breathe in the sunshine air. I will drop my son off at school, run errands with my daughter, and pop in to hug my mother. Then I will come home and do the dishes and some laundry, and head to the studio, which is (as always, sigh) in need of a deep cleaning and some organizing. Tonight, we will eat a healthy meal and laugh together. My dude will call me from Boise and I will tell him about my day, and I will smile.

I do have a few posts started with pictures, not as much art content as I would like, but I will try to get those up soon. Thanks for hanging in.
TTFN,
LB