Sunday, July 22, 2012

Nostalgia

I've been "organizing" again, which at this stage is essentially moving boxes around, with very little that feels like tangible progress. But I did repack a couple of boxes - a few things to throw out, some to recycle, some to give away, and three boxes now fits into one (admittedly a tiny bit larger).

Anyway, one of the things in it was an art project from seventh grade, so maybe about 1982 or 1983, yikes... I made a house for Yoda.

Overview:

Interior shot, with fireplace (yes the chimney is real, so the fireplace would work) and hearth rug, and the bed:

The other side of the house, with the counter and storage areas:

A close-up of the accoutrements - lightsaber, the flying training ball [did Yoda even use one in the movie? I don't remember] and yes, stone utensils, made of shale:

And lastly, the Jedi master of the house. I was INTENSELY bored in Home Ec, which was when Yoda got a new wardrobe and soft goods.

(To further define intensely bored: 10 girls, two sewing patterns. You couldn't go on to the next step until EVERYONE had caught up. It took WEEKS to make one boring simple shirt.)

Saturday, July 7, 2012

TAST 16: French Knot (etc.)

I am very fond of French knots. Take a Stitch Tuesday and highlights.


Started and finished today! Continuing the botanical motif as long as possible. Colors are waaay off in the photo; the background is more of a teal blue.

I'd kind of wanted to do a color gradation thing with the French knots, but that would have taken longer...maybe another time. I did already try it - yikes, about seven years ago, just about when the embroidery bug bit for the first time. In a Fibers class at OCAC the light went on: oh! embroidery does not have to be boring little floral things! And it turns out that how embroidery is pleasing is related to how drawing with a dipping pen is pleasing.

[Re-reading that it sounds funny - I was not enamored of the old floral embroideries to be found on family doily-type things; my OWN flowers are obviously okay.]


Anyway, here is the old sample:


And I finished painting the Vision Board:


I added some of the non-shiny paint to the in-the-way swirlies in hopes of integrating them. Dots, more rays. Anyway, it is not supposed to be art, it is supposed to be energizing. Horror vacui: yeah. I added bits until it seemed as balanced as it could get, and called it good.

After two nearly instantaneous failures of tape (including packing tape!) I gave up and thumbtacked it to the wall - outside the studio room, as it happens, where I will pass it coming and going, and can also see it from my bed.