Trying New Things

Forces

 I saw an advertisement for a juried show called "Radius 25" and I decided to look into it. The theme was "Face to Face," and I knew just what I would do. I had been working on making faces for some time and had just been putting them away in a drawer. This allowed me a way to incorporate them into my felting and do a mixed media piece. I called it "Forces." I know why I called it that, but I don't want to have to explain myself to anyone else. It didn't make it into the Radius show, but they established a new show called "Interface" which it fit right into. I was very happy to get into any part of the show.

My own gallery, The Red Raven Gallery,http://redravengallery.com/, which I still haven't made my artist page for, also had a juried show on a much smaller scale. The theme was "Full Moon Rising" and we were to celebrate round. I made two felted wall hangings for this show and took the one on the left. (These aren't the greatest pictures as I took them while they lay over the back of my sofa.)

Dancing By the Light of the Moon

I was asked by a friend in another gallery to make some wall hangings with a summer theme, with leaves and flowers. I like simple and symbolic, so I came up with a few very colorful little pictures that I had fun with. The first was a girl running across a field with a bunch of balloons. Again I took the picture on the back of my sofa so it's a bit slanted.

Frolic

The next wall hanging that I did is of a tree with leaves falling. It isn't quite finished, as I have to stitch around a few of the leaves yet. There is a small boy under the tree who is very sad and forgotten. He has a hoody pulled over him. This is called, "Forgotten." Again, the slanted sofa picture.Some day maybe I will come up with a way to take a decent picture.

Forgotten

I have one more picture that is almost finished, but each time that I think that it is ready, I do something else to it. It is already so thick that it may turn out to be a pillow instead of a wall hanging.

I bought a felting machine about a month ago and have had a great time playing with it. This is a piece that I made with it. It may or may not be finished. I love the colors. These machines are great, but as those of you know who have one, they can be very expensive it you try to hurry them or are not very careful when using them.

 Hey everyone, have a great day, week, etc. So good to hear from my good friends, and thanks for the good wishes for my Mom. She gets better each day, makes new friends, has new adventures. I just hope that if I get to be 90, I have half the spirit that she has. I am so blessed to have such a person to look up to.
Hugs, Cameron

It Has Been A Long Time

The last time that I wrote was shortly after my father died. That was in October, and so much has happened since then. As many of you know losing a parent or a close loved one is very hard and takes a long time to process. This Father's Day will be difficult as it is our first without Dad. Losing my father left a huge hole in my mother's life, and left her in a big old house that was too much for her to take care of on her own. After several months of deep depression and determination to stay in her big house, she finally moved into an apartment in a great retirement community. Needless to say her children were happy, we didn't have to be continually worried about her safety, and now she has a view from her 15th floor apartment. I took this picture from her terrace one foggy evening.
.

My 90 year old mother is now starting her life over in a new living situation without her lifelong friend of over 68 years. She is making some new friends and is learning how to play card games such as "Hand and Foot." If you have ever played this game you know how many steps it takes and all the score keeping involved. She is taking exercise classes, goes on walks with friends, attends plays and goes on field trips. She still has a lot of contact with family and constant calls. I call her "Miss Popularity."

She can afford to live in a nice community because she and my father lived very frugally. I came to realize just how frugally after my father died and we had to clean out the house.

Dad made his own tools and had one for every job. These are some examples that we found in the car port. The major repairs that the house needed got attended to, but loose sockets were duct taped and the plug got supported like this. There were so many examples like this.  Mom would get many new things as presents, but she would use old ones until they were completely worn out. They were "children of the Depression." They knew the value of a dollar and they saved their money.

Please don't think for a minute that I am making fun of my parents, I love them dearly, and I marvel at their strength.

I have continued to work on my felting, making some vintage style hats and flowers to go on them. I am a co-op member in a gallery now, but I still have to get my artist page written up. I am the second newest member. This is new and exciting for me. I hope to do a better job of posting now, and I hope to hear form some of my dear friends out there. Love and hugs to you, Cameron

 

Scarves, A Coat, and The Clay Ball

Many thanks to my Blogger Buddies for all the support and kindnesses that you have extended to me during these difficult times. I really appreciate you!!!

You have probably guessed by now that I have given up on the idea of a contest for now. This is just too busy a time of year for most of us and I think that my idea was too "spur of the moment" and brought about by my grief. I will think of another contest after the holidays. It will be one that is a little more "sane" and a little easier to do. I do like to do participation types of contests.

Lately, I have been working on getting myself excited about projects again. I have started with
felting, making fabric for a dress for the next "Clay Ball." I have also made 9 scarves for my sister for her staff for Christmas presents. The 3 above are some of them. They are nuno, light weight, for evenings in LA. My sisters are some of my greatest supporters.

I have also been working on making a very red coat. It has been so fun. It reminds me of something that a flapper would wear during the 1920s. I usually make things by feel, not using a pattern, and that is how this was made. You might say, "Yes, that's how it looks." Oh well, I like it.

I made it with my vintage black lace (surprise) merino wool, and inlaid silk.

I want to go to the Clay Ball again this year, and I already have my donations ready. Now all I have to do is to have them accepted. Last year I got into the Live Auction, the first piece of wearable art to ever be accepted. This year I have to live up to that, we'll see.  At any rate I am giving two pieces to the auction, a coat, not this one, a prettier one, and a jacket.

And then there is the garment that I am going to wear, I think. I have felted maroon felt over some black lace to make a top, a skirt and a cape. The top is to the left, and the detail of the cape is to the right. You are looking at a side view of the top, at the sleeve. It has lace over netting with beads sewn on, and a lace cuff and collar. The garment is vintage looking. I say I think that I will wear it because it is warm and I will have to see what the temperature is like the day of the Clay Ball.

Again thanks you lovely bloggers. Love and hugs to all. Love to hear from you. Sorry that it has taken so long to get back to you about the contest.

Mourning and Celebration

My father went in for hip replacement surgery the Monday before the Thursday that I had my heart surgery. His surgery went very well, and from the hospital he went to rehabilitation. Being a stubborn 89 year old man, he decided to go home early. He did many things he was not supposed to, such as climbing upstairs to get into bed instead of sleeping in the bed that was set up for him downstairs. On about the third night that he had been home he fell down the stairs and could not be resuscitated for a long time. It turned out that he had had a very bad heard attack and a small stroke. Later testing showed that he had many health issues that we were not aware of and that quickly brought on his death. Needless to say my father's death has been a huge source of pain for all of us. However, his life is also a celebration. As much as I will miss him I am so glad that he did not suffer with illness for a long time. He lived to be 89 years old in very good health, his hip only bothering him for the last year. He had a life rich in love, belief, value and life experience. He was a very generous man. He will always be with me and I will always love him.

I've had an idea for a contest, but I want to hear from some of you whether you think I am crazy. I think that I have been writing about sadness so much lately, because that's what's been happening in my life. I want to turn things around a little.

 In the late 1800s, early 1900s women wore mourning clothing in black. Many of them were quite beautiful. I thought that it would be fun to have a contest in which contestants would make up a "celebration shawl" instead of mourning clothes.  It could be made of any kind of fiber material, fabric, felted cloth, paper mached, etc. It has to be life size, and it has to have a "life celebration" theme. As with the last contest, you would take 3 very good pictures of your shawl and send them to me.

There would be 2 rewards, 2 lace shawls that I have made. One shawl made of black lace, and one made with white lace.

Before starting this contest I want to hear what you think and I want some questions. Does this make sense? Am I crazy? Please be honest. If I don't hear anything I will get the point!
Love and Hugs, Cameron

A STRANGE CONTEST IS COMING WATCH FOR IT!!!

Playing With Mixed Media

 

I can't believe that it has been 3 weeks since my surgery, but in this instance I am so happy that time has gone by quickly. Thank you for you positive thoughts, prayers, cards and gifts. 

Prior to surgery I knew that I wouldn't be doing any felting for a while due to restrictions on pulling, twisting, weight carrying limitations, etc. So  I decided that I would gather up a few old materials and get back into making a few journals- my old materials being some old papers I had made a while back, and some journal covers that I made last Christmas. I also went on line and started buying a few paints and inks and other this and that's. I decided that I "deserved" a few treats since I was going to suffer an operation.

 I have many great materials that lend themselves to making mixed media collage journals, but I find that I am not very good at putting those together. I wish that I had the talent of my blogger buddy Sue, Heloise.

As soon as I got home I began trying to use my paints, but I was so weak that I could only stay out of bed for a short time. I pushed myself too hard many times and ended up exhausted. All I was trying to do was paint a piece of paper. I will never take my health for granted again! I did notice that each day my strength grew, and my endurance lengthened. This is still lengthening. The painting is fun and has turned out to be a good way to spend time while recuperating.

  

My paper

Journal cover

With this blog I mainly want to say hello. My painted papers aren't that much to see, just something to do until I can get back to felting, but I  want to touch bases with my blogger buddies and say thanks for being there.

Love and Hugs, Cameron

Out of the Box and Scheduled

1800s Womens' Vest

I have shared many of my treasures with my blogger buddies that I got from the lace auction, but this is one of the treats that I found. There were several beaded fabrics and this nestled among the black lace when I started going through all of it. The black lace was wonderful enough, but coming across this, WOW! Let me know what you think. Yes, it has quite a bit of damage, but given how I am going, I sure wouldn't look this good if I ever got to its age, whatever that is.

Back of Vest

More pictures:

Close up of bead work

This is my mannequin, not me. I never did look this good.



This vest is for sale on Ebay for anyone interested. Spread the word. So far it is not getting any interest. So sad.

My surgery is set for September 22. Please keep me in your prayers and positive thoughts.
Love and hugs to all, Cameron

Belated Thank Yous and Making Progress

First of all and very important, let me say a belated thank you to all my blogger buddies for your wonderful support during what is a difficult time, my husband, Gary's unexpected heart surgery. Thank you Jan for the beautiful heart pin, it has cheered my spirits. It is a real work of art.

 Gary is on the mend and doing well. It is hard to believe that he left the hospital two weeks ago. We start rehab. next week, 3 times a week.

While Gary was undergoing surgery, I escaped into my own world by beading my vintage flapper goodies onto a felt jacket that I was making for a woman for her son's wedding. This kept my mind off of worrying the whole time, which does no good at all (worrying.)  I will take a picture of her with her jacket and necklace on once she is all decked out. I made her necklace also.

Garden Lady by Cindy
Jenkens

An elf riding a turtle

A teapot

Before Gary realized that his heart was at risk, he and my son Bryan had torn out part of our deck and we had great plans to make a courtyard out of our backyard. Since going to Paris I have loved courtyards. Well, one doesn't carry sand, gravel and pavers after having major heart surgery, and we weren't going to hire anyone to carry out our plans. So this will have to wait until next year. I am going to have heart surgery also, we have known that since early May. Gary's was the surprise. How many couples do you know who have both had major heart surgery within a couple of months of each other? Crazy life...


In the meantime, I am enjoying our flowers. I have gotten into my own form of "garden art." I have gotten lots of metal things, figures, antigues, candle holders, old pottery, etc. and put it in with the flowers and let them grow up around the stuff. Come winter it will probably look like a junk yard, so I will gather it in and replant it next spring. Next spring will bring a lot of new things,
THANK GOD!!!

A torn up deck

A garden path

Where the hostas grow

An old oil can

Old metal shoes

Much love and many hugs for all of you,
Cameron

"Life Happens When You Are Planning Other Things"

 

I am finally getting around to showing you how wonderful Maggi looks in her new jackety-shawl. Sorry that it took me so long to show your wonderful picture, Maggi.  

  My life was interrupted big time when my husband developed chest pains which evolved into quadruple bypass surgery. I was reminded of the words to the song God Laughs by Delta Goodrem. The chorus is:

 "We're all walking in quicksand, 

When we're busy making our plans,

God Laughs." 

The song is a bit cynical but often so true.

 To keep myself marginally sane, I have been making jackets for the holidays, putting vintage lace and fun vintage appliques on them. 

Love and hugs to all,

Cameron

Beautiful Artistry and a Fun Contest

Audrey

Lorna

A little over a month ago I started a contest to make a shawl pin. I had several people express interest, and I mailed out small clamps  from Home Depot. A few folks could not finish the pin due to health issues or vacation plans, but I did get back 7 entries, and they are fantastic!!!   I asked artist friends of mine to do the judging, a very hard job. The judging criteria were creativity and wearability. The winner is Maggi. I have the artist's permission to show their work. You will see how difficult the decision was.

 Maggi has won a jackety-shawl from me, but they have all won my admiration, thanks, and many, many hugs. Love, Cameron

Patty

Yvette

Maggi

The human mind and imagination are truly amazing.

Riet

Sue