WORK IN PROGRESS--SANTA FE SKY

Been working on this needle felted landscape the last few days. I'm using merino roving and a crazy batt from http://atomicblue.etsy.com for the sky. I picked apart pieces of the batt that were just the colors I wanted. It doesn't show up in the photograph, but there is some angelina fiber that gives the sky some sparkle. For the trees I'm using merino wool and some silk fibers that add great texture. Just have to do a little hand stitching and then I'll mat it and probably list it in my etsy shop.

Painted Patterned Paper Journal Online Class

I've been taking an online class with LK Ludwig. We have painted papers and learned two binding techniques. Below are photos of my first book and a few of the pages. Still working on the second one. It has been great fun painting papers, creating lots of texture and color, and then binding them all into a journal. You can join the class at any time. Here is the link: http://gryphonsfeather.typepad.com look for the paintedpatternedpaper class

HAPPY MARDI GRAS

I love Mardi Gras. I have lived in Colorado for 21 years and I still miss it. It is such a part of the history and culture of the city, and so much a part of me and who I am. I remember the day I learned that not everyone celebrates Mardi Gras. It was like finding out there was no Santa Claus. I felt so sorry for all the people who couldn't enjoy this special day. And I still feel sorry for them. I feel sorry for myself too, because I'm not there. Especially this year with the Saints winning the superbowl. From what I hear, it's been one long party since they won the playoffs. Here's a picture of me when I was 2 and a half. Probably by very first Mardi Gras in 1959. I'm the one in the middle with my 2 sisters. I also remember wearing that nurse's costume. Then there was another year when I was a cowgirl. Oh and the year I wore a big mexican hat. Didn't have to lift my arms to catch beads, the hat caught them all. Drove all the people around me crazy. This lovely picture was taken in the 70's. I had on my Dad's sweater, my mother's dress, a mink hat with a balloon attached to it, striped socks and tennis shoes. Don't know who I was trying to be, but I sure had fun that day.

Here is part of my dabbloon collection. I have coins dating back to the 1960's. I had them all stored in a coin collectors book at my mother's house. When my son got interested in coin collecting I had her send them to me. I am so glad I did that because her house was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina and I would have lost them for good. I consider them to be some of my most prized possessions.

And here are some of the beads I have collected over the years ranging from the 70's , 80's, 90's and 00's. Again I am so happy I have these. I display them every year during Mardi Gras season. So even though not everyone may celebrate mardi gras in their town, we can all have a mardi gras heart for a day. Be crazy, give up your worries for a day and have some fun. Laissez les bons temps rouler!!!!

Happy Velentine's Day and Great Backyard Bird Count

These are the beautiful roses that my husband gave me for Valentine's Day. I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. It's snowing outside right now so we're in for a cozy weekend at home although we are going out for a Valentine's meal tonight at one of our favorite restaurants. Below is the bracelet I have been working on this week. It is named "Winter Beach". I love the beach in winter. So quiet and peaceful. Check out my other bracelets in my etsy shop: http://pdlugos.etsy.com.

One last note, for all you bird lovers out there, this weekend is the great backyard bird count. So if you want 15 minutes of fun check out the website: http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/

Wet Felting

Yesterday I took a wet felting class at Table Rock Llama Fiber Art Studio in the Black Forest area of Colorado Springs. It was a wonderful class taught by Marlice Van Zandt. I have done a lot of needle felting, but this was my first attempt at wet felting. It is a fun process that has lots of possibilities. I love it for all the textural qualities and possibilities for embellishment. For a first try I think it turned out pretty well although I wish we would have had more colors to choose from. Of course, I had to make it difficult for myself by trying to do a landscape which requires lots of color variations. I think I will do some needle felting on top to even out where the black background shows through and then do some hand embellishments with stitching and beads.
Can't wait to start another piece so I know I can do it on my own.

New Year

So it's the start of another year. Can't say that I get all revved up about the new year. And the frigid temperatures have turned my daily walks into walking the treadmill--BORING! So I am suffering with a bad case of the blues. This time after Christmas really gets to me. It's at this time that I wish I still lived in New Orleans and had Mardi Gras to look forward to right around the corner from Christmas. Manitou Springs does have a Mardi Gras parade, but it is a sad imitation of the real deal. Parade takes about 10 minutes to get through town, no floats, just people getting dressed up acting goofy and no good music. It's so sad it is funny. But oh well, at least it is something.



One of my favorite blogs is The InspiredRoom. Yesterday's blog was about adding textural interest to your home during this spare time of year. She had some lovely photographs of ways to add texture to one's home so I'll share it with you here: http://theinspiredroom.net/2010/01/06winter-home-tip-warm-things-up-with-bits-of-texture. Enjoy.

The Light of the Moon and the Stars

LK Ludwig's photo prompt for today is the light of the moon and the stars. I scanned a 1926 illustration of H. Willebeek Le Mair from my children's copy of A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson. The illustration goes with the poem Escape at Bedtime:

The lights from the parlor and kitchen shone out

Through the blinds and the windows and bars;

And high overhead and all moving about,

There were thousands and millions of stars.

There ne'er were such thousands of leaves on a tree,

Nor of people in church or the park,

As the crowds of the stars that look down upon me,

And that glittered and winked in the dark.

The Dog, and the Plough, and the Hunter, and all

And the Star of the Sailor and Mars,

These shone in the sky, and the pail by the wall

Would be half full of water and stars.

They saw me at last, and they chased me with cries,

And they soon had me packed into bed;

But the glory kept shining and bright in my eyes,

And the stars going round in my head.