Melmore Street Studio

Rosehill progress

2012-01-18T20:01:00.001-05:00

I apologize for these low quality photos from my iPhone, but I can't find my digital camera. I've mocked up a corner of Rosehill Cottage with the rug I made, plus the blue bench and an armchair I made last night. (The Victorian sofa in the back won't stay, but I wanted to see how a sofa fit in the bay window space).

I've never made furniture from scratch, and I'm going to make another armchair as I think this one is too puffy, and the angles are wrong. Yes, I realize I am the only one who cares... The fabric is from Brodnax prints and is fairly close to the pattern on the chair in the film, but the silk is a bit shiny I think. I am very pleased with how the rug came out, but I may need to adhere it permanently to the floor if I can't get it to stop curling up - I have it pinned down at the corners here.

Anyway, huzzah for progress!

PS - I watched the first two episodes of the new season of Downton Abbey. Is anyone else as fascinated as I am?

Found a rug!

2012-01-14T09:33:00.000-05:00

After many unsuccessful searches for a carpet design that closely resembles the one in the living room of Rosehill I finally found one! After tweaking the colors in Photoshop, this baby is ready to be printed out onto fabric. Carrie at A Lavender Dilly has a tutorial on how she's printed rugs, so I thought I would try it. Yes, I was going to make it by hand, but as I was working on it the scale just seemed too big. I'm going to use that one in my Glencroft. I think it will be fine in 1-inch scale.

Just a bit nervous about printing it on our new inkjet printer. We got a Kodak Hero 5.1 for Christmas and it has a bottom paper tray but not an opening in the back to run it through flat. My Canon had the paper positioned in the back, so it didn't have to go around a roller to print. Maybe one of you has successfully printed on fabric with this kind of printer, and could give me some tips? I've printed on silk and cotton with the Canon, and didn't have a problem as long as the fabric was adhered perfectly flat to the backing paper. I've also ironed fabric down to freezer paper and it has worked fine, but I'm wondering if the tension while it goes around the roller would pull it off.

I need to write this...

2012-01-10T12:04:00.000-05:00

I need to step back from my normal art-related posts for a moment and vent about something that is happening as I type this. I apologize in advance if this bugs any of you, but I need to get it off my chest.

This blog is named Melmore Street Studio after the street my grandparents lived on in Tiffin, Ohio. I named is as a sort of homage because my grandfather taught me to draw in their breakfast nook and they both meant a great deal to me. I consider that I half grew up in Tiffin, and all of my best memories are from there.

My parents moved back to Tiffin, their hometown, about 15 years ago, so there is still a strong connection to the town. For the last 5 years or so, my dad has been a part of the Tiffin Historic Trust, which works to support preservation of local buildings, among other things. He has participated in a campaign to restore the historic Beaux-Arts courthouse, which was being slated for demolition. After a long fight, during which he and the Trust received much criticism from many Tiffinites who wanted to see the courthouse razed, the battle was lost. I am sure some of the blame falls on the economy, but I cannot help but feel that much of it should fall on a town that apparently does not value its heritage. Tiffin is the county seat, so a restored courthouse would have added great value to the town.

Needless to say, I am pretty discouraged right now. I am not sure I want to continue my "homage" to the place I loved as a child, as I now see its true colors. It is difficult to see this as progress, since whatever will go in the space being vacated will probably have all the charm of a Burger King. Tiffin has some wonderful people who care deeply about their town, but the prevailing winds just don't care. I may decide to rename my blog, and if I do I will certainly let you know in advance, though I will give it much thought first.

Here is a link to today's Toledo Blade article about the demolition.
http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2012/01/10/Tears-flow-as-history-falls-to-wrecking-ball.html

Thank you very much for putting up with my thoughts on this matter. The next post will be on my Rosehill progress, I promise.

Finally - An Update!

2011-12-29T21:28:00.000-05:00

I do hope everyone had a very happy Christmas! Ours was very nice, but I have to say that having another week off after this one is very welcome.

I have found some time to work on Rosehill Cottage, although since it's been three and a half months since I last posted about it I am sure it doesn't look like I've accomplished much. I've been working on the bay window in the back of the living room, and trying to figure out how to do windows with mullions. I would love to use individual panes of glass, but just don't have the skill for it. This example is plastic with the mullions painted on - cream on the inside and green on the outside. This was just my prototype, and my final ones will be much neater.

Here's a view through the bay window to the front door.

The item I am most excited about is the blue velvet ottoman I made. Actual velvet or velveteen would be too much texture for the scale, so I used some dark blue quilting cotton and "colorized" it with Prisma pencils. I was going for the shade of aqua blue on the one from the film, so I used a combination of turquoise, royal blue, aqua green and white to give it the uneven texture of velvet. The cushion itself is made from balsa wood covered in thin batting. After covering the base with the blue cotton I pushed tiny steel pins with painted heads to match the fabric through the cushion to resemble buttons, and clipped off the excess with a wire cutter. The underside was then covered with a thin panel of stained balsa wood. The legs on the film version were turned wood, but after an attempt to carve a dowel with my Dremel (and a small flesh wound) I resorted to black glass beads glued onto a pin and pushed into the balsa center of the cushion. I think they do a good job posing as ebonized wood!

It is apparent to me that I enjoy making accessories much more than the actual structure, and you can tell from the patchy look of the unfinished sections that I have no idea what I am doing. Thank goodness for balsa wood - so easy to cut through and fix. You will never know when I am done and the surfaces are covered in Paperclay how spotty my construction is.

Here's to a very wonderful 2012 for all of you!

Update coming...

2011-12-29T13:56:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! I know I am the worst blogger ever. But - I do have an update on the Holiday cottage coming later today. (There we go - a self-imposed deadline!)

Bring back Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine!

2011-10-25T16:13:00.000-04:00

Visit Mary Engelbreit's blog and post a comment if you want to see Home Companion magazine come back. I loved the magazine and was really bummed out when it ended. Mary is considering publishing the magazine again and needs our support to convince her publisher.

Rosehill progress

2011-09-08T14:20:00.001-04:00

I killed the carpet. I attempted to re-color it to more closely match the one in the movie, and in the process I ruined it. I also realized that it was way too small for the room. From what I can see in the photos of the set, the life size rug would have been about 10x14 feet, which almost fills the room. I have searched in vain for an image off the net that I could use to re-create it, but have found nothing. So I decided to make one from scratch. The goal is to approximate the colors and visual texture of the rug in the movie. The thread is Appleton crewel wool on a linen background.

These photos are of my mock up of the first floor. It's probably hard to see in these photos, but I've drawn some measurements in the kitchen for the placement of counters and the stove and refrigerator. The living room shows the drawing I made for the rug measurements, so you can get a sense of how big it will be.

Dealing with the proportions on this project has been rather challenging. I keep finding mistakes, and find myself wondering how it escaped my notice before. It doesn't help that I am working from my best guesses based on the set photos. Now that I have the shell mocked up, I can better see if the space is working.

U of M School of Art + Design Alumni Show

2011-07-14T15:29:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of updates on Rosehill Cottage... I've been swamped with home-repair projects lately. Pulling down wallpaper, stripping wood, painting and all of that. Not unlike making miniatures, really, but much less fun. I'll get back to that project soon.

The piece I did for my alumni show is going to be on display soon. The show opens on Monday, July 18 and the opening reception is Friday, July 22 from 6-8pm. I'll let you know if anything exciting happens, like a sale or a People's Choice Award.

Here's a link to the A+D website which has an online gallery of this year's entries. Looks like a good turnout!

Sherlock

2011-06-30T18:23:00.000-04:00

Yes, I am in love with yet another British import. If you haven't seen Sherlock, the modernized version of Sherlock Holmes, you NEED to. (Watch the trailer here). Unless, of course, you're a purist who doesn't go for change, then you might want to pass. But still, you NEED to at least try it. Benedict Cumberbatch is the perfect Sherlock Holmes for the 21st century. I've only seen him in The Other Boleyn Girl, but I think this is his first starring role. Watson is played by Martin Freeman, of The Office UK and the upcoming version of The Hobbit. My favorite role for him was the movie stand-in the Love, Actually; there he was so sweet. In Sherlock he is a worn-down doctor and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, who ends up rooming with Holmes and dealing with his excessive quirks. Oh, and the guy cast as Moriarty is deliciously creepy. There are only three episodes in the first season and you can stream it on Netflix for free if you're a subscriber.

Belated Father's Day post

2011-06-21T17:35:00.000-04:00

With all the excitement of my Mackinac weekend, I forgot to give a shout out to my dad for Father's Day, and I wanted to share a bit of him with you all...

I grew up listening to jazz every day thanks to my dad, Doug Collar, who has been collecting records since he was a little kid. He had everything; Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, the Dorsey brothers, Stan Kenton, Joe Venuti, the list goes on. He took me to see Dizzy Gillespie perform when I was about 9, then Benny Goodman a few years later. We even went to a frame store once to make a frame for his Charlie Parker print.

When I was in high school, we would have "music duels", with him playing Art Blakey to my Billy Squier. Needless to say, I tended to lose. We used to sit around on weekends catching old movies on AMC that involved jazz, such as A Song is Born with Danny Kaye, Sun Valley Serenade with John Payne, or The Benny Goodman Story with Steve Allen.

In 1980, the local public radio station had a slot open, and my dad pitched an idea for a half-hour jazz program. He got it, and has had a jazz show in one form or another ever since. He has been the host of a four-hour program for quite a while, and it currently runs as Jazz Til Midnight on Saturdays from 8-midnight on WKAR public radio in East Lansing, MI. You can stream it live on Saturdays if you feel so inclined.

Oh, and I should mention he did all of this while being first a high school English teacher and now a college professor. And getting his PhD. And coaching softball. And being a parent.

Here's a virtual secret handshake, dad, for doing such a good job. Happy Father's Day!

It was a lovely weekend.

2011-06-19T21:59:00.001-04:00

Hahn Cottage

I had the best weekend! I went with my knitting group up to Mackinac Island and stayed at a gorgeous, historic home called Hahn Cottage, with views of Lake Huron and the Mackinac bridge. (If you've never been to the island, just watch Somewhere In Time, which was filmed there.)

Our "cottage" was located past the Grand Hotel in a beautiful wooded setting, but in between the house and the hotel is an amazing row of mansions along the bluff. The island is also celebrating Lilac Festival, so there were a profusion of blooming bushes, as well as flowers galore that have already gone out of season down here in southeast Michigan.

Our view from the back porch.

The Grand Hotel

The hotel porch where Christopher Reeve slept in Somewhere In Time.

Another "cottage".

The poppies by the tree were extraordinary.

A charming scene along the bluff.

The getaway was exactly what I needed, and I am so grateful to the Hahn's for allowing us to have such a lovely experience.

Older artwork - with original subject photos.

2011-06-12T22:02:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to share... This image is of a piece I did for my alumni show two years ago. It incorporates vintage silk embroidery floss in the water. It was called "By The Lake Side".

This piece was called "The Summer We Were Sisters", for my alumni show three years ago. It got a people's choice award, and it sold and went to New York!

I'm done. And so over it.

2011-06-11T11:20:00.000-04:00

I finished my artwork for the alumni show at 2:00 am this morning. I could keep on tweaking it, but really I am so over it. I like it, but I am also sick of it, if that makes any sense. I have to drop it off at the art school today between 12 and 4, so it will be quickly out of my hair. The size is 24"x30", and the fabric wraps around the sides of the frame. When the show is up I will take some photos at the reception and post them.

Now it's back to miniatures, woohoo!!!

Deadlines bite.

2011-06-07T22:23:00.002-04:00

Hi there... If you've been waiting for another post on Rosehill Cottage I wanted to tell you why it's been so long. I committed myself to making something for my alumni show at the University of Michigan School of Art + Design. Of course I waited until the last minute (it's due by Saturday) and every spare moment is going into cranking it out. Sounds pretty inspired, doesn't it?

I've done a few of these fabric collage/illustration pieces before, and they have actually sold! I find a candid vintage snapshot with a composition that I like, and re-interpret it in fabric and colored pencil. Sometimes I use embroidery as well, but I probably won't have time on this one. The yellow background will be filled in with other stuff - it was the largest piece of scrap fabric I had. I am determined to finish this without buying anything for it.

I also wanted to share my fabulous new-to-me wooden desk that replaced
my old computer table. My neighbors are moving and had a yard sale, and this desk belonged to the husband's grandfather. It has a huge surface and really deep drawers. It also matches the old swivel chair I use. I can display all my vintage bric-a-brac really nicely now. (Be thankful I edited out the mess on the floor!)

Another new acquisition is this sweet little footwarmer named Lucy. She is 6 months old and truly is the best dog I've ever had.

Holiday cottage progress

2011-05-13T18:24:00.000-04:00

I've been tweaking the cottage proportions again. It's amazing how much I realize I've missed in terms of measurements, and I don't know if the fact that it is half-inch scale is causing it. I've re-watched the movie for the millionth time, and found some more tiny details that would never be noticed if I didn't change them, but I would know they are there. I added another inch to the left of the fireplace, and added a half-inch between the right of the fireplace and the little window. I re-made the bookshelf under the window to be wider. Where the staircase stone wall meets the plastered wall on its left, I jogged the wall back a bit to give the stone a wider edge. Also, the white pedestal to the right of the stairs has an angled side that I hadn't noticed previously. You can see the white areas where I am patching my fixes.

At my recent trip to the Three Blind Mice miniatures show I found a Persian-style rug that does an ok job of mimicking what is in the living room, but the colors aren't perfect. Would I be nuts to paint on it to make it more similar? My other option is to print out something on fabric using my inkjet, but so far I haven't come up with an image of a similar-enough rug. Can I possibly obsess more?

These images show a couple of tiny paintings from GigiNStudio. I think this structure will really come to life with accessories, and I want to incorporate some of her paintings into the mix.

A very talented miniaturist...

2011-05-08T14:47:00.000-04:00

I had a great time at the Three Blind Mice show in Ann Arbor. The first vendor I met happened to be someone I was following on Etsy - the very talented Gigi Gretchen Walker from GigiNStudio. She makes some really cool modern minis - things you might look for in IKEA, as well as French inspired items. I bought a few of her mini paintings, but I could have gone crazy with an unlimited budget. Gigi has a great eye for detail, fabric choice, and craft. Check her shop out soon!

Three Blind Mice miniatures show in Ann Arbor

2011-05-04T11:36:00.002-04:00

Friday and Saturday is the Three Blind Mice miniatures show in Ann Arbor. I plan to go, but have only heard of one vendor - Greenhouse Miniatures. Have you ever heard of any of the other vendors? I am going to go treasure hunting, but I'm not sure what I will find. I am hoping to find some half-scale stuff, particularly lighting for the cottage.

Here's a few of the attending vendor's websites:

Suphattra's Clay Flowers
Green Gables Dollhouses
Goliath Miniatures
Creative Reproductions 2 Scale

Finishing my Fairfield

2011-04-27T08:30:00.002-04:00

The weather has been so dark and gloomy, I haven't wanted to be stuck in my basement studio to work on my cottage. All the stuff for working on it is spread all over my studio table. So I pulled out my unfinished Fairfield and its box of components, wallpaper, etc, and took over the dining room table to try and get it finished. I was inspired to work on it by two talented miniaturists whose blogs I have been following: Jennifer at Looking Glass Miniatures, and Sharon of A Greenleaf Fairfield for Miss Lydia Pickett. It occurred to me that I haven't touched this project in TEN YEARS. Isn't that pathetic? I put it aside when I was going to have my first daughter, and she will be ten in July.

I had a Fairfield when I was in high school, back in the eighties. It was also unfinished, and I pitched it when I went to college. I have never stopped regretting that, so I was determined to hang on to this one. There is no reason not to be able to finish it, as I have everything I need; wallpaper, trim, siding... I see all of you creative bloggers pushing forward on your projects, and it encourages me to pick up the pace.

The photos are of the bathroom, which I am really happy with. It needs a bit more trim, but I love how the colors turned out. Again, I used my iPhone camera, so it isn't as sharp as it could be, but maybe you can see how the white tile with tan grout works well with the Tapioca paint on the wainscotting. The last photo is peeking through the bathroom door from the hallway, where the black walnut flooring has been lacquered and has a really soft sheen. The hallway wallpaper is a sort of soft greenish blue with a stylized vine pattern from Brodnax prints called "Tanglewood".

My next post will be of my progress on the Holiday cottage, I promise!

Downton Abbey

2011-04-13T08:10:00.000-04:00

Being a huge fan of anything British, it was no surprise that when I discovered Downton Abbey I was hooked. I burned through all seven episodes on Netflix in two days, and am glad to hear that the next season is being filmed right now. This show far surpasses anything on television (yes, even Mad Men!) with quality of writing and production. Even if you are usually bored by the whole "upstairs downstairs" genre, this series will alter your opinion. Please check it out, and if you already love it let me know. If I had the ability to time travel, with money being no object, 1912-era upper-crusty Britain would be my first destination, either upstairs or down.

Stair Runner Mach 2

2011-04-06T20:18:00.000-04:00

I took a trip to Ikea today for the express purpose of acquiring a decent desk lamp for my studio. With better lighting and using my digital camera, I present you with a new and improved photo of the stair runner. The macro camera setting helps, but also makes obvious all the flaws. This is actually a bonus, as it shows clearly what needs mending or changing (like the color of the wood, for example).Enjoy!

Stair runner...

2011-04-05T22:02:00.000-04:00

I haven't had a lot of time to work on the cottage lately, but I did manage to make the stair runner. I used a wallpaper sample I had, which has a sort of fiber-like texture (the sample is what the piece is resting on). I painted the stripes with a tiny brush along the grain of the fiber, then carefully glued it down to the stairs.

I apologize for the poor photo quality - I was using my iPhone in low light.

Awesome Score on Etsy!

2011-04-05T21:01:00.001-04:00

I wanted to give some free advertising to a talented miniature artist on Etsy. LDelaney makes some wonderful and unique items that really add depth to a miniature world. I purchased some neat items, including a framed butterfly collection, an antique photograph in a cardboard cover with a pressed lavender blossom inside of it, WW2 soldier's letters, and Victorian hair art in a metal frame. She has graciously given me permission to use some of her photographs.

Bed for the Cottage

2011-03-09T16:28:00.000-05:00

I worked up plans to re-create Kate Winslet's bed from The Holiday. Here is a photo from the set, and the sketch I did in Adobe Illustrator:

I got a bunch of metal rings and wire from the jewelry-making aisle at the craft store, and some tiny little florets to cover the joins. If I can either glue or weld (right!) these bits together then a good coating of spray paint should give it the right look. Just curious, does anyone out there have any experience using one of those welding tools that instantly turns cold after you use it? I would only trust myself with one of those.

Need some miniature mail?

2011-02-26T18:56:00.000-05:00

The amazing Jenn at Looking Glass Miniatures is having a giveaway of her vintage miniature mail. Use the link below to enter: become a follower and post a comment, and you may win on March 31!

http://lookingglassminiature.blogspot.com/2011/02/vintage-miniature-mail-give-away.html

Adventures in balsa wood

2011-02-22T21:22:00.000-05:00

Once again, I decided to cut apart my work and make the proportions correct. The first picture shows the stairs before surgery. Notice the little ledge between the stairs and the door under the stairs? As I was painting the stairs, I realized the proportions were too skinny, so I cut the whole thing at a seam, and added more balsa and air-drying clay to make that section look more like the set photo. Probably too picky on my part, but I just knew I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it.

The next task is to complete the stone wall that backs the stairs. Painting the clay to look like stone is really fun, by the way!

Just a Word About Movie Houses

2011-02-16T17:25:00.000-05:00

An interesting conundrum I have had to deal with in making Rosehill Cottage from the film The Holiday is the fact that movie houses don't always look the same on the inside and out. The exterior of the cottage was built in Shere, England as a shell, while the interior was built on a soundstage. For the most part the structure matches inside and out, with a few exceptions regarding window placement.

Here is an exterior view of the back of the house.

Here is an interior view of the same wall.

Notice the small window in the staircase area? Doesn't exist outside. While this wasn't an issue in the movie since the rear of the cottage was never on screen, it becomes an issue for me. There is just no good place to install a window on the back of the cottage without it looking wonky.

Another glaring discrepancy happens in the upstairs bathroom. Here is a shot of the set.

There is a window built into the angled roof line wall which looks great on the interior, but magically disappears on the exterior. This isn't the only instance that dormer windows happen on the interior, but I'm not going to list them all.

My decision has been to follow as closely as possible the matching areas, but on the discrepancies go with what works from the exterior point of view.

By the way, if you're into movie houses like I am, you may want to check out this blog called Hooked on Houses. There are some great shots of many movie houses and their accompanying sets, as well as celebrity houses and others.

I Made Stairs!!!

2011-02-15T19:22:00.001-05:00

I am having WAY too much fun here. This project is actually coming along, and not falling to the wayside like so many of my others. I managed to build a flight of stairs that I really had doubts I could do. One of the pictures is a view through the front door, straight to the stairs. The little bathroom under the stairs won't be accessible, since that would just be TOO insane.

Apologies for everything being the color of balsa wood... I know it's difficult to see detail right now. Just imagine lots of stone and wood colors.

Also, I found a great resource for LED lights, including a kit for fireplaces, so I know how I will handle the lighting. There are actually a large number of lights in this house, and I was worried about adding heat inside a closed space, plus having a bulky transformer hanging off the house. These LED lights don't heat up, plus they can be powered by a 9 Volt battery, which I can hide inside a chimney or something. Yay!

Obsessed?

2011-02-08T22:44:00.002-05:00

Well, I couldn't live with the discrepancy I noticed with the amount of space between the fireplace opening and the bookcase. I cut the wall apart and added a bit more wall, then sculpted new stone over it. Still not perfect, I am sure, but I am much happier with it now.

Fireplace Stonework

2011-02-07T17:16:00.001-05:00

Here is the result of a day of working on the fireplace wall with LaDoll stone clay and balsa wood. I am really happy with the results so far. I can't wait to accessorize.

Did I mention this is in half-inch scale? Kind of a challenge, right there.

Rosehill Cottage Progress

2011-02-07T07:57:00.001-05:00

I got on a roll last night working on this project, but figured I had better stop and post on my progress. Here is a shot of the living room fireplace wall. I am especially happy with the built-in bookshelf, scratch-built from balsa wood. I still have yet to do the stone work, but I think you can get the idea. I am going to work from wall to wall, dry-fitting as I go. Now that my momentum is going, I am really excited about this project!

Rosehill Cottage from "The Holiday"

2011-01-15T18:45:00.000-05:00

I am finally undertaking a new project that has been rolling around in my head for quite a while. I am re-creating Kate Winslet's cottage from the movie The Holiday, in half-inch scale. The balsa wood frame is under construction right now, and will be covered in Paperclay stone work. I chatted with my friend Johanna about it tonight, and we came to the conclusion that the best thing to do is finish and furnish the interior, and seal it up just like a real house, rather than leave it open like a doll house. It will have to have lighting in order to see the interior, and I love the idea of being able to peer inside but not access the inside. Does that make sense? Like a little treasure box.

Thank you to Catherine from Kilmouski & Me for encouraging me to undertake this miniature endeavor. I will post pics of my progress as I go.

Whistler Exhibit at UMMA

2010-11-29T11:11:00.000-05:00

I just had the chance to visit the University of Michigan Museum of Art and view the James Whistler print exhibit. If you are in the area I highly recommend a trip to see the show. I am more familiar with his paintings, but was very impressed by the linoprints, drypoints, and special techniques he used. Here is a link to the UMMA website.

Balance project - collaborative art project with the WCA

2010-05-25T09:50:00.000-04:00

My latest venture is a collaborative art project I was invited to participate in by the Women's Caucus for Art, Michigan Chapter. The participating artists were partnered with another Michigan artist in a "call and response" technique to create three pieces based on the theme of balance. We each created our first piece, then swapped images. We then created a second piece, based on the theme and inspired by the other artists first piece. Then we swapped our second images, and created a final piece based on the theme and inspired by the other artists' second work which was also inspired by our first work. Get it? Anyway, the final piece I cam up with ended up being a memorial to my grandmother (sort of like my blog, in fact). It is titled "Artifacts and Memories: The Balance of a Life". I used an old empty clock case and collaged it with images of my grandmother, Florence Collar, from toddler to grandmother. I included her death notice, as well as a letter she wrote to me the first week I went to college. This I transferred to a piece of antique fabric that stretched across the clock face. The inside of the clock is lit, so at certain angles you can view an image of me with my grandparents when I was about four. It is the same image at the top of my blog - taken in the breakfast nook where my Gramps taught me how to draw.

Anyway, it ended up being a very personal and cathartic process. My partner, Laurie Clark, and I had fun getting to know each other. Fortunately, she is in Ann Arbor, so we were able to get together a couple of times to talk in person.

The show runs until June 1 at the Duderstadt Gallery on U of M's North Campus. In September the show will move to the Riverside Gallery in Wyandotte, then in October it will go up to Finlandia College in Hancock Michigan, in the Upper Penninsula. The last show will be in Holland Michigan, but I don't have details for that yet.

Here is a link to the info on the show.

Fabric illustrations on Etsy

2009-12-18T17:06:00.000-05:00

On my Etsy shop I have added my fabric illustrations as made-to-order commissions. I am hoping that there might be a few folks out there who want to memorialize their family photos as one-of-a-kind fused fabric wall hangings. They are fun to make, and I would love to get a few commissions.

I'm back on Etsy!

2009-12-08T14:02:00.002-05:00

Hi there! I finally got around to listing some of my handmade brooches on Etsy. They are layered using vintage buttons and buckles, as well as re-worked jewelry bits. Let me know what you think.

Writing, last day

2009-11-29T22:23:00.001-05:00

Well, I arrived at 32,925 words yesterday, after a marathon writing session. I just can't seem to squeeze out any more words. The story is basically done, and today I was under the weather and just couldn't bring myself to write. So even though I won't be a "winner" with 50k or above, I am still pretty proud of what I managed to do. I proved to myself that I can write, and be more prolific than expected, and plan to try again. Thanks to Alja for reading my opus, and offering editing advice. I may just continue to shape the darned thing into something readable, and if I do I will let you know.

Writing, Day 15

2009-11-15T11:41:00.003-05:00

I have passed the 15,000 word mark, and even though I am proud of myself I am behind on my word count. As I try to catch up to where I need to be, I've come to a realization about my story.

I am seeing shades of the film Out of the Past, which is a classic in the film noir genre. My story isn't a classic, and isn't exactly like the story in the film, but involves the theme of a man torn between the love of the good girl, and a sick attraction to the bad girl. A major component of noir is the protagonist's obsession with the femme fatale, who drags him down from his morality and brings him to a point of having to choose between his higher calling and his baser instincts.

Often, the protagonist is placed in physical danger from the conniving spider woman. Sometimes the protagonist ends up having to kill the dame. I'm thinking right now that Jeff Evans, my detective, is going to end up worse off at the end of the book than when he started.

I found this image of a vintage postcard of Tiffin, Ohio from early in the twentieth century. It shows The Shawhan Hotel on the right, which is the model for my hotel, The Bennett, in Sherwood, Ohio.

Writing, Day 8

2009-11-08T23:26:00.000-05:00

I am at nearly 9000 words now, with 20 pages under my belt. Of course the thing is complete crap, at least it seems so at the moment. But since the pressure is off to write something good, I am reveling in it, be it crap or not.

My private eye, Jack Evans, is getting entangled with a dark and mysterious woman who may or may not be all she seems. Jack seems to be a bit naive with the ladies, despite his wry, slightly jaded outlook on life. We shall see if he makes it through the tangled web, or if he is trapped for good...

That bit of writing actually seems better than stuff in the novel... Oh well. The photo is from a great movie called Don't Bother To Knock, and is one of the inspirations for the novel. Check it out if you get the chance. It stars Richard Widmark, Anne Bancroft, and Marilyn Monroe just before she really hit it big.

Writing, Day 1

2009-11-01T18:42:00.001-05:00

So it's the first day of NaNoWriMo and I've gotten to 2398 words. I'm kind of impressed, although not with the quality of writing. I am seeing a few sparks of what this thing could become, however, and that's exciting. The piece is supposed to be a noir mystery set in 1948, but I haven't found the right snappy tone for my detective, Jack Evans. I am trusting that as I get to know him better, he will become more real and his personality will take on depth. The last thing I want him to be is a failed loser detective who is boring to listen to!

NaNoWriMo

2009-10-22T17:34:00.002-04:00

I am taking a bold, and perhaps misguided, foray into the world of writing by participating in NaNoWriMo. For the uninitiated, this stands for National Novel Writing Month. The idea is that from November 1 until November 30, you attempt to write a 50,000 word novel. I have always wanted to write, but being the perfectionist that I am I cannot get past the blank page. NaNoWriMo is focused on word count, not quality of writing, so I'm thinking that if I can just get words on the page eventually they will shape into a cohesive story. At least I will have more writing down on paper to shape and edit later.

Anyone up for being my writing buddy and trying it for themselves? Go to the link provided here and sign up for an account. You can't lose, since you will end up writing more than most people do in their lives. See you there! NaNoWriMo

Now what?

2009-09-23T12:38:00.007-04:00

I'm sort of at a standstill. There isn't any indication that more graphic design work is coming along, and all job options have disappeared. I'm spending time working on a dollhouse that I've wanted to finish, but that's a hobby. What am I doing? Do I continue with mixed media, graphic design, sculpture? Do I try to sell some stuff on etsy, even though I haven't been able to sell anything there yet? Is this void a sign that I need to change direction? I have to find a focus, one that is joyful to do and possibly creates an income.

I need to fire my inner voice, that's for sure.

I took the photo at my friend Kelly's farm with my iPhone, which came out surprisingly well. Whenever I visit there I feel inspired to paint or draw; the landscape is so beautiful. Another interest that may or may not be a good idea. I've always tended to spread myself too thin.

By The Lake Side

2009-06-24T15:35:00.001-04:00

I promised a final image of my artwork for my alumni show. Here it is!

Alumni Show time again...

2009-06-13T23:33:00.005-04:00

Well, I finally finished my latest piece of mixed media, which will be in my alumni show at the University of Michigan School of Art + Design. Here is the info, in case you would like to go see the show, which is running during the Art Fair. My piece is called "By the Lake Side", and is about 16" x 16". The materials are fabric, paper, colored pencil, and vintage embroidery floss. The image came from a small snapshot I found at a flea market.

Oh yeah, this image was taken before it was completed. I've got a final image on my digital camera which I will post later.

New York, New York!!!

2009-04-16T09:25:00.007-04:00

I really apologize for the excessive delay in posting... especially to Susan, who has been lovingly kicking my butt about it. Anyway, I will have pics up soon of my latest sculpture, but before I do that, I have to share some pictures of my fabulous trip to New York last month!!!

My BFF Johanna and I were graciously hosted by my friend Susan, who lives in Jersey City (soon to be living in Paris and England - that will be another trip...). We targeted some must-see areas that Jo and I have been discussing since college, and enjoyed 4 lovely days walking, eating, sightseeing, and art art art. I have too many pictures to post in one entry, but here are a few highlights.

Greenwich Village - I could totally live there!

More Greenwich Village

Washington Square arch

Fantastic jazz band playing in Washington Square

The iconic Chrysler Building

I will post more pics in my next couple of posts. I've got wonderful images of some of the beautiful architectural features and the amazing art we saw at the MOMA and the Met. This trip has kept me on an inspirational high for a month, and is the impetus behind me starting AND finishing a new sculpture. I will definitely go back for more.

MomReviews - Lash Food Giveaway

2009-03-22T14:09:00.002-04:00

MomReviews - Lash Food Giveaway

Check out my friend Elizabeth's blog, and have a chance to win a free tube of eyelash conditioner!

Etsy

2008-10-21T13:48:00.004-04:00

Well, I decided to dive in to the Etsy experience recently. I have a few doll/sculpture items posted at the moment, and plan to add more vintage stuff and some of the brooches I've made from old buttons and buckles. I have no idea if I am pricing correctly. The boudoir dolls were very time-consuming, so I don't want to undervalue them, but still... I want them to sell. Do you think they are too pricey?

New artwork update

2008-10-10T09:33:00.004-04:00

Yes, I am still here, just haven't had lots of time to work lately.

Johanna suggested the striped fabric on the dark-haired boy's shirt was too bold, so I swapped it out for a more subtle design. I am pretty happy with how the faces are turning out. They aren't exactly like the photo, but they still look life-like to me. These kids definitely have some personality!

So now I am moving on to the background. This should be a challenge, as the trees, etc are kind of blurred. I need to attempt to achieve a sense of distance and depth, which will be difficult using fabric. But still, I am not as worried about those issues as I was about the faces.

Any thoughts?

Latest WIP

2008-08-20T21:47:00.008-04:00

I promised more pictures, so here they are. I am going to do the background before the faces, and more shading in general.

Also, I need to come up with a good title, so any suggestions?

The photo has "Summer, 1941" penciled on the back, so I could go with that, but kind of boring... Whaddya think?

New artwork in progress.

2008-08-06T14:41:00.002-04:00

I am well into a new fabric collage right now, and wanted to share. It's based on a photo of three kids eating popsicles from the summer of 1941. The faces were too great to resist, and it just evokes childhood to me. I will update my progress as I go.

Goodbye, good friend.

2008-08-02T13:47:00.004-04:00

Well, today has been a sad day at our house. Seger, our twelve year old Kuvasz, had to be euthanized this morning. He was in serious pain from a spine problem, and even though we gave the pain meds and anti-inflammatories a decent chance to work he was going downhill. I took these pictures last night to help us say goodbye. He was a great dog and a great friend, and we will miss him terribly.

Many thanks to Lynn Brady and Connie Townsend of Szumeria Kuvasz for giving us the opportunity to enjoy eleven years with our boy. (If you go to the above link, choose "Our Puppies" then "Szumeria's Puppies", scroll down and you can see a baby picture of Seger. His show name is "Szumeria's Mr. Rock N' Roll")

Alumni show

2008-07-18T22:24:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to share about how the opening reception for the U of M School of Art and Design alumni show went tonight. My piece sold, and I got a People's Choice Award! I am so excited, as this is the first show I have ever sold anything at. I got lots of nice comments from folks about how much they liked the piece, and was complimented by the dean.

Now, on to the next one.

Spin me!!!

2008-07-15T15:14:00.003-04:00

I never did say how the spinner's guild meeting went. Well, I ended up buying an Ashford Kiwi on my second visit, and started spinning! Once you get the hang of it it is SO MUCH FUN! I need to take some pictures of the yarn I've made, but for now here's a picture of the wheel I bought. It's a good wheel for beginners, with a double treadle for easy starting. This is a truly relaxing and mediative craft, but only when you get past the "I really suck at this" part. It doesn't take too long if you have a good teacher, and the Spinner's Flock is full of those.

My friend, the amazing painter!

2008-07-06T21:40:00.004-04:00

I wanted to give a nod to a great friend of mine from college, Kit Gentry. He was visiting his family in Michigan so he stopped over for a visit recently, and we had a fun time catching up. Kit lives in Hawaii, and has been an amazing artist ever since we met freshman year at the U of M School of Art. I want you to check out his website, and see how incredible a painter he is.

He didn't know I was mentioning him here, so I don't want to post one of his paintings without his permission. The image is a quick sketch he did of me in class, in about 1988.

Doing my bit...

2008-07-06T21:29:00.002-04:00

Today, I successfully managed a trip to the local food co-op, on foot, with my toddler in a wagon. Other than my daughter deciding to open a container of yogurt in the store, we left with 3 bags (paper that we brought with us) of groceries for the next few days. So I feel good because I saved gas, I got exercise, and I shopped. I think this will easily fit in to my routine, and I was overjoyed to find out that Maddie loved to sit in the wagon. This is better than the stroller because I can bring back more groceries in the wagon.

My next task is to make some really cool shopping totes that fold up into portable sizes. I believe there is something like that in either this or that book on my shelf.

Alex Anderson!!!!

2008-06-29T08:56:00.005-04:00

My big thrill this last week was to attend an event with Alex Anderson, formerly of Simply Quilts on HGTV. I got to have an entire day with Johanna, fabric shopping, no kids, and met Alex on top of it all! She signed a copy of her book Neutral Essentials for me, and was just as sweet and lovely in person as I always thought she was on TV. She did a really enjoyable slide lecture on her life, how she got into quilting, her TV show, and her life now as a spokesperson for Bernina. Most importantly, she is now the co-host of an internet television program called The Quilt Show, which I would encourage you to check out. Alex's passion is encouraging beginning quilters, so if you are new to the medium this is a really helpful resource. Her husband was at the event, and was so incredibly nice and we had a fun little discussion about art quilts and mixed media. All in all it was a great day!

Check out my big score!

2008-06-16T21:44:00.003-04:00

Being a closet trash picker/dumpster diver/freegan, I am not opposed to stopping the car when I spot a decent looking piece of furniture on the side of the road. I saw this in the midst of a pile of trash in front of someone's house and just had to look. Turns out, it wasn't an end table but a 1941 Singer sewing cabinet WITH a nearly pristine machine and parts INTACT!!! As Johanna says, Jesus led me to this item... True that, as I hadn't planned to head outside at all today. This is so pretty, even if I never actually sew with it I am happy to have it.

Ta Daaaa!!!!!

2008-06-08T17:04:00.003-04:00

The Summer We Were Sisters is officially done! Yay! Working with fabric was really fun and rewarding, so I am definitely going to do more pieces like this. Johanna convinced me to do hand embroidery and I'm glad she did. I wasn't sure I could manage it in the time I had left but it went pretty quickly and added just enough texture and interest. (Gold star to me for not overdoing it this time...) I'd love to hear your feedback.

Pressure makes diamonds.

2008-06-02T22:02:00.002-04:00

If you've been waiting for me to post again (yeah right....) here's what I've been up to. I managed to overwork and pretty much ruin the thing I was working on in the last post. After I sent in the entry form for the alumni show. With 3 weeks left before I have to drop off the work to the gallery. So, I decided to re-do the piece, and happily it's better than before. I am really enjoying the way I decided to work this time, and plan to do more pieces like it.

The photo I am including in this post shows the piece unfinished, but I don't have very much more to do. Yes, the ladies will have faces, but I am saving that for last. The piece is titled "The Summer We Were Sisters", and is a combination of fused fabric and paper, with hand embroidery.

Preview of coming attractions...

2008-04-07T14:12:00.002-04:00

I promised to post a couple of images of the mixed media piece I am working on, and here they are. These are details only - I will post the whole thing when I am finished.

I Got Me Some Creativity!

2008-04-04T08:39:00.002-04:00

I don't have a pic to post yet, but I have a new work in progress! Yay! I am gearing up for my next alumni art show entry with a mixed media piece. I don't want to give TMI about it, as it may dilute my enthusiasm, but I was inspired by this great book. Suffice it to say it involves fabric applique, couching with embroidery thread, paper, ephemera, and more!

Also, I am really excited about my upcoming visit to the Spinner's Flock to try my hand at spinning my own yarn. I have been really into knitting lately and my husband told me he thought spinning seemed like it would really suit me. Although Bryan is very encouraging of my artistic pursuits, he rarely gives me that much direct advice so I figured I would take it seriously.

It's not much, but it's progress...

2008-01-26T18:42:00.000-05:00

I've had a lot of life-busyness happening since my last post, so I haven't had much time to knit. But I have made a bit on progress on the tam, as you can see. My only complaint about working with many colors is that picking up dropped stitches is SO much more fiddly than it would otherwise be. The "carried-along" yarn on the wrong side sometimes masquerades as the yarn you need to pull through, which gets confusing. Plus, the needle size is a 3, which puts a bit more strain on the fingers and eyes. I've dropped 2 stitches so far, and have been placing a stitch marker on the dropped stitch and fixing it when I knit back around to that spot. No big deal, and I am not really complaining about it, as I consider this project a learning experience.

Hope all your cool projects are making you happy!

Bring on the color!

2008-01-12T21:04:00.000-05:00

I am trying my hand at knitting the gorgeous "December Lights Tam" from Interweave Knits Holiday 2007 Gifts magazine. This is my first attempt at using multiple colors, and so far it's not difficult at all. Of course, I haven't gotten past the sideband yet, but I've already used 5 colors out of 8, so I feel that it's do-able. I am using sock-weight wool by Grignasco, Reynolds Soft Sea Wool, Wash Day Wool by Reynolds Kids, and Jo Sharp Alpaca. One of the biggest challenges was finding all the colors I wanted to use in the same weight.

A huge help for me in improving my knitting has been Debbie Stoller's Stitch and Bitch. If you haven't checked it out, or have been put off by the title, you need to take a look at it. Her instructions and tips make knitting seem so much easier than it looks, and she puts a fun twist on a traditional domestic art.

All vintage, all the time.

2008-01-06T15:50:00.000-05:00

I just love my collection of vintage tins, and I do use them for storing tea, candy, cookie cutters, catnip, etc... The graphics are so great, and the colors are yummy and inspirational. I found the set of green canisters with the gardening woman at the Ann Arbor Antiques Market (one of the best antique shows around if you've never been) and found a matching bread box on a separate trip. That particular green color (fiesta green?) is all over my kitchen. Just felt like sharing.

Quinn the cat loves my bed!

2008-01-04T11:20:00.000-05:00

It's not a resolution, really more of a habit I am trying to instill, but I am trying to keep the bedroom neat and the bed made. It's been a challenge, because we haven't had a real comforter or quilt on the bed in a while. I have been holding off buying/making one because the style of the bed is so strong, being a Harvey Ellis-style Stickley frame with inlays, that I wanted something that would not work against the style. I recently pulled this yo-yo quilt out of my blanket chest, and was really happy with how it looked. My husband even likes it! It's a vintage one that was unfinished when my mother-in-law gave it to me, and Johanna finished it beautifully. I didn't use it for the longest time, because it's so fragile, but I am committed to keeping it nice on a well-made bed every morning. I have to say, it puts my mind into the right place every morning when I straighten up the covers.

If you, like me, have "neatness issues", I have a couple of inspirational suggestions. Check out Flylady for a primer on becoming neat and organized. She uses baby steps to get the organizationally-challenged on the right track, and you can sign up for email reminders. The other thing that has really motivated me is watching episodes of How Clean Is Your House on BBC America. My home isn't anywhere close to the hovels some of these folks live in (setting the studio aside, of course) but it's a great show to watch to get enthused about creating sparkly surfaces.

The Best Revenge...

2007-12-27T12:06:00.000-05:00

OK, after the last post I had to show off something I've been working on. This is a collage that, although still in progress, is making me happy. I am calling it "The Best Revenge is Love", after the saying on the vintage calendar page. I really enjoy collage, as it gives pretty immediate gratification and incorporates the ephemera I love.

Excuses excuses...

2007-12-27T11:27:00.000-05:00

Well, it's an example of the best laid plans of mice and men. By now, I planned to have many posts up of my various projects, but life intervened in the form of emergency surgery. In November I ended up in the hospital with a very infected gall bladder, which had to be removed the non-laproscopic way. The aftermath left me unable to lift more than 10 pounds (which included my toddler) and on narcotics. Definitely not well-suited to creativity, or the planned organization of my neglected studio. This space has been sitting in it's current state for over a year, since Maddie was born. Her room used to be my studio, and I just haven't been able to get it together since we moved my stuff.

So now we are in the post-Christmas lull, with Mirren on vacation from school for another week and a half. I am mostly recovered, and can shove boxes around a bit, so hopefully I can make a dent in the mess. I've posted some (embarrassing) "before" pictures of my studio, in the hopes that you will take pity on me. I will post the "after" pictures soon... very soon.

Johanna's Quilt

2007-11-08T19:28:00.001-05:00

I am really proud of my friend Johanna. She is an amazing quilt artist with a masterful sense of color. The image is of her vertical quilt entitled "Mineral Study" that she entered into our alumni show at U of M. Gold star, Jo!

I'm Dreaming of Shoulder Bags...

2007-10-04T21:16:00.000-04:00

This might sound really silly, but I have been dreaming/daydreaming/fantasizing about making the perfect shoulder bag. I've been reading Anna Torborg's The Crafter's Companion and it has sparked a desire to delve into my fabric stash (buried somewhere in my incomplete studio) and make something completely handmade and unique. I have loads of great fabric, vintage accessories, and gorgeous thread. My problem is, I want to fashion the "perfect" shoulder bag. It has to accommodate all my current items that float around in the beat-up bag I use now (cell phone, change purse, checkbook, wallet type thing) but I also want special pockets, hang rings, and maybe have it be big enough for the craft magazines or books I often tote around. I want a bag that is so great, I will get stopped in the street by strangers asking where I got it.

When did my fantasy life move away from sunny vacations, relaxing massages & Vin Diesel? I'm not sure. Right now I'm dreaming of shoulder bags, and maybe this is a dream I can make come true. I will let you know.

My Latest Sculpture...

2007-09-21T19:11:00.000-04:00

I recently had the pleasure of participating in the alumni art show for the University of Michigan School of Art & Design. I managed (despite the baby) to crank out this sculpture titled "Superior", which is a symbolic representation of Lake Superior in female form. I'll get some better pics taken to post later, but this is what I've got at the moment. Under her skirt are images of ships being tossed in a storm, which you can't see here, and her upper torso is covered with a Lake Superior nautical map collage.

There is a lighthouse bed and breakfast that we love to visit, up along the Lake Superior shoreline in the Upper Peninsula. We have stayed there during all times of the year, and I have been fascinated by the wild, elemental nature of the lake. According to those who have traveled the lake, it might as well be the ocean for as big as it is. I tried to capture those qualities in this sculpture.

Handmade Boudoir Dolls

2007-09-02T14:56:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures of handmade dolls I made a while back. They were inspired by the boudoir dolls of the 1920's, but are smaller, about 12". I made parlour maids, flower fairies and flappers. I enjoy the simplicity of the body pattern, as it lends itself to the different characters and clothing styles. These were fun to make but surprisingly time consuming. I was able to streamline my process of cutting, sewing and stuffing the bodies, but customizing took forever - the embroidered hair of one orange haired flapper took almost 2 hours to apply!

Welcome to my Blog!

2007-09-02T14:37:00.000-04:00

I am starting this blog because I want to join the community of crafters and artists who have inspired me and kept me company. I am a mom of two girls, 6 years and 10 months, and while I love them dearly the "mom world" can be isolating. Perhaps with the audience of the blogosphere I can commit myself to creating and sharing on a regular basis. I also want to examine the concept of frugality and life simplification, as so many of the wonderful artists I have admired have written about. I have taken many of your ideas and applied them to my situation. I really look forward to getting to know you better!