Another day of altering books....(or why I am not getting around to reading blogs right now!!!)

This is an opening page of Lizzzie's new book. The theme is "happiness".

This is a page with a window which looks through to the flowers on the coming page.

She still has to decorate the left side.

My window, in the middle of the rose bouquet, looks through to some text about roses and some sketched roses. [I always seem to be influenced by the original book's title...this one is "Watching the Roses".]

When the page it turned, you may look back through the window to see part of the white rose, which is completed with a drawing using pigma pens and oil pastel.

Today's altered book page....
"Daughter of Time" continues...


Using flowers from a Bath and Body works mailer, a copy of my zinnia painting, as stylized portrait of my mother from her senior picture. The text is painted over with ecru acrylic except for the words, "Ella" (her name) and "high school" which were left visible.

Updates...

This is the bag after felting. I may still add a lining with pockets and a brass closure.


Meanwhile, I have worked on my altered book some more.



On this page, I added some eyes and cut an opening which shows the eyes from the next page! I like the way the redbrown color is picked up!




Here when you turn the page, are those watchful eyes...in art work by Samella Lewis and "Spirits Watching"
art work by David Driskell. (See how the opening works the "other way" to show those eyes!)



This romantic page with ink-stained cotton lace says, "Wake-up! It's later than you think!"
So far many of these images relate to the book title, "Daughter of Time"...

This is the purse/tote which I have knitted and am now felting......

It is from Shetland wool, knitted in a tube (130 stitches on size 10 circular needles) decreasing and changing colors as the knitting progresses. The garter stitch handle uses 2 strands at once and the extra 2nd color yarn is used as a chain stitch embellishment. I will post the felted photo later....the purse is still in the washing machine with blue jeans and a towel....next into the dryer and then we'll see....

Meanwhile....here are pages from a fun artist's day, doing altered books with my friend Lizzzie!!! Lizzzie's book was called "In the Middle of Somewhere".

Mine is called "Daughter of Time"....(some of these pages are complete and others will still grown ad develope as I come across suitable images!)

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Happy Birthday to Carmen!




This is artwork from her blog today! Stop by over at Carmen's to wish her a lovely day and see more collages and artwork!
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I received some more photos of my grandchildren today...a treasured gift for me!!!!

I have to share this pear....

Today we (Mom and I) visited a univesity art gallery and viewed etchings and woodcuts by Albrect Durer and Rembrant. This illutration by Albrect Durer, done in 1511,

is called "Virgin and Child with Pear". In the middle ages, everything in the natural world came to have symbolism for Christianity...the common person would be familiar with most of these symbols...even as the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment were approaching.

The pear (which Mary is holding in her right hand) symbolised Christ's love for humanity. The small photo shows the wonderful range of value which makes the Virgin's clothing almost shimmer....the larger photo shows the pear in Mary's right hand.

Out for an anniversary brunch.....Ella's Restaurant this morning!


Mr. Pear and I in front of the fireplace at The Inn at Carnall Hall, with Ella's portrait behind us.

A cold rainy morning outside the drapes, but we were enjoying the beauty and warmth of the room and lovely food!

I especially enjoyed the artwork of Barry Thomas which adorns the walls here.
This hayfield painting is large
and sunny!

His painting of Carnall Hall, the historical building, once a women's dormitory and school where the real Ella was an English teacher!




Finally, here is a snapshot of a quilt made for an earlier wedding anniversary. I call it "War and Roses". [The design in not original...I think it may be from a quilt pattern book by a team called "Joined at the Hip"....]

More weekend romance.....

These are pages from my art journal...sometimes I use words....
...but often more visual images. Our anniversary is tomorrow, and I will be taking Mom back to Little Rock to see her surgeon on Monday. So I'm thinking that tonight might be a good time to go to our favorite restaurant, Hugo's.
This small resaturant has been in business since the 1970's and still has pretty much the same menu....so I am planning to order my favorite strawberry crepes. Pink dessert perfect for mid-winter gray days!









As if this weren't enough to make a romantic weekend, once I am back at Mom's it will be Sunday evening and time to watch "Pride and Prejudice" on PBS!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I am returning home to spend the weekend with Mr. Pear.

It is also our anniversary this weekend!

A quiet gray day in Little Rock.


(Mom's computer has been down but now is restored!)



I am enjoying lots of time for my crafts...and even occassional watercolors. I have finished reading "I Capture the Castle"...it was quite enjoyable! When I'm on the road, I listen to "A Year of Wonder" about an English village in the 1600's, which is very well written!


Now, I am hand quilting on my pink and white Irish Chain quilt, I am under no time pressure to finish it! It is one of the classic American quilt patterns which I admire, it is simple and shows off the hand quilting.



Knitting is another possibility! I may decide to do a felted purse, or not! (This one is from knittychick's blog)

I have just finished socks similar to these for my son-in-law. They are on the way to his home, along with tropical weight cotton baby blankets with crocheted edges for my infant grandson (they are going to Jamaica for Easter), and hair ribbons for the granddaughter!


SIL, Bindley, is still in the Congo, as far as we know. My daughter talked to him only once this week and he mentioned having to "dodge bullets" on the airfield as the locals were firing guns in celebration of a soccer match. H-mmmm...We will be happy to have him home later this week!


Mom's surgery has gone well. The left hand is in large bandages which makes wearing most garments with sleeves impossible. I altered a lavender sweatshirt for her today, removing the left cuff so the sleeve will go over her bandage, then cutting it up the center to make it into a cardigan rather than a pull-over. It works great to give her a soft warm garment to ward off the chill! Monday she gets her bandages off. I plan to take her to my home for a few days....

Tuesday update....still rainy and colder! I'm reading Rosamunde Pilcher's "September" and wishing it was a larger print...still I do love her fantastic vocabulary for describing all things in the British Isles! Of course this has led to my enjoying tea rather than coffee this afternoon!

SIL is now on his way home...hopefully out of harm's way!

More bright rose color for a gray world today.....(though the sun was shining when I started this!)

A collage on a watercolor pear background. Pears are in season all winter so they end up posing for me a lot before I eat them! We continue to dream of bright flowers even when they are scarce so I added some to keep company with the pear. I finished this collage off with some gold glitter glue which doesn't show on the scanner.


After yoga class yesterday, I met a friend for lunch at our wonderful public library! Yes, there is a coffee shop in the lobby!

Then I found some traditional books ["I Capture the Castle" by Dodie Smith] to read and some audio books to listen to as I hand quilt [ "A Year of Wonder" by Geraldine Brooks, and "Kingfishers Catch Fire" by Rumer Godden].

I can also listen on my drive down to Mom's. She is having hand surgery on Friday and I will be going down to be with her for a few days....not sure how long.

Now I must go pack and organize my projects for the trip!

This is my son-in-law and my grandson....both named Bindley. Here they are just hanging out at home enjoying a Saturday snowfall.

My SIL, who repairs all aspects of modern aircraft, is leaving today for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This is not the most idyllic place on earth..... .....photo here of the Congo River from National Geographic....

This large country in the center of the African continent has suffered through more than a decade of the "African World War" and was shaken by an earthquake just hours ago!

We are praying for all aspects of his 8-day trip to go well. He will be using his laptop while there....thank goodness for modern communication! (I think!)

I've just posted my latest watercolors!

Yesterday's snow still lingers.....


This is our backyard this morning....in a soft grey light.

The bamboo is strong and flexible to bend and not break with the weight of the snow.

Looking up into the branches of a large cedar tree and appreciating the texture of the bark , knotholes and dusting of snow.

This old lawn chair, under the cedar tree has its own light dusting of snow this morning....don't think I'll be sitting down just now!