Comb-over

I was playing with some faux glaze that was left over from a kitchen painting project.

I mixed it with some acrylic paint from my studio and used a painters comb to brush through the paint.

I added bits of oil pastel and some stampings

I'll be able to use this paper later for other projects

I experimented with some other color combinations on the brown paper

 I was so inspired by the materials that I got in my fabric swap with  Lorna from Artymess that I made some postcards with some bits

The sari fabric bits were fabulous along with a deteriorating old silk scarf that belonged to my mother

I had been waiting to used this distressed abandoned quilting squares that I picked up at a yard sale.

I used iron-on Pellon to stick it to the cardboard for this postcard.

I was  also inspired  by Corrine at Dosfishes to make up some large mail art envelopes for later use.

Side A

Side B

This Russian newspaper arrived crumpled in a box from a gallery that was returning my season's jewelry. 

Side A

Side B

Swaps With My Favorite Coloraholics

Collage by Corrine of Dosfishes 

She always hangs her collages with clothespins on her blog so I thought it would be a good way to display them in my studio.

Stitching and color

She included some papers and other materials for me to use in collage too.

I did a fabric swap with Lorna of Artymess and she sent me a treasure trove of her textile art and materials. I was swooning!

One of Lorna's artist trading cards

Swatches of Indian fabric. Perfect for catching the drool!

Some more of Lorna's pieces.

I did a couple of swaps recently with my two favorite "coloraholics"  Corrine and Lorna.

I can't tell you how much fun it is to open up the packages. What a delight! Lot's of inspiration and gifties all packaged up and decorated. Mail art is so much fun. As soon as I see the package I get so excited.  

Fall Necklaces

These antique lucite maple leaves bring me back to my childhood in New England.

How I miss those maple leaves!

I used simple knotted wire lace that can be puckered  and shaped to highlight my beads on these necklaces. It's so light and delicate.

It's a bit harder to see in this pic but the crystal shape lampworked beads have gold leaf shimmering in the transparent beads. The wonderful think about the wire lace is that you can string beads directly onto the tube  before puckering it.

I made these mussel shell-like whorls to be reminiscent of the shells on the beach from our camp in Maine.

Somehow I've with all of my excitement over the image transfer class and playing with collage elements I seem to have neglected the glass studio. Now that the weather is suitably rainy and dismal out I find myself back in the mode to sit at a torch again. With my winter shows coming up I wanted to make some simple necklaces.  I sometimes forget that fall is an entire season in some places while we have a three or four week taste of it here in the Alaskan north.  

announcing my new blog

I have endeavored to try my hand at a bit of writing on my new blog.

I'm inviting you to have a look. I hope you enjoy it.

A Little Bit of Alizarin Crimson 

Highlights of Burma 2007

My husband and I took a pre-wedding trip to SE Asia and managed to fit in a side trip to Burma (Myanmar) for a week. 

This is Bagan where over 1000 of these stupas or chedis  stud the landscape stunningly like mushrooms as far as you can see.

The displays in the market are a work of art. These leaves are used for bundles of betelnut that is chewed by a large segment of the population. 

The golden glow of the Buddha's hand.

I was stopped on my bicycle by a man that wanted to invite me to his home. He was a kindergarten teacher and was hoping that I would make a donation to the students as even early education is something that families have to pay for themselves and many are too poor  to send their children to school. He showed me picture of the students receiving their donations.

He was very proud to show me his family pictures of his graduate sisters.

I was fascinated by every aspect of his simple home.

Boat trip on the Irrawaddy headed to Mandalay.

Amazingly we had this tour boat almost to ourselves with just one Burmese couple and  a Japanese man.

There was more crew than passengers.

The ubiquitous "Hotel California" was playing.

I think I have heard that song in every country I have ever visited.

I have a little story about my fortune being told on this trip. Stay tuned as I may share it on my new writing blog that I started up this week.

Coming into Mandalay

Always friendly children

Another Pagoda, they are everywhere you look.

The jade market in Mandalay. We seemed to be the only foreigners there and caused quite a commotion being swarmed by vendors.

They also seemed to be doing a lot of trading among themselves.

I was more interested in beads however, which were much harder to locate.

Not the best photo but it captures the atmosphere of dusk in the city.

As my pedicab driver said to my husband to be "Grandfather, I think grandsister is very tired!"

I don't know if I can convey how exotic and otherworldly this felt to me

Interior of a pagoda. The buddha images have a different stylization than the ones of Thailand that I've become so familiar with.

A young water buffalo wrangler at Inle Lake. I felt so fortunate to get this shot.

 A monastery on an island at Inle Lake.

These brooms against the teakwood made such a nice pattern with the softness against the hardwood.

Market day at Inle Lake ~ the parking area

Rice cakes on spindles