DON'T LOOK if you're afraid of spiders!

I've always been fascinated with the legends of ancient cultures. They are colourful, often beautiful, and expressive of where we've been... and probably also where we're going.

I've also always been fascinated by spiders. Yes, the humble arachnid, the elegant 8-legged creature that has many people screaming in terror at the very sight of it. I can remember sitting under the picnic table when we went camping, watching the daddy-long-legs whilst the parental types set up camp. Not that long ago I had a five-legged spider crawl across my computer screen. I couldn't help wondering what its story was. Probably one of epic struggle and survival. I didn't give it further grief.

Particularly interesting are the legends of the aborginal peoples of Turtle Island..aka North America. The Grandmother Spider figured in the very creation of world.. she brought fire to the people, she created the stars in the sky from the dew on her web, and more. One popular legend is that of the dreamcatcher. It is a web that allows the good dreams in, and keeps the bad ones out. I thought of this when trying to come up with a way to make the spider's web. In this web I made red beads of quilling paper. In the one below, I remembered some antique mother of pearl buttons... these are made of sea shell of course. I thought them appropriately glittery.

I created the backgrounds with acrylic paint on paper I thought suitable. The spiders are quilling paper of course, to create a couple of mixed media pieces that are the same, and yet not, and that I really like.

And so, "She took a web she had spun, laced it with dew, threw it into the sky and the dew became the stars."

Giraffe!

An older gentleman bought Ezmerelda for his grandniece, whom he said is "a princess." He came to market with other family, including his sister, who later told me how much the little girl loved her picture. It's really cool to get positive feedback.

This lovely woman also likes my quilling art. She bought Freaky Fish and asked if I could make a giraffe. I said, "sure." And so I have. I hope she likes it!

So many more ideas to work on! :)

Ezmerelda is finished!

Yep, she's done. I placed my wee pink dragon in a flower garden, which apparently she just can't resist! Now I'm anxious to do another dragon. :)

While I was at it, I fixed up a piece for Remembrance Day. The background is actually a lovely green, but it doesn't really show that in the picture. The poem, of course, is In Flanders Fields.

And one day while I was also making chili sauce, I worked on some plaques. Chili sauce... quilling.... chili sauce.... quilling. It's a confusing life. ;o)

Only a month of market to go, so I've decided to not knock myself out with the preserves and worry about having some of "everything." When I run out, I do ~ as long as I'm left with enough for holiday gifts. I have so many ideas for quilling, I really want to be doing that. I'd love to do some holiday shows, just with the quilling. :) We'll see.

Lo-Tech Note Clips

No, I said "note" clips. Hehe.

Yeah, they're just cute, fun little items for market. There's a magnet affixed to the back so it can be stuck to the fridge, or any metal surface. Good for that running shopping list that everyone can add to. :)

Fancy Freaky Fish!

Ok, ever since I saw a fancy fish on the home page of my quilling art supply company, I've wanted to make one. There wasn't a kit. At least, not that I could find. I didn't want to just copy anyway. I just wanted to take the idea and run with it. So that's what I did.

Curled paper. Single curls. Double curls. I made the body separate from the tail. I put a "shadow" behind the head. It's a tropical, topical, fancy, freaky, crazy fish. I mounted it on blue-green carding, added sea grasses and kelp-type thingies, a school of smaller fish, a "fly" hook with line.

The frame came with a border and smaller opening, so I fixed it up larger using balsa wood, and used sandpaper for a "sandy" bottom. Then I added shells and a river rock.

The plastic frame was black, so I sprayed a little blue and white Krylon on there to lighten it up. I wound up backing the picture with bristol board just to firm it up.

To be honest, I don't think it's nearly as good as the fish I saw on my supply store site, but I like it. This is a cool freaky fish. And it's mine.

P.S. I'll add my supply site to my links. Should have done it sooner! ;o)

What do you mean, BUY a card?

Happy Valentine's Day!




Here's the other one. Yep, simple. But not only did I leave it till the last minute, I'm something of a rough-hewn ol' Earth mama and if I started getting all frilly, gushy, sweetness and light with the famly just for Valentine's Day, they'd think I was having some sort of fit and cart me off to the hospital. ;o) Had fun making the paper flowers, but I'll save the fancy stuff for pictures. :)



Have fun everyone!

Added later: I came across this anniversary card I made last year. I like it better than the Valentine cards, even tho it's even simpler. Just needed to try those roses, but I think I'm over florals for the moment. ;o) Back to dragons.