HOLIDAY GREETINGS 2016

★★WARMEST WISHES!!★★

9 CAT FACES ?

9 kitty faces sitting on the bed…..

1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9

Looked again and now there are 10!

Fred E. Cat cannot resist a freshly made bed.

Cute Kitty cushion, a purrfect Christmas present from friends.

WISHING ALL FAMILY & FRIENDS A HEALTHY, 

PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS 2015

A Message With Teeth In It

For all the Dentists in my life 

and all who work with them ♥♥♥♥♥ 

TPC, JHC, MAR & HH ( 2 brothers, 

1 cousin & my Philadelphia Dentist)  

You know who you are!  OXOXOXOXOXO

Spork Maestro

Recently, searched the Net for a combination fork 
and spoon eating utensil. 
Thought it might help my blind Mom eat more
comfortably.
Discovered the spork.
Familiar to kids and campers.
I wanted one that fit in with regular silverware.
Discovered the ETSY shop bosen / handcrafted
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Bosen

Mom's first Bosen made spork, photo ⓒ Bosen 2012, with permission

 Bosen, the shop proprietor and craftsperson, recycles

old worthy teaspoons of "good quality and with character",

painstakingly searched for in thrift stores and garage sales.

Then careful grinding, sanding and filing transforms them into

these useful and unique utensils. Often completing the

transformation by engraving a word like "NOURISH" or 

"Eat" on the stem. 

Bosen credits trying to eat penne pasta at lunch with 

a rounded spoon. Studying bronze casting at a foundry at

the time encouraged the thought of creating tines on the front

edge of the spoon. 

And it works magnificently! 

My Mom started raving immediately!

Amusingly, she was eating a penne pasta dish 

at the time.

I immediately sent for 2 more of Bosen's sporks for Mom.

Now I want some of my own.

These 2 Bosen sporks arrived yesterday, photos ⓒ Bosen 2012, with permission

When not "sporkifying" spoons, Bosen restores older steel 

bicycles and finds them new owners in the small town in

on the North shore of Monterey Bay in Central California

where Bosen lives. 

Bosen writes, "I am passionate about sustainable human 

powered transportation which means keeping every last 

bicycle out of landfills and scrap piles. I make a life of 

turning beat up, neglected old bicycles into smooth running, 

useful machines that will serve their owners for decades to come. 

I suggest you bring along your trusty unique Bosen spork 
for when you stop for lunch and/or dinner. Enjoy your meal.

Thanking its enigmatic, conscientious creator/ recycler.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Bosen

HAPPY 2012

   WISHING ALL A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

                                          Carolyn, Tizzy and Freddie

Love at First Sight

(click on images to enlarge)


Went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Craft Show for inspiration.
What I found was L O V E.
At first sight, Mark A. Perry's fabulous
carved wood goat. 

photo Mark A. Perry, with permission from the Artist

Then I spied the huge Running Sheepdog 

Pie Crimper? 

photo Mark A. Perry, with permission from the Artist

And it was an antique carved
scrimshaw pie crimper that gave
Sculptor Mark A. Perry the inspiration
to carve his gigantic Dog Crimpers.
(Some have dog bone wheel spokes).
The cream colored Sheepdog at full 
sprint, shaggy carved hair blowing 
in the wind. 

There is also the sleek ebony Great Dane
pushing his giant crimper forward.

photo Mark A. Perry, with permission from the Artist

And other breeds can be found among 

Mark A. Perry's FaceBook photos.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-A-Perry-Folk-Art-Sculptor/44280329948?sk=photos


This extraordinary Folk Art Sculptor is self-taught.
A perfectionist, learning his craft studying and duplicating and
taking inspiration from past excellence.
To see more of his exquisite Peacocks, gilded Fish, 
an enormous Grasshopper (sporting glass door knob eyes), 
elegant weather vanes, stoic tobacco shop Native American, 
cocky long necked Rooster and marvelous mysterious modern figures,

reminiscent of antique Italian Santos
visit Mark A. Perry's marvelous website:
http://www.folkartsculptor.com/

photo Mark A. Perry, with permission from the Artist

Still more to come.....stay tuned!

Quilts Grow In Brooklyn

The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show 

may have just ended. 

However, so much wonderful work can still

be viewed on the artists' websites.

photo:D James Dee, by permission of Erin Wilson

Erin Wilson, a Brooklyn, NY artist, has cats, 

and makes wonderful quilted hangings.

Urban, lively, jazzy even, but not disturbing or noisy.

Abstract reflected images in each quilted square, 
or is it an interior scene? 

Curious, colorful and in town. 

Like visual clues to an as yet unrevealed mystery.

Wonderful color ways, clean opaque goache-like tints tones and shades. 

Erin builds the small squares individually. 

Careful choices from scraps of fabric.

Then assembles them into hangings. 

Unified by color and shapes. 

Some like hieroglyphics. 

To see much more, visit Erin Wilson's website:  http://www.erinwilsonquilts.com/

photo:D James Dee, by permission of Erin Wilson

MORE TO COME............stay tuned!

The Bead Of A Different Drummer

(click on images to enlarge)


I can hear them now. 

My future heirs, in my apartment

sorting and clearing what I've left behind.

"Do you realize how much she would have

left us if it wasn't for all these beads and books

and dolls and stuff?"

I can almost sympathize. 

I will have taken my adventures, stories, characters and moments of

serendipity traveling abroad and/or more locally with me.
And the beat goes on..  
Uh, or make that the bead goes on

The name of my favorite booth at last weekend's BeadFest

Philadelphia 2011. (actually in Oaks, PA- west of Valley Forge).

My equally bead obsessed cousin Janet came from NYC with

a group from FIT and met me there. 

Beaded beads at the bead goes on

another view/ the bead goes on booth at BeadFest 2011, Philadelphia

So much to see, touch and talk about while choosing.

Got to tell Diane Hawkey how much I love her wimsical beads.

And the visual feast at the bead goes on's booth of tempting treasures.

Hand painted beauties from Asia, the bead goes on

2 head beads/ the bead goes on

Huge apple green jade beads from Asia/ the bead goes on

Old Afghan coins / the bead goes on

2 huge Venetian blown glass beads with millefiori decoration/
the bead goes on

Diane Hawkey's delightful handmade ceramic  houses and mermaid

     Strand of pretty Chinese lampwork beads, carved bone kitties,
        Venetion blown glass and Diane Hawkey ceramics together in grande finale  :~)

the bead goes on      www.beadgoeson.com
Diane Hawkey        http://dianehawkey.blogspot.com/

Uncle Jace's Pineapple Walnut Biscotti - They Draw & Cook

(click on image to view entire recipe / full spread)

So excited, just received this message from the good folks at TDAC (They Draw And Cook). Guess what?! Uncle Jace's Pineapple Walnut Biscotti recipe is 1 of 6 recipes in the Featured Collection  just posted on the main TDAC jumbotron.  http://www.theydrawandcook.com/

The collection is called "6 Recipes with Pineapples!" and will be featured from April 19 to April 22. After that, the collection can be viewed on our Featured Collection Archive page. Its the 3rd one down. A delightful honor from this very cool website!

Had To Share This

Forget the tea towels, tea cups and saucers. 

Fabulously witty British knitting designer 

Fiona Goble has come up with my absolutely 

favorite souvenir of all for this latest 

royal wedding. Knit Your Own

Royal Wedding, Andrews McMeel 2011.

 Photo by Ivy Press/Rex / Rex USA ( 754958f ) 

Help William And Kate Tie The Knit If you haven't received an invitation to the royal wedding there's no need to despair - as now you can knit your own. An unusual souvenir book has been published full of patterns detailing how to knit ten 'characters' from Prince William and Kate Middleton's big day. This includes the bride and groom themselves, the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, his wife Camilla and best man Prince Harry. The intricate designs see Prince William in full uniform, including blue Garter sash and Golden Jubilee medal. Meanwhile, Kate's diamond and sapphire engagement ring and a tiny tiara are also faithfully depicted in wool. There is also design for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams who will marry the couple on April 29 at Westminster Abbey. And you can even knit your own corgi - the monarch's favourite breed of dog The knitting patterns are all contained in the 64 page manual 'Knit Your Own Royal Wedding' by Fiona Goble, which retails for GBP 9.99. The book also contains instructions on how to create customised guests, enabling you to knit yourself into proceedings. And once you've created the cast of characters you can pose them against a backdrop of Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace's famous balcony. According to publisher Ivy Press: "This piece of yarn pageantry is funny, charming and easy enough for even a novice to tackle". 'Knit Your Own Royal Wedding' by Fiona Goble (Ivy Press http://www.ivypress.co.uk RRP GBP 9.99) For more information visit http://www.rexusa.com/stacklink/HJEKGYYJY 754958f

edit

I can't wait to get mine, the only souvenir 

so far that I truly covet.

Hoping Ms Goble and everyone else concerned 

will forgive me for using these photos before 

acquiring permission. (I have yet to discover 

contact info.) Just couldn't contain 

my enthusiasm and amusement. 

Ordering mine now.

http://www.amazon.com/Knit-Your-Own-Royal-Wedding/dp/

1449409245/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302469309&sr=1-1

                                           

Hello Dollies

Searching for my pictures from the last big British royal
wedding and finding everything else but. Including some
projects from my creative past. Tons of illustrations
along with some dolls and puppets.
The slides are old and beginning to yellow, but with a 
little help from Photoshop thought I'd share these.

Always interested in clothing and costume, I made these

for fun when an idea occurred. A college friend Jane T.

was the inspiration for this one. The first couple of years 

in college, I made doll portraits of friends which I gave

as presents.

Wally Neibart, well known satirical Illustrator, an early

mentor, purchased my 18th century gent which he keeps 

under a glass dome on his mantle. 

http://www.wallyneibart.com/index.html

I gave these folks bendable knees, elbows etc. so they could be posable.

A few potty (as in nutty) flowering plants. 

The stems were green wire so they could also change pose.

My attempt to portray famous 60's model, Peggy Moffitt,

designer Rudy Gernreich's muse.

fashion photo of Peggy Moffitt

   included for comparison

May be a few more, if I have time.

New Tricks Cont'd

This might look like just another picture 
of a lady holding a cat,
But to me its a large leap in my learning 
to draw and paint on my trusty IMAC.

click on image to enlarge

Wanting to see if I could bring some pattern and texture

into a scene, using software bells and whistles.

Learning to think and work differently.

I always learn better by giving myself a project rather than

following a written handbook, especially without pictures.

(Its what kept me from thinking about Law school or

Medicine. ;~)  I'd never have made it through the 
dry reading matter.)

Beginning with large simple shapes of "painted" color 

instead of a loose line drawn pencil sketch of my drawing

board days.

No more sheet after sheet of heavy tracing paper

redrawing and refining the elements. Gone are endless
bits of changes on paper scraps, some floating to the
floor to be found only when cleaning up afterwards.

Modeling shapes directly, saving the image at each stage

so I can to return to any without constant redrawing.

In this unfinished garden scene, I created just

one example of each flowering plant, copying and 
pasting more as needed and placing them anywhere. 
Easily building my border. 

Good to shake things up once in a while and learn 

something new. Friends who have been with me from 

the beginning have said that my computer done work, 

still looks like I did it. Very reassuring. ;~)

Best part for me? NO mess to clean up afterwards.