Paris: Made By Hand

 

I really have been working on putting jewelry together, even though I haven't been sharing my work with you for the last few posts.  Here is a bracelet I put together using a vintage watch band clasp as a closure.  The sand dollar charm is also vintage but the garnets, amethyst, slate tones pearls, labradorite, Swarovski crystals and red Czech glass beads are all new.  Purchase Here

I like the way the gold and red hues play so well together and it's so appropriate for this time of year, with Valentine's Day quickly approaching.

 

I also want to share my latest book with you, Paris:  Made By Hand  that is filled with inspirational photography.

I will be making the corset on the right this Spring.  I have already begun working on the "bones" made of wire that I will then attach the twigs.  It will be approximately four feet tall and three feet wide when I am finished.

Another shot from the book....I love these vintage dolls, don't you?

Lee's Altered Book - Lyrical Interpretation Round Robin

The cover of Lee's altered book for the Lyrical Interpretation Round Robin and I love it!  Lee is our hostess for the round robin altered book exchange which is nearing an end.  I will receive one more book and then it will be complete.  I have loved doing this exchange - it has been such an inspiration.  Thank you AGAin, and AGAin....

Inside cover and nifty tags for each artist to personalize and sign in - my tag is the woman's face and sienna paint, Marilyn's tag is the No Minimum tag with Fleur de Lis, and Tammy's tag is the Adore tag.
Another view of the artists tags for Lee's book.  The tags slip into the pocket and contain the artists information on the back of the tag.
This is Lee's first page for her book setting the tone for the project.  Love the pumpkin color and the sun interpretation with the golden metallic center.
My favorite element is the wirework figure - awesome work Lee!  Lee found this great small 45 record album for her altered book and is a perfect book for the Lyrical Interpretation project.
This page is Marilyn's contribution to the altered book project with great use of color and imagery.  See the skeleton on the left side of the page?  I also really like the idea of using the blue ric rac.  
Second page by Marilyn with vintage photo images, anatomical illustrations and more ric rac.

My addition to Lee's book with glossy transparency skeleton, the lyrics running along the border of the page and vintage illustration.
The skeleton has red heart with "smoke" curling out of the rib cage for the lyric - "curl like smoke and breath again".

Lyrics curl around the opening of the page and vintage skull from the 1920's.
Second page using Lee's pumpkin color with rib cage, transparency heart and lyrics - "down your throat inside your ribs" in the opening on the page.
I added Chinese symbols in the yellow circles from a vintage illustration of an anatomical heart.
Tammy's pages featuring tag, photo of a woman, feather, clock face, hands with the sun shining through and a flower.

Second page by Tammy featuring ribbon, tiny key, vintage photo and clock face.
Back cover of Lee's book repeating the same halos from the front.

I found this corset/back brace? in an antique shop and thought of Lee's book.  I included it in the package for Lee to incorporate into the project if she likes it.....  I think with some scissor work, paint and embellishments it could be a possibility.

You Are Your Own Master

Everything, absolutely everything we think, say or do makes a difference.  This is a joyously liberating message because every moment we are presented with the possibility of changing the future.  We change, and our future changes, too.

- Lama Surya Das

I have been enjoying the book, Awakening the Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das over the weekend.  Whenever I tackle a challenging work like this I like to keep a small journal for notes, thoughts, ideas and insights.  I carry it with me and refer back to my notes to fully absorb the meaning of the passages.  

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

As the shadow follows the body, 

as we think , so we become.

- Buddha

Lighten up and find joy in what needs to be done. 

Think kindly; speak gently and clearly.

Words can be gifts, words can be weapons, words can be magic; words can be prayer, poetry or song.

Begin to live in the present moment, with whoever is with you and no one else.  This very moment is sufficient, perfect and complete.  Enjoy and appreciate what is before your eyes, and all will be revealed- fresh radiant as the dawn, as at the very dawn of creation.

African Trade Beads - Ladies No.1 Detective Agency

I discovered the series "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" by Alexander McCall Smith recently and have been enjoying the HBO Series which is available On Demand.  The talented Jill Scott portrays Precious Ramotswe in the series and brings to life the traditionally built Mm Ramotswe from the beloved series.

The bestselling series portrays what is true, stable and genuine in an ever-shifting world.

My fascination with Precious Ramotswe and her home of Botswana lead me to the discovery of African trade beads that I have combined with sterling silver beads, horn, nut, turquoise and vintage beads to make this colorful and vibrant bracelet.  
I added a silver prayer box to hold dreams and wishes of the wearer. 

Altered Book Round Robin - Marilyn Healy

The second installment in the Lyrical Interpretation Round Robin Altered Book exhange by Marilyn Healy, a uber talented collage artist from Utah.  You can see more of her work here on her blog:  Outside The Lines

Maryiln selected a song from the soundtrack of the movie, "Twilight".  She highly recommends the book series as so many other avid fans available - HERE.
The artist sign in page where each artist will lay claim to their finished pages for Mariyln's book with a little extra room to add a few well wishes and references to their blogs so that each artist can learn a little more about the exchange participants.
Marilyn added tiny illustrations to point the way and typewriter key numbers representing the five participants in the Round Robin.
Another illustration pointing the way to the sign in and then the other to the first page in the altered book that is constructed from a vintage 45 record album which is the perfect book for the Lyrical Theme.
This is one of Marilyn's pages setting the tone for her book - giving the following artists  clues as to how she would like the book to look and feel.  She used a very large button as "the moon" on this page suspended over the opening for the record label.
Closer view of the buttons, vintage paper and illustrations of a girl and a boy holding hands.
I love this page - it is my favorite in the book so far the image of the man with his dog with the black wings is so haunting.
A slightly closer view - look at the eyes.....
The adjoining page to the man with the haunting eyes - features dried flowers, a moon illustration, vintage paper from a book, tree silhouette in the background and a young girl holding flower seeds in her hands.
"I am going out to see what I can sow."  So nice with the seeds falling from her hands.
Tammy Lucik's contribution to the book has vintage maps, buttons, feathers, vintage lace, a cloaked image against a moonlit shy with the signature apple from the movie and ribbon containing the lyrics.
Another angle of Tammy's page - I love it!  It's that moon.

Lyrics - "And I don't know what I'll see."
Tammy's second page for the book with little boy photo, vinage crochet doily with key, blue medallion moon with dragonfly, vintage tape ruler, map, wallpaper and more vinage lace.
Close up of the key and crochet element on Tammy's page.
Lyric:  "But, I'll try to bring it back."

Little boy with buttons on his pants.This is my contribution to the book featuring vintage sheet music, pages from books, an image of a group of men and women with a wire loop, a feather encased in glass, vintage matchbook, and metal drawer label with Going Home in vintage paper.
Glass encased feather wrapped with brass wire.
Lyrics:  "Like the morning sun your eyes will follow me." 

I wrapped this wire loop gadget to add focal interest to the man in the middle.
The second page of my installment with red trees silhouetted in the background with the sun rising behind the man's head with his two dogs.  The wings are from a vintage piece of jewelry.
I always like to add a bookmark to the books and this one doubles as a cuff bracelet if Marilyn so chooses to wear it.
The cuff fastens in back with a vintage jet glass button and vintage lace bit.
Lyric:  "As you watch me wander, curse the powers that be."
I love doing there altered book projects as each book is so different than the one before that it is very inspiration to shift your creative mind to the new format of the book in front of you.  I look at the books again and again getting the feel for "it" and then begin pulling bits and pieces out of my goodie boxes, mixing and matching, until I get the desired result.  It's such a rewarding experience and again - Thank you Lee!