I May be a Shoe Addict!

I love shoes, especially vintage styles, and currently I'm coveting a pair of "Gibson's"!

They would be perfect for my Edwardian reproductions, of course, but I'd wear them with modern styles too.

They're available for pre-order right now at American Duchess and I just cannot decide what color would be best - what do you think?

Yes, They Did!

Every so often, a debate arises in mid-19th century living history circles - did anyone really create the projects depicted in the lady's magazines of the period?

Just like now, certain magazines were specifically marketed towards women and just like today, they have articles on fashion, cooking, child care, home decoration and craft projects. Two of the more popular were Godey's Lady's Book and Peterson's Magazine; they were targeted for the growing middle class and are a great research resource.

But did anyone actually create the projects?

YES, they did!

I've thus far been able to find four original items that I can directly link to specific published projects and recently was able to purchase one - a beaded pincushion. 

It's from the March 1865 issue of Godey's, with the following directions:

To be worked with clear glass beads, on canvas sufficiently coarse for one bead to cover a stitch. The  ground can be filled with Solerino, blue, or scarlet wool, worked in cross-stitch. The patterns are reduced about one half. The fringe should be formed on the cushions with the clear white beads. Forty beads should be strung and looped up three stitches from where it commences, and each loop should be caught into the one next to it. This forms a very graceful and rich fringe. These same patterns will answer for netted tidies, the figures to be darned in.

The maker of this cushion followed most of the directions: clear glass beads, scarlet wool ground and beaded fringe, but she did not cross stitch the ground - she used the basic continental stitch. The cushion is approximately 7 inches square. It has a red velvet back and is stiffly stuffed, perhaps with bran. There is damage to the wool ground and the fringe and it appears there may have been some type of trim applied in a square around the central design which is now missing.  

I probably would not have recognized the design except that I had previously used it myself, as decoration on a needle book. The design was beaded onto silk taffeta, which was used to cover two bell shaped pasteboard pieces. The pieces were connected on the sides and wool flannel pages can be exposed by pulling the emery strawberry "clapper" and retracted by pulling the velvet loop at the top.

I have another project to share, but need to wait until summer when I'll have the proper equine model...

Specimens - 2013 Bead Journal Project

I debated on participating in the Bead Journal Project this year - it tends to occupy a lot of time and I have many projects planned for this year, many with firm deadlines. But I really feel i came up with an interesting concept...and, well, I'm off to a late start, as usual!

My plan is to create a series of "bugs", each of which will have the name of an actual insect but won't necessarily accurately depict each insect - instead it will be my interpretation of the name and constructed in a large variety of techniques; I suspect many will be very mixed media, but always incorporating beads.

I have managed to obtain my "specimen jars" for displaying my bugs (and providing the uniform size that should be part of BJP - 6 1/2" x 4 1/2" sure seemed to be a reasonable size, but they seem very large in person. That's probably okay though, it gives me room to incorporate lots of detail.

I have actually started my first creature, but I currently have other projects with looming deadlines, so I'll have to work on him in bits and pieces.

I promise there will be more to see than an empty jar - soon I hope!

Temperature's Dropping!

This particular thermometer is actually showing a rather high temperature compared to the last several days!

So cold, the lake has been steaming - the old timers say the lake has to steam seven times before the ice will make.

There's a bit of ice in the harbor, but not enough to stop the boats just yet (but every trip across has the potential of being the last!

And there's a thick coat of ice on the boat itself.

The few remaining horses are still at work, wearing frost beards!

We even have some snow, which has been in short supply the last couple winters - it goes a long way towards making winter on Mackinac more enjoyable!

Self - December 2012 Bead Journal Project

A few days late, but 2012 is complete!

My December rune stone represents the force of self-knowledge; if we are willing to evaluate and embrace both our strengths and faults, we can become forces in our own future and lives.

My found object is a small beveled mirror, salvaged from an Edwardian purse - it is quite flawed, only allowing a true reflection in bits and pieces. Our self-knowledge is usually equally flawed, distorted and glimpsed in tiny, isolated portions.

Bands of peyote stitch bind the mirror to the stone - just as we are bound by our flawed perceptions.

2012 is complete, but I don't think I'm finished exploring this concept; expect more rune stones in the future.

A Winding Journey - Update

This was a project I started back in October of 2011 - a way to document my beading projects; as I complete each project, I stitch a few beads on this canvas mat printed  with a labyrinth design.

There are currently 26 different projects represented and the beading is about a foot in length.

I seriously doubt I'll ever finish, given the the total path left to be embellished!

Looking Back - A Creative 2012

Time goes by so quickly, it's easy to forget just how much you've accomplished. So here's a look back at my 2012 projects, large and small.

A major project was my submission for the annual Manoogian Art Museum juried competition, the theme was Grand Hotel. I spent a full six months creating a three dimensional, life sized white pine stump, as Grand was built of white pine and originally used some of the stumps as the foundation (I was able to view a couple that are still under the hotel).

Not only was "The Foundation or In the Beginning" accepted into the show - it won Best of Show!

In the fall, it also was accepted into the Northern Exposure show at the William Bonifas Fine Arts Center; only artists living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula are allowed to enter.

Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey, Michigan hosted a fabulous show featuring 24 Mackinac Island artists. 

The curator chose several  of my pieces, even a couple that were still in progress! I was also asked to participate in their "Coffee at Ten" lecture series; it was a wonderful opportunity to discuss how my beadwork started as an effort to recreate the past and the unexpected directions it seems to be going in - where's it going next?

"Cycling" , a large mixed media sculpture was accepted into the New Fibers '12 juried show, sponsored by the Fiber Arts Network of Michigan. The show was reviewed by Fiber Art Now magazine, and a photo of my piece was included in the article. 

The International Society of Experimental Show was in Gloucester, Massachusetts and we spent a lovely week out there, combining our vacation and visiting the show. "Ripple Effect" was chosen for the show; it seemed ideal for a show along the shore.

 I also took a pin-press printing workshop; it's an interesting technique that I need to spend more time exploring.

The Mackinac Art Council offered a series of workshops this past summer, a couple were fiber related, I took two - needle felting and indigo dyeing - I'm sure both techniques will be showing up in future projects.

This was my third year participating in the Bead Journal Project; this year I created rune stones representing forces. Each stone incorporated an actual Mackinac beach stone, as well as beads and a found object.

I had a number of historical projects too.

I spent a fair bit of time researching mid-19th century bathing or swimming, created bathing costumes for both my husband and I, and hosted a period bathing party.

I also experimented with period instructions for making paper flowers:

And used them by the dozens on this "fancy dress" costume - we went as a "Rose Garden" and "the Thorn Amongst the Roses".

Our trip to Gloucester allowed me to press some "Flowers of the Sea" or seaweeds, again, using period instructions.

I only managed four submissions for the monthly Art Bead Scene challenges: they post an inspiration image, and participants create something incorporating an art bead - usually jewelry. I find these challenges really cause me to think "out-of-the-box", especially due to the time constraints, as I either need to order or create an art bead; I can't visit a local bead store.

And there's the photography; this is my second year with the 365 Project - a photo a day, everyday. 

It really forces you to look at your surroundings and consider the possibilities, but it takes a huge amount of time.

If asked, except for my stump project, I would have said I hadn't accomplished much this year - WRONG!!!