Things are picking up around here, but I've still found some time to finish a few artsy swaps on swap-bot.com. I did an Easter jumbo matchbox, some martini ATCs and some Retro 50's and 60's ATCs. I also have a "local dotee doll" all finished and ready for my partner to be named. I've been working on the altered compact swap that I'm hosting. 4 of us will be swapping unless someone else joins. I have the front of mine done, but not the inside.
I keep thinking of doing kind of "step-by-step" photo essays of the art work I'm doing to post them here on the blog. I know there are many times I see someone elses piece and would love to have seen the process.
Anyway - the dotee doll is made with fabric that I had tranfered a peony and rose picture to. The Peony is the state flower and the rose for the nearby city of Richmond that is known as the "Rose City". I also embroidered a cardinal bird on her hand that seems to be whispering to her. The cardinal is the state bird. The compact has a digitally altered photo of my grandmother. The words say,"Each of us is an original", which I found as a quote from the bible in the "Message" bible. There are buttons and fibers. I really like it alot. Once we get partners assigned, if it's not something my partner could love and appreciate I will do a different one for her. I just had to do that exact thing with the Retro ATC swap. One of the cards I had done was called "Pink Ladies" - like a girls biker club or bowling team or something. It had lots of pink...and both partners I was assigned said they didn't like pink or "girly". Oh well. I have a nice card for my own collection I guess:)
I recently found a lovely pair of vintage heels that I bought at the church "Mission mart" (thrift store), for a couple of dollars. I had every intention of dying/painting them and embellishing them to go with a banquet gown I have to wear to an event in April. When I got them home they were just too nice to touch! Absolutely perfect and the the detail is really amazing. They were in the original box and had never been worn. There wasn't a scuff on the bottom and they had the original tissue in the box. Now I'm back to square one on the banquet shoes. And I'm not sure if I'll keep or sell these vintage beauties.
Rehearsals are well underway for "Witness". I'm planning to do a rather stylized lighting of the show, as the director had originally told me it was to be "noir" style, and the set designer is supposed to limit his pallette to just greys and washed out blues. I have a feeling I will be the only one sticking to the original plan...but we'll see. If I am, it's okay. The lighting will look fabulous. I love high contrast and nice sharp highlights and shadows.
Later - Indygirl