Art and Thrift Finds - The Reveal

It was so quiet in the house this morning.  Everyone slept late.  I put in a CD of She & She singing soft folksy blues and the puppies climbed up on their spots on the sofa and have been snoozing all morning.

Chucks is watching the British Open.  I attempted to bring some sort of order back to the house.  I gave up and worked on some ribbon packets.

All of you will be relieved I also took the time to visit Pic Monkey before starting this post so my photos won't be terrible - just ordinary bad!

This post reveals the art projects and some thrift finds from my niece Olivia's whirlwind visit. For the whole story of what we accomplished in three days read HERE.

I will start with the art first because art should always come first!

This canvas above is Olivia's collage entitled "Impromptu Piano Concerto in E - At Night".  It is a mixed media piece using acrylics, collage, and stamping.   I did not receive this one as a gift - it went home with her.

This is "Chick get Lucky" an homage to outsider art which is popular in this part of the country.  It is done with mostly craft paint with the stamped chicks across the bottom edge.  Even though she knows I love outsider art and chicks, I did not receive this one as a gift - it went home with her.

Another outsider piece on canvas board entitled "Chicks Out For Winter Stroll".  Olivia used craft acrylics to create this one.  I really love these two chick parents with the two baby chicks.  GUESS WHAT?  I did receive this one as a gift - it did not go home with her!

Grandma Jo received a painting "Landscape Occurreth". but I did not get a photo of the final product.

 

Fashion and Scarves

The next several photos show the shirt and scarves Olivia created. She was busy packing and was not able to model these so a hall tree and a wooden hanger stood in for her.

Olivia dyed two yards of cotton knit blue and tore it into three scarves.  This one has a poem written in bleach pen. The plaid shirt - she drew designs on the collar and cuffs.  She stamped the ink fairy (Cat's Life Press) and the word "lucky" on the pocket.

Cleverly she drew on the underneath of the collar to show when she wears it up and doesn't when she wears it down.

 The other two blue knit scarves she left plain for now, but they 

 are very versatile and can be tied in several different ways.

The next three were torn from tea-stained (at the factory) muslin in one foot widths and two foot lengths.

All of the scarves were put in the same dye bath.  I tend to keep putting in cloth until I use up all the dye from the water.  That accounts for the variations in color.

Olivia placed twist ties on this one and scrunched it in the dye with a paint stirrer.

After dying and drying, Olivia used Tumble Dye spray mist to create an ombre effect at each end.

The last scarf out of the vat was a pale blue-green.  One side is stamped all over with a curlicue pattern.  The opposite side features one of Olivia's poems.

What Did Aunt Distressed Donna Do?

First, I kept my sanity.  Second, I did manage to squeeze in some torn ribbon-dying while we had that big bowl of my favorite blue color.  I took an old chenille spread and tore it into two-yard lengths.  After washing and drying (HINT:  either do this outside or place in a pillow case in the dryer!),  I tied each bundle with white tulle with a caged bird card (thanks, Karen!).  These will make great basket fillers or just to use as, what else, ribbon!  

Thrift Finds

We did get to go to two thrift stores that have a ton of books.  Something that both Olivia and I need stacks of to alleviate our fear of running out of one to read!  She picked out an armload with a vintage tee shirt.  I was lucky, too.

In the background a purple pillow (aubergine), a funky striped western belt, a gold frame, a snowman collage, a small basket, several hankies (suitably distressed),  a bottle (am obsessed with them now), a milk glass compote and a elementary reading book.  Small enough haul to shove under a chair for now.  At least until I get the craft junk, er, supplies back into the bins and take down the card table, and...

I am overwhelmed!  Got to go eat lunch and start the cleaning.

What family gave away this adorable little snowman collage (made by Billy)? Little cotton ball snow, precious face, professionally framed, no less!  I love this and plan to use it at Christmas.

I hope you will come and read again.  I appreciate the several new readers since being showcased over on Danni Baird's blog Silo Hill Farm. Love to hear a comment or two!

See y'all!

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