Waiting to Hatch

Four Square

The Jr. Boxer is another wonderful FAO image.

He didn't punch out the holes in the paper though, Jane did.

I spy a lady from one of my cabinet cards.

She reminds me of Annie Sullivan with her round spectacles. I read just about every Helen Keller book I could get my hands on in grade school. I remember one paperback that had a raised Braille alphabet on the back cover. I would shut my eyes and try to read it with my fingers. I never could.

Off to play with this technique some more.

Mail Call

If you subscribe, you may have received your copy in today's mail. If you don't, the online extras will have to hold you until May 2nd.

This issue of CPS is my favorite to date. It is absolutely stuffed with great projects and ideas. I want to try all of them, except of course, my own projects (page 66, just in case you were curious) which I have obviously tried already. You can check out the Table of Contents for a preview here.

Here are are couple of the many highlights:

I saw Kelli's colorful paper quilt and equally colorful hair in Chicago and am anxious to try my hand at "fabric-paper." Her paper beads will be featured in Issue 13 and will likely cause a run on UTEE at craft stores across America. The gorgeous cover art is from Anahata Katkin - she's the anti-Cheryl in that she works big. I am love with her illustration on the cover. Maybe my 1.5" collages will grow up someday.

Beamed in from Fiberspace, Julaine's technique for turning the utilitarian into art, as she deftly demonstrated at MIU, is also featured -- ok, all together now: OOOOOooooh shiny. I can hear the orchestra starting to play indicating that my time is up, so I will quickly mention Jennifer Valentine and her inspired artwork before I'm ushered off stage. In Jennifer's hands, bedroom slippers become a beautiful assemblage.

One last note before the commercial break: I got a big kick out of seeing a picture of my cover issue, CPS 10, on the enclosed subscription coupon. Nice to know that Sixtyopoly's image will be serving as an impromptu drink coaster all over the world, in addition to saving other mixed-up media enthusiasts 61% off the cover price.

Let me know if you think the issue is as great as I think it is. Or better yet, let Pokey and the gang know.

Shameless Self Promotion

The May/June issue of Cloth Paper Scissors is almost here, and yours truly has some work featured in it. Remember this?

At the time I didn't show you what I was working on, but I will now. Here is one of the four pieces featured, ta da!

This was the piece that (partially) inspired this piece. It features Mark's Aunt Cooky at three. Cooky finished her radiation treatment today. She still has to wear these once in a while, but is "getting fuzzy like a baby chick."

Ok, that was so much fun I'll show the other parent of the MIU piece. It looks like it's the same size but it's actually twice the width of the one above.

The piece we did at MIU was a hybrid of the 6" x 6" assemblage's size and layout and the paint technique from the 6" x 12" piece.

You'll just have to get the magazine for details on these pieces and to see the final incarnation of the bigger piece. It got some subtle finishing touches. Ciao for now.

Squash

She's considering what squash variation to cook.

04-24-2007

Chicago Trip - cont'd

In addition to MIU and Leslie's surprise party, I also got to see my long lost cousins, Lena and Sabrina, my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Mike while I was in Chicago. We met up for brunch and then went to "The Bean" at Millennium Park.

Lena, 15, and me - she was my baby by anotha motha. And fatha.

The Bean, as it's affectionately referred to, is actually entitled "Cloud Gate" and is just beautiful, if not a little fingerprinty, when you see it up close. It's super-cool, because you can see the skyline in it's reflection.

Me and Sabrina, 12, at the Bean-a.

L to R: Nancy, Mark, Michael, me, Sabrina, Lena, random tourist.

Took this one from under the arch.

It's a Fun House mirror effect - we're all actually over 6 feet tall. ; p

These were taken the day prior to seeing The Bean from the ground from the roof of my cousin Art's building.

Can you see the skyline? It reminds me of something else. Hmmmm.

Mark and I stayed at the Hampton Inn Majestic in the LaSalle Bank Theatre Building. It was very art-deco and in a great location, but what made it even cooler for me was the fact that my mom used to work in that building back in 1964! How strange to be in the elevator and think that Mom rode it to her job at the insurance company before she even MET Dad!

I wonder which floor she worked on......

What I Caught Fishing at the Lake [wood Antique Market]

Actually, it's more like junking, but I made a good haul.

Metal star with wood frame - it hasn't found a home yet so I propped it up against the fireplace.


HAD to have the antique Greek doll complete with foostanella and pompoms on his shoes. I'm not a doll person, but I am a Greek person so I'm allowed. You can also see a cabinet card featuring a very cranky baby, who is the subject of today's tile.


I think I'll call him Thanasi after my Popou. (The doll, not the cranky baby, silly.)


A pocket calendar from 1911, some metal stars and one of several printing blocks. This one says "And a Happy New Year."


Several of the printing blocks, including a half-tone photo that I inked in blue.


Printed matchbook from Texas.


My new-old tin junk with some of my old-old tin junk. You should have seen the one that got away.


Yesterday's tile from the FAO cache of images. Babs on Ice.


Babs is already in this assemblage complete with marabou, glitter, and metallic silver paint. I know, it's too precious, but I need to get my girlie fix somehow.

I think I just figured out what Mark is getting for Father's Day. A Mr. Cranky T-shirt.