Paper Kachina Dolls and Birds

 At this weekend's play date - we used these Kachina style dolls from Cloth Paper Scissors as our inspiration.  Our friend S created a bunch last month and gave us the idea.  The ones in the magazine had more organic elements and a small altoid tin box behind, for hidden treasures.

 Mine was filled with assorted beads and jewelry findings.  I guess you just keep adding stuff until it looks "done"!  The base is two pieces of cardboard glued together in a sort of "T" shape.  then i covered it with hand painted deli paper.  Which glues beautifully by the way.  then added the striped ribbon and more paper and a fimo clay face my friend K brought to share.  Ribbon is added as "arms" with a few beads hanging off the ends.  Enameled butterfly and gold tassle earrings are the "legs".

 S brought her face mold and some fimo clay plus i had some paper clay - so i stocked up on faces to make more dolls!  I want to make some with a halloween theme.

 The bird inspiration came from a book D had called Acrylic Techniques in Mixed Media. Here's one from the book.

 D made copies of this image showing more examples, plus gave us all the pattern - in three different sizes!

I used a pretty Monet painting from a glossy art magazine as the background for my pair of birds.  I added wings made out of metallic printed washi paper with brads.  You know, so they can "fly".  A few more earrings from my stash of cosmetic jewelry for the legs.  (sorry - inside joke...)  I intended to add more doodads - but the image is just so pretty just like this  - nice and simple.  So i might just leave them as is!

Sorry forgot to take pictures of my art group's work!  The Horror!  I'll update the blog when they send them to me.  So please check back....!

Altered Calender - Sepia Lens

 I created a few more spreads in D's book - Through the Sepia Lens.  See the work in did last time i had this book HERE.  Since we have gotten a bit out of order with our round robin - i didn't really add the "narrative" to my pages - since this book has a sort of story line running through it.  I just worked with the  supplies i had close at hand, when two friends came over to "play".

The image on the right is the piazza san marco in Venice - where jazz bands play music to the patrons in the outdoor cafes.  lovely really.  I've been there twice!  Once with Mom in the late 70's and with my sweetie about 10 years ago.

 This spread makes no sense whatsoever.  But i'll figure out a way to pull it together!   The good thing is that D likes weird stuff!

 Here is the sign in page - my tag on the right - and you can see some empty spaces for my fellow altered artists once this book makes the rounds.

And here is a sneak peak at the images i'll be using for the NEXT altered book - Paper Dolls! Gosh i hated cutting out paper dolls when i was a kid!

the Paris Flea Market down the road...

Well not exactly! I have not been in France recently - but i did go to a lovely french style flea market today with my friend Z and discovered a fantastic booth with authentic French goodies.

 Here are 3 notebooks - one filled with lovely handwriting.

 The child's notebook or "cahier" has practice cursive writing.  The third is a medical document.  The title actually says Urine Retention with Pregnancy! 

Isn't that romantic and Parisian?

 Next are an assortment of cute things:

two pastry bags is pretty pink vellum. 4 bird playing cards. some dressmaker numbered ribbon. a beautiful cherry blossom millinery flower. a pharmacy pill box.

Here is a card (not entirely french) with beautiful vintage buttons ready to hang. 

None of this stuff was cheap. 

 But i daresay a lot less expensive than airfare and hotels for a trip to the marche aux puces de Clignancourt in Paris!

A few more purchases at a couple of other vendors, after a luscious cafe aux lait.  i found this pretty blue perfume mister for $2.  (sadly it held britney spears cologne - ew.  not very french!)  the necklace will be fun to take apart and create 8 different pendants.  the earrings are sort of creepy - and will come in handy for our next halloween themed play date.