Midnight Dancer

This was my entry in Cloth Paper Scissors' Felted Wonder Challenge.  I used red felt as a blank canvas for a mixed media piece titled “Midnight Dancer”.  Felt provides marvelous texture and is easily embellished with beading, appliqué and adornments.   Her handmade face is secured with a beaded bezel  while her dress is embellished with beads, stamping and stitching.  The star is from a piece of vintage jewelry.  

 

Meet Max

Let me introduce Max, couch pug extraordinaire.  He's 10 years old and my constant shadow.  He blogs occasionally at www.pug-tales.blogspot.com.

Belly Up! 

Faster, Mom, Faster!

Mystery in My Back Yard

Last week I saw a lot of color where color shouldn't be.  When I walked up to see what it was, I was hit with a really noticeable fragance and spots of color all entwined in the shrubbery.  I had no idea what the plant could be and how it got there.  So I grabbed my camera and took several pictures of it to show to my Master Gardener friend.  As soon as she saw the blooms, she knew right away -- a Rangoon Creeper.   Aha!  I had bought a Rangoon Creeper three years ago and set it out so it would climb all over the covered deck.  The following winter was really tough with several severe freezes and the vine died (OR so I thought).  The mystery is:  Where has it been and what has it been doing since it froze three winters ago.  It has relocated about 40 feet from where it originally started out to not a very good place for vines.  In other words - nothing to climb on properly.  Now what do I do with it?  Wonder if I can move it after it finishes blooming?

See! I do have a heart!!!

A couple of weeks ago my doctor thought it would be a good idea if I had a stress test -- a nuclear stress test!  Radioactive chemicals injected into my body!!!  And he threw in an order for an echocardiogram for good measure. 

It was no big deal.  I took a book.  Spent a lot of time just waiting.  Everything went smoothly and the results were good. 

Meet Finalist, Punky Booster

In the March/April 2012 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors, Barbara Delaney started a new challenge for a breast cancer awareness article this Fall. Artists were challenged to design "Supportive Art" in mixed media. The only requirement was that it had to be able to fit in a 8"x10"x6" box when shipped.

This sounds like lots of fun!

Several ideas immediately came to mind. There were definitely some construction issues challenging my ideas. BUT, I had lots of fun watching how my mixed media supportive art evolved. With each found object, embellishment, and trinket added, this bra grew past a training bra to a fully developed E cup. (That's E for egg poaching cups!) And so the Punky Booster Strapless Bra was created.

 
I had a dazzling vintage glitzy necklace that was my aunt's. She was an incredibly strong woman who survived two radical mastectomies. How appropriate that a piece of her jewelry provides support for Punky Booster. I added beads, recycled jewelry pieces, lace, ribbon, and found objects that represented time, love, giggles to the recycled leather-covered egg poaching cups.

I got my entry finished and photographed and submitted by the April 30th deadline. Now I just had to sit and patiently wait for the finalists to be announced May 14.

Well, today's the day....and...the finalists were announced.

I'm one of the twenty finalists!!!

I am so excited!! I've seen some incredible bras that have been posted. Click here to see.

Now, I have to get Punky Booster ready for a road trip to Massachusetts. Next step...Hollywood!!

Good luck, Punky!!!!

Quan Am Festival

I stopped by the local Vietnamese Buddhist Center this afternoon where preparations were being made for their 12th annual Quan Am Festival March 30 - April 1. 
Find out more at:
http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/stories/338674-events-vietnam-buddhist-center-planning-festival

So many turtles sunning themselves.  They swim up to the edge of the pond expecting to be fed.

Large lotus blossoms floating with the breeze.



Looking toward the center.



Love the large flowers.  The red tree is actually artifical - the red blooms are little lights.

Colorful lanterns!

Not sure what plant this is but it's beautiful with the different colored blooms on it.

The Weather is Incredible

My irises are all in bloom.  Beautiful!