Sunday, September 2, 2007

August's Page is Done!



Done with August's page which is my tribute to Elvis. I love Elvis, especially kitschy Elvis art that people do. This one went through several incarnations before I finally decided to make a focal picture pebble. I love the imbedded glitter in the fun felt. I was a crow in a previous life - I like shiny sparkly things.

I tried fun felt for the first time and found that it works very well, especially considering the price. Don't know that I'd use it for a wearable piece, but I think it works well for this application. When this piece is held up to the light, you can see all of the needle holes - made a LOT of alterations on the letters. The lettering was hard and the letters still aren't as I'd like them to be, but they'll do. Tried backstitch first, but that didn't work so well, so I used an 8 as the base and put an 11 on the top. New month, new technique.

I wanted to take a better picture of July's page so here it is. I would like a new digital camera and of course I don't want a cheap one, I want one with real interchangeable lenses, ttl focusing so that the camera works like a true film camera, not a point and shoot like I have now. Haven't been able to take very good close ups with it lately and I think the problem is me, not the camera, in part.

The last photo is of the right angle weave cube (two rows deep) of Swarovski 4mm bicones that my friend ordered. Wanted to get a photo of it before I mailed it.

I pulled a page from a textbook that I'm going to use for my background for the September page. While the first piece I did was not really journal-like for me, I think that the other two images are examples of work that would be found in my journal.

The Beaded Journal Project has been very good for me. It's challenged me to learn a new beading technique, for one thing, and to work on a long term project with short-term goals which works well for me. And I am blogging, which I've wanted to do for a long time. It was difficult to find a voice and I think I'm coming into my own. I'm learning new things about blogging as I go along. I bought a book about HTML, which I learned way back in the 90s. I'd like to do some web design to the blog so it has my imprint on it, not my imprint on someone else's design.

Today's quotation comes from Anne Morrow Lindbergh: I believe that true identity is found... in creative activity springing from within. It is found, paradoxically, when one loses oneself. Woman can best refind herself by losing herself in some kind of creative activity of her own.

9 comments:

Robin said...

Very fun blog, Any - pictures to quote - I enjoyed it all!!!

Good solution to letters. Yes, they ARE difficult. I have some in my August piece, which I'm just now finishing... and I also struggled with them, having to rip out and re-do some of the letters. I used a combination of backstitch and couching. Your solution of making short stacks worked really well on your Elvis piece.

Yes, your voice is singing now!!! Bravo! Robin

KV said...

Such a fun page, Any! Had the chance to interview Elvis once when I was a high school cub reporter. There was a famous author in Cleveland the same day and I was furious because someone assigned me to cover Elvis instead!

Thanks for making me smile and remember that occasion . . .


Kathy V in NM

Anonymous said...

Very cool! What did you surround the Elvis piece with? I can't tell from the picture-is it stitching or sequins? You certainly have been productive! Can't wait to see it in person!

Carla

Padparadscha said...

I think both your BJP pages are great, and they look very good together. I like what you say about what the project brings you, I feel the same about it :o)

Love the quotation too.

Any Smith said...

Thanks for the comments, ladies! Yes, I do feel like I am singing and that I've finally found my voice.

Carla, those are sequins around Elvis's face - Brenda's vintage sequins. Those were a little tricky, too.

Kathy, I am so honored to have someone comment on my blog that actually met Elvis - I was too young to ever see him in concert, but I fell in love with the SUN Records sound. My question is: who was the famous author and are they still known today?

Timaree said...

The glass pebble idea is a good one. As far as letters go- I stitch over a pencil-drawn piece of tissue paper with back stitch and then rip the paper away. I can't draw nice letters on the felt.

What is life without sparkles??!!!

The Lone Beader® said...

I love the addition of Elvis=:)

Any Smith said...

Thank you, Thank You Very Much!

KV said...

Hi, Any --


The author was William Donohue Ellis, a favorite of mine at the time. Hadn't thought about him for ages and ages (this was back in 1957) -- guess I should go and Google him, right?


Kathy V in NM