The Best Kind of Artwork

Earlier this week we had a family get together for my husband, Damon's birthday. Our nephew Noah who is 7 made this awesome piece of artwork for his uncle. Can you see his mother's, aunt's and grandmother's influences?!

TREASURE!!!

Don went up to CR this morning and came home with these goodies. Glory hallelluia , I have hit the jackpot!!! I have dug through here 3 times now and keep finding more treasures for making rings and pins and random beads for my art. This all came from his Aunt Mary who is cleaning out one of her several houses. She had intended to make a "jewelry Christmas tree" but never got around to it. There was even a string of battery- operated lights in there. She must have been serious. You can't begin to see it all in this photo. Yes, that is an old quilt on the right and it's backed with chenille. Hmmmm. . . . dolls? I am so excited. In order to get this good stuff, we had to take some other priceless objects, too, but some of that will go to Goodwill where somebody else is bound to scoop it up and say, "Wow! A . . . . .whatever".
Look at the birdie! It's a little ceramic bird. How did he get in there?

YARD ART

Beads that bobble in the wind. My favorite thing out there.
I kind of like her, too!
This moon is suppose to be on a metal rod, but it broke off and until my hubby fixes it, the moon has landed on earth.
Porch post ornament. (one of four)
Porch steps (they usually get plenty of comments)

God's handiwork

I was listening to the radio and the announcer was talking about having returned from a camping trip to Yosemite and how very beautiful it is and how it reminds you of how big God is and the awesomeness of what He created out there. I've been there. I know. The chances of me getting that far away from home again are slim, so I decided to walk outside our place and look for signs of God's handiwork in our yard. Here are the yucca blossoms going nuts.
Wildflowers and weeds taking over this year. Aren't they great? Why not let them do their thing? God created them, too. Don's back can't take it and right now I'm sneezing so hard from just taking the photos that I about wet my pants!!! So, yeah, we think it looks just great.
Our hostas went bonkers this year! They love our big shade tree.
I put my hand here to show you how large each leaf is. They're wonderful.
That is some of God's nature around us - not huge mountain tops or awesome waterfalls - but still nothing to overlook, that's for sure. Next I'll post art in the yard.

MORE OLD STUFF!!!

This is me in my art studio back in the early 80's! Go ahead, laugh. I did, cause it's better than crying!

SPOONS & APRONS

I understand what a kitchen is and I understand what most utensils, appliances, and other kitchen items are used for. I just don't understand how any of that applies to me. I hate to cook, my kids are out of the nest, and I want in and back out of the kitchen as fast as possible so I can go on to doing more interesting things. Like what you see below. Maybe spoons were really designed to be angels. At least these few were. Look how happy they seem to be knowing they will no longer be put inside someone's mouth or have their head banged on a high chair tray. I doubt that anyone would even have the nerve to play a game of "Spoons" with these gals. Though they might enjoy being held, the wild grabbing part might be a little rough for them!
I am building up a stash for apron parts! I have enough now to get started on some fun aprons. Some of the fun already took place when I found bargain prices on this stuff! These will be funky. . . . . . . to wear for arts and crafts!!!! But if you MUST cook, I guess they would work in the kitchen, too! Will post some finished ones later on.

OLD STUFF

I was digging through some old stuff and thought why not show you something from the past. I did this one I believe in 1999 during a very difficult time in my life - about 3 years after my husband passed away. Yup, it's a "self-portrait"!!! It was good to see it again and think how far I've come since then.
While I was digging through old stuff, I came upon some stuff with which I had taken something old and made it new again. Hard to explain, but that's really it!!! I then stashed it away - why I don't know because I think it's kind of good. Here are a couple of them: This jolly guy needs a message on his banner. I'm not sure where I was going with that! I forgot now!!!
Here is one titled: "Angels over Iowa City". It features our old stone courthouse, the old capital building, and Old Brick (an old church turned something else). These 3 historical sites were not damaged in the flood. Here I was playing with Grant Wood's American Gothic (he lived in Iowa- not far from us) with the couple as angels. Not sure what I was saying - just having fun, that's all.
Here they are closer up so you can see the layers. I need to do something with this stuff. My workroom contains lots of "stuff". I keep doing "stuff" then "stuff it" somewhere. Maybe I have CSD - Compulsive Stuff Disorder. Somebody help me.

Flood 2008

This is a picture of our church here in Iowa City. The sky above is interesting, too. This is where I teach art to preschoolers. I hurt. I know God is in control.
This is the preschool side of the building. The playground is behind the tree on the left.
We are still waiting for the river to crest - sometime next week, they are saying. It's like nothing anyone has seen. This past weekend we were participating in the Iowa Artsfest and it had to be completely shut down due to the winds and storms. From there we went into sandbagging mode! Now is the helpless feeling of loss and yet we do not mourn like those who have no hope. My husband is out of work due to back surgery and now I have lost my place of work. But praise God, He is still on His throne! And we are His people. He is refining us. I pray that He lavishes me with creativity as well as compassion and love for others.

Iowa Arts Festival!

We are getting really excited about being in the

Iowa Arts Festival this weekend!

in downtown Iowa City.

June 7-8

10-6 on Saturday, 10-4 on Sunday.

We'll be in our same nice shady spot we had last year: number 72.

Come say Hi!