What HAS she been up to?

I realize I have been MIA- missing in art I like to call it- lately. Between teaching classes and kids home on spring break and fighting with my depression I have not posted much of my work lately.

So- good news- I have been working! Just finished these today.

This is a journal/album that I recycled. I used these wonderful papers made by my friend Shari. I keep trying to get her to sell these papers on Etsy. They are so unique! Her process involves gelatin printing, textures, rubber stamps, stencils and anything else she can find to make it all come together.  At our Art Retreat last month I got to try my hand at Shari's printing process- what fun! I just don't have the same feel for it that Shari does though. I love her papers and am lucky enough to receive some as gifts every now and then. The original book was just a photo album. I kept the original clear pocket pages and added in some lavender and purple card stock paper. I like journals where you can tuck items into it and write on the pages at the same time.

This little piece was the 3-D challenge from last month's Art Retreat.  Again it's an up cycled item that I picked up at my local thrift store. Using the papers I designed in the gelatin printing session of the retreat, some sea shells and a few clay fish beads I created this treasure chest fir for any mermaid! This box measures about 3" x 5" and the drawer pulls out. Sorry this picture washed out a little on me.

And finally- I saw an altered spoon for the first time as I was blog hoping the other day. I love altered art and as soon as I saw it I had to try for myself. I used a vintage serving spoon- measures 9" long and the bowl holds 1/4 of liquid.  I have been fascinated with all things Alice and a spoon needs a tea party right? I had this vintage image of a young lady and her dolls having a tea party from my favorite place to get images- Altered Artifacts-

a couple of brass crowns, a clock face and the words "tea time" in glass alphabet beads and I was on my way to altering my first spoon.

All of these items are available in my Etsy shop. Now, I need to figure out what I want to do with this pile of rhinestone jewelry and a travel case that needs some TLC....

"Curiouser and curiouser"

Here it is. The finished version of the pocket watch. Thanks for all of you who told me what you preferred for the watch fob. The bottle won hands down!

Curiouser and curiouser!

I have been busy on eBay recently. I haven't been able to get to some of my favorite junky haunts so eBay has to be my stand in. I won a bid for a lot of clock faces. They arrived Monday and they were delightful. No idea what I want to do with them but that has never been an issue before. One of the pieces is 16" across with a pearl finished clock face and marked "Made in West Germany". The cool thing about this clock face is that it had a hinged frame attached to it with the bubble glass still in place. This got me to thinking......

a couple of months ago I purchased some collage sheets from my favorite Etsy seller Altered Artifacts  an Alice in Wonderland Articulated Paper Puppet Theatre. Three sheets of wonderful full color images from the John Tenniel illustrations.

I added some other embellishments that I had in the studio. A miniature glass bottle with a cork, a gold key, an interesting watch face that I liberated a while ago from an ugly watchband, and some paper flowers.

I am almost finished with the piece. I am working on making a stem  for the top with a ring and a chain so it will hang on the wall and look like an over sized pocket watch of "Wonderland"  I am kicking around ideas for a watch fob to hang from the chain. Tea pot? Key? Top Hat? If any of you have an idea leave a comment. I am open to suggestions!

Close up of "Curiouser and curiouser!"