and,

an attempt to grab creativity amidst the chaos.

My paintings always like visitors at www3.telus.net/galen/art



Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Rainbow Rain Required


 This is what my brain feels like.
 
 
Spidery, cluttery, tied up.
A mix of metal and soft wool.
 
That's both good and bad.
 
It also rains A LOT here.
That too is both good and bad.
 
With the hope of delivering some whimsy to the 'hood...
 
 
 
Our weather report required: rainbow rain.
 
I would have rather built a light fluffy cloud
full of lightness and possibility.
 
However,
since it lives outside it had to function
so the rain could run right through it and 
not send it crashing to the earth smothering house cats and frightening dogs. 
 
 
Let's hope I bemuse the
passing school children...

 
rather than freak out the neighbours 

 
Note one of my side kicks directing from inside
as I hang it from one of our wee tree's.
 
So little,
so loud,
so lovely.
 
 
 


Thursday, January 24, 2013

Ummm what now?

 Time to fuzz ball our front.
 
 
Who doesn't like a pom pom?
 
 
Probably the same person who doesn't like chocolate.
Suspect at best.

 
Already stopping the traffic and confusing the neighbours.

 
Bringing down property values
and confounding small children.

 
All in a day's work.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Flower Power

For Xmas my lovely friend gifted me
this beautiful necklace.
 
Apparently the person who made it
hand dyed the lace that she brought from Japan.

 
It was tres cher
and I never would have bought it for myself.
(Thus the perfect gift!)
 
I couldn't find the artist's name alas
or I would credit her here.
 
It's so lovely in fact,
sooo lovely,
that I tried my hand at making my own version.
 

 
The original version is more fantastic
 in lots of subtle ways

 
But, after much trial and error I figured out
how to duplicate the stamen.

 
My lace is from down the street and it came this colour.

 
But I LOVE it too!

 
Much like the dolls I finished sweating over,
after spending the time to hand tie the knots...



 
Sew the lace to the bead caps, filaments to the beads
and build the delicate pieces together

 
the price that I thought was initially so outrageous

 
 
seems totally justified.
 
These handmade details take time people!
 
Now go frequent your local artisans!
 
And thanks to the mystery woman who brought
this beautiful piece of artistry into my world.
And the smarty pants who gifted it to me!

Friday, January 11, 2013

More Little Ladies

Guess who's back in town?
 
A few more back up singers for my grrrl band.
(pattern from Retromama)



I cut out all these pieces almost a year
and a half ago now.
A babymoon and C-section bed rest project.
 
 
I was foolishly thinking about doing them for last Xmas.


 
And then suddenly this December I remembered
all these sweet little bits and pieces.

 
I would need a team of robots to make these again.

 
But they sure are sweet.

 
Maybe that's the next step...
build a team of ROBOTS!!!!
 
 

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Hold my Hand?

There is a local store in these parts
and everything there makes me swoon.
Sadly, the price tags do not.
I crushed on a pair of mitts I saw there
and although my version is not quite as cute,
it got the job done.

Upcycled thrifted sweater to mitts.
Cozy wool and already fuzzy from wear.

About 10 minutes to make.


White on White on White. Please.

Our house is about to explode.

One breath mint would be enough
to break the surface tension.

"A wafer thin mint"
(thank you Monty Python)

We are just moments away from a big purge.
The shortest shortie is almost done with
the weird but useful baby related things.

The ring of neglect.
The food encrusted high chair.
Out!

In the meantime before the walls close in
around me I decided to attack our kitchen table and paint it white.

Although it doesn't actually change our physical space,
it makes all the difference to my internal space.

I look at it,
live family around it
clean it,
sit beside it,
and feel openness and calm.

I don't have much of a before picture,
except this one that tells you that 
it was wood
and then I stained it years ago using an enviro stain,
that totally didn't work
and left it looking like this:

 
Now it looks like this:

Yeah!
Then I painted the chairs.

 
Immediately after I finished the table with the
3 coats of paint (and the 7 hours between each coat)
then the multi layered sealant and all the drying time between.
And
we finally moved the outdoor picnic table back outside
and dined in house...
Nu stuck a giant band aid on it and up came all the paint.
So much for kid proof!
Back to the drawing board.

At least the drawing board is now a blank slate.