BeWitched!!!

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It's a Scream!

I have been working on paper projects lately on one of my NING groups. One of the challenges we are doing is a Halloween scary post card. This is one that I finished. Isn't it a scream! LOL

My friend Vic had done some die cut bird cages and I figured I would use it to post something unusually scary. I mean, who would want this out of it's cage? Poor unfortunate girl with an awesome body and a horrid face!

In my Fiber Art Trader's group, we did exquisite corpses! Here is what I made:

With each segment you could exchange body parts.

Another challenge in my NING group, that we are working on, is that we each choose a photograph and everyone else must alter it to make a chunky book page. Here are some I have worked on.
This is the original piece:

This is my altered piece:

This is the original piece:

This is the altered page:

This is the original piece:

This is the altered page:

This last one I altered the most. It's fun to see what direction it will take by looking for things in magazines and other sources or adding some of your own paintings and such with it. I used paint rings to simulate coffee cup rings. When I ran across an ad in a magazine that had the same pose as the black and white photo, I knew I simply had to work it in. It's a scream II!

Art Inspired

It occurred to me that I hadn't posted the last photo updates of the other end of my studio that I had finished since the remodeling.

I am very happy with the arrangement and can now work on things that inspire me.

As you can see, I have a new recently finished piece.(click for a close up)

The quilt evolved from an inspiration and influence of other things. It came to be, As our friend Sherry will be going through Chemo treatment, so I had our quilt group get together to help make a surprise quilt.
I have loved Karen Stone's patterns and came across this quilt that was designed by her.

Although I liked the original setting, it took a trip to Las Vegas to decide the setting that I would do. I was in the bathroom at a Casino and loved the setting of the tiles on the wall, so I quickly sketched it out. The tile blocks actually had consisted of 4 small tiles in a 4 patch, but one 4 inch block would be just what would be what I was looking for and the tilt in the design was so attractive! I wanted the quilt to pop out more and the green was just the answer for the background.

I had each gal paper piece wedges using any batik or dyed fabrics they wanted while I added a black center to each and quilted with variegated threads.

The results I feel quite stunning!

I also was inspired by the design on the carpet at the hotel in Vegas. It may work itself into a quilt one day.

But for now, I decided to make a name tag to wear to the retreat with the inspired designs.

I had my step son, who recently started a business, Cat Claw Engraving, engrave the names on metal tags for each of the gals in the group so that they could create their own inspired pieces.

Our retreat was held this past weekend.

We laughed....(Sandy)

and laughed!(Lori)

And we ate good food!(Barb, Michelle,Kris,Lori,Gabriela and Sandy)

We also shopped and occasionally even made something! lol
(Michelle, Barb, Monica and Carol)

Sandy S made chicken pin cushions.

Monica made hexagons.

Lesa made quilts.

While Kris made faces! lol (Ok you had to be there)

Some even pointed fingers!(Michelle)

Even more than they cared to count! lol (Sandy E.)

Some of us were distracted by all of the shiny beads that Gabriela brought to sell!

I had one extra block left to work it into something, so made a bag to put Sherry's quilt in.

Luckily we had Debbi in the group who has an embroidery machine that did the stitching.

We presented our creation for Sherry with many thoughts and prayers with the treatment that she faces ahead.

Again we had another wonderful retreat inspired by art and compassion for others.

Strip Search

O.K. so I hadn't gotten around to putting up the Vegas strip photos. No doubt you had been searching every day. lol The truth is, I had been busy with getting another quilt finished and had a retreat coming up. Anyway, I shall back up the bus and post the promised photos.

I found these stripped bronze babes in front of the Riviera! Very cleverly done! I WISH I could say that I was one of the models. LOL

Everywhere you looked, there seemed to be some sort of figure and lots of gold, silver, bronze and bling! I love the jestures on the Harrah sign.

Along with statues there were fountains.(Ceasar's)

and even more impressive, interactive fountain shows!(The Bellagio)

I even got to Paris! (Vegas style of course)

Oh Yes, and there were more sightings of Elvis where ever you went!

My favorite was the Venetian, especially at night!

Another of my favorites was Treasure Island. They put on a show in the evening with the ships in front of the hotel that was quite impressive with fireworks and lighting. It staged sea sirens, pirates and noisy canons.

There was much to see on the ceilings of the hotels and casinos too. Some were very elaborate!

Even the shops had such wonderful rich displays.

One of my favorite places to eat was at the Fiesta Buffet. They had one in Henderson and one on Rancho Drive. The one on Rancho was much better! It was inexpensive, as well as having excellent quality and such abundance! Cost was $4.99 a plate for lunch with your player's card and $7.99 for supper and on Sundays. On Sundays you got champaign too! Still a bargain! They featured, Italian, Asian, Mexican, American and Mongolian centers. My favorite was the shrimp Mongolian BBQ. I could eat that every day. As a matter of fact, we at there 3 times while we were there! The most expensive place we ate at was the buffet at Mandalay Bay one evening. It was wonderful too and I am sure I ate my weight in shrimp and crab! It cost about $30. a plate by the time we paid for taxes and tip.

Circus Circus had fun for the whole family! You could view performers or view the slot machines below.

I loved the paintings they had on a wall above the escalator. I may try to use these somewhere in my art work!

One thing is for certain, and that is, that we took home very "little" money! lol Actually in more ways than one! See how small the money is against the real change. I purchased the coins in a gift shop and they are weighty like real coins and have such wonderful detail! Money shrinky dink style! I always knew my money didn't stretch very far! lol Now I will have to start saving up for next year's vacation. It all starts out with pocket change!