Heirloom Pumpkin Patch

"Heirloom Pumpkin patch"

After having so much fun making my last batch of pumpkins, I decided to go with Wanda's idea of a pumpkin collage (thanks!), and this is the result.

I used the inner roll of brown cardpaper from the gift wrap i used on the weekend, and sewed it onto some heavy watercolour paper. Then I cut squares of canvas and sewed them to the background.

I drew up my three pumpkins, to make a pattern for the scraps, and made the nine pumpkins out of various paper scraps, including music manuscript, newsprint, rice paper, straw paper, some veiney paper i saved from a christmas gift basket, some sewing patterns and some cheesecloth.

Then i sewed these to the squares, all higgledy piggledy (i cant sew neat even if i wanted to anyhow).

I glued everything to a square of masonite (recycled from an old mirror frame), lightly burnt the edges of the watercolour paper, and painted both the showing masonite, and the watercolour paper cream.

I coated everything in beeswax, and embedded some vintage buttons Wanda gave me around the edges on the masonite.

I am so happy how this whole piece turned out, it was one of those works that i couldnt leave. I was thinking of entering it into the Cloth Paper Scissors Artisan Search, but as luck would have it, I read the fine print and the damn thing is only open to U.S. residents! Well pooh!

At any rate, I have a great new artwork to put up on my wall this thanksgiving when my Dad and his family comes over for the first time. Excited...YES!

CPS Postcard Swap-Jan/Feb 2010 issue.

I recently participated in the Cloth Paper Scissors Postcard swap, from the Jan/Feb 2010 issue (#28). This was my entry. It will be swapped and sent to another participant, and i will receive a postcard in return.

I started with altering a magazine picture by turning it into a contour painting. I then added it to the pink and purple postcard. I punched holes down the sides of the postcard, added some ribbon, and then added an old bar-code from my luggage. I ripped and tore everything a bit, burnt the bar-code a little, and then added some black embossed '?'. I then added the text: a black embossed "Oh!", and some punch-labeled "wont you...with me tonight", and a print labeled "alter". To make "Oh! Wont you alter with me tonight?". I then put a black wash over everything to age and distress (wiping back where needed). I also added some bronze embossed spots, and some flicks of white and black paint to add more movement.

I was going for a funky kind of feel, to get one "pumped up" about altering. I wanted it to be fun and dynamic. I am really happy with how it turned out, and although i wouldn't call it an "inspirational quote" in the traditional sense, I hope it does inspire whomever it ends up with to create something fun!

If you happened to be the person who received this postcard, could you post your name and location? It would be nice to know where my art ended up. If you have a site, it would be great to see what work you do too!