This posting on Facebook really struck me:
Claw Scratches from "Scratching at the Window"
Mar 11, 2024
Sabotage
Mar 3, 2024
Moonlit Path
I went to a wet felting workshop on February 29 (Leap Day) at the West Grey Public Library and everyone in the group came away with a lovely piece of pre-felt. It was a really good experience taking the loose fiber and turning it into a quite stable piece of felt. Time was tight so it's amazing how strong the pre-felt is considering so many steps were abbreviated or skipped. Our fearless leader Kimm was aware of the time constraint and ushered us along so we'd have something useable to take home. Bravo!
This is my finished piece, with the two colors of fiber I used. It's three layers (2 of the darker blue). I hope to use it as a backing for a 2D picture.Here's Kimm's. As per usual, the instructor was too busy guiding the group and her own piece got neglected. Kimm was going to toss it but I hate seeing fiber go to waste and was drawn to the colors so she gave it to me to salvage.
As you know, abstract is not my thing. Also, I would never have chosen this color combination (for example, see my pre-felt: practical and, you can say it, ordinary). So here I was with this organic mis-shapen thing that was calling out to be "found". I took on the challenge, deciding not to alter it too much.
What did I see? I saw a tunnel leading to an open space, and on the right the shape of a woman or a tree-woman. (Turned sideways, Mom saw a butterfly).
After washing and drying it, I felted it to a piece of sparkly, black felt. Then, using the little loose piece, I added a head to the woman shape and marked out a path. I added some dark green around the outer edges and yellow and white to the faery glade that the path leads to. I added moonlight to the path.
And finally some locks to really push for a forest look.
I really enjoyed this challenge, thanks Kimm! I wish I had more salvage to work with as it really made me think outside my usual creations.
And thanks to the Library for hosting this workshop! Check out your local library to see what they're up to!
Jan 14, 2024
Under the Sea
Happy 2024! Just a quick post to start off the New Year: I made this "Under the Sea" because I wanted to use the lovely blues in my stash.
Dec 14, 2023
End of an Era
Tomorrow my website, that I've had since 2004, will cease to exist. I'm giving up the website and email... although I will hang on to the domain name for now.
Only a very few sales happened from someone stumbling upon my website, it was at shows that I sold the most. So the expense didn't seem justified anymore.
I will still have a website, though. I picked GoDaddy because it's free, it didn't abbreviate my name and it's been pretty easy to use. So Scratching at the Window will still be on the web, just at a different address.
Frankly, this more streamlined version is probably more user friendly. We'll see!
Oct 31, 2023
October bliss
How I love October! But it all comes to an end so quickly...
Jun 10, 2023
French ladies and rats
I purchased 3 postcards for myself in remembrance of Rose and to help myself get over missing her emails and letters. It's been 2 months since she died and life moves on, only it's smaller now and I miss the highs of opening the mailbox and finding something from her...
So I paid three strangers to send me something, 3 gorgeous postcards. I didn't open them right away, I'm going to savour them on days when I need a little pick-me-up. Like yesterday.
This card was purchased on eBay and is called "Un Jour Maigre" and is dated 1906. What an interesting scene of rats eating mussels, crab and lobster!
I love this next one. The artist's talent is clear, with the lovely grapes and peaches, and then there are two rats. Why would you paint this? I would love to know! And who would hang it on their wall (besides me)?
Apr 29, 2023
Lost and found
I lost my good friend. Rose died earlier this month and you may recall her name appearing on this blog from time to time, usually thanking her for sending a particularly awesome postcard. Now she's gone and my world is so much smaller. She was a fountain of information and I loved to send her articles about antique cards which we could discuss.
Along with Steiff bears, bat conservation and Krampus stories we enjoyed the back and forth of letter writing (online and real letters)... and she could find the best rat postcards!
In her honour and memory, I will share a few of the postcards she sent me, beginning with this gorgeous pair of Hingre images: