The summer of 2012 has been fabulous! I mean weatherwise of course, as my work life has been busy and limited my leisure activities. But that's beside the point!! My August bead journal is a celebration of the sun.......the warmth, the colour, the sweet tartness of lemonade and orange juice, the flowers that peak in August and the sunny dispositions of those enjoying the last full month of summer!
I rushed out to shop for beads at a couple of local haunts, but arrived home to discover that my citrus stash was already quite healthy. Sigh! Don't you just hate when you do that? This section contains a silver spiral from when I first learned the technique, vintage flower sequins, a couple of small washers painted with orange Vintag Patina (thanks Deb for being an excellent consumer) and then distressed with Baroque Arts, Guilder's Paste in copper. The golden square is a small tile that was part of a mosaic kit I purchased 10 - 15 years ago (originally for a small tray, I think). Don't you just love finding stuff you spent your hard earned money on, but never used?? Now I'd like to say that doesn't happen all that often, but I suspect I would be lying. How about you?
I thought the washers, stacked one on top of the other, made a perfect "8"! Did you spot my intent? The oval, dark reddish bead (close to the black "8") is a stone of some sort. Purchased and utilized for colour and definitely not for pedigree!!
The perfect match of old and older, mixed in with a dash of new (beads, beads and more beads) and a bit of distressed! While making a small attempt at cleaning a sewing drawer, I discovered a well used measuring tape tucked way at the back. It probably dates back to my sewing days in Vancouver, but has not been used for it's original garment making purpose in years. It had yellowed with age and I distressed it even further with a dusting of gold Perfect Pearls. I thought that I was actually tarting it up with a little sparkle, but it doesn't really show in the photos, so what do I know? The vintage crystal button is one of my favourites (I know, I know, I keep on saying that) and I paired it up with a couple more of the family button box refugees. The distressed red bit next to the yellow button is another of Kaite's finds from her wanderings in Bathurst, NSW, Australia. I believe that it's a zipper pull! There's a little gold ring behind the crystal button. I have no idea what it is or where I found it, but I suspect that one day, I'll be needing it for something!
Back to the measuring tape......I used to make many of my own clothes.......I wonder if I ever will again? I did love the challenge of a Vogue pattern, but confess that I don't really know squat about tailoring, so wasted an awful lot of material. I don't even know how many outfits ended up rolled in a ball and thrown against the wall!!! At least with beading, mixed media and fibre art, I'm not tempted to do that.......Oh I know, now they're called U.F.O.'s! Heh, heh, heh......
The finished piece, but it seems I cut off the peak of the roof! I'll fix that later...when I figure out how! The colours are not necessarily in my comfort zone, but I have to admit that they make a definite statement. Now the question is, what are they trying to say?
Stitches used: - back, stacked and boucle/bocce.
Other fasteners: - E6000 glue for the tile and washers and Aleene's tacky glue for the measuring tape and corrugated cardboard.
I wonder what September will bring?
8 comments:
Oooh, i said that to myself when i clicked on here. I love your citrus colours and the combos of bead and other interesting findings. No i would never have picked the 2 washers as an 8 but i see your intent now.
As for the next month - how about all black, or B and W?
Interesting to read that I am not the only one who throws things at the wall. As usual, your ingenious little numbers series is still providing us with delight. After all, it is comforting to know that there are an infinite amount of number combinations that can keep going long after I am dead and gone. Thanks for posting.
Kaite & Judy, thanks!
Kaite, black and white is certainly a possibility, but perhaps not for September. Of course, the perfect place for it would have been January, but too late now!!
Judy, at present I only have plans for the numbers from 1-12, but who knows what will happen in January. I guess I could start multiplying them, or perhaps figure out the square roots, but I doubt that I will bother. I do have a lot of leftover numbers though!!! BTW, I'm glad that someone else throws things at walls. I am not alone!!!! LOL!
As always, AM, it's beautiful! those are some of my favorite colors right now, so I was drawn to it immediately. love the washer 8.
What a brilliant way to pay homage to Summer! I'm sure you will usher in Fall with something just as magical!
Thanks to Rachel and Backstory!
Rachel, I'm glad that you like it and I hope that you're now all rested up from the big trip. Orange, yellow, redhead......no wonder they're some of your favourites. Or does it have something to do with visiting Wendy? Isn't yellow her fav?
Backstory (who's first name escapes me right now), I'm still not sure what I'm doing for fall, but I'm sure that I'll dream something up. Perhaps that's what I need, to take a nap and sleep on it. LOL!
Anne Marie, it's gorgeous. I love the bright, sunny colours.
I'm generally not a huge fan of orange but this makes me think of oranges and lemons - both of which I love. It looks like candy!
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