The Loves of Marie Antoinette

So reads the title of my friend Inge's Marie journal, the last Marie book I have to work in.  It took me a while to decide which of Marie's loves to use....fashion, family, Versailles, cake?  In the end, I chose jewelry, and I did have an ulterior motive.

Over a year ago, when I was still on the PID design team, I did several projects using their Marie images.  One was a bracelet, and as I was making it, it was in my mind that I would use it in one of the Marie journals.  I think we had just recently started that group.  For one reason or another, it never felt quite right in the other books, but I had a feeling it would find its way into Inge's book.  And so it did.

First, here is the bracelet.  The band is fabric, decorated with beads and other baubles and some funky fibers.  The Ranger memory frame holds a small picture of Marie which was covered with Crackle Accents.

So, my concept is, Marie loves beautiful jewelry.....especially when it contains her own image.  And here are my two pages:

I used Distress Stains, Colorwash, and Perfect Pearls mists to get the colors in the backgrounds.  On page one, I added stamping to create my own patterned paper.  The image of Marie was an internet find.....found, I think by Val.....and she is colored with markers and embellished with Liquid Pearls and glaze pens.

Both pages have a gold embossed leafy border (Wendy Vecchi stamp).  I didn't further decorate the second page because I wanted the bracelet to be the focal point.  I attached it with easily untied gauze so if Inge actually wants to wear it, she can.

So, for me at least, no more Marie journals to work in.  The queen is finished, long live the queen!

Got Inky.....Finally!

I had the chance to get a little inky yesterday and it sure does feel good.  Until I get my family stuff squared away it will be hit and miss, but I'm determined to steal some creative moments when and where I can.

I've been in a background technique swap, and did this easy and (I think) interesting one for my friend Inge in Belgium.  I'm calling it Dryer Sheet Delight, because we're supposed to give our creations a name and that one, though admittedly kind of dorky, at least gives you a hint as to what's involved.

Glue used dryer sheets to a light colored piece of cardstock, overlapping and leaving some wrinkles in for texture.  You should be able to cover an 8 1/2 x 11" piece with 2 or 3 sheets.  Use a white glue that dries clear, and cover the dryer sheets with another coat of it.

When the glue dries, spray with 2 to 4 colors of your favorite spray.  On this one I used Adirondack Color Wash in lettuce and sunset orange, and Perfect Pearls Mists in blue smoke.

As a final touch, I loaded a paintbrush with Golden Fluid Acrylics in raw umber, smacked it against my hand to create the splatters and dots.

I also had a chance to work on Jacquie's Marie Antoinette journal.  Jacquie challenged us with her theme.....Sex And The City.....so we were free to place Marie in more modern times.  I think that Marie Antoinette and Carrie Bradshaw share a shoe obsession, so I went with that.  Oh, the other challenge, is that Jacquie's entire journal is made of canvas.  (By the way, Ranger's Glue N Seal worked perfectly on this material).  We each had two facing pages to do, and here are mine:

I found the image of Sarah Jessica Parker (AKA Carrie Bradshaw) on google, and those red heels called to me.  To make the very trendy Ms. B more Marie-like I plunked a bunch of flowers in her hair.  On the second page I created some special shoes from some very pretty Prima paper, and paraphrased a quote from the TV show.  The actual quote was about it being hard to walk in a SINGLE WOMAN'S shoes, so I just changed it to a QUEEN'S shoes.





Marie Goes To The Dogs

I recently received my friend Jen's Marie journal and was briefly stumped by her sub theme.  Jen asked that we imagine ourselves to be designers, offering up ideas and sketches for the queen's approval.  Turning the pages in her beautiful book, I was blown away by the work of my artist friends, as they presented lovely designs for dresses, shoes, hats, gardens, crowns and jewels.

Not wanting to repeat any of those ideas, and feeling more whimsical than serious, I tried to figure out what to do.  My first thought was an elaborate cake, but that whole Marie/cake thing has really been overdone.  Finally a brainstorm began swirling around my head, and I became the designer Jean Claude, would-be dog groomer to the queen.  And I just had the best time with this one, fussy cutting and all.  First page, my fictional alter ego:

After much searching, I was lucky enough to find a black and white picture of a man in full period dress, but he was facing the wrong way!  Then I remembered the mirror function on the printer and voila!  With one click he was turned around.

I colored him with my portfolio water soluble oil pastels (love the vibrancy of the colors) then added some details with glaze pens.  Did I mention fussy cutting?  I'm generally a really fast worker and fussy is ordinarily not in my vocabulary, but I spent a LONG time with scissors and craft knife on Jean Claude, and added shading to every inch of him.

The background is a Tim Holtz paper which I further embellished with inks and embossing.  The column that Jean Clade is leaning on, is from watercolor paper I inked and gave a faux marble treatment.

So, what is he looking at, anyway?  Why, his creation of course!  The design he hopes will win him the title of Superior Dog Groomer To The Queen.

Now, a disclaimer....I would NEVER actually do such a thing to a dog.  But Jean Claude is another story altogether.  Let me assure you, no live canines were hurt or humiliated in the making of this page.

I used a photo of this gorgeous standard poodle show dog (again, very careful fussy cutting and shading), and dressed her rather simply in netting and ribbon.  The hair and headdress are other matters.  Blonde to match her owner, the hair was done with yellow flock.  I knew I'd find a use for that old craft staple eventually.  Gold leaves, little fabric flowers, feathers and stick pins complete the chapeau.  Final touches, a seed bead necklace and some glittery nails.  Oh, and I did have the pooch presented on a cake plate. 



Singing and Dancing and Gifting, Oh My

Keys4Art2011 - Day 1

We were picked up at two airports....how Elena organized and scheduled everything is beyond me.  Teri and I were in the Miami pick-up group along with Ingrid,  and after gigantic margaritas at the airport we headed for Jacquie's place to get Tracy, who'd been picked up much earlier.  There were also a few at Elena's already.  Gina and Marita came in from Oregon the day before, as had Sarah, who made this trip from Australia (!) and who'd be celebrating her 40th birthday with us.

Once we were all together, the gift giving began. 

Here I am handing out the bags I made:

Val made necklaces and we got to choose whichever

one we wanted.  It wasn't easy.

I'm trying to pick my necklace.  You can see that

Lill and I are wearing Keys4Art2011aprons.

We also received matching tote bags.

Here are a few of the bags I made.  Each was

somewhat different, customized for everyone:

Just some of the gifts I took home....I know

there are a few more lurking inside my still not

fully unpacked suitcases:

We also did a charm swap.  Again, some of my charms

are still packed, and a few made their way into my painter's

tray project:

The ATC above was from Sue, and there are

Egyptian charms dangling from it. Yes, she was

there when the uprising began.

Gina (for some unknown reason) had decided NOT to join our Marie Antoinette round robin journal group, and as soon as she saw the pages being posted, she regretted that decision.  Some might say she whined about it.  Anyway, sweet, sweet Lill made this awesome gift for her and lugged it all the way from the northern reaches of Ontario:

By the way, both Lill and Gina are wearing the painter's smocks that Lill dyed for us last year.  Wish I hadn't forgotten to bring mine.

Daisy brought this beautiful piece for Elena, full of Graphic 45 loveliness:

And Sox, who is in several of our journal groups, and couldn't make it to Key Largo, wished she could be a fly on the wall.  She sent this painting to Elena:

About a week before the retreat began, Teri sent Elena a Keurig coffee maker from the two of us, and I think half of my suitcase was full of an assortment of k-cups.  It turned out to be a very useful and popular gift.  With so many of us, it was really nice to get a fresh cup of whatever blend we wanted whenever we wanted it.  Well, it was a somewhat selfish gift, if you must know.  Teri and I are both addicted to our Keurigs at home and didn't want to be without them for six days.  We're not really into roughing it, LOL.

That evening we had delicious food catered by The Marlin, a local restaurant that we enjoyed so much last year.  Manny, the owner/cook, supplied almost every morsel we ate all week.  We ate downstairs in the screened in porch, and were entertained by the DJ/karaoke guy Elena hired for the ocassion.  Here are a few of the less incriminating photos:

Tomorrow.....we put the mojitos aside and get down to business.  Stay tuned for the WONDERFUL On-The- Edge journal we did with the incredible Ingrid Dijkers.



Marie's New Gig

I received Tracy's Marie Antoinette journal the other day, and it was such fun to look through (and ultimately work in).  Her theme is to place Marie in any period of time doing anything we choose.  There were several pages of Marie channeling her inner Madonna or Lady Gaga (fun!), Marie as a dog walker, fashion model, bike rider.  You get the idea.

After much thought, I left Marie in her own time period, but made her a dress designer instead of a queen.  What better occupation for this fashionista?  I think you'll get a kick out of her headpiece.  It's an actual working pin cushion!

I started out with a paper doll of Marie and dressed her by cutting and piecing together bits of scrapbook paper and fabric trims.  It took a while, but I somehow managed to wrap her fingers around that scissors charm.

As for the headpiece....I cut the shape from cardboard, stuck some cotton balls on top and wrapped the whole thing with a piece of gauzy ribbon.  Topped it with some felt flowers and added the same trim from her dress.  And yes, those are read stick pins popping out of it.

Marie's work space includes that impressive wall of trimmings in the background.  Don't tell anyone (just in case I'm violating someone's rights), but I swiped that photo from an old issue of one of those magazines that show where people do their creative thing.

The facing page, the journaling page, continues the designer theme, with more trimmings, buttons, and a dress pattern stamp in the background.

Considering how it all turned out for her, Marie would have been better off being the Vera Wang of her day.



Marie Takes A Chance With A New Designer

Elena's theme in our Marie Antoinette journals is Marie's Diary.  I decided to have Marie write about her anxiety over an upcoming gala.  She's to wear a gown created by a new designer and she fears it may result in a scandal.

Well, truth be told, she's not all that worried about the scandal part, but she doesn't want any more ridicule coming from the snobbish members of the royal court.

So, here in mainly black and white, is Marie's dilemma.

The background is a piece of scrapbook paper from Creative Imaginations and I barely did a thing to it.  It was already full of gorgeous patterns and black flocking.  I just added some ribbon, flowers and bling, and, of course, Marie herself.

The base of my Marie is an image from a collage sheet (by Itkupilli),  which I altered by cutting away the voluminous dress in the original and adding the form fitting one made of layers of black lace ribbon.  I also fashioned a headpiece for Marie with bits of paper, fabric, ribbon, feathers, and other blingy scraps.

Next, is the page with Marie's diary entry.  In case you can't read what she wrote, her concern is that the dress might not be received well at court.  While the tops of dresses in those days were revealing, the skirts were generally quite full.  This new dress of hers hugs the hips and that worries (and intrigues) her.

Of course, all of this is totally made up, so don't send the history police after me.

The background on this page is some scraps from the previous page's paper over a piece of Stampin' Up scrapbook paper.  The diary page was printed on vellum, and more blingy flowers embellish it.

So, do you think Marie's wardrobe choice was met with appreciation or derision?



Marie Antoinette and her Kindle

What?  You say there were no kindles in Marie's time?  Well, in the world of collaborative art journals, where we make our own rules and set our own themes, that's not exactly the case.

I just received Lori's Marie journal to work on and her sub theme is "Marie's Emails," and she even provided a list of possible topics.  As soon as I saw the one that said, "....found a book...." something went CLICK in my head and I even had a vision of what my finished pages would look like.  And that doesn't happen every day.

So, Marie is young, miserable in France, and getting no respect at Versailles.  She comes upon the greatest book, "French Royalty for Dummies," downloads it onto her kindle, and shoots off an email to her mom in Austria telling her the good news.  The book is just chock full of useful tips for getting along in the French court.

I don't know about you, but this just tickles me to pieces.  Hope it brings a smile to your face as well.

Here are the two pages side by side:

 Marie's email to her mother:

 Marie with the book on her kindle (if you click on the photo it should enlarge enough for you to read the text):



The paper I used for the backgrounds is Webster's Pages, and I added lots of embossing to them. Marie's email was typed on parchment paper in French Script font.  I found the graphic of a hand holding a kindle on google and replaced the text with my own.   Marie is an image courtesy of Val, and I used fabric and paper scraps for her hat and clothing.  Her hair is a combination of several shades of yellow embossing powder.   Her face was colored with Portfolio water soluble oil pastels.

Nothin' Says Lovin' Like Somethin' From the Kachelofen

Huh?  Let me begin at the beginning.  I received Lee's Marie Antoinette journal a few weeks ago but only got to it this week.  Her sub-theme is recipes and events where the recipe would be appropriate.
Here's how my brain jumped from thought to thought to.... I made up a story in my mind that Marie would at times like to play at being a commoner, and serve up some treats for her kiddies that she herself prepared.  I don't have a clue if this is true or not, but it's a nice idea, so I ran with it.
Then.....I remembered that Marie was not actually French, but Austrian.   This took me back several lifetimes ago to a summer spent wandering about with a Eurail pass and a copy of  Europe on $5 A Day. 

A few wonderful days were spent in Salzburg,  and I definitely remembered touring a castle and gawking at these huge and gorgeous tiled stoves.  I did a little google search and found many beautiful examples.  From this, my pages were born.

A recipe for Parisian macarons, and  Marie with her hand in the oven  kachelofen, getting ready to remove a tray of the dainty morsels for her hungry offspring.

Again, a disclaimer....I made this all up.  Did Marie actually grow up in Austria with kachelofens?   Did she miss them and have one brought to France?  I don't know.  But it made for a good story in my head and I thought, some fun pages to do.

So, here's cookin' with Marie:

Both backgrounds were done with Stampin' Up paper called Presto Patterns.  The paper looks blank, but when you add color (I used Adirondack Colorwash in eggplant and Perfect Pearls Mist in forever violet), the "hidden" embossed pattern emerges.  Makes for an easy and beautiful background.

The recipe (thanks to Martha Stewart, LOL) was printed on vellum.

For the kitchen page.....I printed a photograph of an actual old kachelofen, added color with glaze pens and pastels, and a lot of bling with german scrap, crystals, stickers and enamel accents.

Marie herself is a graphic I snagged from Val (my go-to gal for great images), and I dressed her with ribbon and flowers and bling.

My little narrative (remember, all a figment of my imagination) was also printed on vellum.  The title banner above it is a cool embellishment left over from one of the cruise projects.  It's from Pinkpaislee, and it is a rubbery product, originally white.  I used copper paint on it and some brown ink to age it a bit. 

Art Journal Updates

The collaborative art journal groups I belong to have given me some of my most pleasurable moments in the studio.  Every time I see a priority mail box outside my door I am a very happy camper.  What will I be called upon to create.....pages inspired by a color combination, by dreams,  by the life and art of Frida Kahlo, or maybe by the opulence of Marie Antoinette?

Last week brought three arrivals, and I have completed pages for two of them.
First, for Jacquie's IDIC (I Dream In Colors) journal:

Jacquie's chosen colors are blues, browns, and a touch of metal.  I did these pages right after my Lynne Perrella workshops, and you can see that Edgar was still on my mind (and apparently still on my work table).

My backgrounds were done in the gesso/collage/texture style I've learned from Lynne and love so much, and most of the images are toner copies of internet graphics.  There are also some stamped images in there.  The color....mainly from my much used and loved Portfolio water soluble oil pastels, as well as my other favorite, distress inks.

The next project was for Marita's Marie Antoinette journal.  Instead of embellishing and altering an image of Marie, I decided to do something a little different this time: 

 

First, a few words about the backgrounds.  They are collaged and colored with the Portfolios and distress inks, but the papers I used for the collage are almost entirely papers I've received from friends.  Many were done by my good pal Lillian, and several were done by Nancy.  I love the idea of incorporating the work of my artist friends into my own.  Thanks Lill and Nancy!

Marie and the hot air balloon were both done with free hand paper piecing, again using scraps from my friends' papers as well as bits and pieces of my own backgrounds.  There are a very few fabric and metal embellishments, but I'd say 95% of these pages were done with paper scraps.

Waiting in the wings.....Gina's gorgeous Journal of Dreams.  Hmmmm......what will my dream be?

More Marie, A Day At The Shore, And A Gorgeous Giveaway

I just finished the pages for my friend Lill's Marie Antoinette journal.
(check out her blog....she does some awesome stuff)   Page 1:

I started out with some watercolor paper, which I covered with gesso, then added some torn up bits of paper doilies, then more gesso.  Added color with portfolio pastels and perfect pearls.  After that, I took some paper from one of Tim Holtz's new paper stacks, distressed it, tore it, inked it, put some rub-ons on it, and glued that down.  Oh! I almost forgot....before that I had sewed some gold tulle onto the background, but wasn't crazy about how that looked, so  it is mostly covered by the TH paper.  You can see some tattered strands of it showing at the edges, and that's OK with me.

As for Marie, she started out as an image from a PID collage sheet.  I added lots of ribbon and other blingy stuff to make her skirt and painted over her blouse.  Lots of gel and glaze pens on the hair and hat, plus a real feather.

 Page 2:

The background is the same as for page 1.  I stamped the bird cage lightly, then stamped over that with Marie on a swing, lining up the ropes so it looks like the swing is suspended inside the cage.  Marie is colored with pencils, glaze pens and gel pens.   After I took the photo I added a little journaling, but packed it all away before I could take another picture.

Lill asked for a tag from everyone, and I made this little shoe:

So much for Marie.  Now, as for the day at the shore....that's the theme of this month's PID jackpot, and this is the 4x4 canvas I did:

The background is lots of texture done with tissue paper and gel medium, colored with acrylics.  Some text, partially hidden by the gauze I used as a net.  Real shells.  The fish is something I received months and months ago in a grungepaper swap.  Yep, it's made of grungepaper, don't have a clue how, and it is fabulous!  Sadly, I have no idea who sent it to me, but if someone out there knows, please tell me so I can give credit where it is certainly due.  The bathing beauty is from a PID pin-up sheet.
Now, the gorgeous giveaway.....my friend Val is a super talented artist in many media, as well as a very generous blogger (free graphic downloads there daily).  Right now she has been churning out beautiful and eclectic charms and turning them into stunning necklaces.  One such beauty is on her blog as a giveaway, so if you want a chance to win it, hurry on over to The Sum of All Crafts NOW!!
I think that's it for today.  I really have got to do some laundry, but I guess you didn't need to know that.