Swapparoooooo

You have a few days left to sign up for the Swap if you want to. JUMP IN!!!! Come on...it will be fun, and I had fun once...

Thanks to all who have made such loving and supportive remarks about my Blue Funk period.  I am working on figuring it out.
I do best when I make stuff without worrying about sales. Thats the truth.
Love you GUYS!!!

Times of Doubt

There are times of doubt for me, as an artist, when I think I will just quietly go away, stop trying to sell online and use my studio as a Hide-OUT for a Thread Drop-out.
This I am certain is a common ailment for anyone who is trying to...WELL, what is it I am trying to do?
Maybe that is part of the problem, and my angels are trying hard to tell me that I need to focus on clarifying my direction. My purpose in creating and trying to sell my work on line.
This kind of thing has been rehashed and hashed and Buttered and fried up many times.
But instead of attending to my need to feel sorry for myself, I think this time I will pay attention to the spiritual nagging that I have inside me that is saying...what are you trying to achieve?
I am a folk artist.
I AM A FOLK ARTIST.
and I am going to figure out what that looks like.

The Fairie Diadem

The Summer Solstice or Midsummer is the longest day of the year. By that I mean it is the instant in time when there are the most hours of LIGHT, and Night recedes into its smallest corner, beaten back by the sun.
It is maybe a time of Illumination, a time of Celebration and the Fairies have advised me to prepare for this event, with songs and dance, and special food. But no Midsummer would be much of anything at all without a diadem, a mossy Crown to wear upon the brow of the one who Dances in the Sunlight.
This tiny Fairie Diadem is an example of that very thing. It is made of wire, woven with fibers, moss threads and set with beads. Here it is pinned to a vintage crochet pin cushion, which is HOw it will arrive for your Celebration.
The crown itself measures 2 inches wide by 2.7 inches tall.
The pin cushion is 3.4 inches wide.

A SWAP. A trade. AN Exchange

I have been thinking for some time that it would be a good idea to have a swap. It is such a funny word: Swap...maybe an EXchange would be a better word for it, or a Trade. What ever you want to call it, I think it might be just plain GOOD to reach out and Trade Supplies with another Folkartist, another Crafter, another HUMANBEAN. This has in some respects been spurred on by my friend Lisa at the MoonLit Stitch. I think there are always times when feelings of isolation occur, or God Forbid...we get stuck as artists and can't think of one thing to make, or find the energy to manifest it. Then we might have to swap antidepressants...Just Kidding...
So, this is a supplies swap. Share your Stuff. Sign up to share your Things with a person you may or may not know. All things textiles, crafty or artsy. Ribbons, vintage sewing stuff, jewelery findings...what ever you have that you think would inspire another. Paper and paint are fine...but please, no JUNK.
I will randomly draw two names to partner up on June the 1st. And then I will announce them on this BLOG. That's a Friday. On Monday June 4th we will mail out our swaps. You can then email me with photos if you like so we can all see and share and thank each other. WE can Strengthen our bonds of friendship, make new friends and then Take over the ART World...well, maybe not...BUT, It will be FUN. What do you think? Sign up if you want to be included.
Think it over. If you have questions, email me at Robinridener@aol.com 

The Castle Tower on the Hill

Here's a Little place for you to visit when the trains aren't running to Edinburgh and the Travel purse is low on Funds. A tiny spot where maybe magic happens, where folks have lived a long time in Happily Ever After...in a Castle Tower on the Hill.
The Castle tower is made of Paperclay, painted and varnished. It has a bit of sparkle on it for added magic. It has a tree made of moss ribbon and an odd stick. Seated on a hill of reindeer moss and Black lichen.
There is vintage danish text wrapped about its turret, and about the circumference of the jar. It also has a circle of felt that has been glued to its bottom for a non-scratch surface.
5.5 inches tall.     The Castle Tower on the Hill

A Pickled Okra Jar

My daughter will tell you that I have been attracted to jars for a long time. Its a weird kind of a thing I know, but I love making fairy lights and Bug jars...I keep imaging how beautiful they would all be filled with some kind of magic.
I am also infatuated with those battery operated tea lights. I am entranced by the idea that when the lid goes on some thing mysterious is taking place...I know, I know...I am hopeless.

Well, Here is the latest attempt at the other World inside a jar...a pickled okra jar as a matter of fact. Delicious.
The castle is made from Paper clay. My friend Dorthe sent me that fabulous old danish script. ( Dorthe's  Blog)

Mother's day

Happy Mother's day...hope you are relaxing and having a Grand time. Hugs, Robin

The Moss Thread Guardian

You have been looking for me a long time, and I have been there deep in the mossy neurons, in the deep forest of your brain...I know that you have searched for me...
(and they will say that you are a little nutty.)
But I know that when you walk in the woods, that you will look for me...guardian of the Forest, Protector of the Green things,
and I will be there.
The Moss Thread Guardian is 8 inches tall. has Moss for hair and vintage scraps of fabric for wings as well as Moss ribbon. There is a loop for hanging so he can protect your Greenest Living Things.

The Moss Thread Guardian

Weird Science

Maude likes field trips to collect specimens and late nights in the laboratory. She enjoys an occasional fire or explosion, and unpleasant odors excite her. She does involve herself in serious Nature Studies, and would like to meet a Taxidermist.
Maude is 10 inches tall, and made of fabric, vintage trims and has been coffee dyed, baked and painted.

Weird Science

Dorthe Does IT AGAIN!!!

Oh MY Friend Dorthe of Den Lille Lade!...I am THRILLED to my fabric Loving, Vintage hording, Funky Deliciousness SELF. Look what she sent me...

I am so DEEPLY thankful for our friendship, our arms reach out across a long span of sea to swap HUGS in the form of threads and creativity. OUR Hearts speak to each Other.
LOOK AT THIS!

Fabulousness!!!!! I love it. She is hanging on my french doors into the formal living room. beautiful.

LOOK at this collage!!! LOVELY!!!

This vintage upholstery fabric has already been pressed into service. It has a gorgeous weight to it, and the colors are divine.

And check out this beautiful collage card and vintage lace tag and FABRIC she sent me! I am drooling NOW! LOL

Check this out. I can't wait to use all these neat vintage finds!

I am a lucky, Lucky GIRL!!!

I have spent many springs with my hands in the dirt, starting the garden over, and discarding last years Remains. The beginning of this process always looks like a mess, and it is hard to imagine that it will be much, that it will be a beautiful picture at its Zenith sometime later in the Summer.
I try hard not to focus on the skeletons, the rusting leaves, and leavings of last years flowers. I push back against the pile of rubbish that grows in the waste can to be discarded, or recycled. And I think about what truly remains. It is there in my hands as Iook down, seemingly fragile but secretly STRONG. Here in my hands are the seeds of last years flowers, ready to begin again. They are what truly remains.
This angel is about starting over from your own secret strength. She is 14 inches tall, made of muslin and fabric, and vintage trims. her face is painted with acrylics.
Thanks for looking and Happy Spring!

Mother and Child Feline Angel Beings               I am having Black thoughts about how these two met with their Untimely end, and went off to become angels. They are angel kitties, a Mother and a child...well, All dogs go to Heaven RIGHT? I am not going to say another word about this...
The Mother and Child Kitties are 9inches tall and about 7 inches wide. The kitten is detachable and has its own loop for hanging.

The PINK Magic BIRD Wand

Its a secret Weapon. A defense against the creeping darkness of the mundane, the endlessness of DUSTING, MOPPING and Changing the Cat Litter. You need this!
You cannot possibly feel BAD when waving about the PINK MAGIC BIRD WAND. Your children may be fearful, but they will Do your Bidding when you POINT this little baby at them and say "GET TO YOUR HOMEWORK!"
They may think you have jumped the tracks a bit but HEY, that might be good.
This is a handmade bird attached to a schefflera stick. There are pieces of reindeer moss and lichen attached to it, nested around the bottom of the bird.
About 14 inches.
Limited magical power, except to make you smile. And right in time for MOTHER'S DAY!

THE WINNER!!!!

I Printed off all the entrants and with my Grand pinking shears, I cut the comments up into long strips and folded them.
You can see them Here.

I Prayed a little prayer, that Chronicles would go to the Place that she was supposed to go.THE Place that she was supposed to live, and I promised that I would abide by the decision of what I drew on the first GO.

I stirred them around with my Hand. And closed my EYES and, and, and, and, and PICKED!!!!

ITS DORTHE!!!!
Chronicles has picked Dorthe. She will Live in Denmark.
Congratulations Dorthe.

Two MORE DAYS!!!!

Ok...Two more days to sign up for those of you who haven't done so...PLEASE Do. ITs not too late. Chronicles is really very curious about the winner and prompting me to make a selection...but I told her we would have to Do a random Drawing...its Saturday. SO STAY  TUNED!!!!!