Mom’s Side of the Family: A Peek-a-Boo Project

 In my last blog I spoke of my momma’s gardens and flowerbeds. She came by it naturally growing up in the majestic hills of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. Sullivan County is known as the Gem to the Endless Mountains”, it is the second-least populous county in Pennsylvania. 

It is magical and mysterious, with beautiful state parks like World’s End and Ricketts Glen. There are scenic vistas, breathtaking waterfalls, small villages, natural lakes, quaint little shops, a toboggan slide in Eagles Mere, and covered bridges. 

There is an unusual gravity defying, sandstone rock formation which stands at the edge of a steep cliff and resembles an upright hammer, named Ticklish Rock. A beautiful 45-acre spring-fed lake we used to go to with our church youth group, not it is not the famous Crystal Lake of Friday the Thirteenth movies, but we joked that it was. 

Some early industries for the area were a glass factory, mills for wool and flower, foundries, a copper mill, cigar factories, Specht Brewery, Schaad Distillery, a Clothes Pin Factory, and logging and lumberyards. These are the inspirations of this artwork.

Supplies:  GSLC Triptych-Towers Top , Antiquarian Sticker Book: Imaginarium, Thin Cardboard, Pencil, Scissors,Embossing Dabber, Seth Apter Patina Oxide and Emerald Creek Salted Shamrock Enamel Embossing Powders, Heating Tool, Golden Green Gold, Quinacridone Nickel Azo, Quinacridone Magenta, Fluorescent Pink, DecoArt Ultra Violet Neon Acrylic Paints, Paintbrush, Washi Tape, Uhu GlueStick,Ranger Glossy Accent  Dimensional Medium, Small Plastic Pallets Knife, Metal Clamps, Metallic Blue and Gold Stencil Butter

1. Gather Supplies.
   
2. Use a Pencil to Trace the Upper Inner Portion of the GSLC Triptych-Towers Top.
   

   
3. Use Embossing Dabber and paintbrush to AddSeth Apter Patina Oxide and Emerald Creek Salted Shamrock Enamel Embossing Powders to the Top Portion of GSLC Triptych-Towers Top.
   
4. Cure With a Heating Tool.
5. Use a Paintbrush and Golden Green Gold and Quinacridone Nickel Azo Acrylic Paints to Fill in Gaps and Give Patina to the Top Portion of GSLC Triptych-Towers Top.
   
6. Paint Bottom Portion of the of GSLC Triptych-Towers Top with a Paintbrush and Quinacridone Magenta and DecoArt Ultra Violet Neon Acrylic Paints. Paint Edges of Thin Cardboard Pieces Also.
   
7. Dab with Golden Fluorescent Pink Paint to Add Interest and Depth.
   
8. Collect Images from Antiquarian Sticker Book: Imaginarium. I Found Unusual Images of Faces, Birds, Flowers and Feathers. 
   
9. I Glued Them Into A Collage Assemblage I Layered Upon Layers to Give a Rich, Deep Enchantment.
10. I Added Bits of Washi Tape to Unify The Individual Collages with a Vintage Appeal.
11. To Further Unify the Collages use a Ranger Glossy Accents Dimensional Medium and a Small Plastic Palette Knife.Use UHU GlueStick to Glue Collage to Bottom Portion of Bottom Portion of the of GSLC Triptych-Towers Top.
    

    
12. Hold Secure With Metal Clamps.
13. Once Fully Dry add Top Portion of the of GSLC Triptych-Towers Top Securing With a UHU GlueStick.
14. Hold in Place with Metal Clamps.
    
15. Once Fully Dry Paint Edges of Joined Frames with Metallic Blue and Gold Stencil Butter.
    

    
    

    

    

    

    
    

Final Thoughts

My Momma was one of eight children that lived in a tiny while house nestled on a dirt road who soil was reddened from the iron oxide content found in it. The views from their front porch were illuminated from the accrues of cut fields they tended to in their youth. My family would go visiting on Sundays and we’d always say we are “going Up Home to Visit Jim and the Girls” After my grandparents died there were two aunts and a uncle who never married living there together for many years. They were what would now to called Naturalist or Survivalist, we just knew them as savvy, thrifty resourceful relatives. Uncle hunted and trapped, aunties gardened and canned storing up for the cold winters. Living on the mountain roads they knew when it snowed there were likely going no place. Like my momma they were crafty and creative souls, also perhaps to bring joy to the long cold winter days and nights.  Mom tatted, another aunt would crochet or knit amazing afghans, hot pads, and even toilet paper Cover Dolls. The other aunt made soft sculpt dolls out of used pantyhose  and stockings. The hair was often repurposed wigs and each were clothed with items they also created. One of the most magical ones I can remember was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but there was Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. My Nephew was Given a Native American Chief. One uncle created lawn art by using recycled tools and hardware welded together. I like to think much of my creativity comes form my mom’s side of the family.

Other memories we have shooting a muzzle loader, Carbide lanterns,  watch for the albino deer using binoculars from the front porch, Christmas cookie platters, fishing in their small pond, climbing  the large rocks in their yards, Russian Nesting Dolls, hummingbird feeders, and piles and piles of piles. 

The place now resides with a cousin and it has been years since I have been there. I often wished I had spent a summer with them and asked them of their memories and write a historical fiction book to celebrate my heritage. 

Altered Relations-A Peek-a-Boo-Project

I’m one of many who love finding old pictures at antique stores, online, or if we are lucky maybe our family’s attic. These often have no known name and become adopted as our “Found Relatives”. These are the inspirations for this instillation with a Halloween Twist.

 

Supplies:  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Lace Frame, Photocopies of “Found Relatives”. Transparency of Halloween Masks, Pencil, Red Cardstock, Scissors, Embossing Ink with a Roller Applicator, Allure Oil Rubbed Bronze and Hammered Metal Embossing Powder, Heating Tool, Acrylic Paint-Copper, Black, Quinacridone Nickle Azo Gold, Paintbrush, Weldbond, Glossy Accent, Sharpie

1.  Start by making Photocopies of “Found Relatives” and Transparency of Halloween Masks.

 

 

2.  Alter Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Lace Frames using Embossing Ink with a Roller Applicator and Allure Oil Rubbed Bronze and Hammered Metal Embossing Powders, Curing with a Heating Tool.

 

3.  Once Cooled Added Patina Using Acrylic Paint-Copper, Black, Quinacridone Nickle Azo Gold and a Paintbrush.

 

4.   Place Halloween Masks Over “Found Relatives” transforming them into “Altered Relations”. For this first go around, I taped them to photocopies and printed again.

 

5.  I traced around inner circle of GSLC Lace Frames and glued “Altered Relations” to back before gluing down to red cardstock using Weldbond.

 

6.  I dried them flat and was very surprised and disappointed when I looked at them the next day. The glue had bled the photocopies and they were no longer useful.

7.  So, the mother of invention, out of necessity, I had to come up with a second plan.

8.  With new photocopies of “Found Relatives” and new transparency masks, I used Glossy Accents to attach the masks.

9.  Once dry I used a sharpie to trace the new “Altered Relations” and glued them to the center of the GSLC Lace Frames.

10.                Once they were dried flat, I added a layer of Glossy Accent to make it appear as if the GSLC Lace Frames has a Glass Insert.

11.                Final step was to fussy cut GSLC Lace Frames from the Red Card stock.

Some Final Thoughts.

 

The Ties That Bind-Collecting Curiosities-A Peek-a-Boo Project

Whereas my last tutorial was simple and sweet and easy peasy, this one is complicated and took on a life of its own. I'm surprised and intrigued by the final project. Join me in this journey of layer and textures.

I've collected Martha Stewart Magazine Images from when I used to be a subscriber. The one article was about collecting insects and the photography was rich and organic, it is the inspiration behind this masterpiece. It also honors the recent sale of our family homestead in Pennsylvania. We are healing and moving on, standing on the shifting sands of time dipping into a cool oasis of memories.

Supplies:  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-6 by 4 Specimen Box, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Acorn Border Set, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Honeycomb & Queen Bees ATC Sized, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Gothic Cross Miniature,  Uhu Glue Stick, Vintage Text, Mister with Water and Rubbing Alcohol, Cloth, Sanding Block, Matte Varnish, Gold Nickel, Acrylic Paint, Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Sprays-Pistachio, Marmalade, Amber Fired Brick, Cheap Hairspray, Spices, Magazine Images,  Washi Tape, Clear Embossing Ink Roller, Allure Charred Gold and Vintage Beeswax Embossing Powder a, Heating Tool, Black Sharpie, Golden Hansa Yellow Light Acrylic paint, Nail Polish, Rub'n Buff Autumn Gold and Gold Leaf, Weldbond, Double Sided Foam Dots,

1.  Cut GSLC 6 by 4 Specimen Box. I am using unorthodox techniques and definitely not prescribed by most designers. 

2.  I first randomly glued pieces of vintage text all over all of the pieces of the specimen box.

3.  Once dry I rubbed off part of the text using a damp cloth.

4.  Next I used a sanding block to rediscover the slots I will need to assemble the box.

5.  I then made a glaze out of Matte Varnish and Acrylic Nickel Gold Paint.

6. I assembled the box using Weldbond to hold it all together.

   7. Once fully dried I sprayed with TH Distress Oxides and added water and alcohol to I found layers I was pleased with.

8.  Once fully dry I sealed with Cheap hairspray.

9.  While hair spray is still wet I sprinkled with spices to give it a dusty organics look.

10.                Not satisfied with the layers I cut up magazine images and patch worked together the individual chambers.

11.                I added edging to the sides of my specimen box with strips of paper and washi tape.

12.                Still not feeling the project complete I want into my GSLC stash and settled on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Acorn Border Set, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Honeycomb & Queen Bees ATC Sized and added the to my vignettes.

13.                I used Clear Embossing Ink and Charred Gold Embossing Powder on the Acorn boarders.

14.                I used a Black Sharpie, Golden Hansa Yellow Light Acrylic paint, Nail Polish to decorate the bees.

15.                I used Clear Embossing Ink and Vantage Beeswax  Embossing Powder on the Honeycombs.

16.                I used Rub'n Buff Autumn Gold and Gold Leaf on the GSLC Crown and Crosses.

17.                I finally assembled my specimen box using Weldbond and double sided foam dots to layer all pieces.

Some Final Thoughts.

This art project had many twists and turns, many setbacks and follow-throughs. I had to problem solve and step away but in the end I like the story it tells. We are families of our own choosing, stuck together through thick and thin, sometimes sweet as honey others as bitter as vinegar, we carry our crosses for other to sometime see but often hidden beneath out crooked crowns, We are busy as bees collectors of curiosities. Layers upon layers, hidden and healed, brilliant and perplexing. this project reminded me of one of my favorite podcasts I like to listen to, Here Be Monsters, it took me a while to get into it because there are layers and the topics they discuss are sometime challenging and makes me feel uneasy. They describe it as a podcast created by and for people interested in pursuing their fears and facing the unknown. It's a bit of a "freak show"  a collection of curiosities, which I find intriguing and interesting. There is an image on my project that is distorted in the upper right hand corner, she appears to be a dog-faced woman I wonder what story she has to tell and how all these curiosities fit together.