My Rubens Inspired Dress & Artful Bag!

Ok, first, this was a hard challenge.  The dresses Rubens painted were usually ornate and frilly.  He seemed to either go all in decadence, lace, and frills or nothing..ladies in various states of undress...in all their glory.  Anyway, I managed to finish my dress, which is based on Portrait of the Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria, 1606.

My photo didn't turn out great.  I painted card stock shimmery silver and white and then accented with strips of gold and red glitter paper.  Honestly, I'm glad May is over because I am really excited about June's theme!

I finished my bag for Frosted Petunias Artful Bag Challenge.  I used a piece of stationary paper to create a summer clutch.  I even used a real snap for the closure!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!  Tootles!

Fat or Phat Tuesday?

So have I mentioned how I have barely moved from my new "bed," otherwise known as the couch in my living room?  Yes, I feel my butt might become permanently attached to my beautiful sofa.  After my last knee surgery (2008), I recuperated in my spare bedroom, which is on the second floor of my home.  This worked because  there was a television in this room and there was someone always around to bring me drinks and food.  I never really had to tackle the stairs.  This time, however, I have had to be on my own much more and since there is no longer a television in the spare bedroom, I've made the living room my recovery area.  My living room is also only a few steps away from the kitchen, which doesn't help a lot since I'm finding maneuvering on my crutches this time much more difficult!  So, I've pretty much just been laying on my couch watching food shows and drooling over gooey doughnuts, lasagna, and Southern comfort foods like grits and fried chicken!  I have had an epiphany during my recovery:  I must get into better shape before my next knee surgery...the knee replacement!

Seriously, today being Fat Tuesday means the beginning of the Easter season.  To me, this is like a "startover" or a "new beginning" to the year. So, for Lent this year, I pledge to give up sweets.  I also commit to getting fit  while losing 20 pounds!  I plan to blog about my progress as this will help keep me accountable.  Tomorrow (Ash Wednesday) will be Day 1!

I haven't made it into my studio yet, but I have managed to do a lot of web surfing and also make some changes to my blog layout and header.  I made my new header after downloading a freebie "cluster" from Raspberry Road Designs called, Domestic Goddess. I think it brightens up my blog.  What do you think?  In the process of these blog changes, I lost my favicon. I spent hours yesterday trying to redo it, but cannot remember how I did it and can't find any help from Blogger.  I had written myself a bunch of  blogging tricks and tips "cheat sheets," but lost all those documents when my laptop crashed a few months ago.  Any suggestions?  Any and all would be appreciated!  Oh, I added a Flickr Photostream to my blog, too.  I've been adding photos to my new Flickr account, including a few checkbook covers I made before my surgery.

Wow, a long post huh?  Oh, one last thing:  please don't forget to check out the March dresses that have been posted so far.  They are terrific!  I'm hoping to get into my studio by the weekend and start on my March dress!  I'm also behind on my bag for this month's Artful Bag Challenge!  Eek!  Don't tell!

Thanks again for all your well wishes!  I really appreciate them all!

Toodles!

Angela

February Artful Bag Challenge: Altered Bag

What do you think about "Patchwork Train Case" for the name of my first ever altered bag?  I signed up for the Artful Bag Challenge over at Frosted Petunias and this month's challenge is to alter an object into a bag.  In other words, take something that isn't a bag and make it a bag.  So, I took a small wooden chest I found at Joann's and transformed it into a train case.  Well, a train case for Barbie.  (It's pretty small).

I started by cutting narrow strips of fabric and then used Mod Podge to adhere them to the box.  I covered every side of the box and then painted the inside edges with black acrylic paint.   I smoothed the back of a heart button and "super glued" it onto the outside of the gold latch.  I used a "stem" from an old bunch of fake flowers for the handle after a gold paint touch up.

I really like how the shiny Mod Podge made the fabric strips look.  I painted on several layers of the stuff and that made the fabric look shiny and a little leathery.  Which, is kind of the look I was going for originally.  I knew I wanted to make a train case-like purse, but struggled with how to make it appear like leather.  I actually began this project using a box that one of my favorite teas came in, but I wasn't pleased with my faux leather painting job.  So, I scrapped that version and began again.  I decided these colors, plus the heart, was appropriate for February...Valentine's Day!  

Please go over to Anna's Blog and check out the other Altered Bags.  They are all so amazing.  I am so impressed with how creative those ladies are!

Speaking of creative ladies, please don't forget to have a look at the  February Dresses on parade.  They are also super fabulous.  February's artist inspiration is Gustav Klimt and the dresses are spectacular.  I am working on the details regarding who or what artist inspiration we will have for March.  I think everyone will love it!

Have a super weekend everyone!

Angela