More purple. Here's a real Elizabeth Taylor special with rocks just about big enough for her. And I don't even have to mess with making a clasp with this material because you can just stick it right on!
Materials: post its, purple markers.

Well here's some found purple. Or lavender. I say it counts!
Materials: rubber bands, acrylic cord, rayon ribbon, dyed quartz.

Okay, the blue period is over. On to purple. I was a little worried about this week on account of not having a lot of materials on hand in this color, but it might be a good exercise in letting go and seeing what comes around naturally. For example, when I mentioned this concern to my sister, she very kindly donated this amethyst chunk for the cause. Thanks lady! The wooden drop is a piece I turned from a sycamore branch, I messed up the finish at the last minute though. Well, live and learn.
Materials: amethyst, turned wood, rayon ribbon, acrylic cord.

I've tried a few times to make drawings like the imagery on blue china patterns. It isn't as easy as you might think, blue is a very mysterious color, it was a real challenge to even find a shade that looked right to start with. But I love the effect of these plates, and cyanotype prints. Blue can create a dreamy twilight world.
Materials: recycled china plate, cotton handmade rope.

I've always liked those beer can hats you see every once in while. Let's face it, if someone takes the time to crochet on of those for you, you're very well loved. Having the actual text of the word blue in a piece appeals to me as well.
Materials: recycled beer can, linen and acrylic cord, glass beads, handmade silk blend rope.

Again, it's important to amuse yourself if nothing else. Another mashup of left over fabrics hit with the needle. Fun to do but curious results.
Materials: shantung silk, chinese brocade, rayon ribbon, millinery burlap, red lentils.

I wanted to play around with the idea of sewing and stuffing fabric more, and was going to use the old fiberfill standby, then I remembered hearing about some kind of Japanese style of filling a pillow with buckwheat I think. So I used some red lentils that were on hand. I like the weight of it. It reminds me of these bean bags one of my friends mom would make in the shape of a frog with little button eyes. Used to love those things.
Materials: recycled silk fabrics, acrylic cord, red lentils.

This is one of my first wood experiments that didn't quite work out. It took a frightening amount of time to cut, carve, sand and polish this. That's part of why I've been learning how to work with the lathe. It's definitely another skill, but the process is a lot faster than carving for me. I added on the blue cords so it would fit in with the color theme of the week.
Materials:hand carved wood, hand made rope, linen, cotton and acrylic cords.

The blue rose in the center is from an old sari that I used to cover the ceiling of my teeny tiny bedroom in my first teeny tiny New York apartment. The flowers in the print looked like constellations in the sky, very soothing despite the lurid red and black background. Ah, memories.....
Materials:recycled sari, shantung silk, rayon ribbon, some kind of burlap/horsehair type of millinery material.

On to blue. The pendant hanging is a a prize from a Kinder Surprise chocolate egg. I think they're officially banned in the States,(small parts) but you can still get them in New York if you know where to look.
Materials:Kinder Surprise plastic compass, acrylic cord, rayon ribbon, glass beads.

Macramé magic. I've been trying to incorporate the old time macramé with my wood working. Growing up in the seventies, I've witnessed some pretty fearsome plant hangers and such. This is a strip where I was learning some new knots. It took a long, long, long ass time to do the little bit pictured here. Makes me appreciate all the homemade works of art from my youth all the more.
Materials:cotton cord, acrylic cord, glass beads.

Another delightful piece of trash found on street. He looks happier to have a home instead of roaming loose in the cold.
Materials: found alligator, handmade rope.

Welcome to the frozen tundras of North Carolina! Very cold this morning. Mountain cold. It wasn't exactly snowing but the air was sparkling very heavily. I was thinking of making some kind of stuffed thing again, but I got fascinated with the scraps. I used to sew all lot in the past, interesting textiles were always a draw for me.
Materials: silk brocade, acrylic cord.

Sometimes I'm afraid I only amuse myself with these little endeavors. I seem to have just made some shantung silk sausage links. Goodness. Again, the pendant is yet another mystery pod nature has provided me with, a little spray paint and it's green the way I want it. Spray paint is a truly wonderful thing in this funny old world, I used to be a real demon with it in my mispent youth.
Materials: mystery pod, shantung silk, rayon ribbon.

Well this came out of nowhere, but I decided to do a little tribute to Valentine's day after all. Ended up feeling good to construct a heart out of the color green, kind of like I was sewing myself back together.I've always thought of green as a healing color, a color of tender spring shoots and buds. New beginnings. Happy 14th.
Materials:shantung silk, rayon ribbon, stuffed with recycled t-shirt.

I didn't think I had another green necklace in me today, especially after yet one more winter storm. I'm going for a crocus like mindset. Just pushing through whether the snow has melted or not. I like how this turned out kind of ballerina-ish. I had a mighty tutu fascination as a kid.
Materials: recycled key lime produce bags, cotton cord, rayon ribbon.

First day of green. More snow predicted today. Oh, my aching winter.......
Materials: leaves, fiber optic beads, silk thread, acrylic thread.

Last day of yellow. This is a bigger piece of that rotting old silk shawl I have. It's so delicate it just flakes away from itself like so many feathers. I like to think of some elegant lady having a fine old time in this. I hope it went dancing a time or two. The design on the silk is made by finely stitching two strands of wiry waxy delicate twine side by side in an ornate pattern. I think to make this would lead you either to madness or enlightenment depending on your temper.
Materials: recycled silk shawl, glass beads, handmade cotton rope.

Very cold and windy in Asheville today. This picture got taken in a hurry on the porch I'll tell you what. This is a morning ritual for me most days: Take the picture, uncover the cabbage patch and fill the bird feeders. The cabbages keep their blankets this morning, and the birds were waiting on their order in a huff. Winter. Anyway, back to yellow, you can't really tell it from a photo, but the rectangle with the graphic on it is cut from a spice tin. I can recommend this particular spice rub, a good dose of this in soup and you won't even need any bouillon. Good stuff, especially on a day like this.
Materials: recycled spice tin, acrylic and linen cord, glass beads.

Nice thing about yellow is how changeable it is. One color by itself can change dramatically when paired up with another. There's a tremendous range in such a warm hue.
Materials: rayon soutache, linen cord, vintage glass mosaic beads.

Experiencing some winter weariness today. More snow and rain, haven't seen the sun in a while, so this is actually a pretty good color to work with right now. My father once told me it was his favorite, so now that he's gone, it's a sentimental favorite. An old friend told me that this is the "lucky money color" in Japan, so I can also hear her voice intoning: "lucky....yellow." when I think about it.
Materials: natural sponge, yellow jade, dyed mother of pearl, metallic lace, epoxied flower, acrylic cord, rayon chenille, wool felt ball.

Yellow is a very complex color, you think of it as being on the lighter end of the spectrum, but it's not always gentle or wishy washy, its heat can pack a lot of punch. I have a Better Homes and Gardens decorating book from the seventies, there was one room completely done in grey tweed traditionally used for menswear. I mean the walls, the ceiling, the bedspread, and the the only shots of color were shots of hot opaque yellow. A stack of books, vase or a jar here and there. I really like that effect of having two colors of the same value vibrate against each other because one is cool, the other hot.
Materials: brass findings, glass beads, acrylic and linen cords, gilded champagne cork.

My first choker, I wonder why you don't see so many chokers these days...I recently re-viewed "Harold and Maude", there's a killer one on Harold's actress date towards the end. I always thought she was kind of okay, she seemed like a good sport to me. Anyway, this was a real step back to the seventies for me. I used to be obsessed with these crocheted spirals, I know I had a friend that made some out of rainbow colored acrylic yarn. I was so envious. You don't see a lot of rainbow colored things anymore either. I remember that being a big trend amongst the grammar school set. You needed something to match your suspenders for goodness sake.
Materials: rayon chenille, linen cord, felted wool balls

Now for a week of yellow.....the little character hanging at the bottom has been with me for a long time. I'm glad I finally found a proper home for him.
Materials: recycled plastic packing tape, linen cord, little yellow glass man.

Last day of orange. I originally had a cleaner design in mind for this, but the glue didn't dry last night so I had to sew it instead. "Don't give up" is rapidly becoming my mantra, I think it's a good one.
Materials:recycled plastic bags, blood orange peels, red lentils, linen and cotton cords, rayon ribbon.