Just a little peek at the biggest projects in my life.... never ending yet rewarding, exhausting, unbelievable, constantly remarkable..... love these mischievous darlings. And as far as trying to get everyone looking 'normal/happy/well presented' etc as one does on family portrait occasions, I was pretty happy. They do look kinda sweet... I should def look at them more to remind myself how adorable they (can be... er) are!
This is the 'I don't want to touch my sister and I AM smiling', photo....
Master 9
Miss 8
Master 4 - who at the last minute decided to wave.... not noticed until prints came back.....!
Master 20 months.... Yes, he is too cute!
So cute they decided to do a different shot to catch the curls!
The Family.... Actually thought we had to get this because it is the best shot of Dad I have seen for a while! The rest of us.... and if it looks like I am falling down, it is because I am! I was instructed to put and elbow on Dad's leg, but also had to secure two wriggly children!! Oh well, it is almost an action shot of what life is really like - juggling and trying to look good!! Dad has just pointed out his mutant big toe - he was trying to balance himself too!
Seriously, there was much rejoicing! When the topic was drawn out of the hat, there was a look of delight on most faces, and a few squeals of delight! But where to start? Such a broad theme.....
There was no choice really. You tell me Medieval, and I immediately think of two things:
1) Black Adder
2) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
And as much as I love Edmund, that is not my favourite series (Prince George wins!), therefore I was left to do an ATC based around a movie that I have loved since.... well, the first time I saw it, which was many, many moons ago!
It turns out, I am 'Sir Galahad the Pure: you may seem a bit naive and innocent on the outside, but trust me, you do have very different things on your mind from time to time!'
As much as I obviously don't buy into quizzes on the internet, ('Who will YOU marry? Surprisingly accurate!' And so on!) I thought this was a cute bit of fun.... and incidentally, a little true! But also of many people I imagine. I liked it best because Michael Palin is by far and away my favourite Python. (In fact, I am off to see him soon talking about his new book about his travels in Brazil - Michael Palin AND Brazil? Night in heaven!)
Moving on.....!
There are so many scenes that I love from this movie, I could talk to you about it all day. I have the complete script, and as much memorabilia as I can get my hands on..... don't judge! Lol..... hmmm. I even decoupaged
a table once- it was lime formica; not cool at the time, but I'd love it now! I spent ages covering it with Monty Python calendar pictures. It was awesome, if I say so myself. Unfortunately it got irreparably water damaged in a move and had to go to table heaven...
Once more, I take a round about course to reach my point: it was SOOOOO difficult to choose!
Of course I had to do something, so I settled on the Migrating Swallow scene.
I went to my usual haunts for supplies, and found a fantastic ribbon, the pattern on it was Medieval enough.... how to marry it together? Fabric, Medieval... - Bayeux Tapestry! If you don't know what it is about, then you don't know your history! William the Conqueror? King Harold? Battle of Hastings? 1066? Any of these ring a bell?
Scene from the Bayeux Tapestry
The real tapestry is nearly 70m long... bit big for an ATC ;)
Then I found this awesome app where you can create your own scene 'Bayeux style'... Such fun!
So, print, stitch, ink, emboss; and there we have it.
Before printing onto cotton.
I also loved the idea of manuscripts, books, history, learning.... so I added a small seal; last used on our wedding invitations, so wax is a bit fragile!
Keeping with the manuscript theme, an Illuminated book plate label!
And my sweet little Chick made her first cards too! Titled 'Kings, Queens and Knights', she hand cut all of these (pretty good when one is not only a lefty but also has not yet mastered scissor accuracy - especially when one has a production line and has to cut 18 individual replicas! I think she did a great job. She decided on all the elements herself and I only helped by teaching her how to use mediums and processes she hadn't used before - using templates, for example.
The Background is the crown of gold, complete with jewels. She decided to downsize her original design for the shield from a 'Lion Rampant' (difficult to replicate when one wants to hand draw them all!) to an Escutcheon Or with Chevron Inverted in Sanguine. Impressed? I love heraldry :) (Gold shield, red upside down chevron....)
'Anatomy' is a pretty broad subject, which is great because you know there will be some really cool interpretations. I LOVED my friend's ATC - 'Anatomy of an ATC', it was awesome! There were also 'Anatomy of a Painting', 'Anatomy of a Cupcake', and many other beautiful works of mini art. ATCs are fun because you reach outside of your normal 'box' as you have to make so many works of mini art in a certain time frame, on a certain subject. Regardless of whether you like the subject or not, you have to think creatively until you find something you do like. Which is actually a good form of CBT for looking at your life, if you think about it!
What I am really loving is that a couple of my friends daughters have joined the class. How awesome it is to have young girls involved and enjoying art. I know I am not alone, I have met many women who can say the same; but I wasn't really encouraged in art at school. It is such a central part of who I am, but how many of us have told us we are 'no good at art', purely because we can't draw photo images etc? It is such crap. Anyway, I think it is great to be able to encourage our daughters. And I am so excited that my daughter has decided to join our group. She has told me she wants to be an artist 'Just like you, Mummy.' When I told her that she already is an artist (this girl is a prolific creator, give her a pen and paper and watch her go), the look she gave me was pure melt-your-heart stuff. Well, she IS. Sure, there are techniques to learn, colour combinations to understand, and rules to be ignored whenever we feel led. But she IS an artist. She has already come up with her design for our next class and bugs, er, reminds me every day that 'we need to do more on our cards, Mummy!'. Such a helpful lass ;) But then, isn't it cool to see a kid with a passion for something? Some of you may know that we are homeschoolers. It has been in planning for sometime, but implemented only this year (looooong story). The kids are always asking for 'grades', which I am kind of against. How discouraging can that be? But when we talk about art, they asked if you can fail Art. I told them that the only way they can fail Art is if they don't produce something that they haven't taken care and thought about. Other than that, the only 'F' in Art is for 'Fabulous', Sweetie....
Hmmm. Waffling again.
Somehow I got into my head Egyptian Canopic jars; you know, that are used to store organs for the afterlife? That's kind of Anatomy, right? Then I saw a Babushka on Pinterest that showed a nude, then a skeleton, then the organs. It was cool, but also a bit gross. And I don't like to out and out plagiarise unless it is for practise (and for ones own use and enjoyment), which is totally cool. So I mixed the two together. Canopic Babushkas. Why not?!
If find myself apologising for the poor quality photos, yes, AGAIN. I was literally still drying these on the way out the door; we had been away for a few days and got back late; and the camera battery was going flat. I had to take them all in minutes flat..... :(
The Babushkas are joined with a brad ad the bottom and fan out.
I tried to do my version of what I thought an Egyptian Babushka might look like!
In the middle is her 'skeleton', followed by an Anne Frank quote about the soul. Because Babushkas are sure to have a soul, right? I also thought it was something to reflect on the whole idea of canopic jars and what we take with us when we die - the soul is immortal.
To make the background I started with a large sheet of thick card (not quite large enough - I was 3 short!). I have this lovely little stencil; which originally reminded me of bunting (<3) but also looked a bit like pyramids. How convenient! I scraped some sand mortar through it, then gave it a few layers of tinted and glittered flow medium. Loved it! So tactile!
Not much else to say about the rest of the process. I had to hand draw and paint or ink them all, then gave them a layer of clear embossing powder which was to protect the paper; make it a bit thicker, and also to help bring out the bright colours. Sadly, these are the best photos I got before I had to swap them all! I hope they give you some idea. I was really please with the end result (above). Whimsical and fun!
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