create with the heart of a child

Happy May Day!

I made this for the artsymama's mayday swap...

when I was a kid I used to make paper cones and put flowers in them for tree neighbors on my street...

Ms Brown who used to read to me, Ms Jones would teach me how to sew and needle point then there was Ms Dines, she was the outdoor girl of the bunch and when ever there was a little bird that fell out of it nest she would call me over and give it to me so I could try to mend it... most did not make it but I did end up with a pet crow and a squirrel :)

"It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness." — Unknown

Many fellow art bloggers heads have turned to artist blocks lately...
just like flowers its so easy for us to think of rain...

"will I ever come up with a new idea? will I always be stuck in this place? I am a fake a phony! nothing new will ever come out of me again! its all over!"

as we all know none of this is true! it may take a little time but the sun she always comes out to shine again :)

May Day, by Sara Teasdale, 1884-1933

A delicate fabric of bird song
Floats in the air,
The smell of wet wild earth
Is everywhere.

Red small leaves of the maple
Are clenched like a hand,
Like girls at their first communion
The pear trees stand.

Oh I must pass nothing by
Without loving it much,
The raindrop try with my lips,
The grass with my touch;

For how can I be sure
I shall see again
The world on the first of May
Shining after the rain?



As I tyred to decide what I wanted to do for the May Day swap I took a minute to reflect on what May Day meant to me then I started to think about the paper cones I made as a child..
and now as I look back my childhood came flashing back...
I was the kid that was always making stuff... always had my hands all messy and full of mud... I loved to be in the garden and be surrounded by nature... I did spend more time with adults and animals then with other children because I was forever busy creating in my own magical world filled with fairy's and far away places.

Now as a adult I do still play in the far away world of my imagination... but reality is a lot closer and so is self doubt and the inner critic.

But the May Day cone reminded me that its the PLAY that I love the most as a artist... the creating for the joy of creating and the reason why I blog is much for the delight I received when I was a young girl and would leave flowers on my neighbors door steep and ring the door bell and run away it was for the unknown delight that I surprised someone :)

Mother Nature Fabric Charm Swap Bracelets

I wait till the last minute every time...
I made all 11 bracelets before I made my charms...
I guess I need a time line to break me down and make me work!

(Side A of my bird/nest charms)
(Side B)
For this swap I choose a theme of mother nature with a color pallet of blues, green and sepia tones. The 11 girls from this swap are from a yahoo fabric group that I am part of.
I love it when I am all done and get to see everthing all lined up! The colors and texturs of all the charms are amazing! everone one did such a great job!
now its time to pack them all up and ship them off!

atc's

My creation, originally uploaded by ruthrae.

when I have a million other things I need to do, I like to make atc's...
its has turned into a addiction !

I went to a local ATC trade this afternoon, it was fun ... its always so interesting to see the person and what card they pick out... some people just grab one and do not even peek into the pile where others like to look at each one... I like to look at each one to admire other peoples creativity.

I took 20 cards in all to the trade if you click on the pitcher it will take you to the set.

I also opened a etsy shop today (the link is on my side bar)... it was one of my goals for this year, I have 5 fabric pieces in there now, but I will also add some jewelry as well over the next few day :)

Inspire

There are parts of me that are fearless but I have to admit that part of me was on vacation yesterday when I created The Art for “A Charming Exchange: Connect—Create—Collaborate”
the book that Kelly and I are writing (with art being contributed from 30 online friends) How intimidating it was for me to think that something that I created could be on the cover of a book! I must say that I beat myself up most of yesterday feeling defeated and full of self doubt...

The challenge of this book is the collaborative part... there is a trick to working with things that you have not created, the yin and yang of being able to be in full control is off balance in many ways, but then there is a added element of inspiration you get from working with someones art.

Around 10 last night I walked away... ready to cry... I told myself it would look better in the morning that I was just being to hard on my self...

Around 6am this morning I half asleep walked into my stuido and as sure as the sun did shine so did the bracelet that I had created! it was happy and sparkly sitting on my table it smiled at me and said "look at me, I am wonderful!" and it was all full of love from the girls that worked on it with me! thank you so much to my special cover girl crew
Deryn Mentock, Kelly Snelling, Catherine Witherell, Jes Berry & Crystal Neubauer for your contributions to this project!

now I do so wish that I could share the whole thing with all but all I can share is this tiny little peek:

This is the holder that I created to house the Bracelet as it travels to Ohio for its photo shoot next week!
The creative muse she has a funny way of hiding from us when we need her the most... or is she really always with us and our fear is just a big as gift as our creativity ?
fear really after all is only growing pains!

Tears of joy fall from the sky.

Today I worked on painting papers and dyeing fabric in shades of blue so I could work in Merel's RR altered book entitled "rainy day's" and I even managed to finish the book! it had been sitting on my shelf a little too long but now its on its way to Trudy so she can finish it up and get it home :)

Naked Truth

Between Spirit And Body

Reaching From Heaven To Earth

Beautiful Rain

silent soul (my hidden heart)

Where does inspiration come from?
The spark can come from a flower or a image but for me it starts with a word that turns into texture.

I have made a conscious decision to use less images in my work…
And allow My love of words and text to break through…

Through this fragments was born…

A mixed of textures and hues stitching and words with little tiny hidden elements to behold.
When you pull the red sting it will revel my silent soul.
five souls is the back side of my page.

This was created for Caren Mc Nee's spirit - book entitled 'in the spirit of the heart'

So where does your inspiration come from?

Sacred Cherries

Oh Sew Charming :)

This is one of five Fabric charm bracelet I created for the May /June issue of Cloth Paper Scissors

I machine quilted felt hearts then I created a hand stamped face on a muslin pillow, then I added fibers and mother of pearl coins with stamped image and vintage book text, and turquoise to complete this bracelet.

I have not spent any time in my studio cents my return from artfest...
I have been having fun with my kids and taking lost of pitchers.

I do have a few projects on my desk right now that I need to play with,
I have images in my head of what I want to do... now lets just see what will come out.

ARTFEST 2007

Port Townsend, Washington.

March 28 to April 1.

there were over 500 people at artfest but by looking at my photo's it looks like there were only about 5 !!!
If you follow this link you can see all my photo's as a slide show

This was one amazing trip, I am still soaking it all in !!!


On the second day they opened the 8x8 art gallery were all the people who attended artfest were invited to sell up to 3 8x8 pieces of there art work I was lucky and sold all 3 of my fragment pieces:


Look at what came home we me!!!

"root"
Made by: Rhonda Scott
the minute I saw it I just new it had to be mine!!!
it was made by Rhonda Scott
Who I was lucky to meet on our last day just as I was picking up this amazing piece of art ...
Her soul was just as joyous as her art! :)
(Rhonda, the piece made it home safe! Please let your Husband know that it has a home where it is truly loved and admired!)

Embedded Encaustic
This is what I did in my first class and Patricia Seggebruch was one great teacher and wonderful lady! you have to look at her art!

smooth surfaces, and transparent paints.

My second class was with Anne Bagby... all I can do is bow down to all of you who have a way with paint and line drawing... this is not my calling but Anne is one great Teacher and one Amazing artist!!!

After a little to much fun here the night before


I crawled to my last class with Susan Lenart Kazmer

Susan is such a doll!!! I really loved her and her class!!! she is such a warm and giving artist so willing to share her creative process! I have long admired her style but to see her art up close was amazing all the details in her art can only be fully appreciate up close.
Susan took pity on me and was so kind to hold my tired hand and help me make it through her class!!!

Heather, Holly and Me!
blog friends meet at gallery night! :)

it was really hard to process meeting people that you know so well, but only through there art... trying to place the face with there online persona was quite the challenge!!!I wish I had found a way to spend more time talking with more people...
everyone was so creative and friendly... smile's are defiantly contagious!!!

And a BIG thanks to my house mates for all your creativity the food, wine, fun , smiles and midnight giggles!!!

Ally (her blog is coming soon!)
Martha
Nancy

My mind is slowly catching up to my body! but I must say I am still trying to soak in this trip! it was amazing on many different levels!

artfest charm swap necklace

I am now all unpaked and I put this necklace together last night from all my artfest trades.

I am still working on putting my trip photo's together so they tell a little story :)

Home From Artfest.

Do you know where your art supplys are? I got home last night at midnight from my draining but amazing trip! this was my suite case that held all my supplies for my classes.

The amazing view from the house I stayed at when at artfest.


These are the trades I recived at artfest!
The trading frenzy at artfest was AMAZING!!!
once I settle down I can not wait to sit down and and look and enjoy each and every one!

I will have more photo's to share from my trip soon! (once, I catch my breath!!!)