I haven't spun off a blog post in quite a while.
Today is a coolish, gray, rainy day ,and me with little to zero ambition to accomplish much.
I may just punk out and spend the day on a Robin Cook marathon CD day--I am enthralled and totally addicted to his captivating stories:Think I should call Dr. Phil for help? Maybe he'll send me to one of his camps for people with addictive behaviors---I would not mind as long as i can listen to robin Cook CD's stories;but that would defeat the purpose of going to therapy,huh?
I spent some time this morning creating a treasury on etsy consisting on the 'unusual'--go take a peek and leave a comment, too:http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTI1OTUyN3wyNzIzNDU5MjQ2/weirdstrangeunusualthings-that-may-go
And while you are on etsy take a look at my shop: htttp://mysticsilks.etsy.com/
Will share beautiful art, poetry, and shout outs about other wonderful artists.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
A Treasure From Long Ago`by MysticSilks
A few week ago, I was sorting through an old box of memorabilia looking for photos that I had tossed into the box with the future goal of putting them into albums. I did get the new albums and began the long process of sorting and organizing.
As I was sorting I came upon a canvas folded in fourths;a hell of a thing to do to a painted canvas I thought. I began to unfold it carefully, and discovered it was a paint-by-number. I looked at the signatures and date listed at the right bottom side of the canvas.There was my name, my brother's, and last my Mother's with the date of 7/19/1953.
1953: Fifty- nine years old ! The painting was a street scene in Paris. From the style of clothing , I am guessing maybe from the early 1940's.
I sat holding that painted canvas, and the years melted away back to that hot summer of 1953.
I think my brother and I had been bored with staying inside due to the extreme heat of that summer. We had a nice finished basement, that was at least ten to fifteen degrees cooler than the upper part of the house: In those days, the early 50's, air-conditioned houses were only a dream of the future.
Mom went out shopping one day, and as always I was helping to put away the groceries that she purchased. I noticed a long package wrapped in brown paper at the end of the table.
" What's that , Mom,?" I asked. " Never mind. You just finish with your chores then I'll show you." I could feel the excitement growing inside me. The country was still rebounding from the depression, and people held that poorness inside them, so that seldom were the times during those days, that nice surprises occurred.
I completed my chores, then Mom grabbed the package and headed for the downstairs, she said,
" Follow me." I ran after her following her down the stairs careful not to run her over in my enthusiasm to see what that package held.
She placed the package on the table and removed the box from inside. I saw the title " Paris in the Summer" written on the box, and under it, paint-by-number.
Mom opened the box removed the canvas and on it were what seemed liked thousand of little numbers inside blank images. Sometimes certain numbers repeated themselves , and there were some that had maybe a few numbers that were duplicated. I was confused and backed away from the table.
" Where are you going ?" Mom asked. " You know numbers and me don't' get along well, Mom."
" Oh, get back here you goofus ." She scolded with a hint of laughter in her voice. " You do not have to add them or subtract them. See these small cups with paint inside? See the number marked above them? You simply use the numbered paint in the same number marked on the canvas."
I heaved a huge sigh of relief and moved close to the table again.
" Sit down here beside me. And I'll start you off and show you how to do this." I moved in closer than a hug, but not so close as to bump her arm: This was serious work, I thought.
The kit came with oil paints, a small bottle of turpentine, two paint brushes with very fine bristles, and about a dozen toothpicks.
" What are the toothpicks for?"
"Watch, I'll show you. When you open the oil paints, see the oil floating on top of the paint. You use the toothpick to gently stir and blend the oil into the paint."
I watched as she stirred the small blue cup of paint.
Then she said, " You must do this every time you begin to paint. And you must remember to use the same toothpick in the same color that you first use it in."
Then she picked up the brush, looked for the number that matched on the canvas and began to paint it in with the corn-flower blue. I was mesmerized!
" Now, after you finish using that color. See this bottle, she picked up the bottle of turpentine. You dip the brush in and clean the color off. Here's a rag to use to make sure the brush comes clean.
You do this each time you start a new color.Understand? " I nodded.
Mom, got up from the chair and motioned for me to sit in her place. I sat down shaking with excitement. I gazed at the canvas, then back at the oil colors. " I like the red." I turned to look for her approval. " Then use it," she replied. I opened the lid on the small cup, and carefully stirred the oil into the red paint. I picked up the brush, ever so gently dipping just the tip into the paint, then began to apply the paint to the corresponding number on the canvas.
Some where in my cloud of joy, I heard Mom climbing back up the stairs. How long I worked on the painting that day, I don't remember. Maybe, till I heard Mom call me to help set the dinner table.
My brother Jim's name is on that painting. I think he wondered what was keeping me so occupied downstairs and wonder down to ease his curiosity. He might have asked me, if he could try to paint some. I, feeling quite possessive, must have given him the very strictest of instructions, and hovered close by to make sure he followed them. I'm not sure he felt the same excitement that I had, because he soon left the table, and I can't recall him coming back to paint again.
Also, because so many years have passed, I can't remember how long it took to finish the painting. I know I relished each new painted image as it appeared. And when the scene was completed maybe a month or so later, I remember Mom saying that I had done a fine job. " And when it dries, Sis, it will be yours."
Some how through all these years it sat there in that box. I asked my son, what he thought I should do with it? " Well, for sure , don't leave it folded up in a box. get it mounted."
A week later I found myself in an art gallery, and for the cost of $75.00, much , much more than the original paint-by-number kit had cost, I had it done.
Please visit my etsy store at: http://mysticsilks.etsy.com
Thank you,
MysticSilks
As I was sorting I came upon a canvas folded in fourths;a hell of a thing to do to a painted canvas I thought. I began to unfold it carefully, and discovered it was a paint-by-number. I looked at the signatures and date listed at the right bottom side of the canvas.There was my name, my brother's, and last my Mother's with the date of 7/19/1953.
1953: Fifty- nine years old ! The painting was a street scene in Paris. From the style of clothing , I am guessing maybe from the early 1940's.
I sat holding that painted canvas, and the years melted away back to that hot summer of 1953.
I think my brother and I had been bored with staying inside due to the extreme heat of that summer. We had a nice finished basement, that was at least ten to fifteen degrees cooler than the upper part of the house: In those days, the early 50's, air-conditioned houses were only a dream of the future.
Mom went out shopping one day, and as always I was helping to put away the groceries that she purchased. I noticed a long package wrapped in brown paper at the end of the table.
" What's that , Mom,?" I asked. " Never mind. You just finish with your chores then I'll show you." I could feel the excitement growing inside me. The country was still rebounding from the depression, and people held that poorness inside them, so that seldom were the times during those days, that nice surprises occurred.
I completed my chores, then Mom grabbed the package and headed for the downstairs, she said,
" Follow me." I ran after her following her down the stairs careful not to run her over in my enthusiasm to see what that package held.
She placed the package on the table and removed the box from inside. I saw the title " Paris in the Summer" written on the box, and under it, paint-by-number.
Mom opened the box removed the canvas and on it were what seemed liked thousand of little numbers inside blank images. Sometimes certain numbers repeated themselves , and there were some that had maybe a few numbers that were duplicated. I was confused and backed away from the table.
" Where are you going ?" Mom asked. " You know numbers and me don't' get along well, Mom."
" Oh, get back here you goofus ." She scolded with a hint of laughter in her voice. " You do not have to add them or subtract them. See these small cups with paint inside? See the number marked above them? You simply use the numbered paint in the same number marked on the canvas."
I heaved a huge sigh of relief and moved close to the table again.
" Sit down here beside me. And I'll start you off and show you how to do this." I moved in closer than a hug, but not so close as to bump her arm: This was serious work, I thought.
The kit came with oil paints, a small bottle of turpentine, two paint brushes with very fine bristles, and about a dozen toothpicks.
" What are the toothpicks for?"
"Watch, I'll show you. When you open the oil paints, see the oil floating on top of the paint. You use the toothpick to gently stir and blend the oil into the paint."
I watched as she stirred the small blue cup of paint.
Then she said, " You must do this every time you begin to paint. And you must remember to use the same toothpick in the same color that you first use it in."
Then she picked up the brush, looked for the number that matched on the canvas and began to paint it in with the corn-flower blue. I was mesmerized!
" Now, after you finish using that color. See this bottle, she picked up the bottle of turpentine. You dip the brush in and clean the color off. Here's a rag to use to make sure the brush comes clean.
You do this each time you start a new color.Understand? " I nodded.
Mom, got up from the chair and motioned for me to sit in her place. I sat down shaking with excitement. I gazed at the canvas, then back at the oil colors. " I like the red." I turned to look for her approval. " Then use it," she replied. I opened the lid on the small cup, and carefully stirred the oil into the red paint. I picked up the brush, ever so gently dipping just the tip into the paint, then began to apply the paint to the corresponding number on the canvas.
Some where in my cloud of joy, I heard Mom climbing back up the stairs. How long I worked on the painting that day, I don't remember. Maybe, till I heard Mom call me to help set the dinner table.
My brother Jim's name is on that painting. I think he wondered what was keeping me so occupied downstairs and wonder down to ease his curiosity. He might have asked me, if he could try to paint some. I, feeling quite possessive, must have given him the very strictest of instructions, and hovered close by to make sure he followed them. I'm not sure he felt the same excitement that I had, because he soon left the table, and I can't recall him coming back to paint again.
Also, because so many years have passed, I can't remember how long it took to finish the painting. I know I relished each new painted image as it appeared. And when the scene was completed maybe a month or so later, I remember Mom saying that I had done a fine job. " And when it dries, Sis, it will be yours."
Some how through all these years it sat there in that box. I asked my son, what he thought I should do with it? " Well, for sure , don't leave it folded up in a box. get it mounted."
Please visit my etsy store at: http://mysticsilks.etsy.com
Thank you,
MysticSilks
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Mother's Day Plantings~ Mysticsilks
The first four photos are of the garden pots in the backyard.
We planted Inpatients, sunshine yellow pansies, petunias,and various other plants we thought would add beauty to the yard.
Now, the nice thing about these plants are, they will last far into the summer and fall s long as I remember to pinch back the dead ones.
I feel like it is truly spring after I get the flowers in their summer urns!
Please visit http://mysticsilks.etsy.com
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Six New Silk Satin Neck Scarves~By MysticSilks
I finally finished those 6 new silk scarves, and posted them in my etsy shop.
It's the first time I tried designing on a 15x72 inch silk satin.
To begin with that's a lot of area to cover with designs, and to dye the background:Getting in and out of the designs with specific dye colors is a challenge, then to keep up with dying the background before the areas already covered dry.
Then there's the photographing. Trying to get the entire scarf into the photo is another challenge. So in essence one could say this is an intense labor of love--:)
http://mysticsilks.etsy.com
It's the first time I tried designing on a 15x72 inch silk satin.
To begin with that's a lot of area to cover with designs, and to dye the background:Getting in and out of the designs with specific dye colors is a challenge, then to keep up with dying the background before the areas already covered dry.
Then there's the photographing. Trying to get the entire scarf into the photo is another challenge. So in essence one could say this is an intense labor of love--:)
http://mysticsilks.etsy.com
Friday, April 6, 2012
Creating Wearable Art on Silk~ By Mysticsilks
I tell myself after creating each new series of silk scarves, that this is my last one. But then the creative muses stir within me and I am back to designing new pieces.
With the six new scarves, there are two that are quite different in size. Instead of the usual 12x 60inch silk satin I decided to try working with the 15 x 70 inch silk satin: And what a challenge that presented.
First I had to alter the size of the wood frame: I extended it in length by a foot. And I discovered with the larger size scarves, you can not connect two together on the frame to dye. The reason, with the extra width, it is difficult to do detailed work, such as seen in the Ocean scene silk scarf.
I am showing the photos of the beginning steps to both the Butterflies scarf(which is shown after it is completely dyed, and the Ocean scene beginnings and after it is half completed with dyes.
I will continue to photograph the progress of the remaining four scarves from the first stages of designing, to the dying process.
Then after steaming all six to set the dyes deep into the fibers of the silk, I will show the finished product in the next blog.
Until then visit my shop at: http://mysticsilks.etsy.com
You will see wearable silk art, and silk art that is framed and ready to display on your walls.
Thank you.
Mysticsilks
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Seeing 'Red' ~ by Mysticsilks
My daughter needed to get rid of her worn out van with its 130,000 miles of traveling rough roads. I had a PT Cruiser which I had only cruised up to ,4000 plus miles--in other words , it was hardly broken in. However I have a back that allows for only adjustable comfort seats, and that PT did not have it.
My son wanted to know why I wanted the PT Cruiser in the 1st place. I told him it reminded me of my Uncle Andy's car from the mid 40's;nostalgia and nothing more had a hand in purchasing that car.
Now, let it be known before we go on with this story, I HATE to buy cars. I think it is one of the biggest wastes on money that there is. In that you lose $3,000 the minute you sign your name and drive off the car lot! And that car salesmen are trained to double talk you, place 'reel them in ads' with prices and deals you can't ignore, only to tell you that the ad expired,or that car was a basic( a basic what I wonder?) Anyway you're not going to buy that car that was in the ad for $15,599---just not happening.
In fact the salesman told me after I mentioned the ad, "what ad"? I replied, I had just seen in in this last weeks paper. Well, he couldn't remember, and it was then I knew we were all in for the long haul of negotiations:Hours, and days of negotiations.
I went home after the 1st day and mixed an energy drink. Next day I went in, and again told him the price I wanted to pay;in fact I found the ad with the 'bargain price, and showed it to him.
"Hmmm,", was his response and he promptly left me sitting in my chair for the hundredth time to go yadda, yadda with his sales manager, and to show him the ad.
I think after the 101th time of this 'go ask the sales manager' I finally said, " Why don't you have the sales-manager come to this table ,and the three of us can hammer out the details?"
He simply chuckled and went again to confer with his sales manager.
In the meanwhile my grandson and I looked at colors of the vehicle I was interested in.
I thought maybe a silver, or grey, or even a crystal blue color.
" Na," Zach offers, " your too alive gram for those pale colors why don't you get the deep cherry red.?"
You're right Zach, why not get a lively color, I thought. And that's just what I did.
Now, to add the finishing touches to this buying of a new car, my son came in to do a bit of man-to-man negotiations with the sales-manager.
An additional bumper to bumper extended 5 year warranty was requested. The sale-manager agreed.
Next ,they were going to put out a search for the car that I wanted and would call me when it came in.
Next day I got the call, and went in to buy the car, do the paper work while they were detailing the car( washing, vacuuming the inside, and full wax job). I took a walk back to the service area , and it was a beauty!
Went back to the finance manager , he was processing the paper work while we joked back and forth. Soon we were done, I took the keys , the paper work and headed home.
A bit later after the dealership closed I took apart the paper work to gather the info I would need for car insurance. I noticed on the documents , that it stated I had purchased a blue Dodge Avenger.
I grabbed the paper work and went out to the living room to show my son.
" Did I buy the wrong car Bill?" I showed him the papers. He laughed. " No, you bought a deep cherry red Chrysler 200: Better call them in the morning."
I called them next morning and told them I was coming in to get my Avenger,which thoroughly confused the sales-manager until I told him what transpired.
So we got the paper work straightened out. The finance manager said, it was an 'honest mistake'.
I said it was OK, but not really. If I had been stopped by the police the night I brought the car home, and he had asked for my registration paper, I would have given him the blue Avenger registration. I am sure he would have said," follow me lady we're headed for the station so you can explain this."
I shudder to think of what could have happened.
OK, it's a beauty, I call her " Red"
But, I HATE buying new cars.
Please visit:http://mysticsilks.etsy.com
Monday, March 19, 2012
Go Fly A Kite!`MysticSilks
"Up,up and away in my beautiful balloon.." Oops, nice song but nothing to do with kite flying. Can anyone think of a song with the word kite in it?
OK, back to topic of kite flying.
Sometimes I have to do something other than design silk scarves, and I've been saying that soon I wanted to get outside in this incredibly great weather
( can't ever remember a March with May/June like temps). Well, yesterday there was a nice stiff breeze blowing. Several days back I had brought my kite upstairs and set it beside the desk to remind me to keep the promise to myself.
I picked up my kite and headed outside.
The ground was saturated with the last few days and nights of rain, so it wasn't feeling solid, nor stable beneath my feet. The winds were fickle with on and off again gusts of wind. The kite would sail up then head nose down toward earth. My son and grandson were outside playing basketball, and must have noticed I was having a challenge on my hands. " Need help, ?", my son asked.
"Yea, sure," I replied. He spent about twenty minutes with the kite sailing up and nose diving. Finally he suggested we go up to the high-school baseball field, where it was more open to the winds.
My grandson went downstairs and brought up another kite, and more string.
I'll let the photos tell the rest of the story. It had been seven years I had held a kite string and sailed a kite;It was fun!
Please visit http://mysticsilks.etsy.com
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Granny Goofs, and You Gain! ~By MysticSilks
It's been awhile since I've blogged about anything. I usually like to have something new, and or different to share with folks: This blog is definitely about the new and different !
About a month ago I ordered some blank scarves to design and dye. I ordered the 30x30 inch size thinking this would make for a most versatile silk scarf, as one could arrange or rearrange the material to suit what best appeals to them,i.e; wrap about the head and neck,or tie just around the neck;at any rate there's the length and width of material to play with.
As my hands are not as steady as they once were,I find it too much of a challenge to draw an image onto the silk scarves. Yet, I did not want to simply run dye across the scarves and call it a done deal. So, my daughter and I went out one of the last chilly snowy days for 6 hours looking for stencils(appealing stencils);we found not one thing meeting the criteria for appealing.
I was quite disappointed, and my back ached from all that walking. I decided to try amazon.com for stencils. In my search I found four books of all kinds of images, from zoo animals, to horses,flowers, butterflies, fish:I apprehensively ordered the books of stencils, not knowing exactly their size, nor quality.
Well, when they arrived I could hardly believe my good fortune;they were the right size for using on a silk scarf, plus the quality was excellent!
Humph, I thought to myself, and I spent 6 hours looking in the stores and malls. The theme" Let your fingers do the walking " went humming through my mind.
I washed any silk worm residue from the eight scarves, rinsed then ironed them.
I then tacked the scarves to a foam core board. Previous to that I had traced the selected images on tracing paper which I would place under the silk scarf to use as a pattern. I placed these traced images under the silk on the foam-core board, then began to use tinted resists to draw the images onto the silk. As I worked I was chatting with my grand-daughter who was home on spring break from medical school:In other words I wasn't being fully focused on what I was doing.
OK, the images were drawn on all eight scarves, I tacked them to the studio wood frame in preparation for dying. I dyed two scarves at a time, let them dry overnight, then tacked two more, till all eight scarves were dyed. On the 5th day I wrapped them in sheets of paper, then rolled the packaged scarves onto the wire cylinder and tied the package to secure it to the cylinder to prevent the packaged scarves from slipping into the water while steaming:God forbid!
The six day I set up my steamer, waited for the water to steam, then placed the rolled scarf package onto the riser in the steam pot; This keeps the scarves out of the water, and just allows the steam to penetrate the scarves. I set the timer for two hours. But I ran up and down the steps 10-12 times to make sure everything was safely steaming.
Steaming time was up,I carefully removed the steaming scarf package, snipped the ties that held the scarves on the cylinder, unrolled each scarf. I draped the scarves over chairs to allow them to air dry overnight. Next day they were all washed in a gentle sudsy bath, rinsed dozens of times, then ironed.
Next day as I began to get ready to take photos of them on my mannequin head prop.
As I draped the scarves in different positions to get the best shot, I notice to my most horrific awareness that all the images were inverted! In other words instead of drawing the images facing outward , away from the designer, I drew them facing me.
This affect will cause the observer who looks at the scarf while being worn, to cock their heads sideways, or upside down to get the proper view!!
That my friends is the reason for the title" Granny Goofs: Your Gain" As a result these scarves which would have a $40.00 price tag will now be almost given away for $25.00.
Do visit my website:http://mysticsilks.etsy.com
Thank you!
MysticSilks
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