Family Heritage French Huguenot Dress

I had such a lovely time at Artfiberfest teaching and taking classes. One class that really thrilled me was a class in making Pinafores with Ruth Rae. Her main work is with little toddler sized dresses that she fashions like little sculptures on a special little hanger she makes. She had one in an adult size. I choose to make a Pinafore I could wear. This is a result. My friend Jan posed for me among the lilies.
I was honored to host Ruth on Sunday and take her around the city. We shopped at garage sales in a beautiful neighborhood near Reed College were Artfiberfest had been happening. Ruth is a very special and kind woman. She mentored me while we had lunch and walked the flower filled streets about this wonderful world of Mixed Media Art. We discussed teaching, publishing and relationships with all the kinds of artists and women that fill this little community. Thank you so much Ruth!!!

I am so happy with my Dress...it is so fun and special to wear!

All my friends that have tried it on feel like faeries.

I dyed some of the muslin a french blue...rite dye teal in the washer using 2 yards and 2/3rds of the package.

I used old lace I have collected..boy you burn through your stash...fast!

I found a photo of the first Protestant Bible in France from the 1500's. I thought it might be my like the one my family who immigrated from France as Huguenots to Delaware in the 1600's. I was very close with my Grandfather. I lived with him for 7 years as a child and he was my father. Though there were many marriages with other families..Irish, Welsh, English, German...he was raised by a French father and his Father was French and his father was French...an all that he knew about being a man was from his French Huguenot fathers. Many of them became Quakers. His name was Claude Bonine. When I saw the movie "Jean Florette" and "Mammon of the Spring" I finally understood my Bonine family....They came from a town near Lords was called Pau in the Pyrenees. Many Huguenots came from that area including the King Henry III of Navarre who was a Huguenot...but Catherine de' Medic his brides mother masterminded the Oct. St. Bartholomew's Day massacre

Millais' painting, A Huguenot and his Catholic lover on the eve of St. Bartholomew's day

Sweet Lulu posed for me...

With each class I take I become more free and fluid...I am so delighted with all the new skills and friendships I have made...

My camera finally died so I had to replace it...I depended on my friends camera's. Lulu's photo's I used her camera. And Jan in the Lilies was taken by her husband Tim with his wonderful new camera...
I got my Nikon D 70 replaced today...yeah!!!!

Happy 4th of July or is it St. Patricks...

Cindy Thomson web click

I spent some time today finishing on photoshop a postcard for a author friend. Here books are very interesting...I love Brigid and the Celtic Wisdom has lovely photo's and very wonderful information....Happy 4th...

I am Late Late for a very Important Date!!!

Oh my my my I am at Teesha Moores Party Art fiber Fest teaching...... dolls today....
but the dolls are having a tea party in my yard...and I will be visiting them and you...

late tonight!!!

Have a very unbirthday DAy.....I mean tea....

"It's a Girl!!!"....doll

Look at this little cutie girl I bought on Etsy from...Michelle at Crow Haven Studio Farms....she is such a little imp...getting her chops up for the Mad Tea Party...June 27th. Her little legs just dangle when you grab her by her little skinny throat when she is up to NO good........she is one of the Gossip girls that Michelle made I really Love her!

OK what do you do when you are getting ready to teach a Doll clay in Cloth and Clay at Artfiberfest in a few days...lets see last time when I taught at my house...I cleaned every thing and every drawer....hmm...this time I think I will make a completely new doll.........

So inspired by Michelle Shaffer's dolls, My friends at ADO etsy group dolls, Black eyed Suzi dolls, Du Buh Du Designs Dolls,

and my all time favorite friend BARBIE fashion dolls...
(as a young teeny...I spent endless hours making haunt courtier clothing for her in the 60's chic styles...I am looking forward to doing it again....with my new dolls)

I tried my hand at a Sculpey clay doll....I used Barbie's dimensions for the body...and a big head like a few other dolls I picked up at the Goodwill....a Bratz...and Holly Hobby???

I burnt her nose...Michelle said bake her at 250 instead of 275. Then bake longer...30 mins.

I also had to remake the legs...with wire inside as they twisted and broke when I tried to bend them back...they are very long legs...because she is a fashion doll and needs to walk the runway....soon I hope!

Ta Da.......I like her hair...it is like my Kimt inspired doll with the black hair and red necklace......so she sits.... waiting to be to be painted and dressed after Artfiberfest......and with all the new skills I will be learning from Ruth Rae I think she will have a nice dress....

Digital Art

We had a wonderful Harp Guitar Retreat at our home this past weekend......many guests...it was a hotel/resort...lots of cleaning & cooking...and a concert.....I made this as a gift for our friends who came and just got back from Korea....Digital Collage is so fun!

Dancing in Seattle"s light

John and I went to Seattle's folk life festival Memorial Day weekend. We stayed with a lovely couple....as we wound our way over the bridge past the Cruise ship docks and up the hill we found our self in a most magical neighborhood...and there we stayed for 4 beautiful nights.....I never knew this part of Seattle existed...and our hostess was a wonderful chief. We ate on the deck over looking the water and the mountains with the city in the distance.

Digitial Art! 3 Face of John Doan

(my recent art work...in the graphic world)

This is an image I just finished using my new skills from taking the Digital Collage online class...link on right side.
It was such a big task for me as John Doan's agent asked me to make an interesting "Three Faces of John Doan". You may remember me asking for help with it on an earlier post....well months and months later here it is....so if anyone has any gig contacts for 3 really GREAT shows please let me know!!