best of the best: medieval

Showing posts with label medieval. Show all posts

Sunday, 31 July 2011

Ramblings of Creativity

dia duit

pronounced gee-ah ditch

Gaelic, literally 'God be with you'

I have browsed a few of my older posts.

My goodness I am a 'Chatty Cathy' !!!!!

Some of them look like mini-books!

So, perhaps I need to post a note above the computer saying:

Michael says:

You don't need to write a book every blog.

:0)

Today I am in a

wandering through my creative processes kind of day.

Caution:

this could be scary to some...

Yippee - Laundry Day

I just posted 5 new Collage Art Dolls on my etsy shop.

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

I also added a set of Happy Hollister Books

(3 with 1 free bonus book)

and a couple of bottlecap magnets

When I work on my bottlecaps, my table looks like this:

actually, that's kind of clean for my usual mess...

I cut all my graphics and words from junk mail,

catalogs, recycled magazines, brochures,

those annoying ads people stick in between your door,

or on the outside of your mailbox...

pretty much if it's paper, I have fun with it.

That's where the quirky humor comes in.

you know, a dog has questions....

and we ALL know cats get messages from the cat planet...

It is way too frightening to take a picture of me going through the magazines, et al. I have stacks in various stages of being cut apart. My living room chair is surrounded by little bits of cut paper.

Cinderella's Stepsister Steppin' Out

Collage Art Doll, one-of-a-kind (ooak)

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

Currently I have been doing some cut art work.

The little scraps of black paper look like spiders.

eek!

a black widow spider beaded necklace I have for sale

I can't show you my finished pieces,

as The Printer is being returned as I type....

A new one, from Costco (great prices)

only the window with lights that lets you copy from the machine (not using your computer) is blank.

No lights.

Can't use that function.

So I can't scan right now.

Here are some of my older cut-work

also called scherensnitte

(sheer-en-snit-uh)

This one I actually did do a couple of weeks ago.

I haven't attached it yet,

but I do have a frame ready to go!

This is the pattern I used. If I am careful in how I cut,

and of course the right kind of pattern,

I can use the pattern paper as framed art also!

another example

I don't know, maybe I really should finish this net-beaded bracelet

I have in-the-works next to my living room chair.

It's a pattern that I am trying to remember from two I did before,

but have lost the directions to.

There is this new pattern in a Bead&Button magazine that looked interesting, but I just couldn't figure out their directions.

It looked similar to my previous bracelets, in the starting bit,

so, I am practicing.

I can't stand to just do something for the sake of doing it

(like practicing!)

so I thought I would just make it into a bracelet.

Four tries later, I've got it down,

but now I'm so bored with it, it is hard to finish!

Sound complicated?

I did warn you that my brain paths may be scary....

This is a truly stunning netted necklace I beaded.

My photos don't show up the pearlescent beads, silver accents and the pearls I used in it. Alas, after I photographed it I accidentally dropped it, and my Great Dane Koda stepped on it.

Broken thread, little tiny seed beads on my front porch..

not a pretty sight.

Sigh. I'm going to have to do major re-work to fix it now.

So, it sits in my 'Jewelry That Needs Help' box.

This is a very simple netted pattern that I made when I was first learning the netting stitch, using tiny seed beads.

my daisy chains -

Whenever I get 'stuck' trying to sort out a difficult pattern,

or I want to do beads, but just am not in the mood for following a pattern, I make a daisy chain!

I call them my happy beads!

I learned the pattern in junior high school, I think.

Here is another pattern I do when I want to bead,

but again I am watching tv or something,

and don't want to concentrate on a difficult pattern.

all the same basic pattern, which I have modified from the original

Hmmmm....

I am starting a new Michael Jecks medieval mystery,

and sure would like to spend some time reading....

this is one of the ones I have recently finished:

I really like these cover graphics. The 'new' ones have more of a realistic close-up of a warrior in armor.

My sister-in-law via my mom-in-law just loaned me a copy

of Carol Burnett's memoirs.

Love that lady!

Great actress!

Uh-oh.

I'm writing a blogbook again.

And I'm getting side-tracked.

Think I will go watch my 'new' John Wayne movie

'Alleghany Uprising'

and do some more scherensnitte,

although there's that bracelet,

and I just received some 'new' magazines to cut apart,

and I need to match up some words with some bottlecap graphics,

and, oh yes! I haven't eaten lunch yet,

and it's 4:30pm!

recycled bottlecap magnet,

www.inkspired.etsy.com

Think I better quit while I'm....

ahead?

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

with recycled junk mail graphics and words.

Thursday, 28 July 2011

Honor, Loyalty and Chivalry with Castles and Paperdolls

Wai

or Oi or Oye

(Bodo, informal way of saying hello to someone.)

Bodo is a Tebeto-Burman language.

Going to church hat

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

First, I need to apologize for an incorrect link from yesterday.

For any of you that tried to reach Robert Sabuda's

Pop-Up tutorial and directions for a pop-up castle,

here is the correct link:

http://www.robertsabuda.com/popmake/index.asp

Sorry about that. I had forgotten a '/' from the former.

Vittskovle Castle

Sweden

So, did you know there is no country called

"Myanmar"?

The country's name is BURMA.

Myanmar is the name that the rebels have given the country that they took by force and much bloodshed.

They have not been officially recognized by the United Nations,

or the United States of America.

The people of Burma have not recognized them as official.

Only the USA newspaper journalists call it Myanmar...

apparently they have decided that violent takeover

deserves to be taken officially,

and to not recognize the true government of

BURMA.

SO glad that our journalists and newspaper reporters are

sooo unbiased....

moment of sarcasm....

passing now.

Glamis Castle

Scotland

the setting for Shakespeare's MacBeth

Let's get on with our knights -

known for their honor, loyalty and chivalry!

J. Waterhouse

'Tristram and Isolde', 1916

Prince Caspian,

recycled junk mail bottlecap magnet

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

movie poster, 1967

Muiderslot

Netherlands, 13th century

I think it's time for more paper dolls!

(Is there really a time for no paper dolls?)

Castle Mespelbrunn

Germany, 1412

a couple from 1449

'Romance in the Rose Garden'

medieval tapestry

Thanks to OrigamiBears for her spirit of sharing!

Bierten Peasant Castle

Romania

every day activities in Medieval times

Chateau de vitre

France, 11th century

Knights from the 13th to the 16th century

Budget friendly projects:

Print these knights out on thin paper.

Cut out, and decoupage onto a wooden trunk,

or a set of decorative plates.

Print these knights out on sturdy cardboard - as thick as your printer will accept. If your card is still not sturdy enough, you can glue the printouts onto thin cereal box cardboard.

Cut slits in the bottom. Cut stands from extra cardboard. Slit at the top. Push slits together to make a simple stand.

Think paperdoll stands!

Now you can place these in a medieval/castle diorama,

or play with them with the wonderful cut and assemble castles from Dover publications.

Make your own castle settings, trees, etc. from magazine cutouts.

Mount them on the cereal box cardboard, and make stands as directed above. Set up your own castle scene using an old cookie sheet. Cover the cookie sheet with scraps of green/grey/brick/beige scrapbook paper leftovers.

Or tear tissue paper and overlap. This will work best if you dab glue in just a few places to hold down the flutterings.

Karlstejn Castle

Czechoslovakia, 1450

vintage paper dolls

Let's finish today with a modern day castle,

built in 1908!

Hatley Castle

California, USA, 1908

Browsing castles, and knights in shining armor, and medieval times, I have acquired quite a few more things to share

more along the lines of Camelot, perhaps.

But that's for another day!

Don't forget to smile at someone you don't know today...

inkspired

dominoes@myinkspired.com

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, 27 July 2011

Knights in Armour and Ladies Faire

Li-ho

(Hello in Taiwanese)

French Castle

I bid you Welcome from the land of castles, knights, kings and queens and maidens fair.

Yesterday was spent giving our son his 24th birthday present.

We took him to a large furniture warehouse, and told him he could pick out a bed or a sofa or a dinette set (within a set amount of $$).

He lives in his own apartment.

Somehow at age 24 buying video games and movies is more important than not sleeping on the floor!

He chose a bed, but was just going to get

a mattress and box springs, no frame.

That did not suit The Dad.

Fortunately, one of the first things we saw was a really cool

raised platform for a bed with no springs.

I think it looks as if it is Asian inspired.

It is a very simple design, and stands about 12" off the floor, with boards all around (so no stuffing dirty laundry there!)

This pleased The Mom.

Next we found a memory foam bed that needs no springs.

He liked it.

Yeah!

Next we tried to find a salesperson

FOR 30 MINUTES!

[This is me - :0( ]

I finally found one, and she was very nice and apologetic.

She was also a manager, and I know she had a ton of

other things to to. So, it was nice of her to take the time and be patient with us, etc.

Next,

WE WAIT FOR THE TICKET TO COME UP SO THE ORDERS GO TO THE WAREHOUSE TO BRING THE 2 ITEMS TO A DOCK.

You have to remember, this is a Tuesday, noonish.

Not a lot of customer traffic for pick-ups.

Oh well, we all got a Mountain Dew.

Haven't had one of those in ages - still tastes good!

Okay, I'm blabbing.

Got everything to Peter's apt.

The Dad and The Son put the frame together.

I was horrified by the lack of basic housekeeping skills

that apparently The Son and The Roommate

don't have time (or desire) for.

Being a good Mom, I did enjoy vacuuming,

and picking up TONS OF TRASH

(note: I did not raise my son to live this way!)

empty pizza boxes, lots of used kleenex

ewwwwuuuu....

empty soda cans, empty plastic water bottles...

Well, I got worn out,

The Dad got very worn out

and The Son couldn't remember the last time he had eaten.

Finished.

Hurray.

Dragged our smelly selves to a local restaurant

and had very good Mexican food.

(Three Margaritas - I recommend!)

Dragged our still smelly selves

- did I mention that The Son's apt. a/c apparently doesn't work?

-did I mention that this was a HOT afternoon?

home, into showers, took a nap

and finished up the day with a delightful movie

"It's Complicated" with Meryl Streep.

Boy is she a great actress!

On to Camelot!

Alnwick Castle, England

c.1902

Karlstejn Castle

Prague, around 1350

Medieval Knight Helmets

Here are two scherensnitte cuttings:

Why don't you try sketching your own simple castle drawing?
When I first started out I needed to color in the spaces that were to be cut out. It helped me see the whole thing better.
E-mail me and let me see your designs and ideas!

dominoes@myinkspired.com