Windy Weather Wows

I wish I had my camera with me, to share the sight with my loyal readers: A couple of days ago I was driving through a local park when I saw what I now refer to as "snownadoes." It was very windy that day, and the freshly fallen snow was swirling around like water spouts or mini-tornadoes. It was pretty, in a slightly frightening way.

Mini Marvels

In addition to scrapbooking, paper crafts and making my own books, I also enjoy miniatures. This is the first detailed piece I created, called "Opening Night." It portrays the female lead's dressing room the night the show opens on Broadway. Notice her costumes and accessories throughout the room, and even flowers and a note from a special admirer. I purposely didn't call it something like "Diva's Dressing Room," because I don't think of her as a diva. She's a talented, lovely woman who appreciates her good fortune and theatrical success. Did you notice her many awards in the cabinet? How's that for a back story? lol And being a former newspaper journalist, I couldn't not include newspapers amid the scene. (See the rolled up New York Times in the shopping bag?)

Another collection of mine is snow people of all shapes and sizes. I put these little people into their very own decorated and furnished house :)

I'd love to bring together scrapbooking and miniatures into one creation. I have a couple of ideas so maybe I'll post something eventually.

Inspiration from a master

I took these pix several weeks ago at the new Burchfield-Penney gallery on Elmwood. Ever since my days as West Seneca Bee editor I've been interested in Charles Burchfield's work, especially since his original home is around the block and not too far from my very own abode.

The two on the bottom show Burchfield's actual studio, recreated piece by piece inside the gallery. The third shows jars of his handmade paints.

The fourth (the one at the top left) is Burchfield's artistic rendering of "The Horn Call from Sibelius' Fifth." That one really got me thinking - how to capture music on paper. How to visually represent something meant to be an auditory experience. What does the brain "see" when it hears music? What do you imagine when listening to a favorite song? Watch for some creations to that effect in the coming weeks :)

More kit-ting around

Completed another kit from the Button Farm yesterday. I really like the colors and the cutesy designs.

Creative workshops in Buffalo

Greetings fellow Buffalo artists and scrappers! I wanted to tell you about a few upcoming workshops in our area.

If you haven't yet visited Buffalo Stamps & Stuff on Sheridan Drive, get there this week during their annual wacky sale. Everything is 20 percent off; if you're one of their "Bag Ladies," you'll save 25 percent. Scrapper extraordinaire Deb Schuh will be back March 18-20 with three new projects. Can't wait!
www.buffalostamps.com

Creating Keepsakes' annual convention is set for June 17-18 at the Buffalo Convention Center. See you all there!
http://www.scrapandpapercorner.com/events/ckc/index.html

Foray into haiku

I just finished "Beside a Burning Sea," by John Shors. What a terrific tale, albeit a sad one. Throughout the book Shors includes haiku, so I decided to try writing some of my own. What do you think?

Never in the rain
would I read a classic book.
Yellowed leaves of grass!

Happiness freezes
on winter's blustery winds.
Can you hear the spring?

Warming Up

I've been warming up my artistic "muscles" by scrapbooking like a mad woman the past few days! I've assembled several kits I purchased at scrapbooking shows over the past couple of years, but never had time to finish. Kits are a good way to start, because all the supplies are right there in front of you, and you don't have to worry about coordinating papers and accessories. Kits provide opportunities to work with a variety of papers and elements, so you can better understand what you like and don't like. I just need to add photos, and they'll be done. See my photos of an album kit from the Button Farm - using paper and doo-dads from 7 Gypsies. I love it.

And victory of victories, I have finally learned how to use a paper trimmer. For years I was the only one at workshops using a ruler and scissors. No more crooked cuts for me!