Catching up with the Summer: Chicago

Well, it seems as if I didn't do much this summer, but I was too busy doing to get much blogging done.  So I will share with you my trip to the art retreat CREATE, in Chicago, sponsored by
Cloth, Paper, Scissors.

Leaving Portland, OR.  The mighty Columbia river.

Some where over America.

Chicago International Airport.

Chicago International Airport.

Day 1: Helen Shafer Garcia from CA teaches the Batik Tree of Life class.

Now does it look like we are having fun or what?  

Helen was the best - so easy going and a great teacher.

 My sketches for my tree of life, done on Japanese Rice paper glued on canvas board.

A progression of my work.  I've been interested in RED this year. 

That color seems to pop up a lot in art I like and art I do.

The Tree of Life theme is based on the Mexican clay trees that they make across the border.  

They attach leaves, fruit, flowers or creatures to it.  It was originally used to attach figures from the Bible to teach the stories of the Bible, but has branched out to include all sorts of themes.

My concept centered around love, life and happiness.  I tried for vivid colors.

I wanted to try that rich, red background, which I've never done before.

My water color set up.  I had a lot of the brown paint travel under the rice paper and come up all over, as you can see on the left.  It ended up giving things a batik look.

Not quite finished.  I need to add a black line around all of the elements without losing the white border that I purposely created.  Its not easy, hence why its still a work in progress.

The art work of other students in the class.

A friend from Aruba.  She teaches art in a school down there and was here to learn new techniques.

The Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival, held annually in Canby, Oregon, has been recommended to me for several years by my friend Reets.  I finally made it there on Sept. 25th with my mom and 2 boys in tow.  Thirty minutes after our arrival, we had a downpour of rain unlike the usual Oregon light rain.  We managed to have a good time anyway, with our kettle corn and wet kids.  The variety of sheep was amazing; these are just a few.  I like the brown spotted one - I've never seen anything like that!

Those of you that are weavers already know that you can get rabbit hair yarn - the boys wanted to bring one home - why not?

This lady sold me all of my super awesome wool yarn!  How cool is she from head to toe!

 Rich colors of the Mediterranean.

Look how yummy these colors are!  I totally loved this skein - had to have it.  

I think this would be fun to spin.

Goodbye for now.  Got my goodies and heading home.

A Day at the Barn House Market in Battle Ground, WA

Wow!

I had the most amazing day checking out the booths at the Barn House Vintage Country Marketplace in Battle Ground, WA last Saturday.  This is one of those antique markets that takes place once a year at a farm with the "booths" set up in a barn and around it.  The rooster crowed all morning - and it was great.  I've only read about this type of market - where really unique things could be found.
It was just as amazing as I had hoped.

You can see a bit of the parking lot (aka the field), behind the cupcake stand and you'll know how packed it was - really packed!  I was sure I'd have time to get a cupcake after a bit of shopping, but by lunch time, the line was so long and I had to leave to take my kids to a picnic with the Chinese Immersion program from my older son's school, that I missed it.

 Madison Park Antiques had some of the most amazing items, including my French finial, partly shown below.

 Loved the red and white items from Seabold Vintage Market! (on left)

 

My Goodies! My new Corteelii Silk cabinet. My other finds included a yellow egg basket to hold my kids' outdoor toys, breadbox with great patina, blue seltzer bottle, a wooden microscope box sans microscope but with its keys - for my older son to lock his valuable things away from his little brother - ha!  - some books in the bag, a bit of lace, and one of the best items - a copper finial from a building in Normandy, France!  

 Some other vendor's show areas - yellow theme on left and Auntie's place on right.

 Big, Bold and Lots of Drama at the Tarte shop.

When this cute little goldie locks got too hot, she just hopped in the tub!  

These two vendors thought it was a great idea and jumped into the Cluckingham Palace pool to cool down. (The palace was sold already!)

I totally loved this British chest of drawers!

 This was a really unique item - 3 of them, actually!  

I thought they would be pretty cute lined up outside filled with dirt and plants.  They are authentic French urinals - they should have a fancy word for urinal in French, but I don't know what it is.  

The French always make everything sound so elegant though.

 More from Tarte - including the Bargain of the Day - a sleigh bed for $50.00! 

I really liked the feather ball lights they had - one of them is under the umbrella.

Thea's Vintage Living had some fun things including 2 orange boxes I picked up along with an orange vase from London.

Lovely purple flower - lovely show.