Mosaic Monday

1. Cardinals by C. Reed  2. Cabbabge Rose by B. Di Lella  3.  Mockingbird by L.A. Fuertes

4. Wren by B. Di Lella  5. Kinglet by B. Di Lella  6. Wren by B. Di Lella

7. House Sparrows by C. Reed.  8 Bryony by B. Di Lella  9. Red-winged Black Bird by C. Reed

I hope  you had a beautiful weekend. It was certainly crazy and busy here and so warm on Sunday. I had quite a bit of time completely alone (well, not completely because "the girls" are always with me) and did a lot of cutting and printing that I feel very good about. Hope you like the mosaic.

Most of the coloured bird images are by Chester Reed. I have, as you can see, a very old copy of his "Bird Guide".    
The Mockingbird by Louis A. Fuertes is from a very special 1936 book entitled "Birds of America".  When I was a little girl,  this book was kept on the book case that I had watched my Dad make. It was a book that was very special and could only be looked at with him. I'm sure that was because he'd make sure the pages weren't creased with dirty little fingers.

The last couple of days I've been trying my hand at different styles of storage containers: square, round,rectangular. I even played around with the linings: natural, ticking, black. After a bit, they were surprisingly easy to make. The owl and leaves were printing experiments on organic canvas.

The end of another busy week with the weekend promising to be even busier. Perhaps yours will be more relaxing...?

 

Thursday Things

kraftoutle

It seems to me that Thursday Things should be  more engaging than the random posts that have been happening. So I've decided to go exploring and find some interesting bits to share.
The image above is of some beautiful tapes that I've found here. 

Cavallini

 Who doesn't like Cavallini? Their vintage images and products are so inspiring. Although, they are somewhat difficult to find in Canada.

Cavallini Postcards

And if you love the look of Kraft paper, this is another place with some great product to use for packaging and gift giving:

I hope you enjoyed these first few discoveries. It's always a good feeling to get inspired in time for the weekend, don't you think?

Wednesday's Work

Amongst the diverse pile of work on my table  is a section for packaging. This subject intrigues me to the point of being overwhelmed. What I mean is: there are so many products out there to tweak the look of one's work which is all part of the "branding" concept.

Sparrow Avenue was a name I chose for sentimental reasons. However, over time I've come to realize that it also expresses some of the values that I hold which are wrapped up with nature and the environment:  urban, rural and wild.
The choice of fabrics, the images I print, and the packaging I'm trying to develop all speak to those values.


Let me know if you think I'm on the right track. Or better yet, let me know if you have any suggestions. That would be great!

Tuesday's Treasures

 

It's been 3 years since I started writing this journal; I think it's time to change some things. As well as writing some of the "treasures" that I've learned, it might be nice to see some "treasures" too. I hope you like it and if you do, each one is linked.

Enjoy

 

 'Vintage Spring' by SparrowAvenue

Spring is a time for renewal and rejuvenation. I love the warm yellows of the sun and the fresh cool grey/ blues of the air.Enjoy your Spring, everyone

Spring Flowers Home Art... DeidresRedos $8.00	1970s House Wrens, Spri... SkitterCats $12.00	SPRING SALE. Free Shipp... FreudenDesLebe... $16.00	Vintage Photo - Playing... dawnandross $2.95
Blue Bird Dress, Size 0... 1SweetDreamVin... $12.00	We are so happy hipposdream $3.75	Set of 3 soup plates RE... RueDesLouves $90.00	Antique French Victoria... adinantiquejew... $625.00
Vintage 1960s Cashmere ... unionmadebride $175.00	Vintage Rustic Industri... GypsyFolk $21.00	Vintage Stool : Industr... solsticehome $39.00	Sale- Lemon Yellow Silk... gogovintage $52.00
Beige Shoes Size 8,5 St... MadLeeVintage $42.00	Milk Bottles with Carri... Modred12 $170.00	Fiestaware Platter Chop... 2ndtree $14.00	Vintage Paymaster Check... sweetrefrainvi... $35.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio

Mosaic Monday

Friday's Folly

In keeping with the last image I posted yesterday, I thought I'd take  a "closer look" at what would normally be something rather mundane.

I'm sure you've easily guessed where you have seen these before.

Enjoy your weekend

Thursday's Thoughts

I hope your week has been going well.

I thought I'd just show some of the Muskoka images from the other day.

Wednesday's Work

 

Influence Inspiration Impression 

There are those who believe that there is nothing new, and that, in the art world, visual expression is simply regurgitation. I don't really agree. I think there are many stepping stones along the way to creating something new. We are influenced, inspired and impressed by many things we have seen and experienced.

The drawings I showed a couple of days ago were influenced and inspired by vintage (copyright free) engravings. There are many artists today whose work I admire but (for the record) I would never knowingly lift someone's ideas and pass them off as my own.

Tuesday's Treasures

My little surprise was an escape up north for my mom's birthday. It was a gorgeous day despite predictions of rain: absolutely no rain.

 But amazing clouds and sky and winds.

Happy Birthday, Mom

Mosaic Monday

Bird drawings copyright Barbara Di Lella 2012

Spring weekends are so nice. It was warmer with a mysterious fog. I love the fog, the misty tones, like these birds. I hope you had a lovely time.
I will have a little surprise to show you tomorrow. Hope you come by to see...

"Seed Stitches" by Penny Nickels

The last few weeks I seem to be researching on more than just one front. I love needlework of all kinds (as I mentioned last week) and I found another book: "Hoopla, the art of unexpected embroidery" by Leanne Prain. There was, once again, work by Penny Nickels. This piece was done with hand-spun silk and commercial floss on hand-dyed silk, husks and seeds.

Home Invasion by Sarah Terry

This combination of bugs and embroidery by Sarah Terry is very appropriate in that they are combined with embroidered flowers. I like the odd aspect of it: needlework, traditionally "women's work" and bugs, stereo-typically women's fear. Well, at any rate, mine.

There are windows of time in my day that could easily be filled doing this type of "line/thread drawing".

Hope you have a perfect spring weekend

Thursday Things

Out my studio window: had to stop work just to watch the clouds go by.  I chose to take the rest of the week to work on the "other" project. (shhhhh)

From one of my stores, Scout:

 

Local designer Sparrow Ave. has come out with a bunch of new drawings for 2012.  You may have seen her moose, bear and whale pillows in the shop Pictured is one of her tea towels with a new owl drawing.  She’s also doing baby blankets and bibs!

Wednesday's Work

Fireweed copyright Barbara Di Lella 2012

The last little while I've been spending my early mornings drawing herbs and wild flowers. Fireweed is one of my favourite wild flowers and is Yukon's provincial flower. I first saw it on a motor trip to Alaska. There were fields of it growing from norther B.C. all through Yukon and into Alaska. A few years back the local horticultural society had it for sale and it now grows in my backyard.