Nice day at the antique show

This lovely paperdoll, who btw, is fabric, not paper, came my way at an antique show yesterday. I paid WAY too much for it, but she really wanted to come home with me! Isn't she lovely? She has hand embroidery all over and the muslin material was handcolored with what might have been colored pencils. She might have been glued to something at one time, it looks like bits of old glue on the back.

What do you think I should name her? I'm thinking 50's. Would love to hear what you think, dear reader!

BTW, all the handdyed vintage lace pieces are up on my etsy site. www.bvandusen.etsy.com

Colors for Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Aren't these lovely? Some flowers from our yard this morning. Uschi likes them too.



Here's a lonely hibiscus that our iguanas haven't yet noticed. Maybe it's because it is so cool today and they aren't active. We don't get to see all that many hibiscus flowers since they are quite the delicacy to the green iguanas that live here.



Some of the lace that I dyed on Tuesday. This is the same dye batch. Love how the different fibers take the same dye differently. Not only do I love vintage lace, and dyeing it, but it is fab to use in anything altered. My journals all have old lace and trim, sometimes for an edge, sometimes as a feature. You can use these pieces in crazy quilting, altered cloths. Put paverpol on them and make a sculpture.



I love how this old ric rac turned out. It was partially in one pot and partially in another. Then squeezed all together. Yummy!



This machine made trim took up three different colors and has nice variations. Isn't this a marvelous color? It would look great as a journal page edge trim.



How do you like that little hand crocheted piece? One color is great, but three is even better!



Turquoise is one of those colors that will always say South Florida and the Bahamas to me. A lovely swim in a pool on a hot afternoon. South Beach art deco. The ribbon on my Mom's straw hat from Guatamala. She wore it the day we picked her up at the airport - she flew home for our wedding. She looked so cute in her straw hat and cotton pants and sneakers.



More mauve and burgundy and pink laces and trims. So pretty!

Happy Thanksgiving! Big hugs to all of you!

A Perfect Day to Dye

One of these is not like the others!

Once, a long time ago, several of us held a ceremony to learn our totem animal. It was a girl evening, and so nice to be with friends. Even so, we all took it seriously and spent a lot of time seeking. We were to make sure that the animal that came to us appeared to us from all directions. My friend Stephanie found her totem animal to be a polar bear. Another woman whose name I've now forgotten found her animal to be a tiger. I don't remember the others. Mine was a small white heron or a cattle egret. Ever since when I feel somewhat disappointed not to have a strong totem animal, I remind myself that I get to see my toten animal frequently, whereas my friends have to dream them (or go to a zoo). So, isn't that luckier in some small way, dear reader?



Do you see what type of birds these are? They are ibis, a bird that seems wonderful because of its strangely shaped beak. Here is a small part of a flock in the side yard, where they ate for at least 20 minutes while I played in my pots! Do you see that one of them is actually a small white heron? I was graced by their presence, and when I saw that one was actually my totem animal, I felt doubly blessed.

I thank the universe for the lesson and the beauty of it.

Today was the perfect day to do something that seems magical to me each time I try it. The temperature was up again in the high 70s after a week of cool weather. And a more beautiful sunny day you couldn't ask for! So I filled up my dyepots with colors, no measurements, just whatever came to me. And threw in all the lace from one of the baskets in the kitchen.

Dyeing is so lovely. You throw in some plain colored stuff, and out comes a magical new piece. How old lace is transformed by dyeing, it's truly wonderful. Something different every time.

These are some of the turquoise pieces I'll be putting on my etsy shop.




These were dyed with cinnamon tea. They are so soft looking. I would use these in my altered art.

Desperately Seeking Input

Help me find the perfect teachers for The Fernery Art Studio! What would you like to learn? Who would you like to spend time creating with? What types of classes would entice you to come to Florida in the wintertime?

What do you most want to create? Learn? What would make your experience exquisite?

Help me, get 25% off your first visit, and get entered to win the free 3 day workshop/retreat. Six lucky people will get a free workshop and free room and board. Happening January 2010. Leave a comment with your email addy, or email me directly at barb@thefernery.com

Well, rust my tin!

Went to Connecticut a couple weeks ago for the "Art Is - You" 2008 retreat. It was a blast! Had the BEST classes. It was just chilly enough to give this South Florida gal a real taste of fall. (Fall? What's that? It's still in the 80's here!) And the leaves! Wow!

It was all so exciting and stimulating that I kinda forget to take photos, but I did get two pictures from the Tattered Threads class on Sunday. I sat next to Gwen, pictured below sewing. A funny lady and brilliant artist!

And below is Julia, who was wearing this great tunic. Doesn't she have a terrific smile? She was even smiling when I mistakenly used her sewing machine in the morning without realizing. But she was happy to share! Everyone at this retreat was someone you would want for a friend. Hope to see everyone again!


Took three classes, two of which my sister, Karen, also picked. I loved the altered board book with Lesley Venable. Since I can't find what I did with that photo right this minute, I'll just skip on to the Altered Tin class. Serious Fun!!


Here's my rusty tin from Lesley Venable's class. It seems I forgot all about the step to stop the rusting. Hmm. Wonder if it will stop. What will it look like in a few months. Inquiring minds!

Lesley is a fabulous teacher. She is patient and funny. Full of energy. Super organized. Very talented. Is interested in everything. Yes, we loved her and the class. We really really want her to come teach at the Fernery Art Studio.


We made these crazy little books (you know I love books!) using formica samples (rob your local big box hardware store!). I used some of my dh's expired aeronautical charts to cover the "pages" and some travel scenes and quotes. You can't see it anymore but I stamped the box with a big map stamp. Both my sister, Karen, and I love to travel. Hope we get to do that sometime in the future!



Lesley shared this wonderful German scrap that looked like black lace, where did you get that Lesley?

Dear Friends, The Fernery building is starting to get way more fun now. Talking to the cabinet makers and thinking about lighting fixtures and all that. Don't forget to check out the latest photos.