Friday, February 13, 2009

Haunted Houses and chunky pages completed!!!

I have finally finished all that I need to do art-wise for the much anticipated event, Creative Soul Retreat 2009. It's only 4 short weeks away now and the excitement level is certainly building! The retreat is to be held in Melbourne which is on the other side of Australia from me and it's the state that is suffering those dreadful fires at the moment.



My thoughts drift often to the many thousands of people affected by the devastating fires that are still raging in Victoria. The death toll is expected to rise from the current 181 to possibly 300 and the wildlife numbers of deaths they surmise will be around 1 million. So hard to fathom those sorts of numbers in both human cost, infrastructure, livelihoods, homes and those poor animals. Australia's worst natural disaster has bought out the best in many people though with around $77 million raised through the red cross disaster appeal so far, an amazing amount in less than a week! Australians rock!!!


As a little arty extra for the retreat, most of us decided to take part in a swap. So I was sent some little chipboard houses, 1" x 3", and I'm happy to say they are now complete! What a wonderful feeling to put the last bits on the final one. I decided to do them all the same in a production line style as there were so many. I first used Glimmer Mist in Graphite, then Black Webbing spray, some Baroque German Scrap in black with some silver Rub'n'buff. I also did a shrink plastic piece for the front using a Zetti stamp on white shrink plastic then finally, on silver foil tape I used my metal letter stamping set and stamped BOO, then applied black acrylic paint and wiped it off so it settled just in the letters. Here's 5 of the houses....there were 50, yes...50 in total!!!


Some of us are also taking part in the book challenge for the Creative Soul Retreat, you can see other pages here. Debbi Baker was chosen to pick the theme for January and I was lucky enough to get to choose the theme for February. Debbi's choice was "Words". I'd recently read the new James Patterson book and there were some lines from a poem in there that struck a chord with me. I searched online for the full poem, it's entitled "Dirge Without Music" by Edna St Vincent Millay.


"Dirge Without Music"


I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.
So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind:
Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely.
Crowned with lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned.

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you.
Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust.
A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew,
A formula, a phrase remains, --- but the best is lost.

The answers quick & keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love,
They are gone. They have gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled
Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve.
More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world.

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave.
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.


I used the last verse for my "Words" page, it resonated strongly with me as it describes how I felt about losing my Dad and my best friend in the space of 3 months late last year. We move on, but we still don't like it! The background is Rinse Aid Resist on canvas paper and the image is a transparency over paper that was painted with Lumiere paints - nice and shimmery.
"Words"...


Here is my "Birds" page again. I'd posted it before but decided after I made it that I wanted to make the pages bigger. My first thoughts were to do a chunky book 4" x 4" in size but eventually found that the book I wanted to use to make the book from is 6" x 6", so I had to fill it out a little more.

"Birds"...


My choice of theme for February was "Inspired By Song". I chose a song by another great Finnish band, The Rasmus (thanks Kathy for putting me on to them!). I did a gel medium/transparency transfer over the words to one of their songs "Not Like the Other Girls" and yes, I found it on youtube.

"Not Like the Other Girls"...


...and here's the song by The Rasmus, a beautifully haunting melody and wonderful lyrics.














Finally, here are the front and back covers. The front cover is texture paste with Golden Paints for colour and the back cover is a piece of scrapbook paper in colours that I loved so I tried to replicate it closely for the front cover with the paints. They match pretty closely in real life, not so much here. ;-(
Front cover...
Back cover...



I'd like to thank Mary Schweitzer for this award too! Mary does some amazing things with bits & bones and skulls....a woman after my own heart! (Probably quite literally!!!! just joking Mary....hahahahaha).

14 comments:

Sam Marshall said...

Kelsey,
The chipboard houses are fabulous. Love the front and back covers for your books. They look awesome.Love that texture.
xxx

Chris said...

What excellent work you do, Kelsey. I love the texture on those little houses. And that poem! After so long, it brings so many memories and images for me. Thanks for sharing that.

Not Like the Other Girls is amazing. Your work, I mean.

I'll go check out Rasmus.

Have a great time at the retreat!

Jacky said...

Your chipboard houses look fantastic Kelsey....(oops... must get mine finished I am lagging behind).
I love that poem too... so true.

Lady Di said...

Awesome houses and your altered journal is just amazing. Can't wait to see them in the flesh.

Mary S. Hunt said...

terrific looking at your work as always
have a great retreat...

Caramella said...

Not like other girls is just my favorite of all your stuff lately.
Also really like your covers.

Anonymous said...

Ïnspiring work Kelsey you will really "WOW 'the retreat ....
Still admiring my raffle win from the class Thursday, Thankyou so much .
Yes thoughts are with the Victorians, proud to see Australians everywhere donating and supporting.

Debbi Baker said...

As always Kelsey your work is amazing. I LOVE the not like other girls page - stunning! Your houses are great - I am still plugging away at mine...

Jen Crossley said...

Your work always blows me away Kelsey.Your journel look awesome.Cant wait to see you
Jen

Gaby Bee said...

I just love visiting your blog and see what pieces you come up with.
Your little houses are gorgeous. Love the covers- front and back- of your book. Simply perfect!

Gaby xo

mary schweitzer said...

These are amazing, very provocative, like all your work.
Mary

Unknown said...

love the little houses - and book covers look amazing!

Genevieve said...

Always inspiring to check out your blog, love the music you put up as wel... great poem - very deep.

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

very kewl haunted houses! everybody will love them as the rest