completed projects

I had great plans for having a super-crafty summer, but somehow that never did quite pan out, at least not in terms of volume.  But I'm happy that I have finally finished my Buddha picture, which I think I started in March.

I am quite happy with how it came out.  With this piece, I had the idea of warm colors, lots of textures and a buddha.  I began with some sanskrit text printouts (from the Baghavad Gita which I began to read this summer) and I made some textured "Om" symbols which I pasted on the canvas.  Then I used stencils, scrapers, bubble wrap and lots of gel medium to created a textured background.  I painted in various hues from yellow to purple, and finally I added the buddha, the mandalas, and the little squirley vines.  Perhaps I've gotten a little carried away with the busy of it all, but I like how this sense of movement enhances the stillness of the buddha.

The buddha is painted from a transfer of a photo I took of the statue in my garden.  The mandalas are all designed by me and based on the six division of the circle.  Spending a day designing them brought me back to my love of geometry.

I also was finally able to talk the Man into helping me thread my serger properly so I could sew again.  I spent a few very frustrating hours trying to do it myself, but somehow the tension was always way off.  Of course the Man sat down and got it right the first time...  and I was finally able to sew myself the skirt I've been thinking about for a year now...

I love the cheerful mix of colors and patterns, and the t-shirt fabric makes it super comfortable.  Of course the girls are already requesting theirs, so there'll be more to come soon!