Quilt Show Poster

I made this quilt poster using vector images in Illustrator instead of fabric scans; fabric would have been the easier choice. The completed poster was placed on a green fabric image and given a drop shadow to simulate a photographed piece.

Recycled Map and DVD Case Plant Stand

My daughter removed her DVDs from the cases; leaving me with boxes of empty DVD cases stored in the garage. I inserted map sections from a 2002 Atlas into the cases and hot glued them together. The vinyl is stretchy so they also needed reinforcements glued across the top to ensure the cases remained nice and tight with each other.
I didn't want to purchase anything other than hot glue for this project so I used a ceramic tile (also stored in the garage) for the top of the plant stand. To prevent the tile from shifting I made an insert from the cardboard box my new tennis shoes came in.
I used a paper cutter to make ten, 3.5" squares (this is the size of the inside cavity) and hot glued the stack together. The cardboard was then glued to the bottom of the tile.I wanted the plant stand to be stable enough for an antique jardiniere so I glued yard sticks on the inside. I still had a few yard sticks left over from when I was an insurance agent and I enjoyed the irony.

Limestone With Crystals Photograph

I bought this pretty rock at a northern Minnesota gift shop. The owner wove an engaging tale of miners bringing them up in their lunch boxes, saving the rocks from the mine's automated machinery. Naturally, he didn't know the name of the crystal or the rock but I think it's limestone.
I used the scan setting of my printer to capture the image. It has a shallow depth of field that I wouldn't have gotten from my camera but it also had a ton of dust bits that reflected in the image.
I used the clone stamp tool in Photoshop to clean up the image.

Bike Path Artist Journal Page

I got a bike rack so I can venture further with my cruiser; it's a one speed so I need to be pretty devoted to go on a major road trip.

The trails in Maple Grove were so pretty that I stopped and did a quick sketch. The mosquitoes that couldn't keep up when I was moving were more than happy to keep me company while I sat trail side.

Found Objects Driftwood Sculpture From Duluth

I looked for interesting bits while my daughter hunted for agates on a recent trip to Duluth, MN.
The two hanging rocks had holes in them naturally and are as pleasantly smooth as they look.
A couple of very territorial agate hunters thought I was swooping in to nab an agate near them and were startled when I took a seagull feather. Treasure is in the mind of the seeker.

Multicolored Mirrored Prism Plant Stand

I rediscovered this metal stand stored in the garage and made identical wire loops to hang colorful plastic mirrors throughout the grid. The dangling prisms move freely in the wind and cover the surrounding with cheery reflected color.

Cairn Stacked Stone Sculpture Near Duluth, MN

The cairn was made on the Lake Superior beach at Flood Bay, outside of Two Harbors.

Kiwifruit In My Minnesota Garden

We bought this vigorous climbing vine several years ago. The plant has enveloped a martin house and is attempting to bring down a phone line. I think it would try to snag a low flying plane if it could move faster.

Red Onion Face Pareidolia

I know we're hard wired to see faces in objects, it's called Pareidolia, but this one is better than most. The face looks like it belongs a Japanese nesting doll.

Intriguing Doorway Next To A Ghost Sign

This sign is near Loring Park in Minneapolis, MN. Minneapolis and St Paul are home to many old industrial buildings and the area is rich with vintage signage.

Toad Lake Minnesota Sunset With Fisherman

Abandoned House In A Corn Field

This picturesque home is in the midst of a corn field and the broken windows allow the trees growing within ample sun.

Purple Wild Flowers

The dragonflies were having a feast day among these graceful purple flowers at the cabin.

Some Days Are Just #*@%*$* Awesome

Marilyn, our WestiePoo, loves to feel the wind in her hair while riding in the car.

Zombie Cows Are Here To Eat Your Braaains

The zombie cows are hunting graaains. It's hard to see in the blog format (click on the image to see better) but the cow's eyes are glowing and the one of the left looks positively evil.
I love that Google corrected my spelling of braaains. The cool font is Shaun Of The Dead.

Toy Boat, Toy Boat, Toy Boat

There's a home nearby that seems to drain their pool daily into the street. My daughter launched our folded paper boat armada down Mississippi Boulevard while I jogged along side taking photos.
It now takes a lot to surprise our neighbors and this barely registered on their radar.


Most of the boats were still seaworthy so we played with them in the backyard pond.

If You Are Waiting For A Sign This Is It

 I took this photo of a graffiti covered street sign in the Uptown area of Minneapolis last summer. The stencil of the angry man caught my fancy and "If you are waiting for a sign" was added today in Illustrator.