How Much Fun Can You Have with $1.00 ??

Sadly ... . Not much.
Unless - you take that dollar , cut it up and use the central George image as the face for a paper/ fabric doll.



George Washington in Drag.
Now , that's Fun!

[click on pic to view LARGE & see his sweet vintage doll feet]


Have a great (fun) weekend .. .. .



All photos copyright Judith Thibaut.

Fairy Tale Green

Just because:

I'm obviously still dreaming of lush green
and
I adore this incredible David Lachapelle photo.

The intricate manicured maze ... . the vast perspective and
implication that the garden goes on & on beyond the horizon
.... .. the absolute luxury of that much space .

The incredible quilted dress.

Who wouldn't throw themselves on the ground
and scream ... . . Thank You
for the joy of being in this fairy tale for
even one fleeting moment.

____________________

Please, please .. . . . can anyone locate this garden?
I must add it to my personal places to
see before I die.

Dreams of Green

Wendell Berry said "In order to appreciate the beauty of the
American West, one must get over the color green."


I know, I know. But, I'm sitting here in my home in the American West ... .. . longing for GREEN. It's a February thing. Perhaps not unique to my locale... .. if you're feeling the need for lush leafy Green - come stroll with me. Let's go to one of my favorite spots in Scotland: the Prestonfield Hotel. When last we visited, I focused on an interior stroll, but I often choose my travel destinations as much for the grounds and gardens at the interior decor.
This hotel enchants from either view.

Let's leave Mr. T here on the upper balcony (he's happy with his brandy and a cigar)
and see what we can find.
Is this perfect or what??! A wedding complete with kilts on the lawn.
Just love the lady in the floral jacket and proper little hat
... . she could be anyones great aunt.

Looks like great uncle Mackintosh and several generations
of the cousins.
Perhaps they're heading to the reception in the stables beyond
the garden folly.

Love this magical little retreat.
We really must stop for tea amidst the begonias.


These stables have been converted to be quite the grand "party barn"
for weddings and special events.

Let's keep strolling to the other side of the grounds and see what we can find.

Love these bellmen in their all black kilts ... ..
a bit highlands goth, don't you think.
Just beyond that manicured lawn ... . another bit of traditional rural highlands.
Even the cows are picturesque.


There's something so calming about the ordered geometry of the pathways and the
pristine little tables. Even the grand old tree retains an honored presence.
More perfection: a peacock preening beneath our window.






It looks as if Mr. T has eaten all the pot de creme ... .
but there seems to be plenty of champagne left.

Sit, relax .... I'll pour.
_____________________________

[as always - for the best views, click on each pic to view LARGE]

All photos copyright Judith Thibaut

Disintegration Project

I love to rip and wrap and tie all kinds of odd bundles together ... . .
so Seth Apters' Disintegration Collaboration seemed to be calling my name.

The challenge is to create a paper bundle and place the bundle in nature until May 1. Each artist is to document the effect of rain, wind, snow on their creation and then post the results on their blog on May 1.
Our local forecast is for snow ... . so , I was anxious to get my piece out today. This fountain is the central visual for my entry courtyard and my primary visual from the french doors in my living room. Easy to keep track of the progress.

I designed this wall with the espaliered Atlas Cedar flanking the fountain, because it's especially beautiful when covered with snow. Even had a bit of a tug of war with Mr. T over leaving the hammock up ... . . again, because I love the way it looks in the snow !

This is a closeup of the central point of the wrapped sheet music cones, with a small rusted tin box tied with ribbon, twine and silver metallic tulle. Other similar rusty boxes have been placed deep within each of the large music cones. Rather tiny hidden gifts..... ... . each with a folded musical message and a piece of Mozart's portrait.
These are some of the elements which compromise the sculpture: vintage sheet music of selected pieces of Mozart - which have been printed with a classic portrait of M. Amadeus. ... . ripped strips of muslin - tied together with pieces of sisal twine ... . . rusty tin boxes and metallic tulle.

... .. . and now , I wait for snow.


[click on each photo to view LARGE]



All photos copyright Judith Thibaut

Steampunk Da Vinci

There seems to be a fine line between
Necessity and Addiction.

The past few days I've had a bit of time to take a look at this. I have two computers and both have decided to wreck havoc with my life . As the husband has been trying to restore my digital world, his suggestion was that I go "analog" ... . . just do something that didn't require my computer. I had some images I'd been playing with - turning DaVinci's Lady with Ermine into what some were calling my steampunk moment.

How out of it am I??
It's an old term .. . . but new to moi.

As he worked on restoring my digital world, I sat down to do a bit of stitching.
Variations on a theme.
Same image. Same ingredients.
Different attitudes.

Necessity Vs. Addiction?
It's official.
I'm ADDICTED!


All photos copyright Judith Thibaut

J'Adore

Not the Usual Hearts and Flowers

Visions of Valentines Past.
Where was my head (heart) to come up with the
"Beware: Contraband" above ??!

This wrapped and tied series are somewhat easier to understand ... .
"Wrapped up In Love."

Guess we've all been there ... . .



All photos copyright Judith Thibaut

Mousetail Valentines

Self portraits with button eyes too creepy for you ?
There's still more fun at www.coraline.com

Go to the circus theater and type in your name - those little mice
scurry into formation to become your instant personalized creation.
Download it and print it out.

Voila ... . an instant Valentine to enchant any 7 or 70 year old !
I did them for my children, my grandchildren and my mother.


Of course, I just had to add a bit of texture - - so, I stitched and
layered each one with a bit of tulle on some black cardstock.

Button Your Face

It never ceases to amaze ... . the fun one can have with just a few clicks online. Teesha Moore had posted some button pics today with directions to the Coraline website.
You can use an existing photo (a la my helmet pic) or just snap a quick pic with your Mac built in camera ( as in these last two bits of nonsense).
Go - Play - Giggle !!

Altered Hearts

I consider that my days of collecting stuff are long gone. I finally realized I could really really like something
... . . and not need to OWN it.

This one just slipped up on me, almost unnoticed.
Decks of Playing Cards. All of the sudden , I had a drawer full . A couple of dozen decks which take up very little room and offer endless possibilities for altered art.

Who knew there were so many enchanting versions out there??
These are from a reproduction of an English deck, circa 1865. I found the designs to be quite witty and loved the simplicity of the rather modern sketches. How clever is this guy with the skillet?
Quite literally "Hearts on Fire."



In the four and five of Hearts , our cupid is running from the attacking hearts and firing from beneath his blindfold!

The hearts are a perfect base for a group of valentines. Since I wanted to retain the wondrous images, I used small bits of ribbon, tulle and gold paper to give them that pocket jewel feeling.

I must be easily amused.
Sit me down with a deck of cards - some glue and pieces of ribbon
and .. .. . I'm a very happy girl.

South Beach::Not Your Mom's Beach Cottage

In the midst of winter cold, there's nothing like a little escape to sand & water & warmth.
Last February I had a call from my business partner in South Beach
asking if I could come to Miami to help with a couple of projects he had been working on.

How quickly could I pack my sarong and Havaianas
and run for the airport!
Yes, it would be work - but there would be plenty of time to enjoy
the gentle warmth of dining al fresco and perhaps even a sail on a friends' boat.



He was in the midst of installing a remarkable condo, which I'd been following and helping with via some long distance consulting. Though his style is decidedly more contemporary than mine, we've worked together for many years and each have great respect for each others mutual strengths. He wouldn't do final touches without me and I wouldn't do an initial floor plan without him.

It was time for final touches and I couldn't
wait to see how everything had turned out.

I'd been in the condo only once before -- - it was a shell of raw concrete
and a lot of rough wires where walls had been planned.
We went through our proposed floor plans and tried to make
final adjustments while carpenters and electricians
growled at us to get out of the way.
I remembered boggling views .. . . up the ship channel to the
Port of Miami and across to Fisher Island.
Talk about a great location ... . literally at the corner
of the channel and the Atlantic.

This little bit of whimsy is a take off on a garden folly.
The recessed seat is covered in that Janus et Cie faux greenery
... . . rather a contemporary version of an ivy covered wall.



Every ship (cruise, cargo or small dingy) which enters Miami passes beneath their
dining room .. . . 35 floors up.


Incredible contrast of the downtown Miami
skyline to the right and the vastness of the ocean to the left.
This wine cooler was done by utilizing a series of Aalvar Alto
plexi vases as bottle holders.
We then backlit the sections with LED lights which gradually
change colors from warm pink to cool blues and purples.
Set behind large glass doors,
this becomes a rather mesmerizing sculpture
(should you be able to take your eyes off the views).


The powder room wall is done in a giant mosaic tile mural
(see the top photo).
This tub in the master bath creates a welcoming invitation
as it's approached through the
long closet which connects the bathroom and bedroom.


Though I'm personally more of a beach cottage kind of girl . . .
screen porch with a swing and all that . ... . there's a lot
to be said for the view from the top.


All photos copyright Judith Thibaut.