Hi everybody.
Today it's time for Try it on Tuesday and Tag Tuesday, so I have 2 pieces to share with you.
At Tag Tuesday our theme is 'Mother and child' .
I chose a photo of my mother and sister taken in 1940. It was wartime in London, the Blitz, nightly bombings and terror, not always enough to eat, a hard time for all, and I have tried to capture the feeling of austerity and bleakness in the tag. I fussy cut the sepia print, and glued it directly onto the corrugated card, which has been partly peeled and painted. The ribs of the cardboard remind me of the bombed and broken houses, with which I grew up. I just added a bit of fairy dust and the contrasting turquoise band to soften it a bit.
At Try it on Tuesday the theme for the next fortnight is 'Home-made flowers', and you have 2 weeks to join in this challenge.
I started with a styropore (plastic foam) ring that I found in the recycling bin, wonderful source of most of my art materials. I painted it with terracotta acrylic and sprinkled it with fairy dust.
The leaves and flowers have all been made from magazine pages, painted with left-over colours, except for some of the red flowers, for which I used some paper scraps. I cut them with the tattered florals die, the leaves were cut with a Sizzix leaf die. The green berries are also from the recycling bin, I found them last January when people threw out their holiday decorations. The leaves and flowers have all been glazed, the leaves were also crackled.
The checkered ribbon was on a biscuit box, the brown bead is one of my hand made paper ones, and the skull just wormed it's way onto my autumn wreath.
This was a fun make, which cost almost nothing, and will look good on my door when it is time for the Autumn decorations. I am also linking to the Craftroom Challenge leaves/trees
The pictures were taken on Saturday evening. The day started out really hot, but the weather broke in the afternoon and we had storms. In the evening the sky cleared, and just before it got dark I saw a rainbow and the moon in the lilac sky. I didn't have time to do the night setting on the camera, so the photos are very grainy. I have never before seen a rainbow when it was almost dark, so was happy to get the pics. The rainbow formed a perfect arch over the trees and moon, it was so pretty, and a tiny bit spooky.
Well, I think that was more than enough for today.
Take care, have fun and thanks a lot for coming by.
Take care, have fun and thanks a lot for coming by.
The tag is beautiful Valerie and so good that you could use one of your own photographs to make it.
ReplyDeleteStunning is the only word for the wreath. Such wonderful colours, flowers and other things bet it will grace you wall for a very long time.
What wonderful evening photographs-so atmospheric.
Have a great day
Love Chrissie x
Love the family tag, really well done! The photos are wonderful, and your autumn wreath is magnificent! Hugs, Sarah
ReplyDeleteLovely nostalgic tag. Must bring back lots of memories of those hard times. Love your autumn wreath. What a transformation into a stunning piece of art. x
ReplyDeleteGorgeous tag Valerie, love the story behind it too, really shows through in the tag! Your wreath is awesome, it will make a gorgeous Fall decoration, beautiful flowers and leaves on it too! ~Diane
ReplyDeleteStunning pieces today Valerie, you added some blue there to give hope to that tag! Gorgeous eerie rainbow, great capture.
ReplyDeleteI love your tag - very emotional - and I completely adore your wreath with those gorgeous flowers! Yummy! Thank you for sharing - Shroo:)x
ReplyDeleteA really wonderful wreath, the colours are super and the fact that there is a lot of recycling is great, a super tutorial as well. Love the tag to, so poignant. Hugs Bee
ReplyDeleteAwesome post. Love the tag, but have to say that the wreath is stunning. Your door will look so welcoming, when its on display.
ReplyDeleteYvonne x
As is often the case with your art I find myself deeply moved and reflective after seeing and reading about your first piece. And then you turn it all around with your second item your fantastic Autumn/Halloween wreath which is wonderful. Thank you for sharing with us at Craft-Room Challenge XOXO Zoe
ReplyDeleteIt is a bittersweet photograph in many a way but so beautiful. I cannot begin to imagine how difficult live must have been during those years. Your tag will touch a chord with many people whether they remember those years or like myself, fortunate not to have.
ReplyDeleteStunning makeover - this would bring a wonderful glow to any home at this time of the year.
Wishes
Lynne
wunderbar wie das Bild auf der Wellpappe wirkt.. wunderbar ..auch Dein Kranz ist eine Augenweide und danke für die schönen Fotos Valerie!
ReplyDeletexxx
Susi
A gorgeous wreath Valerie and I love how the ridges of the cardboard tag are showing through the photo. Such a great photo too, I've never seen a night rainbow. Xx
ReplyDeleteThat was a first for me, too!
DeleteWhat a great idea for that lovely wreath and I LOVE that little skull in there! I left a comment on your tag over on the blog. Stay warm and well now the weather is turning.
ReplyDeleteJuliaxx
Your wreath is wonderful Valerie and your tag is beautiful. Thank you for joining us at Craft-Room Challenge.
ReplyDeletexxx Hazel.
Hi Valerie. What a pretty wreath. You did such a great job on it. Love that sky. It does look a little spooky. Great tag. Take care and enjoy whatever you do.
ReplyDeletegloria
Hello Valerie
ReplyDelete"HOORAY FOR CRAFTING!!" :]
I simply adore your wreath.
Great use of corrugated cardboard, lovely tag!
take care ~xx
The wreath is wonderful, full of colour and fun, but the simplicity of the tag really touches my heart! Hugs, Barb
ReplyDeleteI am loving both your creations here my friend..
ReplyDeleteHappy Wednesday..
Hugs~
So many lovely things. Firstly, the mother and child tag. It's so expressive, brings back the era to me, and your mother looks so pretty. You are so lucky to have family photos. My mother destroyed every family photograph just before she died for some reason, so I have just a few I was able to persuade out of her in previous years, so sad that all that family history has gone. I like the composition of the wartime tag, and perhaps the green thread and flower symbolise the determination to make do and mend and to keep going. Your wreath is beautiful, and all those flowers must have taken ages to make and assemble.
ReplyDeleteAnd those photos, so lovely with the impressionist effect you achieved, even if it was not on purpose. Never seen that in the sky, what a lucky moment.
love your tag. the flowers on your wreath are beautiful. great photo!
ReplyDeleteA gorgeous tag Valerie, and a very poignant way to display the photograph.
ReplyDeleteLove the wreath and the fact that it is 'recycled' is wonderful. Love the addition the the little skull.
Fabulous photos too, never seen a night rainbow before.
Avril xx
You managed to show both sadness and hope in your mother and child piece. I think the styro wreath is wonderful--all the more so because it is mainly recycled. I've never seen a rainbow at night--just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYour tag is really beautiful Valerie, there's a fragile feel to it with the way it sits on the corrugated card. I love the way your wreath glows in the sunshine, so welcoming, and your rainbow photographs are wonderful, you were definitely in the right place at the right time xx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and heartfelt tag, Valerie! Love the wreath and warm colors, so ready for Autumn! Hope you are having a great week! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteamazing creation- I'm always impressed by anyone who has the patience to create a wreath :-) and this is a stunner Valerie! love the photos too- I'd say more magical than spooky :-) thanks for sharing at Craft Room Challenge, Debi x
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the story behind the photo. So heartfelt. Hugs to you.
ReplyDeleteYou look so happy in the photo, despite what is going on around you - as children usually are. Your mama is a beautiful lady. I just adore the wreath and where all the bits and pieces came from. I don't know that particular die cut (haven't seen it), however you have made it so versatile and some beautiful things have come from using it. Gorgeous. hugs, Donna
ReplyDeleteYour Mother is beautiful and your sister looks so very happy and I read your words - chilling.
ReplyDeleteYour wreath is beautiful and I know that skull just had to worm its way in - You are so resourceful and although I have no neighbors, I will keep my eyes open for finds. More of your glorious pictures - thank you.
Sandy