Posts
page one is finally complete: charlotte. her page has some things i'd gotten from lisa j. and debs. i wanted to incorporate as much of everyone as i could into my pages, even though you'll be doing your own pages too... just felt right.
the top waxy-charlotte part opens up so you can read the charlotte poem:
page two is also complete and one you've seen lots of already so likely isn't too exciting. also, i lost my real dude photo that is supposed to go into the frame so rather than sew the frame on now i kind of glued it in a more temporary fashion so i can replace him later. whoops! supposedly that's a real diamond that i glued onto the flower. i don't really care for diamonds but i liked the little sparkle it added (i can't believe i of all people wanted something "sparkly"!).
page three is barely started and i'm not finishing it until the book makes its way back to me next year (primarily due to the fact that there will be bones, and such), so i SHOULDN'T post it, but i am. i sewed the pages together to form a folder of sorts and it will be stuffed with goodies later. this is more of a personal page and probably doesn't seem "forgotten" to most, but the super succinct reasoning is that i always wanted to be a forensic chick. that's a real dental x-ray and there is really dna on the slide. this is a funny shot -- during my very last stitch on this page, my needle broke.
i have to add some fabric to the page behind this piece, and a hinge, but here is a better shot of page six:
the top piece opens up to reveal another image (then the bottom piece will be hinged to open another time, revealing something else, but i'll save that for later peeks too). recognize some of the fabric, lisa j?
11/16 update:
this is page 5 -- there are 5 of us playing -- the nest has five little crystals in it -- the book, like the bird, is flying around the world... just a little tribute page that doesn't fit with the theme, but i don't care. ;)
and a couple of peeks at the new page four (old page four is now page six) -- a glass tube and broken glass watchmaker vial from the late 1800s with fabulous little pieces of paper from debbie, and on amazing fabrics from lisa j:
this looks cooler in person -- a spider web i made and sewed onto fabric before rusting it.
this page makes me thankful that i don't often sew. i sustained numerous injuries including a self breast needle biopsy, a needle under a finger nail and a hole in my thigh (accidentally sewed something to my jeans). i should stick with paint and paper. ;)
Ooooh freaky deaky awesome! Awesome, beautiful, ethereal, surreal....I love it! I so can't wait to get this - and I'm first on the list right (alothough I still don't know who I'm supposed to send to - i need to check my email!!).
ReplyDeleteYou no ring? Hope everythign is ok or did you get tied up with this gorgeous collection in posting it up here?
Oh I love all the opening and closing and hiding of things! I am last on with yours:( but I guess that means I get to see what everyone else does too! In the 'flesh' as you put it which is almost icky given your imagery...
ReplyDeleteOMG love the xray and DNA!! Where did you get that?? If I could go back to the 16 year old me (who knew everything) I would so tell me that I wanted to be a crime scene photographer!! That would rock being a super sleuth detective:) :)
thanks so much, you two. :)
ReplyDeletedebs, i was being a weirdo and waiting for you to email me before i called. i didn't know how late you would be at that party and such. sorry about that! then i got lost in snuggles on the couch with the husby. he's been working nights all week so we haven't seen each other much.
lisa, i would have LOVED to be a crime scene photographer with you. i always wanted to be the solver of crimes, too. the sole reason i didn't get into that was the potential of seeing maggots. back in the day, even the word made me vomit. maybe i am not too old to get into that now? don't know. but the whole investigation thing would rock... and collection of icky clues. i got the teeth things, surprisingly, at the local children's museum a few years ago. they had a "make some cards for mother's day" thing going on and i had finn, my then four year old, paperclip ten of them to a card for me. i'm horrible! the slides are something i recently picked up at a science and surplus thing and i don't think i should tell you what is on the slide until after i have the book back. ;) it's not as bad as you could potentially think though, promise.
on a side note, it just occurred to me that all of our books are likely going to be a foot thick. (that's approximately 30 cm.) i'm going to have to find a fatter box for future growth.
ReplyDeleteohhh, just love all the textures and the images and adore the charlotte tied down like that! just yummy texture!
ReplyDeleteThis is so creative and unique Alicia.. i love all the little spaces and hidden spots you've created! The charlotte page is beautiful.. love the little door...what is the poem? What an awesome, freaky cool idea with the xray film...what is the textured background on that page.. it looks kinda of "in the flesh" to use your words!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you guys about the forensics.. though i would have wanted to be a pathologist. I've dealt with plenty of maggots..working fin an animal hospital in my younger years.. you see alot of the little critters in open wounds.. not a big deal really.
Ok I'm off to work on my book....
omg, we should all start a little international forensic/crime scene photography/investigation/pathology artist diva business when our kiddos move out. ;)
ReplyDeletethanks so much, you guys. all of your wonderful kind words mean so very much to me.
the textured background on the forensic/specimen piece is just layers of tissue paper and paint and crackle paste. i tried to make it look initially like it was something blanketing the body, but then wanted to go a little more fleshy if possible. i'm not done with the background, but good enough to send for now as i could spend months on these pages with all of the little doors and peekable places if i had the time. i'll just finish all of that when it returns to me.
the poem is an expert from the little frozen charlotte song/poem which is sweet but ties into some of the other pages too:
"Such a night as this I never knew,
The reins I scarce can hold."
Fair Charlotte said in a feeble voice
"I am exceeding cold."
Away they ride through frozen air
In the glittering starry night
Until at length the village inn
and the ballroom were in sight.
They reached the door, Young Charles stepped out
And held his hand to her
"Why sit you there like a monument
that hath no power to stir?"
He called her once, he called her twice
She uttered not a word
He held his hand to her again
And still she never stirred
Then swiftly through the lighted room
Her lifeless form he bore
Fair Charlotte was a stiffened corpse
And word spoke nevermore.
google said my comment was too long. i also just said:
ReplyDeletei had never read the whole thing, and only after making the page found the whole song/poem and wish i did several pages that opened so i could put it all in (but oh well):
Now, Charlotte lived on the mountainside,
In a bleak and dreary spot;
There was no house for miles around,
Except her father's cot.
And yet on many a wintry night,
Young swains were gathered there;
For her father kept a social board,
And she was very fair.
One New Year's Eve as the sun went down,
Far looked her wishful eye
Out from the frosty window pane
As merry sleighs went by.
In a village fifteen miles away,
Was to be a ball that night;
And though the air was heavy and cold,
Her heart was warm and light.
How brightly beamed her laughing eye,
As a well-known voice was heard;
And driving up to the cottage door,
Her lover's sleigh appeared.
"O, daughter dear," her mother cried,
"This blanket 'round you fold;
It is a dreadful night tonight,
You'll catch your death of cold."
"O, nay! O, nay!" young Charlotte cried,
And she laughed like a gypsy queen;
"To ride in blankets muffled up,
I never would be seen.
"My silken cloak is quite enough,
You know 'tis lined throughout;
Besides I have my silken scarf,
To twine my neck about."
Her bonnet and her gloves were on,
She stepped into the sleigh;
Rode swiftly down the mountain side,
And o'er the hills away.
With muffled face and silent lips,
Five miles at length were passed;
When Charles with few and shivering words,
The silence broke at last.
"Such a dreadful night I never saw,
The reins I scarce can hold."
Fair Charlotte shivering faintly said,
"I am exceeding cold."
He cracked his whip, he urged his steed
Much faster than before;
And thus five other dreary miles
In silence were passed o'er.
Said Charles, "How fast the shivering ice
Is gathering on my brow."
And Charlotte still more faintly said,
"I'm growing warmer now."
So on they rode through frosty air
And glittering cold starlight,
Until at last the village lamps
And the ballroom came in sight.
They reached the door and Charles sprang out,
He reached his hand for her;
She sat there like a monument,
That has no power to stir.
He called her once, he called her twice,
She answered not a word;
He asked her for her hand again,
And still she never stirred.
He took her hand in his - O, God!
'Twas cold and hard as stone;
He tore the mantle from her face,
Cold stars upon it shone.
Then quickly to the glowing hall,
Her lifeless form he bore;
Fair Charlotte's eyes were closed in death,
Her voice was heard no more.
And there he sat down by her side,
While bitter tears did flow;
And cried, "My own, my charming bride,
You never more will know."
He twined his arms around her neck,
He kissed her marble brow;
His thoughts flew back to where she said,
"I'm growing warmer now."
He carried her back to the sleigh,
And with her he rode home;
And when he reached the cottage door,
O, how her parents mourned.
Her parents mourned for many a year,
And Charles wept in the gloom;
Till at last her lover died of grief,
And they both lie in one tomb.
oops, never mind. they are mostly different. still, i like them both.
ReplyDeleteJust tremendous Alicia. I love all the hinging that you did...revealing layers of layers!! This is already a treasure. Just imagine how it will be at the end of the year!!
ReplyDeletethank you so much, seth. i can't even begin to imagine how it will look when it returns but i think i will cry -- joyously, of course. it's such an honor to be working on these with such an amazing group of artistic ladies.
ReplyDeleteOkay its been a mad packing weekend and I'm just catching up! Alicia this is FABULOUS!!! Love all the opening and closing doors, the xray, the Charlotte poem is way cool, love it! Great layering girl!
ReplyDeletei still wish i were closer so that i could help you pack! i love helping other people move for some weird reason.
ReplyDeletethank you so much, sweetness! i'm so glad you like it. :)
Love the poem Alicia...and of course always your crackle texture! Soon our books will take flight!
ReplyDeleteAlicia - I understand about the weirdo mood thing. I get them all the time! Lol! Sometimes it's just FAR MORE important to snuggle up to your man and not stress out about things - even ringing someone, at times, can be a bothersome, slightly stressful thing - I know, so don't worry, ok? Ooooh, I looked more closely at number 3 page just now. I couldn't bring myself to look at the gore up close (I'm a bit of a loser when it comes to other people's gore; funnily enough, though, I have no problem with my own!). If I could watch my own operation I glady would. It probably also explains why I enjoy giving blood and why I always insist that I see my rotten teeth when they get pulled - (I've only lost two so far, but hey!!).
ReplyDeleteLisa S - yes, I got Alicia's list of who to send to. Thanks my darling Alicia and thanks Lisa for sorting all the addresses etc, out!
yesyes, lisa! and i can't wait! and thank you so much. :)
ReplyDeletedebs -- mostly i was waiting for you to email me to tell me that you were home so i could ring you -- dumb, i know, but i didn't know how late you were going to be at that party. after an hour or so i got distracted with the husby and was sucked into a snuggle fest with him. i can ring you tonight before 6 your time, or after 7 if you'll be around. just let me know, sweetness.
hey.. it's your book so all the pages don't have to fit with the theme.. it can be anything!!Love the update peek!!
ReplyDeletedeb.. morbid curiosity..it think most artists have it.. especially when it somes to ourselves!
oooh, too true, lady! you are so very brilliant!
ReplyDeleteand as i've put in the note to accompany my book, i don't want you guys to feel like you need to totally stick with that theme or my sick sense of morbidity. ;) i just want you to do your thing, 'cause i love your "things"!
xx
These are beautiful pages. I love your books. The small one in an earlier post is divine.
ReplyDeletethanks so much, ro. we've all been having so much fun on our books!
ReplyDeletel, l, d and k -- this is how dumb i am. i was just packing up my book to send to debs today then realized that i never finished my cover. hmmmm. this girl's brain is so fried. i can't "finish" the cover before i send it due to things that aren't allowed, but i should at least have it semi-ready. will still try to get this out today, otherwise tomorrow. box hunting is also on my day's list.
i added three new photo peeks. will add a peek of the cover once done, but that's all you get until it arrives at your door. ;)
ReplyDeleteAwesome sneaky peaky's! Love the viles and web, can't wait to check that out when it gets here! I can't believe all this stuff is actually in a book....and that I get to have a turn playing with it too! wahooo!
ReplyDeleteI love the new additiions Alicia! The wire web is awesome! You are so funny and sewing challenged, LOL! I love the wee bird and nest, so special! Hugs to you you clever girl, can't wait to open up this baby when it finally gets here!
ReplyDeletethanks, you guys! it's been so, soooo much fun! i've been bundling it up to ship off and am now scared -- it's so fragile with all of the little glass, mica, porcelain etc. bits. maybe not the smartest idea when traveling so far around the world.
ReplyDeleteas a little side-note, i'm looking for a spider for the web page. if anyone knows of something cool, please point me in the right direction... or if you have something, i'll trade you for it or buy it from you or something. that page needs a little spidey guy but despite looking for weeks and weeks, i haven't been able to find the "perfect" one... yet. i used to have a spider bigger than my thumb that i named satana evilina who lived on my porch. i wish i had her little dead body -- she was so pretty and sweet.
ReplyDeleteP.S. As I was taping up the box to ship off to Debs this morning, I realized that the size is actually perfect. If the book gets too tall, it can easily be put in the box the other way (like spine down, or whatever). Woohoooo! That is one less problem to worry about! So nice to have these en route! So very giddily excited!
ReplyDelete