Spring is in the air...and possibly some snowflakes as well...

This Sewing Box uses an old Cigar Box

as the base and a pewter Duck

pin-cushion relaxes in the rippling waters.

The Farmer Rabbit was made by a dear friend of mine, 

Melissa D. Terreck, and I treasure him.

These are truly the first sign of Spring here as we

still have snow on the ground and have

been told we may just get some snowflakes falling

at some point today.

It is official, we have broken the all time

record for the snowiest winter EVER

with over 108" of snow!

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Early American Folk Arts & Trades Group

If you happen to have an appreciation for OR

are educated in OR are an artist who creates art based in

the history and love of the Early American

Folk Arts & Trades I would highly recommend that

you join this Facebook Group.

Suzanne Kizis founded this group and her goal is

to create a dynamic arena for educators,

curators, artist and enthusiasts to dialogue with

one another. It is the goal of the group to

also help define and focus what "Folk Art &Trades"

really means and to continue both creating

and educating ourselves and all those 

who have this passion.

Please join and help grow and nurture this fairly

new but dynamic group. If you have

a website or blog there is a new logo you can use

to help promote this group.

Contact Suzanne to learn more.

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A Work In Progress...

My Tramp Art version of a Moravian Star...

the box splits open in the middle and 

will hold so antique German Christmas treasures!

I have just about half of the pieces 

chip-carved (164 out of 336) so it looks like I will

be busy for the next couple of days.

Then I will start to assemble everything and

get ready to do the finishing.....

will keep you posted as things develop!

Maggie's BIG Adventure...

Well it seems when we last chatted

Maggie's Hot-Air Balloon

couldn't even get off the ground.

I am glad to report that the Maggie Jack-In-The-Box

is ready to go and the Maggie Hot-Air Balloon

has taken a few test flights and is almost ready to head home.

However, she seems to have taken on a stowaway.

Schneider, the mouse, seems to have gathered

up enough cheese and crackers for the journey while

cleverly avoiding the mouse trap on the bottom

of the basket he is riding in!

Looks like Schneider left a few morsels behind

to lighten the load. I just need to take their

official Passport Portfolio Photos and they will be

ready for LIFT OFF!

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Here is a sneak peek at twin Tramp Art pieces 

I am working on at the moment.

They are an interpretation of the Moravian Star.

These "boxes" can either rest on a tabletop

or be hung for display. They will open in the middle

and each half will have twelve "points".

One of them will be filled with long golden hued

flax. An antique German metal basket

will rest in the flax and will hold an antique

German baby Jesus creche figure.

Two antique German Stick-leg Sheep will

watch over the baby Jesus....this piece is going to a 

special friend and fellow artist.....the other

will be posted on my website when it is finished.

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Thanks for dropping by and have a most 

enjoyable day! Please sign up to follow my blog. 

I would be most appreciative.

Meow.....it's Maggie

Maggie seems to be purr-fectly content

with the Jack-In-The-Box and the Hot Air Balloon

being made in her likeness.

This Jack-In-The-Box is painted in the traditional German Red

and Yellow. The letters M-A-G-G-I-E are chip carved

and applied to the box. Linen is used to create the hinge and a

vintage spring is attached to the base.

Maggie lives in Arizona and can't wait

to get out of the snow here in New England. She should be 

on her way home soon. But not soon enough as we are

expected to get another 3 to 6 inches of snow later today!

The Jack-In-The-Box is almost complete and I will be

making the base for the the Hot Air Balloon basket today. 

Then I can start weaving the basket!

The little mouse you see will be the passenger in the 

Hot Air Balloon basket. He will be relaxing in a nest of flax 

on top of a mouse trap and snacking on some cheese.

In the meantime, our Biagio just wants his house back!

I am sure he will be happy to help me

when I need to pack-up Maggie for her flight home.

Happy Presidents Day!

As a child I attended Abraham Lincoln Grade School

in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. I have no idea why I

still have retained this poem in my mind but it has been

in my head since kindergarten or first grade...

"Abraham Lincoln kind and good, honored and loved by many.

We loved him so much as our President, we put his face on our penny."

This piece is entitled "We Shall Overcome".

It was inspired by the current Civil Rights issue of Marriage Equality.

I believe that art can be both beautiful and informative.

Simply put.....LOVE is LOVE.

And my trio entitled "Ballot Boxes"

"Liberty" and "Justice"...."For All"

Enjoy your holiday!

Putting your HEART in to your work...

 Just thought I would share some images of works in progress with you 

on this very cold New England morning...

The MAGGIE jack-in-the-box is coming along. 

I will be painting the box today and then sculpting the head.

Maggie is a Black & White cat that I have been

commissioned to sculpt and make in to a jack-in-the-box 

and a hot air balloon.

Just a few pieces of wood to chip-carve...almost 300 squares.

This is my Tramp Art version of a Moravian Star.

The box will be lined in velvet. The box will be able to be hung or rest 

on a table top. I will post more images as work progresses.

I got up to start the coffee this morning and 

when I got back to bed our little 115 pound pup had taken over my spot!

So, I let my husband and Paddington stay cuddled under the covers.

  

and last but not least...Happy Valentines Day!

while they were asleep I designed a simple card for my husband...

so...as we get ready for another blizzard to come our way

I'd like to leave you with this sign of Springtime...

Marking time & remembering mom...

sitting here with my first cup of coffee 

and thinking about my mother.

It was four years ago today that my mom passed away, but, 

I am not sitting here crying....

she has put a smile on my face as I think of her.

The Heart In Hand Threadholder & Pincushion is a 

VERY special piece to me! The pattern was made from a tracing I did 

of my mother's hand many years ago.

At the time I told her that I would make a piece to honor her 

once I had found the courage to follow my dreams. 

She passed away before I started on this journey but she remains 

a huge part of making my dreams become a reality.

I remember she said, "Oh sweetie, I think I'd like that!"

when I told her about the tattoo I wanted to have done to honor her.

"In Memory of Mom" and it even has her signature at the bottom.

There is nothing to be sad about on this day. She was an amazing gift

to me. I could not have been blessed with better parents.

And I continue to be blessed with a loving and supportive husband who

believes in my art and in ME!

Making my Tramp Art is my way of celebrating the craftsmen 

who came before me. Staying as true to my craft and being as authentic 

as possible. It nourishes my heart, mind, body and soul.

This is the first Heart In Hand I made along side a most precious

Hand that was made and given to me by my dear friend

Stacey Williams Mead a.k.a. The Goode Wife of Washington County.

Now, back to TRAMPland and creating as many new and 

exciting pieces as I can....oh, and it is snowing again so there will be 

some shoveling time today too.

Life is Ducky...

after two days of shoveling snow

it looks like I can get back to creating again!

Our sidewalk was clean as a whistle till all the neighbors

decided to dig out their cars and now the snow

is more then six feet deep in places on our sidewalk.

Believe me, there IS green grass and flowers under all this...

Spring is coming...lol.

I am working on a couple of commissioned pieces....

a Hot Air Balloon and a Jack-In-The-Box

of Maggie (a very sweet Black & White/Tuxedo Cat).

I am also making a couple of "trinket boxes" which adds up 

to 348 hand cut pieces of wood! And 336 pieces will be chip-carved.

And so life is "ducky" around here......

Everything is getting back to normal and am so happy to be 

getting back in to TRAMPland and creating more...

Finally, today would have been my dad's 94th birthday.

So I thank him for being such an exceptional example of how to live and love

Happy Birthday Dad!