Category Archives: art

Jewelry

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I just had to pass this find along. necklaceIf you’re looking for some of the most beautiful and creative jewelry ever, go to etsy.com and check out the offerings from birdznbeez. A cuff2jewelry maker in the Midwest, she puts together lovely  whimsical pieces that will  make you smile. For several years, my two 20-something daughters and I have been collecting jewelry with birds, and when my son-in-law found birdzNbeez on etsy, he knew we would all love it. He was right! We ordered several things for Christmas gifts, and they were even more amazing in person than in photographs. And prices are right, too. You know similar jewelry in upscale boutiques is almost three times as much. But the problem is that now I: 1) Want more of this jewelry; 2) Want more clothes to match the coolness factor of these pieces; and 3) Want more places to go to show off my new clothes and jewelry. Or, I could just send y’all to the Web site and live vicariously through your purchases. I wonder which option my husband would prefer …

Christmas Gift Projects

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carolyns-scarves-005My younger daughter Carolyn is a master at recycling and reusing when carolyns-scarves-004it comes to making gifts. She is so creative and talented — proof that genetics skips a generation because she did not get those characteristics from me. Inspired by Natalie Chanin’s how-to guide “Alabama Stitch Book,” Carolyn’s latest project is making these tea towels* from thrift-store T-shirts. She shops for the colors she wants, then cuts out the solid pieces of fabric from the shirts and plans her embroidery and reverse-applique designs. We recently spotted towels just like this in a Birmingham gift shop for $25 — she’s got less than $1 in each towel and the embroidery goes fast, so making them is definitely a money-saver. Plus, I think it’s her therapeutic stress-relief. These are so wonderful that I’m counting on her to make my old age rich and comfortable. Isn’t it nice to know that your children will take care of you?

And if you haven’t seen a copy of Natalie Chanin’s book, you’re missing out. It would make a wonderful carolyns-first-bandana-0021Christmas gift for any crafters on your list. Natalie is a fashion designer who returned to her northwest Alabama roots several years ago. Her company specializes in gorgeously hand-quilted clothing made from recycled fabric. Check out her Web site at http://www.alabamachanin.com/ to learn more. Carolyn’s first project out of “Alabama Stitch Book” was this past year when she tried her hand — literally! — at making this bandana. She’s gone on to make several for family and friends out of old and vintage T-shirts, including one she made for her sister, Liz, from the blue T-shirt Carolyn was wearing on the day Liz’s first baby — Nolan Thomas Behel — was born. I remain in awe of my children’s talent and imagination. Who would have thunk it back when it was a struggle to get them to finish their homework???

* Tea towel — a Southern term for a pretty cotton or linen towel used exclusively for drying delicate dishes and silverware

Bicycle Earrings

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I love these earrings! A friend of my college-age daughter gave them to her for her birthday and they are so incredibly cute. My daughter rides her bicycle everywhere she can, so these earrings were the perfect gift. They came from Sojourns in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Check out the Web site at http://www.shop.adventureartpeace.com. Sojourns is a Fair Trade retailer and gallery that offers handmade clothing, gifts, housewares and food from around the world. I’d like to adopt Soujourns’ theme: “Adventure – Art – Peace.”  But of course I’d add “Coffee and Chocolate” to the list. I’ve got my priorities, after all.

Your Table Awaits

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This sign is on U.S. 72 west in Cherokee, Ala. I love the table and chairs -- what a great idea for a kitchen wallhanging!

Elvis Under Glass

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Elvis lives! Well, sort of. Fiber artist Martha Beadle, of Florence, Ala., created this whimsical and absolutely wonderful collage of our favorite Tupelo, Miss., native. Martha uses fabric snippets, embroidery and embellishments such as beads and buttons to tell stories that may be inspired by a favorite line of poetry, a family memory or just something that catches her eye. And, of course, Elvis caught mine.  I saw him at a local arts and crafts show, and when Martha said she had taken him to a show in Tupelo but nobody bought him — in Tupelo! — I knew he was meant to come live with us. Photos do not do him — or any of Martha’s works — justice. Every time you look at one of her collages, you can find something different. I am especially in love with Elvis’s red satin pants here and his jewelry. Fabulous! Take a close-up look at her works at her Web site, http://www.marthasneedleeccentricities.com/home.html.

Florence Fashion

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If you’re not wearing a team T-shirt to the football game today, try one of these super-cute BCBG MaxAzria tops. They’re lightweight enough to be comfortable under jackets but look great on their own whether you’re pairing them with jeans, nice pants or a skirt — versatility plus! And, as always, they cover all sorts of bumps and lumps. My true figure is much more like the green top than the black top, sadly, but both of these tops are so flattering. They’re from Marigail Mathis women’s boutique in Florence, Ala. Check out the Web site at http://www.marigailmathis.com. Marigail recently closed her adjacent shop MG2, and her husband, artist Tommy Mathis, moved his gallery, ARTifacts, into the space. It’s sumptiously decorated and the perfect spot for taking an art break. Visit online at http://www.tommymathis.com/

Art on the Move

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I know that graffiti on railroad cars is vandalism. It’s against the law, expensive for the railroad company to remove and dangerous for the artists. I know all that. And I certainly would not want to come outside to get in my car and see that an artist had used it as a free canvas and then have to drive it around like that. When you look at it that way, railroad graffiti is destructive, wasteful and just plain wrong. Yet, I’m fascinated with it. When I’m stopped at a train (which happens a lot where I live), it’s a pleasure to sit and watch the art roll by. I wonder where it came from, who did it and why. I know that some of what I’m looking at is probably gang-related or obscene and I’m too ignorant to realize it — but sometimes art is subversive, so that’s OK.

I’m so enthralled with railroad graffiti that I bought this book, “Freight Train Graffiti,” by Roger Gastman, Darin Rowland and Ian Sattler (about $22 from Amazon, soft cover). It’s a valuable pop-culture and art resource. It does a super job of explaining graffiti techniques and why — and how — railroad graffiti evolved and why artist risk their lives to do this. The best part is the pages and pages of graffiti-ed railroad cars, with clues on how to identify individual artists. I passed this book on to my art-teacher son-in-law and he uses it in class.

At least, admiring the graffiti makes the train stops go faster!

Glass As You’ve Never Seen It Before

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Most people think of “glass” as something you drink out of or something you sweep off the kitchen floor when you get too fumble-fingered. But go to the exhibit at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts in Florence, Ala., and you’ll have a whole new appreciation for the word. Cal Breed, owner of Orbix Hot Glass studio in Fort Payne, truly is a master glass worker. You’ll be amazed at the shapes and colors he creates — the luminosity of his work and the subtleties of pattern and texture are mesmerizing. Be sure to watch the video, on a laptop in the lobby, before you see the exhibit — learning how Breed and his workers create their designs is fascinating. You’ll never take glass for granted again! All pieces on display are for sale, plus there are smaller pieces in the gift shop. As always, one of the best things about an exhibit at Kennedy-Douglass is that it’s absolutely free. All you have to do is walk in and admire. A reception for Breed is 5:30-8 p.m., Thursday, Sept.18 (the last day of the exhibit), also is free and open to everybody. Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is at 217 E. Tuscaloosa St., on the north side of Wilson Park. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call the center, (256) 760-6379, for details and visit http://www.orbixhotglass.com/ for more of Breed’s work.