Black & White

I had the distinct pleasure of hanging out with BlackvelvetRav, aka Kelly, this past weekend for Kuku's Birthday Bash.  Yeah, she's really cool, it's true.  But, when she gifted me a black VersaFine ink pad, she instantly became a hero in my book!  Ever since, everything has been stamped in this incredible black instant dry pigment ink!

For the Love of Ink - an Erte creation, carved in pink stuff, (3" x 2")

an appropriate new sig-stamp, (1" x .75")

And, how 'bout a few pics from our letterboxing fun in Astoria?

On the craft desk

This week I have been able to spend a little time just carving for fun.  I don't get to do that much -what a treat!

Here is what's hangin' out on the craft desk currently...

A little bit of the Master, 1" x 1.5"

A warm-up for the Erte swap, 1.5" x 1.75"

Capt. Rex in pink stuff, 1"

To all my readers - I love you!
2.5" x 1"

A little tweak

I like taking found images and giving them my own twist.  So, when I joined a very fun swap featuring the artwork of Caron Vinson, I had to choose which image I was going to tackle.  The fairy I chose happened to feature a lovely tattoo on her shoulder, which gave me an idea...

The stamp measures just shy of 3.5" x 2.5" and took the majority of an afternoon to complete.

This sweet fairy goes with this youngling I highlighted in an earlier post.  I gave her a 'tweak', as well.

Always a pleasure to meet a Jedi...

Daisy-time

You may wear your virtues as a crown,
As you walk through life serenely,
And grace your simple rustic gown
With a beauty more than queenly.
Though only one for you shall care,
One only speak your praises;
And you never wear in your shining hair,
A richer flower than daisies.

~Phoebe Cary

Tweaked, just a bit

If you have never had the pleasure of viewing the lovely and inviting artwork of Caron Vinson, let me introduce you. She creates some very creative and interesting fairies, mermaids and more...want to see more? Click HERE.

For an upcoming swap featuring Ms. Vinson's efforts, I wanted to feature one of her beautiful young women as a bonus stamp for the reverse of the LTC. As you can see, I took the liberty of tweaking her just a bit. This youngling Barriss measures 1.75" x 1.25".

Harry

stamp size 2.5" x 1.5"

I have always been a big fan of Sandra Boynton's work. I know, it's not my usual style, but something about it just appeals to me. In my strange limbo of not having a bazillion projects to work on, I decided to carve one of my favorite characters. Isn't he cute?

I used to have a stuffed version of this little guy...we called him Harry. :-)

The Official Sandra Boynton Web Site

Spy

(stamp size 1.75" x 2.5")

I guess I could add this to my 'International Women' series (if I had one), as I found this intriguing image while googling for Israeli images. It is simply called Israel/Palestine - it really caught my eye. The original is artwork from artist Shepard Fairey.

Lap of Luxury

This carve was done especially for my friend One-Fourth and her Mary Engelbreit LTC swap. It was a challenge, no doubt about it...take a look at that dress - yikes! And, who doesn't love polka dots? :-)

Muslim Bride

stamp size 3" x 2.25"

My latest portrait. Carved from a photograph entitled Muslim Bride, it was taken by Shelton Muller. I have had this image sitting in my 'wish to carve' file for probably a year or more. She is strikingly beautiful, certainly, and the skill of the photographer is unmistakable. As is usually the case, translating to rubber all the emotion of color and lighting is most difficult.

Civis

stamp size 2.25" x 3"

Ancient art always fascinates me, and this image is no exception. Taken from a company logo found while surfing the web, I carved this for an event last year. I love how the human form is portrayed differently according to the social norms of the day. Notice in these Roman citizens how the forehead and bridge of nose has very little indentation; so different from reality. I also like the Renaissance time period and how scantily clad bodies were shown rather voluptuous. Obviously a sign of prosperity, but I wonder how true to life it was.

In our modern time thinness is exalted, when in reality a great number of people carry a little extra on their frames. Ah, but I digress...

I am currently researching ancient Greek mythos, and am enjoying the artwork immensely. The ancient artwork is so one-dimensional and is a great contrast to some of the same stories retold by artists of the later periods.

shells and stars

stamp size 3.25" x 2.25"

My latest carve, inspired by Escher's Shells and Starfish. This has to hold the top spot for the most tedious and time-consuming carve I have ever done. What a challenge! I used a combination of standard gouge, modified gouges and a needle to get the itty-bitty bits carved out in this design.

Initially carved just as a challenge of my skill, I have decided to use this stamp for an upcoming Micro LTC swap, hosted by our friend Dixie. Yeah...Micros! You've heard of Minis, I'm sure; they are half the size of a standard LTC (3.5" x 2.5"). Well, Micros are a quarter of the size of a standard LTC measuring 1.25" x 1.75" - so cute!

I'm pretty happy I'm finished with this one, actually, and am already half-way through my next project - a swap featuring WPA artwork hosted by another great letterboxing friend, GreyCrazy. I believe that one is still open, if you want to join our happy band, WPA Posters: Art by the People.

Dear Secret Santa,

I make it my policy not to post the artwork and efforts of other carvers on this blog (due to privacy and spoilers), but I just cannot resist sharing this gem.

It would seem that I am on the special list of those who receive secret mailings, all of which are absolutely FABULOUS in technique and design. Due to the busyness of the past holiday craziness, I didn't have a chance to go through the pile of envelopes that were carefully placed on my desk by my children. Yesterday, I finally had a moment to sit down and enjoy all the fruit of loving labor that graced my mailbox during this past couple of weeks, the above included.

Now, I had taken note of people exclaiming surprise and gratitude to someone named "Secret Santa", but didn't take much time to investigate further. I just figured it was part of a project I wasn't a part of...which does happen, by the way. When I found this green postcard in my pile, however, it all came flooding back. The resident from Whoville had included me in his (or most likely, her) dastardly plans...

I do find it rather fascinating that I received this particular fellow, since it is no secret my feelings on the most recently passed holiday. I did get a pretty good chuckle that I received 'the mean one'...

Thank you, you most secret of Santas! The carving is impeccable, the surprise was sweet and your choice of image(s) absolutely perfect for this recipient! Your efforts have gained you much notoriety and personal pleasure, I'm positive!

~SHH, who now has the Mr. Grinch song stuck in her head... :-)

The Young Venetian Woman

The Young Venetian Woman inspired by Albrecht Durer

Albrecht Dürer (May 21, 1471 – April 6, 1528) was a German painter, printmaker and theorist from Nuremberg. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Renaissance in Northern Europe ever since.

I chose to carve The Young Venetian Woman for an upcoming LTC swap featuring this long-ago artist. She was originally painted in oil on canvas in 1505.

The Goose Girl

The Goose Girl, part of Grimm's Fairy Tales (1812)
stamp inspired by the art of Arthur Rackham
actual size 3.25" x 2.25"

There was once upon a time an old Queen whose husband had been dead for many years, and she had a beautiful daughter. When the princess grew up she was betrothed to a prince who lived at a great distance. When the time came for her to be married, and she had to journey forth into the distant kingdom, the aged Queen packed up for her many costly vessels of silver and gold, and trinkets also of gold and silver; and cups and jewels - in short, everything which appertained to a royal dowry, for she loved her child with all her heart. She likewise sent her maid-in-waiting, who was to ride with her, and hand her over to the bridegroom, and each had a horse for the journey, but the horse of the King's daughter was called Falada, and could speak. So when the hour of parting had come, the aged mother went into her bedroom, took a small knife and cut her finger with it until it bled, then she held a white and kerchief to it into which she let three drops of blood fall, gave it to her daughter and said, "Dear child, preserve this carefully, it will be of service to you on your way."

So they took a sorrowful leave of each other; the princess put the piece of cloth in her bosom, mounted her horse, and then went away to her bridegroom. After she had ridden for a while she felt a burning thirst, and said to her waiting-maid. "Dismount, and take my cup which thou hast brought with thee for me, and get me some water from the stream, for I should like to drink." "If you are thirsty," said the waiting-maid, "get off your horse yourself, and lie down and drink out of the water, don't choose to be your servant." So in her great thirst the princess alighted, bent down over the water in the stream and drank, and was not allowed to drink out of the golden cup. Then she said, "Ah, Heaven!" and the three drops of blood answered, "If thy mother knew this, her heart would break," But the King's daughter was humble, said nothing, and mounted her horse again. She rode some miles further, but the day was warm, the sun scorched her, and she was thirsty once more, and when they came to a stream of water, she again cried to her waiting - maid, "Dismount and give me some water in my golden cup," for she had long ago forgotten the girl's ill words. But the waiting-maid said still more haughtily, "If you wish to drink, drink as you can, I don't choose to be your maid." Then in her great thirst the King's daughter alighted, bent over the flowing stream, wept and said, "Ah, Heaven!" and the drops of blood again replied, "If thy mother knew this, her heart would break." And as she was thus drinking and leaning right over the stream, the handkerchief with the three drops of blood fell out of her bosom, and floated away with the water without her observing it, so great was her trouble. The waiting-maid, however, had seen it, and she rejoiced to think that she had now power over the bride, for since the princess had lost the drops of blood, she had become weak and powerless. So now when she wanted to mount her horse again, the one that was called Falada, the waiting-maid said, "Falada is more suitable for me, and my nag will do for thee," and the princess had to be content with that. Then the waiting-maid, with many hard words, bade the princess exchange her royal apparel for her own shabby clothes; and at length she was compelled to swear by the clear sky above her, that she would not say one word of this to anyone at the royal court, and if she had not taken this oath she would have been killed on the spot. But Falada saw all this, and observed it well.

The waiting-maid now mounted Falada, and the true bride the bad horse, and thus they travelled onwards, until at length they entered the royal palace. There were great rejoicings over her arrival, and the prince sprang forward to meet her, lifted the waiting-maid from her horse, and thought she was his consort. She was conducted upstairs, but the real princess was left standing below. Then the old king looked out of the window and saw her standing in the courtyard, and saw how dainty and delicate and beautiful she was, and instantly went to the royal apartment, and asked the bride about the girl she had with her who was standing down below in the courtyard, and who she was? "I picked her up on my way for a companion; give the girl something to work at, that she may not stand idle." But the old King had no work for her, and knew of none, so he said, "I have a little boy who tends the geese, she may help him." The boy was called Conrad, and the true bride had to help him to tend the geese. Soon afterwards the false bride said to the young King, "Dearest husband, I beg you to do me a favour." He answered. "I will do so most willingly." "Then send for the knacker, and have the head of the horse on which I rode here cut off, for it vexed me on the way." In reality, she was afraid that the horse might tell how she had behaved to the King's daughter. Then she succeeded in making the King promise that it should be done, and the faithful Falada was to die; this came to the ears of the real princess, and she secretly promised to pay the knacker a piece of gold if he would perform a small service for her. There was a great dark-looking gateway in the town, through which morning and evening she had to pass with the geese: would he be so good as to nail up Falada's head on it, so that she might see him again, more than once. The knacker's man promised to do that, and cut off the head, and nailed it fast beneath the dark gateway.

Early in the morning, when she and Conrad drove out their flock beneath this gateway, she said in passing,

"Alas, Falada, hanging there!"

Then the head answered,

"Alas, young Queen, how ill you fare!
If this your tender mother knew,
Her heart would surely break in two."

Then they went still further out of the town, and drove their geese into the country. And when they had come to the meadow, she sat down and unbound her hair which was like pure gold, and Conrad saw it and delighted in its brightness, and wanted to pluck out a few hairs. Then she said,

"Blow, blow, thou gentle wind, I say,
Blow Conrad's little hat away,
And make him chase it here and there,
Until I have braided all my hair,
And bound it up again."

And there came such a violent wind that it blew Conrad's hat far away across country, and he was forced to run after it. When he came back she had finished combing her hair and was putting it up again, and he could not get any of it. Then Conrad was angry, and would not speak to her, and thus they watched the geese until the evening, and then they went home.

Next day when they were driving the geese out through the dark gateway, the maiden said,

"Alas, Falada, hanging there!"

Falada answered,

"Alas, young Queen, how ill you fare!
If this your tender mother knew,
Her heart would surely break in two."

And she sat down again in the field and began to comb out her hair, and Conrad ran and tried to clutch it, so she said in haste,

"Blow, blow, though gentle wind, I say,
Blow Conrad's little hat away,
And make him chase it here and there,
Until I have braided all my hair,
And bound it up again."

Then the wind blew, and blew his little hat off his head and far away, and Conrad was forced to run after it, and when he came back, her hair had been put up a long time, and he could get none of it, and so they looked after their geese till evening came.

But in the evening after they had got home, Conrad went to the old King, and said, "I won't tend the geese with that girl any longer!" "Why not?" inquired the aged King. "Oh, because she vexes me the whole day long." Then the aged King commanded him to relate what it was that she did to him. And Conrad said, "In the morning when we pass beneath the dark gateway with the flock, there is a sorry horse's head on the wall, and she says to it,

"Alas, Falada, hanging there!"

And the head replies,

"Alas, young Queen, how ill you fare!
If this your tender mother knew,
Her heart would surely break in two."

And Conrad went on to relate what happened on the goose pasture, and how when there he had to chase his hat.

The aged King commanded him to drive his flock out again next day, and as soon as morning came, he placed himself behind the dark gateway, and heard how the maiden spoke to the head of Falada, and then he too went into the country, and hid himself in the thicket in the meadow. There he soon saw with his own eyes the goose-girl and the goose-boy bringing their flock, and how after a while she sat down and unplaited her hair, which shone with radiance. And soon she said,

"Blow, blow, thou gentle wind, I say,
Blow Conrad's little hat away,
And make him chase it here and there,
Until I have braided all my hair,
And bound it up again."

Then came a blast of wind and carried off Conrad's hat, so that he had to run far away, while the maiden quietly went on combing and plaiting her hair, all of which the King observed. Then, quite unseen, he went away, and when the goose-girl came home in the evening, he called her aside, and asked why she did all these things. "I may not tell you that, and I dare not lament my sorrows to any human being, for I have sworn not to do so by the heaven which is above me; if I had not done that, I should have lost my life." He urged her and left her no peace, but he could draw nothing from her. Then said he, "If thou wilt not tell me anything, tell thy sorrows to the iron-stove there," and he went away. Then she crept into the iron-stove, and began to weep and lament, and emptied her whole heart, and said, "Here am I deserted by the whole world, and yet I am a King's daughter, and a false waiting-maid has by force brought me to such a pass that I have been compelled to put off my royal apparel, and she has taken my place with my bridegroom, and I have to perform menial service as a goose-girl. If my mother did but know that, her heart would break."

The aged King, however, was standing outside by the pipe of the stove, and was listening to what she said, and heard it. Then he came back again, and bade her come out of the stove. And royal garments were placed on her, and it was marvelous how beautiful she was! The aged King summoned his son, and revealed to him that he had got the false bride who was only a waiting-maid, but that the true one was standing there, as the sometime goose-girl. The young King rejoiced with all his heart when he saw her beauty and youth, and a great feast was made ready to which all the people and all good friends were invited. At the head of the table sat the bridegroom with the King's daughter at one side of him, and the waiting-maid on the other, but the waiting - maid was blinded, and did not recognize the princess in her dazzling array.

When they had eaten and drunk, and were merry, the aged King asked the waiting - maid as a riddle, what a person deserved who had behaved in such and such a way to her master, and at the same time related the whole story, and asked what sentence such an one merited? Then the false bride said: "She deserves no better fate than to be stripped entirely naked, and put in a barrel which is studded inside with pointed nails, and two white horses should be harnessed to it, which will drag her along through one street after another, till she is dead." "It is thou," said the aged King, "and thou hast pronounced thine own sentence, and thus shall it be done unto thee." And when the sentence had been carried out, the young King married his true bride, and both of them reigned over their kingdom in peace and happiness.

The End.

A Doodle of a Friend

Katie's Doodle
(actual size 2.5" across)

I find inspiration in the most interesting of places. This particular carve was from the doodle page of my friend Katie, who is also my neighbor. Cool, huh?

Just lookin' at it makes me want to go do some doodling of my own!

A Rabbit Named Peter

Peter Rabbit LTC

I've always loved the Beatrix Potter story of Peter Rabbit*. My grandmother, of blessed memory, always would read this story to me at bedtime when I stayed over night at her house oh-so-long ago. I can still hear her voice starting the story, "Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter..." She would ask me periodically if I wanted to hear another story, but the answer was always the same, "I want to hear Peter Rabbit, Grandma."

I now am in possession of the actual book she would read to me. It is a valued book in my library and takes the place of honor on a decorative plate rack on the wall. I have warm feelings everytime I glance at the book. This particular publishing of the story did not use the famous illustrations of Beatrix Potter, but used the artwork of another gentleman by the name of Robert J. Lee. They are all so familiar to me...


This Whitman "Big Tell-a-Tale" version was published in 1966, just a year after I was born. In looking at the pages, I was fascinated by his use of lines and color. I really liked this potted plant because of the flow of the vines and leaves. It was in Mr. McGregor's tool shed, where Peter ran to hide from that frustrated farmer.


Here's poor Peter hiding in the watering can. I just loved the texture of his little hat and the interesting design of the flowers presumeably painted as decoration on the watering can.


But, you can't really do anything having to do with Beatrix Potter without actually giving a nod towards her outstanding artwork, can you? For the back of my contribution to the Children's Book swap, I added this sweet little image of Peter squeezing under the Mr. McGregor's garden gate.

"I'm sorry to say that Peter was not very well during the evening.

His mother put him to bed and made some camomile tea, and she gave a dose of it to Peter!

"One tablespoonful to be taken at bedtime."

But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper."

*Peter Rabbit made his first appearance in 1902 in Beatrix Potter's first book The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

M. C. Escher

A couple of carves inspired by Escher today. These were done a while back for a postal, and I know that there are a few carvers working on Escher currently. When looking at this interesting artist, I decided to go for some of his earlier work rather than the optical illusions for which he is so famous. I especially like this sweet drawing of a chrysanthemum.

(actual size 3.5" x 4")

Book plates are interesting. I was just asked to design a bookplate for a fellow letterboxer and it got my creative juices flowing...but, would I use a bookplate? I suppose if I was going to, it would have to be Star Wars-themed, because that is the majority of my library! lol! Just kidding...

Here is Escher's bookplate - I just love the vintage feel of it.

(actual size 2" x 2.5")

Is it Fairy or Faerie?

Inspired by the great Red Cat and her fabulous carve of an Amy Brown fairy, I thought I'd showcase another fairy. I called this 'Amy's Fairy', and it was such a fun carve. (stamp size 2.5" x 3.5")

Like fairies? See more of Amy Brown's fabulous artwork at her website.

Below is the first fairy I carved for a long-ago postal ring, but I'm not sure who the original artist is...I just liked the image (found online). It is a larger stamp, measuring 4.5" x 3.5". Unfortunately, all I have is the print of it, as it got sucked into a black hole on it's first foray out into the world.

Tolkien

This is a bit of a spoiler, as I carved these two images for an upcoming swap. I have never been much of a Tolkien fan, but I have seen the most recent movies of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (well done, by the way). It has been interesting to do a little bit of research about my chosen subject matter.

J. R. R. Tolkien was an artist in pictures as well as in words. Though he often remarked that he had no talent for drawing, his art has charmed readers and has been exhibited to large and appreciative audiences. In fact, his talent was far more than he admitted, and his sense of design was natural and keen. Portraits are conspicuously absent from his work.

Below are two illustrations by Tolkien, both are Luthien devices. (Both stamps are 2" in diameter.)

Luthien Tinuviel I

So, what is a device?

A heraldic device (informally, your "coat of arms") is essentially a personal "logo," and identifies you the way a company's logo identifies the company. On a shield, it tells who's on the field fighting, on tableware it tells whose place, or on clothing it tells who's in the clothing. The heraldic device originated in war; during the chaos of battle, you had to decide within seconds whether someone approaching was friend or enemy. The device would be painted on a shield to tell who was behind that shield. It was so helpful for identification during war that it soon spread into peacetime use as well. Since a device identified the man who displayed it, it was very important that no two men had the same device. Colleges of Arms came into being to resolve conflicting claims on a device, and the heralds gradually assumed the job of keeping track of who owned which device.

Luthien Tinuviel II

The Tale of Beren and Lúthien is the story of the love and adventures of the mortal Man Beren and the immortal Elf-maiden Lúthien, as told in several works of Tolkien. It takes place during the First Age of Middle-earth, about 6500 years before the events of his most famous book, The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien wrote several versions of their story, the latest written in The Silmarillion. Beren and Lúthien are also mentioned in The Lord of the Rings.

When Tolkien was stationed at Kingston upon Hull, he and Edith, his wife, went walking in the woods at nearby Roos, and Edith began to dance for him in a clearing among the flowering hemlock:

"We walked in a wood where hemlock was growing, a sea of white flowers."

This incident inspired the account of the meeting of Beren and Lúthien, and Tolkien often referred to Edith as "my Lúthien.

Listen to the Music!

I have had the pleasure of participating in two rounds of Mrs. Doglvrs' famous Rock & Roll Legends postal letterbox rings. Today, I'm featuring my two contributions. Both of them have the band name as a separate stamp, but I scanned them together just for fun.

Since I'm an eighties girl (graduated in '83), you know I love Blondie. This image was one I found online and I penciled in the photo. She is so striking! Don't you just want to color in her lips bright red?

(portrait stamp actual size 2" x 2-1/2")

This next one is a childhood favorite, since my parents listened to the Doobie Bros. frequently. This portrait is carved on orange PZKut (on which I recently heard you couldn't get much detail...I disagree, obviously!).

(portrait stamp actual size 2-1/2" square)

I'm hopeful that one day these stamps will live down in Portland along with the rest of the famous Musicians Series of traditional boxes.