d.i.y maccaroni angels

 

As anyone who has partaken of organized crafting for the youth can tell you, there is a fantastic array of things that can be done with pasta.  Not only does almost everyone love to eat it, but in its uncooked state, it may be implemented for artistic purposes.  I have been trying to make the switch toward eating whole grain/wheat things to replaced their highly refined and deliciously unhealthy counterparts, and so while you take my advice and do the same, you might as well get rid of your bad pasta by making a tiny creature from it.

For this project, one will require...

hot glue

paint

-per angel

one spherical shape, or wood bead, for the head,

a total of six elbow maccaroni

one bowtie pasta piece

one manicotti or other tube-like pasta piece,

a tiny handful of acini de pepe, for the angel's hair

 The maccaroni is the least obvious part for assembly, basically two pieces make up the arms, glued on either side of the tubular pasta body.  then, at each end of the tube body, a pair of maccaroni are glued so that their open ends connect to face each other, making a donut shape.  As for all the other pieces, you pretty much just glue it on there. 

Once their bodies are assembled, they have only to be painted and given tiny faces.  Or you can leave them faceless.  You can also omit the wings if you want them to be a little less angel-specific.

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A good-sized collection I came upon was the series of war-themed youth novels, from the World War I and II era.  They feature beautifully painted cover art, exciting and dangerous situations helping alies and fighting foe, and all-American kid heroes.

s t i t c h e d - 2

Hungarian heart

fiber salami

I always have a lot of projects going, and it is rare that I finish them, but as of late I have been getting a lot more enjoyment out of sewing and so my textile projects have begun to see themselves to completion.

The first was  project adapted from a beautiful Hungarian honey cake (mezeskalacs) place mat I found at madewithlovebyhannah.com.

The second is an attempt at quilted salami, and it turned out more homely than I and planned, but continues to look quaint.

Forever Taxidermy

Everlasting menagerie

winged sphere

elaborate battle scene

I believe that I am addicted to taxidermy.  I may have always been, but I first noticed the problem when my father and I took a trip to Southern France in 2003, during which we went to what has now become undoubtedly my favorite museum -  La Musee, Chateau D'Oiron.  It is a contemporary art museum - by far the best - located in a 17th Century Chateau.  The existing ornate gilded architecture goes miraculously with the whimsical art pieces on display there, many of which feature taxidermy.

Let it be known also that I adore animals and in no way condone poaching or hunting for sport, all the same, the preservation of beasts for artistic and scientific study is something which I find thoroughly aesthetically pleasing.   It is clear that wonders in this medium can be done.

Pickled two-headed kitten

avian specimen collection

 

miss world virginity 1974 - Carole Laure

 Dusan Makavejev's 1974 masterpiece Sweet Movie has captivated my attention since I first saw it two years ago.  I could easily rave about every aspect of it - the lavish sets and costumes, the intricate Marxist themes which I still don't fully grasp, the swinging bed filled with sugar - but instead I will focus only on one point.

Canadian actress and comedienne Carole Laure plays one of the central roles in this lush and complex film.  The character of Miss Canada rarely speaks, and is taken helplessly on a journey around Europe, and she limply allows for a great number of things to happen to her along the way.  I highly recommend this movie to anyone, but I will forewarn you that there is a lengthy scene involving coprophagia. 

in a glamorous eskimo parka

covered in chocolate

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A beautiful set of images belonging to the University of Tulsa's Department of Special Collections are the portraits of American chiefs from various tribes.  They are pencil and pastel, by artist John Gunter.

creations

Cozies in plenty, ranging from $10.00 to $45.00

The stuffed animals that I have been making have found a home in the developing craftorium over at my friend Marlis' house.  We are combining creative forces to learn how to make things and better things that have already been made.  A cozy photo shoot was in order yesterday, while the sewing machine was in the sewing machine hospital.

The cozies sewn from cream-colored linen looked especially good on Marlis' turquoise background.

Although, really, anything looks good with this color.  Here are the cozies made from an old set of bedclothes. 

Sleeping Bear

Jackrabbit

another raccoon-type bear, or maybe a wolverine?

Posie has also been enjoying crafting, here she is pictured as a live cat playing with a toy cat.

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