Crochet Headband, with cable!

I taught myself to crochet a few years ago and have made a few simple things, but I started a project from a magazine last fall for this headband/earwarmer. I foolishly thought I'd be finished it by Winter. Ha!

I finally completed it on a recent camping trip. It's made of plum cashmere yarn, so it should make a cozy-boho Fall addition.

I'm specifically excited about this because it is the first time I have followed a pattern that included adding and subtracting stitches, plus making a crocheted CABLE, yo! I hereby declare this a departure to the next level in my crochet skills.

Porno Portraits

One of the themes that I am most interested in is female archetypes. The Temptress, the Mother, the Crone, the Virgin, etc...
I started these little portraits of women from pornography as a study of these roles and expectations, using images and mixed media (aka butterflies and glitter!) with the paintings to add a tongue-in-cheek reference to a "girlie" aesthetic.
The idea is not to glorify the porn, but rather to find the mother (thus all the boobies), the innocent teenaged girl, archetypes of the women within the sex object. (i.e. it's a feminist comment, so haters: don't bug me)

These are the first, more to come!

Ron & Gary

Oh the possibilities!

Square Foot Fertility

This is a piece I painted for the Square Foot Show (Twist Gallery, 1100 Queen St. W, August 4-19), looking at the concept of "fertility" through the fairly obvious symbolism of children and flowers. I've been thinking of Victorian-esque almost religious images like these (in particular in portraiture) for a while now, and I usually use the Square Foot Show as an opportunity to try out new ideas.

The Bleach Splatter Dress!

Summer is all about projects!  I've been wanting to try this for a while, based on a dress I saw in a store a few years ago.  I bought this cheap cotton dress from H&M ($17 I think) with this idea in mind, and I'm thrilled with the result.  A little clorox, a toothbrush, a rubber glove, and a lecture from my paramedic friend about forgetting to wear safety glasses...

and now I have a new favourite dress!

                                   

Coconut Cream Pie

All natural, from scratch.

Garden Gnomes

Every year, my Spring Science teaching revolves around making a vegetable garden with my students.

Mixing soil from our worm composter (ew! Worm poo!) with peat and potting soil.

Making signs.  That one is for a Sunflower.

 Plant the seeds...

Make an Observation Log

Growth!

Log that growth...

Plant in the community garden!