Funky Art Queen

OMG! Can you believe it is only 5 more days until the big guy in red shoots down our chimney (or up the drier vent..... for those of us that don't have a fireplace)? Today we are finishing up our packing for our trip to see the son and new daughter-in-law in Biloxi, MS for the holidays. I know we will have so much fun together. I just want to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my blog friends and just a general Happy Holidays Greeting! I am very thankful for my blog friends. I wish you all Peace, Safety and Love for this and all seasons throughout the new year. Can't wait to see you after the new year and hear all about your holidays. Big Hugs Lesley

Sometimes , as part of my own creative self-exploration.....I try to figure out "my style" of art. Or, I try to figure out what it is I want to say with my art. Who am I? What am I passionate about? What is it I am trying to communicate through my art? So.....tapping my foot....I think very hard..... I say to myself, "self, what are you all about?" In my mind I start listing what turns me on creatively....not particularly in this order: Color and more color-bright-high saturation-orange-reds,lime greens, golden yellow-bright and cheery reds, lovely cobalt blues (high color-no pastels for me) Geometric lines and shapes and simple drawings always catch my eye Texture-I love to look at art that has texture and layers of interest. Ideas of a Whimsical nature- animals, funny things, play..... Femininity-I love how God made the female body so very beautiful and the female mind and soul so complex. Food-I love to eat good food. Though I can easily turn down the desert men...

Hey everyone, I'm sorry I have not blogged in a while. I know I told you my Dad was ill....and sure enough we lost him on November 18th. Everything has been a whirlwind since then and I just kind of felt like I should not blog....I don't know why. Anyway, no more suffering for him. It is very hard to imagine he is no longer on this earth with us. But, we (the three sisters) just keep pushing along and doing what we must do to help each other make it through this grief. Now, enough about that. But I did want to share that with you. Life really is a roller coaster isn't it? My son came home for the Thanksgiving holidays from Keesler Airforce base and he brought his precious girlfriend. Before we knew what was going on, we were having a little wedding at the courthouse. They clearly love and adore each other. They wanted to get married before Cody leaves for Afganistan in Feb next year. We love Patsy and I just have to tell all my art friends that she too is an artist...a crea...

sorry I have not posted in a bit, my father has been very sick. I have been thinking about you all though and I will post as soon as I get an opportunity! Also, does anyone know how to delete comments on blogs? I have been getting all kinds of spam like comments from "anonymous". I did change my settings for comments so "anonymous" should not be able to comment. Always someone trying to spoil our fun! Hugs Lesley

I suppose I needed a new place to wonder and work in the creative zone. Lately, I find myself attracted to quilting magazines and books. I'm loving the whole "art quilt" concept. I guess quilting always seemed a bit rigid and maybe not enough media to play with.....BOY WAS I WRONG! I bought the above book by Spike Gillespie which features many wonderful quilt artists and provides much eye candy and inspiring words. You can get it at Amazon.com for a lot less than I paid for it at B&N (mental note to self for future purpose). You know me, I could not stop, I also bought the Quilting ARts Gifts holiday issue. How could I not get it? The cover was so bright and beautiful....it seduced me! It did! Anyway, after going through that about a thousand times already in less than a week, I decided on trying one project...the legal portfolio on page 11o by Diane Rusin Doran. The first one was so hard, I had so much trouble with the directions mostly regarding the flap placement a...

Somewhere in between the laundry, housecleaning, and grocery shopping, I decided to work on fabric postcards. I finished this one. I must say that I like my first one better as it was stiffer and that is because I used a stiffer pellon. So, forgive me-oh receiver of the not-so-stiff fabric postcard. You will know who you are in a few days unless the wimpy card gets lost in a crevice of some mailmans car or something like that...oh well...."small things.....great love" lol. Then, I made fabric postcard number 3. It is a Halloween style card and it is not even worthy of a picture. Really, it looks like something a first grader would make. You still want to see? OK, here it is..... Did I scare you? This card is being mailed to a family member tomorrow. I am working on number 4 fabric postcard tonight. I think it is cool that you can send these in the mail. Please email me if you have any questions about making these. I have found a few really helpful tutorials and then I do...

OK, I Posted the Fun Fall Photo (fhoto) challenge and only a couple of you have bitten? I know that there are more of you out there that love a good photo challenge! I really hope you will share your fall photo with me for this challenge. You don't even have to have a blog (Rhea, Ronetta and Mama). I just want to see your interpretation of "fall". So get to sending! (Not mentioning any names....Renea, Lisa, Susan, Susan the Queen, Marah, Amber, Running with Scissors, Rhea, Ronetta, Mama, etc) I know you got something in your mind, go and get it. Share it sistah! Here is a pic I took of my little decoration for my front yard. I had to do something to keep up with the neighbors. Really, my neighbors go all out for Halloween. They do an inside spook house. Last year, I got some great shots of their indoors spookhouse. Really, these guys were in their living room~ CHANGING TOPICS Sorry to change topics on you so rapidly but I have to tell you about the lovely little envel...

FUN FALL FHOTO CHALLENGE Yes, I do believe it is time for a creative challenge. I think I have just the thing for ya! Did you know that I got married on the first day of Autumn? That is September 22 (25 years ago). We certainly did not plan it that way....it was just a convenient date at the time. I love the fall season. I love the colors that appear in the trees and sprinkle the ground. I love the pumpkins and all things that honor the celebration of the harvest. I remember this song we used to sing in music class way back in elementary school.... "Voices of the Autumn Winds Through the mist are calling Hum farewell to a summers going as the leaves are falling" This season makes me think of school days, riding on the school bus, football games, homecoming,Thanksgiving, Halloween, Orange, Brown, Black, baking sweets, cooking more, crafting, decorating for the holidays.....so many pleasant thoughts. What does fall make you think of? THE CHALLENGE: Send me a picture of a pho...

I made my first fabric postcard today! I enjoyed the process. I followed a couple of online tutorials (just google "fabric postcard instructions" and you will get all kinds of information.) I love the whole idea of mail art and since I'm enjoying fabric art right now....it seemed only natural to try some fabric postcards. So.....without further ramblings......here is my first fabric postcard..... One of my loyal followers will be getting this in the mail in the next few days. Today we went to Midland to get a new pump for our pond. We stopped at a few other places and ate at Texas Burger. YUM! Craig started packing for Seattle which got me inspired to start packing. (Heather is already packed). We leave Tuesday. Tomorrow will be a day of getting everything ready for our trip as we leave Tuesday morning.....I'm so excited. Will keep you posted.

"We can do no great things...only small things with great love." Mother Teresa There it is! Eureka! Ah-Ha! Elation, joy, and excitement, lights flashing, trumpets blowing! I get it! I get it! I finally get it and I'm so exited about this revelation that I can hardly write it down fast enough so that I can share it with you later on my blog. "It" has been in front of me all this time. My favorite quote, for so many years, has finally revealed to me my truth, my meaning.....the answer to the constant nagging questions burning in my heart.....Will I ever do something great?......Isn't there something far greater that God intended for me to do with my life? While asking myself these same old questions today, this quote came into my mind very strong. "Small things.....Great love". Boom! It hit me! Stop pushing so hard for that ONE GREAT THING.....that great craft book, the greatest piece of art ever, you get what I mean. Take every day and every little ...

I saw this news cast a few weeks ago and I was so excited.....you know how I love the Polaroid camera. Looks like someone is going to start making film that will work with the Polaroids. Take a look at this CBS newscast from August 30th . I never learned how to do Polaroid transfers! I have two old Polaroid cameras that still work and need film! I have like 5 pics left on one of them that I hate to use for any old pics! I love Polaroids! So Hip Hip Hooray for the people that are attempting to start up again. I will buy film from you. Did you ever have a Polaroid Camera? Do you have any Polaroid pics that you would like to share? I think it would be fun to do a polaroid pic challenge....what do you think? I would love to see them. Also, there is actually a Flickr photo sight where you can actually share real Polaroid photos. ...(don't even try to share faux Polaroids (you know the digital kind)....they will eat you up! CHANGING SUBJECTS! (Kinda) OMG! I'm so excited about my trip...

I heard another great podcasts from CraftSanity today. It was about this kid (20 year old college student in Grand Rapids Michigan) named Rob Bliss. Seriously, he is greatness and we will be hearing more about him in the future. I feel it! This young man was able to orchestrate some very fun and interesting "urban experiments" (that is what he calls them). These urban experiments were all arranged through his facebook contacts. One of the events was a huge pillow fight! Oh what fun that must have been. Take a look at this video He has used his facebook account to orchestrate several really interesting community events. One of them was a zombie walk and I know some of you will dig that. I say KUDDOS to Rob Bliss. You gotta go and listen to that podcasts and do some online googling for "urban experiments" and "Rob Bliss" to read more.

I'm already missing my blog and blog friends, what was I thinking? Don't know! I'm just meant to blog I think. What is wrong with me~!??? I just think I'm going through this whole, "I suck" thing since my book was rejected.... pity party....etc. and that is so not me. But, on a positive note, it has caused me to look closer at where I'm going with my creative life. I'm becoming more and more aware that life is about the journey and not the destination. Oh, I have heard that all my life but I'm finally getting it. My greatest joy comes from the creative process, talking about creating, and listening/seeing/reading about those who live the creative life. Today, I heard the best podcast on Craftsanity #39 about Laurie Bee ( a purse designer in Seattle). She talked about how in the beginning she loved so many crafts but she knew that she would have to narrow down to one subject or thing to be successful. Anyway, if you get a chance to listen to it,...

Well folks I have made a big decision this week while swimming downstream (ref.last post). I feel like this Funky Art Queen blog has played it's course. (Have been here for almost 4 years and 400 some odd blog posts) I have enjoyed this journey....so much. I have made some wonderful friends, learned so much. You have helped me through many trying times. You have celebrated with me and laughed with me and shared your secrets with me. I may start another blog later and if I do, I will let you know. But for now, you can visit me on facebook.....i'm not ready to give that up! Heehee Now Renea and others, don't misinterpret this and think there is something wrong with me or worry about me. I'm great, just want to move on with my life and try some other things. I'm learning about fiber arts and I want to pursue this more seriously. It just feels right. SO PEACE LOVE AND ROCK AND ROLL to all of you. Keep Creating and loving life! LOVE YOU!!! Lesley ...

Do you ever feel like you are swimming upstream...struggling against the water that is moving against you instead of with you? I heard something about this concept on a podcast today (swimming upstream) and this stimulated some thought about how I often feel I am going against the natural grain....swimming upstream instead of going with the flow. Do you understand what I am saying? Sometimes, we are trying so hard to get to a certain goal that we do not see the great things that are lying at our feet. I'm just experiencing an "ah ha moment" in my life. I am starting to figure out that I just need to live in the present and appeciate the opportunities I have now. I'm sorry if this blog seems cryptic or vague. I really just want to say to you to look at what you have now. Are you swimming upstream? Maybe you need to go with the flow.....downstream......I'm going to try to go with the flow this week.

I recently listened to a very interesting podcast about Bonnie and Clyde. .. Dow nload it here . It is just so interesting to hear the non-glamorous things I never heard about in the old Bonnie and Clyde movie. I can't help but wonder how Bonnie would have turned out if she would not have ended up with Clyde. But, I did learn that she had already married a no good guy before she even met Clyde. She was said to have been wearing the wedding ring from the first no good ass hole when she was with Clyde. (Some women are just magnets for men who are no good) She was 16 when she married ass hole number one. Makes you wonder about the dynamics of her family life....can't help myself. Now, don't get me wrong....I do not condone the criminal activity of this depression era couple. I'm just intrigued with some of the information about Bonnie and I can't help but wonder why she was attracted to man like Clyde. I also can't help but wonder if her life would have been much...

I finished this one this week. I am working on another and I have a custom order. I enjoy making these little purses. I'm thinking of making a bigger/shoulder bag for me. I prefer a shoulder strap. Also, I think they need at least a pocket for the cell phone....so I'm working on a design. It has been a quick weekend. Feels like it will be time to go back to work so quick. Looking forward to our trip to Seattle in September. It will be here before we know it. We are all so excited to go somewhere. Hope you are having a FABULOUS WEEKEND!

I finally bought my first ipod ! For several years I have wanted one. I just could not bring myself to spend over $200.00 on one (for me that is). Both of the kids and the hubby had one though. (Hello, my name is Lesley Chandler and I am a poor abused/neglected mother and wife... LOL ). I have known about podcasts for some time now and always thought that if I ever get myself an iPod that I would love podcasts ....TRUE THAT!!! Oh, first let me say that I was wrong about the price! Not all of the iPods are that expensive. They vary in terms of space and price. More space....more price. So, I got an Ishuffle for only 45.00 at walmart which says it has enough space for about 250 songs ( I believe that is what it said). So I bought it. I could not wait to get home and download Itunes . After I got all that done, I downloaded some of my favorite music using my Paypal account....YES, isn't that great?...they accept Paypal . Then, I clicked on the PODCAST section. Then ART (oh yes) ...

Help, I'm making purses and I can't stop! LOL.... Really, I am enjoying myself. This is my second art purse and I have already listed it for a friend of mine. She told me today she wanted one of my art purses.....so I reserved it on etsy for her but she may not get it. She might want a different color...more like the first one with orange/reds. I have started another Fish-a-licious purse and I have another Art Purse cut out. So, as you can see, I'm on a purse making binge. My fingers are sore for the hand-stiching. I had an idea for a triangle shaped purse.....still in the sketch stage... will keep you posted. Have a wonderful and creative weekend.

Something Fishy is going on here! Yes, I finally finished my fish handbag and I named it FISH-A-Licious which I thought was brilliant (heehee at how I entertain myself). This was my second offering for the Bags2riches contest. It was quite the ordeal in thinking about how I would make a purse look like a fish. I don't even want to go into the "why" of that project. Let's just say it is art honey and go with it. I can't explain why my brain works the way it does....I just go with it and that seems to work best for me. I'm sure that someone will like it in this world. I once read a quote somewhere (don't remember exactly how it went) that said essentially that for every piece of art, there is someone in this world that will love it. So, hope that person finds this! LOL On another note, the book proposal was rejected by PUBLISHER NUMBER ONE. Now let me first say that while I don't enjoy blogs that are dark and negative and moody, I do...

Just an update about the "Dick and Jane" purse....I mailed it today to the Bags2riches fundraiser in Indianapolis . You still have a little time left if you want to send a handbag or "coin purse" YOLI! August 20th is deadline to receive your entry.

Dick and Jane In Love Bag Originally uploaded by Funky Art Queen Do you remember the Dick and Jane readers? They might have been before your time, they certainly were before my time! LOL But, I have seen these little readers at the antique stores and I just love anything about books. My mother read to us so much when we were kids. That is probably why I love books so much these days. At any rate, I was inspired by Dick and Jane books to create this handbag. It is totally my own design.....I know it is nothing special in the way of design (just a simple box cut) but it is my own pattern! I like to use my own patterns. When creating a pattern for a fabric piece, one has to really think about the construction in terms of function .....being a right brain dominant person, that is difficult for me. So each time I construct a pattern, it is a great exercise for the left side of my brain. But on the other side (the right side of the brain) inspired me to make this purse ...

Well, I am past due for an update huh? We have a few things to cover so I will get to it. Mom wins first place on the "Lost Soles" contest. What that means to her is that she can pick any item in my shop and I will give it to her. Yay Mama! You Rock! The "Billy the Artist" last blog entry.....was a marketing tool by the marketing agency that sponsors Billy. Everyone got the same exact email. I emailed my interview and I have yet to hear from him. Oh well. Think I will send out some kind of mass marketing thingy like that for the "FUNKY ART QUEEN". Smart! I never heard of him until this little scheme. Bravo. Still like that watch! Want to know what is in this box? Oh sure you do! This is a book proposal with live samples of fabric art projects heading to the editor of a certain publishing company. Some of you already know about this because you participated in this project. Anyway, I have kind of hit on this topic since the first of the year. I finally...

Craig and I took a quick overnight trip to Granbury, Texas this weekend. We stayed at the Arbor House B&B (pic). It was a very beautiful B&B. Renea introduced me to Granbury a while back when Lisa and I went to stay with her. It is a small town with a town square that is full of quaint little shops. Craig and I arrived around noon so we shopped a little and got right to lunch at "Hanks" (FANTASTIC CHEESBURGERS HANK!) Then we got back to shopping. Finally we left town square and went to an antique store right next to Arbor House (killing time until check in at 3). Craig found some old newspapers and I picked up two wonderful cabinet photos of the same girl (2 different poses). Will scan later. We went to the B&B and checked in. I just could not wait to get to the beach! So we quickly changed into bathing suits and walked across the street to Granbury Lake Beach. We stayed at the beach most of the afternoon alternating swimming and playing with laying in the sun. F...

I still have some work to do on these paper mache letters. I finally found something to do with all the bits and pieces of things that I keep because they will be perfect for some piece of art.....some day. Today is the day! I really love this piece/grouping. LOL .....a good message don't you think? Go ahead, Laugh Out Loud.....it is very healthy and therapeutic. Today, I bought the soundtrack to Mamamia and I have enjoyed the heck out of it. I really enjoyed that movie. I have discovered that people either love it or hate it. I just think that it is so cool that Meryl Streep totally stepped out of her norm and went for the musical. She did a great job and I can't wait to see it again. It is a great girlfriends and sisters movie. I highly recommend that you go and get it and go to your girlfriends house and watch it and....oh....I don't know......LAUGH OUT LOUD! Let me know if you do and how it goes.

Happy 50th Beautiful Renea! My BFF's I can't tell you how much these two girls mean to me. I love them and I feel so blessed that God sent them to me. I am so happy to have them in my life. I just know that we cross paths with women in our lives because God means for us to. We have our mother, our sisters, and our dear friends, and our best friends......all meeting different needs in us....all part of the bigger plan that we could not even begin to imagine. Forgive me, I watched Mamamia this weekend and it touched me on the sisterhood topic.....so bare with me I am feeling mushy. One of my BFF'S (no names will be mentioned... Pocket Full of Prettys/Renea so don't worry) turned 50 this weekend. So, to celebrate, we had a grown up girls slumber party at the other BFF's house(Wild Over Wine)....pool included. We had such a great time.....we drank wine... some of us more than others, sat in the pool,( I dived in the pool looking for my lost earring only to find out lat...

Well who'd a thunked it? My mom, is the first person to send me an entry for the Lost Soles Challenge~! (above pic) Well, I should say my sister is first but she sent a "lost sole" pic about a week before I posted the challenge so she is in the challenge but not necessarily first. Now, I have to have other pics or I will have to choose between my mom and my sister's entry......heehee....I will just give them both a prize.......ME! LOL.....this could be bad.....real bad.......not only am I subjecting my Mother and my sister to my weird ideas and taking them on my weird journeys.....I'm making them leave proof that they are weird too. HEEHEE---LOVE IT!!! Here is the funny part.....my sister says this challenge and my weird love for the photo of the "lost sole" reminds her of the time my mother threw her shoes out the window because she did not like the new shoes my mother bought her. I do not remember this event but she does....vividly. How funny! Maybe t...

July 6th was Frida's birthday. I finished this Frida house this weekend to honor her. Frida was such an interesting person. I have always enjoyed learning about her and studying her art. Happy Belated Birthday Frida! Short entry today, gotta go for my morning walk! Happy Hump Day All!

childs shoe in front of hs Originally uploaded by Funky Art Queen I'm starting to wonder if I am the only one that sees all these single shoes on the road. This is not the first time I have addressed this isue on my blog . I see at least one single shoe every day on the highway or a street in town. I don't understand where all these shoes come from. Every time I see a shoe on the road, I wonder how it got there.?.....I wonder what story goes with the shoe. If it is a childs shoe like this one, I wonder if a mother is going crazy searching the house for this shoe? Why just one shoe and not the pair of shoes?! I see shoes on the road all the time. They are just not always in the most convenient places for photographing. But, on occasion, these single shoes are in a location that I feel comfortable enough to stop and photograph them. The particular shoe was spotted in front of the Big Spring High School on 11th place. It was late evening in the summer so I felt very comfortable in...