Everyone is talking.......
Everyone wants to know.............
As soon as possible.........
Please...........
Is it possible?
To...........advance the creative possiblities
of Photograpy............
Inspiring women want to know...........will I become visual rather than technical.........
and in the end become a symbol of the progressive movement?
There are many things in this world.....that have become pretty much useless. This happens for a variety of reasons. Things sometimes just simply outlive their original intended purpose. Such is the case of the matchbook. Back in the days when smoking was the fashion, they were a "hot", pardon the pun, form of advertisement, as well as a light. Now, that smokers have almost become extinguished.......(did it again).......the matchbook no longer has a reason to carry on. But fear not, along came paper artists, and revived them............gave them a new meaning.........which is to live on in their creations. 
I know this because I go to the Salvation Army drop off station at least once a month, and so do about 500 of my closest friends.
We are poised behind a yellow shaggy rope waiting for the rolling tables, filled as high as they can be without toppling over, to make an appearance. We wait for the goodies donated by unsuspecting dumpster heroes. Then instinctively we know when it is time to pounce on the table. Grabbing first and then looking at what we have in our hands later. There are rules........no making eye contact, no talking, because you cannot do two things at the same time....especially when there is serious business at hand...and be sure you are pulling a small cart that looks like a milk carton carrier on wheels. You will be ridiculed if you use a large shopping basket or cart. After about 20 minutes the tables are wheeled away with people hanging onto the sides, trying to dig their heels into the concrete.....but never fear........if that treasure has escaped you ..........there are many more tables waiting nearby with promise to come.
Sometimes people are kind and will hand over something you have been lusting after.......but mostly they keep it themselves.......... all the while you knowing that they don't have a clue what they are going to do with it. It is the thrill of the hunt that always drives them on. Which now brings me to a question........if you give something away that you do not care about, or even like is that really giving it away with the purest intentions? Just a random question trying to blend in here, but seriously.........what do you think?
So, it continues.........the search for new uses of pretty much useless stuff, from matchbooks to the bounty of the Salvation. All that limits you is your imagination.
Halloween People Circus Swag!
Strange Girls Pop Up!
Guess Who's Coming to Halloween Pop UP?
Witchful Thinking Pop Up!
And Goodnight to Halloween From the House of Tiddley Winks!
Non-Religious Halloween Eye-Con
Mrs. Sweety Todd......preparing just desserts for Halloween Treats!
May Two Old Bats Join the Party?
You can "shoes" your friends, but you are stuck with your Hallowed Relatives
Skeleton Spa in Pompeii
Between the Devil and Dogzilla
Halloween Triple Threat
Still hungry........more Halloween on the go.......to take out later.................Run, Run, Run.......as fast as you can.......you can't catch me.............I'm the Gingerbread Man......or Gingerbread Person to be politically correct..................I'm off to another project!
I am more than a little "eggxcited".........The Wondrous Winter Fete is over, a wonderful time was had, and many new acquaintances were made. Thank you Kimberlee and Melissa for working so hard to put this ..........your first Winter Fete idea into action. The guests I spoke with were pleased with the quality, variety and uniqueness of the offerings by the artists. Again......I had my camera with me, but did not take one picture......not even one of my own table. I think I am not paying attention to the rules of blogging 101................take pictures lots of pictures. It is safe to assume by now that I have been more wordy than visual. I guess the thought being that if there are only words then everyone can use their imaginations about what is being said. No? OK I promise to do better in the future and take more pictures for visual inspiration.
I do have some individual pictures of some of the pop ups I made for the show. They were a hit...............funny how sometimes last minute projects seem to resonate the best. I think the thing about the pop ups is that because they are attached to small dowels they can be stuck and displayed in so many places for Halloween. Like the paper decorations from the past they look old, but do not require pins or tape to hold them, so they won't rip when being put away for next year. They can be placed in even the darkest corner to give it a festive touch. Something else I like to do is use my art work over and over in different ways after the original piece has been created. In this pop up........Nemrod the little dressed clown figure is a picture of a cloth figure that was made.
This dashing couple have a Fatal Attraction to Halloween. I sure they never figured when their picture was taken that they would end up this way. This would also be a fun way to use pictures of your relatives from the past that were just off the boat. I like to use pictures of my relatives, friends, pets etc. in my art work as often as possible. I wonder why no one likes to pose for me anymore.
The boys of Halloween in a Trick or Treat state of mind...........maybe you have some pictures of yourself in your costume........nothing like the present to make those memories of yours come alive.
The glitter on the shoes really makes this man, a werewolf catcher, as it does on all the pop ups. Hmmmmmmmm maybe this might be a way of playing a Halloween prank on a neighbor instead of toilet papering his yard. What would be even more fun is to make this pop up life size and put it in your yard or his.......or maybe prop it up by the door for all the neighborhood Trick or Treaters to see. Your local copy store can make large size figures.
These two are ready for some Punkin Dunkin........... OK enough already.......you get the idea, or should I say the picture. Which gives me an idea..........here really are some pictures to get you started making your own Halloween pop ups.......oh but first I could not resist...........my dogs on the bodies of my grandfather and great grandmother...........they look so elegant!
I need to get busy and make this into a pop up........the relatives are coming for Halloween! Here are some pictures for you to transform.............hurry it's almost Halloween!
Last Girl Standing..........
Albert and Cora
A come hither Halloween figure.
Take one, take all the family members for your Halloween pop up.......go have some fun.......it would be interesting to see how they all end up.
The dormant vines out the back door wait throughout the winter. 
In the chilly early morning air, ease on down the road to check the temperature and start the wind machines because this morning the reading is almost 32 degrees.
It is almost sunrise over the vineyard. 
After the temperature warms up, it will be time to turn off the wind machines, and the tractor work begins again.
This is the end result of all the watchful care. Beautiful bunches of grapes that are beginning to ripen and now wait to be harvested. We harvest now at night with lights. The grapes arrive at the winery cool and in good condition if picked at night.
Andrew, our grandson, is inspecting some night harvested grapes, before the stems are removed.
Our daughter Taylor, who is part of the winemaking team, loading night harvested Pinot Noir grapes. This is only the beginning of what looks to be a long slow harvest. Pray for no rain until after harvest is complete, and plenty of sunshine.
