Prairie Rose Henderson pages

I think Prairie Rose is one of the best cowgirls of the Old West. She was a rodeo star. She rode broncs!! Also did barrel racing, trick riding, calf roping, you name it! She was the first cowgirl to actually wear pantaloons to ride horses. Prairie Rose was handy with a needle and thread, too! She sewed her own costumes. I had a beaded bit of fabric in my stash so I used it on her pages. I thought that perhaps that beaded bit could have been part of one of her costumes (well, not really, but it is nice to make up these things!). The denim ruffle at the bottom of the page is actually from a little girl's skirt that I found in a thrift shop. Just cut off the ruffle and used some of it here. I am going to use parts of the skirt in other projects.

On Tuesday I am off to Virginia to visit my son and his family. My granddaughter's fifth birthday is Wednesday and my son's birthday is next Saturday. Big family birthday party next Sunday to celebrate. Can't wait!

After I get back (July 27th), I want to have a give-away going on my blog. So stay tuned!

Cowgirl Up! Pages

Sorry I have been absent for so long. Just have a lot to do that doesn't involve any creating. This weekend is the birthday sale at Merchant Square. That means pricing and taking stuff up to my booth to get ready for the sale.

Been working on finishing up my pages for a fat book collaboration I signed on to do. The pages are due by Aug. 1 to the hostess. Had to get them done this week and in the mail because next week I will be in Virginia for a visit. My granddaughter and son are having birthdays next week. I must be there!! I had birthday shopping to do so I could get packages into the mail for next week.

Here is a peek inside of the Cowgirl Up! fabric book I just finished. Love the heart made out of a quilt piece. Little Ruby Culbertson appears again. This is one of my favorite images. She was a real cowgirl wannabe as the left page says. Too cute!

My next adventure into the KC Willis Collage Camp is Altars and Shrines in her Mixed Media Mania. Am now in the collecting stage for a box in which to build a shrine. Hmm! Wonder what I will use inside??

Are you headed to Art Unraveled in two weeks?? I will attend the Shopping Extravaganza. Always want to see what is new! Hope it will be successful this year. This economy is terrible!!

Cowgirl Up!

Here is the next fabric book that I have completed. This one is going to be a class project. All cowgirls of the West.View of the bottom. This one is filled with lots of fringe, denim ruffles (found on a denim skirt in the girls section of Goodwill), and plenty of cowgirls.

I am going to offer this as a class. No date yet. The class will have plenty of techniques (learned in KC Willis Collage Camp -- I have permission) in it to satisfy even those who have done fabric books before. Time to Cowgirl Up!

Sweet Things fabric book

I started this next fabric book over the weekend. Kim has told me that customers at Mystic Paper that have asked if I am going to do a fabric book. The answer is YES!! And Sweet Things is the first one. I wanted to do something totally different from the Prairie Doves fabric book. This is where I started. Lots of girlie fabrics, lace, whites and off whites, and plenty of color. There will be lots of neat ideas tucked inside as well. I will update you as I get pages done. Once this one is completed and on Mystic Paper's class schedule, I am going to do another one very similar to Prairie Doves for all the cowgirls out there!!

I really have enjoyed KC Willis Collage Camp and strongly encourage you to look at the link and then sign up. You won't regret it!

Prairie Doves, the last pages

These are the last two pages. This is Ruth Roland with her horse, Joker. Ruth was a famous silent film star in the 19-teens and 20's. She often starred in westerns and performed some famous escapes on horseback from the bad guys. I don't believe I have ever seen a western with her in it. Silents aren't my thing. I bought an old leather skirt at a thrift store and that is the backing behind the photo and the lace. Also an old bandana from a thrift store is on the opposite page. This book was the perfect place to use these.

Got to find a source for small rusty stars and hearts soon. My supply is dwindling. Suggestions anyone? Online or otherwise. Sure do miss Craftmart (all you East Valley dwellers will know what I am talking about).

Prairie Doves 3

Here are the next two pages in the Prairie Doves book. This is Prairie Rose Henderson. She was a champion bronc rider!! BRONC RIDER!!! After some research I discovered that she was popular in the rodeos, made her own costumes, and dared to actually wear fancy pantaloons (which she probably made herself) when riding! Women in the early 1900's just didn't wear "pants" without a long skirt. Prairie Rose found those long skirts just didn't suit when ridin' broncs!! Now there's a real woman of the West! The quote says "Bronc ridin' is more fun than cookin' and cleanin'. Prairie Rose Henderson." I used a bit of glitz that I thought might have been on one of her fancier costumes and an old bead necklace that she might have worn. What a gal!!! Certainly couldn't picture her cookin' and cleanin'!!

Prairie Doves 1

Here is a pic of the first two pages of the Prairie Doves fabric book I created for the challenge on KC Willis Collage Camp. The quote on the left says "Life out here in the West is darned hard. You either compete with the men or for the men. Most ain't worth the trouble. A Prairie Dove." The picture on the right is Lulu Parr. She was a rodeo star. I framed her picture with a piece of tatting sewn down with a zigzag stitch. This was a fun challenge! Besides, I think I will make another book.

Another picture tomorrow! Stay tuned!

KC Willis' challenge

KC sent out a challenge to the collage camp members to make a piece using recycled materials. Nothing store-bought except the transfer paper. Use second hand fabrics, doo-dads and trims. Well, I couldn't pass that challenge up! Most everything in my stash is from thrift stores, antique malls, yard sales and estate sales. I've been wanting to do a fabric book, so this was the perfect time to accept the challenge and dive right in. Here is the book titled "Prairie Doves." I wanted it to portray both the cowgirls of the West as well as the ladies of the evening.Here is a pic of the book from the bottom edge. It is filled with fabric, lace, trims and doo-dads.

That's all for this time! Want to get you to come back and see more of the inside pages of this book!