Art for Art’s Sake
Well, this has been a pretty hectic week. As a Girl Scout co-leader, I had to help arrange our tribute to Ireland for Thinking Day. Being Puerto Rican, I was somewhat at a loss, but managed to help our leader pull it off without a hitch. One of the things the Girl Scouts do is swap tiny handmade items indicative of the country being represented. This year, we made beaded pins picturing a shamrock, using beads in white, green, and orange:
Cute, yes? Try making eighty of them, then get back to me. Still, it may not be on par with true art, but I did think they came out nice. Our Scout leader says every troop makes beaded swaps once….once…. I’m pretty sure this was it for our troop.
During my break while not bleeding Irish, I decided to do a bit of art of my own. This is a gift I made for my mom for Mother’s Day:
It’s a good thing she doesn’t know I blog. I altered a printer’s tray and even made a book to fill in with photos and memorabilia. And yes, I do plan to make one for myself, as well. I may not paint or sketch, but I can do lots of neat stuff with pretty paper 
. Lastly, for The Glorious Lemur King:
By Kiyochika (1867-1915)
Nikko I, from the series of Nippon Haisho Zue (place of scenic beauty in Japan); printed 1896; publisher: Matsuki Heikichi. Sorry for the low resolution, but kid has my camera, and had to use the iPhone to take the pic. I had two woodcuts, but hubby gifted his twin brother one of them. And with that, enjoy the artistically-bent open thread 
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Oooh, me likes! All that exploitation of negative spaces me likes muchly.
I think that is the main attraction for me, LK.
Funny how we see this as art, and the Nipponese of the 19th century probably saw it as crass commercialism of the tourism industry
Cute pins! You made 80 of them? What did the girls contribute to the effort??
And I am envious of scrapbooky types. I can’t do that stuff to save my life. My aunt made us a wedding album using that kind of thing and I have not seen a need to get any other kind of album – hers is way too cool.
Oh, they tried to do these, but I ended up making most of them, since they kept miscounting. They also decorated the posterboard, as well as taught the other girls a craft. And most helped the mommies cook the cookies, too. Oh yeah, we kept them busy
Nicole, all it is is cut-up paper
Love the Japanese print. I’m partial to the art from Japan from that time period, though I have to wonder after reading your post if the Japanese people of the time would have regarded this as something to hook tourists with, lol.
Looks like you had fun doing the bead projects with the girl scouts.
Very nice print indeed. Would like to get to the land of the rising sun at least one more time before I toddle off this little blue ball. Interesting country and people (same goes for Korea).
And kudus for the nice bead work, hope the girls appreciate what was being done. *Love the g-scout cookies btw, have 9 boxes of cookie goodness in the pantry. Just arrived two days ago.*
Just paper, she says.
And lots of patience and glue. 
The girls did help with the beaded pins, Guy, but they were somewhat confused and a bit frustrated
LOTS of glue, Nicole….I must have fourteen different kinds!
So, what are you doing to celebrate the _other_ famous Celtic saint who’s recognized during March? St. David, patron saint of Wales. March 1.
(Leeks or Daffodils–either will do nicely.)
Well, I am particularly fond of daffodils, David. And I love cooking with leeks!
What to do, what to do….
I love cooking and then taking a leak on daffodils.
BTW, anyone wanna buy 500 boxes of GS cookies?