Corky Name?

While we were shopping this weekend, I spotted a few inspirations. Anthropologie had some interesting decorations using wine bottle corks to celebrate Earth Day. They were large designs hanging in the windows with clothing. Some corks were dyed and others were layered. Really cool effect!


I thought I could take the concept and do something smaller. (I also like to think of things for Christmas gifts!) Plus we have oodles of corks around our apartment...

Framed family names have been popular in the past few years, whether they are crocheted or photographed objects spelling out the name, so I thought why not corks? I took all the corks we had and spelled out our name on a random piece of fabric. Not the best choice of color, but it's all I had. Then I mocked it up in photoshop as if it were framed. I think there is a lot of potential and variation for a project like this. I really want to play around with layering the corks and painting them, but that's for another day. For now, here's my quick idea:

What do you think? Would you hang something like this in your home?
(Sorry, not the best photo)_____________________________________________________________________

On a totally separate note, I'm really ready for summer and continuously enjoyable weather to be here. This rainy, icky junk is starting to get on my nerves....
We were lucky enough to have a few sunny days this weekend while my parents were visiting Chicago. We took a trip to our local Home Depot and picked up a few supplies for my "Porch Garden!" Our landlord had agreed to help us create a rooftop garden, however the access to the roof is too difficult to attempt every day and can't be done easily by one person. So, I think its back to the porch idea, which will hopefully prove successful!

We don't get a ton of sun since our porch faces north, but I put the pots on the west side, so hopefully they will get enough sun to grow. I'm excited to have some working space on the porch now since we created this little bench! I think the grill will have to be moved once I start planting though!

One last photo for inspiration. Easter Sunday ended up being a really nice day, but the Cubs failed to take advantage of it. I do believe they lost this game in the very first inning. Ugh...

Lungskulls [a rainy day doodle]

Lately I have made numerous attempts at creativity, only to be stopped dead in my tracks by that colorful demon called laziness. I will try to blame the weather that has been quite gloomy, but also my kitties have been super cuddly, and those cuddles often end in naps.

A quick update on my projects. The altered book journey has hit a few road bumps. I have not yet received a book to work on!!! There has been communication and an artist will be withdrawing, but still no book. I hate being a pain in the arse, but I really want to get started on this!

The T-shirt quilt. I have gotten out the sewing machine and shirt squares a few times, but just cannot bring myself to sew more than one square at a time. (if that!) Perhaps I am not a sewing girl...who knows. I am afraid that with summer approaching this project will not see progress unless there is a long stretch of rainy days.

But there is some good news to share! On one of the latest rainy days, I got out my trusty sketchpad and just started doodling. The TV was on and I was too lazy (surprise, surprise) to mute the commercials like I normally do. One of those asthma commericals came on with an animation of lungs showing how the medicine works. Somehow, that lung image must have stuck in my head and a few minutes later I had produced this lovely piece.

"Lungskulls"

It is just a rough sketch/doodle, but I intend to work on this some more and have fun with it. The hubs said it looked like an anti-smoking ad! He suggested I add a cigarette hanging out of one of the mouths! I have a few other ideas, so we shall see...