~October 2008~ El Día de los Muertos Halloween has always been a favorite holiday of mine. Throughout the years I have made many costumes, some simple some more elaborate. All with the desire to be someone else for a brief time. Now that I garden, and live in a more Hispanic area, Day of the Dead has a little more influence. I celebrate the end of the growing season. The little deaths in my life that will make way for new things to grow in the coming year. I love the imagery of this holiday and its spirit for honoring and remembering those that have passed on. Remember the Dead

The Beaded Journal Project is a year long challenge that asks participants to create a fabric journal page for each month that captures the experience of that month, for the artist. We began this journey in September 2008. I chose to create a shrine style page with the concept of a sculptural book that would both stand and have doors that opened onto the beaded pages. The project has gone through different phases of development and is not yet complete. Finishing a project of this nature (hiding the stitching, making all surfaces presentable) is turning out to be a challenge. This is the first time I have done beaded artwork on this level. I am excited about what I have learned so far.

Each shrine page will close with a tied ribbon and the back will have a written statement about the piece. Each piece is machine quilted using a variety of printed, batik, and hand-painted fabrics, then embellished with ribbon, lace, trim and beads. The beads are glass beads in many sizes, shapes and types.

You can follow and read more about this series on my blog Sheba Kitty Productions

The Backs

tied closed fronts