"Ties That Bind" Update

I wrote a while back about an art doll my sister, Jan Brown, designed and constructed from decorated ties and charms that various artists across the country sent her to be auctioned off in September. (click on auction for information about the raffle to win her.) Now there is a book!

This book is an extention of the art doll....another part of the project that will carry on our collaborative spirit.

All proceeds from this book go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

This book is filled with gorgeous photos of the doll and some of the individual art contributions. In addition and most importantly, the Ties That Bind book captures the spirit of hope, courage, faith and love. It is bursting with inspirational quotes and stories. This book is not just about the artists or images but about what their art expresses. The content is directed towards those that need or appreciate encouragement and inspiration not just in art but in life itself.

During the design process, it became clear that artist recognition was not the only reason to design this book, but more to let the art shine. And shine it does! The finished book emerged from the idea of showcasing the artists and their work. However, it did not take long to realize that the book was much much more.

Although we could not feature each and every piece of art submitted nor could we include all the artists bios, quotes and stories that were sent in we tried our very best! Content, cost, limited space and the flavor of the book made it impossible to include everything. This book features the strong spirit of the entire Ties That Bind project. Of course, ALL artists who contributed art for the project are credited in the book!!!!

The book is a professionally bound 7x7 book of high quality. It can be ordered either as a hardcover image wrapped book or a softcover book.

You can peek at and purchase a copy of the book at the following link:

http://tinyurl. com/lesnkv

*If you have a problem with the above link you can also go to
http://www.blurb. com and type in the search window at the top the following: artfulaileen
and click on the book that comes up or you can go to the TTB blog and click on the book prevew in the sidebar.

Nature Around My World

6 a.m. on the West Coast. I used to be a night owl most all my young life but these days I can't sleep in and often relish the peaceful quietness of early mornings. The crickets have ceased their nightsong and the birds have taken over. I watch the fog swirl in and around the mountains causing the tops to look like islands floating in air. I pour a cup of coffee, sit and look out the large windows that bank the front of my rounded house to the rolling hills down to the Monterey Bay.


A spotted towhee is resting on an olive branch while doves flit across the sky. Now the cats are at the screen door wanting breakfast. This is how I begin my day.


We heard the screams of a large cat animal again last night. What we believe is a mountain lion (see previous post). Not as close to the house this time but farther down the canyon from my garden. It sounded different, not so human. Perhaps because it was farther away or maybe it wasn't the same cat? Maybe a bobcat instead. We do see the bobcats from time to time. We had a family of them living around the curve of our driveway. Once while I was taking a walk down our drive I rounded the corner to see a bobcat about 40 feet in front of me. It stopped, turned and looked right at me! Then it padded off. I followed and as it disappeared around the bend I wondered would it be crouching in wait to pounce at me? Then I told myself that was silly. As I rounded the next curve there was the bobcat stopped again, turning to watch me. Then it veered off down the mountainside. It was a unique experience. As I passed the spot I saw him leave the road I looked around but didn't see a sign of of him.



I need to finish my coffee and begin to load some things in my car as I'm headed to Berkeley today to meet with Jennifer and finalize our plans for the trip to Art Unraveled.

Beware the Mountain Lion

Last night around 9:30 I was in bed reading with the door and window open. I heard a strange sound but when I listened carefully I heard only the crickets. Then again the sound and then nothing. About ten minutes later the sound was close (near my studio for those who know my property) and it sounded like a woman screaming. I called for my husband who was in the front part of the house and asked if he'd heard that. He said that it was just our kitties running on the roof. I said no I didn't hear that I'm talking about that screaming, you better come here and listen. We soon realized it wasn't human, but sounded so much like it at times. We turned on the outside lights but couldn't see anything and once we yelled it was quiet again. We came back inside and soon there were the screams again. Very close. Real eerie sounding. We just knew it was a mountain lion (puma or cougar). This morning we walked about and saw some large paw prints that could only be a mountain lion's. So I guess we have to be careful when we're out walking past dusk to and from our studios and to remember to carry a big stick. If you're approached by a lion you're suppose to look as big as you can and be aggressive by facing them, talking sternly to them, and walk away slowly. I sure hope I could do this and not run away screaming at the top of my voice!

It's not unusual for mountain lions to be here, after all, I do live in the mountains. I read reports in local papers about these cougars attacking runners or hikers but I also read it's not in their nature to attack unless they think it's prey. Some cougars have been reported in city neighborhoods and I read they are shot. I am hoping we wouldn't have to shoot one if we encounter it. They mostly keep to themselves and if we can just not surprise one into attacking we'll be fine, I hope. That's my plan.

Here's a link to what one sounds like. The scream we heard last night seemed a little higher pitched than this but you'll get the idea!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKw4OFAu1WM&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Epictures%2Dof%2Dcats%2Eorg%2FMountain%2DLion%2DSounds%2Ehtml&feature=player_embedded

BTW, our two cats were safe.

Hats & Blooms

I guess I lied about posting images of the hat I am making. I was unable to finish it when I discovered I didn't have any brim wire. So I am posting images of some fabulous hats Jennifer just finished. These will be for sale at Art Unraveled on vendor day. The flower pins attached to the hats are samples of the flowers that will be made in the hat making class at AU. Dyed china silk, organza, dupioni, and charmeuse silks using shibori and resist techniques as well as solid dyeing for leaf fabrics will be done in the first 3 hours part of the class. The next full day of class the flowers pins and hats will be constructed. I know that making a hat sounds like a monumental project but believe me this is easy and you only need to have minimal sewing skills! A length of ribbon is sewn in the hat to form a casing that elastic is threaded through to fit around the head and then the brim wire is sewn around the edge of the hat and that's it. The great thing about the hat is that is will be made to fit you!

The hats Jennifer is modeling in these pics are more advanced than the hats we'll be creating in class, there's more stitching on these.

High School Graduation

My youngest son Tony graduated from high school this last Friday. Of course we're proud of him and he is so happy to be through with it!



My parents had been visiting and during that visit my mother-in-law turned 92 so we had our annual birthday party at Seacliff Beach. It was a little cool at the beach and somewhat overcast but that is how our weather has been for weeks now???

It's June, where's the sun? it only peeks out long enough to tease us. I tend to get mild depression when too many gloomy days crop up. My cure is to exercise more but I have been a slug. Each day I say I will start an exercise program. Finally yesterday I walked my driveway, you laugh? My drive is over a 1/3 mile long and is very steep so the climb back up sometimes requires the imaginary rope to make it to the top. If you want to check it out on Google Earth let me know and I'll send you my address! So today I'll get back out there and it's a start.

I have to get my studio in some sort of order as my friend Jennifer is coming to stay with me for a few days and we're going to work on our slip dresses and organize everything for Art Unraveled. Here's our new hang tags.



I'll be back with my next post of a hat I'm working on that is like the hats we'll be teaching students to make at AU.

The Ties That Bind

I'm proud to announce that my sister, Jan Brown, was instrumental in creating a fabulous, almost life size, art doll using neck ties and charms that artists from all over the country produced. There is a blog where you can read all about the doll and how you can buy raffle tickets to win her!! All the money raised in this raffle is to be donated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and will be tax deductible.

The doll has been to Stampington Press to be photographed for an article that will be in Art Doll magazine but I have yet to find out which issue, sometime this summer. I'll come back and post when I find out.

Go here to view more images of the doll. She really is a work of art and is a wonderful contribution to help raise money for a worthy cause.

The Garden ~ A Work in Progress

Laying out grounds may be considered a liberal art, in some sort like poetry and painting.

~ Wordsworth



The garden path is completed, the seeds are sprouting, and seedlings rising up to soon proclaim their bounty.

I remember a story I read to my kids over and over of Toad and Frog in the Garden. Toad planted seeds and would not leave the garden while he waited for the seeds to sprout. He became very impatient thinking they should poke through the ground immediately and he fretted over what was wrong. He watered, and in the end even sang to the seeds trying to get them to grow.

Planting a garden is work but it's contemplative work. Then you wait for the harvest. Of course during that wait you have to weed a lot and water and sometimes fight with the pests.

Here are pictures of green bean plants, tomatoes, gourd seedlings, squash, and the last blooms of the bearded iris. I think I snuck a picture of one of my cats in there, it would be Moo lazing in the sunshine.