Framed leaf collages... (oh yeah, Friday cat blogging!)

How in the world did the year pass by so quickly? The older I get the faster the years go. Oy.

I have a show on Sunday afternoon - a shortie, from 1pm to 4pm, but sales have been brisk in the past. I hope that tradition carries on this year! I'm making some of my leaf collages for this show, although I stopped making them for other shows; I am trying to use up some of my frames, which take up much needed storage space!

I gather leaves in the fall, dry and press them, and then carefully sew them onto paper. I've learned which leaves just crumble and which are more hearty to being punctured. They are then incorporated into little ensembles or single images, with Japanese papers of varying textures.

Some of the maple varieties here in Montreal have been infested with a type of fungus the past couple years, that results in icky black "tar spots" - even framing cannot help those poor leaves! I do like some of the leaves with little spots and imperfections though - makes for interesting images and contrasts...

Voilà! Here's a finished one. I'll try to take more photos of the other ones I complete for Sunday.

My poor neglected cats... Well, THEY're not neglected, but since I haven't been blogging, Friday Cat Blogging kinda went down the toilet. Sorry about that. Here are some shots I took last month, of the world's most beautiful calico kitty, my Chibi. (yes, the backdoor window is rather scuzzy)

Look at that face.

And here is a cat haiku that my sis-in-law's friend sent to me, among many others - thanks Leanne!

This describes Chibi perfectly:

You must scratch me there!
Yes, above my tail!
Behold,elevator butt.