Mixed Media Challenge - Broken Hearts Mend

February 26, 2012

Broken Heart mixed media art piece

With a belief that the February 1st deadline was so far into winter that I'd be able to participate, I signed up for the Oddities and Lovelies Swap on the Ning group Mixed Media Art.  I was paired with Caroline of Bent Whims Studio.   The only requirements for the challenge were that you had to incorporate a face and a broken heart.

Fortunately both of us were equally as busy this winter so not finishing on time was not a problem for either one of us.  Whew....  AND we both finished and got our pieces into the mail this week.  She's received hers so I wanted to unveil what I made for her now!
 
Broken Hearts - mixed media piece by Honey from the Bee
Broken Hearts Mend:  vintage handkerchief, burlap, wool, seed lei, porcelain clay, base metal locket, leather, copper, crystal
 
She wore her heart on her sleeve, because she found it to be too full to hide.
She spent quiet time in nature and allowed time to heal the inevitable wounds.
She didn't believe in forgetting as each rip and stitch were a part of who she was.
Hearts heal and wisdom grows.
 

My partner at Bent Whims Studio can use the owl locket to hold any number of things:  photo of a family member, dog, cat, ex.. or a locket of hair, fiber... whatever holds meaning to her - maybe it changes with the seasons... 

More background details on the components:

Early on I decided that I wanted to create the face using a technique taught by JoAnnA Pierotti of Moss Hill Studio.  It's an online class called Creating Faces.  Her videos were easy to follow with plenty of detail.  I debated about making my face really sad or not and decided the story was just not that sad:  She never let a broken heart break her nor cause her to tuck her heart away.
Broken Heart Mixed Media art piece
 

I hooked the heart using recycled wool strips on burlap, taking a small liberty with a design by Nancy Miller Quigley.  Quite a few years ago I was fortunate enough to go to a rug camp and take a workshop by Nancy at Asilomar.  My Aunt Nancy, fellow creative in crime, came with me as my guest and got hooked, too.  I think Asilomar has to be THE best place to go on a retreat.  Besides the rug hooking retreat, I've been to jewelry and knitter retreats there as well as a banker's retreat back in the early '80s!  The grounds are spectacular and soothing with the ocean waves ever present.  And there are some really great restaurants near by as well as the famous 17 mile drive at Pebble Beach!

Broken Heart mixed media art piece

I really had a great time planning and playing for this challenge.  Finding places for stuff I already had stored away like the seed lei from a long ago Hawaiian vacation and a vintage handkerchief was especially satisfying.

This won't be my last mixed media swap - that's for sure!  Too much fun!

This is also part of a February challenge post with my Blogging Business Artisans.  You can check out the creations of others in the group by going to this post on the BBArtisans' blog for the links.