Soar-Dream-France: Crafting Fun...Crafting Sanity

When I was home in Cadrieu, I was always looking for something to do with my petered out (but still beautiful) rose petals. During the vernissage of the summer of 2010, the daughter of one of my friends in the village presented some beautiful decorated glass yogurt jars. They were stunning and got my wheels turning (in more ways than one).

They were so pretty and got me to thinking. I'd always loved using pastry paper in my artwork...

and what about all those rose petals?

For the 2011 vernissage, I decided to go in to production and try some new techniques with the empty glass yogurt jars. With my great stash of pastry and tissue paper and unending rose petals from the rose garden...I went to work. The plan did present a bit of a problem though...empty yogurt jars!

I found myself eating more yogurt than usual that summer and not always being able to find glass yogurt jars. Luckily, the Intermarche in Cajarc carried them. They are also not an item you necessarily want to carry home on your bike or the bus, so I'd usually wait to ride into town with friends to scoop some up as necessary. As you can imagine, the Chatette is filled with decorated and undecorated glass yogurt jars even today. I giggled when I found a booth at the Villefranche Thursday morning market where a vender was actually selling empty glass yogurt jars! I wasn't just that desperate yet!

I used a papier mache mixture for the paper and the rose petals, but it just didn't work as well for the roses. They were still pretty, but just not as durable. It didn't stop me from going crazy.

Of course, one must have wine while you work!

The wagon became an amazing and beautiful staging area!

As the summer went on and the wagon moved out of the barn, we continued to couple wine and the wagon and pretty soon the cry became: "Meet me for a wine at the wagon!"

So much fun and so easily entertained, is it any wonder that I'd try to translate this fun crafty project to life in New Orleans?

The differences though, are many. The rose petals are from store bought bouquets and sometimes I try camellia petals. It's even MORE difficult to find glass yogurt jars. Although it's still fun, most of us are crafting to hold our sanity together where the world has turned upside down in the states! I might add though, that in the midst of the insanity, I've discovered the wonder of Elmer's Glue and flowers. I use it on the petals and jars and then afterwards brush a layer of glue over the top-et voila...a perfect clear and protective coating. It almost feels like leather!