Learning-As-I-Go

I created this small triptych to reflect my boys at the beach -- here's what I wrote on the back label: "Sands of Time" represents each boy, around age 10, and as viewed through past memories -- a look back at each of them at this golden age, and of the scenes played out over & over again on beaches everywhere -- little boys, and big brothers, and sand castles, and moms & dads watching & realizing that time is as fleeting and fragile as the sand castles built & washed away, day to day and year to year. 

The background is improvisational curved piecing, and the scene is raw edge applique. I used a photo printed on cardstock to create my template, cutting out first the full image, tracing around that, then cutting away here and there to be able to trace the detail portions (arms, legs, face, head, clothing, etc.), and then used those cut-aways to cut the additional applique portions (the hair & clothing are appliqued onto the flesh-toned "body", and then the whole person is appliqued onto the pieced background). Small details (eyes, nose, etc) are drawn on with pigma ink pens. The photos appliqued around the edges are printed on printable fabric and appliqued in place & outlined around each photo. 

The first two frames in the triptych are in sepia tone to reflect that they are in the past, while the final frame has the main scene in color to reflect it is my current "present day," viewed through the images of the past (thus the photos around the edge still printed in sepia tone). 

I chose to frame these instead of bind them, as they will be hung like photos in my sewing room. Each frame is 8"x10".