green woman creating

Dressed Bubbies

2010-03-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

I gotta tell ya, I am having so much fun with these. I don't know if I mentioned it before, but the plan is to have a bunch of them in a basket. It will be a basket of Bubbies!! I dressed these in assorted bits of fabric and lace. The kimono looking dress is the outer edge of a table runner.

These are the new ones. I tried using wool roving for 2 of their hair. it came out pretty good.

The curly white haired one is supposed to be sort of a side view, that is supposed to be a boob, looks more like a stunted arm. We'll see how she looks clothed.

I used 2 colors of roving on each of the smaller ones. I wanted the fading blonde and gray dyed blue look.

Peace

Stuffed Bubbies

2010-03-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

I don't sew much. I have a sewing machine. It has it's own table in my studio where it spends most of it's time just sitting around and mocking me. It knows it intimidates the heck out of me.

But in the latest issue of Cloth Paper Scissors, there is an artist who does the coolest little odd shaped dolls. So I figured this looks like fun. And it certainly is a new area of creating for me. So I am making a 'Basket Of Bubbies'.

They will all be dressed in different aprons or shawls or babushkas or other Bubbie like wear.

Excuse their nakedness, next time you see them they will be clothed!!

Peace

Hello Bloglandia

2010-03-07T12:01:00.000-08:00

My goodness I've been gone for a long time! Not because I wanted to be tho. It was just a very long hard winter and holiday season followed by family obligations that prevented me from going up tp my studio to work let alone spending time on the computer. But hopefully that is all behind me now.

My apologies to my online friends whom I have neglected woefully and to my Yahoo groups that haven't seen or heard from me in forever.

But sometimes you just have to take care of business first.

So here are a couple of wall placques I did from a design I saw in Cloth Paper scissors. I actually made 10 of them and when I get them hung on my wall I will post a pic.
This is a stuffie monster I made my daughter for Xmas from a sweater i shrunk by mistake.

I have never made a stuffie before and am pretty pleased with how it came out. His name is Rufus.

I am working on a bunch of stuff, making up for lost time. Going in whole new directions too. So please come back and see what I've done. I promise to better about posting.

Peace

My Inchies Are Done

2009-09-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

This was a lot of fun to do. After you get past the aggravation of trying to find that many tiny images that are meaningful or pleasing to you. I think I left off at going around the pics with black paint because my gel pens wouldn't write on it. So I just made sketchy black lines around each inchie. Then I dry brush coat of gesso. Then lines with a charcoal pencil that you smear. Then more dry brush gesso. Then more smeary charcoal.
Then you hit it randomly with a dry brush in grey.
The mag says to have gesso and marks on your inchies. And to outline some of the pics in the inchies with black pen.
But I didn't want to mark or cover any of them. They took too darn long to amass!! So I skipped this step.

Then I took stencils and made words that seemed to fit and dry brushed them with gesso. Then I lightly outlined them with charcoal pencil that I smeared.

That's it. Like I said, fun to do. Wouldn't it be cool to have a son or daughter or BFF collect images and do one of these pieces for them?

Peace

Wall Hangings

2009-09-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what to call these, wall hangings or placques or what.Anyway, this one is for a sister who had a bit of a run in with her teenage daughter. The words are'Raising teenagers is like trying to nail jello to a tree.' I was really happy with the image of a woman I found. I Google imaged Frustration and there she was.

This one is just cuz I like the saying. It is 'Give a man an inch and he thinks he's a ruler.' For some reason it just cracks me up.

So that's some of what I've been doing. Nothing profound, just putzing around.

Peace

No pics today

2009-09-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

Today is for remembering.
I know I will never forget the feeling of horror and outrage.
That someone, some people would dare do this to us.
It couldn't be true.
But of course it was.
And now our boys and girls are still over there.
Even after all this time.
I am proud of my son and my nephew and all the soldiers.
But it saddens me and sickens me and I am always frightened for them.

Peace

Me in Inches

2009-09-05T16:51:00.000-07:00

So I saw this done in Cloth Paper Scissors and it intrigued me. So I figured I'd give it a shot. The idea is to cut images in inchies and mount them on a canvas. So first I graphed out the canvas and found out that I would need 99 inchies!!

Then I decided that my inchies would be things that represent me or that make me happy. So I made an inchie stencil out of a piece of plastic and started looking for pics. It is a lot harder than you would think to find things that are able to be identified when cut into an inchie.

It probably took a couple of weeks of searching images in mags and catalogs etc. And I used some words from an old dictionary. But finally I got 99 and there they are all mounted with matte gel medium.

Next you're supposed to start painting in between them with a paint marker, but I don't have one so I am using a brush and some Topaz metallic craft paint.

I'll keep you posted about the next steps.

Peace

Heart Songs

2009-09-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

I was inspired to make these by the article in May/June Somerset Studio.
The artist is Sarah Whitmire. There was just something about them that I had to re-create.

I used the museum canvases, which I love. I have found that Sax Art Supplies carries them for a decent price. Call them and get a catalog, it's full of great stuff.

I had a bunch of trims and old lace scraps, and I used them to trim out the bottoms. I used mechanics wire for the false hangers.

I cut scallops from sheet music for the sides.

I tried the crackling paints and didn't find them to be any better than using the medium. You will save a step, but the crackle isn't as noticable.

Peace

Trauma, drama, illness and an artistic kick in the teeth

2009-08-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

I have been away from Bloglandia for a VERY long time. What a lot of stuff has been going on. But thankfully it is mostly over and life can get back to normal.

First there was family trauma, which will happen from time to time, especially when the family is large like mine. And there is always drama to accompany the trauma.

Then I got to lose over a month to an illness which while it could have been fatal, wasn't.

Before all this stuff happened, I got a real artistic kick in the teeth. I had mentioned the show I was going to be in. I entered this piece 'Imaginary Friends'And this piece 'Warrior'

And this piece 'A Really Good Hair Day'

So I'm pretty happy with my work, I thought I had some very unusual and creative things. Then they had the judging and I got beat out by this! A knock-off of a lawn ornament that the guy who made it told me he threw together just to prove he could do whimsy. I don't expect to win every thing I enter. I know full well that there are many many artists out there who are better than me. I also know that it isn't always who's better, sometimes it's all about the judges taste. This judge was a man and I don't know what to say about his taste. The welds were sloppy and the painting was spotty. I was really confused.

Then I enter a jury show for the first time. I am again feeling pretty good about my work. I entered the big black beaded wing, the bone and jewel dragon sculpture and Miss Noteworthy. I feel these are some of the best work I have ever done. I didn't enter looking towards winning, because this is a big show with entries from all over the states. But I truly thought I would at least get in.

Wrong.

I got the form letter saying thank you but no.

So I guess I have been creatively pouting in the midst of all the trauma drama and illness.

But I'm over it now. So screw 'em if they don't like my work. I do.

Peace

Dancing Goddess And A New Mask

2009-05-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

This is a new Goddess I just finished. Her word is Dance. I wanted to play with trying to make her look like she is moving. She is a little misshapen and her boob is where her waist should be, but all in all I am pleased with her. This is 'Warrior' a new mask I did for a show. I have to say I like her best of all the faces I have done. Her background color is copper, it just doesn't show up so well in these pics.

There is an art show at the Center where I had my gallery show last Dec. You can enter 3 pieces. They have to be made within the last 6 months and never shown at the Center before. I entered 'Imaginary Friends', 'A Good Hair Day aka Hannah' and this piece. There is judging and awards so fingers crossed.

This is a closeup of the top of her head. She is wearing a Fox head headress embellished with Wild Turkey feathers and Pheasant feathers and with curly dried vines.

This is a scrap of leather I had, I scraped the back of it with a knife and cut into the edges and then slightly burned them with a wood burner. More feathers and some bones finish her outfit.

Like always her eyes are doll/teddy bear eyes mounted in paper clay and glued into the back of the mask.

Peace

The Winner Is...

2009-05-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

First my apologies for posting the winner so late. We have been in the middle of a family drama/trauma and it is causing all kinds of headaches including a migraine for me.

But the winner is Kathy from Pieces Of Me in my links list. Please E me your addy Kathy and I will send your Goddess to you.

I did my first cut and paste collage. I love collage and am a huge fan of Kathy from Pieces of Me and Peggy from Peggy's Mixed Up Art. They are both in my links list. I am lucky to own a piece from Peggy and it is beautiful.

So I wanted to try my hand at cut and paste. The idea is that the little girl is holding back a sunflower that has gotten too much Miracle Gro.
What was most fun to do, was the piecing together of 5 different garden pics to make one.

And I finished my rooster. I am happy it looks like a rooster. Since this is the first picture I have ever painted, and I didn't sketch it out first, I wasn't sure what it would turn out to be. I just did a rough pencil shape and started painting. The feet are kind of wonky, but feet usually are LOL!!

Peace

Changes

2009-04-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

This is a piece meant to represent the changes in Japanese fashion/culture. From the old to the new. I googled Japanese street fashion and got these images.

The Geishas are from google and Art Chix. I did all the circles because I thought it looked kinda Asian.

The Kanji symbol says 'Changes'.

I have been experimenting with paints lately. I have never painted a picture before, so I'm kind of creating by the seat of my pants here.

My DH is fascinated with roosters. I don't know why. We don't have any. But he loves them. So I googled a pic and this is the start.

I'm using water colors.

Peace

A Really Good Hair Day

2009-04-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

Yay, she's finished! I couldn't be happier with her. I have renamed 'Hannah' after my friend Marys, from Working Projects in my link list, granddaughter. I have seen her pic and she has hair just like this. Hers is all one color tho. And it doesn't have beads and stuff on the ends. I went round and round about jewelry for her. I toyed with the idea for a jewel in her navel. But in the end, I think this look suits. She has purple sequins around her arms and a little black pearl necklace.

This is a journal page I did. Not much writing on it, but I was so happy with the way the colors turned out, I didn't want to cover them.

See the post below to enter my giveaway.

Peace

A Goddess Give Away

2009-04-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

This is to celebrate my 100th post! I can't believe I've posted so much. And it amazes me that people like what I do enough to follow my blog. So as a thank you I am giving away this Goddess.

She is about 6 1/2 inches hi. Her word is Peace. I chose her because my son will be going back to Iraq for his second tour in May, and peace is what I wish for us all.

She is made from copper wire and glass beads.

So leave me a comment and on May 1st I will pick a winner by having DH randomly pick a number.

Please make sure I have your E addy so I can let you know if you win.

I have been playing a lot with journal pages this week. Experimenting with paints which his something I never do much.

This came out looking like the view from my kitchen window, so I detailes the trees with a gel pen. You can't see it from the pic tho.

I am surprised by how this turned out, I just smudged paint around without a plan. I used these colors because they were the only tubes of water colors I had that hadn't dried out!

Peace

Starting A Journal

2009-04-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

I started an art journal today. This is a big deal for me. I love journals. I am fascinated by other peoples journals. But I never did one because I was always afraid I would sound dorky. Seems like people write such beautiful, insightful and inspiring things. How do they do it?

A friend of mine pointed out that it doesn't matter if you're dorky or not, no one will see it if you don't want them to. She also told me to go to Suzi Blu on U Tube. Which I did and I loved. So I took the plunge and started.

I am NOT going to worry about sounding dorky, or what my handwriting looks like, or if I have anything important to say.

I am just going to play.

Peace

The Angel Of Death or The Bone Collector

2009-04-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

Awhile ago, the talented Jen Worden from Travelogue Of An Artistic Mind, (in my links) posted her Fem Bots. They fascinated me and I kept going back to look at them over and over. So i decided to try my hand at her technique. I got a barbie doll knock off from Hobby Lobby. I scalped her and took off her legs. Then I wired her hands together. Then I started covering her with plaster bandage like you would use to make a cast. Then I brought the bandage down to form a skirt. I gave her an underskirt made from window screen.

I painted her metallic black. I gave her a headress of micro beads. Her wongs are from Wild Turkey and Peacock feathers. I had some small skulls that were not in good enough condition for me to paint, and some small bones left over from 'The Guardian' so I beaded and strung them.

Everything is hooked together with fishing line swivels, so it all moves independently.

Thank you Jen for the inspiration.

Peace

Updates

2009-04-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

I finished John Lennon and I am very happy with it. I wanted to show what he might have in his mind. I cut the top of his head off and angled it so it would look like his thoughts were pouring out. This piece was inspired by someone asking me 'what goes on in your head?'. I used among other things, an image of a piece of his artwork, and a song in his handwriting.

For the background I printed the words to my favorite song 'Imagine' all in small letters except for the word Imagine. The black ribbon is for balance and because he is gone from us.

This is an 8x10 canvas. I am thinking of doing a series of these about people who interest me. I will call it 'Headshots.'

This is the body of the wire haired dolls head. I made plugs to go into the ends of her arms from paper clay. I used 2 part epoxy to connect them. Tomorrow I am going to buy a dowel rod to fit into her head and it will get mounted. Then she will be done. Except that I haven't decided about the jewel in her navel.

So what do you think, jewel or no jewel?

Peace

This That and the Other

2009-03-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

I've got a lot of things going at the same time, so here are some pics of these works in progress.
But first this is one of the many deer who live on our property. This little girl and 3 others were in the backyard eating birdseed off the ground. I shot this thru the screen so it's fuzzy. But still cute! This is a collage homage to John Lennon. The idea is to represent what was in his mind. So I cut the top of his head off and filled it with pics of things I think he always thought about. I'm not sure how the background will be yet.

This is my first attempt at Zetti. I am trying to work more in color this year. So I wanted to give Zetti a try. I didn't have any journal pages to do or other good paper to work on. So this is an artists board. And I found out that markers don't work too well on it. Neither do colored pencils. So I am doing it with craft paints. This is just the beginning. But the idea is a Prom Queen. You know, one of thoooose girls. The popular ones, the in crowd. I had penciled the whole thing in, but when I started painting , of course the paints covered everything up. So I am starting all over.

This is the body for the wire hair doll assemblage. She has teal colored arms with yellow nail polish to match her eyelashes. They will be mounted on the side of the purple ball. The head will be on top. I am thinking about giving her a jewel in her navel!

The black base and purple body are wooden things from the hardware store. I think they go on the top of staircase end posts.

Tomorrow I go to get the fabric to work on the St. Basils collage.

Things to do everywhere. YIPPEE!!

Peace

A Fabric Mosiac

2009-03-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

This is my very loose idea of St. Basils cathedral on the Red Square in Russia. This came into my head while watching a dancing show. They had dancers from all over the world. There was a russian ballerina who was very graceful.

I've always been fascinated by the Cathedral. And I thought how pretty it could be to have a ballerina on point in black silouhette (how the heck do you spell that??)in front.

So this is going to be a 16x20 canvas. I am going to paint the background a solid color. The buildings will be made up of different fabrics adhered with matte gel medium. There will be the low fence in front made from textured packing paper/cardboard, then the square will be cobblestones probably made from torn coffee dyed dictionary pages.

That's the plan anyway. I am going to have the piece blown up and make 3 copies so I have plenty on hand for patterns.

Peace

A Really Good Hair Day

2009-03-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

So this is a new assemblage piece I've been working on. I took a rubber/plastic dolls head and poked holes in it. Then I made hair from 20g colored wire and connected it.

Here you can kind of see that on the ends of her curls are crystals and beads and glass leaves and stuff like that. After I painted her metallic teal, I thought she needed some make-up. Sp I gave her yellow eyelashes and rose lips.

I am rethinking how to assemble her and onto what because I REALLY underestimated how much her head would weigh after she got hair. I used 80 plus yards of wire!!

Here she is balancing on a bottle so I could take her pic to share.

I also took 2 arms and painted them the same teal. I may give them yellow nailpolish. Or not. That's what I've been up to this week.

Peace

Let's Do A Charm Swap

2009-03-08T11:57:00.000-07:00

So on Feb 14 I posted about joining the charm swap in Cloth Paper Scissors. And I had such fun making them I thought I would do a little swap here.

So if you want to play here's what to do.

Make 5 charms no bigger than an inch and a half. Make sure they have a ring for attaching. Make them out of whatever you want as long as there are no sharp edges or pointy hurty things. Have each one tagged with your name and E addy and town and state or country.

Send them to me by April 15 with $5.oo s&h. I will swap them and mail them by April 23rd.

The first 5 who leave a comment will be in this swap. I've never hosted a swap and figured I better keep this one small.

When you leave a comment I will E you with my addy. So make sure you leave your E addy.

I think that covers everything. I hope some of you want to play.

Peace

Playing With Wax

2009-03-04T06:03:00.000-08:00

I have been offline for a week while this blasted machine was in the shop. But I'm back and this is what I've been doing. I have always thought the wax/encaustic look was very cool. But I didn't want ti have all the mess of a heating source and dedicated brushes and all that.

Then my friend Rose told me about a tutorial on Yolis Sacred Journey blog that used an iron. You know, one of those little craft ones. Then she sent me one along with a block of wax and some crayons and I was hooked. Rose and I send things back and forth to each other and there is nothing more exciting than getting a Rose box in the mail. BTW she is Altered Rose in my links. She's great. Anyway, this is a collage I did and what makes it fun is that I waxed over lace and sead beads.The saying is, 'I may look totally harmless, but inside I'm completely badass'! I love it.

Then I decided to something with an Asian feel. So I made a gel medium transperancy and mounted it to an artist board. Then I waxed the whole thing. Then I used crayon to add color.

I was really surprised at how little crayon it takes to add color.

This is a bottle I waxed. I even coated the beads and the trim at the bottom. I added a tiny bit of crayon to make it look sort of like Vaseline Glass.

So that's what I've been up to, how about you?

Peace

Spring Is Coming

2009-02-21T11:33:00.000-08:00

For the past week we have had about 600 Robins in our yard. They are making so much noise you can't hear yourself think out there. It's wonderful because it means spring is coming.
This is a heated dish we use for the dogs water. Note the Robin poop all over the ground. We added another dish for them because they were fighting over the dogs dish. There are so many in the yard it looks like the ground is moving.

I took these pics thru the screen because I didn't want to scare them.

Today when we woke up we found 2 inches of snow. But I still think spring is coming.

Peace

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

2009-02-15T06:49:00.000-08:00

This is a rant post.
I LOVE going around visiting everyones blogs. Seeing all the beautiful work and gathering inspiration from all.
BUT...
There are a couple of blogs that are so full of ads and playlists and clocks and all the other interactive stuff available that it takes forever to get in. If you can get in at all. Sometimes the screen just freezes after a couple of minutes of loading.
I have stopped visiting a few because it just aggravates me so.
Sometimes I wash a sink of dishes while waiting! No lie!!
Has this happened to anyone else?
Am I the only one?
I would love to know.

Peace

A winner, some charms and a wall

2009-02-14T07:12:00.000-08:00

Here are some charms I made for the swap in Cloth Paper Scissors. They couldn't be any bigger than an inch and a half. So I thought what better when dealing with measurements than a measuring stick? I enjoyed doing these 'cause I only had to do 5! I spent a lot of time this past week making my inspiration wall. I keep my old calendars. So I cut them apart and used pics from other places and collaged my wall.

I LOVE the color and movement. I can sit and zone out looking at it waiting for inspiration to strike. I took an old ugly bulletin board and painted the frame matallic black and thumb tacked some sale fabric I got on over the cork. I wound some ribbon on the wire hanger. I am filling it with pics of things that inspire me including work from some blogs.

Here is another view that sort of shows the branch I have hanging from my ceiling. It has fairies and witches and things friends have given me and fairy lights hanging from it. It is VERY cool at night when it's lit.

So now for the winner! DH picked number 9. That is Mar from Working Projects blog. Congratulations Mar. If you E me your street addy, I will mail your prize on thursday when I go into town.
Thank you to all who entered. I am thrilled that so many of you wanted to own a piece of my work. Please check back from time to time, I will be having more give-aways.

Peace

Goddess give-away clarification

2009-02-09T12:44:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited that so many of you want to own her! but I wanted to clarify her size. She isn't a pin, like so many think. She is about 6 inches tall. She can be hung in a window, or from an ornament stand or maybe stood on a little easel. I hope this doesn't disappoint those who thought she is wearable art.

Peace

Imaginary Friends

2009-02-07T17:19:00.000-08:00

There is a commercial on TV where you see someone head-on and then you see the back of their head and it is a stage. I couldn't tell you what it was a commercial for, because I was so fascinated by the stage. So I got a wig stand and carved a cave in the back. Then I gessoed it all inside and out. Then I used modeling paste to swirl around where hair would be.Then I painted it Bamboo color and the inside of the cave antique white. Then I used pastels and Q-tips to give light make-up to her. I didn't want it to be stand-out because it's not the focal point. I gave her false eyelashes too. Then off to the doll house section of Hobby Lobby. I wanted a chandelier, but they didn't have any. This ceiling fan is what they had. The blade turns!! The chair, table and candlesticks are from there too.

I cut a floor from foam board. Then I instant coffee'd a dictionary page and stamped it and covered the floor with it.

Then with the floor in place I printed a pic of a bookcase and gel mediumed it to the back wall.

I had a dried Puffer Fish and a Frozen Charlotte doll and they just seemed like they needed to live in the cave. I trimmed the edge with cord.

So I hope you like my Imaginary Friends.

Peace

A Giveaway

2009-02-07T16:48:00.000-08:00

I thought that I would give this beaded Goddess as a hurry up Spring prize. Just leave a comment, and I will draw a name on Valentines Day. Actually I will have DH picka number and that person will win. This Lady has a leaf for a necklace and the word GROW in her beads.
Good Luck All
Peace

A Tutorial and Award

2009-02-02T18:35:00.000-08:00

This is the piece that Val did the background for and I did the tree and Fairy. I am so flattered that so many of you like it and want to know how I did it. So here is how...
I got a sheet of waxed paper and some brown tissue paper. I scrunched the tissue and ripped and stretched and shaped until I had a basic tree. then I smeared Gel Medium on it with my fingers and just shaped it till it made me happy. I let it dry overnight on the waxed paper. Then I GENTLY peeled it off and glued it to the background. I touched it here and there with a metallic paint, just to give it more depth.

The Fairy is a copy I touched lightly with some chalks. I didn't want too much color because I didn't want to distract from the beautiful background. I glued some Cicada wings on her and glittered them. I have a small box of them I pulled off dead Cicadas. I save everything!! I cut a couple of small squares of foam board and glued them to her back and then glued her so she's sitting on the branch. Oh, I mounted her on cardstock before I cut her out. That's all there is to it.

This is an award Val gave me and I pass to some wonderful women. Their Blogs are in my Links list.

Dawn who is always so sweet-Gold Betty Boop

Pat who is always so encouraging-Artrix

Kelsey who is sooo inspiring-KO..OK

Christie who amazes me with her blog content-Serenity Now

Inka who is so generous with her Blog Candy-Inkaland

Thank you ladies for being you.

And thank you Val-Altered Heart Journey- for thinking of me.

Peace

Swapping with Val

2009-01-26T06:37:00.000-08:00

Val Foster (the texture Queen) and I did a private swap. This is my piece and I just LOVE it!
We did a background 8x10 in size. Then we sent it to the other and added on and sent it back.

I want to explore color more this year. So I blobbed and blew color around on my canvas and then stenciled FREEDOM around the edge. Then I sent it off and started to worry. Was it too simple, or too odd? But I should have known the Fabulous Val would do something fun and unusual with it.

There's fabric and glitter and a tiny lizard and all sorts of fun.

I had a ball doing this with Val. I think I really like one on one swaps better than the ones where you have to a lot of pieces.

I hope someone else will want to swap with me.

YAY, I own a Val Foster work of art!!!

Peace

A bit of a mess

2009-01-22T08:41:00.000-08:00

Well, this isn't turning out as planned. After I painted the whole thing a very questionable yellow, I tried doing the glaze thing with the green. I don't like it. It's not as see thru as I thought it would be. So then I thought I would blob paint on and blod it around with a can of air.

Which I like the effect of but I ran out of air. So till I get another can or inspiration strikes, this one is on the back burner.

This is a deer skull I cleaned and painted as a thank you to the processor who gives me skulls. I wonder what it says about me that doing skulls is one of my favorite things to do? I am waiting with baited breath for the mail today. My friend Val, the Queen of Texture, and I did a private swap. We each did a background and sent it to the other. Then we added to each others work. I can't wait to see what she did, and to own a piece of her work.

Peace

Thank yous, snowmen and texture

2009-01-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone. I hope we all have a prosperous and peaceful 2009.
Thank you to everyone who has wished me well in my show. And to the wonderful women who have given me online awards.
I promise to be more punctual with my blog reading and my blogging now that the holidays are done and hunting season is almost over.

I love texture. So I decided to do a piece devoted to just that. But this time I am using all manmade things instead of the usual naturals I use so much .
So I took a bunch of odd little canvases and glued them together using Liquid Nails. Then I covered it all with tissue paper.

Then I just started putting whatever I had laying around on the piece. There is burlap and chains and bamboo skewers and garden wire and shingles and bricks for dollhouses and beads and textured paper and bubblewrap and stuff.

So I'm thinking that when I am done dressing it, I am going to coat the whole thing with gesso. Probably a couple of coats. Then I am going to paint using bright colors mixed with glaze. This is new for me. I don't use a lot of bright colors. And I have never used glaze before. I would like to be able to layer color over color. I'm thinking the glaze will let that happen. I hope. Anybody got any hints?

These are some more snowmen I made because...well...because you can never have enough right? And they are just so much fun to make.

So that's what I've been up to.

My show ends on the 14th. I hear people are enjoying it. I sold a couple of small pieces, and am hopeful that someone will buy one of the bigger ones.

I guess I will put everything in Etsy when I get it all back. But I am not sure that my kind of stuff sells online. We'll see.

Peace

My Show and Snowmen

2008-12-19T08:15:00.000-08:00

So my show opened and everyone seemed to enjoy it. My pieces are all hanging. The work on the pedestals is the artist I shared the show with. I am going to take better pictures and will post them when I do.

The weather here is simply dreadful and nasty. We got a 1/4 inch of ice last night. had to thaw the satelites with a heat gun. Man I am NOT a winter person.

These are some snowmen I made from Cloth Paper Scissors. I have such fun making them. Just playing ya know? I am so behind in everything. An altered book RR, a personal swap with Val. Housework. you name it I am behind in it.

This is hunting season, so we have had a big hairy guy friend of Jimis staying with us a lot. So I have been doing the cooking and catering to men thing. Not fun.

But I am hoping to get back on track soon.

What is it about this time of year, no matter how often I say it will be stressfree and easy, it never is.

Peace

The Guardian

2008-11-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

Awhile ago I posted the beginning of this piece. Then I kind of backburnered him. When I found out about the show I didn't think I would have time to finish, but YAY I did.
This shot shows his feet which I added claws to. They came from my really old cat who sheds them on a regular basis. I don't know why but he does. And being me, I save them His head is made from the Devils Claw my buddy Rose sent me from Arizona. Truly weird stuff. I gave him red garnet eyes.

All told he stands just short of a foot in height. I decorated his base with a bunch of stones I pried from old costume jewelry. I really love the skull bead. The crystals towards his tail are also from Rose. She collected them for me. Rose, you rock!!

Sprinkled around the jewels are micron beads from Fire Mountain. The base is a slab of agate I use for a weight when I'm working. But it seemed like it needed to be used for this. So I'll just have to go outside and find a rock to use for weight instead.

Hope you like him.

Peace

The winner and the Winter Queen

2008-11-09T14:08:00.000-08:00

First, the winner of the give-away is Carol from Art-N-Quilt. Congratulations Carol. And thanks to everyone who took part in my very first give-away.
So awhile ago I started the Winter Queen and gave up on her.
I just couldn't figure out how to finish her up. Then my sister Kate suggested the fabric treatment and VOILA she was right.Itis just what I needed.
I pried up part of the fox fur and glued it inplace. Then I just twisted it till it looked right. Then I sewed a few seed beads to hold the twist in place. Then I used a tack on the back to secure it.

All in all I'm pretty happy with her. She will be going into the show.

Peace

Sculpting the wind

2008-11-02T12:58:00.000-08:00

I forgot to say about the Dark Angel that she is beaded on both sides and meantto be hung from the ceiling.
So, awhile ago I posted about the wind arund here. It blows all the time seems like. And we live a couple of 15 feet from the edge of a pine forest, so it sounds sometimes like being in a tornado.
So it was bothering me one night and I started thinking of that song 'They Call The Wind Mariah'. And I decided to sculpt the wind.
I LOVE using window screen. You can get some very cool effects from it. So I cut a piece and turned the edges and then just folded it till I was happy. Then I started beading with colors that match the screen and tattered strips of chiffon just for more texture.
Then I made the face from sculpey and beaded around her.

Then I cut another peicec and turned the edges and mounted the piece with 26 g silver wire and Mariah was born.

I am VERY happy with how she turned out.

But man oh man what a lot of work. You could go blind doing that kind of beading.

Peace

Angel Obscura

2008-11-02T09:36:00.000-08:00

This is 'Angel Obscura' which is Dark Angel in Spanish so I'm told. I sculpted the wing in flexible modeling paste. Then I painted the whole wing in metallic black and hilighted in metallic purple and blue.

Then I drilled holes for the chain to hang and beaded in 15/0 seed beads from Fire Mountain Gems.

I'm not going to share what I used for the base at this time. Sorry, I usually share everything, but not this time.

This piece is about 2 feet wide and about 1 1/2 feet hi.

Hope you like it.

Peace

Yay I'm back online!!!

2008-10-31T11:09:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody! I feel like I've been gone for ages. Our computer died and we had to wait awhile to get it fixed. And living where I do, and not knowing anyone in the area really, I didn't have access to one to use. I did go to the library a couple of times and used theirs, but all I managed to do was ask a friend to let you all know where I was.
I have some big news. I am going to be having a gallery show in Dec. It is my first and I will be showing with another mixed media artist. This is my first show and I am very excited.
So this is one of the peices I made for it. The face is painted and covered with pics of silver screen sirens. The film reels are mounted with liquid nails. The curly stuff is film strips. I call her 'Goddess' Of The Silver Screen. Then I wanted to try my hand at mosiacs for awhile, but couldn't get inspired by anything. Then I was given a broken mirror and thought 'ooh this could be cool'. So I tried to break it, but it is a really old mirror and wouldn't shatter like I wanted. So I got some mirror tiles and had a lot of fun smashing them.
Then I placed them around and glued them in place. Then since I mounted them on canvas I used modeling paste instead of grout. I thought the grout might be too heavy. Then I painted using metallic craft paint. And there you go. It is called 'Reflections'.

Finally, to celebrate being back among the artful, I am doing my first give-away. This is a really fun 2009 calendar. I will pick a name from the first 20 people who leave comments here. I hope you win it, it is a pretty calendar.

Thanks to my friends who E'd asking if I was ok. I am sorry I couldn't respond. But I was very touched that you missed me.

Peace

Finished Whimsy

2008-07-29T06:43:00.000-07:00

I am very happy with the result of my attempt at whimsy. This is the first time I have ever put my handwriting on anything artistic. It is such an untidy scrawl that I never thought it would work, but it ain't half bad!

So, this is an 8x10 canvas. First I put a light coat of modeling paste down. After that dried the first color went on. Sfter that dried I put on the second color. But I didn't cover it completely. And around the edges of some of the open spaces I dabbed with a paper towel just cuz. I put the blue on sort of thick and while it was still wet I wrote in it with the big end of a flat toothpick.
Here's what I wrote:
what would you be if you could dream a new life
would you fly across the clouds or glide to the bottom of the ocean
would you dance across the stage of life taking bows and giving encores
would you sing in a voice so pure it would make people cry
or would you just be

Then I wanted some big stamp effect, but I don't have any big stamps. So I cut one out of a piece of that foamy stuff you use for kids crafts. That's what the diamond shapes are.

Then I found a bird image and cut into it so it would look like the bird had dressed up in peacock feathers. Then I found the metal thingie in my stash and there ya go!

Oh and I painted some little wooden pieces black and glued them up top.

This piece is titled' Dream' and after I live with it for awhile it will probably go into my Etsy shop.

Peace

A Dragon In The Making

2008-07-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

I am really excited about this. It is going to be a Dragon sculpture. You are looking at the tail and the head. I am stringing small bones on copper wire. They are very small, about 1/4 inch or so. The biggest cgallenge is getting them glued together without any glue showing. So this is the tail and next I will be working on the back, ribs and legs. I even got some cat claws to use as talons! Did you know when cats get REALLY old they shed their claws? I didn't, but they do.
This is going to be the head. It is a piece of Devils Claw from my friend Rose in AZ. I gave it a shot of white spray paint and am going to add a little off-white so it matches the bones better.
This is a collage/mixed media piece I have just started. I have never used my writing in a piece before because I write like a grade school kid. But I figured I would give it a shot on this piece and it's not too bad.
I wanted to stamp big shapes, but I don't have any big stamps so I made my own with that foamie stuff you use to make stuff for kids.
So that's what I've been up to.

Peace

OMG I left out a step!!

2008-07-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry everybody! I forgot to say that I sanded the wood filler after it dried and before I painted it!
Peace

Sunken Tin Tutorial

2008-07-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

First I want to thank all of you who posted such kind words while I was in my funk. I'm better now. I think it was a combo of isolation, flooding work, and being cut off from Hobby Lobby and a good grocery store because of the water. Hopefully they will open the road again one of these days.

So anyway, here is how I did the piece retitled 'She Waits'.
I took an Altoid tin apart. Then I traced around the bottom of the tin on the front of the canvas. Then I cut into it in an X shape, making sure not to go all the way to the edges. I wanted to have a snug fit.
Then I put the tin in from the front. I masking taped it in front to hold it in place. Then I folded the pieces from the X over the tin and glued them in place. I glopped Wood Filler around the tin and pushed it around till I got close to these shapes. Then using clay tools I scraped off the excess and refined the shapes. Sinci I don't have any big stamps, I drew in the filler after it had dried a little, maybe 5 mins., using a toothpick.

I cut a piece of paper and glued it into the tin. Then I found an image I liked and a flower, and took the middle out of the flower. I glued a watch face to the flower and glued it into the tin. Then I gel mediumed the image so it looks like she is holding the flower.
Oh, before I filled the tin I painted the background. Then I thought it needed something, so I got out my Rub n Buff and applied it to the swirls. I used copper. I love this stuff. A little goes a loooong way and you can buff it to a shine.

Then I painted some lace trim black and glued it in place and glued on the letters. I may knock down the background color a bit, but other than that I think it's done.
Oh, I did put some filler on the inside edges of the tin too.

I listed some more magazines and supplies in my Etsy store. One set of mags is Arts and Activities. It used to be put out by the Expressions folk. A great mag for working artistically with kids.

Peace

This and That

2008-07-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

I got the nicest surprise in the mail from my friend Pat. She is Artrix in my links, check out her amazing work. This is a grungeboard piece and I just love it! It is a pin, but I think it needs to be incorporated into an art piece. Hmm.. This is a little collage I did for my friend Cathie from Magickal Glassworks in my links.
The little girl is her baby Willow. She got her self dressed up and this is the adorable result. The hat and boots really make the outfit!
This is an experiment using wood filler for texture on the background. I didn't have any suitable stamps to stamp it so I just swirled with a toothpick. Then after it dried I started sanding.
I sunk an Altoid tin into the canvas. I have an image and some stuff to fill the tin and the background will be painted and whatevered. The basic idea of the piece is 'Alone". I am going to be using some words from songs like 'One For My Baby' and 'In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning'. It will be kind of a dark piece because I have been feeling sort of dark and lonely lately.
Peace

Working the Flood

2008-06-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

I haven't been very creative lately. Time has been spent working the flood around here. First there were sandbags to be done, and let me tell you, sandbagging is a young persons thing. I have never worked so hard and been so sore and tired in my life.
Now I have been going into the next town over to help feed people who need it.
The town is Keithsburg and they have suffered greatly from this. A tiny place, full of nice people, many older, they really need help.
I have been working with the pastor of their church, and if anyone would like to help here is what you can do...
There are many many months of clean-up ahead of them. Many families lost everything inside their homes. The clean-up after a flood is really nasty. To see everything piled at the curb breaks your heart.
So if anyone is interested, they could use gift cards from Wal-Mart, Lowes and Menards. That way they can get lumber,drywall,bleach,rubber gloves and all the other things they will need to come back from this devistation.
Cards can be sent to:
Pastor Chuck Reynolds
Keithsburg Christian Church
2005 Main St.
Keithsburg, Il
61442
He will see that they are used correctly.
Thank you
Peace

An Inka original and a Skull

2008-06-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

My friend Inka and I did a one on one swap and this beauty is what she sent me. I love it and am thrilled to have an Inka original. I am hanging it in my bedroom.
This is the skull I got from my friend Rose. I started doing the regular dot painting that I have done before and ended up painting it out twice! The base color makes it almost look like suede. But I couldn't decide what the design needed to be.
So after looking at it for days, it turned into this Tribal Skull.
Kind of simple and primitive feeling.
Peace

Another Vintage Sewing Shrine

2008-06-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

I think this one is kind of fun. Very different from my other shrines. The figurine is big enough that I didn't think it would look right in a 'house'. So I got a wooden base from Hobby Lobby and stained it. the I mounted the wooden finials. They are from old flag poles from the town I used to live in. They were giving the poles away so I took them because, well, just because. The biggest one is the perfect seat height for the figure.
The buttons are vintage from my stash. So is the tape measure.
The thread spools are a hoot. They have the price stamped on them. 15 and 25 cents! That shows you how old they are!
I'm pleased with this, I think it is retro funky fun.
I will be putting it in my Etsy store.
Peace

I Got Tagged

2008-06-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

I got tagged by my buddy Christie @ http://serenitynow.blogspot.com/
So the way this works is I post 6 things about me that people don't know. Then I tag 6 people and they post and so on and so on. Also I let them know they have been tagged by E-mail.
So, let's see, I did this once before so it's a little harder to come up with something interesting or weird.
1- Clowns weird me out! I don't think they're funny, I think they're scary. I won't even do an ATC exchange that is clowns!
2-I am painfully shy. I am uncomfortable meeting new people. And I would rather be in the background then ever have attention on me.
3-The only sporting event I will willingly watch from beginning to end is Heavyweight Boxing.Of course it was different when Michael Jordan played for the Bulls and when Ditka coached the Bears.
4-I cannot stand to have anyone use my pillow. Doesn't matter who it is, don't touch my pillow.
5-I get really freaked out by the wind in the pines. I am always afraid a tree will blow over onto the house.
6-I'm a good shot.

Whew, that was hard.
So now I am tagging:
Inka from http://inkaland.blogspot.com/
Linda from http://jewelsoftheeast.blogspot.com/
Kim from http://threadtales.blogspot.com/
Kim from http://vintagesprings.blogspot.com/
Dawn from http://goldbettyboop.blogspot.com/
Val from http://valsalteredheartjourney.blogspot.com/

Peace

Suggested by Val

2008-06-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

My inspirational buddy Val-Vals Altered Heart Journey in my links-suggested that I tell about how I did the last textured piece I posted. So here goes...

I used Artist board for the base again. I really like it when I am going to be adding a lot of stuff. No worries about buckling or warping. And it isn't too expensive. I get mine from Dick Blick.
Instead of tissue paper, this time I gooped on gesso and layed cheese cloth on. Then I added more gesso, just glopped it on and threw in some modeling paste just 'cause.

I put the branch on first. Glued it in place and after it dried, I added the nest and other stuff.

The nest was a many step process. First I gel-mediumed it. Then after that dried I gessoed it. Then after that dried I cut it in half. I glued it in place with E6000, the same glue I used for the branch and window and bricks and bark.

Then I used gel-medium to attach the leaves.

After that all dried, I used modeling paste to build up around the bricks and window and branch and nest etc. I just use my fingers to put it on. Easier to smooth that way.

Then I put modeling paste on top of all the leaves. I let them set for a few minutes and took a toothpick and drew in the veins.

After that all dried I gessoed everything. After that dried I looked around at different angles and added more modeling paste where I needed to.

From there it is just painting. I do the whole thing in one color. Then I use a shade lighter for accent. Then I use metallic craft paints for hi-lights. This was a tough one to paint. Lots of nooks and crannies. I even had to use a toothpick to get into the nest spaces.

Oh I almost forgot, I mounted the eye in paper clay. And the arm coming out of the nest is from a doll I took apart. It is holding a little egg.

So that's how it's done. Very time consuming with all the dry time. But fun I think.

Peace

What I've been doing and what I'm gonna do

2008-05-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

Boy, it's been a long time since I posted. I've been creating some, and trying to get some order in my studio. It may just be a losing battle. This is a shrine in the making. It has been developing in my head since I got the vintaged sewing figurines. They come from my buddy Rose in AZ. We met online and have been E'ing everyday since. We send goodie boxes back and forth and these figurines were in my last box. They are too cute so of course they have to be 'shrined'. But since they are so dimensional, I am doing a standing shrine instead of a house type. The vintage spools of thread came from Rose too.I am very excited about these. They are just too cute! Thanks again Rose!! www.myspace.com-roachez36 Check out her work, she is amazing!
She also has a website in my links-Altered Rose.

I have been doing another textured piece too. It may be finished, I'm not sure.
I really like the way the nest turned out. But man what a pain making sure all the little spaces are painted!
I completed Dawns little thingie, but I can't show it to you 'cause it is in the mail on it's way to her and she should see it first. Dawn is another amazing artist-Gold Betty Boop- in my links.

I'm really very lucky to have met so many artists online.

Peace

Mary

The Jawbone Of A ???

2008-05-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Boy it seems like forever since I posted here. We finally got some good sunny days and I've been working outside. With all the rain we've had the weeds are crazy. I have quite the crop of Dandelions this year.

The poor farmers around here still have water laying in their fields. I'll bet they are checking the want ads for summer work, 'cause it doesn't look good for planting.

But I have been working in my studio too. I have a couple of pieces in the works, and I finished this. I don't know what kind of jaw this is for sure. I think it's a Deer. I'm almost positive it is.

Anyway, I drilled a hole(very carefully) in it for the hangar. And then just started painting.

I gave it a light base and used the metallic craft paints again. They seem to work best on skulls and bones.
I did the black parts because the bone was so rough it wouldn't take dot painting.

I gave it a sinew hanger and a turquoisebead, shell slice and Duck feather embellishment.
I'm liking the black parts and may have to play around with them some more.

I am working on another heavily backgrounded piece like 'Life Outside The Window'. And another shrine.

Oh and I am doing a little surprise for my online buddy Dawn (Gold Betty Boop). I saw an image that made me think of her and I had to do something with it.

Peace

Ahead Of The Game

2008-05-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

When I found this doll I almost didn't take her. She was so odd looking that I wasn't sure I would ever use her. But Then common sense prevailed and I brought her home. Never pass up supplies.

So when I took her apart, I kept her head on my worktable. That sounds sort of odd doesn't it? But the longer I looked at her, the more she reminded me of those lovely seniors who travel to Bingo games and play the Slots etc.
And so 'Ahead Of The Game' was born. I wanted to use all kinds of game pieces, but they are harder to get than you would think. Unless of course you buy new games. But I had some Bingo things and some dice and dominoes and cards and a Monopoly piece. So I think it gets the point across.

I gave her a lace collar because it seemed to fit her hairstyle and demeanor.

I'm going to put her in Etsy.
Peace

My Most Favorite Collage Ever

2008-05-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

I don't do a lot of collages usually. But I saw this face in a mag and I had to do this.
I used metallic paints for the background and just layered them over each other. I used colors that would compliment the butterflies. I was going to add some flowers and other things, but in the end I decided to K.I.S.S and just add some peacock feathers.
I just love the eyes, kind of magickal and almost little creepy and beautiful.
So there it is, my most favorite collage ever.
Peace

Winter Goddess Update

2008-05-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

Someone asked me about this piece and how it was progressing. So here it is, but I'm not sure how it is. I still really really like the concept. But the Fox fur didn't sit like I thought it would. And I didn't line the pearls under her chin up exactly right. So the question is what to do with her. I don't like the way the fur sticks out from her head. And of course it is glued on. Maybe I will playwith hanging some crystal beads and white feathers from it to make it seem more full and close to the face. I don't know.
It's funny how you can have a picture in your head and be sure it will work and then when you try it...hmmm...
I'll keep you posted
Peace

Another Vintage Sewing Shrine

2008-05-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

I'm lucky to have a bunch of vintage sewing ads and stuff. So when I came across this box it seemed perfect for another sewing shrine. The box is a cheese box, I think from the 30's or early 40's. I whitewashed it with gesso on the inside. I decided to leave the outside as is because I thought it was so interesting.

The ads decorating the walls are from 1913 and 1914. They come from 'A Womans Sewing Companion'. The stuff is from my stash picked up here and there.

I put a little pearl necklace on the dressmakers dummy. She is standing on a pile of vintage spools of thread.
The beige round thing on the back wall is a crocheted button.

These are so much fun to make.

Peace

I'm so flattered

2008-05-03T06:12:00.000-07:00

My buddy Inka (visit her in my links) nominated me for this award. This is the second for me and I am flattered that 2 wonderful artists thought enough of me to do this.
So here are my nominated friends for this round:
Linda -http://jewelsoftheeast.blogspot.com/
Alphaneenee-http://funkytimeart.blogspot.com./
Kecia-http://lemoncholys.blogspot.com/
Kim-http://threadtales.blogspot.com/
Val-http://valsalteredheartjourney.blogspot.com/

So the way this goes is these are people who I feel contribute to the online community with their wit and art and generosity of spirit etc. So I E them and let them know they have been tagged and they do 5 of their friends and so on and so on.
I do hope you visit their blogs, they really are wonderful.
Peace

A Shrine and a Pink Piece

2008-05-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

I really like the Old West. So I did a shrine to Annie Oakley. I found a bunch of images from the Buffalo Bill Wild West show and used them on the sides and in the attic.

I shingled the roof with shingles from the doll house section at Hobby Lobby. I used vintage lace and dried naturals and Birch bark and a piece of Oak for embellishments.

I used rice paper instead of dictionary pages like I usually do to cover the walls. I gotta say i didn't like working with it. I think I will stick to dictionary pages.
I put this in my Etsy store.

I was paging thru mags for no particular reason and I started pulling ads. The face is black and white, so I put some color in with crayons. Nothing else worked.

I did the background with oil pastels and sealed it before collaging on it. The ribbon on the side is made from paper. I thought it fit well with the lace. Then I added the pearls because I seem to be on a pearl kick lately.

I love the way the flowers are almost a hat or almost her hair depending on how you look at it.

This was just plain fun to do.Sometimes you just gotta play.

I put this in my store too.

Peace

Finished I think

2008-04-27T14:41:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm not really sure if I'm happy with this or not. I know I am going to have to do something to the background. I like the layout. And the things on it. But I'm just not sure.
The dragonfly sticks up about 1/4 inch or a little more at the highest point. Which is the body and where the wings connect. I built up under the wings by the body with modeling paste and then tapered them down to lay flat on the board. The top trim is lace. The flowers are dried from our woods. The long grasses are twisted tissue paper.
There are tiny dried leaves along the bottom. They show up better in person. In fact the whole piece is better in person.
So I think I'll live with it awhile and see if it needs something more or not.

Peace

Making a Mermaid

2008-04-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

Yay I can put up pics today! So here's how this piece came to be born. I garage saled the round piece of wood about 10 years ago. Just one of those weird things that you see and think 'I need to have that'. It was from something someone cut a whole in and my husband couldn't believe I paid a dollar for it. Then last year I was looking thru a mag and I saw an ad with this woman in it. It stretched across 2 pages, she was sitting in a desert. I really liked her hair so I cut it out and put it in one of my many files. Then a couple of months ago I was poking around looking for inspiration and I saw her again. And I thought 'Mermaid' which made me thing air bubble which made me think round which made me think piece of wood and there ya go.
So I painted the background and used sand and modeling paste for the seabed. Then i glued on the shells and coral.I put pearls in her hair because I thought she needed them and gave her a seed bead neckpiece to sort of hide her boobs. Then I gave her a wand because who wouldn't want a wand!

Her tail is made from large sequins cut into quarters and placed one at a time to overlap like fishscales. Her fins are fabric and netting.

I wanted to have some kind of seaweed or something, but I wanted it to be light and sort of 3-d. So I took floral wire and wound it up and covered some of it with ribbon and there she is!
So that's how a Mermaid was born!

Peace

A Mermaid and an Etsy Store

2008-04-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

I feel like I haven't posted in a long time. I've been down with a sinus infection/cold all week. So I've been feeling a little uncommunicative. But I used the time to open an Etsy Store! Yup, I really did it! I wouldn't have ever gotten the nerve up without the support and encouragment of my online art sisters. Thank you all. Here is the link (I hope):
http://www.greenwomancreating.etsy.com
If not it is called Green Woman Creating and you can look in Etsy for it by name.
I wanted to put up a pic of a Mermaid piece I did, but for some reason blogger isn't letting me do pics today. But I did put it in the store.
So thank you all again, I never thought I would find such a wonderful community online.
Peace

Playing Tag In Bloglandia

2008-04-17T11:47:00.000-07:00

I got tagged by Moonwillow http://moonwillowblogspot.com/ .Yay, what fun! Here's how it works, you get tagged and you list 6 things about yourself, unimportant, random,habits and quirks. Then you tag 6 people and link them at the end of your post. Then you inform them they've been tagged and on it goes.
So here's my 6:
1. If my husband didn't object so strongly I would cut my hair in a shaggy spike and put purple streaks in it.
2.I used to teach Disco.
3.If I had to choose between art supplies and books to be on a deserted island with me I would pick books.
I haven't had any artistic training or ever attended a workshop.
4.I was in the Our Lady Of Angels fire in Chicago.
5.I watch a lot of reality TV.
6.I wish I could draw and paint.
So now I am tagging:
http://www.alteredrose.com/
http://artrix-playtime.blogspot.com/
http://cynthiapowell.blogspot.com/
http://erzsabetart.blogspot.com/
http://www.maigirlz.typepad.com/
http://www.serenitynowcris.blogspot.com/
Tag Girls, you're it!!
Peace

More Affirmations

2008-04-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some more Affirmation Goddess' I just made. I really enjoy creating them. I never know who they are going to turn into.
Here is Warrior my favorite. This one turned out to be standing sort of hip-shot. Maybe a little cocky. Here is Grow. A wish for spring to come so I can plant some flowers and see some color when I look outside.
And Peace.Because it's what I wish for us all.
So that's what I've been doing. And the dragonfly textured piece should be done this week along with the Winter Goddess.
And I spent several hours taking pics of some things for the etsy store that I hope to open soon.

Peace

To Etsy Or Not To Etsy, That Is The Question

2008-04-11T06:00:00.001-07:00

And for me it's a big one. For some reason this is a scary thing. I guess the feeling is like 'what if I give a party and no one comes.'
But I have been doing a lot of looking around and I am going to do it. I have to I think. I am reaching the point where I don't have room for all I create. If I don't sell, I will end up with a houseful of stuff that my kids will have to clear out when I'm gone.
So now the big question is what about tax. Do I charge it, do I claim it,do I have to have a tax number or something. All questions for my accountant. But until tax crunch time is over I don't want to bother her.
How do you all handle that part of it?

Peace

Arte Y Pico Award

2008-04-08T07:15:00.000-07:00

I got this nice surprise today. Jillian from Elinors Closet ( http://elinorscloset.blogspot.com/) gave it to me. The way I understand it, it is an award for creativity, design, interesting material and contribution to the blogging community.
Now I am supposed to put a link about the award but I couldn't figure out how. And when i went to the link in Jillians blog it was in Spanish. So even if I linked it I wonder if you would be able to understand it.
But that being said, you can go to Jillians blog and get the info. So now I give the award to 5 friends and they give it to 5 friends and so on and so on.
This is the hard part. There are so many friends that I admire and only 5 awards.
All these artists can be seen on my links.

Dawn-Gold Betty Boop. For being one of the kindest people I have met in Bloglandia, and for the amazing amount of work she turns out and for how great it all is.

Kelsey-KO...OK? For having a blog that teaches so many new techniques with easy to understand words and beautiful examples.

Christie-Serenity Now. For having one of the most interesting blogs I have ever been to. You never know what you will see.

Rose-Altered Rose. For being my lifeline online and for the colorful and exciting work that you do. I'm so glad you're my friend.

Maija-Maigirlz Madness. For sheer happy eye candy, ya gotta love Maigirlz. A truly happy blog to visit.

So I know I didn't do this exactly right, but I did it.
Peace

More Works In Progress

2008-04-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

I decided to see if I could do another textured piece using a real dragonfly. So I did some of the crumpled tissue paper on the background. Then I made some grasses from it too. Some real pressed leaves and dried flowers and the dragonfly. All gel mediumed. I really took my time coating the wings 'cause they are so delicate. Then wait for it to dry. Being as how it's been so humid this took a lot of time. Oh and a strip of lace across the top just because. Since I took this pic I have gessoed the whole thing. Next I will be adding modeling paste texture to the leaves. I think this piece will be in greens. This is a piece I am doing for an upcoming art show. I textured the background with modeling paste. After I glopped it on I combed thru it with a piece of cardboard I ripped. I made eyebrows and eyelids with paper clay. The last couple of faces I have done have been a little wierd looking because they didn't have eyelids.
Then the whole face was gessoed and painted with white metallic craft paint.Then I made a mask like piece out of white velvet and glued it to the face. I had cut inserts in each side. I filled the inserts with seed beads and teeny pearls. Then I went around the edges with pearls and more seed beads.
The bottom is more pearls. The top of the face will have a white fox head-fur which I trimmed with micro beads. It will fit her like a headdress. The outside edges of the canvas will be trimmed out with white velvet ribbon. The fur will stick up a little above the top edge. I am considering making small antlers from branches painted white.
The whole piece is in whites as she is the Goddess Of Winter.

Peace

Masks and the Ren Faire

2008-04-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year when we would start planning our trip to the Ren Faire. But since we moved so far from it, we can't go anymore. I miss it very much. We never got to take vacations so this was like a day-trip vacation. So I made some masks to remind me. The masks are the plastic ones you can get at Hobby Lobby or most anywhere. I gessoed them first. Then I painted them with regular metallic craft paint.
Then it was just a matter of gluing, feathers and fake leaves and bits and bobs of this and that.
I glued fabric to this one. And some scrunched up blue tissue paper. Then around the eye on the blue side I used some flower petals I had pressed and painted tiny designs on them.

If you ever get a chance to go to a Ren Faire, don't miss it.

Peace

Titled and soon to be mounted

2008-03-31T06:13:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Morning Dove http://morningdew15-morningdove.blogspot.com/
for her title suggestion. So the piece is officially titled 'Life Outside The Window'. And I am going to be mounting it on barnwood.

Also I was in an international collage exchange based in New Zealand. The work has been posted at http://virtual.tart.co.nz/ I hope you check it out. There is some truly amazing work here. There are 2 rooms, one is exhibit and one is for pieces for sale.

This is short as there is a storm coming so I will be shutting off the computer soon.
Peace

I LOVE THIS!!!

2008-03-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about this piece I can barely stand it! This may just be one of my favorite pieces ever.
So, I left off in the post before this one with the first layer of paint going on. Then the next step is turning the piece in all directions to put little dabs on where I missed spots in the nooks and crannies. This really took a lot of time. Seems like every time I thought I was done there was another little white spot shining at me.

Then I mucked around awhile with paint colors, and ended mixing a red and an orange to get the next layer. I applied it sparingly with a sea sponge and went over it with a dry brush to blend.
Then I used a stencil brush to add a little green to the leaves and again hit it with a dry brush.
Then I gilded the edges of the leaves with copper and the bark with antique gold and the mushrooms and fungus with a combinationof the two.

I may mount it on a board, kind of like a mat, and do the mat in black maybe? Or maybe mount it on some barn wood. I need to live with it awhile before I decide.
And I guess I should title it, but I am not coming up with anything at the moment. Anybody got suggestions for a title and about the mounting?

Peace

New Technique..I'm so excited

2008-03-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

I don't usually show works in progress. But I am sooo excited about this I had to share. While cruising around Bloglandia I found http://valsalteredheartjourney.blogspot.com/ and was blown away by the piece she did in her March 13 post. This artist is brilliant with backgrounds and texture.
So I had to try for myself. I used crumpled tissue paper, bark, dried mushrooms and fungus, a dollhouse window, a scrap of rodent wire, a couple of keys and the thing you stick the key into. Oh and a LOT of oak leaves big and small.
So I started sticking stuff on using matte gel medium. Then I gessoed over everything. Then I added more stuff because, well you can never have enough stuff. Then gessoed again. Then I decided to go over the leaves with light modeling paste to make them stick out more. Then I drew the veins in the leaves with a bamboo skewer. Then more gesso.

Then I decided it needed an eye peeping out of the leaves. So I did the paper clay thing again and after it dried,gel'd it on and added more leaves. Then gesso again. Now it is ready for painting.
The hardest part is to think monochromatically. Because it doesn't matter what color the things are 'cause they will all be gessoed and painted. The drying time is hard too. Patience is not my strongest virtue. And there is a LOT of drying in between layers and what not.

So as you can see the first layer of paint is burnt sienna. I have to get some more colors, but I am leaning towards reds and red-oranges and coppers and golds. Maybe a green, I don't know.

So check out her work, you will be inspired too.

Peace

Wood Spirit

2008-03-25T13:54:00.000-07:00

This is on eof the Wood Spirits I make using things from our property. The bark is from a dead fall oak tree. The fungus is from another dead fall that I won't let my husband cut up 'cause it grows such good stuff. The feathers are donated from a hunter friend of ours, they are Pheasant.

I make the face using terra cotta clay. Then I dusted it with Pearl-Ex powder. Then I just glue stuff on till I'm happy. The hardest part of this is to make the piece hangable. The bark is curved so I had to make a hanger that was long enough to work with that. So I cut a piece of leather thong. Then I glued it to the back in a loop using E6000, one of my favorite glues.

So in the spirit of Spring which has to be here one of these days I offer my Wood Spirit.

Peace

Tattered Fairies

2008-03-22T14:52:00.000-07:00

These are my Tattered Fairy dolls. I use 14 inch bendi-type bodies that I paint with craft paint. Then I add seed beads for the eyes. They don't have noses or mouths because I can't draw. I call them tattered because their clothes are shredded and distressed. This is because I like the effect and I don't like to sew.
I make really big pom-poms for the hair out of whatever kind of yarn strikes my fancy. The wings are made from those sheets of copper mesh you get at Hobby Lobby the most fun place on earth. They are trimmed with glitter glue.
They will have ankle bracelets and tags giving their name. The green one is 'Earrach' which is Celtic for Springtime. The pink is 'Athas' which is Celtic for Joy.

Happy Easter to all

Peace

Blue Jay

2008-03-19T18:10:00.000-07:00

This was a really fun piece to do. It just kind of created itself. I found these feathers last summer. They were just sitting in their box marked Blue Jay feathers. And I was poking around in my stuff and I saw that I had some blue teddy bear eyes. And the next thing I knew this was happening.

The canvas is a small one. Just 6x6. I painted the background with metallic craft paint. Then I took some of that really big sort of metal ribbon that they sell by the spool at Xmas time. I guess you could use it to make really big bows for a wreath or something. I had a spool 'cause...well I don't know why I have it. Anyway I painted one side of it black metallic and pressed it paint side down on the canvas.

I mounted the eye in paper clay. Then I painted it. Then I ran a bead of glue around it and added some seed beads. Then I added feathers and more beads and so on.

So this is my homage to the Blue Jay who so generously donated his feathers to me. Even tho I'll bet he didn't do it willingly!

Peace

Basket Weaving

2008-03-18T06:11:00.000-07:00

Since the weather has been making my mood so crappy lately, I thought I'd do a little basket weaving. Supposed to be soothing right? I saw all these colored wires at Hobby Lobby and they made me think of peacock feathers and well, one thing led to another and there you go.

I stripped some 12g solid copper wire for the base. Then I soldered it and wirewrapped over the solder. I did this for stability and because quite frankly my soldering sucks. I've tried to do it. I know how to do it. I like to do it. But it just isn't one of my best things. Then I spread the wires out in the form I wanted.

Then I took 20g purple, blue, green and burgundy wire and just wove. And ya know what? It is soothing.

Then I curled the 12 g tops down and wove peacock feathers thru. It is surprisingly stable. And it feels good to hold. I think maybe I should have used a colored background. But you get the idea.

Peace

Shoes Shoes Glorious Shoes

2008-03-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

The first pair of shoes that I coveted, that made my little heart go pitty pat were black leather low boot types. They came just below the ankle and had a folded flap around the top. They zipped up the back and had a low heel. I was in high school and wanted these shoes more than I ever wanted anything. I served a lot of burgers to get those shoes.

Then when I was older I was head waitress in a Disco and also did exhibition dancing and some teaching. So I spent the better part of my time in heels.

Now I go for comfort. But I still love shoes. I have a favorite pair of purple velvet MaryJanes. And during the summer I love sparkly flip flops. And my pink Converse knock-offs. I don't even own a pair of heels anymore. Unless you count the lowheeled cowboy boots I use to walk around our property.

So here is my shrine to shoes. It was going to have a lot of quotes on it. And the wonderful Ladies in Artists Circle came up with a bunch of good ones they shared. But as I built this it seemed to need simplicity to show off the shoe and the pearls and the beads, So the quotes are in a file waiting for another project.

I painted a Milkweed pod and filled it with pearls. A fun look I thought. And dribbled glue here and there and scattered tiny beads. A simple shrine, but I wanted the shoe and the Milkweed to be the focal point.
What's your favorite shoe?

Peace

Re-done Skull Done

2008-03-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

After the drama and trauma of washing off my initial work, it's finally done! Yay!! I really enjoy doing the dot painting. Very soothing, if it's going well. But definitely something that should only be done when the eyes are fresh and the hand is steady. I decided against covering the whole skull. It has such interesting crevices that I wanted them highlighted, not covered. It doesn't show in these pics, but where the bones knit together, it almost looks like they were sewn with a wonky zig zag stitch.
I sealed it with a matte finish sealer. And now I am temporarily out of skulls.
At least until warm weather. Then I can boil and clean the ones that are waiting in my freezer. I don't know if I told you all, but I have a hog, a bunny, a squirell and 3 turkey heads waiting. The meat processor a couple of towns over saves skulls for me in exchange for brownies or pumpkin bread. I told him I would like one of whatever he gets in and he said ok. I'm very excited.

I know a lot of you are going EEEUUWWW right about now. But I think of it as a way of honoring the animal. When an animal is killed for meat, I think all parts that can be used should be used. The Native Americans had it right. Waste nothing.

Peace

A Goddess For A Friend

2008-03-06T18:12:00.000-08:00

I made this Goddess to send to my friend Moonwillow. Check out her blog 'The Starving Artist'. She will be going to Moon along with the other 3 I posted on an earlier date.
Her color is pink. Her word is COURAGE. I made her headress to resemble the Pink Ribbon.

Here is a closer view. All 4 will have stands like the one pictured here. That way they can go on desks or altars or tables or wherever. I hope they bring joy to the people who choose them.
Peace

More Shrines

2008-03-03T18:12:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy making shrines. These came about becuase of my friend Rose.Check out her site 'Altered Rose'. We send each other stuff in the mail. And she sent me some cigar boxes. These reminded me of building blocks because they are so square. So I thought of piling them on top of each other and doing a multi-level shrine. I may still do that. I have one more I haven't used yet.

Anyway, building blocks made me think of kids. And kids make me think of fairies. So here are my fairy kid shrines.
I crackled the outside and papered the insides. I aged the blocks with ink. I mounted the images to cardstock. Then I cut them out and made stands for them with 16g copper wire which I glues to their little backs using E6000.
The wings are from cicadas. I took them off the dead bugs then preserved them with gel medium. I was going to use butterfly wings, but these were more interesting.

The little chick figurine is the match to the one on top of the branch on 'A Leg Up.'
Shrines are so much fun to make..have you tried yet?
Peace
Mary

p.s

2008-02-29T17:02:00.000-08:00

The little yellow thing sitting on top of the branch on the right is a vintage bird figure.

A Leg Up

2008-02-29T16:42:00.000-08:00

This is more like it. This is what I had in mind. I am sooo glad I changed it from the way it was.(see earlier post) So I wrapped the branch in 20g copper wire. Then I collected all the stuff and strung it all on fishing line with turqoise bead chips and wooden beads. I re-enforced the knots with glue. There is a lot of fun stuff here. Prisms, tiny spirit bottles, a skull bead, a Monopoly car, a jack, keys, stuff! I like stuff! The bracelet with the discs says things like joy and believe.
More stuff. You can never have enough!

The two pronged thing hanging by the feather earring says Spirit Hollow. I don't remember where I collected it from, but it fits.
I like the way the nest turned out after I stabilized it with Gel Medium.

So here it is, 'A Leg Up'.

On to the next creation

Peace

How Lucky We All Are

2008-02-29T07:04:00.000-08:00

We are all so lucky to live in a time where with the push of a button we can connect with people all over the world. I know I am showing my age here(57), but I wasn't raised and educated with computers. We weren't even allowed to use calculators in school. So for me this is miraculous!

I have heard from people all over the states and the UK and New Zealand and Holland and Australia. Wow!

Living where I do, this connection to other creative people is a godsend. It would be very artistically lonely without it.
Peace

Collaging Out Of A Funk

2008-02-28T05:21:00.000-08:00

I have been in a bit of a funk. Having a pity party because I didn't get juried into a group I applied to. Couldn't seem to get past it. Doubting my abilities etc... But the thing about pity parties is that no-one else comes to them and after awhile you get sick of your own whiny self. So I decided to do something simple and basic instead of worrying about if I am really an artist or not.
This piece is all balck and white except for the woman. I did a light watercolor to her clothes. I wanted to honor the illustrations, not alter them because I think they are so cool.I printed up the top text and chalked the paper lightly to give it the aged look of the text on the bottom. The top says Turn Heads In Your and the bottom says Needlecraft Smart Frocks and the little piece is the year from the mag which is 1913. I trimmed the front with thin rick-rack. This is an image that just makes me think BFF. I am thinking of adding text that says' Friends Like You Never Go Out Of Fashion'. We'll see. It's a little piece 4x6 so it maybe would look too crowded. What do you think?
I got my hands on some great Needlecraft magazines from 1913-1916. I have 3 that I would be willing to trade for stuff if anyone is interested. They are full of wonderful old images and the ads are screaming out to be used in something fabulous.
Leave a comment if you want to do a trade.

I took everything off of the leg piece and started over. I wrapped the branch in 20g copper wire. Then I started rehangeing the flotsom and jetsom with fishing line and a couple of wooden beads and turqoise bits. I am liking it much much better. Pics will follow when I complete it.

Peace

Works In Progress

2008-02-24T18:35:00.000-08:00

I've started over on the skull. This time I am very happy with my paint choices and with how it's coming along. I'm really glad I washed it all off and started over. Working the dots is an almost meditative process if it's going well. Which it is so far.Patience, patience, patience. This is what I've been doing with the leg. I don't know what to say about it really. I have this picture in my mind. But for some reason what's in my head isn't coming out my hands. I started with the idea that the tree would be wrapped in copper wire and the flotsom and jetsom would hang from really thin copper wire.
But then for some reason I decided to wrap the tree in tattered chiffon strips. That looked pretty cool. But then I decided to hang some of the stuff with strips too. And I'm not sure what happened, but it's kind of taken on a life of it's own.
I decided to step away from it for awhile when it started to look sort of halloweeny.
The whole creative process is so interesting isn't it? I don't sketch. I draw in my head. And when I am happy with the picture I start to create. Sometimes I have a picture in my head for weeks before I am happy with it. I re-do it and re-work things until it comes out just right.Usually works pretty good. This time...I'll keep you posted!

Peace

The 'You Make My Day' award

2008-02-22T17:37:00.000-08:00

Until today I had never heard of this award. Then I got some messages saying I had been given this ...kudos I guess you would say.
The idea is that you list people who inspire you and affect you in positive ways.
Then the people you list are supposed to make their lists.
Sort of paying it forward.
And I guess you are supposed to try to list people who haven't been listed before or something like that.
Anyway, I can't just do 10 like I am supposed to. Everyone on my link list is inspiring to me. I am VERY picky about artists I link.
So I will just say that you should check them all out. I peek at their blogs/sites everyday. The are ALL wonderful.

Peace

Pats request and a work in progress

2008-02-22T14:02:00.000-08:00

So, Pat wanted to see details of the sewing shrine. So here you go Pat. Unfortunately my camera skills are as bad as my computer skills so these aren't the best.

This is a work in progress. It will be titled 'A Leg Up'. The base is crackled ( I love crackling) the leg is from a china baby doll. It's a big one, about 9 in. or so. I mounted it to the base with Liquid Nails. Then I stuffed the bottom 2/3 inside the leg with cotton batting. Then I sprayed Great Stuff in and stuck in the branch.Actaully this is the second branch, the first one was too heavy. It fell over and the leg came off the base, chaos reigned!!

Oh and I stuck the branch thru a birds nest from my yard. Then I gessoed here and there on the branch and the nest. Then I gel mediumed the nest to make it more stable. Then i took tattered strips of white chiffon and wound them around with 32g copper wire. Then I stuck moss under the birds nest. Then I started hanging things with the strips and the wire. Just little pieces of flotsam and jetsam that I seem to have all around. They don't show up because of the stuff all over the worktable. When I finish I will post a better pic. Then I thought well, as long as I am in this workroom I will show my branch. It hangs from the ceiling, wrapped in white twinkle lights and hung with fairies and dragons and witches. This is only half of it. I love it.

Peace

A Hard lesson Learned

2008-02-20T12:53:00.000-08:00

This is the skull I have been working on for awhile. Until about 20 minutes ago it was 3/4 of the way done. I had about 20 plus hours in it. While I was working on it, I wasn't completely happy with the colors I chose for the dots. And some of the dots were irregular in shape. But I thought'well, it's ok I guess.' And I kept going. But today I washed the whole thing clean. Because as artists, we shouldn't settle for 'it's ok'. We should always do our best work. It is our responsibility to our talents.

So that is the hard lesson learned, or should I say relearned. Never settle. Always do your best.

Peace

Tintypes and the Daytona 500

2008-02-18T08:49:00.000-08:00

So the Daytona 500 was on yesterday. My husband loves racing, I really don't much care about it. So In between sitting and keeping him company during it, I went in and out of my studio and this is what I did. I had the tintypes for awhile and just yesterday decided what to do with them. I saw an article in Somerset Workshop 3 ( a must have) about using Gesso in different ways. So I turned a canvas over and painted the frame part with cranberry craft paint and a gesso dry brush. Then I stamped on it with a rubber stamp and gesso. If you do this, paint the gesso onto the stamp kind of lightly and wipe off between stampings.
Then I gesso drybrushed some papers and also gesso'd some lace. Attached them with heavy gel medium. Than I rooted thru my naturals stash and found some I like and gesso'd them too. My sister Kate collects the most amazing naturals for me, thanks Kate!!
Then I put a piece of foam board on the back of each tintype and mpunted it all together. Then i did a light, wipe on and off coffee wash to the stampings, just to knock down some of the white.
I really like using canvas this way. Sort of a shallow shadow box effect.

Peace

Finished Altered book

2008-02-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

Yay, I finished and I am really happy with how it turned out. Like I said a couple of posts ago, this is my first try at a block pages altered book This is the front cover. I put a red fox fur on it. I thought the color of the fox worked well with the over all feel that I wanted. I use carpet tape and glue to make it stick. I love carpet tape. Kind of hard to use but it sticks anything to anything. This is a side view. I am really pleased with the clasp. I drilled thru the covers using a hand drill. Then I used leather thongs that I knotted on the inside of the covers. The front loop goes around the back loop which has a vintage button strung on it.
This is the back cover. I used some textured paper that I colored with coffee, then I ran a double ribbon trim down the edge. The spine is some dictionary pages that I coffee'd. I made sure that all the dictionary pieces that I used throughout the book had relevance to the subject.
This is the last page I did even tho it is the first page in the book. It is the women of the west.

I edged the pages with gold to finish the whole thing off.

Hope you enjoyed seeing it.

Peace

Happy accidents and window screen sculpting

2008-02-13T06:43:00.000-08:00

I love happy accidents. They happen a lot when you're an artist. (I still get a kick out of aying I'm an artist!!) So where we used to live we had very old wooden framed windows and screens. We also had a black Lab who didn't like the neighbors. (with good reason) So one day I came home and found a doggy head impression in our window screen and EPIPHANY!! Happy accident. I went to the hardware store, bought a roll of window screen and started sculpting with it. Very fun!!

This is the first thing I did. I like the way the screendrapes almost like fabric. Here are my screen tips: Make sure you bend down the unfinished edges and bang them smooth with a rubber mallet. If you don't you will get nasty little metal slivers in your fingers.
Don't do this if you like your manicure, it will ruin it in a heartbeat.
You can paint on this stuff to give it depth and sew beads onto it.

We have very high winds here a lot. So they inspired a piece I am working on with screening. It will be a wall hanging titled'They Call The Wind Mariah'. Anybody but me remember that song?

The great thing about being a mixed media artist is you can use anything as your medium, and you can use it in anyway!

Peace

Altered Book

2008-02-11T06:17:00.000-08:00

I Love making altered books. I've made quite a few for gifts and they turned out great. This one is for me to keep. I had found a book on the wild west in the bargain bin of a bookstore a few years ago. A big coffeetable style book. I always had it in the back of my mind to alter it. So I started taking out pages and when I was done I decided it was too big to do. So I got a regular old hard cover book instead.

This is the first time I have tried making block pages. It's a little tricky to do but a fun effect. The hardest part for me was lining up the pages after they had been gel mediumed and getting the aligator clips in place.I did about 15 pages per block. And really give them a chance to dry, like overnight. And only do a couple at a time.

The idea is for each set of pages to have an Indian image on one side with a corresponding Pioneer image on the other.

This page is page is about families. I did the background with bubblewrap painting. The medallion on the left page is made from Veggie Leather. Fun stuff to use. The fabric squares on the right page are vintage. The strip down the middle is burlap. This page is the men. The left page is embellished with wild turkey feathers from a half a bird my dogs brought home from who knows where. The right page is done with dictionary pages and lace paper I dyed with instant coffee, my new favorite thing to do for aging.

This set is about learning. The left has an image of the Cherokee alphabet I found in the western book.Along the top and bottom is some trim that has little shells hanging off it. The right side has some vintage looking buttons and alphabet paper.

I have 2 more pages to do then the cover. I am very excited about the cover. If it turns out like I want it will be very cool!

If you've never done this, google some altered book sites, get some ideas and jump in. The hardest step is the first, where you actually do your first cut or tear to a page. After that it is a LOT of fun. Especially since there are no right or wrong ways to do it!

Peace

a p.s about Jan 28 post

2008-02-09T11:15:00.000-08:00

I posted about the book by Renetta Dudzinski titled 'The Journey' and I should have said 'The Journey Book One'. OOPPSS!!

Favorite art/craft books

2008-02-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

I've been down with the flu so I haven't been feeling too creative. So I thought I would share some of my favorite arting books with you.

I have to start with my friend Michael deMeng's book 'Secrets of Rusty Things.' This is an inspirational colorful look at Michaels way of creating. Well written and with a lot of pics and tips. My number one favorite.

Another art buddy is Suzanne Simanaitis. Her book 'Kaleidoscope' is pure eye candy. Lots of info and ideas and tips, this book makes you itchy to start creating.

'Metal Craft Discovery Workshop' by Linda and Opie O'Brien is chock full of info and techniques for working with different metals and ideas for creating patinas.

'The Altered Object' by Terry Taylor is a wonderful look at the different ways artists alter everyday objects. Beautifully done.

'Crafting Personal Shrines' by Carol Owen is a must for anyone wanting to try their hand at shrines. Templates and tips are all easily understood and hugely helpful. And the pics of finished shrines are gorgeous.

'Pretty Little Things' by Sally Jean Alexander is another eyecandy wonder. Makes you want to solder. Absolutely fab things.

And of course there's ANYTHING from Somerset. The magazine, workshop, gallery and press are all must haves. And speaking of mags Cloth, Paper, Scissore is also a must.

Since I live out in the boonies and the nearset bookshop is 45 mins. away and the size of a closet, I buy a lot of my books online. The best site I've found for new and used books and music and movies is Alibris. I get my books used for a fraction of the cost. I have been dealing with them for years and they are the best.

Peace

Playing with dolls

2008-02-07T05:47:00.000-08:00

I loved playing with dolls when I was younger. I had a Shirley Temple doll and later a Barbie of course. I remember looking for scraps in my mothers sewing space to drape on the dolls for designer original clothes. I still like dolls, but now I am into Art dolls.
These are a couple of my favorites. The one on top doesn't have a name. Nothing I come up with seems to fit. Maybe the little button boobies are distracting me? LOL!! If you think of a name please let me know in the comments section.
This is 'Mother Nature'. She is a 14 inch bendi doll. I cut into her head and sunk the sculpey face in. She has acorn boobs and black feather wings. There are some very cool copper face beads on the strip hanging from her left leg. I had to cut into her to sink the acorns too.

So there you go, keep playing with dolls, no matter how old you are. But maybe try looking at the in a different way.

I thought when I started this blog that one of the keys to good blogging is disciplined posting. So I have been trying to post every other day. But yesterday I was sick with the flu. So I am a day behind. But I am going to try to keep to a schedule. I am kind of random and chaotic in my work so I figure I should try to have some order somewhere.

Peace

Affirmations p.s

2008-02-04T09:05:00.000-08:00

I forgot to tell you that green is 'Grow', blue is 'Peace' and purple is 'Warrior'.

Affirmations

2008-02-04T08:47:00.000-08:00

I believe words have power. I use affirmations daily. My password, the way I end my E's and this post are all affirmations. I think of these figures as 'Affirmation Goddess's'. Altho you can't tell from this pic each one has an affirmation in alphabet letters in the beaded body.Back in the day I did a LOT of craft shows and these figures were always very popular. The first one I ever sold was a 'Warrior' (always purple). An older woman, mid 70's, held her and was looking at her so closely that I thought maybe she was having trouble making out the word. So I told her that in addition to the one she was holding I had peace, love, mother, sister, friend, dance etc.
She looked at me and said "But my dear I AM a warrior". And bought her.

I enjoy making these figures beacause even tho the face and hand charms and the general body shape are always the same, I never know where the wire will take me. So the details and the headdress are always different.

Peace

Faces

2008-02-02T07:34:00.000-08:00

I love working with womens faces. These are some pieces I did for a local art show. The oval one is titled 'Mathair', celtic for mother. I textured the background with modeling paste. The face is done up with feathers I collected. The eyebrow is the green down from a ducks neck. I put each teeny tiny green feather on one by one. The furry bit is some fabric I found at Hobby Lobby. I used teddy bear eyeballs mounted in paper clay. I mounted an extra piece covered in rabbit fur and feather to the back of the canvas.

This piece is titled'Flight'. Again I textured the background and used metallic craft paint. The feathers were mounted one by one. It is a little tricky working in feathers. You want to break the spines before you mount them. And you can only do a few at a time because you want to weigh them down to dry. I didn't win with either piece. I don't think they get me around here. But everyone had to pet the feathers on 'Flight'.
Oh yeah, I should tell you that the faces are styrofoam that I gessoed and painted.
So there's the art for the day.
Peace

Pearl

2008-01-31T07:27:00.000-08:00

This is 'Pearl'. I had found this image and saved her because her face reminded me of my Mother. She sat in my files for a long time. Then one day my brother Michael, who is an artist as well as an art teacher, was over. He comes from time to time and helps me by looking at my work and making suggestions. One thing he talks about that I don't do is frame my work. A lot of my canvases are large and they have things going off the edges, so framing is just not something I do. So he mentioned it again, and my mind started going. I mentally shifted thru my stash and remembered this image. She is very vintage-y and I thought that framing her in a broken frame could be sort of cool. She also seemed to need pearls. So I found some textured paper that i painted and partially covered with modeling paste and painted that too. Wonderful stuff modeling paste. Then I just started gluing pearls in swirls. Yup, I did them one at a time. Needless to say 'Pearl' took a long time to be born. So today (hopefully) I figured out how to put the picture in the middle of the post. We'll see when I'm done talking and push the button!! And I started adding some links. More will come.
Peace

P.S

2008-01-28T09:11:00.000-08:00

I forgot to say that 'American Romance' is available on Amazon.com

Books and the people who write them

2008-01-28T08:57:00.000-08:00

I love books. I would rather read than almost anything in the world. If I were going to be stranded on an island I would take my books. I reread and rereread my favorites. I think it is like visiting with old friends.

I am in awe of the people who write books. I bet it must be a thrill to invent whole worlds to share with others.

So here are 2 books written by people I know. The first is 'The Journey' by Renetta Dudzinski. It is Christian fiction. Sort of little house on the prarie-ish. A good read that made me thankful to be living in this time. Life was just too hard back in the good ol' days for me!
www.the journeybooks.com

Then there is 'American Romance' by Skitz M. Jones Esq. This a collection of free form poems and thoughts that covers all parts of relationships and romance. I love this book. The author is funny, thoughtful,baffled and all the emotions we all are when it comes to love and life. And I am amazed that these things come from such a young (25) man. Skitz is also a medic in the Illinois National Guard.

So happy monday!
Peace

Leaping out of the box

2008-01-25T07:38:00.000-08:00

I see so much inspiring work online, and I wonder where these artists get the sense of freedom that comes through so strongly in what they do. I have a problem stepping outside the box. I find myself worried about messing up or making a mistake. Which is silly really because noone is judging me but me. I am better than I used to be but not as good as I want to be.

So my resolution for this year is to LEAP out of the box artistically. Or try anyway!

These are some shrines I made using foam board to make the buildings. Tricky stuff, foam board. You REALLY need to keep a sharp blade in your knife. And you REALLY need to be exact in your measurements. Not my best thing. I had seen walls covered with rice paper and I tried that. But I found it too flimsy. I like to use pages from old dictionarys and books instead. And you REALLY need to be patient thru the whole drying/setting up process. Also not my best thing. And I found that you shouldn't try to set too many walls at a time. Patience patience patience.

For the Fairy shrine I used real butterfly wings that I gel mediumed onto cardstock. The nests and eggs in both shrines are things I found on our property. My husband Jimi knows to always be looking down when he is out and about and has found a lot of cool stuff for me.

The stuff on top of the Angel Demon shrine is devils Claw my friend Rose from AZ. sent me.

So those are some of my shrines, hope you like them.
Peace

Vintage Sewing Shrine

2008-01-23T08:43:00.000-08:00

Yay, it's done. Well, I still have to attach the hangers because it is a wall shrine. But other than that I am done. This was a fun thing to do. It shows how you can use things that other people would toss. The wooden silverware tray was really rough and beat up. But I am happy with how it looks whitewashed.

The ads on the back walls are vintage. So are a lot of the bits and bobs. The dress forms were made by my niece Rachel for another piece that never came to life.

So now I am working on an altered book. Usually I just alter them as they are. But this time I am trying the block pages technique. So far I like it.

It's still cold and windy here. And gray. But that's Illinois in the winter.

Peace

Cold Cold Cold

2008-01-20T08:58:00.000-08:00

It is -10 here. Our water pump has frozen up so we can't run water again. During the Xmas holidays when we had a house full of overnight guests, the septic acted up. Aaaah, life iin the country, ya gotta love it.

No pictures today. But I did change the colors of some stuff here and added a quote I like and added to my profile. So I don't feel like I am neglecting my blogging.

Today just might be a curl up under a blanket with a book and a cat kind of day.

Peace