Work In Progress

As promised, some pictures of the projects in process

Here is the bird house after I cleaned up the entrance and applied glitter to the flower

It actually looks a lot better in person than it does in the picture, but you can see a couple of flecks of glitter on it

I think I'll be stringing together some flat flowers and gluing them all around the birdhouse, and perhaps a few bundles of flowers on the roof of this one like I did on the red birdhouse



And the first painting on the flower cart

I had thought about doing the edge of the wheels one color and the flat part another, but I'm not that steady with a paint brush, so I settled for masking off the parts around the wheel and painting it all black (like metal)

The pots are waiting for their "glazing" I've been trying to figure out a way I can dip them into the glaze and then hang them to dry --- much easier than holding them in my fingers and trying to paint all of the surfaces (and painting my fingers too!)



Finally got the rubber stamps all mounted on the wood "handles"

This should make it easier to actually stamp them!

There is still a serious amount of the "did I do that" factor with these things

So, I'm thinking about taking them for a fabric painting "test drive" on something the right size to make a case for my sunglasses

Pictures to follow my pretties!

A lot of yesterday afternoon was taken up with errands and a doctor appointment, so we didn't get our yard work done --- we'll be out there right after breakfast to get it done --- the ornamental grass plants arrived yesterday after we got home

onward!

More Rocky Mountain Beach Glass

Ta Da!

This was the one and only piece of green glass that I had found, and I decided it needed those little silver jumping dolphins as the accent on the fringe!

Notice that the bezel band around the glass looks white, while the chain looks green. Both things were done with white/clear beads, but I used white thread in the bezel and green thread in the chain.

I really like the additional colors this use of colored thread inside the beads gives me. It's like multiplying the number of bead colors by the number of thread colors --- endless possibilities!

Meantime, I'm trying to figure out a way to do a whole special display area on my show table for this stuff --- something that looks like sand and water with a little wood sign -- maybe a life guard stand -- we'll see

The birdhouse and the flower cart were also worked on yesterday, but I was just too "brain dead" to remember to take any pictures! I'll try to do better today

We're planning to get out into the front yard today and get the area ready for the ornamental grasses that are on their way for one side --- hauling out the tiller and all --- should be interesting!

Busy Busy

I know, yesterday I talked about how the Easter bunny was wearing a rain slicker and all

Imagine my surprise when I emerged from my little computer dungeon to see snow!

Yup, and it snowed for several hours --- huge wet flakes, some of them looking like the bag of batting I use to stuff animals had exploded and was now returning to earth

Wonderful --- it was warm enough that it didn't stay on the tree limbs for long (a good thing or we'd be dealing with broken trees everywhere!), and we still didn't have to shovel any of it

And all that makes for perfect weather to stay put and work on projects!!

Like this one

After the trip to the hobby store, I decided it was time to test out the new tools

WOW, having a tool actually designed to cut the shape you're wanting to cut makes a big difference

I finished these up in record time (while watching an uncut version of Ben Hur on TCM)

Then I moved on to working on this

Got the petals all needlefelted and glued to the bird house (this is more of that berry blue/grape dying project)

Then I added the ring of yellow beads --- still need to do shaping and trimming inside the opening, but I needed the glue to dry first

Now I'm trying to decide what to put around the bottom of the birdhouse and on the roof

All of those things need to get finished before I attach the bird

Meantime, I'm thinking about the next bird --- I'm planning a big fat robin for the blue birdhouse


It looks like there has been glazing going on in the pottery shop

This was kind of fun, trying to do a lot of different colors for the pots

Today I hope to get the first masking done so I can paint the wheels on the cart

And the DH brought in a piece of what looks like the back of those scrubbie sponges from the garage for me to use on top of the platform inside the cart --- neat!

Meantime, I'm trying to locate a book I KNOW I have that shows various beaded flowers and the techniques to make them --- after all, I need to fill all of these pots


No slicker

no eggs

but I think I've "captured" the Easter Bunny!

This is the animal I found the other day

I had done the original stitching and the DH had installed the joints last fall, then I got busy with Christmas projects and the bag just "fell by the wayside"

This was the first animal I had made with a fur I purchased while we were in Kansas City for Jubilee last fall.

The fabric has a nice tight back, and it was the perfect length and color for a rabbit. There's only one problem with the fabric. It's not really colorfast --- as in it "crocks off" --- by the time I finished stuffing and closing it, my hands were the same color as the fabric!

Fortunately, this (like all of the animals from this line of my work) is NOT a toy, so the color issue shouldn't be a problem for it's intended use.

After I got the stuffing and closing done, I shaved all of the pile off the front of the face and did needle felting to create his cheeks, nose and open mouth. I've never tried this before, and I'm pretty happy with the results --- oh yes, the nose is some of the wool from the now infamous "berry blue/grape" dye excursion!

So, now that the rabbit is done, I need to come up with some kind of floral accessories --- we're in the "I'm thinking about it" stage, so the rabbit is sitting on top of the stereo cabinet while we commune together (or do the "mind meld" perhaps) and figure out just what to do next

I think I've figured out what the new look of my website will be, and I'm working on it. Hopefully before too long I'll be making the big "Announcement" of the remodeled launch.

time to go do the laundry ---

Yellow Bird

I finished up the yellow bird, and he's all ready to go onto the green birdhouse.

I'm totally amazed by the way these seem to look like disjointed bits of fluff then suddenly they are birds!

Decorating this bird house will be a bit different than the red one was -- I'm thinking about doing flower petals to go all around the opening of the bird house (so the hole would be the center of the flower) -- we'll see, I'm in the "thinking about it" stage

And here you can see that I have begun working on the flower seller's cart

Before I painted, I had the DH cut a small piece off the bottom of the "peg" that supports the front end of the cart -- I wanted it to lean slightly that way because it would tip back toward the handle when I put things in it otherwise

See all those pots? My plan is to make each one a bit different as I paint them -- I think I still have some paint with texture stuff in it even


Of course then there is the question of what do I put in the pots to support the flower stems?

This is an actual block of oasis (that cool stuff that florists use to stick real flowers in) -- I had this still on hand from some other long ago project (clue to why I don't throw things out!)

And that tool that looks like an apple corer is just that

But it was the perfect size to cut the "plugs" for the 4 big pots. Unfortunately I'll have to cut all the others free hand with a knife

Aside from finishing the yellow bird and working on the flower cart I also stuffed another animal that the DH had jointed a while back but I'd sort of forgotten about. I'm hoping to get the rest of that project finished today.

Also finished the bezel band for the next Rocky Mountain Beach Glass necklace and worked on the Unidentified Christmas Project


oh, yes,

and fiddled around a bit with the paper crafts and created this cute little bunny basket

The Easter Bunny in our neighborhood was wearing a rain slicker and carrying an umbrella this morning as it is raining, but we're glad to have moisture that doesn't require me to go out and shovel it out of the driveway!!

Happy Easter!!

Beach Glass, Birds and Inspiration

Another piece of Rocky Mountain Beach Glass jewelry complete

This piece of glass was part of a plate that we thought was orange

When it came out of the tumbler, however, it was revealed that there was only a orange coating on the outside of the glass

Because it had a grooved pattern, some of the orange in the very deepest grooves remained even after it had been tumbled (see there at the top of the triangle in the close up picture. That gave me a starting point for the colors I used to create the bezel.

This is the first of these that I've used this banded bezel approach --- I really like the way it can so closely form around the sharpest of corners.

The DH says this looks like citrus salad -- lemony and orangey -- the lemony look to the chain is because I used a yellow thread through the clear beads.

I'll be doing a few more of these -- I set up 4 of them at once -- each one a different color (to keep the "monkey brain" from getting bored!)

The bird parts have become the bird!

A lovely bright yellow layer of rooving over the core pieces, then I added the black for the tail

This time I added the little "drumsticks" for the legs before I put the color over the outside, and I like the look a lot better (always learning something new!)

Today I plan to do the beak and the wings -- we'll see how that goes


Yesterday we made a stop at the nearby Hobby Lobby (my favorite local "den of iniquity"!) to pick up some small floral wire and a few more wood flower pots for the flower seller project.

While we were in there, the DH said "don't you think it would be good to have another block of rubber stamp material on hand in case you think up something else you want to do?"

(I love this, like I can't get into enough trouble thinking up projects, he helps so well!! It's great)

Anyway, they didn't have any more of the blocks the size I bought the first time, but they had this one that is more than twice as big, and since I had a coupon, I got a very good deal!

When we've been looking at the material to cut, I've been looking longingly at the Speed Ball tools --- the ones that were originally designed for doing linoleum block cutting. But they were just to expensive for me to just say "Oh what the heck, just buy them".

Again the DH comes to the rescue. "What about wood carving tools" he says, since he's had some experience with that medium, so off we go to the wood carving kits and tools. Behold a set of six cutting tools, everything I really wanted and a couple more besides --- for less than $5.00!

I've decided that even in the case of materials and tools the "snob value" of being an Artist versus a Craftsman can cost you in real dollars. Even in selection of tools, one must be creative!


The last piece of my birthday present arrived (FINALLY!!) yesterday in the mail.

Oh my pretties, this book is amazing --- and probably already stained with drool marks from where I looked at all the pictures.

And there on page 103 is the picture of the piece that Sherry Serafini made that set me off on this odyssey with big bead embroidered pieces. It had originally appeared in an issue of Bead and Button, and I've been playing with the idea and the techniques ever since.

This book is AWESOME --- full of wonderful inspiration and a whole section of technique from each of the artists --- some of which I had already figured out on my own and some that are new and I will be fiddlin' with in the future.

Worth the wait!!

off to work!

Look, it's dirt!

Gardening season has officially begun!

Yesterday morning we planted the seeds for the things that need a head start here in our short growing season.

We got this lovely faux greenhouse that has 72 spots to start things in

On Wednesday we had filled it with soil and wet it down to soak up the moisture so it would be ready for the seeds

The planting was done by poking a hole in the center of each little cell with a bamboo skewer then the seeds were carefully put in with tweezers.

You'll notice on the top left corner there is a little white sticker. That's so I can tell which one is the top left corner!

And here is the planting chart. It has a circle drawn at the top left too --- just so I can remember which end is up -- so to speak.

The chart tells me what got planted where so when they start coming up (those little pilot leaves on a lot of plants look very similar) I'll know what I've got.

Oh yes, those cells that are highlighted in yellow? Those are starts for our kid's garden --- they're getting tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini. We've agreed that the mild peppers (bells and pasillas) will be grown in our garden and the hot peppers (jalapino) will be grown in theirs ---that way there will actually be both kinds and not just a whole batch of "wonder what this will taste like?" as peppers readily cross pollinate.

The little green house has been transported upstairs to the spare bedroom where we have a light on them to warm the soil. Now the trick is to keep the very interested labrador out of them!

Under the catagory of "third time's the charm", I was notified via email this morning that we actually passed the jury on one of the last applications I sent in, so we do have two shows to take our latest mixed media items to. Hurrah!!! Our show dates are May 15 through 17 and September 18 through 20. I'll be posting further details as we get closer.

Remember this from yesterday?

During his "putter in the garage" time yesterday, the DH created the little platform inside the cart that I needed to raise the floor so the pots will actually be visable.

He also brought in some sandpaper and I've started sanding the pots so they are all nice and smooth for the first coat of paint.

I loaded up the tumbler yesterday with pieces from both of these "gift glass" pieces. (For the first time on this project I forgot to take a "before" picture --- OOPS!)

Anyway, along about Mother's Day there will be "after" pictures and I'll have a whole new batch of glass to make pretties out of!

I've been working on a necklace from the last batch of glass, and it's coming along nicely. Because each piece of glass is so unique and individual, creating the bezel for each one has required some real "thinking out of the box". I've done various types of netting around the ones that are curved or have gentle angles, but for the very sharp triangular pieces, netting doesn't work so well.

After several attempts on the current one, I made a peyote band to run all around the edge then used smaller beads to make the "prongs" on the front and the back to keep the glass from slipping out of the band. I'm working on the chain now --- almost ready to zip it up.

It's progressing nicely.

time for some breakfast!

another block and new beginnings

Another block of the afghan complete!

So now I'm down to only one more left to go, which is awesome

I actually did cast on that last block and knit a whole row last night before I was falling asleep in front of the news

It is exciting that this really big project is getting close to being done


This is the beginning of the next bird

Right now it doesn't look like much, but that lumpy egg shape is his body and the round one is his head

(now use your imagination --- bright yellow with black and yellow wings)

ok, more pictures as we progress



I may have mentioned here that we will be doing a show in October that is themed.

The theme is "Bloomin' Bears"

I'm not much of one for "frou frou" on my bears, which is why I did the birdhouse with the flowers (and will do 2 more variations on that theme) for this upcoming show

Yesterday, as we were cleaning off a shelf in the garage, I found these.

And I just happen to have a little gold bear that I've been thinking about totally reworking that is exactly the right size to go with the little flower cart

How sweet is that --- a really "green" project as I have basically everything I need on hand already!

The DH is going to make me a "riser" to fit inside the cart so that the flower pots will show (its a little too deep as it is right now).

This will definately be a mixed media project --- wool/mohair bear, wood wagon, wood and clay pots, beaded and needle felted flowers --- yup this one should be a lot of fun!

time to get movin'

P.S. There's a new recipe posted over at Hattie's Kitchen

Spring Cleaning?

Ever since I had that "ah ha" moment not long ago when I declared myself to be a multi media (or mixed media) artist, I've been thinking that I probably need to give my website a "make over"

probably an EXTREME make over

trouble is, I don't really have any idea where to go with it from where it is

I mean, the format is relatively non-offensive (I think), and the "click and buy" thing on it works, so that part is all ok

Trouble is it doesn't come close to covering everything that should be there, and while I like the buttons I designed and am using on it, I also liked the combination of newsletter/boutique that it was before I went to the current format

and then there is all the time that it takes to redesign a site --- and trust me, it takes lots of that because I use an old compiler and a lot of hand written code --- because I like that whole "control of the content" thing

I need to decide (in the next week!) if I'm going to keep the site up or just ditch it entirely because it's time to pay for the domain name again if I'm keeping it

{sigh!}

Time to go lay down in a dark room and think about this

Another finished piece

It's done!

And we like the way it looks!!

The fringe didn't take as long as I feared it would -- mostly because each piece is the same length and pattern, and because this is just straight fringe, not the branched stuff I've done on some pieces.

The picture on the left was done in the scanner with the fringes all spread out on the glass. The picture on the right was done with the necklace on a jewelry display piece as if it were being worn by someone. I'm pretty pleased with both of them.

After I finished this I pulled out some pieces of beach glass that will be very simple "surround with net and make a chain" affairs --- but I need to have some of those done too.

Meantime I'm still thinking about the next "BIG" beading piece

Bet you thought I'd forgotten all about the giraffe, since there has been no commentary about him for a while

au contraire!

Each evening I try to knit a row or two, so it is

s l o w l y

moving along up the neck --- spots take time!

all in good time, my pretties, all in good time!

I'm studying

yes, I said studying

as in reading the book from cover to cover in small bits

and making notes (some of them RIGHT IN THE BOOK!!)

and doing further online research

ideas are forming

this morning I fished a foam tray (like meat comes on from the stores nowdays, except this one had a chocolate breakfast bar on it -- never mind) out of the TRASH (!!) and washed it so I can try another stamping technique

there are 3 more reasons the postman will hate me --- as I requested 3 more free catalogs this morning too (and I have an 8 page list of other suppliers to check out!)

fabric ideas are floating around in my head

and I have the distinct feeling that somehow this part of my artistic life has come full circle from those first experiences with cloth that my grandmother guided me through

if I had actually been able to go to the college I wanted to go to, I might have found this a lot sooner since I wanted to major in Fashion Design, which at that time (40 years ago!) was part of the Home Economics Department and included a broad range of classes in basic design, color and learning about fibers

Shall we say that the very idea that I might be able to create a design for a fabric that I really like and possibly even have yardage made up for me and that those possibilities are actually within my reach (if not yet my grasp) is thrilling beyond belief

Meantime, I'm doing the "happy dance" for my daughter who yesterday did her first N.A.T.S. (National Association of Teachers of Singing) competition since she was in high school and she placed third in the adult division --- which also means some prize money!! Whoooo Hooooo!! To say I am a very proud mama is a vast understatement. I'm turning virtual cartwheels here.

Yesterday I actually did work on the necklace I'm trying to finish --- for quite a long time. I have more than half of the fringe finished, so there is the possibility that it will be finished today.

While I worked on the necklace (once I set up the pattern for the fringing) I was mentally working on a piece that I want to finish that's been hanging around for a couple of years. It will go in a frame, and my thought right now is to use a fairly large mat around it in the frame -- and either paint or stamp or foil (or all of the above) on the mat to carry on the theme of the piece.

I told you there was something liberating about declaring myself a multi media artist!

time to go get some breakfast and start on a project

Let there be fringe

Check this out!

The zipping is complete, the stones are attached

This still needs a bar for the toggle clasp

But we're ready to fringe!

So far this piece is humming right along --- looking exactly as I imagined it, which is an amazing thing

now it's on to creating whatever the pattern of the fringe will be







After thinking about how to modify these so I would like them better, I went back to the idea that just using a rectangular crop just wasn't going to work

Recropping much tighter to the flower drawing itself was much more satisfactory








So while I was in the program, I did these too

I really like the little lady bugs with their spots, and I have to say these were a lot easier to crop tightly

hopefully there will be no issues when it comes to the numbers 8, 9 and 10!





The first of the two books I ordered arrived yesterday --- it's my very own copy of Complex Cloth. When I borrowed the book from the library I browsed through it, reading bits and pieces --- enough to know two things: 1)that it was actually possible and affordable to create one's own rubber stamps (and just to prove that, I've done 2 already) and 2)that I really, REALLY needed a copy of this book for my very own. So now I will be reading it cover to cover --- every sentence!! mmmmmmm!

The second book should be here soon too, which will be grand.

We were supposed to get a snow storm last night -- and lasting through tomorrow --- but when I got up this morning there was only a teeny, tiny, tiny little bit of snow in the cracks of the sidewalk and along the windshield wipers on the car and over the top of the trash can. We do, however, have a very COLD wind blowing --- Brrrrrrrr!

We shall be holed up working on projects today

Maple Leaf Stamp

Isn't this cool!?

I wasn't sure how well I could cut all these little pointy places, but it came out really well!

And the DH has cut me another piece of scrap lumber so I can mount it on a wood block to make the stamping easier --- neat

So now I have the maple seeds to cut --- much more detailed -- lots of little lines and creases -- should be quite interesting

Yesterday afternoon I started "zipping" the necklace part of the malachite/azurite/turquoise piece I've been working on. It looks pretty good, and I'm hoping to get that finished today so I can get on with the fringing.

Been working on the card deck -- sort of

While I'm pretty happy with the 2 card, I am not so happy with the 10.

For one thing, the stems of some of the flowers look "cut off", and there are some issues with overlapping

When I started on these, I just cropped the flower in a rectagle to copy and paste the multiple times on each card.

That worked ok with the lower numbers, but once I got to 8, 9 and 10, it just doesn't

So, it will be back to the drawing board --- or more accurately back to the photo shop software --- to re-crop and try again.

I'd really like to get this part of the project done so I can get on to the face cards --- but you can't hurry quality!

We're supposed to get another snow storm tonight through tomorrow, so we're going out for dog food and some other things today before I start in on projects. I'm hoping to get to the new bird today too -- we'll see

A Finished Object (at last!)

It seems like I've been working on this project FOREVER!

Yesterday afternoon I glued down the last of the flowers and proclaimed it FINISHED!!

This was an interesting excursion into new ways of mixing medias.

I've done wood projects for quite a while, and beads are my old friends. The needle felting, however, was a whole new deal.

And while I had a "vision" in my head of what I wanted this to look like, I was just not sure I could make it happen in the "real" world.

That is perhaps the biggest challenge of any artist --- to make the visions in our heads become something tangible for others to see.

I am very, VERY, pleased with the way this came out. So now it's on to the next bird house --- probably the green one with a yellow bird. Yes, and possibly orange flowers (which means there will be more wool washing!)

After much fusing and counting I have finally gotten the "netting" between the malachite/azurite/turquoise stones completed.

Yesterday I started on the beadwork that will be the necklace part of this --- across the center (to support the stone "structure") I'm using size 11 beads and from there to the back, including the toggle clasp, I'm using size 15 beads. All of them are the same shades of blues and greens as the stones, and I'm working the famous uber-flexible right angle weave.

Once I get the necklace part finished and the stones attached I'll start on the fringe. There will be a lot of fringe. It will start on the sides at the top and "flow" off of every stone down the sides.

(picture isn't great, but there are little pencil lines on the paper behind the stone that give the general idea)

This will not be branched fringe, but it will be made up of seed beads, bugle beads and stone beads to give it some "weight". And I'm expecting the fringe will take as long to do and the whole rest of the necklace (mostly because as I do the first side I need to count and record so I can refer and count to make the second side match).

Just have to show off one of my birthday presents.

The DH got this for me

It's a BIG mug (for a cuppa whatever while I'm at my computer in the mornings)

It's nice pottery with a great handle

And don't you love the puppy paw prints?!

Oh yes, and that would be my grandchildren are dogs --- I have TWO grand dogs and they are adorable (most of the time).

Yesterday we went back to the doctor for a follow up on the DH and the wound on his hand. She was pleased that he has so much feeling in it, but still concerned about infection given that it was wounded with a circular saw. So, he has another course of antibiotics to take. The up side of this? She gave him samples so we didn't have to pay for another prescription. I LOVE this doctor!! We'll keep an eye on it, and if it still looks "icky" after these anitbiotics are gone, we can go back for another "look see".

Being that it's Spring, we had another snow storm blow through here yesterday afternoon -- and now everything is covered with ice -- I'm just going to work indoors today!