Spoon Muse?

A very sweet friend surprised me with a RAK yesterday of Grunge Board to use in my art. This is amazing stuff...you can do almost anything with it and it won't fall apart. I inked, and heat embossed, and used CM water colors, and acrylic paint and sandpaper and ....the material took it all....no tearing or shrinking and it is still bendable. I like also that it is light weight and easy to adhere to even a metal surface.
In the photo, grunge board is used on the crown, star, body and wings. Great stuff!!!

I bought the spoon at a thrift store and had DH flatten the bowl. I then removed the tarnish and glued the image to the bowl of the spoon. Next I did various techniques to the pieces of grunge board and attached them. the littel red heart is from the card DH gave me for Valentine's day.

Then I added fibers and yarn to make the hair and skirt.

This is now called my spoon muse. I know she needs a name, but am sure she will come up with one when she is ready.
I have 5 more spoons to play with and lots of grunge board...smile....

Tumbled Coasters

With limited space, I feel hesitant to make art and not be able to use it. I ran across this kit to make tumbled marble coasters ...it was on sale, I had a coupon...quick project and useful....sounds like a great combination to me.

I went to my art files and pulled out 4 projects I liked that could be re sized to fit on the 4 x 4 inch coasters. then I printed them off on the laser with this special paper and the kit had glaze and medium and even the sand paper and gauze...

I read the instructions...and spent the afternoon doing a step and allowing it to dry etc.

I do like how the texture of the marble shows through the transfered image.

Zentangles

the fall of 07, I was introduced to a web site and the craze of making "zentangles". Hmmm...I have been doing this for years and years but am glad there is a name for it other than ...idle time doodling. I used to take my journal or small heavy weight card stock and a pen with me when going to one of DH's doc appointments or tests or chemo sessions. My mind could still be active but my hands were busy and it really helped me stay calm and relaxed. I am uploading these as they are probably what sparked my spring project from yesterday or as one friend called it...an abstract circus ..elephant and all.
I have favorite doodles as you will see them repeated in the following examples.
If you have not tried one of these...please do...they are addicting.

Doodle Time

The oscars are on and I am bored so I quickly gessoed a canvas board, sprayed it with a bit of blue color mist from Outsidethemargins.com and got my sharpie marker out and began doodles...no rhyme or reason...just kept adding. I call it countdown to spring... It is a bit bland so then I got the water color crayons out and added a bit more color. I am still not completely happy with it, though. Perhaps I will leave it alone for a few days and see if anything else comes to mind.

Who let the sun out/

we have had so much ugly weather this past week....cold, rain, freezing rain...a small blizzard or white out....snow, more rain, more snow and then freezing rain followed by snow... schools were canceled twice this week due to weather...once for the holiday... and I am tired of being stuck in the house most of the time....so today, I woke up to gorgeous ice covered trees glistening in the ......what is that yellow ball in the sky anyway...I have faint memories of it...could it really be ...the sun? yep...the sun was out...and the temps rose above freezing for the first time in 10 days...we made it up to 34 degrees...course it is already 12 again right now...
I don't know about you, but when it is gloomy and gray...I really don't have any energy...don't want to think about art work or house work for that matter.
I thought I would include a photo of the snow falling during the second day of our 3 day winter storm. blah isn't it?

quick card front

I watched Michael Strong make a lovely card on Crafttvweekly.com today and to keep from forgeting about it, I went to my craft area and did a mock up of his idea.

I didn't have his vase stamp so free - hand cut one and embossed it with an overal design and colored it with ink. I also used black cardstock for the background with green, blue and metalic gold acrylic paint randomly brushed across the surface. When this was dry, I ran it through a crimper and glued it to a previously used greeting card. Next I cut slivers of waste paper and glued them to the back of the vase and glued that to the white mulbury paper shape and glued it to the card too.

I skipped the sanding the background step he used as I felt it wasn't needed.

now I have an any occassion card to send.

Happy Valentines Day

DH and DD loved their homemade cards and DH left a very pretty one sitting out for me this morning on my laptop...guess he figures that is one of the first places I go to in the AM...he is right! LOL. The sun is out but the temps are still brr cold. Ice has not melted much in the shade and my driveway is in the shade..... you see a trend going here?

Our front storm door latch must have frozen and broke internally so a new part is on order. The bad part of that is....we have to use the back patio door or open the garage door to take the dog out. So being the nice, kind compassionate Mom that I am...the dog suggested in her big brown eyes, that I drop everything and see to her needs imediately ...around 9 this morning...never mind that she had just been out at 7:30.... so I grab my coat and her leash and try to keep up as she runs down the stairs to the garage door. She is in a hurry, I snap on the leash, push the button and with her being only a foot tall, she runs under the opening door as I stand inside waiting for it to raise high enough for me to leave the safe domain of the garage.... Well, I quickly follow her and then I hit the ice.....

Kabooom... yep...down on my side...sprawled prone for the whole world to see why I am not called "Grace". My right wrist got the brunt of the fall and with the heavy padding of the coat and my own...homemade padding...(wink) I was not hurt..but scraped a bit and it stung..plus I had a right coat sleeve full of cold snow. A quick glance around assures me that no one was laughing their head off at me so after taking inventory of my bones and making sure they all worked, I attempted to stand up. This manuver is not easy on a flat surface so add in that my drive way slopes and is covered in 2 inch deep ice and a light layer of snow and you have trouble with a capital T. I make a few feeble attempts then make some progress...almost standing up on my two chopstick appearing legs....the dog decides I am wanting to play and takes off running and the jerk of the leash brings me to my knees...this happens several times until I am now once again laying prone...heading down the driveway. Enough is enough...I yell at the dog in a tone that she does not hear often...(yes she is spoiled) and I see her little head bow, and her stub of a tail try to hide and now I feel guilty for having hurt her feelings....

so to make the story have a happy ending... I told DH about the adventure and that my wrist is red and scraped and he suggested that we go out to eat tonight so I don't have to cook ...... hmmmm

think I can get away with this sympathy story next week too?

have a good one and love the one you are with.

Valentines Day Cards

I made DH and DD cards after seeing the webisode by Michael Strong on http://www.crafttvweekly.com/ I had to change things a bit to work with the supplies I had on hand but the concept is the same...I really like how much fun and easy these are to make and they can be adapted to many different themes.

Abigale poses for a photo

Abigale....

Over the weekend, I had an idea sprout that would lend itself to the creation of what I now call Abigale. My goal was to combine images and shapes that would not normally be found together but would look cohesive once completed. I knew I was going to go with the little girl image...I love her stare...and the house and a diamond shaped grid. From there I set out with a blank 11 x 14 canvas board and began spraying it with browns, oranges, greens, blues and yellows of the color mist sprays created and sold by http://www.outsidethemargins.com/

I did this about 4 times and once dry, sealed it with PMY also sold by the above site. then I used white gesso across the lower 1/3 and let that dry overnight. Meanwhile I printed off photos I had taken of an old farm house and some chickens and some clip art of a topiary and fire hydrant. The next step involved adding the black gesso and trying to give some perspective to the floor area. Once that was dry, I used both chalk and ink to shade the edges of all the images and background where the house photo would go. After all the images were firmly attached to the board, I added more chalk to darken the shadows and then sealed it all again with PMY spray.

winter is still here....darn it....LOL

This is a winter themed ATC I made for an on line group I belong to. It is a shaker box filled with star glitter.

DD and her Birth Mom meet for the first time

After 24 years and 8 months......

On Christmas day of 2007, DD was contacted by her birth mom for the first time...needless to say an entire roller coaster of emotions has been happening since that day. DD and BM have been sharing information on the Internet and on the phone. DD met her half sister a few weeks ago and has yet to meet her half brother but plans are in the works for around Easter. Today, she met with her BM for the first time. They spent hours talking and sharing photos with each other. I made a small 6 x 6 album (29 pages) of DD from the day we brought her home from the hospital at 4 days old to her college graduation. I tried to find a school photo and other photos to show the growth and likes and activites of DD as she grew up. DD gave the album to the BM today and she loved it..(the least I could do for the unselfish act and decision she made 24+ years ago).

So many times one hears about BM and adopted babies meeting or not wanting to meet and rejection and all sorts of bad things and feelings. I am happy to say that is not the case.in this situation. Both the BM and DD can now have a chance to get to know each other and get the answers to questions both have wondered about for the past 24+ years. DD says her BM is very nice and kind but thinks with her heart and not her head when it comes to men and relationships. DD says she is like a big sister. I am happy and relieved that this day has arrived...no more wondering what will happen and if they will get along. It has all turned out to be a great experience for both of these young ladies.

HAIRiette

this is Miss Hairiette a shelf sitter doll who hasn't seen the inside of a beauty shop for years.

I was messy around with some aluminum roof sheeting I picked up at the hardware store and tried to make her look more copper with alcohol inks... her jumper is scrapbook paper scrap and of course she is bent to sit around and stare ...which she does quite well...don't cha think?

composition book

I made this a few months ago. I invited my two artsie neighbors over for an afternoon of playtime and showed them how to make their own composition books...They loved what they made and even use them. This is the one I made and I even use mine!!!! LOL

the best time to pick up composition books is right after school begins in the fall...I got all of mine for 39 cents each...a bargain and I will get some more this next year too.

Happy Days are Here Again

So it is the middle of January and life is getting more and more normal for us here in Carter Land. DH started back traveling for work and that leaves me home with the dog and nothing to do except maybe some art time??? Yes!!!

Lately DD has been really on my case about getting her baby album and child hood albums done...duh...she will be 25 and I haven't finished her scrapbooks...so my goal is to get all caught up before her next birthday. Do you know how many boxes of photos I have gone through and sorted in the past two weeks? Nope not even close....But I have a plan and sticking to it.... (come closer and I will tell you....for every photo I scrapbook, there are 4-5 that get hidden away....makes quick work of it all...smile)

My two art neighbors and I go every Wednesday to a local scrapbook store and work 5 hours on our albums. today I got 9 pages completed and have plans laid out for next week already.

This evening I was still in the creative mood...and since DH is still out of town...I worked on some ATC''s ....feels so good to get back into making art and not having to stop and take care of DH or take him to a doctor appointment.

Ohio is in the middle of winter...snow, sleet rain more snow wind...and that was just this morning...LOL

It feels so good to be back...I won't take it for granted ever again.

Rudolph, is that you?

photograph by Alan Blacklock who happened to glance up at some cloud formations at just the right time.

I guess it isn't just me who sees Christmas all around.

Art Room re organization 007

I have returned

It has been nearly 10 months since my last entry...a lot has happened.

February 22nd my DH was told he had colon cancer. More tests showed a small blep on his liver as well so in March he had his colon resected and in May he had his liver resected. He recovered quite quickly from each of those surguries and began chemo 12 cycles or 24 weeks. Treatment 1-3 went well...a few side effects but with 4 and 5 he got really ill. So ill he had to spend 10 days in the hospital. He was having stge 4 toxicity to one of the chemo drugs. They were changed and treatments 6-12 went by much better. He has lost his hair, energy and 50 lbs but so far the cancer has stayed away. His last treatment finished up this past Friday the 7th of December. During the same time, the DD had 3 kidney stones and one ruptured and she was in the hospital for 3 days but doing fine now. The dog could not stay out of the act and after 3 weeks of diarrhea...and every test the vet could think of...I asked her to be treated for whip worm and given an anti diarrhea medication and that did the trick in less than 12 hours.

So, as you have so patiently read...I was busy and art had to be put on the back burner.

I did think about doing things and accomplished some mini projects.



I also re organized my art room. This involved weeks of sorting and adding new wire shelf units. I am very happy with the results and hope the dry spell of creative energy gets put to good use soon.

Validation

Today will be remembered as the day I received validation for my art work. I enjoy what I make, and my friends say they like what I make, but is it worth it?
You Betcha!
I had submitted a framed collage work using the Jonathan Talbot technique and one of my favorite altered books I have made to a juried art show at a Dayton Gallery. Today, I got news that my altered book has been accepted for the show. This truly is an honor as over 100 artists submitted over 266 entries and only 43 artists made the show with 57 items.
The e mail called me an artist...a term that I hold in high esteem. Since art is not my profession, I have toyed with the term and muttered it under my breath as what does the term really mean? To me, having someone look at my creations and hold them up to other creations and yet sellect mine as something of enough esthethic value to be put on display for others to see at a place where art is expected...well, that is validation and I feel much better using the term artist. It allows me to feel proud of my creativity and not feel as though I am wasting my time and effort for naught.
Today is a good day.