Book 2

I am seriously hooked.  Plaster is amazing to work on -it's texture heaven and takes to paint so beautifully.  This book is my new favorite and I can't wait to write in it.  I'm saving it for the Art Journaling Workshop with Judy Wise - coming in March here .

Curbside Find Today

Astounding what people throw away.  I don't understand why people are too lazy to donate perfectly useful items.  Found this coffee table in the trash while walking Chloe.  It does need some TLC refinishing, but it is a very sound piece of oak and even has a drawer. It's nicer than what I was using so lucky find for me today ♥

Back to Work

I've been kind of a slacker keeping up with blog posts.  Last week I was able to watch a goodly portion of the Plaster Studio E-book by Judy Wise and Stephanie Lee.  I LOVE what they are doing with e-books and highly recommend both the Hot Wax Workshop and the Plaster Studio e-books.  Stole time between watching Chloe and Christmas doings to prep some plaster boards.  I think (for me) plastering is a fair weather activity as I do not like sanding it in my studio and would much prefer to sand outside. That said, it's a fabulous way to create texture, and I am a texture and technique junkie!  I'm very excited about the potential it offers for book-making.  Here's what I have prepped so far:

Family Pic

At long last, a family picture!  I think this is the first year in a long while that I've had a nice family picture to send out with Christmas cards.  Treasures of my heart, each one precious.  I am so blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Look who's come to stay with me this week ♥  Paul's sweet dog, Chloe.  I helped raise her from a pup and love spoiling her:

Christmas Projects

I don't think anyone in my family knows I have a blog, much less follows it.  So safe to show anyone who may stumble onto my blog what I've been up to.  Panic mostly!  I usually start making Christmas presents by August, but this year I just couldn't seem to get it together.  Finally at this late date I am making some progress.  This weekend, I got 2 done.  I'm having a blast making these:

This reindeer is bigger, but it came together pretty easily.  All my years of stamping show in this one :)

Branding Encaustic Project

Cheering that I learned a new technique and that it actually came together into a finished piece.  The technique is called "Branding".  You actually torch metal, place it on a piece of wood and burn into it.  Next step is to add wax, scrape, add more wax, scrape some more ..............  The final addition is oil paint which I've been dying to get my feet wet in.  This piece is called Bubble Chemistry:

Delightful Encaustic Class

Just could not resist taking an online encaustic class when I heard it was being offered. Encaustic is working with beeswax and pigments.  Love ♥ the instructor Judy Wise and am beyond pleased with her daily written instruction, instructional videos and personal feedback via class facebook page and yahoo pages.  I'm learning so much from her and so many generously talented people in the class - and my workshop is all set up so that I can just go in the next room and practice, post my work online and get immediate feedback.  How cool is that?  No driving alone late at night lugging art supplies, no worry about snowstorms.  Absolute heaven.  Finally technology I can cheer about!  If you are at all interested in encaustic, I highly recommended taking Judy's class.

This one is practice with laser copy transfer, inclusion, accretion, stencil and stamping.  I used some of the rust fabric I made as the background.  I wish I had placed her face better, but it came out pretty cool.

Recipe for making things rusty

If you don't have rusty items, you can make them with this recipe:

2 parts bleach + 1 part vinegar

Put mixture into a plastic bucket, throw in metal objects that are not coated.  If they are coated, you can sand the coating off.  Put the bucket outside and wait until they start rusting.

Making Rust Printed Paper

Here's something fun to do with old rusty things - make handmade paper - and it's free! ♥  Raided my neighbor Laurie's backyard because it's loaded with charm and fun.  Here is a pic of rusty things I borrowed:

Spray the rusty object with a simple solution of 50% water and 50% vinegar.  Wrap in strong paper towels (I use Viva) that have also been sprayed with the same solution.  Press the damp paper towels so that they make contact with the surface.  Spray again.  Wrap in some cotton fabric and spray again.  Let sit overnight.  Wala - here's what I got.  Aren't the beautiful?

Beautiful words from T.S. Elliott

I felt these words deeply on Saturday while attending the funeral of a woman I so loved and admired.  Betty Lucero, such a sweet soul and kindred creative spirit.  The funeral was held at All Souls Catholic Church, ironically the same place where I attended elementary school and went through the confirmation classes that began my alienation from the Catholic Church 50 years ago:

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And to know the place for the first time.......

God Bless and Keep you Betty.  It was such a privilege to bear witness to your goodness and light.

Art Trading Cards

Finished!  Joined the FlyGirls Artist Trading Card Group and made my first ever trading card.  The theme is "Taking Flight" in honor of the Kelly Ray Roberts e-course on making your art business soar.  They are 3 1/2" x 2 1/2 inch in size.  Started with 10 and got 5 decent ones to trade.  First time to try the image transfer technique.

 

Great Tip on what to do with leftover paint

I love browsing artist blogs and you-tube.  I learn something new almost every day!  This tip came from Lisa Cyr's blog on what she does with leftover paint.  Make your own art paper!  I love the idea because 1) it saves your money in paint and 2) it's fun to do! and most importantly 3) it's so much more green not to rinse unused, toxic paint down the drain.

All you have to do is wad up some tracing paper or light copy paper and have fun painting it.  I made all these beautiful papers today from leftover paint.  Another thing I discovered today - Antiquing gel.  It works great to add depth.

Finished Quilt for Baby Hudson

Hudson's dad is a sport enthusiast.  This is a quilt that I designed by blowing up and altering rubber stamps. It came out so cute!  One of my dreams is to  make a quilt using my own artwork.  I think I better start with small art quilts and work my way up ♥

Why I ♥ Art

Because art ignores boundaries and artists ignore limitations.
Politics may get dirty and economics may be grim but artists 
continue to create and live in hope, and the art community flourishes, 
even if only in spirit.    ♥♥♥ Dale Copeland

Beautiful Find Today

This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever found.  All summer long I have been finding heart rocks while walking Chloe, my son's dog.  I have a whole bowl full.  I don't know why I keep finding hearts, but this one takes my breath away:

One of my favorite things

This is so much fun to do and I have to thank my friend Karen for the idea.  It takes awhile to collect these little treasures; some found on a trip, some I've made, some I've found out walking and some I've found at thrift stores.  However they have arrived, each one is meaningful and makes me smile.

 

Book Making Project

I love making books.  This book is an attempt to put all of my loves together:  fabric, painting, paper and fibers.  Inspired by DJ Pettit who I crush on and love to follow:

What I'm working on....

I have more than 5 canvases that I've started and then abandoned awaiting inspiration.  6 encaustic boards that are primed and have a few layers of color.  Book pages; some are done and some are not.  Here's me working on a baby quilt for my brand new nephew.  (Katy, don't look yet!)  It's coming out really cute.

  

Welcome to my newly painted dream space

Answer to being creatively stuck:  take down all old art, paint and reorganize.  OK, I left one piece up just to remind me that I really can paint and know more than I feel most of the time!  There are 4 creative spaces all told.  1. The computer room is not finished yet:

2. Here's where I sew:

3. Here's where I paint (fresh canvas ready to go!)

4. And here's sit down table space

I am so lucky to have such a great space.  Now all I need to do is turn on the music, tune into my heart and learn how to express what's in it.