Posts

Showing posts from June, 2011

retry on bead journal project

Image
I just wasn't happy with my bead journal project.  I had to do some more beading on it.  Often I feel that a piece isn't finished.  I am always learning and growing and that causes me to think of better ways to do things.  There are times when I just call a piece finished because I am tired of working on it or I have lost interest. 

bead journal project for June

Image
Just getting in there in the nick of time.  I was inspired by a Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn youtube video.  Jean talked about using sheer fabrics with the embellishing machine.  I was inspired and had to give it a try.  I ended up with this cool fabric and decided to bead it.  Looking at the picture it seems to me that I could have done more beading.  Honestly, I think I say that about every journal project. 

crazy quilt block

Image
I think this is pretty much finished.  I really wanted the encrusted look but I don't think I got it.  It is close but I am not sure what else I should do.  Any suggests?

more deteroriation

Image
I love the color in this shot. 

photocopying your work

Image
A few years ago I dyed some paper.  I scrunched it up and soaked it in fabric dye.  I ended up with the most wonderful collection of paper.  Great color, great texture.  I just love these papers.  The problem was I no longer have those dyes so I could not recreate the papers.  They became too precious to use.  Silly, I know.  I know we all do that though.  The light bulb came on.  I could color copy them!  tada now I feel free to use them.  I actually really like the idea of color copying my work.  It allows me to take an idea further without wrecking the original. 

rust and pealing paint

Image
I have over five hundred shots of rust and pealing paint.  I promise I won't post all of them though.  Still I just love them.

shattered glass

Image
I am an awesome photographer!  Whether anyone else thinks so or not - I don't care.  I think I have got some great shots and they make me really happy.

rust and pealing paint

Image
I can't help myself, I am absolutely fascinated by the rust and paint.  The color is fantastic.  I would love to print these images fairly large and then do some stitching into them.

macro photography

Image
I use my Nikon 105mm approximately 80-90% of the time.  I am so glad that I spent the money on that lens.  It is worth every penny to me.  The color in this photo is amazing to me.  I need to figure out how to do a slide show of my photos and post it here.  I may need to enlist the help of a friend to figure out how to do a slide show.   Mary Lynn I am talking to you.

my first day of retirement was the best

Image
Too bad I can't stay retired.  I spent my morning at an art workshop with Sandra Spagnuolo.  It was fun as usual.  I can't show the piece as I had to leave it at Sandra's to dry.  We went out for lunch and then off to McLean's Auto Wreckers.  Oh my gosh that place is the best.  All the junk, rust and pealing paint are a feast for the eyes.  I know I will have to go back again and again.

Retired home school teacher looking for work

Image
Today was the last day of teaching my youngest son.  He is now a home school graduate and I am a retired home school teacher.  I have many mixed feelings about this.  I have definitely gone through a mourning period.  I will sincerely miss spending my mornings with my sons.  They are terrific young men and I love them very much.  They are some of my favorite people in this whole world.  They are intelligent and witty.  They know how to carry on interesting conversations.  I think I will take the summer off and enjoy some time creating.  I guess I will still have to do some part time bookkeeping to keep in my art supplies.  Hopefully, in the fall I will find a way to make money with my art.  I will keep dreaming and pursuing those dreams.  Dreams do come true.

watercolor flowers

Image
Last month at the Royal City Calligraphy Guild I learned how to paint a flower starting with three dots.  It was super simple.  I decided to try this on fabric with Inktense pencils.  It worked great.  I think I will use this experiment for my bead journal project this month. 

art for the soul

Image
Friends and art make for a really good day.  I spent a delightful morning with my friends at Sandra Spagnuolo's workshop.  We experimented with gelatin prints.  The two prints pictured above are some of the prints I made today.  Unfortunately, bringing home a gelatin plate on a hot day is not really the best idea.  While we were eating our lunch my gelatin melted.  Unpleasantly it melted all over the prints that I made.  What a mess!  Then to top it off my golden retriever decided to get cuddly with me.  Normally I enjoy her snuggles but today she had just walked in dog poop.  She actually climbed into my lap with dog poop on her feet.  Yikes!! Had I not had such a wonderful morning with my friends making art I think I would have lost it at this point.  But because of the magic of creating, friends and sunshine I remained calm, cool and collected.  Life is good.