Oil Lamp, Napkin Ring and a Blush Brush

February 21, 2011 /
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My daughter Laura says I have artists ADD. It got the best of me this last week. I’ve had this project on my work table for over a year. I assembled and/or sculpted all the parts but didn’t move forward because the “belly” required being filled with sand and fish and poured with clear resin.…

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What a difference a Clayday makes…

February 17, 2011 /
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I’m still taking classes from Red Weldon-Sandlin at Abernathy Arts Center, Sandy Springs and Herm is on the shelf ready to be fired (see previous post). My next clay project involves a guitar string tuning thing and maybe other guitar parts (not sure yet if I want to part out my little red guitar). This…

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Crown Binding with Atlanta Book Arts Club

February 14, 2011 /
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I had a blast!! Sunday the group met at my house to make the crown binding (guided by Alisa Golden’s book “Making Handmade Books”) and paint the inside pages (guided by Alisha Golden’s book “Painted Paper”) This is my crown binding book in progress – 4 1/4″ x 4″: I have to admit I got…

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On your mark…get ready….

February 11, 2011 /
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OK – so I’m hosting the Book Arts Club this Sunday at my house. At this very moment this is what the left, and cleanest, side of my art room looks like (the metal arts work tables). I have a dilemma – clean the house, clean the art room, clean the house, clean the art…

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Herm – Claymation

February 10, 2011 /
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This is the second installment of the clay figure I’m making in class. Since it’s gender is not definate – it’s name is Herm (about 12″-15″ tall and will hang on the wall). I decided to go with nondescript features since it’s only an 8 week class and features could take me a lot longer.…

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Polymer Clay Play Date

February 9, 2011 /
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Talk about happenstance! 8 3/4″ tall x 4″ wide Click for a larger view I’ve been struggling to make a polymer clay book cover. Last Saturday, as luck would have it, I got an email from the polymer clay artist and author, Barbara McGuire. She, Patricia Dibona and Jan Stephens were having an open house…

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Thank You – Military Hero Pendant

February 5, 2011 /
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Thank you to the men and women of our armed forces and the men and women trying to keep the peace and keep us safe here at home Salute: My father was in the Navy, awarded two purple hearts in WWII, My Step Father retired Navy, my husband retired Navy Seabee reserve (29 yrs), my…

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Katrina

January 29, 2011 /
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The firm I worked for deployed me to the Mississippi Gulf Coast a year after Hurricane Katrina struck. I worked there for three years – coming home permanently to Atlanta one year ago this February. I thought I understood the devastation until I got there. The media didn’t begin to portray the courage, hopefulness and…

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Butterfly Pin & Metal Corners

January 29, 2011 /
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Two Dilemmas… 1. I didn’t push the development of this butterfly I posted a couple of days ago and it was bugging me …2. The curved, simple, metal corners are a favorite of mine. My friend mentioned the other day she didn’t like them very much and gave me hers. I got to thinking that…

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Book Sewing Frame – (Not your ordinary)

January 28, 2011 /
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Well folks – I spent the better part of today visiting with the boys. Michael, Dick and HL (Michaels Art/ Craft Store, Dick Blick Arts and Hobby Lobby). It’s been awhile since I’ve walked every isle to see what’s new and what could be used for something other than it’s original intention. It was a…

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Play Day and Altered Jewelry

January 27, 2011 /
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I spent time today experimenting with findings (things that go with other things). Bonnie’s Best Art Tools has a sale on enameled metal doo dads (the official name escapes me) that are generally used for decoration by threading a ribbon from side to side. I couldn’t resist a sale and an opportunity to see what…

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Tools and Storage

January 27, 2011 /
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The SUN is out today! I want to share a storage idea that works for me. My three work tables are 4′ deep by 8′ wide and waist high. I put wheels on repurposed wooden file trays to help me organize my work space. My hand tools are assembled in the trays by use. This…

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Polymer Clay Day & Book Covers!! Ya Hoo!

January 25, 2011 /
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The February Book Arts Club is going to be working on polymer clay book covers using molds, stamps, transfers, etc. Wanting to add to the choices of molds I used some things of interest I had on hand (the items in the first picture AND a cat plaque) and started baking. In preparation to make…

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Book 3" x 3"

January 24, 2011 /
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The pattern for the binding is in the paper back book – Book Arts by Mary Kaye Seckler. I changed the size and the closure so I could use supplies I had on hand and remnants of signature paper used on other books. Supplies: Flower patterned paper, Blue fiborous paper and Gold Card Stock. The…

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Clay Class – Sneak Peek

January 22, 2011 /
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My daughter says I have Art ADD and my husband is an enabler. There’s gotta be a meeting for people like me somewhere. I’m taking a clay building workshop from Red Weldon (awesome). I went to Daven’s clay store today to pick up a clay tool Red felt confident would be helpful. Big Mistake. It…

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Logo

January 21, 2011 /
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I struggled with designing a logo to fit ME – it just didn’t happen. My mother lived with me. On the rare occasion that I would have to leave the house before she got up in the morning, I would leave her a short note by the coffee pot. One morning, wanting to make her…

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Book Pocket

January 21, 2011 /
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Book Pocket: I was impulse buying at the book store and saw a book I thought I had but couldn’t remember if it was mine and I let someone borrow it – or my friend owned it. At any rate I bought it and discovered later I already owned it. Sooooo, I decided that, with…

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Nail Hugger – Mixed Media Sculpture

January 19, 2011 /
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I was deployed to MS for three years to help out with a Katrina project. In that time I got to know the area and love the people. We, my friends Debbie and Rusty and I, would venture out on the weekend and pick up treasures found along the road or parking lots. During this…

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Book Pendant – MOP Bird on Eggs

January 17, 2011 /
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I’m finding my way around the blog world – hope you’ll hang in until I get it reasonably right. Important: Improvise – keep loose – play Artsy/Crafty: Metal gauge = the smaller the gauge the thicker the metal. I mixed metals – copper sheet and sterling wire. Sometimes that’s not good for me – but…

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Japanese Book Drill (screw punch) – bit holder

January 17, 2011 /
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OK – here goes – first post… Japanese Book Drill (screw punch) – BIT HOLDER Keep in mind that I like to change/improve/build things to fit my work style. To that end, when I purchased my Japanese Screw Punch (one of my top three – can’t do without – tools) from Bonnie’s Best Art Tools…

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