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Clamshell Box For My Friend

I made this box housing a tray and journal for my friend Bonnie who is fighting a battle with cancer. Of all the book jackets I have in my stash I didn’t have one I felt suited my vision. Most of the thick books useful in this type of box with a tray are generally…

Gourds today, Print Block Carving tomorrow

I’ve been playing with everything that yells for attention. A friend had dropped off some small (orange/tangerine size) dried gourds for our every other Tuesday doodling get together at Random Arts in Saluda, NC. We all grabbed one or three with the intention of bringing them to our next meeting, doodled. I completed two of…

Tutorial – Gouache Resist Using a Resist Liner

Backstory: Our bi-monthly doodling group was tasked with coming to the next meeting with a doodle containing our initial, a flower(s) and a square (could be the size of the paper). I came across my fine line bottle of masking fluid while I was moving things around (again and again) and it was on my…

Simple Pop Out Valentine Card – Doodled Heart

I was very good yesterday, I worked all day at putting my studio back together, so I took a little time before calling it a night and made a Pop Out Valentine card. Valentines Day is weeks away so I have a some time to finish it with a verse. In the meantime I’m going…

My last Fred Mullett and Mermaid picture

I swear I was done playing with my Fred Mullett and Art Impressions stamps (BTW I got the three ladies stamps, unused, at the Random Arts yard sale – where the shop AND customers sell used and unused supplies). But it’s really cold outside and I didn’t want to go get more boxes to unpack.…

Clamshell Box – Lawyers Reference Book – Repurposed

I purchased a large Law Reference Book from our local library’s sale and repurposed it into a clamshell box with three trays. See more information on my blog.

Vintage Cup Cake Pics Holder in Foam Core

I don’t love everything I make. Sometimes I have an idea I have to get out of my head AND once I do I’m good to move on – not trying to make it perfect. For example: I must have gotten a bag of vintage cup cake pics at a yard sale for a $1…

Just Playing with the Fred Mullett Fish Stamp

I have stamps, a lot of them. I don’t use them very often – but I have them. I never heard of Fred Mullett stamps until they showed up at Random Arts in Saluda. Jane used a water color paint technique with this fish stamp. That’s all it took.. I knew I couldn’t just stamp…

Doodled Spider from Photograph

A friend posted this picture of an Ornamental Tree Trunk Spider – (Herennia Ornatissima) Monochrome by ElephantVisionPhoto on Facebook. I suggested that it would make an interesting doodle and proceeded to give it a go. I taped the picture to my worktable and then taped a piece of tracing paper over that: If you look closely you…

Zombie Book and Clam Shell Box

Short story… I wanted to make something different for a special, incredibly talented, artist. I went to her blog and found a post titled “Things To Do Before The Zombie Apocalypse” – things rocketed on from there. I lead a rather boring life and am not too familiar with Zombies. I’m more afraid of not…

ATC – there’s a first time for everything

First, let me apologize for the pictures. We’re close to finishing my studio and getting my supplies and furniture out of storage. In the meantime I’m still working on my kitchen counter and, if space wasn’t an issue, it’s been a beautiful rainy day with a gray sky – therefore not the best light for…

Flag Book Workshop at Random Arts, Saluda, NC

I’m on schedule to teach this fun Flag Book workshop at Random Arts in Saluda, NC on Thursday, October 9th. * All materials to make the Flag Book and Envelope as seen below, are precut and included in the workshop. Workshop size is limited to 8. * Book size is 4″ x 7″ closed / 16″…

Ceramic Face Vase with Beads

13" x 6"

Clamshell box – repurposed Lawyers Reference Book

We’ve moved my web site and blog to WordPress. While still in the process of updating categories and tags, etc., I realized I hadn’t posted one of my favorite boxes (or if I did I can’t find it 😉 I bought a few lawyers reference books from the yearly local library book sale. This one…

Pamphlet Stitched Journal with Collaged Cover

If the Focus Book workshop finishes early we’re going to make this journal structure… Pamphlet Stitched Journal with Collaged Cover Design Considerations: I wanted a journal structure that used supplies most folks would have on hand and involved minimal, if any, sewing. It should be easy to assemble and easy to decorate (I, however, couldn’t stand…

Focus Book – Workshop at Random Arts in Saluda, NC

FOCUS BOOK – Workshop at Random Arts in Saluda, NC I’ll be teaching this book I created on July 25th. 6 1/8″ x 7 1/4″ 6 1/8″ x 22 1/2″ Story: I’ve been caught up in the Gouache technique. Where you paint a picture in acrylic paint, paint over it with white gouache water color,…

A Gouache here a little Gouache there + Golden Fluids color chart

Gouache Technique and Golden Fluids Color Chart Although, admittedly, I’m an impulse opportunity shopper I don’t like to buy duplicates of supplies I have at home. Soooooo, after an inspiring Tuesday of Zen Doodling at Random Arts (where most of my Golden fluids shopping happens) I created an inventory color chart in excel of Golden Fluid…

2014 Christmas Card – Panel Book based on Hedi Kyle design

I’ve been doodling some, making books and buying duplicate of art supplies that I can’t get to in “lock up”. Luckily Random Arts is having their Artist’s yard sale in October and I can sell some of the duplicates there (my studio should be finished by then). While lost in Pinterest (this should be a…

Gouache Resist – Oh Please!!!

Gouache Resist – Oh Please!!! I am such a two year old! Enough said… There is a long blank wall in my dining room. The art from our Atlanta house is out of place here. In moving “things” around, in and out of boxes, I came across two brand new 12″ x 36″ Showbox Gallery…

Unfinished Wood Boxes repurposed

Unfinished Wood Boxes repurposed The second installment of repurposed bedroom furniture… Supplies: Two wood storage boxes purch online at Joann.com – $30 ea with coupon TTL w/shipping $60 http://www.joann.com/large-wood-storage-bin-with-lid/11873684.html Four glass blocks used for bases (2 per base) – purchased at Lowes – $5 ea Total for both night stands: $80 Finished Product: I couldn’t find…

Privacy Screen repurposed into a Headboard

Privacy Screen repurposed into a Headboard First things first – two finished products (headboard and night stand)…. I just finished making the side table from an unfinished wood box – that’s the next post. I absolutely adore the color we painted our bedroom – Palladian Blue (look the color up on Houzz.com – they have…

Cutting Board Storage

Cutting Board Storage I’ve been busy trying to get the house comfortable. The remodeled kitchen is almost complete. We selected backsplash tile this past weekend and hope to install within the next few weeks. I’ll post before and after pictures when we’re finished. In the meantime I needed a place to store my cutting boards…

My GLASS bottle tree has bloomed!

Spring must be around the corner….my GLASS Bottle Tree has bloomed! I couldn’t help it – I got a bottle tree for my front yard hoping the folks passing by will get as much of a kick out of it as I do. My daughter saved up and collected wine bottles for me. They prefer…

Angel Inspired

Angel Inspired Sometimes my art is intentional (if it were more so I’d get more done). More times than not my art is inspirational – meaning my hands just start creating. A few months ago I was attempting to use up the last of my B-Mix clay (porcelain content – fired to cone 6)…

TA DONE! – Coptic End Bands

I hate to continue leading my posts with TA DA! but when I finally figure something out I just can’t help it. Coptic End Band In the beginnin….7 1/2″ x 5″ – 11 signatures – 4 sheets/8 pages Susan, our instructor for teaching the Coptic End Band technique, brought text blocks for us to keep…

Recycled Eyeliner = Fine Line Travel Paint Brush +1

Sometimes I just can’t help myself. When I get some clear head space, no TV, no Radio, no people, no books (usually in the shower, brushing my teeth or driving) – ideas just start popping.The latest is this. I was thinking about the collapsable box. If you took two of them with you when you…

Happy Holidays!

We wish you Merry Everthing and Happiness Always! May the New Year bring you more Happiness and Peace than you know what to do with!

Two more print making techniques under my belt!!

The product to remember is Gomuban – I’ll get to it in the middle of this post. Ink and Markers I sketched and doodled a Kimono a couple of years ago on a piece of paper that had an architect’s house plans on the back (c1966) – it’s about 14 X 18. When I knew…

Forgot to put out the "Gone Fishing" sign.

Just Hey. Since I’ve been away (sorry I didn’t put out a “gone fishing” sign) I’ve gone to Oregon Crater Lake (look it up – you gotta go!!) Canada BC was gorgeous – the people were awesome! This is a picture taken with my IPhone at the BC museum – HA! Washington (Seattle) What a…

Repurposed Lemony Snickets – Greek Binding

OK – I didn’t want to use my wood covered book to experiment making the Coptic Endband so I took two Lemony Snicket books that I dug out of the library’s RIP box to make a book to experiment on. This picture shows the covers separated from text block andthe front sides already trimmed back. I…

Wood Book Cover from Hardwood Flooring

At the next Atlanta Book Arts Collective’s monthly meeting one of our members is teaching us how to make Coptic Endbands. The word went out that we needed boards. Picture a spinning top that has swirls of color – that was my mind. Never mind what the intent was – I heard boards. To me,…

TA DONE! Bird Watcher

A year ago this week I blogged about my foray into the longest yard sale, showing my “treasures” – go here to see why I chose to repurpose the wall pocket … Irene – Bird Watcher. One serendipitous moment led to another and my wall pocket was joined with Irene an amateur Bird Watcher. This…

Collapsible Box – Great Storage

This is a great container when traveling for a class. It folds flat so it doesn’t take up much room and assembles in seconds. It looks great when you take it out at class to hold your supplies while you work. A very long time ago my Mother’s best friend Muriel gave her a vintage Asian…

Beach House Book from Drink Coasters

This, with a bottle of wine, would be a cute hostess gift. 4 5/8″ from floor to peak of box 5 1/2″ high at the center of the house with book inserted 6″ wide from roof edge to roof edge Materials: 2 Coasters – 4″ x 4″ thick cardboard coaster (restaurant kind) Empty tea box –…

Leather Covered Slip Case for Antique Book

One of the reasons I was interested in Jana Pullman’s class was that I wanted to make a slip case for a 1966 Instrument Flying Handbook I found at a yard sale. I have reclaimed airplane seat leather I want to use as a cover. The leather is VERY thick and I was hoping for some…

My Week At Arrowmont

I’m exhausted! The good kind of exhausted. Every waking minute (there are NO televisions in the rooms) was spent making, observing and/or speaking with other artists about art – all kinds of art (and eating delicious meals). We learned a lot about historical leather bindings, leather and leather tooling from Jana Pullman. I was kinda hoping for…

Call me Pollyanna

26 students – making 4 journals in 2.5 hours was ambitious. Pamphlets (4 1/4′ X 5 1/2′) showing the students specifics of the journals they made – bound with hairbands from Dollar Tree (100 for $1) Monday was the first day of class. The 25 artists (we lost one – before the class started) began the first…

25 Students, 4 Journals, 2.5 Hours!

20 page pamphlet I put together of the 4 Journal Techniques being taught4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ I’m nothing if not optimistic. Here’s what happened. A few weeks ago the Administration of a community arts center asked one of our local book arts teachers if she would teach a one day journal making class the…

Shock and Awe – Library Sorter

About a month ago I began volunteering at my local library. Holy cow! I didn’t have a clue as to the amount of work and organization that took place at a library. It must have been a paper zoo when card catalogs were in use. Library – Box Label Sorter At any rate, in addition…

IPad Stand using a Book Cover Repurposed #2

PART 2 – A Rewarding project. IPad Stand:2 – 1937 / New Standard Encyclopedia Volumes IV and V (I bought 6 volumes at a yard sale years ago) The covers are a very nice, embossed, burgundy cloth.Scraps of Chipboard 3 – Silver Grommets15″ – 1/2″ black elasticPVA Glue TIP: The stand could also be made using…

IPad Stand using Book Covers – Repurposed #1

Having a hard time separating myself from the books that don’t have a “near future” purpose and don’t have much of a redeeming value that anyone else would want them. To reduce the length of the post I’m sending this in two posts. #1 shows the finished project. #2 shows the process. Stand as assembled. The elastic serves…

When The Student Is Ready…The Teacher Will Come

In my case this Buddhist Proverb couldn’t be more timely… 1. I came across a book binder on YouTube that put together awesome instructional videos of various book binding and case making techniques http://www.youtube.com/user/Ceropegia?feature=watch. Sage Reynolds, the book binder, has an impressive list of videos, take a look. While I knew (or have seen in the…

Book Repurposed – Fast and Way Too Much Fun

Having finished the portfolio I was feeling pretty good about getting back into cutting and gluing stuff together again and wanted to get right back into another project. I save scraps – can’t help it. Some time ago in an effort to clean out my side of my husband’s garage I started to throw out…

Ya Hoo! I received my confirmation from Arrowmont of my upcoming class “Books-Leather Binding Thru The Ages” taught by Jana Pullman http://www.westernslopebindery.com/index.html I figured I should put aside my jewelry and sculpting supplies and bone up on book board and book making. I chose to start off with a handmade portfolio that would house a lined…

Glue This To That

Look what I found! No not tulips. I just threw in this picture of my birthday flowers because they were pretty and I didn’t have a picture of anything glued together. HA! I found (it wasn’t really lost) a web site that let’s you input the type of material you want to glue to another type…

The Past IS My Present

Another one of my gifts (to myself 😉 was a weekend art class… A serendipitous search of the Internet led me to a weekend class being taught by Sandy Webster only 1 1/2 hrs away from my home at The Creative Arts Center in Dalton, GA. “Building Boxes: Creative Spaces for Small Collections” Two important items…

Metals – I’m just playin

These are projects I made for the Bonnie Art Tools http://www.bonniesbest.com/booth at the recent Stamp Festival (the black display cards are made from pre-cut chip board (same boards used for the Flower Press). Black paper was glued to one side and then edged with various paper tape, holes were drilled, grommets set and ribbon inserted to use as a hanger): Frame…

1 GOOD Excuse, 5+ Reasons and a Flower Press

It’s been over a month since my last post! First and foremost…Is this the cutest picture you’ve ever seen? Gabi opened her dress-up trunk Christmas morning (when this picture was taken). Stripped down to only the tutu, fairy necklace, magic wand and crown, and holding her new Dora Doll – she twirled on one foot…

The 3 T’s are Finished

That’s TRUNK, TIARA BOX AND TU TU’S… The descriptions, techniques and supplies are lengthy so I put them at the end of this post with more pictures… Aluminum Trunk Tiara Box Magic Princess Tu Tu TRUNK (as pictured on it’s side) 26″ wide x 16 1/2″ high x 10″ deep: This is an aluminum salesperson’s trunk we…

Vintage Ballerina Music Box – Renovated

Renovating this Music Box was a lot of fun. In the next few days I’ll post the Tu Tu, Dress-Up Trunk and Tiara Box that were made to go with the music box (some days it a very thin thread for me 😉 Spark (more like an explosion) of an idea: My granddaughter loves to…

Vintage Floppy Disks = Jewelry

We had dozens of floppy disks (they weren’t really floppy – they were 4 x 4 hard disks). I hesitated to throw them away because although we couldn’t get information from them anymore some clever thief might find them in the trash, have a relic of a computer laying around the den and get all…

13 More Sleeps Til Christmas

A lot has happened this month… My long list of “firsts” without Mom is at an end (first Birthday, Easter, Mother’s Day, etc). She passed away December 3rd, 2010. I could hear her talking to me as I was lamenting my need to make this year’s Christmas cards. First she would tell me how pretty…

Christmas Cards – – WHAT WAS I THINKING?!

Note to Self on making this year’s Christmas Cards: WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU THINKING?!! My muse really got me good this year. Usually I get the urge to do what my friends do so beautifully – make Christmas cards. I’ll make a card or two, they don’t look near as impressive as theirs do and I…

Pantry Storage

When we bought our house 8 years ago the kitchen pantry shelves were sagging in the middle. Always the crafter…we put chair legs in the center to support them until we updated the kitchen and decided if we were going to move the pantry. Well, one year turned into eight and we still have a three…

What if?

11-20-2009 – Laura’s 40th BD Cruise – Rainbow seen off balcony A sign seen yesterday… What if we woke up today with only the things we thanked God for yesterday?

BE NICE! plus a few more rants…

BE NICE… I’ve done a little impulse shopping around town in the last week and I have to tell ya – folks are PRE-occupied. I wish folks would (this goes for me too):– be “in the moment”. Be aware of where you are. Be aware, unless you’re on uninhabited planet, that everything you do involves at least one other person. …

IT’S OFFICIAL (I’ve seen it with my own eyes)!

My book is featured on page 57 of the Premier Issue of Cloth Paper Scissors “PAGES” magazine. Woo Hoo!! The book featured is my SmARTaleck Studio book made from a vinyl store banner. I use it to sketch sculpting ideas and take notes in class. It’s a little worse for wear – schlepping it back and…

Woven Star from Vintage Book Pages

Stars made from pages of books, magazines, cloth, ribbon – just use your imagination for an easy, fun, rewarding, project. Technique for “making stars come out at night” is towards the bottom of this post. This is the first star I made using 1″ x 8″ strips cut from an old dictionary. After that I reduced the…

Last Year’s Ornament

I’ve been sooooo busy (Ha). Thought I’d share a past project with you while I get pictures together to post about my work with leather and my jewelry made with repurposed floppy disk parts. I make my grandchildren a christmas ornament every year. This was last year’s ornament for my grandson Martin who LOVES sharks.…

Ideas I haven’t Shared Before

I picked up the Flea Market Style magazine at the hardware store. Holy Cow! There were some really neat ideas in there. Below are pictures of some of the things I’ve done with “other” things.1958 Chevy fender wings ($1 ea at a car swap meet) = coat, bag hanger Fireplace Mantel ($8 at garage sale)…

40 Already?

My son’s 40th Birthday is today, October 29th. Geeze – can he be that old? CAN I be that old? Yep and yep. At 40 he’s a successful business man, husband and father of three. We’re very proud of the man Michael has become. I made Michael this sculpture to celebrate his 40th year. The…

Weiner Dog – Metal Letter Stamp Storage

I’m rearranging work areas in my Studio.I consolidated my metals work to one table, dedicating the other work table to sculpting. Moving things around usually means I come across something I haven’t had my hands on in a little while and then I’m off. Finding and reviewing some of the videos on www.beaducation.com got me…

Some of This and Some of That + Wire Storage

Some of This: (Just an FYI – I rescued you from a rant, this post was a page. I let it marinate and cut it back to the important basics…) – Searching the internet for a disc cutter I found beaducation.com. Folks, if you have a question about the proper use of a tool –…

I haven’t been idle… +one

Sculpting class started the Tuesday after we got back from vacation. I started a sculpture AND made a vase. Remember the longest yard sale and how we only got to visit a few sales before it rained so hard I was expecting the ARK to float up? Well, the long story is…my friend, knowing I’m…

Ooooo La La – Pink Leather!

Sorry to disappoint – I’m too boring for pink leather to be associated with anything other than an art item. LOL. We leave for Germany and Italy tomorrow. I woke up yesterday morning with the idea for my travel journal – the ideas come, when the ideas come. Cover: Pink Leather – a remnant purchased…

Boxes of Cards

Every year around this time, after a visit to Impressive Ideas in Roswell, I come away with grand ideas about making my Christmas cards. Then Christmas comes at the speed of sound and I wind up purchasing boxed cards. Because I can’t decide on the design I purchase a box each of two or three…

Once In A Lifetime Opportunity

About four years ago I agreed to be mobilized from Atlanta to the Gulf of Mississippi to support a disaster housing project related to the Katrina Disaster that devastated the Coast. I had never been to Mississippi before. Katrina was still a vivid memory when I arrived and it’s Citizens were reeling from loss of…

C&W Design and Technical Challenges

You can see why I posted these design and technical notes separate from the finished project. Design: I knew I wanted to put legs on the ATC can – that’s it – I wasn’t sure where I was going from there.Design thoughts: The legs had to have flat feet. Then tall legs or short legs?…

Pack Up Your Cares and Woes…

Metal Medley Challenge #5 Cares and Woes (C&W for short) is 12″ tall and is for the person who jots things down on scraps of paper. For those of us that don’t journal this is a place to drop notes, thoughts and concerns. There’s a slot in the back of the body for the scraps…

Metal Medley #4

I knew right away what I was going to use the title plates for. Many years ago I made a foam core cabinet for melmine dessert trays I found at a garage sale (when I was young – they used these trays in our cafeteria – so I know they’re vintage). I glued wooden beads…

Something Old – Something New

While I’m working on Metal Medley challenge item #4 I thought I’d share a pin I made and the story behind it (sorry – but everything I do has a story). My Dad was 17 when he enlisted in the Navy (he lied about his age). During WWII he was in the gun turret on…

Calendar

Even though I don’t write down appointments or many other dates that I need to remember – I love calendars. There are so many design opportunities with calendars. Soooo – Surprise! Item #2 of my self imposed Medley challenge was a 7 1/2″ x 5″ calendar. My thought was that with the stand being able…

Faux Wire Wrapped Necklace

OK – I’m posting finished item #3 in front of finished item #2 of the Metal Medley challenge (in case you missed the previous blog – it’s my own challenge)this is easier to photograph. I’ll post #2 tomorrow.Supplies from the Medley: 4 diamond shaped and 4 triangle shaped paper clips, 3 picture hangers, 7 eyelets…

Off With Their Heads!

I got a Metal Medley kit that Bonnie’s Best Tools had just posted on their web sitehttp://bonniesbest.com/mostly_metal.htm as a challenge to myself to use all the metal pieces. I separated all the pieces into a tray I had handy (the ATC tin and box of small bits aren’t shown here). Many of my Mother’s sayings…

Storage – Love, love, storage.

I’ve been stuck lately – hence the delay in posting. Hoping straightening up my studio would get me creating again I began by making a storage unit for my variety of miscellaneous pens that weren’t organized. My current pencil/pen storage units sit out on my work table and are made of three cut up heavy…

Humpty Dumpty Had a Great Fall

This is the last scheduled post Google held on to. I’ll get to current stuff next. Man – I really did a good job on Humpty. He got a collar, legs, boots and hands. I knew I should have taken a picture before I left the clay studio last week. This Tuesday Humpty got out…

Batman IV Audition

I had a vision and instead of coming to my senses – I ran with it. A clay bird I made needed a Batman Cape. From here it goes a little sideways… I got a new Toy – I mean tool – a mini compressor. First I played with Copic markers and painted the bird…

Find The Key, Win My Heart – Finished!

My sculpture “Find the The Key, Win My Heart” is finished! I apologize for the pictures – but you get the gist. It hangs on the wall: 13″ tall / white earthenware clay / underglazed / bees wax on face and hands / Minwax over hat, shirt & shoes / vintage metal key hole /…

Simple Saturday

I have to share – Saturday was serendipitous. Our daughter Laura visited Saturday – my art room gives her hives but it’s usually the first place I take her to show her what I’m working on (then we quickly leave ;). I uncovered the clay sculpted head “Heart Strings” (first picture on the left) to…

Tacketing Stationer’s Bindings

This past weekend I attended a bookmaking workshop. I’m always looking for a new book/box-making class in Atlanta – they’re not plentiful. So when the Guild of Bookworkers SE Chapter offered a workshop by Chela Metzger on Tacketing I responded immediately reserving my spot – then I asked – what’s tacketing? I found a few…

Fairy Magic

OK – At a yard sale last year I found some old metal fuse boxes (1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″) with clear plastic covers that slid out to access the small fuses. I also found a tiny person with a ball in her raised hands – in pretty bad shape. The definition for “fairy” was…

Red Chair Thoughts – along for the ride

I found some rather large vintage cardboard pieces children would play with, each made to look like a brick wall. When something unusual comes my way I find myself thinking of different ways to utilize it(other than what it was intended for). Sometimes, as in this case, I acted on my thoughts before I went…

Baby Book for Gabi

This is my granddaughter, Gabi, on Halloween last year – getting ready to jump to her Daddy. She is this happy ALL the time. I made a baby book to chronicle her growth ( 8 1/2″ x 12″). I’ve made other baby books for friends using book board to make the covers but I was…

Good Idea Gone Bad

Have you ever had a fabulous idea that, in the end, turned out to be above your capabilities. This was one for me. It’s been about 8 years since I pulled this together and have since learned when to cry “uncle”;) Inspiration: Computer hard drive destined for the garbage. Ohhhhh what fabulous, colorful, circuit boards…

Teach A Man To Fish

Chinese Proverb: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” Remember him… (napkin ring, blush brush and poly clay head) – he’s painted and assembled now. The inspiration for this piece was the oil lamp I found at a…

Copic Wallet

I love tools. A lot of what I’ve made is because I wanted to try a new tool. I created this Copic wallet (before Copic Markers came out with theirs) because 1) I just bought a Martha Stewart scoring board and was scoring everything at 1/8″ I could get my hands on 2) I wanted…

Photography

I remember getting my first 35mm camera (way before digital). I’ve had a knack for getting good, not stellar, but good pictures. I want to share a few. Learning Photoshop is on my “bucket list” – until then what you see here is how it was shot. The peaceful loving nature of cemetaries draw me…

New Mixed Media Bookmaking & Art Journaling Magazine

Just an FYI – Cloth Paper Scizzors is publishing a new magazine called Mixed Media Bookmaking and Art Journaling – coming this fall. Monthly book making eye candy AND inspiration – Ya Hoo! The Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine (pg 62) is calling for submissions. There are a lot of successful book making groups out there.…

I Made a Stamped Card – Yeah Me!

I’m not a card maker or stamper. That being said – once in a long while inspiration will grab me by the hair and I buy one of the newest, artiest stamps. My friends Jenny (http://www.onekraftykat.blogspot.com/) and Miriam’s(http://www.miriamsdelirium.blogspot.com/) cards are inspirational – but sometimes it still doesn’t help. I have to admit – I don’t…

Wedding Center Piece

June weddings are being planned and I wanted to share a table center piece (14″ overall height) I made many many years ago for my daughter’s wedding reception (I can’t remember how many we made – but it seemed like Edna (myBFF) and I made a gazillion flowers). The hem of Laura’s wedding gown was…

Little bit of Repurposing – No Glue – No Sewing

The internet…one thing led to another and I came across a cute idea for repurposing 8 1/2 x 11 paper. It’s great when you don’t want to carry a full pad of paper with you. For example – you’re going to a book, bead and/or rubber stamp show and you want to make notes that…

2 Books using a Repurposed Vinyl Banner

A menswear store that had just closed had tossed out a 4’x8′ white vinyl banner with red letters announcing the arrival of a new line of mens underwear (what can be new about mens underwear?). At any rate – I rescued the banner. It appears to be reinforced with threads and is very pliable. I…

Oil Lamp, Napkin Ring and a Blush Brush

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.…

What a difference a Clayday makes…

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…

Crown Binding with Atlanta Book Arts Club

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…

On your mark…get ready….

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…

Herm – Claymation

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.…

Polymer Clay Play Date

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…

Thank You – Military Hero Pendant

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…

Katrina

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…

Butterfly Pin & Metal Corners

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…

Book Sewing Frame – (Not your ordinary)

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…

Play Day and Altered Jewelry

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…

Polymer Clay Day & Book Covers!! Ya Hoo!

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…

Book 3" x 3"

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…

Clay Class – Sneak Peek

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…

Logo

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…

Book Pocket

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…

Nail Hugger – Mixed Media Sculpture

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…

Book Pendant – MOP Bird on Eggs

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…

Japanese Book Drill (screw punch) – bit holder

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…

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Most of my art pieces start with a “muse”. The story of this muse is that I went to a vintage car show with my husband (actually I went to the car show so I could go to the car swap meet) and found the inside of a vintage steering wheel (the muse). Lucy took…

Best Stressed

11″ high – vent is 5″ wide Class with Debra Fritts started on a Monday. By Wednesday my latent artist talent and pent up emotions were flying high. Tuesday evening this dress had arms and the beginning of a neck and head. I woke up Wednesday morning and knew that the head and neck had…

Quiznos Tray

When we first got a Quizno’s sandwich shop in Marietta they put their salads in cool triangle shaped black plastic take out containers. How can you throw something like that away? At any rate… I couldn’t. The unit is made of foam core. Strips were taken out of the center of the back and the side…

Quilt Rack

What was a quilt rack is now a deposit for memories (and holds a role of craft paper). My darling daughter gave me a yellow ceramic pitcher and glasses for Christmas and gave me permission to break them up for my mosaic – my jumping off point. The muscle man in the middle is the…

Hoonie

I took an online sculpting class from Marilyn Radzat at thatcreativeplace.com. This is my version of a hoonie. He helps other Hoonies get their wings. Height: 4″ Polymer Clay: Premo Sculpy Paint: Acrylic Shell: From Fisher Island, Florida Body: Not jointed Feathers: Molted feathers from my parakeet Herm (Herm is a combination of Him and Her…

Fairy Book

I got an iPod Nano for Christmas and couldn’t possible throw such a cool box away. The Nano box was turned into this fairy book. The inside and out were covered with brown paper. Inside Left: Stamped acetate with a vintage picture behind it, moss, acetate butterfly and real postage stamp. Inside Right: a vintage picture was…

Perpetual Calendar

Office Maxine

As featured in 1000 Jewelry Inspirations: Beads, Baubles, Danglesand Chains by Sandra Salamony

Sylvia on the Beach

Happenstance: coincidence, chance, fluke Sylvia On The Beach (20″ tall) was a beautiful fluke. First – At least two years prior to making Sylvia I found a unique vase at a garage sale for $2. It was a hollowed out limb of some sort. It had a velvet bottom and contained dried stems with shells…

Jack the Purple Cat

This was a fun pattern. Not necessarily easy. The body parts are stuffed extremely hard. I’ve made several versions with interesting pattern combinations. Jack sits on his own. Original Pattern Designer: Julie McCullough (Cat Dancer) 26″ Tall Fabric: Lightweight corduroy Face: Painted with acrylics Eyes: Plastic eyes Hair: Feathers Beading: Random pattern of seed beads.…

1959 VW Engine Cover

This began as a joke. We found a red, rusted and dirty 1959 Volkswagon engine cover at a garage sale for $5. We hung it on our dining room wall and taped big eyes on it. I liked it. I liked the big red piece of metal on my wall. However, it needed some loving…

Time Flies

This pin was made as a Christmas gift for my friend Debbie: I found a fabulous set of Audubon cards at the flea market. Bird Head: Shrank the Audubon card to fit the size of the stamped wings and color copied it onto photo paper. Wings: Stamp for angel wings, colored with water color pencils…

Consequences

I LOVE car parts -so much potential. Consequences is made from Porsche parts. Base is a mount Raised Eyebrow is a window crank Glasses is a gasket Eye is a bolt Mustache is a worn out rubber belt Warning sign is a fasten seat belt sign The tag has a reduced copy of the part…

Candyland

I saw a template for making a box out of a game board on Readymade.com . I adapted it to a vintage Candy Land game board. I stripped the graphics off of the extra pieces and glued them on for accents. The feet are the games pieces.

Asian Calendar

Angel Pin

This pin was made as a Christmas gift for my friend Becky. This card was promoting a museum exhibit in the town where Becky lived. There were a stack of the cards in the lobby of a hotel I was staying. Wings: Cut out from the color card. Face: Stamp Other: Watch parts, rhinestones, distress…

Flower Family Album

Another NYOBC (Not Your Ordinary Book Club) challenge. However, the only item I used from the packet was the album blank (black card stock). 6″ x 6″ closed All pages were covered by 2 patterns of decorative paper. The front and back covers have glued on cut outs of one of the patterns. The letters…

Pin up Fan

Another NYOBC (Not Your Ordinary Book Club) challenge. The theme was summer. Our packet included paper, stickers and ribbon. It would have made a nice scrapbook page but I needed to do something different. Fan: I cut fan blades out of chip board. Papers: Vintage pin up pictures were copied onto paper from the packet…

Scrabble Card

Shell Book

Capt. Crabb

Capt. Crabb (Loran Edwin Crabb – USNR) Loran “Lee” Crabb was my stepfather. He was a character! This picture reminds me of the fun, sometime audacious, side of him. He was retired Navy, Florida Park Ranger, University of Miami School of Rosenthal ****, Fisherman, Jack of All Trades. My Mother had 5 girls when she…

Cat Calendar

I volunteered to provide the cover (8) for a Cat inspired calendar. The person responsible for January wasn’t able to make January’s page so the cover became the cover and the January page. 6″ x 6″ Chip Board Decorative paper covered the chip board Cat Face Stamp: Inkadinkado / 90917 Cat Lover Stamp: Rubber Stampede…

Goo Card

Crab Purse

5″ high x 7 1/2″ wide (2″ at base when closed) Mr. Wonderful and I went on vacation Hersey, PA then on to New York and New Jersey. We had a ball (it doesn’t take much). The purse holds pictures inside in the order of the cities we visited. The outside pocket contains the CD…

Seabee

Another NYOBC (Not Your Ordinary Book Club) challenge. 8″ high x 5 3/4″ wide (closed) My husband (Mr. Wonderful) retired as a Senior Chief from the Navy reserves 10 years ago (something he still misses). A picture of him on a dozer is on the cover. Inside are pictures of his retirement and some of…

Katrina

28½” High – Base Pedestal 5¼” square Ohhhh—there is so much emotion tied up in Katrina. Bear with me while I explain. I was deployed to Mississippi in 2007 to help work on a project assisting residents with housing (I was there almost three years). It was over two years after Katrina and folks were…

Bob the Tour Guide

8 1/2″ long x 5″ at the widest point This was a fun challenge. I belonged to a “Not Your Ordinary Book Club (Pine Cone Press)” at Impressive Ideas in Roswell, GA. We met monthly. In September 08 the NORBC members received a Halloween themed packet containing 4 pieces of card stock, a black blank…

Asian Book

This photo album was a tribute to my Step Mother, Kimie Gorday, born in Okinawa, Japan. Sometimes I have an idea and look for a need. This one started with a set of Martha Stewart plain black cards and envelopes on sale after Halloween for 90% off! The envelope flaps have a decorative edge (as…

Joe Montana

14″w x 7″h x 1-3/4″d This was fun. I got to collaborate with my daughter Laura Donnelly. We belonged to a “not your ordinary book club”. Wherein each member is given a choice between two packs of paper containing a few coordinating miscellaneous items. We discuss the theme of the paper and items and go…

Pansy

Pansy’s poor face looked like she needed help so I gave her a sign and sat her in a clay saucer. Porcelain Head and Hands. Felt body

Benny the Borrower

My sister Jean had been complaining that the “Borrower” had taken her glasses. The day before – he had taken her keys. They were there one minute and gone the next. I don?t remember much about making this doll except that it’s stuffed extremely hard and I was crazy about him as he grew. He’s…

Delores

Delores is my interpretation of Patti Medaris Culea’s doll pattern. 22 1/2″ tall Material: Embroidered fabric remnant. My mother made a beautiful suit that my sister Jean wore to my wedding in 1981. Beads: New, repurposed and vintage beads. Beads in the head were strung on wire. The necklace was made using beading thread. Color…

Jackie’s Angel

One of my past hobbies was making porcelain dolls from molds. This angel was made for my sister Jackie when she was sick with cancer. The porcelain body and face went thru numerous paintings and firings to achieve a specific depth to her look. Her clothing and head covering were made from one of Jackie’s…

Loretta

Loretta – 202 Pairs of Shoes… None Needed In Heaven Size: 11.5″w x 11.25″h x 6″d (including acrylic strip) This box was assembled in celebration of my sister Loretta (#2 of 5 girls) – lost to a battle with Leukemia March 30, 2000. I built the box right away – however, it took me five…

Carolers

Ahhhh… my BFF Edna Quicke of Tallahassee collaborated with me on these ?happy on the eyes? dolls. I made and painted the dolls, Edna made the clothes. We made at least 10 sets. Before we stopped I made one Asian by altering the shape of the eyes as I cut the openings. Original Doll Artist:…