Art Dump

Haven't updated this site in so long. Here's what I've been up to:




I just made the sort of cups I would have wanted in college






Joining the SCA has been an amazing benefit to my art life. this is beaded Kumihimo; a Japanese cord weaving technique

More cuffs soon

Can't wait to use some of these gems I found at Bead Fest today.

Have you seen this movie yet?

It's called Strange Magick and it is perfect for Valentine's day, especially if you have kids. Beautiful concepts and unique characters. Don't get me wrong,  it's quirky as all get out, but absolutely brilliant. The little one and I have seen it twice.

Woohoo

GOT MY FIRST ETSY SALE!

Now available on Etsy

My ear cuffs can now be found at LoveNThanks Upcycles on Etsy.
More to come soon, I hope.

Bead Your Addiction in Camarillo, CA

Got some inexpensive beads at this small bead store just before my sister's wedding and made a last minute necklace for my little flower girl out of that and the pendant the Kindness elves gave her as their parting gift.
This tiny store has everything you need at great prices if you are ever in the area.

Ok going to bed for now

Here's the latest

Kindness Elves: a highly recommended holiday tradition

We have started including the Kindness elves as a part of our family's holiday traditions. Our little one loves them so much. If you don't know what kindness elves our, they are little elves who encourage, notice, and model acts of kindness for your children during the season. There's more on them here. http://theimaginationtree.com/2013/11/alternative-elf-on-shelf-tradition-kindness-elf-kindness-elves.html
We looked around to find the right dolls to represent the kindness elves and found this shop on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/WildflowerInnocence. The owner of the shop was so sweet and answered all of our questions. We looks forward to adding to our collection through them.

I encourage any of this blog's visitors with children to read more and consider making the Kindness Elves a part of their own holiday tradition

Fuzzy and wire wrapped elf ear cuffs

Elf ear cuffs with spiral and shell bead

Sold! Thank you :)

A Quick word to give credit

This is where I found the tutorial to make the ear cuffs.

http://kitsunecrafts.blogspot.com/2014/05/wire-elf-ears-tutorial.html?m=1

In the works

Calling it a night for now. Lots of ideas to try later.

More elf ear cuffs

People are starting request theses for themselves and as gifts. These are for a coworker. Unexpected holiday cash for the win. So fun to make too.

Elf ear cuffs

Well, not to be outdone by my coworkers and their reindeer antlers, I took to Google and learned how to make Elf ear cuffs out of the massive amounts of wire made available to me by a friend at Firewheel community coffee house shortly before our move. Gonna have to get a haircut to show them off.

Spontaneous Halloween Brooms

I wanted to decorate my house for Halloween/Samhain this year, but after my extended trip to visit family in California, I didn't have the time and money to get too fancy. Luckily, a dig through our Halloween box yielded copious amounts of black plastic chain from one of my Partner's past costumes, which made a sweet garland across the porch.

But then I decided to finally doll up those old Trader Joe's Cinnamon Brooms.

What started as just a quick slapping on of appropriately themed ribbon suddenly burst into a manic crafting fit which lasted about an hour and yielded this:  

I may also have gone a little trigger happy on my old Ribbon Wreath. It's been added to since this photo.

Happy Halloween

Carpe That @#%$ing Diem (because motivation, that's why!)

Got a bit NSFW with this one. Started playing with "fat stars" too, cutting each roll into 5ths. I think it's a look I will incorporate into more of my garlands. This was a gift to my friend Anny.

The flowers were made from some recycled fabric I harvested from some slacks and an old work shirt using this tutorial: http://blairpeter.typepad.com/weblog/2006/03/fabric_flowers.html, which I found on pinterest back when I was pregnant and rabidly hunting for new craft projects. There's a gallery of some of the neat things people have done with that basic pattern here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/99879056@N00/pool/ including one project helping women in third world countries; check it out. Go make one, they're fun!

I went for a thin fabric which I knew would fray a bit and lay flat enough to display the reclaimed grocery-bag/print-stock message of "Carpe That Fucking Diem"

The fat 1/5 stars let me show off the alternating daisy/cartoon stripe design. I developed a new style for this one in which I paint the role first and then cut. I had been hesitant to try it, but this was sooooooooo much easier and let me play with a lot more pattern ideas.

A fun fact about the phrase Carpe Diem, translation; Seize The Day, while many use it to mean do what you feel like doing at the moment, it's original meaning had more to do with boldly making the best use of your time, particularly in preparing for the future. 

Painted glass beads

These are super fun to make. a combination of Pebeo Vitrea paints and etching compound.

 The fire bead sold right away to a friend who intended to use it as a prop for a LARP we play in

One of my etched and painted Mason Jar lanterns. Hopefully more of these to come soon.

Somewhere, Something Incredible Is Waiting to be Known

Another Carl Sagan quote. Unlike the five-point stars, the four-point "compass rose" shape doesn't stay upright on it's own so I got to really play around with the forged copper pieces here, which I used to give this piece some weight. Sometimes necessity is the mother of neat little design tweaks. 

I went with a gold-tone font here to compliment the metallic elements of this piece, and carefully charred the edges over the stove. The simple satin red fabric cutout framing it brings out the Paua opal beads in the spacers and on the copper dangles. The overall effect puts me in mind of classic pirate tales and nautical adventure stories.

I Learn what I Know By Watching And Loving Everything

 It is said that George Washington Carver, famed botanist credited with the discovery of hundreds of uses for peanuts and other major crops, never kept books in his greenhouse, preferring to learn from his plants directly. When asked about his methods, he would explain "I learn what I know by watching and loving everything."

Inspired by the plant kingdom and the spirit of watching things grow, this 6 link design is painted a rich leafy green with hints of woody brown/beige, gloss finished for an organic look. The canter leaf-and-flower motif is made from fabric remnants and paper grocery bag stock. The dangles feature natural pistachio shells accented with sparkling green and beige glass seed beads.

   

I keep the original for this design displayed over my daughter's crib.

For Small Creatures such as We, The Vastness is Bearable Only Through Love

 This is one of my longer garlands with 9 links painted a deep blue with gold/silver sheen reminiscent of a starry night sky.
 Like all of my garlands, the petals of each link are made from toilet paper roll cores, and the entire work is glazed and sealed for longevity and easy dusting. 
Accents on this piece feature reclaimed tissue paper and paper grocery bags. 
The words "For Small Creatures such as We, the Vastness is Bearable Only Through Love", a quote from famous astronomer and atheist philosopher Carl Sagan, are printed on reclaimed printer paper and dyed with tea.