Fabric Collage

Another project from the STITCHED workshops, this one was Branches, Buds and Blossoms with Deborah Boschert. I have always done paper collage for journals, handmade books and other paper projects so it was very fun to do the same with my ever growing fabric stash. Deborah's videos were concise and she did a great job in showing how to work out your design.

Collage is about 12" x 15", got to use some of the decorative stitches on my new Pfaff, it handles specialty thread like a dream. The original idea in my head was much simpler but as always once I get going and there are SHINY THINGS involved it gets busier. You can't just have a couple of sequins you know, they need to be in the company of many friends.

Things I learned on the project were...

1. Freezer paper stenciling, no more messy flow of paint under the stenciling.

2. French knots are cool.

3. Beading needles will spontaneously go into hiding the second you avert your eyes after placing them on your craft table.

4. The spousal question of  "Why are there sequins all over the floor?" does not dignify an answer.



Next project in the queue, another handbag....hint: Purple wide rib corduroy, green satin brocade and SHINY THINGS. Stay tuned.



Altered File Folders

The humble manila office folder never looked so good. I took a class from Maude May at Letters of Joy called Manila Folder Magic. Ever wonder where to put those little bits of important paper, tickets stubs, travel ephemera, recipes, etc.? We created custom folders using letter and legal manila folders, collage ephemera, stamps, fibers, eyelets and decorative paper. It was a blast, no over-analyzing the process, just collaged our way to happiness. Loved this project and have made two more since the class, two are in the pipeline and lots of grandiose ideas for even more elaborate ones with multiple pages and pockets.

This is the one I did in class, which was only 2 hours, so it was quick and dirty collage, which means no over-thinking the placement of ephemera, great way to get out of your box.

Book of Roses

The wonderful techniques I learned from Orly Avineri at ArtFest and my own favorite background and collage work has resulted in my Book of Roses. The pages are of different sizes and cascading with lots of bling and fiber embellishments. It was a undertaking that included liquid inks, black & white & clear gesso, stencils, stamps, acrylics, distress inks, gel and glaze pens, fibers, trim, decorative tape and of course rhinestones. Binding is a 4 hole Japanese with grosgrain ribbon. There are flowers other than roses but they were the main inspiration so they get the accolades. There was some binding angst involved, I now have a Zutter Bind-It-All so future projects with be free of banging the head against the art table. Thanks to Steve at Stampadoodle for ordering in this latest nifty toy for me.

I have been on a bit of a purge fest in the studio, if we ever move it would take me a month to pack the studio so I need to start the paring process. First up, going through all of my books and magazines I have collected for images. How long does it take to go through a cabinet full of National Geographic and cut out only the images you think you will use in the future? It takes a L.O.N.G  time, that's what. Those old encyclopedia's? It was a brutal quick and dirty selection and then into the paper recycling they went.

And too boot I think I have sustained a crafting injury. All of the eyelets in the Book of Roses were put in with the Big Bite punch and setter, its takes some muscle to set the eyelets, so after oh, say a million of them my arm and side muscles were a pretty sore the next day. Gerry was not sympathetic and would not fetch and carry for me, as I sat in my easy chair whining about my serious art injury.

In the garden news portion of this post we are having a freaky spring, too much rain, everything is late, rhodies just NOW blooming, finally could not wait any longer to plant the tomatoes so they are in but with their comfy little water jackets on them. In my world tomato growing is a competitive sport and things must progress ON SCHEDULE, lest I fall behind my rivals (you know who you are!).

ArtFest 2011

ArtFest 2011 was great, loved my classes and soaked in all the exuberant art vibe that comes with this amazing event. Coming back is always kind of let down as you re-enter back into real life, job, laundry and myriad of chores large and small that make up the days, but ArtFest manges to help re-charge the creative batteries no less.

Took Michael deMeng for two classes, "Lonely Hearts" and "Pretty Vial Things". The heart box was just a little wooden box, distressed using Michael;s signature techniques, constructed the heart from Apoxy Clay, first time using that but liked since it air dries. Mine turned out very folk-arty and I love it.

My altered bottle for the next Michael class was a "Shoe Potion" (Jody doing something about shoes....shocking, I know!). More apoxie clay, DAP texture and Barbie doll shoes. The toughest part of this was finding the Barbie shoes, when I was a kid you could buy just the shoes separately, not so much now, had to schlep to 3 different stores in Bellingham, finally found a set of shoes and almost had to throw down in the Barbie Aisle with a 6 year old to get them.

This potion, ingested pre-shopping will guarantee you will find your favorite shoes, on sale and in your size.

The class with with Orly Avineri, "Deck of Roses". Working with a big pieces of watercolor paper she showed us some great techniques with liquid ink, distress ink pads, gesso (black and white) and varnish. These cards still need some pen work but I love them as the photographic images are of my own roses that I slave over every summer.

Here are some pics of Fort Worden, the venue for ArtFest.



Altered Stiletto & Mouse Adventure

New altered Stiletto for the ArtFest gallery, the theme is birds so lots of bright feathers. This shoe was made in memory of my sweet friend Sherri, many of the materials for this shoe were ones that were also used during the last retreat she hosted at her Sparrow's Nest Studio. Body of shoe was covered in altered paper towels and sprinkling of glitter. Heel was painted and then a random application of some Jones Tones foil.

In another shoe related story The Vermin (aka the Cats) have outdone themselves again in the mouse department.

We were sitting watching TV on Sunday and I had not seen the cats in the living room for a bit which usually means they are up to something so I went to find them. They were in the bedroom staring very intently into my closet at my shoes. The back door had been open and they had that "we have something cornered" look in their eyes. After shooing them out of the bedroom against bitter protest and shutting the door I looked around in the closet really good and could not see anything..... and then noticed that one of my brand new 3 inch heels had suddenly grown a long skinny tail. There was a BIG fat mouse tucked into the shoe, the shoe is a peep toe so his little face was peaking out the toe and his tail was hanging over the heel. I picked up the shoe VERY carefully because I did not want him to bolt and then be wandering the house for eternity.  Managed to get mouse, shoe and myself out to the back yard and let him go. I am sure he was pretty traumatized, what with being trapped in that leather prison with two cats breathing down his neck. We think Apollo caught him, and so I guess we have to stop calling Apollo "The Big Marshmallow" and start calling him the "Mighty Hunter".




Charms and Journal Backgrounds

Long time no post, I know. Life happened and not in a good way, time to try and get back on track and focus on some art. I have never really been a journaler, but do know the first step is usually just to get something, anything down on paper. Backgrounds are a good place to start, here are a few.

Lots of mixed media here....acrylic paint, spray inks, deli paper, stencils and foam stamps, spray webbing.

Going to make a effort to finish off some old projects that were gathering dust and I mean that literally..... had one that I actually had to get a big dry paintbrush out to get the dustbunnies and their progeny off of it. Off to ArtFest in a couple of weeks so the usual trade making frenzy is in full swing, charms are always a big hit so that is where I went this year. My wrapped loop skills are getting much better after making 75+ of these.

Soon the supply packing for ArtFest will start and Gerry can make his annual snide comments about whether I need a tractor trailor or not.

My posting hiatus was due largely in part to the passing of my dear friend Sherri Angie. She taught me so much and I am forever blessed to have had the time I did with her and wish so much we could have had more. Not a day will goes by that I do not think of her.

Fly free with your Richard, sweet friend.

Ice Queen Art Shoe

The latest shoe is finally done, as usual I started out with one idea (all white) and it morphed into something else, but I am pretty pleased with the result. The curved shapes were made by tracing portions of a french curve, lots of detail work involved with gluing on the silver trim. Plaid's new product, Extreme Glitter and then some Stickles gave the white accents and the blue body that extra sparkle I wanted. Rebuilding the heel's once they are cut off takes some time, you have to balance the shoe just right upside down and they glue on a few elements at a time, let them dry and then do some more. E-6000 is the best glue for non-porous items, once it's dry it's very sturdy. This one will be added to the items for sale on Etsy.

Christmas Eve is tomorrow, my best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season, whatever your faith happens to be. Our holly tree is in full glory right now, it's the only tree we have in the back yard and during the summer I mostly curse it. You really can't get anything to grow underneath it and trying to clean up or garden around it means risking getting lots of sharp holly leaves jammed into your person, but it completely redeems itself this time of year.

I made a quick trip to Jo-Ann's today to get some fabric and check out all the Christmas stuff that is always on sale and came across this great little addition to my holiday village for next year.....and it was 70% off! Now all I need is a Michael's one and I will have the beginnings of a Craft Store Village.

Surface Explorations Class now open!

The Surface Explorations Class at the Sparrow's Nest is now scheduled for January 22, 2011, Saturday, 10:00 to 4:00, a great way to get your creative juices going for the New Year.

Call Sherri Angie at 360-733-9031 or email her at sherangie@comcast.net to sign up. Class fee is $50.00 plus a $5.00 supply fee.

There has been quite a hiatus since my last post, as most of my friends know my father passed away on November 9. When I am ready I will be doing a blog post all about Dad, there are some great pictures I would like to share.

I did attend the Christmas Party for my calligraphy guild on Saturday, thank you Pam for once again being an awesome hostess! For the gift exchange we make a handmade or calligraphic letter of the alphabet, mine was made from craft metal, I embossed the letter "R", colored the metal with Pinata inks, painted the letter with some Extreme Glitter, added a couple of buttons and matted it.

I am working on a winter art shoe, all I can say is there will be much glitter. There will be no handmade Christmas cards this year, time did not allow but maybe a New Year Art Shoe postcard to my friends and family?



Surface Explorations Class

Still time to sign up for the Surface Explorations class on November 13 from 10:00am to 4:00p,. You will learn 15 techniques to enhance your jounalling, mixed media, scrapbook and paper crafts. You get a full day of hands on play with paint, molding paste, stencils, gesso, texture mediums & sprays just to name a few. Here are just a few samples....

Class fee is $50.00 with a $5.00 supply fee. Email sherangie@comcast.net or jody_mcnamara@comcast.net to sign up. Class will be held in Bellingham at the Sparrow's Nest Studio.