Handpainted Purse

I designed some handbags about a year ago and had them laser cut.  One finally made it to the painting stage when I joined a swap titled  "evening bag".  

It really worked up quickly and I got a feel for what I want to do....and ideas for the others.

The dots you see are actually the DecoArt Glamour Dust glitter paints which I LOVE but they DO NOT photograph well, and really looks yucky in comparison to the "actual" purse up close and personal.  I added chain to the wood cut out with jump rings....a little cutie.

Hidden Iris

When I was outside walking around taking some photos I noticed something purple in our pine tree....when I parted the branches there was a gorgeous iris..
It had grown tall, and bright and is the only one that has bloomed.  The others are not even showing a bulge of a bud yet.

Enjoy.

ALTERED SPOON

This swap was for an Altered Spoon.  So off  on the hunt to find spoons that were inexpensive, vintage with a patina and would "work".   I knew I would be making more than 1 as so many ideas were bouncing around in my head.  I  had "the excitement" I feel when I KNOW it is going to really be something I enjoy....and I hope the recipients enjoy what I do. 

You can see from the 2nd or bottom photo how I have bent the spoon and then used the rounded portion as my "canvas" , so to speak.  On the back of the handle portion, as far to the top as possible to handle the weight I glued on the pinback.

On the Yahoo Group I belong to I suggested a neat way to display this; if they didn't want to wear it,  would be to staple some regular ole' door screening to the back of a frame and pin the spoon onto the screen.  They could even further adorn the frame.... This is how I am going to do
my next spoon..  It will be framed and I have the perfect frame that I picked up when looking for spoons.  Vintage, irregularly shaped, and I can do a patina with it and some paints or ink.....  

Today's Projects

I have been busy getting items ready to go back to a delightful gift shop back in Pennsylvania....and deciding which items to pull from Etsy.  My new items will go on Etsy and if they don't sell in a week or two they will be deleted and sent to the store. 

This necklace is going but I am going to be making one for myself.  It is done with grey handmade square lampwork beads and grey Toho triangular shaped seed beads .... and it is elegant.  I am ordering additional grey lampwork so that I can make matching bracelets.

The other item is a push pin....now you KNOW that EVERYONE needs their own
personal beaded lampwork push pin....RIGHT?  It would be a great gift for the person who has EVERYTHING.....

This evening I was busy making beaded summer ankle bracelets....they feel so nice and cool on your ankle....and with a nice pedicure your feet look super.

Mixed Media Shoe

I think that this altered art shoe is one of the most exciting pieces I have done....and I am hoping that my partner in the swap will like it as much as I do. 

The shoe literally just developed.....and fell into place as if I was following a pattern. 

So many neat little odds and ends that together just seemed to "fit".  The picture you see in the last shoe photo is actually a portion of an encaustic painting I did....

SO MUCH FUN..I love making the dimentional altered art pieces....

Retro Necklace

I have been trying to stick to a daily "TO DO" list.  What doesn't get done goes to the top of the list for tomorrow.  One of todays was to do one of the large picture focals for a necklace.  I can hardly wait to wear this one.  Made with handmade lampwork beads, manzantia beads by my Son in Law, Tierra Cast findings, the wood bead and a sepia type photo along with brass chain.    

Citrasolv Photos

This is "trippy".  It is done with Citrasolv : an all natural cleaning solution, used full strength on National Geographic magazines.  You spray the magazine pages....let them process outside (the smell is strong and I don't particularly like it "at all") then take the pages out of the book, and let them "blow in the wind" to dry.  I let mine process about 5 hours...not sure how short or long a period of time is recommended.   I am pleased with the results, only 3 of which are shown, and will definately do another book.  Have learned some do's and don'ts for this next time.  I am going to have my husband string me a line of wire and look for some of those teeney, tiney plastic clothes pins to "dry my art"..  Go down a bit on my blog and you will see the
website to go to to learn more about this process.  My husband wasn't too impressed so I am curious as to what others think...so please comment....

Faux Squirrel Reservoir Liner Brushes by Dynasty

I just received my Reservoir Liner brushes yesterday.  They are a new brush by Dynasty
and right now the only "source" for the brushes are through http://www.tracymoreau.com out of Canada.  The faux squirrel brushes are a new line and as far as I am concerned for daily painting they are FANTASTIC and I am hooked..
big time....  With these and my landscape brushes (also from Dynasty) and some of the Micron Mini brushes, the IPC2 line, and a bristle or two, I have a well diversified scope of top of the line, performing brushes.  Performance is the key word here.

These reservoir brushes are for "standing to paint" and if you are a sitter painter it will take a while for these brushes to do what you want as you have to be able to move your whole arm and are stupendous for those fine grasses in landscape painting that can be such a pain to obtain.  

The fat area down by the ferrel act as a reservoir like an ink pen so you really get a good full load of paint...just the very end of the brush needs to touch the surface, and
you need to tip your brush slightly forward so that your paint can run from the ferrel to the brush tip... so the secret to these brushes is STAND away from your painting, and TIP YOUR BRUSH SLIGHTLY FORWARD, and move your arm as you paint your grasses.  I am so EXCITED about these brushes and they come in 3 sizes.  2, 4 and 6.  PERFECT sizes, PERFECT brushes. 

Will it be Spring Then?

I loved the way my fruitless cherry blossomed out so quickly so I am hoping it is a sign of spring?   It is not as full and gorgeous as last year but in leiu of what the weather has been like I am thankful for "whatever".......

Happy Spring everyone.

Mixed Media Bracelet Art

Today was "bracelet day"....  Once I got started I couldn't quit and ended up making 7 of them.  It is so much fun to match up the handmade lampwork to the design of the photo ...  Tomorrow has got to be a PAINTING day.   My favorite bracelet?  Edgar Allen Poe, of course.

Vintage Brass Mixed Media Flowers

I have just finished two series of brass vintage mixed media flowers.  My butterfly and prim series.   My next series are really going to be colorful and will be more abstract in nature.  They can all be found for sale on my Etsy site at http://www.artisticrenderings.blogspot.com   As soon as the new (to me) vintage
brass petals arrive I can begin the new series, so if you are interested keep watch.

Check out this Website:

http://www.citrasolv.com   It is a neat artist site showing how this solvent product can be used in the art field......  INTERESTING...