Winter Wedding

This is my third wire sculpture and I think I am going to call it Winder Wedding.  I have used many different types and sizes of crystals as well as a vintage one right in the front.

Some portions of the wire body areas have been covered with a couple of different sheer fabrics.

The base is glass and pewter and was purchased at one of our local consignment stores and worked just perfect as the base.

Small delicas have been strung on wire in a very translucent blue and white..

The one gorgeous white bead to the right which hangs was made by my daughter Dragynsfyre and is a white and silvered ivory lampwork bead that has been etched.  The top was clear and the bottom a white....above and below are etched handmade lampwork spacer beads in clear which are
different shapes and sizes done by a lampworker in the state of WA and are also etched.

I already have the next piece started which I think is going to be a "lot" different from the other ones I have created.
 I have a vintage witch head pin and a retro looking bell chiming alarm cloce.............THIS should be interesting...  I have chosen the colors to be green and purple.... for "A Witchin' Good Time"..... check back in a month of two to see this one.....lol......


Title:            Winter Wedding
Inspiration:  Mother Nature and my love of winter, white and blue, cold, ice, snow. etc.
Elements:    Snow, Ice, Fog sparkle and Water.
Accomplished:  Texture, dimension, movement (one of the vintage crystals is suspended and gently swings, color (silver, white with just a touch of blue), design, theme and flow with a feeling of icy, cold glamour (temperature).

Day and Night

This is a piece I just finished painting using a design by Josh Shanoon for inspiration.  His design was done using computer graphics.

When doing landscapes I tend to paint in my design ....  I don't draw or trace a design until AFTER it is painted.  I enjoy letting things just happen.   The same with colors.....the only thing I concentrated on was the pink in the sky, moon and water... 

I needed to practice waterfalls so I ended up with 3 in my rendition....and I love the curved tree.  This reminds me in many ways of a place where I used to go and read, write poetry, etc.  down back of where I lived growing up deep in the woods.  The tree wasn't quite this curved, but it was gnarl and between the trunk and roots was deep thick green moss that was my special cushion.  I loved the sounds, (frogs, birds, an occassional train) and smells (moss, water, wild flowers, etc.) as well as the visual clouds, shapes, colors, etc.  
was deep thick green moss that was like a cushion.... It is going to be matted using 2 shades of green mat and a black frame then right ino the master bedroom to hand on an empty wall.  I am actually tempted to paint this right on the wall as it is a perfect width and height....hmmmmmm.

I used a limited palatte....Liquitex soft body paints and several different sizes, shapes, and styles of Dynasty brushes....my favorite tools of the trade....or and handmade fine portrait grade handwrapped canvas boards....  This one is an 8 x 10.

Trash to more of a Treasure

This was impromptu....I purchased this rickity ole bookcase at a garage sale because I needed shelving and for $5 I "figured" I could do something to make the piece more attractive....  These shutters have been around forever and I always used them as "freestanding" dividers but they fit PERFECTLY on this bookshelf.  One pair served as the back of the bookcase as it "shows" and one half shutter for each side.....and I love the look which holds my glues, inks, etc. for when I am "claying" so I don't have to search all over to find what I need..... perfecto mundo....  Since this photo I have painted the very top of the piece black ..... and the shelving has been modge podged with Simplicity tissue pattern pieces.   Is done ever really DONE.....but done for now, but I would like an old window I could prop on the front and move when using, replacing when done....hmmmmmmm.

Altered Straw Hat

In making this hat I did my best to use textures, monocramatic colors for a neutral look, style, etc.
The white flower on the hat is from Michaels and is burlap,   The center of the flower is a steampunk button that i sell.  The leaf has been imprinted on clay (by me) and added.  The brown around the hat is a brown satin mens tie... with lace glued on (Beacon Adhesive for Fabric... which I like real well as it dries so you can pull of the excess....very little is needed for a nice strong bond,  and sets up quickly.)  I handpainted the roses, leaves and ribbons using Liquitex Parchement and Burnt Sienna paint and when dry I added some of the Ice Crystal Glitter paint by Americana (LOVE this paint)  in dots here and there for some sparkle.  Around the hat with the hat band is a copper necklace I made but decided it looked really neat on the hat....and oh yea, the bumble bee is a button I sell....every bonnet has a bee in it....  In between the narrow and wider ends of the tie I have taken several strands of waxed twine and knotted the strands randomly and then glued underneath the criss cross of the tie.  

The recipient of the hat is leaving for Florida for 2 weeks and loves being out in the garden so I am hoping she will like her hat....it is a bit weightier but she won't have to worry about the summer breeze blowing her hat away....so dual purpose.


Since I knew the hat was "winding down" I started work on a wood cigar box to set on the table by my chair to hold "stuff",  finishing up my 2nd wire sculpture and already thinking about #3 so I guess I am in wire mode.....which is brand new to me...   I am also thinking about doing some more canvas winter pictures.....my fingers are calling out to the paint brushes that it is "their turn" to be creative.  I stopped at Goodwill while in town today and picked up 2 really neat items that can be used as bases for the wire sculptures...and I want to explore making myself an altered journal and somehow incorporating black and white paper so THIS should be interesting......  All in all it has been a week of accomplishments as I slide down hump day into Thursday.....

Snow Storm 2-6-14 Oregon

This was one of the worst storms (amount wise) that we have experienced here in Oregon.  HOWEVER, it was gorgeous.  The tree avalanches as laden boughts become just too much (my favorite photo),   the neat little snowcaps on the bird house.... and then we have the more dismal side which is the darkness, hours of snowfall, and inconvenience.  I  was beginning to wonder if it would ever end.

I am working on a straw hat which needs to be done by the 15th of February,  and another wire sculpture which is progressing a little slower than normal, but that is OK.  It is convenient to have several pieces going at the same time in different mediums.  I am also just starting what I hope will be a journal for myself.....  This particular journal is going to be my IDEA journal...the beginning stages......which is exciting in itself.

So enjoy my snow shots and soon I am hoping I can
blog a finished project.

Just for the record,  we ended up with about 3 foot of snow then during the night the temperature went up to 40 degrees so snow melted and now we have slush,  ruts and slippery walking conditions.  Tonight when I walked outside at midnight freezing fog is rolling in but it appears to be a high fog.... so we are below freezing again tonight.....  Many people here in Orgeon are without power......

Stay safe and warm everyone.

Altered Journal #2

  Once again the creative force was drawn to doing another journal....I thought it was for me....but after getting it done..I realized it wasn't.

The mesh grids were meant as candles...the wicks are watch "innards" as well as the right hand bottom piece.

The woodend wheel is a vintage spool which I purchased from an overseas Etsy Vendor.  I love adding pieces from other countries, items that one doesn't normally see.   Since taking the photo I have cut the purple ribbon to be just a bit longer than the shorter one...and removed the key.  It didn't belong...  It made the journal off balance somehow....  the ends of the purple ribbon are beautifully frayed..... and the lady bug...kinda fits with the fire and the colors in the "wordage" with refers to Imagine......

I have been reading a book which talks about truth, intuition, reality, and light so I think this was the inspiration for this piece.

The bottom photo is the bookmark that goes with the journal.  It "WAS" the cuff of a denim jacket I am working on, and was salvaged to be a bracelet  but just seemed to gowith the design of the journal which has blank pages.  Sometimes the lines can be distracting and you get more of a creative flow with just blank.  I wish I had a journal with both in it....  wonder if anyone has thought to make a handmade journal in this manner?

Altered Journal

I am really enjoying altering journals.  I love this one with the wheat drawer pull which I incorporated into the design... unique and different.  I feel that you if you have a "personal handmade journal" you will WANT to write in it....It is special, for special thoughts, poems, ideas, or just a day to day journal of life.  This one was sold before I got a photo of it.....so now I am working on another as a gift then I need to do one for me....before the year passes me by.   I know I will love writing in mine...now to find that special PEN.....

The one I am finishing is called "LIGHT".... that is it;  simply Light so will try to get photos soon to post.   It is a black, blank page wire bound type sketching journal....or for someone who doesn't want the restriction of lines.....