Canvas / Photo Matt Vendor

Whenever I run across a good vendor online be it a website, Etsy,

or Ebay I have to provide them with just a little HURRAY  here on 

my blog.  This time it is an Ebay vendor going by Golden State 

Art.  I have been using them since I began the Altered Inks.   They 

have different sizes of matting, colors, even backings and 

celephone baggies.   Their shipping is FAST and best of all 

(FREE) and all of my orders have been perfect….I don't have one 

complaint….. and I don't have any type of financial affiliation with 

them…..it is just so great to get top of the line quality items, 

quickly…. so check their little shop out ….  you won't be 

disappointed.   More and more I seem to use my online vendors.  I 

save gas and more importantly TIME…. and can browse sitting in 

in my comfy chair….

  

4 new Texture Tile Stamps

I have just added these four stamps to my Etsy shoppe of goodies www.artisticrenderings.etsy.com

Jungle Leaves
Feather Flurry
Pods  (I love this one)
Plant Cells  (I purchased this one because it reminded me more of winter fog.

I may have to use the Jungle Leaves as a background for a giraffe.  

New Jewelry Set

I just finished this set last night….  I love the focal handmade lamp work beads and have them in 4 additional colors….they remind me of frost on a wonderful, sunny, winter day----and I love winter.  I have used some of the oblong Swarowski crystals in clear on both pieces and added a Buddha to the necklace.  The spacers and the Buddha bead are from Tierra Cast sold by my daughter Dragynsfyre on Etsy.

On the necklace I have also used two milky opal crystal beads that add that touch of mystery….

New Jewelry

I have been in the mood for creating some jewelry pieces to add to my pictorial portfolio….  I have had the focal beads for several years and had them saved I guess for The Now….   I love the new Swarowski Crystal oblong beads and used 4 on the red and white bottom necklace….adds just a bit of sparkle.    I am hoping that I can come up with "names" for the pieces.

Jewelry designing seems to be what I enjoy when I need to take my train of thought somewhere other than the outside of myself….

NEW Wood Roller for Clay Embossing / Texture

 This is a new product that has not even been released to wholesalers but what an awesome product.  I used it on the white piece of clay below and it is for a COBBLESTONE effect which is pretty much Perfect in my book.  It is a bit pricier until it goes wholesale.  ($20.00) and I am going to do them by custom orders only.  I am hoping they are released for me to purchase wholesale before the holidays…   There are several different patterns and 2 different lengths.  The smaller ones have a handle that is purchased seperately to hold the roller for easier application to the clay.

The blue piece is a new stamp I just purchased to add to my line and is Double Bubble Embossed which is pretty neat too.

In the next couple of weeks I will be adding more new stamps and items for the holiday season so check my Etsy site often…..

Time to think about CHRISTMAS…….

Altered Ink

I really like this piece for color, dimension, form, shapes, movement, and the ability to really loose yourself within the piece….

This coming week I have to get more matted and framed as that makes such a wonderful difference in the picutes.  I "thnk" I might call this one Peek A Boo.

Cake Decorating Winner …. Dirk Luchtmeijer

I competed for the first time ever at Taart & Trends 2014. This is the biggest cake fair in Holland as we know it. This years theme was called “Oriental Sweetness”

I created myself a moodboard by picking all kinds of pictures regarding chinese gardens, dragons, traditional textures, funny oriental related cartoons (because i like to give it a smile)

I got inspirated by your mold to create a steampunk art dragon out of scratch. So no drawings or designs. Just build a skeleton out of sugerpaste and let it dry for almost a week. After that all the small pieces came together like a non excisting jigzaw puzzle. The small gears are made from special lace paste whitch made them realy delicate. You can’t see it but it’s technicaly 100% edible 

After i finished it i gave it a name. Don’t mess with the emperor…. I guess the emperor is having a good time scaring his servant samurai warrior.. so you shouldn’t mess with the emperor.

It was the first time i made a piece with such great detail. I realy enjoyed making it. It took about 100 hours completing the whole piece and a lot of patience and passion.

After sending in my piece they were absolutely stunned by seeing it. It took 2 days to judge all the pieces that where brought in. So at the end of day 2 i heard the results of the jury and won the competition!

I won a trophy and a 300 euro workshop at one of my favorite cakeshops in Holland. It was a very exciting weekend and like to thank you for bringing in a part of my inspiration.

Best regards, Dirk Luchtmeijer from The Netherlands

Dirk sent me the above information after winning the competition (and WOW ,,,  WOW …. WOW

Some of the parts and pieces were made using Lisa Pavelkas Steampunk stamp INNIE …. There are also a couple of others stamps I sell on my Etsy Site which are steampunk related….  Talk about creativity….. this gentleman has it in spades.  

Cake Decorating, Soap decorating….what will be next????

CONGRATULATIONS DIRK….. What's next?

Art for Men

Tonight I was gathering paints together to begin painting some wooden ties with a fishing scene and I was surprised to see that items I have been working on (journals, photo cards,
wooden ties, etc.) that I have unconciously geared towards men…and I think the reason why is it is so HARD to find non feminine cards, gifts, etc. and it is frustrating so maybe I have "hit on something".

I am hoping to be accepted into a very unique Gallery and I am preparing items so I have a portfolio of sorts to "show" my work.

This old car sits in our front yard where my husband has been creative….and I have turned the photo into a greeting card that is matted and could be framed.    I cannot tell you how many men have stopped and wanted to purchase one of my husbands "cars" to transform into a Rat Rod and this is where I got the idea for mens cards as the men are young and old….. and then we have the "picture takers"….. it has been a fun collection of rusted car planters….

Altered Ink "STATIC"

This is one of my most recent altered ink pieces…..as well as my favorite of the batch.  I am going to be matting 2 different sizes of this in photo form ….  I love it when I get images likes this….    I have titled this one "STATIC"….

Our weather has been gorgeous …. beautiful Indian Summer weather so I am hoping to get another batch of prints done tomorrow or Monday…..

PYM II Acrylic Protective Sealant

I purchased this spray awhile ago but never had the occasion, until now; to put it to the test.

My latest work is altered inks on paper and this product said you could use it over paper, newspapers, digial photos etc. as a fast drying, acid free, Injet print safe, water repellant, polymer clay safe, light fast finish spray. 
I am pretty gullible so decided to test it out on a smaller finished ink piece ………and omg it passed with flying colors…. and the finish is between a mat and satin…which is just perfect.  The product has UV protectant and can be used on the items listed above but also for:  laser prints, giclee, crafts, glitter, polymer clay, copic markers, metals, glass and much more…

PYM stands for Preserve your Memories and although the product is upwards of spendy, I have a product I don't have to use as much of as I only required one coat and there is no apparent indication that the item has been sprayed as with other products.  Also I was delighted with no overpowering odor as other brands disspell.    

I spend a lot of time on my pieces and with the majority of what I do one of a kind I need a product I can depend upon to do what I want   With PYM II  also containing UV protection with it is pretty much perfect…and wanting that professional look….. quality is as important as the price.  
I even sprayed my mat with the product for a little extra protection from the suns rays.

There is no one I have found here in my area that carries this spray so I ordered mine (and my reorder tonight for 2 more cans) was directly from their website.  http://www.PYM II.com.  Also check U-tube for some demonstrations on this product.  And no, I don't receive any financial gain from using or endorsing this product.    

I won't be using anything but this product from this point on…is has become my preferred protective sealant.