Long hiatus over July 2015

I'm finally back after a long hiatus. I think the last time I posted I had just had a wonderful trip to NYC. When I returned it was time to try and clean what was in my studio and start packing for ART UNPLUGGED. This is a workshop run by a Artful Illusions in Wichita Kansas by a wonderful women named Joni Russell. This is an 8 day workshop of mix media. The classes are reasonable, she supplies almost all of the materials and the projects are of great variety.

OK I have finally figured out how to get pictures off my phone and into the computer (a computer wiz I am not) so I can post some.


After this workshop I headed back to Ohio to check on our property and to see many of my friends for a few weeks. When I get all unpacked I will take pictures of my projects and post them. Some are not yet done so as I finish them I will post them.

These are wire bracelets. Take note of the spiral wire around the other wires, these are made like a spring very tight and then wrapped around.

 

 

 

This was an extra project Joni did with me it is called a spinner wring and the silver ring spins around the copper one. These are hard to make and take patience but are really really kool. I cant wait to try some at home but I need a few tools first.

 

Another project at Art Unplugged was this really AWESOME tote bag. A few of the regular ladies that frequent the shop sewed the liner but we were given a piece of canvas either white or black and then stenciled on it with chalk paint. We then heat set it and then cut off a piece for the pocket and the fold over closure. The wonderful sewing ladies then put it together for us and then we attached the strap, and buckle for closing. I added a small piece of trim with bells on my pocket and flap for closure just to have a little extra ZING.


I had a great time in Ohio with my friends. Years ago I started and Art Group and it is still going and I got together with them and we did transfers and Shrink Plastic. We went to a small resale shop where I got a case of some kind that I am using for all my jewelry tools that I have so far but it is very heavy. Then we went to lunch, shared our latest projects and then played the rest of the afternoon.

I went back to out property where we have a camper and a barn and I cleaned the camper and then hobbled around the barn and collected up a few things I left behind that I wanted like glass for my stain glass projects, some ephemera, a few Ott lites we had left behind to help lighten up my studio even more and other this and that. Someday my hubby and I will be building our retirement home there.


I spent almost a week with my friend Teri and we did some shopping at places I love in the area and don't have in Arizona and then we worked on projects.

One of the projects Teri came up with was doing a small canvas, our friend Barb joined us and it was a wonderful afternoon. Since I haven't put away my stuff yet I will have to put the photo of this canvas up on my next post as soon as I can find it.

After Teri's I went to my friend Kelly's and she and it also did Shrink plastic since she missed play day. The next day our other friend Chantal came over with some Citrosolve and we tried this on magazines. It worked on magazines other than National Geographic. I had some really great backgrounds.

This is Kelly with me.

This is the book I bought for inspiration along with a boost from Kelly. She is a magnificent artist and has sold many pieces of her work at shows and is having another show at a very prestigious gallery in Toledo Ohio coming up. Good Luck Kelly hope your pieces sell they are magnificent.

Kelly also introduced me to Urban Sketching. She was headed to a workshop in Chicago and showed me what it was all about so I ordered a book from Amazon and started reading it as soon as it arrived at my house. I have never been good at drawing so we will have to see how it goes. I am headed into town tomorrow and will pick up a sketch book and give it a try.

 These are the Citrosolve pages and none of them were from National Geographic they were from either Vogue or from Rachel Ray's food magazine. No matter what you read about it only working with NG you should try other magazines. I think the reason a lot of them don't work is because they are not top quality magazine with good ink and also that maybe you are not using enough Citrosolve and letting it sit on top of the ink for a while before trying to move the ink around. Try it again and see and let me know how it worked for you and what you did and please post your pictures.

Every 4-6 weeks I am in a swap using Character Construction stamps. These are dolls with interchangeable parts from different themes. I know I have mentioned these before but check them out they are really awesome! and the women who produces them is also really really great!
This times theme was It About Me. So of course loving the sea and being The PufferFish I had to do something with this theme. I used mermaids amongst seaweed carrying a purse that is my sign, you guessed it a PufferFish. Cant wait to see what others  are doing. The next on is going to be Halloween
we are starting early so that we will have them to enjoy during the Spooky Season.

Sorry haven't figure out how to rotate pix yet.

After Doc unloaded the car for me my studio is once again a mess so I will have to put it all back together and reorganize because when I was looking for my tools to take for the workshop I realized that there is a ton of stuff in my garage that needs to be brought in and also organized and stuff that is in that can go out to be organized, so it looks like I'm back to where I was after I returned from New York.








Art Unraveled is coming up in 12 days and I have only signed up for one class but will check the unfilled board daily. This is taking place in Phoenix which is 3+ hours from me but a friend of mine has offered me to stay with her for the entire time so we can play and check on classes and just hang out. Of course no matter what we will hit the shopping day. I am excited because last year I could only do the shopping part because I was still in my wheel chair and in a lot of pain. This year I will be walking with my cane and I am able to drive so I will be able to attend, last year my hubby could only drive for the Saturday shopping day.

I guess that's all for now.

PUFF