Making Progress

I am making some progress on my altered board book, although it is still a work in progress. It has come a long way since this post. I am using papers from Basic Grey's Stella Ruby collection as well as catalog pages (my favorite) and the paper napkins that I wrote about here. The rectangular embellishment on the cover is made using alcohol inks on a game piece and attaching a charm to the top. I intend to hang something from the charm eventually. I applied the papers using Golden's soft gel medium. I am finding that I prefer it to the regular gel medium (as it is a thinner consistency) or Mod Podge (which seems to make the papers wrinkle more). As I said, it still needs work, but thought you'd enjoy seeing it evolve. Hope you all are having a happy Monday!

Thanks Mr. Postman

Look what arrived today! My Moo Card order!! I love these little cards. I'm using mine as business cards and hang tags. Have you ordered yours yet? If not, then check them out here.

I had such a fun time yesterday visiting everyone's "tea parties," (see previous post). Artsymama was nice enough to make all the arrangements and we were able to have tea with people all over the world. It was great fun. Thanks so much Kari!

Still not feeling 100% yet. How long does this yukkiness last anyway? I feel like my head is in a cloud. I haven't taken any meds for it - trying to shake it off on my own. So far it's not working too well.

Tea Time!

Happy first Day of Spring to Everyone! It is pouring down rain here and rather gloomy. I still am feeling a bit under the weather, but nothing that a cup of tea with honey wouldn't cure. Fortunately, Artsymama is hosting a virtual tea party at her blog today so we can all gather and chat while we sip a lovely brew. I just started a pot of my favorite - Ashby's of London's Apricot Tea.I have the tea pot all set up out back in my potting shed. It is cozy inside even if it is raining outside. I have a small collection of tea pots, so I will take you on a tour of them. Pictured above is a hand-painted porcelain teapot by Betty Platner who is originally from Argentina. I love the delicate roses and it fits so well with my Limoges demitasse cups and dessert plates I have set up on the sideboard in my diningroom. The photo is a picture of my grandmother setting the table in her diningroom for one of her fabulous gatherings. She was a wonderful cook and baker who loved to entertain.Here is more of my Limoges collection. This photo was taken in my "rosey" studio.This set is sitting inside the the glass doors of my secretary desk in my livingroom. It is a Mary Engelbreit tea set that I bought when she had a shop here in Illinois. I love the pink and yellow color combination.
Here is another of my Mary Engelbreit tea pots, but this one is particularly special. It is signed by the "Queen of Everything" herself. I stood in line for hours to meet her at her shop and she signed the bottom of my teapot!
This teapot is a favorite of mine because of the little bird on the top of the lid. He is so sweet and I love the soft blue color of the pot.
And finally, my Ode to France. . .those of you who read my blog know that I long to visit Paris someday and until that time my family room is decorated in shades of cream with black and white toile and little French touches throughout. So of course this tea set fits right in!I am so happy you stopped by and if you want to experience more tea party goodies, be sure to visit Artsymama's blog to see what the other party guests are up to.

Down and Out

Dug out this old photo of a kleenex box because the CRUD has officially been passed on to me! I feel soooooo yukky! I have two events to go to today - why don't we ever get sick at a time when we don't have anything to do? Not sure if I will make it to either one now. Not sure I should even try to go since I would just be passing the CRUD on to someone else. Going back to bed now. . .

Framed Art

I thought I would share with you my framing project that I finally completed. Months ago I bought some egg prints at a flea market. I had seen this type of print in decorating magazines and thought they would make a nice addition to our cottage. I came across some at an art fair I attended last summer. They were priced at $100 and up for the print alone - no mat or frame! Needless to say I didn't buy them and figured that this idea was out of my league. It was a few months afterwards that I discovered these egg prints which from an old magazine at the flea market. They even had the key to which bird each egg came from, which was an added bonus. The best part was that they cost me only $6.00 and I bought the frames at Target. I decided to hang them above our bed at the cottage to sort of give the illusion of a headboard until we save enough money to buy an actual one. I like how it turned out and I especially am pleased with the frugality of them.

Tired At The End of The Day!

Today I went to the International Home & Housewares Show in Chicago and I was over-whelmed by the size of the show and amount of items that were on display. Whew! I had to soak in a hot tub after I got home just to recover from all the walking I did. During the show I attended an enlightening seminar led by Leatrice Eiseman, a color consultant to Pantone, and Ken Mesnick from a fabulous store in New York called Gracious Home. They spoke on the forecast of color trends for 2008 as well as how certain colors make us feel. These color trends have been grouped into the eight color families below. I just loved the words they used to describe some of the colors.

1. Recollections: Tapestry blues, muted blue greens, elegant champagne and warm peach.

2. High Profile: Pristine white, ebony black, rich browns, silvery grays, accented by fushia, purple, gold and silver.

3. Ethnic Chic: Deep purple, misted yellow, stone gray, burnt orange, vibrant blue and brunette browns.

4. Chinoiserie: Violet, muted lime, cameo pink, hushed greens, and antique Chinese red.

5. Agrestic: Bruschetta browns, tender greens, golden yellows, accented with vibrant pink.

6. Wellspring: Blues, aquas, undersea green, violet, indigo, mother of pearl, and sandy tones.

7. Savories: Chocolate brown, daiquiri greens paired with bright colors.

8. Nuances: Rose, earthy browns, reddish plums, and green tinged bronze.

After the show, I checked out a sweet little store called POSH that I read about in the current issue of Romantic Homes magazine. It was a fantastic shop (it reminded me a little of Anthropologie) with interesting new and vintage merchandise similar to what you might find at a Paris flea market. It was all I could do to not buy out the entire store. I did manage to exhibit some restraint and in the end only bought an old French novel and a map of Paris. to use in my collages.
In other news, I got an e-mail from Betz White, the gal who made the darling little cupcake pincushion pictured above, and found out she has a new book called, Warm Fuzzies, which is due out at the end of the year. It has 30 felted wool projects to create. In addition to her website, Betz also has a little shop at Etsy here where you can buy her pincushions.

Something Old, Something New

I was inspired by Sharon to unearth some of the children's board books that I have accumulated over the years and create something with them. Like many other objects, the books were something I bought and had every good intention to use in my art right away. HA! My DH would have a good chuckle at that comment. I am one of those people who can't resist something that can be altered into a piece of art. . .and boy, do I have the storeroom to prove it! My problem is trying to find the time to work on these things. Well, after brushing off the dust from this wee book, I have officially started this little project. I'll keep you posted on it's progress.

Weather Report

It's going to be sunny and 53 degrees here today! Is it possible that spring is just around the corner? I sure hope so! Have a great weekend everyone!!! : )

Celebration

Shopping Day

I really didn't feel like doing laundry today, so I headed out to run errands instead. That is always a dangerous situation because I never seem to be able to get out of the stores with just the items I went in to buy. Does anyone else have that problem? Well I picked up quite a few "extras" that I suppose I really didn't need, but couldn't resist.

I went to Homegoods and found these Anna Griffin 12"x12" file folders along with the smaller divider folders. Oh and they also had regular size Cavallini file folders for only $7.99 and a tin of Paris labels for $4.99. Then I found these spools of tiny pom-pon trim in various colors. . .of course I bought pink! There is an Archiver's in the same shopping center so I ran in to see what's new since I haven't been there in a while. I picked up a couple packs of fresh new Basic Grey papers in the Blush and Stella Ruby designs. Both are yummy! The chipboard divided album is from Maya Road and was only $4.99. . .I got the last one they had on the shelf.

Back at Homegoods, I found this shabby chic looking frame on the clearance shelf. It has peely paint and pale touches of aqua. Bought it purely for the color. The paper napkins have a leaf pattern with a sort of script/ledger paper background. . .they will be great to use in a collage. I have a weakness for paper napkins. When I get a new package I usually save a few for my artwork and then use the rest for entertaining.

While at the bookstore looking for this magazine, (which I couldn't find, by the way) I spied the latest issue of Romantic Homes and fell in love with all the luscious photos inside. The whole issue is about Paris style. Think I'll take a little break, make a pot of tea, and get lost in it's pages.

Auction for Charity

I just wanted to share this darling ArtErratica Valentine charm bracelet which is being auctioned for the Meganaid Charity over at The Garden of Pink Shadows. You can go here to place a bid. Don't you just love all the danglies?

Cabinet of Curiosity - Cover

Ta-Da! It's finished! Here is the album cover for my artwork from The Cabinet of Curiosity Challenge. The album, which I found at Target, is perfect for the collages I created on 9" x 12" watercolor paper. I liked the color because it reminded me of a journal an explorer might use. And the fabric cover was perfect because I could embellish it with ribbon and 7-Gypsies gaffer tape that I already had. I looked through my stash of word embellishments and when I came across this word pebble, I knew my search was over.

I tossed around several ideas for the opening in the cover. At first I was going to create an entirely new piece for it. But then I started playing around with the images of the different collages and I decided I would use portions from each of the various challenge prompts and create a montage of them all. . .sort of a collage of the collages. I like the idea of giving the viewer a sneak-peek of what's inside. Later I may ink the edges of the album to age it a bit. I'll just have to let it sit and evolve over the next few days like I usually do.

Swap Exchange

Just thought I would share with you the little matchbox bird's nest that I made for Artsymama for the swap she ran here. It should be arriving at her house soon. I hope she likes it!

Destination and Reflection

The Cabinet of Curiosity Challenge has come to an end and the final prompt offered by Kari is DESTINATION & REFLECTION. This theme seemed like a natural for me because I spend a lot of time reflecting. Self-discovery equals growth as far as I'm concerned. Not that I spend all my time living in the past, but I do think that we can learn a lot about ourselves and life from our history. My creative process usually begins by looking within. Before I can reach my ultimate destination I must first reflect upon where I have been. To illustrate this I used photographs of suitcases and other travel related elements such as a map and compass. The journaling reads, "Always remember - the journey is more important than the destination."

Happiness

I finally had some time to work on a little art today. Good thing because I was able to complete my HAPPINESS page for Kari and Bonnie's "Cabinet of Curiosity Challenge." Only one more prompt to complete. As soon as I saw this theme, I immediately thought of the title of Will Smith's latest movie, "The Pursuit of Happyness." {The Declaration of Independence came to mind as well.} Unlike the movie title, I chose to use the proper spelling of HAPPINESS because quite frankly the misspelling annoys me. I suppose it is the school teacher in me that is bothered by it. I haven't seen the movie and so I don't know if the way it is spelled is an integral part of the film or not. If there is, please let me know so I can stop being annoyed. I chose to use a lot of pink on this collage because I think pink is a happy color. . . i.e. bubble gum, cotton candy, roses, Barbie dolls, baby girls, etc. I printed the title on a transparency and adhered it with vellum dots. The blue paper lace, the vintage rose paper, and the quote are scraps from the wrappings Kari used when she sent me her swap pin {see previous post}. I love to recycle those kind of little bits and pieces. {I guess you could say it makes me HAPPY to reuse them!} The rest of the papers used in the collage {with the exception of the background paper} are from my scrap basket. I like projects where I can use papers leftover from other projects. I never throw any of my scraps out.

Monday Pick-Me-Up

Look what arrived in my mailbox today from Kari (aka Artsymama). What a perfect "pick-me-up" for a dreary Monday morning! She organized this darling little swap and I just couldn't resist being a part of it. Kari is an extremely talented artist who inspires me (and others) with her work and the challenges she posts. Last year she hosted the BOOK OF DREAMS challenge and currently she is hosting (along with Bonnie) the CABINET OF CURIOSITY challenge on her blog. Participating in swaps, challenges, round-robins, etc. is such a wonderful way to grow as an artist as well as meet new people, be inspired by their work and learn more about the artistic world. I encourage any of you who have not signed up for one of these events to take the plunge and give it a try. You will be amazed at how much you will gain from them.

Checking In

I just realized it has been a week since my last post....Yikes! Time sure does fly, doesn't it? However, we have had friends visiting from Florida this week and my regular schedule goes by the wayside when my friends are in town. They have been doing a lot of shopping at Land's End, Old Navy, Anthropologie, Macy's, Nordstroms, Restoration Hardware, IKEA, Homegoods, Container Store, etc. etc. As for me, I was looking for just the right color taper candles and discovered that tapers in yummy colors are practically non-existent these days. After checking at every store I could think of, I finally found the color I wanted at Restoration Hardware, but had to pay more than I planned to and also had to buy 2 boxes of six candles just to get two candles in the colors I wanted. That's fine with me though, as it gives me an excuse to burn candles more often.

We are having another snow and ice storm tonight, so I am wondering what the morning will bring. I am tired of snow now....ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! But then I really shouldn't whine too much as I think Colorado has had much worse weather than we have. Keep warm...

All Caught Up!

I am happy to say that I am officially all caught up on my Cabinet of Curiosity challenge prompts! Hooray!!! (Cue the confetti and balloons!!) I have always been a person who works best under the gun. But then I also like the feeling of having things completed. Go figure! Anyway, prompt number six was COLLECTIONS. Well, I didn't exactly know where to begin because as my DH would say, "You collect EVERYTHING!" Being a mixed media artist, it is difficult to part with anything that you see as a potention design element! I am sure you all can relate to that feeling. I wanted my collage to have a vintage feel to it since I collect mostly vintage items such as white ironstone pitchers, antique salt cellars, vintage cameras, old ribbons, lace and buttons, anything bird or nest related, garden themed items, vintage postcards, and so on and so on and so on. . . . . I know that all this collecting is part of the large problem I have been experiencing recently, which for those of you new to this blog is TOO MUCH STUFF in too little of a house! Even when I have the good intention to seriously start to purge, when I am actually faced with the decision of whether or not to toss out that tattered handkerchief or book I no longer use, I end up keeping them for that elusive project someday in the future! Bad, I know. Someday I will overcome this addiction. But then when I see photos of other artist's studios or work spaces and see the fabulous amounts of baubles, treats, and doo-dads that they have crammed into their areas, I no longer feel that I am the only one with this "collect and save" mentality. I guess it must just be an occupational hazard that I must learn to accept and live with. That concept is especially difficult to for someone who happens to be a Virgo and by nature likes things organized and tidy. But until I figure out how to solve this dilemma, I will continue to collect beautiful things that catch my eye and tug at my heart because "someday" may be just around the corner!

What Inspires Me?

The fifth prompt from Kari and Bonnie's Cabinet of Curiosity Challenge was INSPIRATION. This is a favorite theme of mine to use in my artwork. There is inspiration all around us...you just have open your eyes and take it all in! This collage highlights my favorite inspirations du jour. I used an example of each of them as elements of the design. These are listed inside the little quotation tag. They are Books, Magazines, Nature, Cavallini Papers, Color, Famous (or not so famous) Quotes, Music, Catalogs, and Other Artists. If you look closely you will find a snippet of Kari's layout from this post where she included a photo I sent her. I was thrilled to see it used in her artwork, so I found a way to immortalize it in my artwork.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Dream and Wonder Pages

I was able to complete two more pages this morning for the Cabinet of Curiosity Challenge which is running here and here. Bonnie and Kari are giving us fabulous prompts and thoughts to ponder. The DREAM page is all about goals and dreams. I used a photo of our "Dream House" that we just finished building and also a wee version of a "Dream Big in 2007" layout that I did after the first of the year. Inside the polka-dot organza bag is a clock face to remind me to "take time to dream."

I created the WONDER page with a shell chandelier from an old Anthropologie catalog, which I glittered up to make it seem like it was lit. For me the word wonder evokes a sort of a lighting up in our brain about all the possibilities life has to offer. I used bright colors to help carry out that theme.

Amazing!

Isn't this amazing? This is a sculpture by Jennifer Maestre that is made entirely of colored pencils! To see more go here.

Cabinet of Curiosity

Can you believe it? I actually have two pages of the Cabinet of Curiosity Challenge completed. I am thrilled to finally have some time to work on this project. I'm creating these pages on 9 x 12 sheets of watercolor paper instead of in an album. I am not sure how I am going to house these pages yet - I have a couple of ideas cooking in my head - so I thought it would be best to just keep the pages loose for now. The watercolor paper (140 lb) is great for collage work because the stiffness of the paper adds stability to the artwork.

The first page of the challenge is EXPLORE. I concentrated on exploring nature through walks in the woods and on nature trails. There are so many things to discover on these outdoor excursions -bird nests, flowers, leaves, butterflies, trees, etc. I love all the colors in nature....you can find any color you imaginable. The greens and browns are especially appealing to me because there are unlimited variations of each.

The second page of the challenge is CURIOSITY. My focus here was the typical questions people ask when they are curious about something - Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. Being curious about things is how we expand our minds and learn about new things. It's the secret to personal growth. Be sure to ask questions of yourself as well as those around you. You'll be amazed at how much knowledge we all have to share.

Weekend Clutter Control

And I wonder why I wasn't in the mood to be creative? Well I actually did know why, but just couldn't get motivated to find a place for the huge pile of stuff that had accumulated on my desk. Being a collector of ephemera and having a tiny work space just don't mix well. HOWEVER, after a very busy weekend of cleaning, the desk is now spic and span again:
I drank lots of coffee during the process....in m favorite Anne Taintor designed coffee mug. Experts say it's good to keep your goals posted in front of you: I just watched Oprah this morning and I am thinking that maybe I need to make a run to Barnes and Noble to buy Peter Walsh's new book.

More Shadow-Boxes

Here are some more shadow boxes I just made. These are smaller that the previous ones, measuring approximately 5 x 7 inches. I love working with tags and am greatly inspired by Sarah Lugg and her tag art. The one above has a Valentine theme. Below are two more - one I made for St. Patrick's Day and the other I made for my daughter. The tags are made of wood and I purchased them at Michaels. I believe the frames, which came unfinished, may have been from Micheals as well. I have had these unfinished items lying around my studio for quite some time now and finally have gotten around to doing something with them!

GO BEARS!

My Retreat

I just sent this photo to Kari in response to her photo request on her blog. This is the inside of the little potting shed/garden house that my DH built me a few summers ago after I found a picture of one in an issue of Country Living Magazine. I ooohed and aaahed over that picture (and all the others I started to collect after that) so much that I think he built it for me so he wouldn't have to listen to me exclaim over the idea of a potting shed anymore. There is a funny story that happened when he was building it for me. All the neighborhood men would come over and check out the manly-sized shed he was building and my DH never once told them it was for me and all my pretties and not for him and his tools. Well, once the men saw us staining the floorboards a robin's egg blue color and the lace curtains being hung in the windows, they never came over again. It was their wives that started coming over to check it out then. Too funny!