it's Xmas!

No pics to post. If i cant scan them, or find them already in the computer, then i'm at a loss still..... I'm not booking any shows or fairs for the first part of 2009 so i hope i'll have time to improve on my computer skills. My time has been busy updating my neglected home and preparing for xmas and company. all my girls come home for xmas and it's a wonderful time, and now Cathy and all the boys are coming too and we are so excited. We've had 10 below weather the past few days brrrrr! We bought a hot tub from neighbours that were moving and it's been so wonderful sitting outside on the deck in the hot water, with the cool air, overlooking the lights of Nelson village shining and sparkling on the lake water. I'm planning to get some Xmas prezzies made this week. I've just finished painting 2 bathrooms! One is turquoise blue and green with a sponged "wave" running along the walls. I glued plastic "bubbles" onto the wall and accented with blue and green glass. It looks like a spa!! The other bathroom is lime green with purple and has TINKERBELL border and stickers and accents!! I LOVE that bathroom! My purple damask wallpaper and orange damask wallpaper arrived, so i need to plan the living room, how to work the wallpaper in with the pink and purple paint i have purchased for it! We haven't had our own house for so long, i'm having fun "decorating"!!!

I'm Back!

I had a wonderful show and 2 weeks of travels and am happy to be home. I still have 2 more shows this coming weekend so i'm not quite finished yet. I've got to start on my Xmas gifts very soon!!! I got a magazine and my youngest who turned 15 yesterday did the tutorial and i really like the pic!
I hope i get blogging more now that i'm home.

Xmas hangings

I'm hooked on soldering - now i'm making these hangings to sell at my upcoming shows. They have xmas sayings. Angie (my 14 year old) did all the digital work for me! It was fun! I'm frantically working to build stock for the 3 shows i have coming up starting mid November so i havent been "blogging"!

Soldered Bracelet

I made this bracelet with family photos. I can have photo on one side and a word or whatever on the other side. It's fun to make these.

Circle Spun Scarf

Connie led me to the site to create circles!!! I can see myself sitting up late nights experimenting with different photos and making circles!! how fun! Thanks Connie!

Post Art & Soul Retreat!!

The retreat has finished and i just completed an additional course at the Studio of Sally Jean Alexander (her book is "Pretty Little Things"). I could barely sleep all week, learning sooooo many new things and taking far too many classes from 9 am until 10 pm every day!!! I didnt get a LOT of projects completed as my focus was on learning techniques, but i will try to post samples of what i did do, when i get back home this weekend. One quick technique to share: put alcohol inks on a stamper (piece of felt) and dab all over glass. Give it a few minutes to dry, then stamp a design on the glass using black ink pad (not stayz on). After a few minutes rub off the black ink with a paper - you will see that the black ink acted as a resist and you have a clear design left on the glass! We had little "make and takes" of these in between classes. There were 2 ladies from ENgland that attended Art and Soul as well. 600 people in total!! I hope to get back into the swing of blogging when i get home.

Sanderellas Suitcase!

I paper mached this vintage suitcase and added embellishments. I used metal tape over cardboard letters to make my name stand out and then used alcohol inks to color the metal and rubbed the inks off of the letters.

Recycled Tetra Juice Necklace

The rolled beads are made from tetra juice boxes!! I combined them with wood beads to make this necklace.

Felted Vest

This is the back of a vest that i felted with merino wool and silk.

Felt & Silk Scarf Finished!

I finished the felted scarf! It's made with silk cocoons that are torn apart - you can see it better in the close up.

Garlic Festival

I had a stand at the Garlic Festival on Sunday - we camped overnight - it's a bit chilly in the evening already but it was so gorgeous on the lake! Now i'm back to felting! I should be done the scarf today so i hope to have it posted in the next couple of days!

Fanciful

I've decided to hang onto summer too by bringing the last bloomers into the house to smile at me all day!

I believe in Fairies

I've been making clay mermaid fairies - they're fun! Made with Polymer clay. I need to learn how to make the "crevises" darker - i'm trying with chalk right now.

Batik

Here's my batik project!! I did 2 when we were living in Thailand - and of course, bought all the supplies to continue doing more. That was 5 years ago!

I'm felting!!

Welcome to my felting room!!! Can you see the bed under my felting table? I give up my felting room when we have guests!!! I thought i would get a lot done now that school is back in and the kids were off to school today, but as you can see, "tinkerbell" (my kitty) thinks she can have me all to herself for "play time"!! This is the "before shot" of the scarf i'm working on - using silk cocoons and merino wool. I will post the finished product photo next when it's completed!

Insanity

I was reading a local magazine that was touching on the fact that create people have what is referred to as a touch of madness. It was quite interesting and said how Van Gogh had been diagnosed with many "illnesses" but that he was most likely "insanely" creative! I think i experience that insanity as well, not only bcz i see everything in life in TECHNI COLOR but i have sooooo many mediums/projects/stuff that i want to do - that now i'm thinking that i'll never have enough time in 2 lifetimes to accomplish it all!!! All this before i go off to the Art and Soul Retreat to learn even more different things!! LOL. Here i've finally figured out how to photograph the chair that i worked on and get the pic into the computer (after 4 hours). My cousin is a wiz at this stuff and i wish we weren't so far apart so i could be at her door getting tutored! I bought these old chairs and then paper mache'd them with gorgeous tissue papers from France. Then i stamped on top of that, added some finishing touches and recovered the seat! i have 5 more to do - and i'm planning to do each one differently. I was going to do this to our dining set but was worried my husband wouldnt like it so i bought this one to "experiment" with! It really needs it's own spot as it kinda blends in to the room when i have it in front of the fire place. Need a bigger house, so i can "house" collections separately!!

summers over!

i cant believe summer is already over! I'm busy reorganizing my craft room so that i can get back creating!! I'm accumulated even MORE "stuff" over the summer that i have to add to the pile!! I'm looking forward to the Art and Soul workshops in Portland Oregon at the end of the month and then i'll already be into the Christmas Season! Time is moving much too quicklY!

help

ok, now i've gone to customize and changed all the color selections for my blog and pushed save and when i return to my blog it's the same old pink color and the changes aren't happening. But when i return to customize they are still there! HELP!

More Math Fun

This kaleidescope was my first and was the easiest with only the 4 photos. i printed 2 in reverse and then figured out the angles i'd need to make up the 360 degrees for a complete circle.

Kaleidescopes!

I am intrigued by the mathematic requirements of making kaleidescopes - i find it bring logic and reasoning into the creative process. Altho i find it draining - it is also inspiring at the same time. I seem to like these kind of challenges. But not everyday! This one is of me in a kimono in Japan March 2008

confused

why are these not posting on my blog?

August

i cant figure this out - i'm trying to write but it doesnt show on my blog!? It was easier when my oousin was beside me!!!!!!! wahhhh

i'm not sure how to do this. Still trying to figure it out - dont have my cousin beside me to show me the steps!

UPDATE

Just finished the Shambhala Music Fest! It was a great time. I've now got 2 exchange students from Japan staying with us for a week. Not a lot of time to get on the computer!!!

New Start.

I started this Blog but then thought 'who will look at it', while staying with my cousin Maureen in England (See Links), she lectured me on Blogging and blogland so have decided perhaps someone will look at it after all (I hope). I am posting a picture of a pendant I made using broken china and solder, it is a gift for someone who loves to recycle the second pendant was a gift for Maureen .