Art as Usual

A Very Ninja Birthday

2012-01-23T21:36:00.002-06:00

My son's 7th birthday was last week. I know- crazy! I did some writing earlier this week and had to change my bio to say "mom of a 7 yr. old boy". Time certainly does progress on. But to celebrate the occasion we had booked a party at the local Skyzone. Which is a fabulous trampoline park not far from where we live. They have party packages where you get the invites, jump time, pizza and pop. I really felt a bit lame sending the invites out- completely not creative. But time is short so I went with it.
But as the day approached I felt more and more bothered by the complete lack of creativity that I was expending this year. Last year, if you remember, we did an Explorer party at the local nature center. I made explorer notebooks for each kid, explorer packs, the invites were in an itinerary format, and they got to touch a snake. I mean how cool is that? So I panicked.

Printable cupcake toppers from zakka life

I decided a day and a half before his birthday to pull together a ninja theme. Yup. It actually turned out pretty cute. I googled ninja parties, got some cute ideas for making ninja masks out of t-shirts, made a ninja stamp from a drawing Jasper did of a ninja for me, and found some cute little ninja guys at the local party store. It was coming together.... when my son informed me that the chocolate dipped strawberries we had planned on bringing for a snack to school weren't cool enough. He wanted cake pops. Now, far from me to discourage the use of cake pops in any situation. BUT, I already had cupcakes to make for the party, treat bags to finish up, ninja masks to figure out, and decorations to plan.

He wanted these that I had made for the class Christmas party-

abominable snowman cake pops

But I love a well done theme party....

So ninja's it was.

For a little extra ninja fun- his lunch was ambushed too.

Yup- ninja sunbutter and jelly sandwiches. Love those candy eyes.

The idea was that the kids would show up to the party and I'd tell them that to earn their ninja masks, they had to do ninja training on the tramps. Cool idea, right? Yeah- they're 6 &7 year old boys. They played dodgeball the whole time and had a blast.

So much for the theme, but it was still the "best birthday party ever!". So I guess I'm satisfied.

What Products to Create with Women in Need Would You Recommend?

2012-01-17T19:35:00.004-06:00

I just erased everything I just spent the last 10 min. writing. It was all about balance, how to do it (still don't know), how to channel my time (horrible at it), and how to make the most of my day (getting better). Now that that is out of the way I want to ask you some questions.
Here's my dilemma:
I have been blessed with the opportunity to do some product design for a mission team that's traveling soon. They are going to be working with some women in a South American country to hand make items to sell here in the U.S. Now the problem the team has is that what these women have made in the past doesn't sell as well to the US market as they'd like. So they brought me in to help them brainstorm products that these women can make.

What we have to work with:
The women are excellent stitchers. They have the patience and skill to execute fairly intricate work.
They are willing to do production work.
They sound like they have an awesome attitude and really want to make sell-able goods.

Now the challenges are:
Their color choices in the past seem a little too bright over here.
They don't have easy access to mail or shipping.
They don't have easy access or the money to purchase high end supplies.
The volunteers have to be trained to teach the women the product construction.

The goal is to have them make a product or number of products that can be sold both online through a Christian gift company and can be wholesaled to the non profit gift boutiques that we have here.
The price points would be under $50.

NOW, what gift item that can be stitched by hand would you purchase? I gave them free access to any of my designs, like the wire flowers, wire words, mini art quilts etc. But heavy wire isn't practical for the mission team to carry in with them. So I'm brainstorming. What would you buy? Small quilts? tea or coffee cozies? fabric jewelry? embroidered tea towels? What about nicely done place mats? or hair accessories?

What sort of thing would you buy for your friends' birthdays? And what color combinations appeal to you most? I'd love to know what you all think! It would really really really be a blessing right now to know your opinions!

My New Year's Goal- Part One: Keep a Notebook of Ideas

2011-12-30T11:15:00.000-06:00

Ideas come together like a collage, a bit here then there

I'll be walking around the kitchen, cleaning up or putting to rights and thoughts will float through my head. You know, how it happens, you're doing some mundane task and the thoughts just lead from one to another, until you realize that you're miles away from where you started and not even you can trace how you got from thought A to thought G. But thought G is a whole lot more interesting then thoughts A-F and suddenly you're caught. You've thought of something. Something BIG! It's exciting and makes you a little nervous, but how supremely cool is that? If you can pull it off. And suddenly life rears it's ugly head and you have to go answer the phone, or the door, or stop the dryer from buzzing and waking the baby. All the normal every day things that you suddenly resent because in the course of doing them, you lost your train of thought and have only a vague memory that you did, indeed, think of something amazingly cool.

That is why you need a sketchbook, notepad, or notebook by your side at all times. Cause, trust me sisters, it's not nearly as easy to remember those flashes of genius as it once was. They call it mommy brain, and I am SURE that it's being studied in some university some where and someday soon we'll learn all about how it is an actually malady and chocolate with coffee really is an actual treatment for it. BUT til then, we have to suffer in silence, hiding from the rest of the world how hard it is for us to remember ideas from one moment to the next. It's not that we can't think, we're thinking all the time, it's that we can't remember one thought after we've had a few more come after it.

Thoughts wing their way to our Conscious at very inopportune times

So as you contemplate the New Year approaching, how about a notebook to go with it? Why not start a journal on your iphone, and write down the vague thoughts that come throughout the day? Or how about if you sit down a few moments each day at lunch and write down a paragraph or two? Me, I usually start and end the day dreaming up ideas in bed. It's quiet, my brain is still in that dream state where thoughts float unconsciously and I can make connections without thinking quite so hard. That's when the majority of my ideas begin, where they take form, and where they come to a point of full conception. I don't know about you, but I think things out for weeks before I ever take action. A project that may seem spur of the moment, even to me, is usually the result of barely conscious thought spread over weeks. A morning day dream there, a brief crystallization there, then much later a quick insight as I drive or cook. They all add up to an idea that has enough form to act upon.
So this year, how about making a resolution to capture as many of those fleeting thoughts as possible? I bet we'd both be amazed by what we ended up with. :)

Embracing a Different Kind of Christmas and a Different Kind of Sewing as Well

2011-12-24T22:48:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas! Christmas has been celebrated and with a bit of time on my hands I thought I'd share something with you. You see, I was just looking at the present I got for my mother in law. It was Pokey Bolton's new book, The Best of Quilting Arts and just now I realized how many of the techniques introduced in the book really appeal to me. I'd like to try gelatin printing. I'd like to use photo's to create a quilt pattern, I'd like to print and stamp and dye fabric as well. While we're here my MIL has been teaching me about machine sewing. I don't know if I mentioned it, but I got a Janome sewing machine last September. It's the first sewing machine I ever bought. It was a spontaneous purchase at a conference I attended. I hadn't intended on getting one, it just happened. They were selling the teaching models and had a killer deal on them. I swear tears came to my eyes as I first saw the ease of sewing just a straight seam with a good machine. I'd played with my grandmother's machine for a while but honestly, couldn't get it to sew a straight seam for the life of me. And you had to pull and tug at the fabric to get it to go through at all. I figured it was me, and that I just couldn't use a machine right and I decided to stick with my hand stitching.

That was 4 years ago and for four years I've very contentedly been hand stitching my little heart out. I've actually been glad for that broken down machine because I love the time I've spent learning embroidery and creating hand stitched art as a result. So much so that I'd actually decided against owning another machine. It's a different kind of sewing and I was afraid I'd lose what was unique about my work, what marked it as hand done art.

But in the last year, I've secretly been wishing for a machine to help as I do more and more construction instead of just embellishing. I love the clothes I've altered, but I have to say that it made me so frustrated to spend time just sewing seams that would get covered up. If I'm going to spend my time hand stitching I at least wanted it to show.

Time, I guess is really what it comes down to. Because the less time spent on construction allows me more time with my family. It also allows me to reach farther and do more creatively then I could before. With the world of surface design opening up before me, and with the joy of learning what my new machine can do, comes the desire to sew at a higher level. To understand all about different seams, and thread types, and machine stitching. To try free motion stitching, and get really really good at using my machine as another tool in my art.

Today was spent so differently then past Christmases. We're with my husbands family, instead of mine. Which means instead of 20+ people and kids there's just the five of us. Instead of church, we watched The Star of Bethlehem movie (highly recommend it), read the Christmas story and fondued. It's different but not bad, in fact, other then missing my family, it's been a good day. I think that's how I need to see the machine vs. the hand work I've done. It's different but not bad. Plus, I'm having so much fun learning from my Mother in Law, and enjoy so much sharing my Mom's excitement of getting a new machine herself. It seems sewing is something that's drawing us all together right now and that I have to believe is really the biggest blessing of my new machine.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

My Favorite Things...

2011-12-08T15:09:00.001-06:00

As everyone is making out their Christmas wish lists and checking it twice, I thought I'd share my favorite tools and materials. Just to give you some ideas. :)

My Favorite new Studio Accessory
Has to be the ribbon hanger I made from an old frame. It was pretty easy and I love how it looks hanging in my studio. It also holds my patterned tapes as well as ribbon spools. Sweet!

My Favorite Tools
As I started to pull tools for this pic I had to laugh because I kept thinking of just one more thing I just couldn't live without.
You'll see here...
A inkssentials craft sheet (have to have)
Fiskars craft drill
Lindstrom pliers
Heavy duty wire cutters
Grippy paint brush
Crop-a-dile
Ratchet pruner for cutting branches
Japanese shears for floral design
Tonic scissors for cutting thin metal sheet
and my new favorite scissors....

My Favorite Materials

16-gauge Steel Wire,fabric, and Wire Mesh!

My Favorite Adhesives
-Modge Podge Matte
-UHU glue stick (the only kind I'll buy for my projects)
-Golden Heavy Gel Medium

Some More of my Favorites...

-My Favorite Stamps are from Oxford Impressions
-Favorite Pens are the Faber Castell Pitt Markers
-and My Favorite ink pads are Distress by Tim Holtz and Staz-on's

I hope this gives you some ideas... and I'd love to know what your favorite-can't-live-without-tools or materials are as well. So please leave a comment!

School Themed Christmas Decorations

2011-12-06T20:28:00.001-06:00

What to do to decorate a teacher's lounge? That was the problem last week. I had a bunch of great ideas but when the time came to execute I was down with a lay you flat kind of cold. SO I had to think fast the next morning and working off of the idea of a teacher's lounge I started to play with some school themed decorations. Here's what I did...

First, I pulled out an old dictionary and cut some snowflakes. I'm ashamed to admit I had to google how to cut a snowflake. I honestly couldn't remember.

Then, I found an old copy of Greencraft that had this amazing paper wreath in it. I did some improvising ( the article showed them stapling the rolled pages to a backer sheet- I had no staples) and found that tape works just as well. When you get to the center though I wanted to cover up the point that the cone ends meet so I used one of my paper snowflakes.I also got bored making the paper rolls and so I decided to make mine more star shaped. :)

Next, I had all kinds of paper scraps so I cut some circles, crumpled them up a bit, and then with a needle and string made a garland for the window. Cute!

Then, near the office downstairs I used some flash cards to make a garland for the window. All I had to do was cut the flashcards in half and then staple them as you would make any paper chain. They had this nifty automatic stapler that was waaayy too fun. To accent this I hung a carpenter's ruler I'd shaped into a star.

And there you go! School themed Christmas Decorations that are as easy as A-B-C with no primer required!
Have you done something different with your Christmas decorating this year? Is there some unique material that you've used in an unusual way? We'd all LOVE to hear, so please leave a comment!!!

Published!

2011-11-30T20:18:00.001-06:00

Last week I found two magazines I love waiting for me in my mailbox. We were just about to head out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday so I packed them up and brought them along. Later that day I was sitting next to the fire with my sweetie husband and it was one of those really idyllic times when you just feel like life is good. The magazines are Art Quilting Studio and Sew Somerset and I am thrilled to have my work in them. This is the first time I've been published in Art Quilting. It was one of the first art magazines I ever purchased and a total dream come true to have my work in it. Actually I purchased them both for the first time when we were about to make a big road trip out to Montana to see my brother and his wife. I splurged and it felt so good to have those two mags to read. I remember Ruth Rae was in both of those issues and I went absolutely gaga over her work. Flipping through the two issues that just came my husband saw an article she wrote in the Sew Somerset and said, "look you and Ruth Rae are in the same issue!" How cute that he even knew who she was. Totally gives away what a fan girl I am. But you have to admit I have great taste :)

This makes the fifth and sixth magazines I've been published in this year. I am so so grateful to both Stampington and Cloth Paper Scissors/Interweave for being so very supportive of my work. We make big goals and little goals each year and my goal for 2011 was to get published as much as I could. I made a decision at the beginning of the year that I would submit something for each magazine deadline I could. I chose magazines that I thought would fit my work, or that I have a past experience with and did the best I could to remember and meet their deadlines. Easier said then done I found. :)

I wish I could remember who said it, but someone said that getting published was more about quantity then anything else. The more article proposals you send out the more likely you are to be published. Yes, the chance of getting rejected is higher as well, but the successes more than make up for the rejections when the ratio is 3:1 or greater. I still have a lot of art out there that I haven't heard about, and had a few things rejected this year, but I feel really really good about how many successes I've had. So now that I've seen how important having one really major goal for a year is, I'm wondering what should I make my 2012 goal. How about you? What's your goal for the next year?

I'm a big believer that if you even whisper it to yourself, saying it out loud makes you more committed to achieving it. So say it to yourself, or share it here, it doesn't matter. Just do it!

One Basic Wreath- So Many Different Ways to Be Creative!

2011-11-28T12:05:00.001-06:00

Enter Christmas!!!!

It must be the Christmas Season- I'm immersed in snowflakes, ornaments, and wreaths. And ideas about sugar plums have danced through my head at the strangest moments lately. It's all because it's the holiday season- at last! Today I want to show you some wreaths I worked on last week. Every year I make a guest appearance at my old MOPs group to do a class on wreath decorating. Each mom gets a live wreath (we purchase from Costco) and I bring in decorations to add. It's easiest to give them a choice of two different types, so we did glitzy and natural. Here's the break down...

Ooh... La La Glitzy!

Anatomy of a Glitzy Wreath
Big Ol' Silver or Red glittery bow
LOTS and LOTS of Silver or Glittery Ornaments*
Sprays like glittery berries or add-on's like snowflakes to fill out

*For ornaments I favor the shatterproof one's available from the major home improvement stores. I bought a 100+ selection of Martha Stewart ornaments that came in a big plastic barrel. They do sell them in smaller assortments, I was buying for 25+ women so the mega size was perfect.

Simple and Natural

Anatomy of a Natural Wreath
Big Ol' bow or ribbon in natural tomes like burlap, or canvas
Pieces of birch branches, pine cones, maybe a nest
Sprays of red, natural or natural looking berries

For both you need:
Floral wire, wire cutter (to make bow)
Hot glue in either a pan or gun
Surface to work and glue on
Scissor for ribbon
A wreath
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some Basic Info and Tips

Because I'm buying in bulk I like to hit the craft stores for basic fillers like the berries and for assorted ribbon. I could go wholesale but most retail stores are selling Christmas supplies at 50% off right now. It actually works out to be cheaper.The hot glue I do buy at a Floral wholesaler. I have a glue pan that I love from Oasis and I buy bags of floral glue each year. Floral hot glue looks like little yellow pillows vs. the stick form that you buy for your glue gun. The benefit of the floral type is that it's fabulously quick and easy to dip ornaments, sticks, pine cones, or whatever in the glue pan. It's dip and stick- that's it. Floral glue is also formulated to not break when it gets cold, so it's nice to use around here where temps can dip pretty low. If you don't want to use glue at all you can usually wire in any decorative elements.

Fluffing

Here's the absolute best tip I have-
ALWAYS FLUFF YOUR WREATH!!!! What I mean is that since wreaths are shipped lying flat they are usually very, very, flat when you get them. Always take your fingers and rake them through the wreath in the opposite direction of how they're attached. Lift and shake the greens as you pull them back a bit and you'll see a huge difference immediately- I promise!

A spray- two ways

One more related tips is to always work your wire berry sprays by bending the wire into a more natural curve. Here's a pic of two sprays, the one on the left is how it comes in the store. The one on the right has been bent into a more natural spray form. There's a definite difference.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BE CREATIVE with your Embellishments!!!!

Getting Crafty.... :)

The fun part is of course the additional elements you add. I added a carpenter's ruler in a star shape to mine this year. In the past, I've included great big birch branches, red dogwood, yarn balls, knitted mittens, birds,wire stars, vintage elements, dried pomegranates, oversized pine cones, and the like.Think outside of the traditional wreath and you'll love what you end up with. Here are some ideas to get you started....Enjoy! :)

Vintage Lace and Paper Wreath

Snowflake Wreath

Birdhouse Wreath

Kid Friendly Holiday Decor- A Table Runner to Give Thanks

2011-11-22T20:36:00.001-06:00

My son's class had their Thanksgiving party last Friday. I usually make sure I have a corner on doing the craft project. I love coming up with something that the kids enjoy, that is meaningful, and won't get surreptitiously tossed in the recycling the next day. I usually try to wrap into it some sort of material or technique that I'm interested in right then as well. So the project I designed this year was a table runner. Each kid got a rectangular piece of canvas (roughly the size of a place mat and a half) with a bright border, that they wrote on with fabric marker and then stamped on. Quick, easy, and it allowed for some individual expression. I plan on having ours out each November for the next few years and getting Jasper to write something new that he's thankful for. I think it'll be fun to see his thoughts and his writing change over the years. So... if you're looking for a way to emphasize the "thanksgiving" part of the holiday with your kids- read on!
-----------------------------------------------------------

Thanksgiving Table Runner

Tools and Materials
Strip of heavy canvas fabric (26 1/2" long and 11 1/2 " wide)
Assorted yellow and brown patterned fabrics
Fusible interfacing, sewable
Thread,brown
Sewing machine
Hand carved or purchased leaf stamps
Distress Ink pads in assorted fall colors
Mini Mister or spray bottle with fine nozzle
Fabric Marker, brown

At Home Prep:

Most of my school projects for this age (6-7) require quite a bit of prep on my part as the kids are only able to do so much.
1.Start by cutting out 16 pieces of canvas fabric.
2.Next, I got out the iron and ironed under about an inch on each of the long sides. The ends I left raw.
3. Next, I pulled out my patterned fabrics and ironed fusible interfacing to the backs of those I liked best and then hand cut those pieces into strips that were anywhere from an inch to 3/4" wide. I tried to cut them a little haphazardly so that they were uneven.
4.Then, using the iron, I ironed these strips to the sides of my runner (see pic). Cutting the strips to various lengths as I went for a fake patchwork look.
5. The final step was using my handy dandy NEW sewing machine (really this was all just an excuse to play with it a bit) and ran a straight stitch down each of the long sides about 1/2" from edge (you can switch up steps 4 and 5 and seam the edges before adding the patchwork strips so the stitching isn't as obvious). I like obvious.
6. If you want to, hand carve a few different leaf shapes. I did an oak, maple and an elm.

At the School Party:
This is where I had the fun of watching the kids get creative. Each was a little different but they had a sample that I had made to go by so they kind of new what size to make their big letters.
1. With a fabric marker have the kid write their name on the back of the runner. Then we all did "Thank You God" along the center of the runner in about 3 1/2" letters. Next, I had each child write something they were thankful for with their name if they were going to bring it home and let their siblings add their thought as well.

Sprayed and Unsprayed- It's a personal choice :)

2. The second part of the decorating was the stamping. Each stamp is carved by me out of ez cut carving blocks. Check out my stamp carving tutorials for the how-to make these directions. We used Distress inks in straw, vintage photo, rusty hinge, and peeled paint. When you first stamp on the fabric the image is pretty faint. BUT- Add a little mist of water and you get this cool water color effect that's much darker. It's cool to talk this up as almost being magic ink to the kids. They LOVE it! I love that a couple of them started mixing the inks on the stamp to get multi colored prints like little artists. Let the ink dry and it should be permanent. Test it by dabbing it a bit with a wet cloth before laundering. Although I'd only launder these if absolutely necessary.

Notes: You can use other inks, as long as they're permanent once dry. You can use Sharpies instead of fabric markers. Please do let the kids doodle all over it if they want- it's artistic expression! I worked with 3 kids at a time. It worked best with the three stamps, and I would recommend you have 3 fabric markers available as well as more then one mister. Cover the work surface as the inks if placed face down on the table, don't want to come off. Tell them to ink the stamps with the image facing up so they can tell where they applied the ink. You can also use purchased stamps. You can even used purchased place mats for the project. Just keep it easy and you'll keep it fun for them!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
One more super cool thing: As part of the party the kids took turns at a sandwich station where they made 200 sandwiches for the organization 363 days to distribute to the homeless in our area. Honestly, if you ask them it was their favorite part! Just throwing it out there as an idea...:)

All the Ways to be You- Using Your Art out in the World

2011-11-11T11:30:00.001-06:00

Me at the International Quilt Festival

It's been a busy few weeks- I've been to the Create-a-Thon, to Houston and back for Make it University, done a slew of volunteer work and worked like crazy here at home. I did take pics of it all so that I could show you once I had the chance to connect with you again. The main lesson of the last few weeks is that people need and love beauty. If you are an artist, it will come out in all areas of your life- from your work to your home life. Let it. Be the beauty in someone's day. Create it around you and not only will you have the enjoyment that comes from creating but others will appreciate the difference you made. Truly.

Donation Box

Here are a few of the ways I was able to put my creative personality to work:
At my son's school I was given the task of creating donation boxes for the warm clothing drive we did. I took a pic of the boxes because I was so pleased what a little paper and paint could do.

Our class's auction basket

I've been arranging baskets for the school auction- again, not anything that required a ton of talent but I was again able to put some of my creative skills to work and people really appreciate it.

The sample for my MIU class

At the Quilt Festival in Houston I was able to teach at Make it University which is sponsored by Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors magazines. To prep for that I made over 65 card kits that turned out pretty darn adorable. They were simple to make, but the students who received them LOVED the project and were so pleased with their results.

The Create-a-Thon

The Art2Heart group I've mentioned here had their Create-a-Thon and I was able to teach 20 some volunteers how to make my wire and fabric ornaments. Those ornaments will be for sale at their boutique in Hamel, Mn and all proceeds from their sales will go to help support the different mission organizations that they contribute to.
Yesterday I made a turkey bulletin board for my son's classroom (no pic available for that). ;)

Auction additon

It's been a ride for sure but so so worth all the time and work to make these things happen. People are so grateful just to have someone step up and say "I can do that" when there's a creative problem that they have. Through these activities I've rediscovered that to be an artist means so much more in the day to day world then I ever realized when I was in school. I thought it meant selling my work, making art every day, creating art to pay the bills. But I've discovered it means something more. I did a post a bit ago about how I believe artist is a personality not a job title, so I'm not going to go into that more today but I did want to show you what it's come to mean in my life. I found it means stepping up, it means saying "I can do that", it means being creative with everything from markers to paints. It means creating art for sale, for gifting, for examples, for inspiration, and for my home or wardrobe. It means being confident in my ability to create. It means connecting with my Creator whenever I do create.

New Ornament Ideas

What does it mean to you? How does your artistic personality come out in your life? Does it leak here or there or do you embrace it with all the time and commitment and opportunity you can? Do you limit your creative nature to canvas or do you express it wherever you can? Are you known for your table scapes for the school banquet each fall, or do you decorate the church each Christmas season? Do you make cute little notes to put in your kids lunch box? How do you make your gifts available to others? Do you?

Self Sabotage

2011-10-22T19:26:00.000-05:00

Believe that you were given wings for a purpose

They call it self sabotage. It's the identifying phrase for all the little things we do in life to hurt ourselves, or ruin what feel we have that is going well in our lives.

For instance:
-Things going too well in that relationship? Let's throw in a curve that will take it off that track and put you back on the track that's rocky and hard and much much more comfortable.
-That new school really working out for you? How about you let yourself sleep through your classes a few times until you decide the teachers must be disappointed in you, or you missed too much and so you quit.
-Have you almost reached your goal weight by eating right and working out regularly for months? Why not decide to make candy for your kid's teacher gifts this Christmas? And oh, incidentally, take a break from working out at the same time. Just a little break that turns into two years.
-Perhaps you did a painting, pounded out a few essays, or wrote some music that you thought was really good and honestly you can't figure out how something that good could have been your work. You decide you could never do anything that good again and so you don't even try.
-Maybe you write someone who has complimented your work an e-mail and actually put yourself down in it so that they end up questioning their own judgement, after all you just did.
- Maybe you write a blog post from the heart and get a whole bunch of wonderful new followers and then "oops" you're too busy to blog for the next two weeks. (And think maybe they'll have forgotten you. Maybe they'll decide you're not worth it.) Maybe what you're really trying to tell them is that you don't think you're worth it.

Self sabotage is your reaction to the belief that people have what you perceive to be too much of a good opinion of you. Self sabotage means that you do everything you can possibly do to prove to them you're not worth it. And that in that one little phrase is where all of these stupid decisions come from. YOU believe that you're not as sweet or talented or wise as you might have fooled them into believing. You may listen to others opinion of you and think, "that's not me- if they really truly knew me they wouldn't think so well of me." All because you don't think you're worth it. Or worth anything really.

All messed up still, but with the form of something beautiful

But then you start to question yourself, you realize what you've been doing unconsciously and you say it out loud, "I'm not worth it, really I'm not". And you're alone and you realize that you're saying it to God. You're not worth whatever good He's lavished on you. Whatever blessings He's bestowed. Really, if he knew you. Really knew you. Then a little voice answers from inside of you. You are Worth that much to me. You've been covered by My Son and when I look at you I see the person I created. The person unharmed, unblemished... beautiful, and filled with potential that only I can imagine because I instilled it in you.

That my sisters, is the truth. For both me and you. WE ARE WORTH IT TO HIM. Broken as we are, He will pick us up and use us in ways we never imagined. It's so hard to live that life, so hard to accept a gift that you feel is so undeserved. It's something I struggle with all the time. And I think it might help to share that struggle a little more with you. Because I believe that it's not just me who has a pattern of self-sabotage, if you truly look at your life, you'll see why you might have lost that job, why you're not a great success at keeping friends, why you let your dream slip away right as you had reached out to grasp it.

But then, recognizing it, you have to stop. You have to put into place safeguards. Before you send off that questionable e-mail, let a friend or spouse read it first. Before you decide to quit school, see if there isn't some way you can start fresh where you're at. If that relationship that was good, headed south, then pack a bag and follow it. Don't act on the imagined, make sure that what you perceive to be true really truly is. If you have a certain habit of procrastinating then make yourself a schedule with little mini deadlines to keep. You know you. You know what you do. You can stop doing whatever it is that you do- Because of Him. And you can begin afresh today. Or maybe tomorrow. Tonight you're going to polish off that cake, take a bubble bath, and then snuggle into bed with a good book, committed to beginning again tomorrow.

And then you do.

Twenty Reasons to Come Out of Your Artistic Closet

2011-10-11T13:34:00.004-05:00

I am so grateful to everyone who commented on yesterday's post. I was so excited to read your reaction and felt so glad that the post encouraged you. It got me thinking though about what's happened to me since I took the step of claiming to be an artist. Yeah, it's easier to fill in the job title blank on a form but what else?

Here's a list some of the unforeseen advantages I've found...

1. If you show up at 8 a.m. to drop off your child no one questions the gesso smear you have on your forehead. Unfortunately, no one will even mention it and you'll not discover it until you look in the mirror later in the day. That's IF you look in the mirror later in the day.

2.You get to dress "expressively" and can wear mismatched clothes and pig tails and no one will suspect that it's just because you forgot to do laundry and hadn't taken a shower yet that day.

3. If you dress that way two days in a row, it's still ok.

4. Art supplies are now "tax deductible expenses" as are art conferences, and CONFERENCE WEAR!

5. Your husband will pause before throwing away some old canning jar lids and take them to you to see if you want them. When you say "yes" he'll say "i thought so, they're metal".

6. Your friends and family will give you things like old carpenter's rulers, corks, old trays, and tins full of shell buttons because they know you're obsessed with these and will think they're the best gifts ever.

7. Now that you're openly an artist you feel the responsibility to openly support other artists (my justification for buying LOTS of cool jewelry).

8. You get to let your artistic personality in all it's quirkiness, forgetfulness, flakiness, and passion show through. People will understand that it's all because you're an artist.

9. If you're tired and staring blankly at the wall as someone's talking to you they assume you're envisioning a new work of art.

10. You can justify a subscription to that super cool art magazine as "market research".

11. You can wrap a present in kraft paper and yarn and people will know it's from you (handy when you forgot a tag).

12. Your husband is now eligible to join the "i married an artist" support group. You are now eligible for the "I'm an artist who married an engineer" support group. That's if you can get in.

13. People at the post office, or grocery store, or anywhere you frequent will talk art to you as a matter of course because they know you'll understand them.

14. When asked to explain a design decision you can just say it "felt right" as way of an explanation and people will let it go at that.

15. You get business cards that say "artist" under your name

16. You get to make cool pairings like chicken wire and pearls.

17. If called upon to do a last minute school project on a Sunday night you don't sweat it because one trip to your studio and you'll have everything you need.

18. You can doodle on everything, put flowers in your macaroni dish, and do all kinds of little random things for the sake of beauty and it's understood and even appreciated.

19. When asked to volunteer you're usually given something artistic to do.

20. You and others like you will gravitate to each other and then you can do fun things like have coffee and talk for half an hour about the relative properties of different adhesives.

I could go on but I would LOVE to see what unforeseen advantages you may have found, once people know you're an artist. So please leave a comment and thank you!!!

Why You Should Believe You are an Artist: Even if You Don't Make Art

2011-10-10T14:28:00.000-05:00

When I was 17 I had a boyfriend who said, "You're not a real artist. Real artists are like (so and so friend of his) who makes stuff up out of his head. You just copy something you see." And yes, I did. I would paint from nature, or do my pastel drawings outside, on site. So there really was nothing I could say about that. The boyfriend meant a lot to me so I believed him. Sad as that now seems. I decided that no, I wasn't an artist. I just liked to draw and make pretty things.

Last week I was teaching a class and I heard the women saying that same thing. They sculpted with metal clay, they did jewelry and were taking mixed media classes. But they called themselves crafters. They knew real artists, and that was not what they were. I felt so sad. Then something someone else said triggered the same thought and I had to share it with you.

So here is today's message. YOU ARE AN ARTIST!!! You may call yourself a crafter, and a craft is maybe what you feel you are creating. Maybe you don't feel you're an artist because you may be contrasting yourself with someone who is a fine artist. You may work with Sculpey instead of clay. You may love to sew, instead of creating paintings. But you are still an artist. An artist is not defined by the medium or the product, but by so many other little things. You see, I've come to realize over the years that to be an artist does not have to mean that you sell your work. It does not mean that you work with fine art materials and shop at fine art supply stores, or create art that is ultra realistic, it does not even have to mean you can draw. We put up such barriers to our own happiness. We want to be artists, we hope to one day be artists, all the while not understanding that we already are artists.

I believe that the term "artist" is not a job title but a personality type. You are an artist for example, if you love beauty. If you seek to surround yourself with it, and glory in it. You're an artist if you appreciate design. If you notice the light on the leaves outside your window at a particular time of day. If you feel energized and alive after learning some new way to create. If you HAVE to create. If you are unhappy if you don't create.

You may recognize all or only a few of these descriptions in your own personality. BUT if you do, then I believe really and truly in my heart of hearts that you are already an artist. I'll agree that artist's are born not made. But that does not mean that you ooze talent your whole life. It may not even mean that you work with art materials. It is your personality. It is in your blood. You couldn't stop yourself from creating if you tried. Odds are that if you look at your life you'll see that you find a way to be creative in all sorts of areas of your life. It may be in what you choose do as volunteer work. Or how you decorate your home. Or how you dress or cook or craft. But to create, to make beautiful or interesting everything you touch, that is something a true artist does. Not because they went to school for it, but because they simply have to.

It really wouldn't be a big deal what we call ourselves except that we make judgements about ourselves based upon that. You would sign up for that art retreat but you're sure that only real artists go and you would stick out. Or you would spend the money for that amazing sounding class but you really can't justify spending any more money on something that is really just a hobby. You would take a room in the house for yourself and your art, but that would seem to much like carving out your own little studio space and you don't feel it's justified. Do you see how you demean yourself? That is why it's dangerous to deny your Artist self. God has made you unique, He has put that creator element of Himself in you, and you refuse to acknowledge it. He may have caused that opportunity to go to that art retreat to open itself up to you, purely for your own joy. But you refuse to embrace the gift that it is because you can't acknowledge that you are already an artist and have been since the day you were born.

So please, think about this. And next time you feel the urge to claim not to be an artist-Don't. If you don't know what kind of artist you are, because you do a little of everything, say you're a mixed media artist. But if you say you're not an artist, you'll believe it. We listen to what we tell ourselves, as do others. So say it to yourself, if no one else. "I am an artist." And believe it- You are.

Fall is here and so is the new issue of Cloth Paper Scissors Gifts!!!

2011-10-07T12:05:00.002-05:00

On news stands now!

Earlier this week I received a package with my very own copy of CPS's Gifts issue. I LOVE this magazine. I bought it last year in mid November and wanted to make everything in it. I did have a bit of a late start and I'm not sure that I had the time to make anything at all. THIS year, I vow, will be different. There is almost three full months until Christmas and I am so excited to be able to try some of the fabulous lovely gift ideas in the magazine. For instance, there is an article about making little gift bags with contact paper and scraps. They are SO cute! Then Jen Cushman's resin tags caught my eye. I love combining vintage with anything so these completely call out to me (it's a little voice that says "make me- make me"). Then the ornaments from the black and white challenge. The little birdhouse is Jen Crotty's from An Altered Life. So SO cute! There is also this amazing wire and fabric wreath that I think everyone should try (of course, I may be a little prejudiced it being mine). Ok, I was trying to be funny there. As for me, I'm hoping to get the one that's pictured back in the next month or so. That way I can feel like I have a head start and can check "make a wreath" off of my Christmas to do list.That also frees me up to make some of the other lovelies in this magazine.

My hand stitched wire and fabric wreath

Seriously, we all feel that last minute pinch towards Christmas when we realize that we no longer have the time to make the sweet handmade gifts we wanted to. We end up settling for something that's not quite as nice, and probably found at Target, when it would've been so much more rewarding to give something we invested a bit of time and heart into creating. So my suggestion to myself this year is START EARLY. Make a list now of people you feel would appreciate something handmade. Count up the number of tags you'd like to have made, spend a Saturday morning making a slew of gift bags to have on hand. Try to work out how many gifts for co-workers, friends, and teachers you'd like to have ready. Then break up the tasks you need to accomplish to make that many. Think through the supplies you need so that when you go shopping you only have to do it once. (I'm constantly making last minute emergency runs to Michael's or JoAnn's to get the one or two things I forgot I needed for something). Those are just a few ideas that I think I'll use to help organize my efforts this year.

The wreath I made is actually made from fragments of recipes, music pages, old fabrics and paintings of mine. I wanted the wreath to represent the traditions of my family growing up as well as the one's that I want to include now. Handmade is one of those traditions, both new and old in a way. These are the memories that I want to give to my son for his own. I'd like to know what traditions do you keep? Is handmade a part of that?

A little of this and a little of that....

My Teaching Schedule and Keeping Those Boats Afloat

2011-09-30T12:49:00.002-05:00

My schedule, like yours, has been hectic lately. I say yes to things and then wonder later, when stretched for time, why on earth I did. But as soon as one of those "yes's" happen I'm so very very glad I did.

One of those things is teaching. I am always always glad when I get to teach something. It's always a huge amount of prep and means being somewhere not only on time, but ahead of time. It also means a chance to share something I love and it totally floats my boat. To encourage others, to inspire them, and to be that bit of God given synchronicity they sometimes need to jump start their creative lives. It's one of those things that you do that always seems to bless you more than anyone else present. New ideas, new friends, new conversations and sparks- all those things happen in the middle of a class setting. It just thrills me.

But add the teaching, to publishing deadlines, school volunteer activities, bible study and the like I've been having trouble keeping my boats afloat. Lots of important stuff and sometimes I wonder if I should be saying "yes" to so much. The teaching however, seems so right. So important, and I love it so much. So to that I will say "yes" any chance I get.

Maybe because I've made that commitment, some special teaching opportunities have come my way lately and cool as they are, I want to share them with you. First, I'll be teaching this October at the Creat-a-thon at Art 2 Heart. This is a special non profit shop near where I live that donates it's proceeds to help missions. I just had the opportunity to meet with one of it's participants and am IN LOVE with the enthusiasm that they bring to this mission. Each year they have a Creat-a-thon where creative people get together and craft the night away making unique handmade goods to sell in the shop. I'll be teaching one of my projects. But they're going to have a huge variety of stations, everything from cards, to serving ware will be created. I've just heard a quick overview of where their money and products go and I have to tell you it's impressive. Medical missions, rescue missions, gospel missions... I am SO SO excited to hook up with this group.

I'm also going to be teaching in Houston, TX Nov. 2-4th at the Int'l Quilt Expo. I'll be participating in Make It University which is a Cloth Paper Scissors/Quilting Arts sponsored series of classes being offered during the Quilt Expo. If you've been thinking of attending I'd LOVE to see you!

I'll also be teaching at ART is... YOU in Petaluma, California next September. I can not WAIT to experience this amazing art event. I love the thought of meeting more of you, getting to play with you, and sharing this experience with you. So although it's a year out, if you've ever thought of attending one of those big art retreats that everyone raves about.. DO THIS ONE! It would be so much fun!

So check out the links, and just think about attending one of these wonderful events. I would love to meet you and I know we'd have a fabulous, amazing, write home about it, kind of time together. Thanks!!!

A Vintage Book Baby Shower

2011-09-29T10:39:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I hosted a vintage themed library shower for my sister in law. It was an absolutely beautiful September day in Minnesota. Positively idyllic. They're having a baby girl so we had a rather strong pink theme, and I got a little cutesy with some of the details.The shower gave me the opportunity to indulge in my love for vintage, for books, and for flowers. Here are some of the pics and details....

Decorations

We had the party in my backyard in a tent a friend loaned me. It was about the size of a carport and fit 3 5' round tables perfectly. We rented the chairs and tables from a local party store. I used natural materials from around our yard to decorate the tent poles and interior. We had grapevine, dried hydrangeas, and these annoying little trees that keep growing like weeds. So I cleaned up the yard a bit AND decorated the tent at the same time. BONUS! I also had a partial roll of white tulle ribbon, a large roll of vintage pink and white ribbon, and a lot of bits of vintage lace fabrics that my mom had scavenged for me. These I just hung everywhere to soften the interior of the tent. The absolute perfect finishing touch for the tent was the banner over the entrance. Etsy artist, The Mad Stamper makes these gorgeous banners for weddings, birthdays, and baby showers.

The tables were covered with white table cloths layered, with vintage floral table cloths over the top. We used mis-matched plates and silverware, and the centerpiece of each table was the floral arrangement. I made three small bouquets of sunflowers, mums, roses, hydrangea, sedum, salal, and leucadendron. The vases had a illustrated sheet torn from a children's book and secured with string. Each was sitting on a pretty green and floral tray I picked up at the Junk Bonanza the week before. The apples on each tray (seen in the first pic shown) were put there just before the party by my cousin's almost three year old little boy. He picked them off the tree- how cute is that?

Party Favors

At the far end of the tent I had a huge arrangement set on a little white draped card table. It stopped the eye and made a visual end to the tent. It also worked great as a table to set the going away party favors, individually wrapped cake pops shaped like baby rattles. I have to say I'm starting to get a little addicted to making cake pops- they're just SO CUTE! I even made gluten free cakepops shaped like footballs for the boys watching football during the party. My son LOVES them.

When the guests arrived at the party I had them go through the house and onto the deck before heading down to the tent. The front walk of my house, the deck, and the grass all had rose petals scattered. On the deck I had my little antique patio table set up with an arrangement, and handmade fabric corsages; one for each guest. I think I told you a few posts ago I was dyeing vintage fabrics and trims. I pinned each corsage to a piece of vintage children's book paper to keep the library theme going. The Mama to be got her own very special badge and her very own pillowcase draped chair. She looked beautiful!

Food

The party was mid afternoon so we served a light luncheon of salads, little open faced cucumber sandwiches, caramel toffee scones, raspberry tarts, and cake balls. For drinks we had a bowl of punch and one of cider. We had planned on tea but it was such a warm day we didn't bother with hot drinks. We ate after the guests arrived, opened presents, and then served chocolate mousse in little glass trifle and cognac dishes my mother and I had been picking up at thrift shops all summer. I honestly didn't think anyone would finish theirs after everything else but most everyone took one. They looked so pretty I don't think they could refuse. Plus, my mom does make a mean chocolate mousse. :) The refreshments were served on these sweet little pedestal plates my mom makes from beautiful old dishes and sells in her etsy shop. We stacked them for a gorgeous vintage look. To pull the library theme in one more time I scattered more vintage children's book paper on the serving table.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know this was a HUGE post but I really appreciated finding information on other websites about baby showers and thought I'd do a really thorough post with lots and lots of details for anyone else who might want to plan their own vintage style event. I hope you enjoyed the pics!

Photo credits: Janel Zappe

My Painted Tree Tee: Altered T-shirt Challenge Results!!

2011-09-21T12:51:00.001-05:00

After

Wow- I have SO much to tell all of you about The Creative Connection Event I attended last week. I swear I could do a week's worth of blog posts just about what I heard, saw, and learned.

Those are coming- first however, I'm going to let myself process all of a little more and then I'll be able to share intelligently (or at least that's the hope). In the meantime, I'll captivate you with my little altered t-shirt. Well, maybe not captivate you, but I bet you'll like it. Remember the idea was just to take a plain ol' t-shirt and just do something to change
(alter) it. I was playing with my bleach pen at first but then decided I wanted to see what would happen if I took some of the
techniques I use most in my art to alter the t-shirt. So that is what I did.

* Shelley of Single Stone Studios and I are linking our t-shirt results and want to see yours too! Check out the links at the bottom of this article for more info!!! *

------------------------------------------------------------

Before

How to Make Your Own Painted Tree T-shirt

Tools and Materials

t-shirt

piece of cardboard to put into t-shirt to seperate layers

paints (acrylic or fabric)

paintbrush or two

palette or craft sheet

variety of printed fabric scraps

embroidery floss and needle

small scissor

liquid stitch fabric glue

clear letter stamps

inkpad (either fabric ink or Staz-on)

1. First thing I did was paint directly on the shirt. To do this I had a piece of cardboard that I stuck into the t-shirt and then pulling the front slightly taut I clipped the two sides of the t-shirt to the board with clothespins. Then I was able to paint directly on the shirt. I wanted to try using acyrilcs. I have a friend who swears they're no different then fabric paints so I thought I go with what I have and not go buy a bunch of fabric paints for this project.

2.After I painted the tree shape I added some blues to the background in a sort of cross hatch pattern.

3.Then, I cut out some leaf shapes from different printed green fabrics I had. I varied my sizes a bit.

4. Using embroidery floss and a needle, I straight stitched around the leaves.Knot and trim loose threads close.

5. Adhere leaves to tee with liquid stitch fabric glue. This glue is washable until it has dried. (Washable meaning that you can wash it off, after it has dried it is permanent.) Make sure you apply the glue evenly and to all edges.You may want to use a tooth pick or palette knife to smooth it around, I found I could do this just fine with the nozzle of the glue. *

6. Using clear acrylic stamps and an ink pad stamp I stamped my phrases on the shirt. Then, to embellish the words a bit I used my rubber brush to create little stitch marks around the words. Just ink the tip a bit and press- it's SO easy!

7. Final step! Allow t-shirt to dry and then wash cold on gentle by itself OR you can handwash the first time to check to see if it loses color or frays. I think it'll be fine but it's always good to do this as you don't want to accidentally color the rest of your clothes. Planned alteration is good, unplanned alteration is a fact of life in my home, but YOU can avoid it with a little carefulness. :)

And that, my friends, was all I did. Not hard, a little bit of time, but very very easy. And I feel like I'm wearing one of my mini art quilts which is pretty fun.

NOW- head on over to Shelley's blog and add your OWN creation. I'm on my way there now but here's the link. Thanks for viewing and happy Altering!!!!!

* My usual is to iron my fabric to heat n bond prior to cutting out the shapes. With the paper backing of the heat in bond still attached, I'll cut out my shapes. This way if I want to sketch out my shapes on the paper as a pattern I can. Usually I just free cut however. Peel away the backing, and then straight stitch around the leaves. Finally, to adhere, you just iron leaves in place on shirt. This eliminates the possibility of the fabric fraying in the wash. This time I thought I'd experiment with adhesives a bit which is why I used the liquid stitch. It seems to have worked great thus far.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Altered T-shirt Challenge!

2011-09-15T10:06:00.001-05:00

I've found that challenges are a great way to unstick me and get me to try new things. I'm always glad I did!

So feeling in need of a challenge, I'm gonna do another, and This time, for this challenge, I'd like you to join me. Shelley, from Single Stone Studios, (who's much more technically savvy then myself) has a video or two on her blog telling you a little more about it. Please hop on over and check it out.

Here's a quick peek at something I've been playing with....

It's easy because basically, there are no rules. Just alter a shirt. Use anything and everything you want. Shelley's been experimenting with some of the new Martha Stewart paint and I've been playing with bleach pens and the same stencils. But this is just the start... The only thing I would suggest is TRY SOMETHING NEW!!!! There are so many ways to do this, here are a few ideas to get you thinking...

-write on the shirt with a fabric marker
-try this watermarking technique with glue and dye
-drip dye
-try using a transfer
-use a stamp
-paint on your shirt
-add trim or notions
-make it vintage-y
-make it punk
-graphitti it
-add raw edge appliques
-or try reverse appliques
-cut it up and resemble it into jewelry
-bead it

Seriously, this is just scratching the surface of what you can do with this surface. So pull out those plain, solid color tees and PLAY!

Now here's the rest of the details:
On September 21st we're going to set up a link party and would LOVE to have you join us. We want to see what YOU do! So show us your favorite recreation and we'll show you ours-I can't wait!

Handmade Embellishments 101: Altered Clothespins

2011-09-13T14:29:00.001-05:00

I've noticed that it's stash busting week over at interweave- noticed because each of their daily e-mails has mentioned stashes. Little projects seem to be the best way to bust your stash. And things like the little embellishment at left is a good example. It's little, it's cute, it uses lots and lots of bits of materials.It can be an embellishment to add to your next mixed media piece or add a pin back to it and you've got a lovely, one of a kind brooch. Of course, as a brooch you might want to ditch the clothespins. I like clothespins however, and if I were to make this into a larger mixed media work I would definitely keep the clothespins.

To make your own artsy clothespins all you need is a few clothespins, some permanent ink, and stamps. And who can't scrounge those from somewhere around their stash? Ok, so maybe not all who are reading happen to have clothespins, or permanent ink, or stamps so if not, they are very very easy to procure. Actually, your local Michael's or JoAnn can be a one stop shop. The clothespins hide in the wooden cut out aisle, the ink and stamps can be found in scrapbooking. It really is the little details that I love to indulge myself in when I'm creating a work of mixed media. And it's so easy to make a bunch up and then they'll be ready for your next burst of inspiration. Have fun!

All the necessary materials

All it takes.... :)

My Altered (Bed) Skirt

2011-09-09T14:25:00.001-05:00

After

On Wednesday this week I decided to register for The Creative Connection event that's being held here in a week's time. I've hemmed and hawed about it since March. I wanted to go but couldn't really see the expense after my jaunt to CHA in July. But God made a way on Tuesday so my husband said to go ahead. I registered for two days and am taking a class by the Crafty Chica about setting up an online classroom. That sounds cool. I'm also registered for Tracy Bautista's Making a Living as an Artist class. Those were the two classes that really hooked me. Because they were on two seperate days I (oh,no) had to register for two days which left me with two afternoon slots open for classes.(hee. hee). SO I get to justify another one of Kaari Meng's amazing classes and a class by Princess Lazertron. It really would have been too hard to go and not take ANY of the amazing handmade classes. So it worked out well in that respect.

Before

I'm excited (whoo-hoo), but then I started to think about what to wear. Now I have some really nice clothes from when I attended last year, and I have my super cute doily dress but a girl wants something new when she goes to one of these things. So I got creative and spying a big ol' fitted sheet that I'd just torn into strips to dye I got an idea. It was right then that my husband called and asked what I was doing. "I'm wrapping a torn bedskirt around my waist to see if I can make a skirt from it" seemed a little risky to share.So I tried to get off with a "trying to figure out what to wear next week to the conference." But I think I must have sounded a little evasive as he immediately asked a follow up question.

So I told him. After a moment of silence he said we could probably afford to get me something new from an actual store- I didn't have to make a skirt from an old bed sheet. But by now the idea had taken root and I had images of skirts by gibbous fashions and Ruth Rae's poetry pinafores dancing around my head- inspiration had struck. So obsessively I sewed last night and this morning till it's almost finished. It's all hand stitched and uses only fabrics that I had on hand, most had been given me. I dyed them all using the blue one step dye by tulip diluted with water in a plastic container. So take a look and see what you think- thanks :).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Altered (Bed) Skirt

Tools and Materials
Scissors
Needle
Embroidery floss or thread
Part of the side of an old fitted bed sheet (enough to wrap around your waist), dyed
Variety of other fabrics (tarlatans, old curtains, muslin canvas, tulles or organzas layer well), dyed
Ink and ink pads (optional)
Handful of old buttons

Step One: Before stitching the ends of the skirt strip together I added an additional strip of the sheet fabric to the bottom of my skirt base to lengthen it a bit. To do this I just straight stitched it through the overlapping fabrics. Then, overlap the two side edges about 1 1/2" and then stitch a double line of straight stitches down the length of the skirt. The skirt is already gathered at the top bc we're using the gathered side of the strip as our waistband.

Step Two: Free cut out the scallops and fringe for the bottom of the skirt of canvas. Stitch below the seam that joins your two lengths of fabric.
Step Three: Cut strips of a contrasting fabric and straight stitch on either side of center seam to form panels. Add tall thin strips of tarlatan on either side of these panels.
Step Four: You can leave your skirt as is, but I wanted it to look a little more artsy so I added two pockets assymetrically placed on either side of the center seam.
Step Five: Add buttons to the center seam and then add trims and buttons to the rest of the skirt as desired.
Step Six: At any time you may decide to add some stamped images or text. I used a roller stamp with a cursive font wherever I wanted a little more detail.

Unique Gifts for the Teacher in Your Life

2011-09-07T11:33:00.003-05:00

A artful corsage for the stylish teacher

I think I've mentioned before that my mom is a teacher. My dad is a teacher. My grandmother, aunts and great aunts are all teachers. It runs in the family and if you're in my family and are not a teacher it's because you ran from it. I was in that ran from it category most of my growing up. I saw how many hours my mom and dad would put into their jobs. They'd spend long days at school and then come home and correct papers. It truly is a mission field and not an easy one. The rewards are purely emotional as you see children grow and learn and develop. But that's at the cost of family, of free time, of salary. Teachers are generally quite underpaid. My dad had three jobs the entire time I was living at home. That lovely three months off in the summer? Well, they don't get paid for those three months and so most teachers find themselves competing with their own students for summer jobs painting or clerking, or as camp counselors.

Teacher Gift Ideas

Coming from my background it's easy to see how I can feel a sense of responsibility to the make sure the teachers in my son's life feel valued. So when I have the chance to help a little or to slip them little gifts I make sure I take advantage of the opportunity. The first day of school is one of those occasions. Teachers have been planning and cutting, and readying their classrooms for this day for over a month so to say thanks I had my mom make one of her teacher themed clipboards as a present, and I made a little blank notebook from an old afternoon reader book I found at a thrift store. Then to make it a little extra special (and practical) I clipped on a gift card for one of our local coffee shops. Because trust me, teachers need the caffeine as much, if not more, then we do.

SO PLEASE feel free and make up your own occasions to pamper the teachers in your world. The end of the first week, the first month, the first quarter. Anything will do. But show them some appreciation- trust me they will appreciate way more then you'd ever guess. AND if you are a teacher or have done something creative for a teacher in your life please let us know about it by leaving a comment- Thanks!!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A 1.2.3.4.5. Guide for Creating A Vintage Notebook

1. Rip the book apart

2. Tape or somehow cover the raw edge of front and back covers

3. Insert in Cinch machine to punch holes (make sure it's pressed all the way against the very back of the opening)

4. Cut notebook paper to size and use Cinch to punch holes

5. Add wire binding and pinch close with Cinch to finish!

This was just a quickie tutorial for a more in depth how-to see the Vintage Book>Notebook tutorial- Thanks for Reading!!!!

Dyeing to Try Something New?

2011-09-01T09:36:00.002-05:00

My new old kettle

A few weeks ago my dad was unwrapping some garage sale donations he'd received for the charity garage sale he was running. They were little knick knacks that someone had packed away a long time ago. The cool thing is that each little schotzke was wrapped in fabric. My dad, sweetie that he is, put it all aside for me to go through.

After the One-Step dyes

I think the lady who originally packed everything must have sewed a few fancy dresses in her time, because there was a lot of lining fabric and satins. There were some brocades, some curtain fabrics, and one big piece turned out to be a dress that had been cut apart. I have no idea how to date fabric but the dress looked like something from the late '60's early 70's. I wasn't crazy about the baby blue brocade or all the white and cream so I decided to try dyeing them other colors. I had some of Tulip's one step dye's from another project and so I used the blue and pink.

The lighter fabrics are the coffee dyed

The colors were lovely saturated hues but turned out a little too bright for the vintage style project I have in mind so I decided to try over dyeing them with tea. A quick trip to the thrift store, and I had this super cute old kettle to use for the tea dyeing. As I reached for the tea in the cupboard though I realized that I only had green and chamomile teas (which wouldn't give me the brown I was looking for). I did however, have a pot of really dark coffee sitting there so that went into the pot with the water I'd been heating for the tea. That diluted the coffee quite a bit so the results weren't as vintage-y distressed as I wanted. But, it did mute the colors quite nicely. They're quite lovely now.

I also tried playing with a few other ways of altering the fabric and trims I had. So that's the something new I decided to try this week. Here's some pics- Enjoy!

Here I'm using Staz-on ink and a roller stamp and rolling over the fabric in different directions. Pretty!

I've been playing a bit with a few distress stains I picked up and one of the things I've found I like them for is adding a little additional color to my dyed trims. It makes them two toned in just the right spots.

I also tried using the distress stain on some cheap cream lace ribbon I got somewhere. This particular material didn't take to the one step dye's too well, but it did work quite well to apply the stain directly to the trim. I haven't tried any of these for permanancy yet. As I'm thinking of making corsages with them I'm not too concerned that they're washable.

"Just make Something"- Pics of the Process of Becoming Unstuck

2011-08-23T21:08:00.001-05:00

Yup, that's a pic of a few assorted bottle tops. I've been washing them and setting them aside with the intention of doing Something. Just didn't have a clear idea of what that was. Yet, I had this feeling they really could be something. The feeling was one of those tickly, just on the edge of your consciousness ideas that flits to the fore briefly and then flits away before you can really grasp what it was you saw. But you know that for a moment you had something really really cool.

I feel like I've been a bit of a creative slacker lately. (My penance for claiming to be prolific a few weeks ago-as soon as I did I felt a creative block coming on strong).

It's not like I don't know how to get out of a block. Generally I just sit myself down and make myself spend some time doing the no-thought- required prep work that can always be done. But it's been too easy to distract myself with housework or doing something with Jasper. I did finish up one of the suncatchers I started when we were taking the step by steps for the book. That didn't help a whole lot though.So the block has just sort of dragged on.

This weekend though I was determined to make something.Even if it was horribly, awfully, awful. So after I played with my background I pulled out my bottle caps and arranged them with some wire on the canvas. Then I played around with some fabric, deciding what to use, which is what I was doing when I took this pic.

Decisions... decisions...

To attach the bottle lids I punched holes around their sides with my crop-a-dile and then stitched them in place. The wire forms were stitched on as well. Then I decided to go all out and really add some stitching as well as some big items I love. So I glopped on a ton of gel medium and added the paintbrush and carpenter's ruler as well as some buttons.The piece ended up looking like this....which I like.

All done... now what?

I still feel a little stuck though and haven't any more bottle caps but I am teaching a mixed media class tomorrow night at The Studio at Rush Creek and teaching always gets my creative juices flowing. I love the energy, the possibilities that come up as I'm introducing others to mediums or techniques. Their enthusiasm inevitably fuels mine. I would love to have anyone who's interested join us. And thank you for reading my mish mash of thoughts today. I hope you have a wonderfully, fabulously, unstuck and utterly creative kind of day today. Hoping to see you soon. :)

2011-08-11T14:06:00.004-05:00

The first thing to do when making a dream a reality is simple. So SO simple. You need to DREAM (sounds obvious I know but sometimes we don't allow ourselves the time). Then, you need to BELIEVE in them. This is the part when you start to think the seemingly impossible is possible. That's a huge step. Now, these dreams can become GOALS. Goals can be achieved through action. So a list of baby steps would be good. That, then, gives you a place to start. Ta-da! After this it's just a matter of work, and time, although you need to keep in mind what you're trying to accomplish. This will keep you from getting side tracked, and it will keep you focused on achieving your goal. But what about when you're done with one? How do you choose where to go next?

When I wrote my book I really loved having a definite goal with a clear path to achieving that goal. There were deadlines and milestones and it was all scheduled with the end result being the book's release. That was SO cool! When my part in the book was finished I figured my next task was to promote the book because really I wrote the book so that others would feel inspired, and for that to happen it meant getting people to see and buy the book. Okey doke. I figured I'd look up a bunch of magazine deadlines and try my best to meet as many of those as I could. This blog was another place to find people like you (who are like me) and might be looking for some ideas, new techniques to try, or just for some encouragement. Publish. Blog. Connect. Check, check, and check.

But then what? How do you choose and focus if you don't really know where the path you're on goes? Or even where you want it to go? A couple of days ago I stumbled via the Etsy Success newsletter the blog of Tricia McKellar. It's titled wonder thinking (which I think is absolutely brilliant) and has a number of really fabulous resources available free of cost. Right away I printed out her Business Plan-O-Rama (you can find a link on her sidebar). It's basically an artist friendly guide to the business plan for those of us who are business plan shy. I read it rather quickly and am looking forward to taking some time to work through. I definitely wanted to share it here with you. Just in case anyone else is looking for some help self-directing as well.

I'd also love to know what you all think? Do you just go with the opportunities at hand or do you seek out and plan your course? How do you know where to go next? How do you know where to concentrate the limited amount of time you have? How do you choose? Thanks for your comments!!!

Platforms

2011-08-08T21:28:00.002-05:00

My son and I were at Target today, headed straight for the Lego aisle when I was diverted into shoes by this totally cute looking pair of platforms. The price was right (under $10) and they were denim. I love denim. So on a total impulse I bought them. At home as I put them in the closet I noticed that they were by far the highest heeled shoes I own. So just to make sure I hadn't made a mistake I put them on and walked all around the house; I was trying to see if I could actually wear them without turning an ankle. And they're great. I feel completely stable wearing them. Up and down the stairs- no problem. Then, just now, I realized what a great analogy they are.

When we reach for our dreams we often feel shaky, as if what we're doing could cause us to topple at any moment. We may have taken the big leap already, or maybe it's still ahead of us. But somewhere, either before or after, we'll find ourselves walking. Just moving forward a step at a time.

Here's where the shoe analogy comes in. This summer has been hard, I've put my work and this blog aside and concentrated on spending my days with my little boy while he's been home and trying to fix up the house. I've also tried to make sure I'm spending more time with my husband then I am with you. But I've felt a little guilty showing up here when I do to pop on and pop off so irregularly. Then today, looking at the shoes, I got it. They're super tall heels but because they have a firm and wide platform base I feel secure as I walk. That's what I've been doing this summer, I've been building up my platform. And my base, my platform, is my faith, my home and my family.

It's important. Just think about it- how comfortable do you feel taking a big leap in your art, or writing, or your business if your marriage is rocky? How secure do you feel reaching for your dreams if you know that your family needs you, really truly needs you to be present and with them? I know that I could not have made the leaps I have if my husband wasn't supporting me as I made a go of it. I truly need him there as my foundation, stabilizing me.

So I've decided tonight that I'm not going to feel badly about all the things I'm not doing because I've been taking time for my family and home this summer. I'm supporting them as they do me and building that firm foundation with them so that we can all walk tall this autumn, reaching higher then ever before.

Altered Sundress

2011-08-02T21:40:00.005-05:00

Before

So I'm now officially hooked on altering my clothes. My mother- in- law makes all her own clothes and gave me this very cute but very basic sundress a while back. She wasn't crazy about the fabric and asked if I'd like it. I loved it but had to add some of my own personality to it before it felt like mine.

Earlier that week I had made a this little pin corsage from a bit of fabric, lace, a silk flower, and string. I really loved the colors and decided to use it as my inspiration for the rest of the dress. The lace I had leftover from my little black dress makeover of the week before, the green eyelet fabric was from who knows where but was in my stash. The idea was to simply wrap the dress in the green fabric but as there was a zipper all the way down the back I had to leave the back open. It ended up looking like a little apron from the back- which I like. Honestly, I don't have very strong couture sewing skills and without a sewing machine I feel a little at a loss to make hems and pleats etc. But I had some fusible tape and some embroidery floss and in the end that was all I needed. Pretty cute and very very fun.

After

Now for that sweet little brown sundress my mother in law just gave me....

The little things....

2011-07-29T11:02:00.007-05:00

It's definitely the little things in life. A comfy too big for you sweater, a worn in t-shirt, a big huge mug of coffee, and jewelry that you can wear without thinking, knowing it's just right.

The jewelry was a happy little discovery I made Wednesday when I was making some round wire charm forms for my last class. In my book, I show you how with this one little wire form you're able to make resin, polymer clay, and fabric charms. I demonstrated all these in my class as well. But it was a happy little accident when I got a little crazy with my wrapping on one and I discovered what a wonderful little ring it can be as well.

Definitely one of those little things that make life sweet.

Happy Friday!!!

Handmade Wire and Metal Charms That Look Oh- So-Sweet

2011-07-28T22:27:00.005-05:00

"Nesting"

As I was teaching a class last night the actual terms for some things kept alluding me. So I did a little improvisation (the words "thingie and danglie" were used with complete abandon). I did remember the word "mandrel" though and man, did I work that one. The class was a riff off of the mixed media charm bracelet I have in my book and pretty technique heavy. It was really a primer on how to begin to create jewelry, work with polymer clay, create your own wire forms (thus the word "mandrel" being used),an intro to resin, AND to basic stitching. For most of the class this was their first exposure to any of those materials and techniques and I was so impressed by their willingness to try something new and have fun doing it. They all did wonderfully and I loved seeing all those danglies swinging from their wrists as they walked out at the end of class.

A Penny for your Thoughts

Besides the charms from my book, I created a few more handmade charms that were simply made to demonstrate to the class how wonderful wire can be. I also got out my tin snips and scraps from an old metal tray (the rest of it I had used for my altered tin heart tutorial here on the blog). I really love how they turned out. My faves were a mini scribble heart, a little bird's nest, a couple of charms cut from an old tin tray, a button, a lucky penny, a jump ring danglie of shell buttons, and a funky little spiral.

This morning after I grabbed my coffee, I got out my pliers and a chain and made my own little bracelet with the charms to show you. I really do love how versatile wire can be, and how easily it can be shaped into forms that seem soft or organic and yet are so solid and firm to the touch. It's a juxtaposition I love.

The completed bracelet has a definite handmade charm

Which are your faves? Have you ever made a charm bracelet? Any sweet tips on other unexpected items that you've worked with? I'd love to have you share, so please leave a comment! Have a great weekend and thanks again for stopping by! :)

The NEW Somerset Home and a SUPER good deal!

2011-07-27T15:07:00.004-05:00

Just a couple of super cool newsy bits to share with you today. First, one of my all time favorite yearly publications, Somerset Home is making it's way to mailboxes and newsstands all over the country. With over a 100 creative ideas to beautify your home, you're sure to find something to flip over in this issue. I received my advance copy yesterday and love it. I'm also excited to say that it has not just one but TWO articles featuring my beloved steel wire. One is mine, and in it I show you how to creatively reuse an old book by turning it into a photo display. The other article was written by the french wire artist Claire Rougerie. She tells you how to make the most adorable wire cuckoo clock. Seriously. cute. I just popped over to her website and am absolutely in love. (But it is wire and I LOVE, love, love wire.) Plus, the issue has lots and lots of fabulous ideas for beautifying your home. I hope you'll check it out. It officially hits newsstands on August 1st. Whoo-hoo!

The second little item I thought I'd share is that over at the Create Mixed Media site they are offering a bundle of three essential books for the mixed media and fabric enthusiast. My book, Creative Bloom, is one of those books, the other is Ruth Rae's Layered, Tattered and Stitched and third is the all new Mixed and Stitched by Jen Osborn. The bundle is available at a special discounted price but only for a limited time. I love a good deal and this looked like a fabulous one to share with you. All three titles for only $34.95. You save 53% on all three!

I have a class I'm teaching tonight and have been so excited all day so I'm going to go finish up my prep on that. Hope you're having a wonderful, creative day and talk to you again soon!Thanks for stopping by!

Funky Cool Trade Show Displays from CHA

2011-07-26T15:01:00.004-05:00

I've still lots and lots to tell you about my CHA experience but thought I'd make it mostly pictoral today. I took a lot of pics of new products, innovative booth designs, and super cool displays from the CHA trade show to share with you. SO without further ado, here ya go!

This funky girl was the focal for the Handbehg felts booth. I LOVED this booth. Not only did it have a million cool ideas of how to use their product but it was really artfully displayed and had this artcycle theme that I of course think is fabulous. Check out the paper towel rolls on this girl!

From the world of upholstery to super cute locker mates


Love how the artist behind this product upcycled this Victoria Secret freebie bag into something SO much cooler!

Found this beautifully draped girl at Nunn Designs who had the most gorgeous bezels and findings for resin/collage jewelry lovers.

Graphic 45's booth was overflowing with creative examples of ways to use their new Wizard of Oz stamps and papers. It worked great as nostalgia but also for Halloween.

Art-C is a new line from the makers of Little Yellow Bicycle- loved their canvas prints and their new molds (more on this later)!!!

We ALL wanted ALL of these spray inks by October Afternoon- the colors are just so spot on perfect.


The Vintaj booth- the eye candy was AMAZING!


This was a display item at the We R Memory Makers booth. They have a new tool that crimps on these cute two sided metal tabs. Adorable!


Rose Mille had these gorgeous gorgeous bags of german glass glitter. The colors were really breathtaking and I LOVE the way they look in these wax paper bags. Really truly GORGEOUS! Hope you enjoyed these pics direct from the trade show floor at CHA- Summer 2011!!!

CHA Impressions

2011-07-25T22:08:00.001-05:00

Posing by the October Afternoon CHA booth

CHA was amazing. My head is still spinning and it's taken me this long to feel like I can even give you my impressions of the experience. I had the intention of blogging it all right away but honestly was completely unprepared for the huge impact this conference and trade show would have on me. I went with my friend Shelley from Single Stone Studios and we thought we'd go in and just sort of scope out the people and opportunities with the idea that we'd attend our next one knowing what to expect and able to really be proactive. We were not expecting to meet as many people as we did, we were not expecting to be given as much advice and guidance as we were. We were both totally unprepared for how generous, open, and encouraging everyone was. We both felt like we were suddenly in this cool club without really knowing how it was that we got there.

Crafty Couture by Jen Cushman and Claudine Hellmuth

The conference part of CHA started on Monday so I flew into Chicago on Sunday night where I met Shelley. Monday morning we dived right in, our first seminar was a round table discussion for designers. I've never been to a round table thingy and thought it was so cool to walk into the room and see all these round tables that seated about 8, all with some neat-o sounding topic and discussion leader. We were late and so sat down at the table closest to the door and that happened to be the go to table for info on the CHA designers council. We were both feeling like complete newbies so this was just a little gift from God that we were able to chat with people who really knew the organization and could point us in the right direction right from the start. They also told us about a design council meeting that we were able to attend later that night that proved to be hugely informational. Then it was time to switch it up and I made a bee line for Jen Cushman's table which had the title, The Editor's Eye. I SO love Jen Cushman's articles on the Create Mixed Media site. Besides having a background in journalism, Jen has a ton of other experience in the craft/art industry AND has authored the book Explore. Create. Resinate, a book about using ICE Resin in your art. In case you missed it, Tonia Davenport wrote a fabulous review of the book, that you can see here. Jen was super sweet, she knew who I was and even has a copy of my book. It was surreal to hear her give a glowing opinion of it (and I'm sure that by the end of our little chat I was completely glowing too). So a fabulous, wonderful way to start.

The new Vintaj embossing machine

As for first impressions- the theme for this summer's CHA was Mixed Media and I was completely struck by how new the concept of mixed media was to the attendees. It's like it was this completely new thing that nobody knew what to do with but everyone knew they needed to understand so that they could bring the products, techniques, and projects that mixed media artists want to their buying public. Walking the trade floor I realized that the majority of companies there were companies that cater to the scrapbooking trade. The aisles were full of paper products. Many of these companies were trying to move into the mixed media realm by adding dimensional products to their paper product lines. By dimensional I mean mdf cutouts, chipboard, rubber embellishments, and flowers- lots and lots of flowers, made from any and all materials at hand. There were some really innovative products though. The one that literally had me jumping up and down in their booth was by Vintaj. They've created this little pressure machine that will create impressions on their little metal blanks. They have two types of plates, one creates a deep embossed look, and the other more the delicate appearance of an etching. I've been wanting to texture metal for a while and this seriously was just so so cool to see. Vintaj has also partnered with Ranger products which you can use on the metal to create an enameled look. AGAIN, so so cool!!!

I've got a ton more to tell you about - more interesting people, experiences, and products. But it's late and time for me to be in bed so I'll have to share the rest with you tomorrow. Thanks for reading- I have to say,it was a great trip but it's nice to be back. :)

Making Over My Little Black Dress

2011-07-13T13:55:00.004-05:00

after

Next week I'm flying to Chicago to attend CHA for the first time. I'm super excited but have been wondering what to wear.

In the last year or so I've been trying to dress more like "me" and less like I think I should look like to be "in style". I feel much more comfortable wearing clothes that I've altered in some way, or wearing accessories I made myself. I just don't usually take the time to do the altering. Jeans still are, and always will be my wardrobe staple but for something out of my ordinary day to day (like CHA) I'd like to wear something fun and artsy. Something much more "me". So last night I pulled my little black dress (LBD) out of my closet and started to play.

before

First, I stitched on some vintage buttons to the front. Next, I added a little shell button to each sleeve. Then some lace purchased at JoAnn went around the bottom of the dress. It looked pretty cute at that point and I wastempted to leave it but I love doilies right now and think a doily dress would be SO fun to wear. A little more stitching and the doilies were on. The dress was originally $35 at Shop Ruche and the trim/doilies was about $14 at Joann. I had the buttons and floss so the entire dress cost about $50. It's worth so much more to me though to be able to create something unique and original- a dress I can't wait to wear. :)

How about you? Do you alter or sew your own clothing or accessories? If you do, I'd love to know what your favorite technique for altering your clothes is. I've been haunting blogs, and flipping through Altered Couture for a while wanting to try something. I'm so glad I finally took the time, because in the end I think it only took a total of 2 1/2 hours and I love the change.


details, details....

Vintage Frame Spool Holder DIY

2011-07-06T22:43:00.001-05:00

I mentioned a post or so ago that I've been working on making my studio space a little more usable. Part of that is finding accessible storage for all those little odds and ends. My ribbon spools for instance were just tossed into a paper bag that I'd dig through blindly whenever I thought I needed a bit. And I never remembered what I had. To solve this problem I decided I needed a ribbon spool holder that I could mount on the wall. Pondering this dilemma I happened to see an old bare frame I had leaning against the wall and inspiration struck. I'd use that.... Now how to hold the spools.... a trip to Lowe's was definitely in order.

The result of that trip is this Vintage Frame Spool Display. It's easy to make and I think looks great on my wall. I'm a big fan of the make vintage work movement (also known as the "I found it in the back of my garage and painted it" movement). Anyhoo, take a look and have a fabulously creative day!!! I'm off to a christian artist's retreat this weekend and will post some pics when I return. Hope you have a great weekend too and thanks as always for stopping by. :)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vintage Frame> Ribbon Spool Holder Tutorial

Tools and Materials
Old frame with 16" x 20" opening
6-8 little screw in hooks to fit the size of your dowels
2 3/8" diameter dowel rods 36" in length (cut into 4- 18" lengths)
small hammer
saw or branch cutter
Measuring tape
Pen or pencil to mark
Assortment of spool sizes you plan on hanging to guide placement
wire to hang (only if your frame doesn't have one already)

Step One: With the frame upside down on the floor decide where you want to place your dowels (using the spools you have as a guide). Mark on one side about 3/4" from inside of frame.

-I thought I'd be smart and put the hooks on the recessed part of the frame so the whole thing didn't sit out too far from the wall but when I tried this the dowel rod didn't fit because it was longer then the hooks and had to stick out from the surface (rather then be recessed) so that it was able to slide in and out of the hooks.

Step Two: With pen, use measuring tape to make sure you have the same mark placement on other side of frame as on the first. For instance, if your first dowel mark is 2 1/8" from the bottom, use your measuring tape to measure 2 1/8" on the opposite side so that your dowel rods hang straight across. Do this with all your marks.

-In the finished pic you'll notice that I only have 3 dowels hanging that's because I didn't buy enough hooks and haven't been to the store yet to get more. There is room for one more dowel. Although I kind of like the gap bc it shows off my pretty wall. :)

Step Three: Screw in your little screw hooks where marked on frame. I hate trying to get these little things in so I cheat and use a hammer to tap them in as far as I can then start to screw them into the frame. This sometimes alters their shape so once in the wood I used a pliers to bend them back into shape.

Step Four: Measure and cut your dowel rods in half with branch cutter or use small saw. Thread spools onto rods and then hang on hooks. If desired you can probably stick something on the end of each dowel to keep from sliding off but I haven't had any problems with mine.

* I didn't have as many ribbon spools as I thought I did so I hung the decorative tapes I buy compulsively on the very top dowel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

And TA DA!!! It's like magic- all your spools are fabulously, artistically displayed and you'll never wonder what you have and where you put it ever, ever again. Hopefully. :)

Fourth of July Fabric Corsage Tutorial

2011-07-04T07:38:00.019-05:00

Happy Fourth of July!!! To celebrate today's holiday I whipped up this sweet little holiday corsage yesterday. It's red, white and blue at it's best. With a little imagination and fabric you can easily adapt this tutorial to any holiday or special occasion. I think this would be a lovely finishing touch to your outfit when worn to a wedding or garden party. The design is meant to be reminiscent of the ol' time corsages worn high on the shoulder but because of the versatile pin back/clip combo it can also be worn as a hair accessory or you can clip it to a long necklace for a focal accent. However you choose to wear it- Enjoy!
------------------------------------------------------------------

Fourth of July Fabric Corsage Tutorial

Tools and Materials
Scissor
Needle
Embroidery floss or thread
Variety of coordinating fabrics (I used Moda)
Canvas cloth
Bit of ribbon or other trims if desired
Glue gun with glue stick
Pin back/clip combo (found it at Hobby Lobby)

Step One: Rip or cut a strip of fabric approx. 2' in length by 2 1/2" in width.

Step Two: Fold the strip in half width-wise, hold and tie a knot an inch or so from one end of the strip

Step Three: Thread your needle and pierce your knot in the center then begin to wrap the strip around the center knot, adding a stitch here or there as you go to hold the shape.

Step Four: Give the fabric a twist here or there before adding a stitch to create the form and appearance of petals.

Step Five: When finished, add a few more stitches to the base of the flower to secure. Then add a couple of stitches up and through the center. Knot off at back and cut thread.

Step Six: Choose a couple of coordinating fabric and cut 2-3 leaf shapes. Place on canvas and leaving a 1/4" border cut around your patterned fabric. Rip a few more strips to hang down decoratively from corsage as well.

Step Seven: Play around with your positioning and then stitch leaves to back of fabric flower as desired. Feel free to embellish your leaves by stitching around their edge or adding some buttons or beads. To add dimension to the leaf, pinch bottom and stitch to hold as shown.

Step Eight: When you've finished assembling your corsage and stitching it all securely in place heat up your glue gun and adhere pin back to back of flower. Hold for a few seconds for better bond. Alternatively, you could stitch on a pin back. Make sure to position slightly high on back of corsage so it hangs well.
Wear with patriotic pride (and 'cause you know you look good). :)

Best Wishes to you and your family- I hope you have a fabulous Fourth of July!!!!!

Studio Makeover

2011-07-03T14:37:00.000-05:00

Every studio I've found has it's own challenges that seem intertwined with the art that's created in it. You have the supplies you use every day, the art that's in progress as well as the art that's completed, the supplies that you keep for the future because you know you'll use them as well as the supplies that you keep just because you might, someday, find you need them. There's also the items of inspiration, the little bits of things that you keep because of the idea they sparked, or the memories they hold. Often, there's an inspiration board, piles of old sketchbooks or journals, and photographs. Maybe you have a collection of old books, or new books, or a collection of magazines that you store for future inspiration. What you have, what you hold dear, is unique to you.

Studios are unique but it is fun and helpful I believe, to see how other artists have solved their particular studio issues. Lately I've had the opportunity to do a bit of a "makeover" of my studio room that has made it much more usable. The problems I've had with my room are primarily...
a) not enough storage space
b) no usable work space
c) no place to put projects in process other then the middle of the floor
d) no comfortable place to sit and work
e)way way too overwhelming because of the sheer amount of stuff- I need to simplify big time.
f) hard to find things when I needed them, I often found myself buying something only to find that very thing in my closet a few weeks later.
g) inspiration was lost since I never wanted to be around it

We had new trim installed in the house a couple of weeks ago and my husband made me move out all the stuff that was stuffed into a corner, or piled up on other things out of the room. We took this opportunity to wade through things quite a bit, and to move out my old drawing table and replace it with a long, sleek new table from IKEA. Placed in front of the window it's really quite a charming place to sit and write or sew. My old file cabinet went into the closet and opened up another wall. From the garage I pulled an old bookshelf that I brought in and I placed all my jars of buttons, trims, embroidery floss, corks etc. onto it's shelves. It also holds some of my smaller canvases, and some small bins of odds and ends. Amazing the difference it made just to find a place for all those things. That opened up some of the shelves of my IKEA Expedit bookshelf so I had some freedom to shuffle things around in that a bit more. I'm still in need of a small undertable storage piece but I've got my eye on a really inexpensive piece from IKEA that will then hold my inks, my stamp carving supplies, and my rubber and cling stamps. So I'm feeling optimistic. Although filled it doesn't overwhelm me and I really enjoy being in there. One of my lingering problems was storage for my spools of ribbon. I had no good way to store them and yet wanted them visible and accessible. The solution I came up with for that problem is pretty fun and is actually my next tutorial. So thank you for visiting my studio today, and I hope to see you back soon for that how-to!

Handmade Embellishments 101: Creating Your Own Stamped Cork Stickers

2011-06-29T20:29:00.003-05:00

I'm a little partial to the warm natural tone and texture of cork and enjoyed having the opportunity to play around a bit with it when creating the Inspiration Board in my book, Creative Bloom. So as not to waste a whole corkboard with my experimentation I purchased a roll of cork contact paper. What I learned was that painting directly on cork with acrylic worked great but so did stamping. However if I completely covered the cork with paint I lost the warm cork color I liked so much. I ended up keeping the cork background visible by cutting my own stamp and stamping with acrylics while also creating some little accent stickers out of the cork contact paper. Cork on cork is pretty cute but cork in the shapes of butterflies was SUPER cute. Now, a couple of years after my initial experimentation I'm starting to see cork embellishments come out in the scrapbooking stores so I thought I'd show you how really really easy (and inexpensive) these are to make at home.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Creating Your Own Super Easy Cork Embellishments

Tools and Materials
One roll of cork contact paper (I got mine at Target)*
Scissors or punches
Stamps
Ink (dye pigment or permanent)

Step One: Choose some stamps and stamp directly on your cork surface. If you're using a detailed stamp (such as a photo realistic stamp) you'll want to make sure you really ink up the surface of the stamp. Then press the stamp firmly into the cork. Work on a hard surface for the best impression. If you plan on using a punch to cut out your stamp you might want to make sure you're working right at the edge of your cork as many punches won't allow you to reach very far.

Step Two: Cut around the stamp either with a punch or a scissor. Using a sharp scissor will give you the crispest edge, cork can be difficult to cut with a dull scissor. It just wants to bend. If punching you might want to insert the image upside down with the punch flipped over so that you can position it perfectly.

Step Three: Store your stickers flat as cork does want to break if rolled or folded. To use, simply peel off the backing paper and adhere to your surface. Easy as Pie. :) For the embellishment at right I did add a little twisted wire to the cork image with just a couple of stitches (more detail on this in my book, Creative Bloom). Enjoy!!!!

Detail of Inspiration Board in Creative Bloom

Variations: You can also make some freeform stickers but painting directly on the cork contact paper (like I did with my polka dots), or you can try drawing your own little images directly on the cork with a permanent marker as well. A doodled little robot might be awfully adorable. :)

* You can buy cork on a roll at craft or hobby stores but it usually does not have the adhesive backing. I did find that cork sticks just fine if using a UHU glue stick (apply for complete coverage) or tacky glue.

Handmade in Print

2011-06-28T21:47:00.004-05:00

The family and I were making the 6 hour return trip from Bismarck, ND this weekend when we decided to stop midway at Fargo for a break. Our usual spot is the Barnes and Noble. As I was quickly scanning titles in the magazine section I ran into a new UK magazine titled Handmade Living. This is the second UK magazine that I've happened upon recently. The other is Mollie Makes. They were both debut issues and both covered different aspects of the handmade life. Sort of a more current and niche-y alternative to Martha Stewart. There are recipes, gardening tips, and how-to's. Glancing through the Handmade Living they had done an editorial challenge using a cheapo IKEA frame. Staff members had each put their spin on it. Cute idea I thought. But feeling a little broke I decided to wait on purchasing it. Plus it didn't scream "buy me".

The other magazine, Mollie Makes, not only shouted "buy me" in great big huge capitol letters but also insisted I take it over to the check out immediately. I adore it. First of all it came with a little kit attached to make this adorable little iphone cozy. It was felt- it came with felt. What's not to love there? Then, it has a section on what's new and hot on the handmade scene. Everything from new product lines from the likes of Ty Pennington and Amy Butler, some really interesting bits about new books, a calender for all things crafty (happening in the UK), a whole article devoted to ruffles, and another to using bobble trim, and a fabulous peak into the home of Dottie Angel. AND get this, that just scratches the surface. It also has tutorials, more little bits of news, upcoming designer bio's, etc. etc. Curious? They have a preview of the issue available online here.

Seriously I am smitten. But it makes me wonder why the UK? Why don't we have something trendy and local like this here? Is there a bigger audience for this sort of thing there? I think I might want to move. But maybe I've just overlooked it- do any of you know of a US lifestyle magazine for the handmade crowd? Please leave a comment if you do know of one, or if you have any thoughts on this. And have a super wonderful day!!!

Sheet Metal Posies

2011-06-20T11:21:00.001-05:00

On Saturday I was able to take a class at the Studio at Rush Creek, a coffee shop/art studio near my home. The class was called Metal Ribbon art and was taught by Debbie Isaacson who makes these incredible metal sculptures from metal pipes and sheet metal. At right is an example of her work and the top pic is the piece I made in the class. It was really fun to learn some different techniques and try out some different tools and materials. I learned how to drill holes through metal conduit, how to cut aluminum flashing into shapes, how to use a pneumatic riveter, and how to assemble it all. The instructor is coming back in July to teach a class on Garden Art and I'm going to try to take that as well.

by Debbie Isaacson

What I really enjoyed was using her techniques to make something that incorporates my sense of style. Like any new experience I got all kinds of fab new ideas for my own work. Like sheet metal quilts with stenciled patterns and wire stitching. The beginning part of the sculpture felt a lot like putting a mini art quilt together. Fun new visions of art have been dancing through my head ever since. I spent last night researching how to paint on metal. Spray paint seemed obvious but for a more painterly approach I was thinking I need paint I can mix. Some were using acrylic, some were using oil, but what was really fun looking was the cans of metal Rustoleum I saw someone painting their car with. So we'll see how much it all costs, how much I can figure out, how it will all work, and what I can do with it. But FUN!

I'll keep you updated- but in the meantime I'd like to know if any of you have painted on metal before and if you primed your metal first, if you sanded, what kind of paint you used and on what kind of metal. SO please, if you've any experience with this, please, please, please, leave a comment and THANKS for your help!!!

Summer Summer Summer All the time....

2011-06-17T15:59:00.001-05:00

At the Lake

Just last night I was thinking about how quickly this summer is going already. I've really been enjoying this extra time with my son and was shaking my head at myself that I ever worried about the time. Now I'm sitting here with him on my lap as he's telling me "Your name is Jennifer pee pee swift and how come you have such a weird middle name (I don't) and why does that bug want to come in the window, etc. etc..."

At a Cinco de Mayo Birthday party

If you offered to take him from me right now I'd maybe even consider the offer for a millisecond. Boys have this innate ability drive you crazy. It's honed at a young age. They apprentice with their fathers. I'm just saying...

But I am glad that I get to be here to be annoyed. I'm glad that as a stay at home mom I have the luxury of just having him around. Even if it means totally annoying and distracting behavior, it also means trips to the zoo, unexpectedly deep conversations in the car, playdates that turn out to be as much fun for me as for him, laughing over lunch, and all the other little things that get spread out over the days.

Time Flying

SO although I've been totally lax on this blog as of late, I think that the places I have been spending my time, here at home, and with my family- are more important so I'm not going to sweat it. I know that many of you are moms with kids on summer break as well and I guess I thought I'd pop on today to tell you not to sweat it either. These are times that don't last forever.... although at the moment you might, like me, be throwing a big "AMEN" to the end of that sentence. :) Hold in there -and enjoy the summer!

At our first outdoor music concert as a family- FUN!

Bathroom Makeover

2011-06-15T16:33:00.001-05:00

Before View from hall

Don't you just LOVE before and after's? I know I am a complete sucker for them. Each time I see a fabulous "after" posted somewhere I'm paging back for the "before" hoping it's really really awful. The more dramatic the better. I was always a sucker for makeover movies too. The one's where the girl starts out clumsy, or a little backwards looking and ends up a total bombshell. slight.

After View from hall

The funny thing is that although I'm beyond the need for a personal makeover reveal I do still LOVE the before and after's of home remodeling. Trolling through sites I found the Ugly Houses website and wow do I have to say I am GLAD GLAD GLAD we hired some professionals to help us with our bathroom remodel. My husband had contemplated doing it himself but just the idea of ripping out and replacing our cast iron tub made him doublethink and look for help. The guys that did the remodel have been absolutely a godsent blessing. SO if you live in this area and ever want a referral just let me know. :)

I've mentioned before that we live in a 1980's split level house and the bathroom is one of those that has the two doors, one from the master bedroom and one from the hall. It's a small space and the floor plan was pretty set because of the space/plumbing etc. So we did what we could, we pulled out the tub and replaced it with a deeper whirlpool tub that fit the same spot. Another huge change is the pocket door that replaced the door to the master bedroom. Because we took out that door we now have a usable wall space next to the tub that holds our towels. Before the towel rack was over the toilet and the bath towels would fall down over the toilet top. Ick. There was no place for hand towels.


Icky carpeting

Lovely New Tile

We replaced the icky molding tile in the shower area with travertine we got on sale at our local tile shop. We replaced the mdf vanity that had a fake marble top with a nice new wood one with a travertine top. The wall mirror is gone and a wall mounted medicine chest is in it's place, and the hollywood glamour lighting fixture's been replaced as well. It's all new and it's all lovely and I love love love how it turned out. The biggest change though has to be the floor. I HATED the icky brown carpeting on the floor and the new travertine tiles are a HUGE improvement. So I am a happy happy girl. I hope you enjoy the little tour. :)


The new vanity area

Tile close up :)

Product Comparison: Easy Carve Printing Blocks

2011-06-06T16:46:00.001-05:00

Recently, I was at the Dick Blick store in my area and they had a make and take using hand carved stamps. There was a little demo about how to carve and then they let you print using some stamps they made. I was curious because I saw three different easy cut blocks. There was a pink, a grey, and the standard cream block that I've used in the past. When I first started block printing, there were only the linoleum or wood blocks available. You had to heat up the linoleum in order to make it a little softer and safer for cutting. But it cooled quickly and the smell of the heated linoleum was a little overwhelming. So when the EZ cut blocks came on the scene I began using those. They weren't as hard to work with as the linoleum and I loved how I could cut the block to any size. However, it has it's limitations. For instance, when you carve with it it gets all crumbly and it's almost impossible to get much detail because of this tendency to crumble. It also deteriorates with frequent handling. I've thought of trying to coat the backs of the blocks with a stiffener after carving, or mounting them on a block, but I'm lazy and usually just stuff them into a drawer once I've cut them and used them. Also, unlike the linoleum which was dangerous because it was SO hard to carve, it's maybe too easy to carve for safety's sake.

So I grabbed one of each type of easy cut block available and went home to give them a try. The grey was very rubbery and I wasn't a huge fan. It was down to the pink vs. the cream and here's the comparisons I made....

1) To begin a stamp I'll frequently sketch out my design on paper with a pencil and then press the paper on top of the block to transfer the design. I tried this technique with both blocks and didn't really see much of a difference. So far so good!

2) Next, on to the carving. I used the same basic design on each block. The pink block required more pressure when carving but I actually liked that. It was less likely to crumble and I was able to cut a lot more detail. You can see in the pic that the cream seems much more crumbly and the lines aren't nearly as good. When done carving the blocks I decided to use a scissors to cut away the excess block around the image on each block. They each cut just fine with the scissors.

3) On to printing! I used the same dye ink pad for each and stamped them side by side. They both seemed to print the same. The image on the right is much crisper but that's because of the carving and not the application or transfer of ink. They both rinsed off fine, although the cream did retain a bit of the ink color.

4) Durability testing came next. To do this I bent each stamp gently in half. Here's where I saw another big difference. The cream block split and cracked immediately, the pink was just fine. This would be especially important to me if I was carving an over sized image. In the past I've had a real problem with those larger stamps cracking after just a few uses.

The cream block was the E-Z-Cut by Dick Blick, the pink is the Speedy-Carve by Speedball. Both are available from Dick Blick. The Speedy Carve was priced at about $20 for a 9" x 12", the E-Z-Cut is about $17 for the same size. Each block was also available in store in a variety of sizes.

Hope you found this interesting! Happy Carving!!!

p.s: I do have tutorials for carving stamps available- just check under the tutorials tab at the top of the page- Thanks!!!

All in a Week's Time....

2011-05-31T11:48:00.002-05:00

Newly Released!!

It's been busy around here and in the last week I've...
-Taught a class on my wire flowers at the Studio at Rush Creek (and LOVED meeting the lovely ladies who attended!!!)
-Sighed with anticipation when my advance copy of Sew Somerset came (lots and lots of goodness in there)

-Attended the end of the year picnic at my son's school
-Gone to the hardware stores more times then I'd like (ok that's a lie I really like going to the hardware store but don't tell my husband... ;)
-Painted lots and lots of beautiful trim white
-Polyurethaned a door (never done that so it made the list.)
-Started Christy Tomlinson's new e-course, She Had Three Hearts (love it!)
-Raided the craft shelf at my local library
-Painted my newly remodeled bathroom- it's almost finished!
-Took a bath in my lovely new tub
-Wrote an article for CPS gifts issue
-Sent in proposals for a couple of magazines (although that might have been the week before-can't remember)
-Brainstormed ideas for the Sew Somerset deadline coming up in July (thought it was in June so I got an early start)

at the zoo

-Watched Tron and Tron 2 with my husband (better then I expected)
-Completely enjoyed my son's reaction to the new Kung Fu Panda 2 (he vibrated all the way into the theatre, through the movie, and all the way home- it was THAT good)
-Went to the Minnesota Zoo and saw the sea otters
-AND got to start reading through my new book, Plaster Studio by Stephanie Lee + Judy Wise (completely lovin' it!)

New book!

*Those were the highlights and what I really really love is that this is a typical week for me. I don't get new books or magazines all the time but I really love how my life is such a mix of home and art.

The things that really make life good though are the little things, the comments you leave me, the new recipe I tried, the time spent with my son and husband, the fabulous new idea that hit in the middle of the night, and the texts I get during the day from my friends just wondering what I'm up to. It's all so good and I am really so so grateful to be living this life. Right now. Thank you all for being part of what makes it so good. I really really appreciate it. :)

So what have you been up to? Found any cool new art technique? Gone somewhere new? Found something old you just loved? Picked up a killer new book or magazine? I'd love to hear from you- so please leave a comment so that we can know what you've been up to. Thanks!

In Search of the Artistic Home

2011-05-25T09:39:00.000-05:00

The last couple of days I've spent painting. You see it's the last week my 6 year old has school and I just had to get a project finished up. There's no artistic expression involved in this marathon session, alas, instead I'm trying to finish painting our newly remodeled bathroom, and all the trim for the upstairs of our house so that the remodelers can come back and finish up . I've think I've mentioned before how challenging my house is to me. I told someone years ago that my idea of good interior design is a house that hugs you when you enter it. Which means to me that it's got a warm color palette to envelop you, a mix of high and low ceilings where appropriate, (but not too high), big open windows, furniture you can sink right into, natural elements, and artistic personality. I've been working towards this ideal home for about 10 years now. This is our first home and we've only recently had the funds to fix it up much. Which I have to say, feels phenomenal. It is still just an '80's split level, but it's starting to reflect my aesthetic a LOT more. We have wood floors all over the house now, we put in big white windows, the rooms are all painted in natural colors, with lots of creams and browns. There's a real mix of woods which I like. And slowly but surely we're adding furniture I love. I have of course, got wire and fabric art ALL over the place, but I have a good selection of paintings and photographs too.

A lot of what is making me feel better about the house though, is the little things. For instance, a couple of weeks ago was my birthday and my mom and grandma bought me some Fiesta Ware. It's the boomerang effect. You like what's new and different from your usual. I used to love the white I got for my wedding, but they do lose something when they're chipped, scratched, and 12 years old. The new dishes are bright, pretty, and make me happy to set the table.

I've also got art everywhere and I really really love that. It's not all my art either, I have a print by Erin Leigh of etsy in my kitchen that was a Christmas present this year (love it!), a she art painting that my mom did (it's the cute mom and daughter one), and my fly decal from Single Stone Studios over the entry that always makes me happy to see it. There are the wooden screens I made for either side of the entry door, and pillows by Katie Benson on my couch. It's all accumulated over the years- a purchase here, a gift there. :) And slowly... slowly... the house is starting to come together. As soon as the bathroom is done I'll show you guys the before and after and I guarantee it'll be a shocker. Just to forewarn you- we still had icky brown shag carpeting on the bathroom floor before this remodel. Of course, there wasn't much shag left to it after 20 + years, but you get the drift. BIG changes. Which reminds me, I should probably wrap this up, and go finish that trim. :)

Have a great day!!!!

Resources and Tips for Publishing Your Art

2011-05-20T14:35:00.000-05:00

From talking with some of you, and others, I know that publishing your art is a goal. How to achieve that goal is a topic that usually comes with a lot of questions. So yesterday I began compiling some info that I've found to be helpful and have posted them as a page here at Art as Usual (look up and under the blog header you'll see it). This is a total work in progress, and I plan to add more info and links as I can. But I think I have enough info here to get you started if this is, in fact, a dream of yours. So take a look, and know that you can be published.

I'm off now to finish up some prep for my Author Night tonight over at the Studio at Rush Creek. I'm hoping to see some of you who are local, there. I think it'll be fun and am excited to be spending time with some other crafty guys and girls.I hope that you too, whatever your plans are, have a fabulous evening tonight. :)

Where Did Your Artist Go?

2011-05-18T12:55:00.000-05:00

I used to teach art to elementary students. It was fascinating to watch the sheer abandon the younger children had as they fearlessly smeared paint across paper, mixing colors, obscuring the white. They painted for the joy of it, and because they wanted to feel it, to see it, and to find out what happens. Art for them was an experience to be enjoyed. I noticed though that as I moved up in the grades, teaching older and older children that they learned to be self critical fairly quickly. Art became a skill to be learned and those who could draw or paint were the only one's who still enjoyed it and really it's questionable how much they even enjoyed it. I'd hear even the most gifted students talking disparagingly about their work. They didn't get the hands right, or the perspective, or the color. Often teachers who were teaching art like any other subject would judge the art critically with the idea that they needed to assign a grade. Without being artists themselves they judged as best they could on the technical things. Does it look right? Did the students use the "right" colors, did they show a proficiency? These things became the criteria for "good art".

When I teach I try to encourage my students not to judge their work. I try to show the difference between a self critique, where you look at your work and propose to yourself what you might do different, or how you could have solved such and such a problem, and a self criticism where you basically tell yourself that what you did is wrong or bad. The second is the trap I think we all get stuck in, as we begin to compare what we did to what we see as ideal and if it fails to measure we take that as an internal blow to our very selves. We judge ourselves on our ability, our work, and how we measure up to others.

Is it any wonder that so many drop art as an interest as they get older? Academia very squarely puts art in the "elective" category, and as something that isn't as important as other classes. Looking down the road, the career of the artist is murky, the road unclear. This contrasts drastically with other possible careers that have a clear path delineated as well as a projected salary scale. That murkiness gets worse when we believe we have to have "talent" as well as skill. Talent is not quantifiable, it's something we feel we need to be labeled by others with. To label ourselves as talented is simply not done. So we need skill, we need talent, we need a career path, the list of things we think artists must have is long. It gets longer when we add things out of fear, like an artist needs to sell their work, an artist needs to be obsessed, or we'll even decide that a true artist spirit is a touch crazy or unstable. The perception of the starving artist makes this uncertainty worse. What is your list? What do you believe an artist is? How would you describe one?

It's not a pretty picture. Yet so many of us hit our twenties, or thirties, or fifties, with a desire deep within us to be an artist. It's a dream that doesn't die although we try to satisfy it with a career in design or decor or education. It's just not the same and we feel that difference. We sometimes ache with it. But by now we have more perceived strikes against us. We may be busy with a family that requires us to sacrifice our time and desires, we may have debt that we feel ties us to a job that gives us the ability to pay it, we may have a lucrative career we spent years carving for ourselves that we just can't see walking away from. We may have a job that allows us to help others and it's hard to find value in something that we feel only helps ourselves. The list again is long and overwhelming. Yet that desire doesn't die. We become frustrated, crabby, twisted or resentful as the older we grow the more aware we are of time, and how we spend it or don't.

And we're fearful. So fearful of wasting our or others time or money on our dream. If it weren't for that inborn desire I don't believe there were would be any artists out there at all. It propels us against our good sense to take that online course, to browse the art section of the library and come home with a stack of books to work from, to find the blogs of other creatives, to walk into the art or fabric store and stay even if it's uncomfortable. To spend our small amounts of time creating and our small amount of play money on supplies. Because for every little bit we make, we discover that we were wrong. We can do it, we can make something and that act of creating is an act of self discovery that awakes and exhilarates us. We look at the evidence, that something we created and try to realize that this really did come from inside us. We're amazed because we still weren't sure if we could. That's the beginning. It starts with the desire to create and truly begins once we've taken the action to create.

But even then the fear can intensify and the self criticism returns even more forcibly. We wonder who we think we are to be doing this at our age, or without a background in art, or a degree. It seems audacious of us and that I think can make us feel ridiculous. But thankfully I think that internal desire and love for the act of creation rescues us. It's not something we can help, this want to make something, to pull something out from within us. We must do it. We become artists in spite of ourselves but are oh so careful to call ourselves something else, in case someone misunderstands. We claim to be a crafter, or a hobbyist, or someone who likes to dabble. It may take us fifty years or more til we can claim again, as we did as children, that we are artists. It's a seemingly sad story but if we concentrate on it as a journey I think we can be a little more understanding of ourselves. Because in a journey it doesn't necessarily matter how long it takes you to get someplace, just that you set out and that eventually you reached a place you want to be. Twenty, thirty, fifty years, it doesn't matter- you're there now. That matters and I believe our hearts recognize that. We become different people, who enjoy and encourage others. Who are excited and maybe a little obsessed. But that rightness and joy in creating is just so great that it assures us that this is what we were meant to do, this is what we need to do, and this is what we were made to do.

It's a horribly long blog post today, but sometimes I get a little possessed myself and find a message I want to share. So I hope that whoever it was that today's blog was meant for takes it to heart and feels encouraged in whatever stage of the journey they are at. You are doing just what you were meant to do- just believe it. :)

Author Night This Friday!!!

2011-05-16T12:04:00.000-05:00

This Friday, the 20th, I'll be featured at an Author Night at the Studio at Rush Creek in Maple Grove. It's a free event that I'm a little nervous about but a whole lot excited about too. The Studio is a fabulous venue and they were sweet enough to let me sculpt the night a bit to my idea of a good time. Which means a make and take, so that those who come can actually try their hand at stitching fabric to wire, an informal chat that's more about you and your questions then me or the book.

I LOVE to inspire and encourage others so this kind of night really appeals to me. I'm hoping to share some info about how to get published both in magazines and books, and how to find the road that's right for you. I'm bringing some of the projects from the book, so if you'd like to take a closer look, or having any questions about the projects you can ask. I'll also be selling/signing my book, so if you'd like a copy then you can get one then. But I didn't want this to be about that, so although the book will be available, the evening is about so much more. I would like people to walk away feeling excited and encouraged to try something new and maybe stretch their own creative wings. There will be coffee too, as the Studio is a full service coffee bar as well as a artisan boutique and studio space that makes you feel inspired just being there.

So if you're local, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see you there! It's from 7- 8:30, come for as long as you can, and enjoy this fun, crafty, and hopefully marvelously inspiring event. You can find out all the particulars here. THANKS!!!!!

Paint Scrapings

2011-05-10T09:42:00.000-05:00

It was one of those EUREKA moments the other day. I have a couple of craft mats that I just LOVE and use all the time as palettes when I'm painting or gluing. I tend to use them and then let the paint dry on the surface so after a while it builds up to a point where I start to think I should scrape some off, but then end up just flipping it over and using the other side. Super lazy, I know, but the craft mat tends to bring that out in me. I mean it's just SO EASY. When done, I roll it up and stick it in an old spaghetti jar I have on my desk and voila I've cleaned up.

But every once in a while, I decide to take a plastic scraper thing or old credit card thingy and scrape off all that old paint. A few days ago, with both of my mats filled, on both sides with paint, I decided it was time and I got to work. The scrapings looked so pretty though that I kind of hated to throw them away. So I scraped away until I had a nice big pile and then... my eyes fell upon an empty spice jar I had just sitting there next to the sink. So I tossed in the scrapings and don't they look just pretty? I haven't played with them yet but I don't see why I couldn't use them like I would glitter or flocking or something else that you would sprinkle on and I'm thinking that might be a pretty artsy look.

I'll give that a shot as soon as I'm done getting a few submissions done. Next week is the deadline for both a Jewelry Affaire and Haute Handbags as well as a submission I'm doing for Cloth Paper Scissors gift issue. I'm rushing to get those finished and mailed and then we'll see what these little flakes can do. Fun!!!

I'm curious though, what have you used as art supplies that isn't the norm? Have you ever tried burnt wood to draw with, or used clay from the bottom of a lake to sculpt with? I'd love to know something YOU'VE discovered. Thanks for sharing!!!

The Happy Return of Spring!

2011-05-09T13:02:00.001-05:00

Ultra Important: I want to thank you ALL for your super sweet and encouraging comments these last few weeks. I've reread them time and again for encouragement and thank you all from the bottom of my <3.

Now....I am so glad to announce to you that over the weekend I think spring has officially made her return to our area of Minnesota. It's been a season of a lot of false hopes only to be dashed by snowfalls in May. But today as I glanced out the kitchen window at the back yard I realized we needed to mow the lawn. YES! Of course, mowing is this huge pain in my husbands neck all summer lawn but that means spring has finally decided to stick around a while now. YAY!

Now for an update: It's been a complete whirlwind around here lately and due to some issues with the computer, my allergies, and a bathroom remodel here at the house we've been living day to day for the last few weeks. I do have some pretty fun stuff coming up here on the blog though- some product comparisons, some new art, some fun tutorials. So soon, very soon it'll be back to art as usual around here.

(ha ha I just reread and realized I mispelled long- lawn) oops! gonna keep it. :)

Hope you're having a super fabulous spring and are all super super productive. Have a great day and see you soon!

Wrapping Up the Jeans Challenge

2011-05-03T10:13:00.001-05:00

One Pair of old painting jeans can mean nine or more new denim accessories. Who knew? Here's what I've got:

1. a funky denim headscarf (part of one pant leg)
2. a stitched denim cuff (part of another pant leg and a back pocket button)
3. a cute little flower ring (from little scraps)
4. a sassy little purse with rolled denim flowers (back pocket, leg, waist band and button)
5. a funky and chunky chain necklace (inseam of pants legs plus leg fabric)
6. a rolled denim brooch (other back pocket material)
7. a sweet little rolled denim flower barrette (scraps again)
8.& 9. AND a little inspiration bag plus notebook (front right pocket, fabric from front of leg, inseam of leg, and zipper fly of jeans

There's still a bit of material left but inspiration hasn't struck so I'm calling that a maybe addendum for the future. Right now, after a couple of weeks staring at the same fabric I'm ready for a change. Here are some more pics of the inspiration bag I just finished up. It was a total hodge podge of pieces and really would've made a really confusing tutorial. So I opted to show you some pics of the finished bag instead. The notebook was created from a small mini with cover removed. Then I glue sticked on some of the jeans fabric. The holes at the top were punched with the crop-a-dile. I stitched the flower on through the paper backing. It's pretty cute. :) Note what a fabulous closure the zipper fly of the jeans made for the main compartment of the little bag. I really like how that turned out. It's the perfect size for a phone, a small wallet, whatever. In the back pocket I've got my coupons I always forget, a place to put the business cards I also seem to forget/or a small glue stick. Perfect! It has been a GREAT challenge and I hope that it's given you some ideas and shown you what a really old pair of jeans is still capable of. Enjoy the pics!

In the Meantime...

2011-04-29T14:27:00.002-05:00

All moms know that you try to make the absolute most out of every single moment of the day. With so many "to-do's" that are just part of the job, the "want-to's" get relegated to those snatches of "meantimes". You know what I mean right? While waiting on the phone you_____ ,while eating your lunch you_____ ,while cooking supper you______. The blanks get filled in with bits like cut out words for your paintings. Or wrote a quick blogpost, or checked fb, or threw another coat of modge podge or paint on whatever project you're working on, or desperately hunt for your son's overdue library books. It's all part of the job. If you can do several things at once you feel like you've accomplished something. If you actually slow down enough to do one thing at a time you probably feel like you're wasting time or not accomplishing what you need to. Maybe it's not just a mom thing, but I know that I recognized myself doing it more once I became a mom.
So today, while eating a late lunch and in the hopes of posting this before I have to pick up my son in half an hour, I thought I'd show you some of the things I've cobbled together during my "meantimes" this week.

New Mixed Media


New Brooch STILL from that pair of old jeans :)


Have a GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE and THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SWEET SWEET COMMENTS this week!!!!!! You're all so amazing and I appreciate you!!! (Phew- 3 minutes to spare!)

The COVER!!! My Cloth Paper Scissors Debut!

2011-04-27T09:10:00.001-05:00

So I was going to wait to tell you about the article I have in the May/June issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine until I actually had it in my hand.

But I then I had a conversation via texting that changed that. Here it is:

My super amazing friend: Have you seen the new CPS?
Me: Nope. Am I in it? (I was hoping they hadn't cut my article) :)
My friend: You're on the COVER. I'll see if I can send you pics.
Me: NO WAY!!!!!!!
My friend: Yes!!!!!!!

I actually shouted a "YES" then and threw my arms in the air, which really confused my mom, who I was sitting at lunch with. So I got to tell her right away and she of course being my mom, wanted to go straight to the nearest retailer to pick up a copy. It is the MAY issue though so it should hit the newstands soon. I can't wait!!! The article is about taking your art journaling 3d- and creating mixed media art with the actual journal entries. It's the first I've written for CPS and I loved working with them- I'd highly recommend it. :) The video I posted last week on Youtube is actually a companion piece to the article so after you've had a chance to check out the article, head on over to youtube and you'll see what I mean.

Thanks for sharing the moment with me and I would love to have you take a look at my article. Yay!!!

How to get published at Stampington, All about Copyright, and what to put in your Book Proposal- Plus a free E-Book all about Wire!!!

2011-04-19T16:01:00.002-05:00

I know I've mentioned Create Mixed Media to you before- it's that fabulous new website where you can learn all about the cool art mediums you've wondered about, or the artists you're curious about, or the techniques you'd like to see demonstrated I've really been enjoying it the last few months. It also has some really interesting things to say about different mixed media related topics. Recently, this article by Stampington's Editor-in-chief, Christen
Oliverez caught my eye. She wrote about the sort of things that an artist can do to catch an editor's eye when submitting artwork for publication. I'm always interested in what the publisher has to say about this sort of thing because I only experience the submission process from the position of submittee (?word). I also enjoyed getting Tonia Davenport's article about preparing a book proposal. Both of these would have been extremely valuable to me when I was first starting out and wondering how on earth to do both of those very things. In the end, I just googled both magazine proposal and book proposal before I sent my first efforts in each area out into the world. Now, having gone through the experience of submitting a book proposal, and submitting art to magazines, I read what the experts say and honestly shake my head that my poor attempts were ever given a second glance. It was definitely a God thing because it was definitely NOT a me thing, if you know what I mean. :)

Another interesting series of articles on the site were written by the fabulous Rice Freeman Zachary about copyrights. It's an area I've become increasingly interested in and increasingly confused by. What can you use? Can't you use anything that's an art material? Isn't that the purpose of people creating art materials? What kind of credit do you need to give for what materials? Honestly, it's a headache I think many of us avoid by either looking the other way, or erring on the side of caution and refusing to use anything that was artist designed. I hate to admit that although I feel like you should be able to use things I'm increasingly avoiding artist designed supplies in the work I intend to sell.

One final super cool thing about the site- they are now offering a new e-book for free. The first e-book was titled Stitched Up and contained projects that involved stitching. Their second e-book has now debuted and is titled Wired Up and contains the Scribble Heart Project from my book, Creative Bloom. How cool is that? SO if any of these little bits of topics interest you- and how can they not- head on over to Create Mixed Media today!!!

Easter Craft Tutorials

2011-04-18T20:25:00.002-05:00

Last year my little boy and I made this cute little Easter tree, we painted eggs to hang from it, and made little orange felt carrots to hang from it's branches. This year, I hate to even admit how clueless I've been to the days of the week let alone marking upcoming holidays. They've all rather sneaked up on me, so today, with my little boy home sick, we decided to do a little last minute holiday decorating. The tree looks cute so I thought I'd repost the tutorials for both it and the little carrots- just as a way to mark the season with you too. Happy Almost Easter Everyone!!!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Easter Tree
Tools and Materials
a container
a block of styrofoam to fit container
3-5 branches (I used birch)
5-8 silk flower heads (mine were pulled off a stem of hydrangea)
Silk leaves (I cut them from the hydrangea stem)
Raffia or moss (optional)
Hot glue

Directions
1. Cut your styrofoam to fit your container. I used an empty paint can for my container and to judge how much foam to trim I pressed my foam onto the opening, thus getting an imprint that showed me right where to cut. Just a little trick. :) Using the hot glue, apply glue to the bottom of your foam and then place in container.

2. Insert your branches by pushing end into foam. If you'd like to add hot glue to the ends you can, it really secures them nicely. I don't because I like to be able to rearrange the branches if needed to get their placement just right. :)

3. Either insert wire ends of silk leaves into foam, or glue them into place with hot glue. Use the raffia or moss to cover any foam that might be still showing.

4. Pull the florets off a silk hydrangea and use the hot glue to stick to branches. To cover the glue and help secure the flower head I either pressed a second flower to back of first, or would wrap one of the petals around the branch to the back and use to cover glue. Do this right away while the glue is still warm.

Add any decorations you have (or make the stitched carrots from last post) and display somewhere you'll be able to soak up it's spring beauty- I have mine displayed as a centerpiece on my dining room table with a little nest and some daffodils. It's an oh-so-easy springtime vignette!

Stitched Felt Carrots
Tools & Materials
1- 8 1/2" x 11 sheet orange felt
1- 8 1/2" x 11 sheet light green
1 -8 1/2" x 11 sheet true green felt
Orange embroidery floss
Green embrodiery floss
Chenille needle, size 18
Scissors
Tip* Threading your needle with floss before you begin steps 1 and 4 makes the step easier.

Directions
1. Cut a triangle from the orange felt and a couple of strips from the 2 pieces of green felt (as shown above). Roll the triangle and then using a threaded needle and orange floss, pierce the bottom point of the triangle. Whip stitch once around point and then straight stitch along length of carrot.

2. Pinch the top of the carrot together to create gather and then stitch through folds several times to secure. Knot thread and clip.

3. Trim the top of your carrot flat. Be careful not to cut through your stitches.

4. Fold each of the green felt strips in half to form loop and hold together. Then bend up ends around the center loops. Using a threaded needle (green floss), stitch through the bottom of this gather several times, from multiple sides so that you can be sure it will keep desired shape.

5. Without cutting your thread, use needle to stitch green felt to top of the carrot. Stitch up and through green felt and then down and through orange felt from all sides until securely attached.

6. Using your scissors, you may cut into the ends and loops lengthwise to create multiple strips.This step is optional but I think it looks more like a carrot top if you do it. Be sure not to cut through your stitches however. Use one of the top loops to hang or stitch a loop of embroidery floss to create loop for hanging.

All the Goodness

2011-04-15T09:44:00.000-05:00

Spring has sprung here, although rather reluctantly. It's grey here today but as I look out my window I can see green. That in itself feels amazing. After months and months of the biggest snow year we've had since I was a kid it feels a little unsettling to drive around a corner yet without inching out because you can't see around the huge piles of snow. Our driveway seems twice as wide as it did, and the best thing? When I look up from writing this I can see daffodils blooming and I know that in the front yard my forsythia bush is starting to bloom. That seems so good to me. So today I thought I'd share some more of the goodness I've found these last few days-

First, I have to let you know about the super sweet and really well written review of my book published by Hanna of ihanna. She is an amazing blogger and does fabulous book reviews, I sent her one of my books a little while ago hoping she'd take a look and I was so excited to see her review of it. While you're over at her blog check out some of her projects and her etsy shop. I love everything she does and feel so grateful that she took the time to read through my book and write such an amazing review. THANK YOU Hanna!!!!

More goodness-

After a couple of weeks of thinking about it my husband surprised me this week by telling me to go get an ipad2 for an early anniversary present. It is a family ipad and I had to laugh because when they were setting it up at the store the apple guy asked if I knew anything about it. I told him my husband had me watch Steve Jobs' keynote about it a few weeks earlier. "The WHOLE keynote?" he said. I said "yup- all two hours" and apparently that was more then a sufficient introduction because he didn't have anything more to tell me. It's our first ipad and it's been super fun discovering apps like flipboard that let me peruse sites, facebook status's, and blogs in a magazine format. Above you can see what my birdfromawire facebook site looks like on it. Super cool! I'm really excited to play around with imovie and some of the other photography and video apps. I'll keep you updated on what I find. Lots of goodness there.

Finally, I'm just feeling so grateful for you. You are some of the best goodness in my life and I love getting your comments. It completely makes this blog worthwhile when I read that a post really connected with your life in some way. Thank you SO SO MUCH!!!

Continuing to Find My Way

2011-04-13T20:41:00.004-05:00

Some time ago I talked a bit about the book, A Savvy Crafter's Guide to Success by Sandra McCall, and how it started me thinking about the different tracks/roads an artist can choose. I was trying to decide if I should accept some proposals to put my art into some local stores or if I should try to concentrate on etsy, the blog, submitting to magazines, etc. What I wanted was a sign of sorts. Something that would help me clarify my direction. As a stay at home mom my time is still fairly limited and I've learned I can't spread myself too thin. I needed to make some choices.

It's funny but not long after writing that post my husband did my taxes. He hates doing my taxes. It's only because he likes me - a lot - that he will do this for me. I could try to do them myself but honestly, that's not something that's even remotely close to any skill set that I possess. So after an apparently grueling day of tax work he came to me and said "Please, can you not sell anywhere but online this year?" I guess it really gums up the process to have multiple shops and art fairs to account for. Plus, I have some income generated from writing, and now the book royalties so my once not so hard taxes are getting pretty laborious to sort out.

I feel for him. He was doing it on a volunteer basis, after all. And I thought this might be the sign I'd been looking for. The one that led in an actual direction. So I thought that this year I'll try it.This year I'll concentrate on my art, my writing and submitting to magazines, and on developing my online presence. And then suddenly, it seemed so much simpler to be me. With this one decision I took all the directions I'd felt pulled in and cut out half of them. By saying, "not now" to some roads I wasn't saying "not ever", and I was freeing myself up to put some concentrated energy into other projects.

What other projects you may ask?

I can't tell yet. But I'm super excited to have somethings to show you soon. And I figure, if I'm super excited than I might have made the right choice. What do you think?

Learn Something New

2011-04-11T13:22:00.002-05:00

Videos are one of those sometime things I've been putting off for some time. I've been wanting to do some tutorials for you all for a while now, just because I think it's easier to learn by seeing sometimes then it is by reading a step by step. But every time I attempt to shoot one something goes wrong and I just don't know enough to know how to fix it. So the promise went "when I get that new ipad THEN I'll figure out imovie and THEN I'll start doing videos for the blog." Yeah. So that just kept on not happening. First, it was harder to get my hands on an ipad 2 then I thought. Then, shooting the video seemed to take two people and making time for it in both my husband and my schedules seemed impossible. I tried to get my 6 year old to be the cameraman once but that REALLY didn't work. Although I have to admit the end result was pretty hilarious. THEN, i couldn't figure out the video software. Sigh.

None of this would matter, but I'd already promised the video to someone. Yup, I was THAT dumb. So today I decided was going to be the day and this morning I rubber banded my iphone to the end of my paper towel holder which I put into a bowl that was atop of a little plant stand on my table- to create a make shift tripod. Then did about 10 takes trying to get it all right in just one take. Some were ok but too long. Some were ok but I'd stumble over my words too much. Or I'd drop something, or else lose my train of thought and repeat myself. Yikes! BUT I'm happy to say that after all those tries, I think I've finally got it right. It's only a little over 5 min. long, and there aren't any "umm's" so I'm calling it a winner. I'll keep working at this video thing though and hope to get you some snazzy looking one's soon. In the meantime... Here it is- My Youtube debut. ENJOY!

Spring Fling

2011-04-05T20:59:00.001-05:00

So I had a fling with spring today. It was warmer then it's been yet (mid 50's= t-shirt weather here) and I spent a little bit of time outside. The tulips are starting to poke out of the ground and the trees have buds. Spring is truly on it's way. At LAST!!! So to urge it on a little I decided to make a couple of spring-y pieces of wire wall art for my etsy shop. I just listed two of the items, the third is still in the works.

Here they are- a flower,

and a little bitty bird on a branch- So Sweet!

Happy Spring Everyone!!!

Simple Jeanius #5- " Waist not... Pocket Purse"

2011-04-04T15:46:00.013-05:00

Back again today with the fifth tutorial in this upcycle your old jeans challenge. Who would've believed so much blog material could be found in a single pair of old jeans. :) So far I've got a cute little headscarf, a funky fabric cuff, a super cute little denim ring, a chunky yet comfy necklace and now this... a little pocket purse. The jeans into a purse concept is something I've seen before so I actually wasn't going to do it unless I felt I could put my own spin onto it. I think I've done that with this little purse. First, it's smaller then the other purses I've seen, as it uses only the right back side of the jeans. Second, I cut off the waist band to reuse it as the purse strap. Again, because of the parameters of the challenge I set myself, I've tried to stick to only using what I could find on that one pair of jeans. The jeans by the way are getting pretty bedraggled. I thought I'd show you what they look like now. Still there's some good material there yet so I'll have to start thinking up my next couple of projects. But for now, I give you.....

All that's left of the original pants :)

The "Waist not... Pocket Purse"
Tools and Materials
Pair of old jeans (specifically back pocket with leg fabric, and waist band)
2" x 2" square of fabric with brass button attached (preferably from waist)
Embroidery floss in dark blue
Needle
Scissors

Optional:
Red Staz-on ink
Stamp

Step One: Cut off the waste band of your jeans and then cut off the belt loops. Set aside. Then, cut a rectangle that's approx. 8 1/2"wide x 12" long. Fabric piece should include the right back jeans pocket and back fabric of leg. (In the pic above you can see the left back pocket with leg fabric attached. I already used the right for this project when the pic was taken.) You will need to trim the fabric into a more regular rectangle shape. Fold the fabric in half length wise and then using an iron, press a seam all around the edge of the fabric.

Step Two: Then, cut a second piece of fabric that is approx. the same width but only 8" in length. Position fabric, facing up, inside purse as backing as shown. Fold over seam at top back of bag and slide fabric beneath. Using needle and thread stitch through fabric tacking edge down.

Step Three: Using a needle threaded with embroidery floss, back stitch the left and right edges of the purse shut. Beginning at the top of each side.

Step Four: Place the end of the waist band that does not have the button hole beneath the top fabric on the far right side of the purse and stitch to top fabric.

Step Five: Place the fabric square that has the button still attached on the far left side of the front of the purse and stitch around edge to secure. Then slip buttonhole end of the waist band over the button to secure strap.

******************************************************************

Optional: I added decoration to my purse in two ways. First, I stamped the fabric with Staz-on ink and one of my hand cut stamps before I began the purse. Second, I added little jean rosettes and stitched leaves to the right side of the purse. Again, these two steps are purely optional, I just thought they'd be fun to try and might look cute. Feel free to add embroidery, or other stamped images or to applique to your purse. Just have fun!!!

Simple Jeanius #4- Bloomin' Sweet DenimRing

2011-04-01T12:20:00.001-05:00

I have this little ring. It's cute and sweet and so so comfy to wear and I love it. :) This ring builds off of two previous tutorials, the necklace and the cuff. In the necklace tutorial I demo'd how to make a ring out of a piece of inseam. The cuff tutorial shows you how to cut the little flower shapes out of the denim jean fabric. This ring tutorial is sort of a mini tutorial because it really doesn't take much time or many steps to put one of these together. Especially if you already have the ring and fabric flowers cut. I'm going to post a sneak peek of next week's bag project at the bottom of this post. Have a great weekend and why not take a couple of minutes to sit back, grab some coffee, and enjoy the tutorial!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bloomin' Sweet Flower Jeans Ring- Tutorial
Tools and Materials
Ring form made from inseam of a pair of old jeans
Flower shapes cut from a piece of old jean denim
Red bead or button
Embroidery floss in dark blue
Needle and Scissors

Step One: Following the steps in Tutorial #3- denim necklace, cut a thin piece of stitched inseam from a pair of jeans and fitting it around your finger for size, stitch closed.

Step Two: Time to layer the blooms. For more dimension I cut a super small square little piece of inseam from my old jeans and placed this between the two blooms I had cut out previously.

Step Three: Using a needle and thread knotted on one end I stitched up from the back of my little stack, through the layers and then back on down. Repeat a couple of times and then add the little bead or button on top and stitch through that and back down.

Step Four: Then placing the bloom where desired on top of ring (I put mine slightly off to the side of the ring's seam so the blooms didn't stick out quite as much), stitch through top of ring form and then back up and through the bottom layer of the bloom. Repeat a few times, slightly varying where you stitch through the bottom of the flower and where you stitch to the ring so that it's as
secure as possible. Then slip it on and enjoy!

---------------------------------------------------------------

And here's the little sneak peek I promised- coming soon as a tutorial ! Happy Weekend Everyone!!! :)

Simple Jeanius #3- Denim Delight Necklace Tutorial

2011-03-30T09:39:00.005-05:00

Everything goes with jeans, right? This denim necklace takes that a step further as not only does it go with anything but it really makes the outfit as well. Simple, artsy, and comfortable it really is a delight to wear. I love how it looks paired with my new denim cuff and a sweater vest. Again, super simple to make, I used only some embroidery floss and strips cut from my painter's jeans. After this project which uses much of the pant legs, I have to admit the jeans have started to look pretty worked over. Still, I've the fabric from one more pant leg, a couple of pockets, and a waste band left to play with, and this is where the challenge starts to get really interesting. :) Tomorrow- the cutest little denim ring EVER. Of course it's the only denim ring I've ever seen so I have to admit the competition isn't that stiff. Still- I'm sticking with it, because it is seriously the cutest denim ring EVER!

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Denim Delight Necklace Tutorial
Tools and Materials
Old pair of paint splattered and worn out jeans (boot cut)
2 skeins Embroidery floss in dark and light blues
Needle
Scissors

Step One: Cut along the inseam of one of the pant leg you should have left yet after the other tutorials. Cut as long as a strip as you can and trim as close to the seam as possible. Then cut this strip into pieces approx. 4 inches in length. I cut 10 strips to create the rings for my chain.

Step Two: Create a ring form from the strips by overlapping the ends just slightly and then stitching it closed with your dark blue embroidery floss by first piercing and then stitching around the edges of the two pieces. Once securely joined, set aside and repeat with all your loops.

Step Three: Next, from the front or back fabric of the jeans cut several strips approx. 3/4inch in width and as long as you can. Cut these strips down into pieces that are approx. 4 inches long. Make 12-14 of these. I made more of these then I did the strips that were cut from the inseam because I ran out of inseam. To make the necklace the length I wanted I stopped alternating the two different rings and added extra of these plain fabric strips from step three. The finished length of the necklace is up to you- mine is 34" in length.

Step Four: Knot the end of a piece of the light blue floss and starting at one end of a strip, straight stitch up the middle until you reach the end. Leave about 2-3 inches excess floss hanging. Repeat with all your fabric strips.

Step Five: Now you're ready to begin building your chain. To do this, pick up one of the fabric strips and thread two of the closed denim loops onto it. Then wrap up end up and around and use the excess floss stitch close your strip to form a ring as you did in step two with the inseam pieces. Repeat this step until you've run out of rings or strips, or until the necklace is the length you desire.

Step Six: For a closure you have a couple of options, you can simply connect the two ends to create a closed chain or you can use something else to join them, like a strip of ribbon. Because of the parameters I set originally for the challenge I decided to join the two ends with another strip of jean fabric.
************************************************
Tied together with this cute little bow it really does make a "oh so casually cool" sort of statement. Have you tried making fabric jewelry yet? It's so very very much fun and I hope I've inspired you with this little series of tutorials to look at your old jeans in a new light. Have a happy creating day and thanks for your time! :)

Simple Jeanius #2- Painters Jeans Cuff Tutorial

2011-03-29T12:06:00.003-05:00

Front of Cuff

Old Jeans + A New Challenge= A Fabulous Denim Cuff. Why old painting jeans? First, I love the feel of denim, but ESPECIALLY worn in denim. I also love the way the paint splatters or gets wiped onto the jeans, and thirdly, I just really really love that distressed faded look that a really worn pair of jeans gets. And because I'm a bit short, the bottoms of the pant legs get very very tattered looking from scraping the cement whenever I walk which really adds to that worn in look. :)

The Challenge part of the equation is to upcycle an old pair of painting jeans. Yesterday, I showed you the how-to for the head scarf I made and today I've got this cuff. As part of the challenge I've been limiting myself to just a few materials, as I attempt to reuse as much of the original jeans as possible. So far I've got the head scarf, this cuff, a necklace, a cute little ring, and a bag in the works. I hope you enjoy!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back of Cuff

Painters Jeans Denim Cuff Tutorial
Tools and Materials
Old pair of worn out painting jeans- preferably boot cut
embroidery floss in both light blue and denim
old shell button
scissors
needle

Step One: From the bottom of one of your pant's legs cut a strip that is approx.
8 inches in length and about 3 inches in height. (You might need a bit more if your wrist is a little large. A tip would be to wrap the fabric around your wrist before you cut it to length. Then make sure to tack on an extra inch so that you can fold under a half inch on either end.)

Step Two: From the inseam of your jeans cut a strip along the seam that is approx. the same length as the fabric in step one (approx. 8"). Cut close to the seam on one side but leave about a 1/2 inch fabric allowance on the other side of the strip. If desired feel free to fray this edge by pulling some of the threads out.

Step Three: Using the light blue floss stitch the small strip from step two to the raw edge of the larger strip from step one. Using a "x" stitch, stitch along the bottom edge of the top strip, overlapping the raw edge and the fabric beneath with your stitches (as shown in photo for Step Four) .

Step Four: At the right side of the cuff bend under about a 1/2 inch of the raw edge and stitch down for a nice edge finish. I used a straight stitch with my dark blue embroidery floss.

Step Five: Cut the button from the front fly of your jeans. Rather then cut out just the button, I cut a 1"x 1" square around the button. Then using the dark blue embroidery floss straight stitch this to the left edge of your cuff.

Step Six: Next cut a strip of fabric from your original jeans that is about 3/4" wide and about 3 1/2 inches in length. Fold fabric in half width wise and place it around the button you just stitched on, then pull around the other end of the cuff and decide how much of the loop you need to get the right fit around your wrist. Next cut the strip making sure to leave at least an extra 3/4" at each end to stitch to the right edge of your cuff. Now that you've sized it, fold it in half width wise (wrong sides together) once again and using your dark blue floss stitch the two raw edges together as shown.

Step Seven: Bend the stitched loop in half and place behind right edge of cuff. Stitch securely into place. Tip: I'd double check the placement of the loop at this point by once again wrapping it around the button and then holding it around my wrist, then I'd double check how much of the loop needs to protrude from the edge. My loop sticks out about 3/4" from the right edge.

Step Eight: The cuff looks great as is, but if you'd like you could add a flower to the center front of your cuff using scraps from the jeans. I free cut three sizes of flower heads, each progressively smaller then the first. The largest is approx. 2" in diameter and is an 8 petaled flower, the second has four petals and is about 1 3/4" in diameter, and the smallest also has four petals and is about 1 1/2" in diameter. For interest I slipped over the middle flower so that the wrong side of the fabric is showing. Then cut a small circle for the center of your bloom that is slightly larger then the button you selected.

Step Nine: Stack your blooms and button as desired, then using your embroidery floss, stitch through the center of the layers, up and through the button, and back down again. Repeat a couple of times. Knot securely on back side of bloom. I left about 3" of extra floss dangling from the back after I knotted and then used that floss to stitch the flower to the center of the cuff. Knot securely and you're DONE!!!

****************************************************

There you Go! From pant leg to wrist, making a huge style statement in the process. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and I hope you give it a try with a pair of your own worn jeans. Make sure you don't throw away any excess fabric though because next I've got the cutest necklace and ring to share with you. Love to see you come back for that! :)