Mum's the word...

It's almost here... Mother's Day in the UK- isn't the US on a different date? Much as I love my mum she can be a pain to gift! She's an accomplished seamstress, has everything she wants, and has been given countless portraits, cases, books and accessories made by me over the years... every year gets harder to find something that will fit her needs and taste... nevertheless, I still would rather make something personal than buy a bunch of flowers!

While at the Bluebird Market this Tuesday I took some aida to start working on... drew "Mum" on it and began working in cross stitch. Once I got going it opened up the possibilities to how I'd complete it... the rectangle could be framed and the square could be turned into a heart.

So today I finished them both...

The question is which one do I give her? 

I decided Saturday morning when I wrapped the heart... thought it the better piece... so what shall I do with the other?

So, who got a pressie today?

You did?  Lucky you! A thoughtful partner-hubby who had time to go shopping... give him a super big hug later.

If, like me, you don't really "do" Valentine's day ( preferring a 365 day affair)  and your hubby works so hard he doesn't get time to search out a special treat for you, here's a little message...

Mixed media on canvas-  The Rough and the Smooth of it...

 In the wider universe we are all unique and we are all loved! 

  You too!

And if you haven't got a hubby, then Woohoo! Go girl and have a spa day, lunch in bed,  mani-ped, whitewater-rafting... or anything that you want to treat yourself with... well, why not?

Just as a little sub-note... isn't it typical, a woman came into the studio asking to buy this canvas before Valentine's day, and even though it was reduced because I created it several years ago and wanted to clear out a few old paintings, I went to the studio today to find it had been stolen! I knew it was gone several days ago, but assumed the chap who looks comes in mostly had seen her a second time and taken the payment for it. No! Doesn't it make you seeth!  It was 1/3 of the original price, and still someone had to sneak around to steal it while no-one was looking, appalling. I hope her hubby enjoys it!

13 days to go...if you do Valentine's Day

  If you celebrate Valentine's Day, that is!  We don't at my house, but I still get caught up in the flow with everybody else's creative exploits in a red and hearty fashion...

  My very obliging friend Mary sent me some die cut hearts to show me what sizes were available for cutting grey board... and of course I had to do something hearty and romantic- not my strong point, so be gentle!

  Mary cut from corrugated board, so I thought I'd tissue and gesso it up to give it a bit of support and to add some texture. Using a technique that I've been playing with alot lately I added flowers, butterflies and sequins with gesso, and heated it to bubble it.

  Once it was suitably dried out I painted it up to give depth and shadow  and highlighted it with those gorgeous Golden irridescent acrylics- you can't see it in the pic, but when you twist the books they shimmer with 2 colours in places. 

  When my Cinch arrived I'd already bought a pair of wires but not used them, so I cut them down to use for these... not sure I've got the hang of the squashing yet... I was expecting grooves or something to show how to place the book/ wires so they folded correctly. I think I need to play more... or carry on with the coils that I have an abundance of.

  I spent this morning cutting pages and lightly inked the edges before punching  with my Big Bite. That's both new xmas toys being put to good use already, I'm sure they're going to get a serious workout over the year!

  So, thankyou Mary for your help, and the next lot winging their way to me... now I know which die to save up for.

Oh, and while I was distracted on another hearty woolly project I had theses sitting in latex so I can make some hanging plaques in plaster. It's all about developing... so you'll see them soon!

On a wing...

I spent today working in another international  Pass and Paint journal, courtesy of Willowing. It was Paula's, whose theme is "When she flies". I'd been thinking about what I was going to do for a while, and really wanted to do a folding pair of wings with tissue feathers, so yesterday I set about a heavy gesso layer with textural feathers across the page in preparation.

I collect those plastic boxes that mushrooms come in nowadays, and each one is dedicated to a project so all the materials are together in one place... until the project is completed. Anyway- I've had a box with the tissue and bits and bobs sitting accumulating for a couple of weeks now, but the final pieces were decided this morning after I used a die that I'd recently bought. 

I rarely work to a plan, but I might have a "want" for each project, knowing full well that once I get started it'll probably go out the window anyway...

I liked the idea of music as the base for the wings so I ripped and gessoed a pair, then stuck all the other elements I wanted to include. Once they were all in place they were gessoed again, then built up in pastel colours to give depth and movement. Once it was shaded to my satisfaction I added glass beads and pearlescent highlights.

Here's how it turned out.. before text

 

I really liked how the wings looked so I opted not to add fold-up wings, or tissue feathers... I wrote the text with a technical pen- I do wish I could learn how to do really nice text, it just doesn't come for me- calligraphy is one of those elusive techniques for me.

Here's the full piece...

 The photo doesn't show all the silvery highlights or reflective glass beads, but you get the idea... if you tilt it the light plays beautifully on all the textures and raised surfaces...

I hope Paula likes it.

Dreamy dreamcatching...

I did want to get some more sewing done this week, but as Xmas is looming and I want to be prepared, and the call of beads was getting too great, I decided to get busy with some of my dreamcatchers... Over the years I've made them in all sizes; for car mirrors, wedding decoration/presents, window decs, anniversary pressies and  decorations... but this year I thought I'd expand my Christmas collection a bit. I've got a fair selection of charms that I've not used yet... so that's what I'm using...

Wiccan; sun with opal, goldstone and beads

General; heart, jade,coral and beads

Wiccan; pentacle, amethyst and beads

Xmas; flake, tourminated quartz

Xmas; deer, amber and beads

I've listed a few on my shop on Etsy, already packaged up, but I also make commissions using requested gemstones, colours and charms, whatever your needs, just email to chat about it- no obligation!

COTTON AND COLLAGE continued...

Having spent several days creating tiny flowers and butterflies (see post below) I needed to complete my heart for July's Heart project

July's theme is transparency... working within a construct of acetate sheets. I had an idea a long time back at uni that I never found time for and this was a perfect opportunity to revive the idea.

I cut 3 pieces of acetate to match my other hearts... but I wanted a semi-opaque background so dug out some of the paper-fabric I created a while back.

 I sprayed that with clear gloss till it was saturated and semi-transparent then weighted it while it dried to the back layer of acetate. The idea was to ensure that some areas would remain clear and glassy.

The rest was fairly straight forward, I love nigella so painted that up in pearly paint. Once dried they were glued to the base layers. I inked July in the centre with pigment inks.

I also coloured the centres of the flowers and butterflies with my Promarkers. I blended some of them using surgical spirits. These were attached to the middle layer with gel medium, then sequins added in the centres.

I inked Sweet Summer onto this layer too. Next time I will use a darker ink... I wanted subtlety, but in handling these have smudged and all but disappeared. I think I need better inks...

Here it is completed... I gelled the edges together, punched holes in all around and did several rows of crochet to echo the flowers. All in all I'm quite pleased with it, but will be working out the ink issue... If I could redo it I would, but after all that crochet I'm not cutting it open!!

Thankyou Thealie for you prompt- it gave me the chance to revive old ideas and play with new ones at the same time. I've enjoyed this months challenge.

May's Heart Page

Well, I have been slack!! I made this 2 days after our prompt, but didn't really like it and wanted to work on it some more... but you know what- I've had a really negative month, not inspired, not focused and certainly not producing, so adding to it went right out the window. Oh well... it doesn't happen very often, I'm usually full on creative so perhaps I needed this lull.

So here it is... it didn't go so well- I redid the foil several times, and in the end I put modelling paste under it too. It'll do, but not my favourite one so far...

Looking forward to June's prompt, hoping that will turn out better.

April's Heart...

It's that time again already, so Thealie and Lillibule posted this months heart which features gesso and baking soda!

I've not heard of such a mixture so it promised to be a novel experience! It wasn't too bad, and it's great fun, if you don't overheat you get some great imprints... here it is before the painting...

I used various stamps, then added wooden letters and shapes covered with the mix too. I then painted with acrylics, buffed and highlighted with pearly and gold, and added depth with texture paint in orange and violet. The butterflies were embossed then highlighted with paints and copics. As I usually use wire and beads I thought I'd keep that going as I've changed the colour theme for the next 3 hearts- something bright and summery... I shall end up with 3 hearts in each seasonal change.

I really enjoyed this one... but I'm still wondering whether to add some text... or a pic... 

There's art in that there heART...

 

I completed the main bulk of work last week, but wanted to get the wirework finished before I posted... and added it to the March Heart Journal page. The featured material and technique this month was utee and cut-outs.

It has alot of layers this time, with cut-outs, pics, stamping, embossed elements, powders, wire and beads. Try as I might, I start with the hope of creating a light/pretty heart, but it always turns out deeper, darker and not so girly. Oh well! It must be my subconscious at work.

The collection is starting to look pretty good together and there is a definate colour theme going on, so I should either carry on with the dark reds and black, or change every quarter, IF I can! lol.

Here's  a close-up...