Happy New Year!

Jerry, Pito and I wish everybody a great 2014, filled with creativity and fun.

Hello All,

I spent the afternoon watching the football playoffs, so this post is late in the day.

I'm starting a new baby quilt for grandbaby 2 due March 1st. Mom and Dad have opted out of knowing the sex of the baby so it's important to pick something neutral.  Mom really likes red and polka dots.  Everybody loves the Cat in the Hat.

The panel is from Christa Quilts.  I love the panel because it has all the words to the Cat in the Hat.  Who doesn't love Dr. Seuss!

















The coordinating fabrics I bought from fabric.com.  They have good quality fabric.

.

It should be lots of fun!

Hope you're all having fun doing creative stuff.

Hello All,

Just a quick post to show what I've done for the December Sketchbook Challenge Holiday Colors.  I didn't really have much time so I used something I had already done to make a Christmas card.

I'm quite fond of this image.

There are many more posts for the challenge on their flickr page and their blog.  I was so admiring a Journal Quilt made by Frieda Oxenham that I went to her blog and got lost in the beauty!

Hello All,

It's been 11 days since I last posted to this blog.  I took a nice trip to see my daughter, son-in-law and new grandbaby.  It was great.

The holiday busyness has crept in too.


Because knitting is a stress relief for me, I've been knitting like crazy on the scarf even though I don't know who will receive it. I sewed up the sides, but I'm thinking I'll just fringe the ends in a mix of the green and brown.  It will be nice.








Yesterday I found a youtube video by Cat Bordhi about knitting a moebius scarf which is what I had in mind for this scarf but obviously didn't accomplish.  Cat Bordhi Moebius video How to Get Started.  She also has a blog where I found a free pattern for a moebius cowl that I want to make.  Cat Bordhi Moebius Lacy Cowl.  

Yesterday and today I've been making holiday treats, fudge, cookies and cupcakes.  I still have shopping and wrapping to do also.  Best get busy!

I'm linking up with Wool on Sundays.

Hope you all have a great holiday!

ABS X-mas Ornament Blog Hop

Hello All,

Welcome to my ABS X-Mas Ornament  Blog Hop Page!

One of the things I enjoyed as a child at Christmas time was the ribbon candy, not so much for it's taste but for the beautiful colors.  The beads I made out of Paperclay tinted with acrylic paint and gold leaf reminded me of ribbon candy. I made tubes, disks and drum shaped beads.

The Paperclay Beads, Pink, Gold and Green

 The drum shaped beads reminded me of little presents so I "trimmed" them with seed bead ribbons and bows.

The Gifts

Then I decided that a wreath would be a nice way to use the little presents so I took some 24 gauge gold tone wire and wrapped it several times around my cloth measuring tape (it was wound up).  It just happened to be a nice size, but anything round would have worked.  I took some seed beads and attached the disks to the bottom of the wreath as dangles.  Who doesn't like dangles!

The Beginning of the Wreath with the Dangles

Then I used more wire to attach the presents to the wreath one on each side of the dangles.  With the ends of the wire I wrapped the wreath with seed beads.

Almost Done,  Dangles, Gifts, Seed Beed Love, and Adorning the Hanger

Using a separate wire I wrapped the hanger section with seed beads.  Can you tell I like seed beads?  I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  Now it has a home on my son's tree.

On the Tree, Isn't it Beautiful!

For those who love to bake at Christmas I want to share a link for some delicious molasses cookies.  Jamie Deen's Old-Fashioned Ginger Crinkle Cookies They are a nice change from all the chocolate making the rounds.  Instead of rolling them into individual balls and flattening them I like to roll them into logs and slice them.  I skip the whole rolling them in sugar part too.  I hope you enjoy them.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I'm linking up with the ABS 4th Annual Ornament Blog Hop.http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2013/12/ornamentbloghop2013.html.

Knitting Progress Report

Hello All,

I don't have much new to share this week.  I've been knitting away on my brown scarf.  It's longer but it doesn't look substantially different so I haven't taken a new picture.  I did buy some yarn to coordinate.  It's a Lion Brand, Amazing wool and acrylic blend in a "Rainforest" coloration.  It's an ombre of olive greens and brown.  I think it will be lovely together.  I'm thinking that when I switch to the Rainforest I'll use a stockinette stitch.  Sorry for the blurry photo but I just wanted to show the color.

Enjoy your week and try not to be overwhelmed with holiday busyness.  It's important to relax and enjoy your family.

I'm linking up with Wool on Sundays.

It's December, Already! Bring on the Knitting!

Hello All,

Wow, it's December already!  Why does it always seem to sneak up on me?

I can tell it's winter because I've been bitten by the knitting bug.  I bought some Ultra Pima by Cascade back in October.  It's a chocolate brown.  Yum.  There was a pretty shawl made up in the yarn store which I had thought to make.  But I'm not concentrating very well when I'm knitting, so I just decided to do a garter stitch.  It's hard to fumble that.  What I really like about this yarn is the feel of it.  It's soft and drapey.  I've used one of the two skeins I bought and it's not nearly long enough.  More decisions, should I buy more of the same or something to coordinate.  I'm thinking a heather or fleck would be nice.












I'm thinking that once it's all done, I'll stitch it into a tube and join the ends for a continuous tube.


I'm linking up with Wool on Sundays, even though this is cotton yarn.

Be creative and stay warm.

Hello All,

I've completed my Art Bead Scene November Challenge piece.  Cezanne's Basket of Apples is a rustic painting which inspired my rustic necklace.  I used Paperclay to create my art beads.  First I colored the Paperclay with acrylic paint, then I added some gold leaf. Then I shaped my tubular beads.  I created a double-eyed headpin for each tubular bead.  I created dangles with the red and orange gem chips. I decided to keep it simple stringing my beads on hemp cord.

Hope you're all having creative fun.

Hello All,

I finished my scarf and even made a hat to go with it.  I was going to make a slouch hat but changed my mind once I got going.  I knitted several rows to make a rolled brim.  Then I was concerned it would be too loose so I did some ribbing.  The body of the hat is seed stitch to go with the scarf.  I got off track and made some wrong stitches which made a line.  So I went with it.  I deliberately made the same ridges at different points along the way to make that first error fit in.  I like it.  Foolish me, I thought that if I was using a circular needle I would be able to decrease right to the end.  I got stuck and ended up buying some double point needles.  It was the first time I've used double point needles and it was a bit awkward.  I'm happy with the finished product.

They definitely keep me warm.

Hope you're having fun creating beauty.

Hello All,

I signed up for a Strathmore Online Workshop with Stephen Cefalo as the instructor.  His instructions are very clear and helpful.  This first drawing is of Skip, their Viking model.  It's not totally terrible, but I can do better.  Next time.

I got a little carried away with the wrinkle between his eyebrows.  And the Viking hat doesn't seem to be sitting on his head.

These 2 pictures are of a young lady who is special to me.  The first one I drew from a photo prior to watching Stephen's video, lesson 2. The second one is from the same photo after watching the video.

There was a flash glare on the photo so it was hard to pick out shadow detail.

This month's sketchbook challenge is the moon and stars so I started drawing a moon goddess today.  For some reason she's wearing a bikini and standing with her hands on her hips.  The hands are way to small. And the rib cage, what was I thinking!?  I don't think the bikini is going to stay.

Hope you're all having fun pursuing creativity.

November Sketchbook Challenge - Moon and Stars

Hello All,

We're on to a new month, can't believe it's November already.  I'm loving the theme this month, Moon and Stars.  Just happen to have 2 painting I've done that fit this theme.

Moonrise

Man in the Moon

Moonrise is acrylic on canvas and Man in the Moon is on MDF.  The landscapes I paint are purely from my imagination.  

I'm not too happy with the photo of Man in the Moon.  It's much nicer in person.  The bottom right corner is blue and purple.  The flowers are moon flowers.  They are like morning glories only they bloom at night. Someday I want to grow some.  The fun thing about this painting is that it started out completely different.  I didn't like it so I reworked it.  It's much better now.

Before the end of the month I'll be posting some moon and stars that are current.

What are you inspired to create?  I'm linking up with The Sketchbook Challenge (http://sketchbookchallenge.blogspot.com/).  Check them out.

Hello All,

This week I've been working on a hair ornament with the Paperclay.  As frequently happens, I have decided to do something else with it.  I really like boxes, so my current thought is that I use it to adorn the top of a box I make out of Paperclay.  I once made a heart shaped box out of layers of paper grocery bags glued together and then crackle painted, pink with black on top. I decoupaged a butterfly on the top. Even though it was a bit misshaped I really liked it.

My hair ornament started with a design on 1/4" graph paper which I traced onto tracing paper with a pencil.  I rolled out my Paperclay and rubbed the design onto it.  Then I used my paring knife to cut it out. After a day and a half  I was tired of waiting for it to dry so I baked it on a wire rack in a 250 degree oven for 20 minutes.  When it cooled off I coated it with gesso twice.

While it was drying I had time to think about what I wanted to do next.  I painted it dioxazine purple.  Then I decided I wanted to gold leaf it.  I used my gel medium and let it dry 15 minutes.  The gold leaf didn't stick.  So I coated it again and only waited 5 minutes.  I still didn't stick.  Finally I rooted through my supplies and found the proper adhesive.  Now it is gold.

 The adhesive has 24 hour working time. It's still tacky so I'm waiting to brush off the loose gold leaf. Time to think about the next step.  I'm always pondering in the back of my mind what I want to do.  If I make my box square I can decorate around the top.  Using the graph paper will make it easy to draft a pattern for a square box.  Might be the way to go.

I've also been working on a scarf I started knitting last year.  Yes, I am that slow.  I put it away when the weather got warm.  Knitting to me is a warm, cozy winter kind of thing.

It's a seed stitch which is knit one, purl one every row.  I find that when I can't sleep and get up to knit, I make mistakes and have to rip it out.  I've done that 3 times this week.  So now I'm training myself to look at each row before I start the next row so I can catch my mistakes quickly.  Awareness is the key along with focus.

Hope you're all having fun creating beauty!

Hello All,

I've finished my Art Bead Scene October challenge piece.  There were a few setbacks that had to be worked through.

The paperclay art beads were the easiest part.  After they dried  I painted them with watercolor.  I thought it would sink into the paperclay but it didn't.  Maybe it would have if I had painted them when they were still moist.  Or I could try acrylic paint.  Next time.

After checking out this tutorial by Nicole Ringgold, http://www.liveinart.org/2012/06/braided-bead-necklace-diy.html,  I bought some waxed Irish linen cord with the plan to string my seed beads on it.  That didn't work as the cord was too big for the holes in my seed beads.  I ended up just making a braid with the intention of using it for some other project.

Then I tried a peyote stitch for the cord, but it kept twisting so I used my matte black seed beads to make a herringbone tube.  After about 6 inches I decided it was a bit bulky, but I used it for the branch and used seed beads to attach the owl and the gingko leaves.   I decided to use the braided piece creating a loop on one end for the button closure.  I attached some carnelian beads to the other end.

I'm pretty happy with the finished necklace.













What do you think?  The paperclay was lots of fun to use and I'll definitely use it again.

Hope you're having fun creating.

Hello All,

I've been working on my beads for the Art Bead Scene October challenge.  I sketched the owl  in the size I wanted to make the bead.  Then I decided that the bead should be balanced.  I changed the wings so they are both open.

Scops Owl for Art Bead Scene October Challenge

Susan Owenby (http://theboredzombie.com/) posted a blog about using paperclay to make a witch's hat.  She inspired me to use paperclay to make my art beads.  I loved it.  It's very easy to use.  I took my tracing of the owl and traced the lines in pencil on the back of the paper.  Then I put the tracing on the paperclay and rubbed it.   Perfect resolution.  I used a small knife to cut and smooth the paperclay.  I freehand cut the gingko leaves and shaped the crescent moon.

Paperclay beads for ABS October Challenge

Hope you're all having fun!

Hello All,

Here's another sketch of a Scops Owl for The Sketchbook Challenge Animal Companions, http://sketchbookchallenge.blogspot.com/.   I'm practicing the owl for the October Art Bead Scene Challenge, http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/.  This month's challenge is based on Ohara Koson's woodblock print, Owl on Gingko Branch.  My plan is to use paperclay to make art beads of the owl and gingko leaves. 

Scops Owl for Sketchbook Challenge Animal Companions

I hope you'll go to the Sketchbook Challenge to look at the other animal companions and the Art Bead Scene to see the beautiful jewelry inspired by Ohara Koson's woodblock print.  Are you inspired to join in the fun?

Hello All,

I'm back from visiting my daughter who just had her first baby.  He's adorable.  They don't want his name on the interment but did give permission to post a picture.  So here is Q, born 9/30/13, 7 lbs. 9 oz, 19 3/4".

Isn't he adorable!
And he looks good on the quilt I made him.

Enjoy your families and do something create.

Hello All,

While most of my day was spent holding the baby I did manage to attempt a drawing of a Scops owl.  The ABS bead challenge this month is a wood block print by Ohara Koson that features a Scops owl in a ginko tree with a crescent moon.  So I thought I would attempt to draw an owl.  I find the Mircrosoft paint program to be difficult to use with my touchpad so I don't try very often.  That said here is my first attempt at sketching a Scops owl.  Get ready to laugh!

I'm linking up with the sketchbook challenge.

Hope you're all having fun doing creative things.  Don't worry about how they turn out as it's about the process.  And the more you do whatever you're trying the better you will get at it.

Hello All,

Don't have anything creative to post.  I'm visiting my daughter, son-in-law and my grandson who was born on Monday!

A new baby, that's plenty creative.  Yeah!

Will see you next week.

Happy Sunday!

I've been concentrating on drawing lately, seems like I do things in fits and starts.  I only have so much space dedicated to creative pursuits and I like to leave things out so I don't have to spend time setting up.  That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Also, I tend to put things off when I think they will be difficult.  My next sewing adventure might require me to get down on the floor.  Not my favorite place to be.

Here are some drawings I've done recently.

 
And I've done 2 multi-media art journal pages.

and

I've added a badge to my page because I'm going to participate in the sketchbook challenge starting next month.

This coming week I'm off to see the new grand baby who hasn't arrived yet.

Until then, be creative and have fun.

Hello All,

After watching some Pam Carriker's tutorials I've been drawing faces.  The thing I'm finding hard is symmetry, getting the eyes the same size, the ears lined up.  Our faces are symmetrical but not totally but I need to be able to balance.  Here are some examples.  My late husband's face and KMG were drawn from photos, but the other ones are from imagination.

 

 Today, I've been playing with my watercolors in my art journal.  I was out driving today and saw lots of ripe sunflowers.  Since I really love sunflowers I painted one.

That's what I've been doing for fun.  What are you up to?

Hello All,

Last night I worked on the September ABS Challenge.  I love the image they chose this month, such happy colors.

I chose a copper chain from Miss Fickle Media and adorned it with leaves and dangles I made with wire and gem chips. I used 20 gauge hematite and 24 gauge gold-tone wires and wrapped them around a small dowel.  Then I pulled them apart and cut them into pieces.  The gem chips might be amber, not sure, but the colors are just right for the image. I stripped the leaves off an old pair of earrings. They are a very lightweight patinated metal.  They jingle nicely
.

 Hope you're all having creative fun!