Teabag Art Cards

I continue on in my need to get creations made to sell at the two sales I am attending in November. I enjoy creating.... good thing, as everything I make seems to take longer than expected. These teabag art cards are no exception.
Although I do drink tea, I have friends that save there teabags for me that I use in making these cards. Each card uses 2 teabags, which I add pressed flowers, leaves, and bits of material too.

I made cards in a variety of colours - with a variety of flowers, petals and leaves.

Each card took about 20 minutes to make, and I have made about 60 cards. I have decided that that will be enough, as although I enjoyed making them, I wouldn't enjoy it if I were to make more.

The decorated tea bags, wrap around to the back of the card, and are only glued along the fold, and a little bit on both sides of the fold.

Now, I just have to package them up, and they will be ready for the sale.

I wonder what I will work on next...

2 More Pocket Books

My creative time has been spent building these 2 books.

Because they are bursting with bits and pieces they don't close unless they are tied up with the attached sewn "ribbon".

There are many different size pages - and different type of pages in each book

With interesting bits attached with clips and pins

The pocket at both the front and the back of each book, are chock full of bits and pieces - for further decorating, writings/drawings just waiting to be added to this fun book.

Another Book.....

A few days ago when I was cleaning the studio, I came across a bag of assorted bits and pieces of paper, and I decided to make a book - much more fun than cleaning!

The inside covers have pockets that I have filled with an assortment of handmade paper, clips, tags, decorated paper and plain paper that can be added to the book.

Assorted sizes of pages can be written directly onto, or bits of blank paper can be adhered and written/drawn on. I am working on a couple more books, but don't seem to have much creative time these days.

And ..... one more photograph to post that I took a few days ago.

Earrings and a Photo Shoot

Two days ago I spent a full day soldering little bits of things ready to make jewellery. I enjoyed the day, but don't have much to show for it yet, as most of the jewellery is still in the making stages, and aren't too interesting to look at. At the end of the day, I had the desire to finish at least one thing, and I choose to finish this one pair of earrings.....

I soldered a piece of brass and then soldered a lovely little bird made of brass on top of that - blackened it to add depth, cleaned the whole thing up, drilled the holes, added some chain, made the ear wires out of silver wire, and voila - one completed pair of earrings at the end of the day.

Early yesterday morning the light on the mountains was beautiful, so I grabbed my camera and went for a walk.

I managed to take a few pictures of the mountains, before the light changed......

and on my walk home I discovered the light had shifted, making lovely colours in bits of fall grasses.

Following the Whispers

I finally finished some cards I started a couple of weeks ago. I blogged about the cards here, but I wasn't really happy with the way they turned out, so ripped them apart and started again.

Whispers kept telling me - blue, add some blue. But my logical voice kept questioning - blue, you don't usually use blue- and rejecting the advice from the whisperer. Yesterday I finally listened to the whisper and added some touches of blue

and finally felt like the cards were coming together. I found some lovely brown crinkly paper to mount the art bits on, and smiled at the outcome.

For a few cards, I tore up bits and pieces of paper, added some fabric, and sewed them onto cardstock. Each of the art bits were then sewn onto the front of the cards.

Inside each card I sewed a piece of cardstock decorated with matching bits of paper and material.

Now that I followed the whisper that had been happening since I made the original cards I
feel like this project is completed as it was supposed to be. Next time I hear a whisper, I hope I follow it more quickly.

Another lesson learned.

Joy and Disapointment

I loved making this little book, and when I look at it today it brings me joy.

I enjoyed filling it with a variety of decorated pages that I painted, or stamped on, or sewed bits and pieces on, or drew on. Every page was fun.

I also loved the way it turned out - using old pieces of paper and making them new and beautiful again. The book feels very nice in my hand - and like so many things I create, it contains a bit of my heart

I made this book to submit it to a magazine that was holding a challenge. My hope was that it would be chosen to be showcased in the magazine.

But it wasn't......

..... and I was very disapointed.

But, now as time has gone by I once more find much joy in this little book. I have put it in with the collection of books I have for sale, but I have not decided whether I will sell it

or keep it for myself.

I find that it once again brings me much joy.

Year of 100 Faces?

A few years back, I decided I wanted to learn how to draw, and I have been slowly working myself towards the goal of drawing faces. I started 2010 out by taking an online face drawing/painting course with Misty Mawn. It was a wonderful experience, and inspired me to continue on my quest.

Some of the faces I have been drawing are quick 5 minute sketches, while others take me a few hours to draw.

I worked at drawing realistic faces, but really what I enjoy most is more unrealistic or whimsical faces.

Early on in 2010, I decided it would be the year of 100 faces - but not long after that I decided to not put a number on it, but rather to continue on in my goal, and not pressure myself to draw 100 faces. I enjoy drawing faces, but only when I want to - not because I have to. And so it will not be a year of 100 faces - but perhaps I will count up the faces at the end of the year, and then I will know that it was a year of (insert number here) faces, and that that will be fine, because I have enjoyed it, and continue to learn and find the style I am comfortable with.

Following My Heart

I love to brush paint or dye onto paper - be it tissue paper, paper towels, hand made paper, paper from old books, or new paper. I also like to add colour to material of a variety of sorts, so my supply of colourful paper/material is quite large.

Yesterday morning, I came up to my little studio - just because the urge was too strong to ignore, and I have learnt that if I ignore it, I feel unsettled and out of alignment with who I am. So follow the muse I did.

I tore decorated sheets of paper, and cut decorated material into long strips, and glued them all down onto a base piece of paper. I then covered that all with a wash of colour
(a golden yellow in this case).

After it was all dry, I stamped some white dots on with acrylic paint and bubble wrap, and it was ready to cut into pieces, add some more stamps and make into cards.

Here is a close up of a card I made with the golden sheet.....

and here is one I made with the orange/red sheet.

A day well used.

But, now I am feeling a little unsettled, as I have to leave my little studio for a week, as the demands from the day job are calling. I need to take a few supplies with me, and so it is time to wander around my little studio and pick a few things to create with on the road.

Resin Filled Bezels

Well - nervous as I was, I decided it just had to be time to fill my bezels with images and resin. I choose some images (all except the butterfly is either a photo I took, or from a painting I made) and mounted them as described. I read the instructions for the resin a few times (very unlike me to read instructions) rewatched the video on pouring resin from my amazing online course with Stephanie Lee and then collected my courage and mixed and poured the resin. AND then I waited - it was supposed to set up in 6 hours - but it didn't, so I waited 4 more hours and it was still sticky - but it was time for bed. Some of the information I had read said if you didn't but enough hardener in the resin wouldn't harden up..... so I slept, and thought positive thoughts of my resin setting as I slept. First thing the next morning, before anyone else was up I checked on the bezels, and I cheered a quiet cheer as the resin had hardened after all! Although these are not perfect in any way, I am happy with how they turned out. I enjoyed just about every minute of making them (except the anxious ones where the resin wasn't setting).

Here is a necklace that I have made using one of the smaller bezels I made.

Some people have asked me how it was taking an online jewellery course, and all I can say is this one was GREAT. I learned so much, and enjoyed every minute of it! I look forward to many more minutes of creative play with what I have learned!

Rules

Last night I HAD to paint a picture. I had been looking through this blog, - she paints wonderfully loose and colourful faces, and I knew I had to paint a face or else I wouldn't be able to sleep. This is the painting that came out of that need. Still not as loose as I want - but the colours were fun.

My Rules......

• one step at a time
• be gentle with self
• enjoy the moments
  

On a completely different note - my resin making supplies arrived in the mail today. I am excited and nervous at the same time to fill my soldered bezels with images. Stay tuned!