Playing with Birds

I really enjoy incorporating my drawings into collage. 

The bird in this creation is a copy of a drawing I did sometime ago. 

I then added bits and pieces and some scribbles to create this piece.

Below is a bit of the original drawing as well as another creation this bird has shown up in. 

The same thing happened with this piece.

A bird drawing that ended up in a whirlwind of collage and scribbles.

And below is the same bird showing up in different creations. 

Photographs and Tea Bags

In the past few months I have received a number of requests

asking me how I add photographs to tea bag paper. 

I haven't answered these questions - and I apologize to those who have asked. 

The main reasons I haven't responded are:

1. - not enough time to answer right now 

2. - do I want to share this information with the world? 

3. - and if I do want to share - what format will it take?

I have been toying with the idea 

of creating an online course 

or making a short tutorial style blog post

to share how I do this.

So for now I ask for your patience while I figure this out.  

I promise I will let you know when I know. 

Playing With Collage

I love playing with collage 

.... especially when I incorporate copies of drawings I have created

..... and lots of scribbling with white charcoal.

and who can resist playing with a creation on the computer..... ....not me!

Journal Page Play

When I don't have too much time to create..... 

I play in my journal.

. . . . . Before New Growth . . . . .

I continue to struggle to find time to create.... 

but a few nights ago, I found myself with an hour or two of time. 

It was supposed to be an hour or two of cleaning time, 

but I gave myself permission to create instead. 

It has been a late spring here, and the leaves were not out...

and this inspired me to find some of my winter tree photographs

and create this tiny accordion style book. 

I  enjoyed this creative time

and knowing I will have more time soon makes me smile. 

Until then this will have to do....

so I called this piece 'Before New Growth'

More Etched Metal Jewelry

I have been busy making etched metal jewelry. 

I haven't done it for a long time,

but when I was asked to do a jewelry project in the local high school

I thought etched metal would be lots of fun. 

In order to prepare I made a variety of pieces 

and ended up with lots of necklaces - long and short necklaces

- with bigger etched pieces and small etched pieces 

- with pieces of squiggly wrapped wire or not

- and mounted on a cotton cord or a wire circle.

and one bracelet.....

I can't wait to see what the students create!

In The Classroom

I am going into the local grade 10 art class every day this week

to teach them how to make etched metal jewelry. 

Here are some earrings I made as ideas of what they could make. 

I think my favourite is this etched bug...... 

but I have some necklaces in the works - so perhaps this will change. 

I am looking forward to seeing what they create!

. . . . and I will share some necklace images soon - I promise :-) 

A New Medium to Play With

I have always been intrigued by traditional rug hooking....

but I knew it wasn't for me.  

Then I saw punchneedle creations, and I so wanted to give it a try. 

One day I saw that The Crafter's Box had created a kit taught by Bookhou 

and I placed an order.......

..... and this is what I made. 

I placed it among some of my other creations 

on the little ledge on the railing of my loft studio.

It may get moved again, but for now I like it there. 

I loved the process and can't wait to try some more pieces of my own design 

- but for now other projects are waiting there turn!

Thoughts on Blogging....

I love blogging. 

 I like to have time to take a number of photographs of the creations I have made.

I like to edit and crop them a bit. 

I like to think about how I made something and what I can tell people about it. 

I like to share a bit more then just the image. 

And ..... even though it is easier just to post a quick picture on instagram 

(which I do - my link is in the sidebar if you are instagramer)

 I do hope to still be here sharing a bit more about what I create

 - it makes me happy. 

So today I share with you a mixed media creation on an emptied out tea bag.

 (actually it is on a tea bag and a third - one wasn't quite big enough) 

It was made using a couple of photographs I took, a drawing, 

some paint and ink and of course a bit of collage bits.  

A final coat of paste wax gives it a beautiful finish and adds some depth. 

Same process different end product. 

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit. 

....... and oh yah - Happy Earth Day!

Creating with Tea Bags. . . . . Again

As many of you probably know

I love creating with tea bags.

But... it seems like it has been a while since I have created with them. 

So I started off by adding a few of my photographs to tea bags 

thinking I would have time to make a whole stack. 

.... and here is the ONE I managed to finish!

It started with this photo

and then I added some collage bits, paint, wax and pen marks.  

I am not sure when I will get time to create with the rest of them.... but I am hoping that it is soon!

Although I love blogging it doesn't seem like I get to it as often as I would like, 

and therefore have started posting on Instagram.  

Feel free to follow along with my creations there if you would like. (click the link below!)

KimHenkelCreations on Instagram