March Madness

I have been working on my Watercolor Wet and Juicy book all week. I have also gotten pretty good at fighting with the computer. So I have about gotten the word documents edited to the place I think I want it. I have the photos inserted. Now I have to get into illustrating of the process. That part shouldn’t take too long. I am encouraged. I have been on the computer so much that my sweet husband thinks it’s an extension to my arms. So to alleviate that thoughtI baked him a lemon cake. You have heard I am sure that the way to a man’s heart is thru his tummy. >




My sister-in-love ask my sweet husband to cut her some wood slices so she could make something to put in the little sale at her retirement home. He cut her several in different sizes. While he was at it, he cut me some in smaller sizes. You will probably see them in my Fall Seed Collection when I add acorns and Texas mountain laurel seeds


I took time out and made one necklace. I used the little giraffe that is in my Etsy as the focal. And an old gold plate chain necklace that I purchased at the local GOODWILL every third Wednesday everything in the store is half price so I got it for a steal. I added bling bling to some of the links. My daughter says “Mamas favorite color is sparkle”






Be Blessed

Spring is Here

Since spring is here I thought it was time to do some Spring Sprucing up. Like I said last week I purchased some weather proof fabric for the cushions on our patio set. I am so pleased that they turned out so well. When I finished I got an idea to take the little bit of fabric left and use it for the ribbon and bow to make a floral wreath to hang by the backdoor. I went to a friend’s garage sale and would believe she had most of the colors of old silk flowers that were in the fabric I purchase them and ran home to create this wreath but I needed more blue so made a mix of permanent blue ink and died some white flowers








We enjoy setting out there since the weather is so nice. It is suppose to get to 84 today. My husband has made a friend in one of the squirrels. He is very spoiled He will only eat the best pecans. I stopped at a pecan tree that we use to raid in the fall some 45 years ago and picked up some pecans. I know they were several years old probably. He won’t eat them he smells them and drops them on the ground and proceeds to beg for more.










I have a great painting class. This week we reviewed color by looking over some of my color studies. I encourage them to make notebooks of color studys.Next week I will demonstrate compotation by using templates.
I have gotten back to my book on Watercolor. I have been fighting with our new computer. I think I need to uninstall the Open Office program and re-install it again . It jumps around and you never where it is going to end up @##$%^&**&%$@ smiles
Be Blessed

This has Been The Week That Was

I keep hearing in my brain my inner self saying be not afraid. I cannot grasp the depth of devastation, the human toll in Japan and in the islands and across the seas the past 3 days and the fear of more to come. My heart whispers keep still be not afraid, but my heart aches for the millions affected.
It is hard to be creative when there is so much going on.

I have found a new to me shop that carries end of market fabrics. I bought enough outdoor fabric to cover my patio cushions. The fabric is butter yellow with blue flowers and green foliage. I have finished one cover and lack 3 but I am not going to rush as I have to clean the set up first.


My daughter, Artemisa Studio.com sent me a Etsy link for vintage buttons at http://AddVintage.etsy.com. To my great surprise many of them or very similar are in my stash. I have had them for “Many a year “ .as my grandmother would say.
Earlier in the week I did manage to create a necklace, and 2 bracelets. I used some of the base metal flowers that I purchased at the last bead market that my daughter and I went to and some green and blue crystals. I filled the backs of the flowers with silver clay to mount the crystal on.











Be Blessed

Inspired by Fellow Artist

I was so impressed with Lori Anderson"s design for the blog-hop times to put in a lorianderson.blogspot.comthat I made myself a button bracelet. I am button-a-holic. I have always had a fascination with buttons. I remember exploring my grandmother’s Treasure Trunk when I was a child and marveling over her button jar. My daughter ask me once when she was just a child, ”Mama when you die can I have your buttons”>While recovering from double knee replacement surgery last year I had not a fiber of creativity for three or four weeks. My first effort in creativity was to make a button necklace. All the buttons I used were mother of pearl.














Ithought I would get back copper as it has been a month since I posted. So I brought out the number
8 gage wire and bent them into bangle type bracelet. I then added fussed glass.





My stash is healthy and bulging and my pockets are flat so my daughter and I did not go to the current Bead Market in Fort Worth Texas. That is huge. Now we are talking 16 miles away!
Be Blessed

Strolling Thru Candy Land

Man Oh Man what a ride this week-end had been There was a blog-hop as some of you may know. 210 participating jewelry artist ,showing their inspired works, using beads and findings from partners from around the globe. It took me four days to stroll thru them all. I made a big iron skillet full of my great grandmothers ginger bread recipe, and my friend Sue’s lemon tea and settled in for the adventure in candy land. To tell you the truth I would have to take breaks from overload. Like going to a museum, I can only take in so much at a time.
All that to the side I did work at my studio table this week. I made a copper broach that I am very excited about.



I used Libby’s at Libby Leuchtman wire flower as my inspiration. She was Lori Anderson featured artist on Cup of Bead Soup this month).
Here are the steps that the whole process took: I started with the copper wire and made a flower shape.



Then I got the inspiration to add delicate wire a wire center. I could not decide what to use as my center.

Finally I settled on fused dichotic glass in green and copper colors. It was only then that I decided to add copper foil.

Oh my, did it shine. It was then I put India ink on the surface it to give the broach patina.

I used a copper penny as a foundation for whole piece. I added a pin back and wala




In my painting class I taught how to stretch watercolor paper. Then while it was still wet I started a watercolor of roses. I will give a demo of finishing the piece on Friday.
Be Blessed