Robert Dancik 'Faux Bone' Art & Soul class

This evening class was a complete stretch for me - a completely new material to work with, and I didn't even know how to use the tools!!! Robert is a patient teacher with a good sense of humour. He taught us how to put a blade into a jeweller's saw, and how to put a bench pin onto a bench. Then he taught us how to use the jeweller's saw and bench pin! The aim was to produce an 'amulet pendant' with the faux bone, and have sterling silver fixings.

Robert explained what 'faux bone' is ( http://www.fauxbone.com/ ) and how to shape it - and then we started sawing, filing, sanding and polishing. Once we were happy with our basic shape, it needed decorating. I 'engraved' mine with an awl, and then set about making it look old. Faux bone is brilliant white until you 'age' it. It took about 15 layers of shoe polish & acrylic paint to get mine the way I wanted it. I believe that if I had had the courage to leave the acrylic paint on for longer each time, the process would have been quicker!

Finally, I used the metalworking skills acquired in the Beverly Gilbert class to cut the silver, wrap around the top of the piece, and rivet together. I also added a rivet as decoration about 2/3 of the way down. As we were so short of time - and we were already an hour later finishing than published - Robert drilled all the holes in the piece for me. I really think this should have been a whole day class, as this is the only project I didn't finish in a week of classes, and I know I was not alone!!!


All I have to do to finish it is to add 2 eyepins to the top so that I can use it as a pendant. The wires are cut ready...

It was a great class, and I would love to find the time to experiment more with the faux bone.

Ann Baldwin Art & Soul class

Day 3 of Art & Soul was a change from metal and beads and organisation. I took Ann Baldwin's 'Collaging with words & paint - Text & Texture' class. I haven't painted a picture for about 30 years.....

Ann is a British artist who lives in California, and who works with a range of media. If you want to know more, have a look at her website: http://www.annbaldwin.com/

Ann made us dive in at the deep (and fast) end by getting the whole class to create a collage on red paper, using pieces cut from magazines, which had to be text based but where you couldn't use whole words!!! We had 30 minutes... There were about 25 of us in class, and the whole class was pretty quiet - you could feel the concentration - while we all snipped and stuck, snipped & stuck!!! Ann randomly selected a few collages to explain about composition and what made them work. Each and every collage was quite different, and some were pretty amazing.

Ann demonstrated her own 'collaging with paint' technique, talking about the paints she likes, the way she works in her studio, and showing us how she creates texture and builds up a painting. Ann's paintings have somewhere in the region of 45 layers of paint on them. Each layer adds depth, and the colours look quite different when layered to the way they would look if you mixed them on the pallette then applied them. I enjoyed the class, and liked using the fluid acrylic paints. When I last painted, I used gouache paints, and this was quite a different experience.

I was quite pleased with the piece I produced, even if I only had time to add about 15 layers of paint. It is A4 size:


A few days after the class, I needed to create a double page spread in an altered board book round robin, so I thought I would use the techniques I had learnt (and the same colours, as those are all the paints I have!!!!) and this is the result:

Beverly Gilbert classes at Art & Soul

It was with a little trepidation that I went to Beverly's Beads on metal class. I had seen her absolutely fabulous work on her website - http://www.gilbertdesigns.net/ - and I had never strung a bead!!! As it turned out, I needn't have worried at all - Beverly is a fantastic teacher, and I enjoyed the learning!

The class was divided into 2 distinct parts - working with metal, and working with beads. Beverly took us through cutting metal, making holes in metal, stamping metal, & cold metal fixings (rivets! & jump rings). Beverly also checked what we had learnt at various points. Here is the back of the piece I made - a bit messy, but not bad for a first attempt!




In the afternoon, we moved on to the beading part of the class - and the beading was freeform, but with some rules to start off with, in order to 'anchor' the bead embellishment to the metal base. Beverly supplied the beads to those who wanted them - she makes 'bead soup', drawing from 40 or more tubes - and the soup is gorgeous. Beverly offers various different colourways for her bead soups, and the one I used on this piece is called 'tropical surf' - yum!!! I am really pleased with the finished piece, and it has been commented on by lots of people in lifts, airports, shops etc over the last few weeks.


I also took Beverly's 'Beachcomber' class - where we wrapped a beach-related object in a 'bead net' in order to turn it into a pendant. I chose to wrap a large shell. The bead kit is called 'antique copper'. This was much trickier to start with, as we had to work on the piece loosely, and gradually increase the number of 'lines' around the shell to encase it securely. I guess this took me about 2 hours:


and I enjoyed the process so much I began another! I must add a couple more strands and a hanging loop....

Leslie Parsons Art & Soul class

Leslie Parsons 'Joy of Instant Art' was an extended 'light bulb moment' for me. We did create some simple art in class- covering a few slide mounts, creating some neat little 'sewing notion' embellishments, trying our hand at image transfers, but creating the art was not really the point of the class. As Leslie said this was the last art retreat she will teach at, I'm sure she won't mind my sharing her ideas.

Basically, it is all about organising your 'stuff' so that you can find it when you need it. Now, I have boxes and bags full of embellishments and stamped images, but I can never find the right one when I need it. So, I either use another one, or I stop mid-creation and search through all my stuff until I find it, by which time I have usually got right out of the creative mood...

Leslie suggests getting yourself a 'notebook' - or ring binder as we in the UK would call it. You fill the notebook with clear plastic protector pages with all sorts of different sized pockets - some intended for slides, some for coins, some for ATCs, some 4 x 6 photos - whatever kind of pages you can find. And then, you fill them up with your 'stuff'! And, because you can see them all neatly organised, you can always find what you want. Leslie did give us all notebooks with examples of the pages in class - and the one improvement -suggested by another class member - is that you can buy these ring binders with zip-up edges - and this stops your bits and pieces getting lost if you accidentally turn your notebook upside-down!

The other part of the idea is that you do little bits of art when you have time - and maybe while you are watching tv, or out camping - for instance, spend an evening covering slide mounts in a range of papers and colours and put them in the notebook. One day, you will want to 'frame' an image on a project, and you will have lots of frames to choose from... Create a number of small embellishments - I have already created lots of thin moulded pieces from air dry clay - and filed them in the notebook. One day I will have to make an ATC or card in a hurry and I know I will find the perfect embellishment ready and waiting in my folder.

Such a simple idea - but potentially life changing for me!!!!!

'Surfacing' with Jane Wynn

'Surfacing' with Jane Wynn - this was a metalwork/ jewellry class, where we learnt how to patinate and etch metal, and also how to solder bezels onto metal using a blowtorch, and drill holes in metal. Jane's necklaces & pendants are inspirational, she was a good teacher and we all enjoyed a great class. I even enjoyed the blowtorch, but wonder if i will ever be able to drill a hole in metal with a Dremel without skeetering off the edge of the metal or spinning the piece around on the drill bit! Here is the half finished necklace I made in class:



Jane has a new book out: http://www.wynnstudio.com/index2.html which details the techniques she taught in class. I would recommend it highly!

Portland Art & Soul Retreat

I attended an Art & Soul retreat for the first time. These well organised events run in different venues at different times of the year (see http://www.artandsoulretreat.com/ for more info).

I chose to go to the event in Portland as that meant I would also be able to meet Zeborah - an online friend. We had a fantastic time staying up late, talking non-stop, playing in her studio, and even got out of the house once or twice when it stopped raining!!!! Zeborah's husband was also lovely, and very patient with the disruption of their normal routine.

The A & S event ran from Tuesday 2nd October - Monday 8th October, and I attended the opening 'gala evening', 6 all day classes and 4 evening classes. It was a lot to pack into the week, but I had travelled a long way, and wanted to make the most of the event. I shared a room with Jean van Brederode (charmdimsur.etsy.com) who was a great room-mate to have - considerate and friendly!

I will post entires on each class separately....

My Poor Neglected Blog & 'The Suitcase'

I have been away from home for almost 4 weeks, and my poor blog looks very neglected! I ahve had such an exciting and fabulous trip - to Portland, Oregon, USA & also to Wisconsin, USA.

I shall make some 'catch up' entries soon.

My 'altered suitcase' obviously stood out from the crowd as far as the US TSA department was concerned - they opened it and searched it on each and every part of my journey and left me a nice slip of paper explaining things, but thankfully didn't remove any of my tools or art supplies. I do wonder what they thought when they searched the case - it must have looked odd on the x-rays as it was full of tools and paints and odd items, with just a few clothes used as padding to stop the other stuff from bumping together with resultant damage!!!

Altered Art????

At the end of our last holiday, we wasted a lot of time
at the airport looking for our suitcase because
somebody else picked it up up by mistake.

We finally caught up with them at the bus stop outside
(purely by chance) and exchanged bags.

I always put my name and address inside my suitcase,
so we would probably have got it back in the end,
but I don't need this sort of hassle!

I wanted to be sure I would be able to
spot my suitcase on an airport carousel.

It was a sort of plain silver colour.

Now it is themed with the season!


I'm not sure it's finished, but I like it better already!

And I certainly won't confuse it with anybody else's suitcase.

Just hope nobody else likes it enough to steal it...

Art & Soul Necklaces

I am travelling from Wales to Portland next weekend - as I am attending my very first 'Art & Soul' retreat. This is a week of luxury in a hotel (no cooking, no washing up, no food shopping, no worrying about what other people want or need), just playing with arty stuff and learning new techniques, playing with new materials, and meeting like minded people - my idea of BLISS!!!!

Part of the event is trading pieces of your art with others. I have made about 50 necklaces from laminate samples, some of which I have uploaded here. I have also made quite a few ATCs to trade. I will be taking lots of pictures of my time in Portland, and also of the time I spend with friends in Wisconsin (the second part of my trip) and I am sure some of them will eventually find their way onto my blog, so keep your eyes peeled!

New background idea

I needed a raspberry-related background
(don't ask, LOL)
and also wanted depth and glossiness,
so decided to play with some of my supplies
and some kitchen foil.

Of course, the scan doesn't show the glass-like appearance,
or the depth of colour,
so you will just have to imagine those elements!

To make something similar to the above background,
take some good quality kitchen foil and crumple it up,
then spread it back out without flattening it too much.

Paint it thinly with 3 or 4 acrylic paints - you can
allow to dry between layers or just slap it on,
but paint thinly, and don't cover the raised parts with paint.
I used Stewart Gill paints.

Add a layer of Opals heavy embossing powder -
Franklin, and before it sets sprinkle some texturising elements
on - I used Stewart Gill Byzantia Gilding Chips & Bijou Blends
and also some Glitterati fibres then added another coat of
Opals Franklin. It was looking pretty good at this point,
but didn't have enough 'depth' or zing.

So I added some more colour by applying
Ranger alcohol inks in Wild Plum, Cranberry & Raisin.

Perhaps if I try this again (and I think I will!)
I won't use paints as the base layer,
but will use alcohol inks direct to the foil
and see how much depth of colour I have.

I haven't tried cutting this into pieces yet,
but if it cracks when I do, I am sure a quick
blast of the heat gun will mend it!

Wedding cakes

My last post reminded me that I sometimes make wedding cakes.

So, I thought I would share a few photos of wedding cakes I have made.

The cake above was for a good friend of my brother's,
and if you look carefully, you can see some of
that 'Rosetti work' I have used on my doodle ATC!

The flowers are all made of sugar paste.

This cake was done to specific instructions,
for my eldest step daughter
(I think she thought I wouldn't like it).

I thought it was the coolest cake I have ever done.

(And the easiest!)

It was a humid day in July,
and the 'spikes' had 'relaxed' somewhat
by the time the cake was cut
(about 2 hours after assembling it)
but I think I liked the 'relaxed' version even more!

There were 5 layers, some madeira sponge cake,
some chocolate cake and the bottom layer was rich fruit cake.
Yummy! I like my cakes to taste even better than they look..

The cake above was done last summer,
for a friend, again to specific instructions!

Flowers and leaves all made from sugar paste

Doodling

Doodled all over this ATC for a swap on
CC Swaps - it was quite fun - I used to
do this kind of wiggly doodling
(called rosetti work) with an
icing bag and tube,
all over cakes,
to give texture!

The background is the paper that lined
my 'spraying box' and caught all the overspill
from any Radiant Rain, Color Mists,
Sticky Fingers colourwashes
or other sprays. It looks so pretty
that I have lined the box with new paper,
and cut this up to use as backgrounds!

Round Robin Board Book

This is a page I have just completed in a 'round robin' board book.

The theme was 'journey' - other contributors had
completed pages on spiritual journeys,
journeys across oceans,
journeys through time,
journeys to particular memorable places,
and the journey within,
but I chose to illustrate the journey of life,
and took Shakespeare's 'Journey of Man'
(from As You Like It) as my starting point.

I used photo transfers onto canvas for the images,
and although I like my doodles :-)
and the background
(torn pages from a thesaurus,
coated with Gesso & Nick Bantock inks),
I am not thrilled with the composition of the page.

It was, however, the only way I could find to
get all the components I wanted to add onto the page...

...and I hope Maggi likes it.

A belated chunky page

Here is a chunky page I made back in April.
I have not been able to post pictures until now because
this was part of a surprise chunky book,
which was presented to the recipient yesterday.

(front of page - closed)


The book was thought up by Debra Cochran,
as a way of saying a special thankyou to
Kathy 'Sweetpea' Beringer, who had done a
fantastic job of hosting a number of chunky books
on CC Swaps group.


(front of page - open)


68 people each made one page for this book -
which had to have a crown shape at the top -
and each and every one of them made an
extra effort to make their page special.

I added an Art quote to the front of my page because
I know Sweetpea likes art quotes,
and a fish because I know she likes fishing!

My page is made from mirror card with
texture added by using a rough embossing powder
(Marcasite by Stewart Gill) then coloured with Steam & Rust
alcohol inks. The front 'flap' is made from fun foam,
heated and stamped into, then painted with
Stewart Gill paints and finished with wax rub ons.

The fish was stamped onto a piece of 'caught in crystal'
and mounted onto a piece of background made by using
Posh Inks on glossy card, layered with some textured paper.

(back of page)

On the backs of our pages, we each wrote a little about
why we appreciate Sweetpea,
and included a photo of ourselves on the page
so that she can put a face to our names.

I understand Sweetpea quite liked the book :-)

Another Geodeco Thingie

Zeborah has a lot to answer for - these things are addictive!

I wondered about adding metallic elements
to the basic Geodeco Thingie
or even making one out of metal -
but contented myself with using
some patinated cardstock, metal tape,
alcohol inks and copper embossing powder
and wire to add metallic elements.

I am half way through another similar
(but improved) version with more
texture - watch this space!

For more information about Geodeco Thingies:

http://www.amstamps.com/geotut/

Metal ATCs

More ATCs for a swap - I am on a metal kick
at the moment - these are done with sticky backed
metal repair tape (bought in the hardware or DIY store).

As the tape isn't wide enough to cover an ATC,
I cut the tape up into small pieces and stick them
down on the cardstock, then go round the edges
making dents with an embossing tool.

A quick dab with alcohol inks,
and voila! a lovely background

I've done this before for altered book pages,
but today I had one of those 'light bulb' moments!

Why not stamp on the metal tape?
I found that Stazon worked well,
then I stuck my stamped images
onto some cardstock, cut them out
and mounted them onto the ATCs

Because the metal is very thin,
it is easy to make marks on,
so if you need letters or words,
just draw them onto the tape,
cut them out, and stick them down!

Arches ATCs

I needed to do 3 ATCs on the theme of Arches.
I saw some lovely stamps and ordered
and paid for them 3 weeks ago,
before the swap closing date,
but they haven't come yet :-(

The swap is due to be mailed,
so I had to go to 'plan B'.

I live in Brecon, which is a beautiful
town with lots of Georgian architecture,
so I took my camera off into town
and took some photos of arches.

Two were arched doorways and
one was an arch 'feature' in the
middle of a wall (why?).

I decided to make the ATCs a little
interactive by placing some
stamped pieces behind the doors,
and went with the theme of
'love' and a wedding!

Geodeco Thingies

Above - gold & black Geodeco Thingie with hot glue heart


Zeborah came up with the idea for Geodeco Thingies,
and has put a tutorial on the
After Midnight Art Stamps website:

http://www.amstamps.com/geotut/

I have been meaning to make one for a while,
but always seemed to have other things to do,
so I decided to motivate myself by running
a Geodeco Thingies swap on CC Swaps:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CCSwaps/


Below - black & blue Geodeco thingie
with air dry clay swirl
(made in a Krafty Lady mould)
and blue star gems

J ATC

I am taking part of an alphabet ATC swap,
where we make one letter of the alphabet each fortnight.
We started with Z and are working our way to A.
I was a bit stumped with 'J' - I could think of lots of words,
but not many ways to represent them.

I finally decided to stop hoarding my gesso backgrounds
and used some for this 'J is for jigsaw' ATC.

Nice Matters Award

The Nice Matters Award is a new friendship award started by Bella Enchanted.
This award is for those bloggers who are NICE people;
good blog friends and those who INSPIRE good feelings and inspiration.
Also for those who are a POSITIVE influence on our blogging world.

Dawn very kindly nominated me, and you really need to
check out the gorgeous new furniture she has purchased:

http://goldbettyboop.blogspot.com/

I would like to nominate these people for a NICE BLOGGER award

Annie - http://anniesatticroom.blogspot.com/
Autumn - http://www.autumnlightdesigns.blogspot.com/
Bren - http://brens-stuff.blogspot.com/
Chrissy - I'd like to add her, but she hasn't shared her blog address!!!!
Fiona - http://www.fionascreations.blogspot.com/
Helen - http://vagabond35uk.wordpress.com/
Maggi - http://fromtheartgrotto.blogspot.com/
Pauline - http://thequietestone.blogspot.com/
Sally - http://sallycraft.blogspot.com/
Sweetpea - http://sweetpeasgotart-i-tude.blogspot.com/
Trish - http://www.trishbayley.com/techniqueszone/
Zeborah - http://zeborahloray.blogspot.com/

I could go on, but these few will be enough for now!

So to all the wonderful ladies listed above I would like to
THANK YOU for brightening my day with your blogs!