I'm okay

A place for everything, everything in its place. It was always my goal to be neat.to be organized. I read articles, bought books, made lists, arranged drawers and lined things up on shelves. Bought containers, baskets, boxes. Color coded threads, yarns, polymer clay, paint and beads. Tried to line things up. Tried to learn the basics of geometrics. Before long though, spaces became filled with projects in various stages. More than one project. Gardens with measured beds were allowed to wander, wild flowers crept in among the chosen and were okay there. Things went at least somewhat back to nature. And I relaxed.
My style is free form and loose, serendipitous and meandering, my color choices are what feels right. I like natural before man-made. It is not or me to live in a magazine page home. Where would I put the seashells? the twig people, the rocks and dried moss?
Why did it take so long for me to realize who I am? and to recognize that she is okay!

It is wild, it is okay.

Green Man and forest Woman

These two have been a long time in the making. I learned a lot in the process, but still have a long way to go. If one learns by her mistakes I should surely know nearly everything!1 Did as much un-doing as well as doing. The colors do not show up as deep and bright as they are.What's the deal blogger?

Anyway you get the idea.

The Library Wall

Tthe library wall contains the craft books on painting (water color, acrylic, pastels, colored pencils, mixed media, assemblage); beads and bead making,

paper beds, bead crochet, seed beads bead embroidery, beads and fiber etc then polymer clay: probably 30 books on all the ways to work with polymer clay, last but not least: art quiting and mixed media to help me to experiment in combining these favorite arts and coming up with some things special. There are stacks of many years worth of specialty magazines and journals: Bead and Button, Bead Unique, Art Quilts, Belle Armoire, Art Dolls, Jewelry Ar t, Cloth Paper Scissors and more. Files of directions and patterns saved from the Internet, And on lower shelves: papers of all kinds: copy paper, construction paper, scrap book paper, rice paper, lace paper, tracing paper, cover paper, handmade paper, home made paper, tissue, crepe paper, foils, freezer paper, delli paper, parchment paper, wrapping paper,saved dryer sheets, recycled coffee filters,  and  napkins. I could go look and see what I'm forgetting, but you've got the idea, right?

I Live

This neck piece was done in honor and appreciation for Life, this Earth, Her beauty and generosity, and with love for Her and for all Life.
It was first painted, then beaded.

Christi's Steampunk fish

The two day workshop with Christi Friesen was a blast! Whether or not you are interested in polymer clay you would have loved this.
Christie's personality and ability to spread fun is contagious.

But then if you are in to polymer clay at all, you are bound to learn a scad of new ideas and tricks to make your own work better. Christie is thorough and patient, you couldn't ask for a better teacher!

I will be what I will be

InaRae had an idea for an art doll. Ha! She is going to take Christie's Green Goddess class. she think she can learn how to control strong minded dolls. Ha! I started out to be a beach comber, that is what she thought. I immediately tilted my proud chin to the sky and blew that plan. Me? Poking around on a beach hunting rocks and shells and such trivia? Ha! InaRae thought okay, maybe she is a bird lady, looking to the sky, ready to feed little birds from seed in her basket. Ha! I have handmaidens to do that for me. Birds indeed. I want to wear Royal Purple. I want gold trim and sky symbols on my gown. I want my hair done up like a queens. Indeed! InaRae does have a lot to learn about dolls. Think Christie's class will help? Wink!!

Gera Scott Chandler

http://amusedcreations.blogspot.com/

The above is a blog by an artist who actually gets things done!!
My doll work has been progressing so slowly I decided to send you to see a completed doll that I just love. While I am doodling with little details and questions and decisions Gera Scott Chandler makes wonderful dolls. I'm going to get a picture to show you, her blog address is above. I know you will enjoy.

Beach comber is now Bird Woman

Beach Comber I has become Bird Woman. (Beach Comber 2 is okay with who she is) Funny how creations have minds o their own. Her head is angled up and wants to stay that way. But a beach comber must be searching the ground before her, not be surveying the skies. And so she will have her way of course!

Rainbow Fairy

Partially done fairy, using paint (acrylic fabric paint including irridescent and pearlescent) cotton floss and seed beads. I do not know the name of the artist who did the painting that originally inspired this. I loved the radiant yet soft colors so wnated to see what I could do with it. It changed considerably when I sketched it but I tried to stay true to the colors. Now I am trying to figure out what it will be. I'm not a quilter but think maybe this will be stitched onto a darker background fabric and see what happens from there.

Hummingbird totem

I learned a lot from this little exercise. i made hummingbird for a young friend whose totem at this time is the hummingbird. It is unfortunate that the photo after uploading no longer shows the iridescence n the neck beads.
They are in blue/green/violet and catch the light beautifully. Next time: I will leave lots of room around the square (or circle) of fabric I am working with so that I can use a hoop to stretch the fabric and have edges to turn under and pull to stretch and stitch. In not leaving this allowance it was difficult to pull the fabric taut. I ended up using batting for fill to make the fabric fir better. I do like the way the little wing tip extends beyond the framing circle. The clear beads below the wings indicate the flashing, almost invisible movement.
The painting is 5 1/2" in diameter.

Greenman mixed media

Green man is nearly completed. Unlike lizard which was all beading Green man encompasses paint, ink and fiber as well as beads. I didn't know what I was going to do with him but he guided brush and needle and showed me what he wanted to be. The work is 81/2 x 11 and will be mounted on illustration board and stretched before framing. A matching Maiden is in the works.

Bead Journal Project

http://beadjournalproject.blogspot.com/

Check out the Bead Journal Projct.
Valuable information and ideas for all mixed media artists, beaders, journalers, etc.

The second project is done in much the same way. I painted a smaller piece of Masonite with pearlescent acrylic paints: a gold first, when it was dry a dark violet across the top and bottom, then a bit of magenta streaks in sky and water. Allow to dry.

Now squeeze some white craft glue in a somewhat triangular shape in the center of your painted board.

Choose beads for buildings arranging them to suit with some taller ones toward the center and shorter ones on either side.

Allow glue to dry and finish with a spray of fixative. Fast and easy!