art in a box II- mr shine and sparkle

i had been saving this box for an art project. i do believe it is old- just not sure how old (although a quick google search, it is possible this is from around 1912- and still looks cool and is in great shape.....). it was the perfect size for this art in a box project.

and because it is for a men's collar and cuffs, it was only right that i found a vintage man (thanks Sears) to use with the project. meet mr. shine and sparkle......

i added the flowers because if you are as smooth as mr. shine and sparkle, you know he would show up with flowers, right?! and be a talker....a smooth talker.

he is saying, "ladies, i hope you'll come over to the Inn and play. Do you feel like doing that?" with a flash of that incredible smile.

i added a few other details to this art in a box....(don't they usually have an exemption card for something). i may be laying this on a little thick- but, that is part of the humor and the play on this project. i found a life game card and little car playing piece and "male person."

here is my finished art in a box project below. i hope that my swapping partner finds as much humor as i have; and enjoys this as much as i did putting it together.

happy monday.

#doodling

happy thursday....

(inspiration: instagram- conradroset artist: Conrad Roset)

#DLP advice offered

August 22
Art Challenge: Layered (Using Multiple Mediums)
Journal Prompt:  Speak to your younger self- what advice would you offer?

i maybe didn't use as many layers as i may be capable of; but, i like this girl and she has plenty of advice to tell my younger self.

• don't worry so much about what you look like; always be you
• i am not perfect (nor is anyone else)
• don't worry about whether or not others like you; some will, some won't and some will be on the fence....but, focus on those who do and like you for who you are and leave the rest behind and don't look back- keep moving forward

• enjoy flowers- the colors, the smells, and the wonderful shapes and textures
• don't follow the group- this is a piece of fabric for my background; create your own path
• be part of a group you love and share a passion with- be happy
• be interesting

happy monday!

fabric stacking....

this is a stack of my new fabric.....so excited! i am making "smalls" blankets for our local hospital craft fair. what are smalls you ask? instead of making a full size blanket with the silk edging, i am making a small blanket the size of a quilting fat quarter- which is like 18" x 22" and much more manageable if you have a young one that becomes attached. 

the smalls are a colorful cotton front and a flannel back with a silk edging. i am making smalls for boys and girls. i am thinking of holding back a few to post in my etsy store.....i may keep one for each and send the rest to the fair. we will have to see....much sewing ahead.

i actually had gotten one smalls done and noticed that my sewing machine was starting to act up with the thread tension. by the time i had gotten to the second blanket i knew for sure as it was pulling the fabric and would not lay down flat. so a quick tour to the local machine shop and back to tip top shape and ready to sew again. 

but.....(isn't there always something)....i have 2 kids going off to college this year and move in is on friday for our freshman; so the sewing may have to wait until this weekend. this week has been filled with packing and checking if we bought everything she will need and washing. (where does all this come from?!....goodness.) anyway....not wishing anything away- life goes too fast without that. trying to enjoy the craziness of this college transition. our house will definitely have a change with two kids out to college.

are you sending kids to off to college? or back to school?....happy tuesday!

stitched vintage envelope

i follow a few other artists and one of them works on envelopes and inspired me to want to do the same. i had been saving this envelope for something good....and i think this was just what it called for.

i used a variety of fabrics and beads. the very small black beads are seed beads and were glued on but, the long green ones were sewn on. i stitched most of with my machine, but i did go back and hand stitch the little navy sweater piece.

here is my whole piece....

.

happy friday!

a watercolor swap

i am participating in a watercolor swap with a floral theme. i was looking for watercolor paper when i stumbled across an old painting. i loved pieces of it but, not the whole thing......so i did a little rework and now really like what i ended with. this will be my swap for this trade. and i love all the little detail work in this piece and the colors.

i love the blend of the colors and the defined black lines and the mix with the undefined black lines.

i hope that the swap partner likes her piece. mailing it out today.....

#DLP #characters

took a little time to do some catch up with Documented Life..... played in my art journal this past weekend. the challenge this week was:

Art Challenge: Characters
Journal Prompt:  "If you're going to be weird, be confident about it!" Author Unknown

she is definitely a character.... a little colorful and quirky.

i really loved her pink hair and misshapen eyes; and the shadows.

happy monday.

tgif.....needing some studio time

happy friday....wanting time here.

lost art

so......do you sew? i am beginning to think that this is becoming a lost art. i come from a long line of seamstresses. both of my gramma's could sew, my mom sews, so it was only natural that i would have a sewing machine by the time i was 7.

albeit it would be a Holly Hobby that was a hand crank. i remember being upset that my machine did not have a foot switch that would make the machine go and my mom would tell me- "i don't want you to stitch your finger." i feel like that is the auto-response that boys get when they want a pellet gun. you know, the whole, "you will shoot your eye out." but, thank goodness, the Holly Hobby would not last long and i got to move to my mom's trusty old blue machine. actually, at the time- it was still probably relatively new then; but, that machine was a trusty one well into my twenties before we would stop using it. it was a gem.

i have a gem now. one my husband bought for me 17 years ago and it is a good one. a trusty soul. it has paint on it and is now starting to show its age by discoloring a bit; no longer the white, but more of a soft yellow and yet- it sews on almost everything. i have probably tried almost everything too (the poor thing).

but i love sewing on paper i have to tell you. now i will also tell you- i am not one of those perfectionists. nope....not here. and actually, when it comes to stitching- i almost prefer that line to not be straight. i prefer the project to not be perfect; maybe the color of the thread is a bit off and does not match and the stitched line is not straight, and maybe stitched way more that what is really needed to hold that edge- you know you just kept hitting that back up button.

i am in the process of sewing some new pieces and will add those to my etsy store when i get them done. remember my little bag to hold paintbrushes? i will be adding one of those as well.

working wet- being brave

i started a painting on a wooden cradle and kept working and layering to still have it look like crap. i don't know what moved me to work wet again but, this painting was in dire need of some help. i took a step off of the safe side and i went brave yesterday- covering the panel with a small but, thick, heavy amount of the colors i had chosen, a lot of water, and working through the process.

working wet is a trick as the paint can be lifted, pooled, pushed, resisted and it can be hard to control, long to dry and can be frustrating as sometimes things move easily that you don't want to move.

i loved the gold and alcohol inks as those resisted the water and were interesting to get to sit back down.

loved how this one turned out because the journey to this point was long. happy monday.