Creek At Good Harbor, MA

I finished this oil just a few days ago and hurried to get it framed. I will bring it to Connecticut tomorrow to enter into the Tobacco Valley Art Associations's Spring Show. I love to look at it, as I think I am longing to go to the ocean. Cape Ann is one of the most beautiful places to visit. We are planning to visit the Gloucester area in 2 weeks, and I can't wait!

Doll Art Class

Hi everyone! There is an online "Steampunk" Doll Class being offered at the Art Alchemy Studio taught by Georgina Diaz and Chaska Peacock. This class runs from June 5 to June 28. You will learn to understand "Steampunk" to sculpt a clay head without using a mold, and to fashion this funky fun figure -- all with your own personal touches, and...... for only $30.00! Go to http://www.artalchemystudio.com/ to check it out. I have taken a class with Chaska previously and was so very pleased with the results of my sun healing doll.

Jars of Buttons

The sideboard in my dining room is filled with jars of buttons and pictures of family and friends. Every once in a while, I look through the jars and play with my buttons. It reminds me of when I was a kid going through my mom's old red and cream colored malted wafer tin filled with buttons. For those of you who keep/save buttons beware of keeping them in metal containers, as it effects the buttons and results in deterioration over a period of time. Also pictured is an old dental chest in one of the bedrooms that holds jars and boxes of buttons. Today is cloudy and a bit dreary. Rain is forecast until the end of the week. Off to breakfast with a friend, then to the frame shop to choose a frame for my most recent painting, then to facilitate a workshop on art with children for some young mothers. "The busy bee has no time for sorrow!"

Zippers and Buttons!

Here are the latest in AB lessons from Elizabeth. Placement of a zipper was a little confusing for me at first. Made a mistake by not having the zipper begin at the top so that the contents of the purse could be seen, but creatively figured out a use for it in my book. The button border was fun and i just happened to have a jar of white buttons that suited the task.

Out to Breakfast

Didn't sleep well at all last night - Up bright and early, and it is a spectacular sunny bright day. Waiting for my brother to pick me up to go out to breakfast, and then to the parade. He is a Vietnam Vet and I am happy we are going to the parade together. Pictured above is my Carmella Orchid that recently bloomed. This is one of my favorite orchids, as it blooms frequently and is no trouble at all. She sits in my kitchen garden window.

climatis blooming

I am blessed with blossoms on the climatis -- many more than last year. I lost the one in the front yard that twined around the lamp post. It is the north side of the house, and it must have taken a beating this past winter. Today I was off to the store to buy ingredients to make meatballs for a picnic gathering we were invited to tomorrow. Many old friends are getting together after many years and I will be happy to see them to exchange news. Now I am going on the deck to put a primer on my Jasmine's dollhouse. I am painting the inside walls, and she will assist in painting the outside walls and roof. Oh happy days.

Button Find

Today I went to a local flea market called Treasure Hunt. I saw a jar of buttons for $3.50, with a few worthwhile buttons included, so bought the whole "kit and caboodle!" I am happy with one particular button that was in the jar: it is a celluloid, in good condition, with a camel pictured. The red buttons are glass art deco, and the dark buttons are a mix of plastic, one celluloid, some composition buttons, and a "whistle" button: a large button with two buttonholes on one side, and one large buttonhole on the other. There are a few anchor buttons with NAVY on the front, with a backmark of HBW. A rare find for me; I usually don't have very good luck at flea markets.

Pal

Into everything and always looking for trouble! He definitely needs to be an "outdoor cat", but is doomed to stay inside. His housemate June is the opposite: she hides and is quite content, especially eating! They are as much work as 2 year old children...have to hide all of my art stuff or Pal is chompin away and loves plastic! Worked on my "wrecking journal" today and had fun. Can't believe the month of May is half over. Time flies when you are having fun.

Sunfaces

Received in today's mail these so very unique and creative Sun Faces ATC's from members of the 14 Secrets for a Happy Artist's Life Group. They are so very cool for sun faces!

Lovely Tulips

I could just dive into the middle of the inspiring colors of these tulips. They were given to me by my son Buddy, for Mother's Day several years ago. It makes me happy they appear each spring. I spent a lazy Mother's Day at Bud's with my other son, Beau, and my husband Bob. Bud had a barbecue and made a meal fit for a queen for a day (me) and our family. I also received more flowers. It was a great day and I am very grateful for such loving sons.

Button Treasures

After talking about buttons to my extremely talented and creative on-line group friend, Carol, I decided to post some more of my buttons. I have some on boards to display; however, I have too many in bowls and jars that need to be mounted on boards. They are my treasures and I love to look at them. Click on each to get a close up view of each card. The teal card is filled with mythological creatures; the purple card won first prize in the reptile category, and the fabric buttons are placed on the right. The button on the very top right is an 18th century passementerie button.

Pockets!

I truly had a lot of fun making these pockets for Elizabeth's AB class! I also incorporated some more backgrounds for layouts along the way. Seeing I have no particular subject matter, I just created as the mood suited me. I like the way the paint created a more visible pattern on the paper towels I wiped my foam brush on before cleaning it with water. It seemed appropriate to place the cat images I had left over from a safari swap on that page. The hidden side pocket is shown with the tag partially extended, and the other hidden tag is above the angel image, with 2 slender threads of gold extending from the slit above the angel. Oh, it was fun. I am looking forward to more learning in this fun filled free on line class! If you would like to view the images larger, just click on each one. A bit of info: I had to reinforce some of the page areas along the way, as the pages of this old book are very thin and some of the techniques are somewhat more trying for its delicacy of age. I am finding that I am gluing 2 pages together as I go along to accomodate the materials and technique procedures. I added some yellow masking tape along the edge of the hidden pocket slit, as the paper was so thin. Doing so, led me to use the tape and incorporate it into the page design itself. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Very Photogenic Llamas

Took these photos Sunday while out for a ride with my husband, Bob. I just couldn't resist taking their pictures. Aren't they cute?

Week 5 of AB Class

A variety of backgrounds using acrylic paint: marbelized, cardboard comb swipe, crumpled wax paper, and bubblewrap.

and, the Winners are:

Rainy won the buttons and Mom2Boys won the Nature's Sketchbook collage by Marjolein Bastin. Congratulations. Please reply within 48 hours with your address. Thanks to everyone who entered.

Sun Healing Doll

I finally completed my sun healing doll. It was fun to make and I learned a lot making my first doll of this kind. Thanks to my friend, Gena, who led me to Chaska Peacock's group (Creative Sparks).