ART and SOUL classes april

 ART and  SOUL in KC . April   3-7  this  spring !
 Here are the classes I will be teaching .

Heart Of the Ocean=Distress Shadow Box  and collage peice.
Queen for a Day = Working with  Paper Clay 
Textured Whimsy = Painting with texture using whimscal imagery.   

Click heart for more details Art and Soul KC

copper water color heart book

I have wanted to teach a water color class where we do wee on the spot watercolors in a handmade  created   journal to go with the water colors . Bisbee  is the perfect place to do a walking water color class. The town  is so filled with inspirational  vignettes everywhere you go.
   Today I made the prototype for the journal.  Bisbee was a copper mining  town so  I made the book cover by covering 2 wooden hand carved hearts with  hammered copper. I then made  wee  heart shaped  page signatures  for the inside. It was fun . Now to do the water colors for  the inside and it will be ready to put on the Blisbee class schedule.

re visiting shrink plastic

When you just want to have fun and feel like a kid doing a science  experment
 ( without  hurting  any living creatures of course)  get out the shrink plastic  !!!. This bracelet  is so fun
1-Piant one side of the plastic with white gesso scrapping some off .let dry  then add yellow ochre pencil shadings .
2-Cut large heart shapes.
3-Stamp images with stazon ,some on both sides ,some just one side.
4-Add Black stabilo pencil  to the edges and smear!!!
5-Seal with spray fix.
6-Shrink with a heat gun and watch  the hearts squrim  and wiggle.
7-Drill holes, add  jump rings, attach  to bracelet chain.
8- Then add wire wrapped  drops for bling !!!
Or.... Just come in and take the class at blissbee

"wearing my hearts on my sleeve"

Samples

I am working on  making  inspirational  samples for the shop using products I carry.  It really helps shoppers when they can see what can be done with the products. This wall pocket was created by using  a Canvas Corp. banner and a Melissa Frances hanger . Canvas Crop makes all sorts of fun shapes to alter .They are really fun to spray with Adirondack   inks by Ranger  and also stamp with the Adirondack fabric inks also by Ranger . I also printed an image on organza printing fabric and used it as the central image.

    

I used  several vintage lace pieces but most of this was done with  new matreials The key to making something look old is to avoid  most  shiny  polyester laces  and ribbon . I  try to use cotton or rayon .  Thye  also dye best in coffee or tea.

Vintage MOP buttons over  new plastic  ones really makes  a difference  too.  

Canvas Corp banner and Melissa Frances hanger .

The cone shape  wall pocket was created by clipping the banner so that it bowed out . Once that bow shape  was created I glued a  piece of heavy card board on to  the back  creating the back piece  for the wall pocket . 

  

Gratitude - my 2013 word for the year

I like to  pick a word for the year. Last years was intuition. I tired to follow mine through the year but sure screwed up on it several times when   I really mis read others intentions and my own . HMMM This year my word is gratitude. Instead of focusing on what I do not have I want to focus on what I do have and that means focusing  on  my strengths while ALSO  accepting my  flaws and limitations . I hope to continue to  grow spiritually   and help  others as well. Which for  me is helping  those  on their creative journey. I have learned this past year that my " helping" others seems to be best limited to  the realm of creatiivy so this will be my focus  this year.  So here are 2 more classes added to the  blissbee line up . These  where created by  using 7 Gypsies products and Tim Hotlz products  . I saw the idea at last years CHA for the Tim Holtz  configurations box with the   Tim Holtz pulley wheels.  The different  company vendors   have   design teams create ideas using the new product. These are  then displayed at their CHA  trade show  booths  for the buyers like myself  to  be inspired.  It took me  a year to get around  to creating my own prototype for classes.

7 gypsies gothic window chip board cut outs altered into  a wall hanging

 Tim Holtz bottle  soldered with wire  and turned into a  bling relic style  necklace 

                              Tim Holtz configuration box with Tim holtz pulley wheels
                                                                  "  box of curiosities "