The Bee's Knees (Art Elements Theme Reveal)

You guessed it, the Art Elements Theme for April was Bees! Once again, I signed up a little late but was actually thinking about the theme all month long. 

When I was gathering dictionary papers to solder for the Earrings Everyday Home challenge, I went ahead and found some bee images to solder as well. 

Knowing I would have a backside to this type of pendant, I realized that I had a small bee stamp in my collection. And, it suddenly became the front of the pendant with the addition of the word QUEEN embossed in gold above the little bee. 

I aged the edges of both sides with a little Distress Ink in Old Paper. That color perfectly matched the cream faceted glass beads that I paired with black beads to create the chain. 

And, I was lucky enough to find a hook I had handmade some time ago in my stash. It seemed to perfectly match the little scrolls I created at the top of the pendant. That was a lucky find as though this was the first project I started, it was the last one I finished.

Before I began soldering, I decided to create a few word bubbles to add to my bowl of to-be-soldered. The excess dictionary paper from the Home challenge was sitting in my view and the word "honey" seemed to pop from it. So, I created the bubble and added it to the bowl.

When I soldered the jump ring on, I positioned it so that it would make it easy to string the charm on with some beads. And, that's just what I did!

I used beads from several jars of bead soup that fit in with a honey, black, silver, off-white color scheme then found a toggle clasp that had flowers on it to further accentuate the bee/honey theme. I don't make many bracelets, but really love this one! 

The project that really took up a big chunk of my time was a little assemblage piece. For some reason, a small candy tin caught my attention one day. The next morning, I was scouring the craft room for the little collection of silicone molds I know I possessed. I had a feeling there was a bee mold in there. And, I was right. I spent almost a full rainy day squirting hot glue into those molds, trying to get them to come out just right. It was an embarrassingly long time before it hit me that I could also use Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel which I also have in my stash and which would hold up better than hot glue. I molded all kinds of shapes in my little collection but made sure to create a few bees and flowers. 

Though my work on this tin was all over the place, let me just share the parts you can see. After sanding off all the color from the outside of the little tin, I painted it with a layer of a couple shades of blue Vintaj Patinas. One of my molded bees was painted on the backside with gold acrylic paint before getting glued with E6000 to the top of the tin. I punched a hole on the side that opens and inserted a floral brad, gluing it in place. The phrase "Welcome to My Garden" was simply printed out then colored with Distress Inks before getting glued on with Mod Podge.  I have to admit that I keep humming, "Welcome to the Jungle" everytime I look at the little tin. 

For the inside, I watercolored a piece of dictionary paper for the background and glued it down with Mod Podge. So that the background had some texture, I also created flowers and leaves with watercolors on various other book pages. These were cut out individually and glued with a glue stick. The flower and bee molds were painted with acrylic paint and glued with E6000.

I even punched a few holes in the top and made a little hanger so the tiny garden can be hung. I don't know why - but I had to do that. It was in my head from the start!

And, wouldn't you know it - two days before the reveal as I was looking for something else, I found these two beauties in my stash.

I guess I know what I'm doing next!

I can't leave this post without sharing at least one of the bee photos I captured last month.

Alrighty, I've rushed this thing along so you might have the chance to check out the other participants in this blog hop challenge reveal. But first, a huge thanks to Niky for the theme. I had NO IDEA bees were so inspiring.

AE team: Niky, Sue, Jenny, Jen, Cathy, Marsha

Guests: Tammy, Cat, Alysen, Kathy, Sarajo, Kelly, Evie and Beth, Hope

Gnome Sweet Gnome (AE Reveal)

Taking up challenges has done a lot to give me inspiration. And, now the challenges are helping save my sanity as I stay home as much as possible. When I saw that Jenny had selected Gnomes for this month's Art Elements Theme Challenge. I didn't hesitate to hop on board. For one thing, I knew I had at least one project already done that would suit the theme but was certain I could come up with more.

Recently, I went on a soldering spree and wrapped up a ton of stuff in copper tape. Then, I happily sat at my desk and soldered it all together. Several items in that batch ended up in my Bead Box #7. What a coincidence that this was in there.

I'm not sure what pulled me to the gnome image when I worked on the soldered pieces, but it was a wonderful stroke of luck. I believe that image is from Dover Publications, but I can't be sure. It was just one in a stack of things I keep around.

It took me no time to create the chain for that cutie of a gnome pendant with the beads I had already selected. The clear and white beads ensured that the pendant would be the focal point of this necklace.

I really love his whimsical nature with the butterfly on his elbow. There's a butterfly image on the back of the pendant too. 

Knowing that the necklace was complete, I didn't stress too much over getting something else made for this reveal. However, I had a list of ideas that included making a cloche gnome scene with an old cheese plate, creating a gnome silhouette with a jar and a tea light, and assembling a simple paper gnome collage. I even kept my eye out for gnome figurines on the few trips out of the house that I made.

I picked up the above little guys thinking they would incorporate well into my first two ideas.

And, when I spotted this piece of bark in the yard, I thought it would be perfect for the jar idea.

Even after baking the bark in the oven I still couldn't bring myself to combine the pieces into a whole project.

So, these guys will have to wait.

Actually, the largest gnome has become an on-desk companion of mine. I just love him. So, he'll likely stay as he is. But, he needs a name. Do y'all have any suggestions?

While those first two ideas never made it to fruition, I couldn't get that third one out of my head. And, once I had an idea drawn out, it was just a matter of sitting down and making it happen.

You can see me make it for yourself in this Easy Gnome Collage tutorial on YouTube.

I'm pleased as punch with how he came together.

I used pastels and florals for this gnome to give him a happy, spring-like feel. But, it would have been just as easy to have selected papers for any other season, holiday, or theme.

He was made on a 5x7 inch canvas board that I painted with acrylic paints. But, a sheet of paper would have worked fine too in a pinch. I drew out my idea, to scale, on a piece of copy paper. So, I just cut those shapes out to create templates for the patterned paper. 

Once I traced and cut out all the patterned paper, I just used a glue stick to piece my gnome and his mushroom together. 

A Stabilo all-pencil was used to add some shading before I added a mother-of-pearl button for his nose with E6000 glue. 

He's cuter than I had envisioned and was easier than I imagined. Thanks to Jenny for the inspiring theme! I definitely needed the distraction right now. 

I hope you go get distracted and take a gander at what the other participants made. This is Blog Hop after all!

AE team: Marsha, Cathy, Jen, Jenny, Lesley, Claire, Niky

Guests: Tammy, Linda, Hope, Cat, Sarajo

I hope you're staying home right now. Let me know what you're doing to occupy your attention: creating, organizing, binging, cleaning... I think we could all use all the ideas we can get.

Letters - Art Elements Theme Reveal

Can I just tell you how much I love the monthly Art Elements Theme Challenge? One of the team members selects a theme, anyone with a blog can participate, and you're welcome to use any medium you want to embody the theme. It's brilliant! This month, Jennifer Cameron chose to inspire us with "Letters" as the theme. We could take that any way we wanted, and I did - in the form of two projects.

Let me start with the one I finished first - an art journal page.

I used a fairly large mixed media journal for this project and layered on a collage of an actual handwritten letter and Tim Holtz Tissue Wrap in the Postale pattern. And with those two things, I had included letters in two forms. Done! Ha, not really.

I used several brown spray inks to add the color and water to take some of it away.

Letters were stenciled and stamped on with Distress Oxide ink.

And, I added washi tape with letters and words on them in a few spots.

Finally, I  used hand-lettering to create a phrase I thought was appropriate and would finish up my overabundance of letters.

I remembered to record my process since this Letters Art Journal Page was created specifically for this challenge.

It's always fun to get messy in the art journal!

The next project was actually started months and months ago when I made the small tin box. I'm not even sure how long ago it was. At the beginning of January, I picked it back up, deciding it would be a good Valentine project. But, this was as far as I got.

When I saw this month's Letter theme, I decided that it would be a good opportunity to finish the little box, especially since it was a vintage hand-written love letter that was cut for the hearts. So, I began by gluing down the first heart with mod podge.

This not only secured the paper but also helped to seal it for the steps to come. 

A metal punch was used to create two holes at the top of the box. I applied more mod podge to the outside edges of the box before sprinkling in some silver German glass glitter (from Ice Resin). Once the glue was dry, I wrapped the outside of the box in packing tape.

The packing tape helped to contain the Ice Resin that I poured in a thin layer into the box. After the resin had dried for a few hours and was still tacky, I placed another one of the hearts (a smaller one) on top of the first. This one had been edged with Staz-on black ink but not sealed. When the resin was cured, I slipped headpins into the punched holes - through the tape - before the holes were covered in the second layer of resin.

Once the second layer was cured, I added a final black-edged heart. This one was sealed with mod podge (though some of the resin has seeped into it) before getting stuck onto the other hearts and sealed under a third layer of resin. 

For now, I'm letting the third layer be the last one as I like that this thin layer lets some of the edges of the last heart poke up a tiny bit. Once I was sure this layer was dry, I removed the tape and created simple loops with the headpins. Then, the piece was transformed into a necklace with the addition of some ball chain.

And, I REALLY love it!

I should tell you that the red portion of the tin was the outside of it while the inside portion was a distressed silver.

There's absolutely nothing perfect about this necklace, but I think that's the charm of it. 

I know that the letter portion of this reveal is pretty weak, but I did highlight that handwritten love letter in an unexpected manner.

At least it was unexpected for me. 

Before you start (continue) hopping to the other participants' contributions, I want to thank Jennifer for the amazing, inspiring theme as well as the team at Art Elements for allowing me to participate along with them. I needed this! Now, here's the list.

Guests: Tammy, Karin, Kathy, Evie and Beth, Divya, Hope, Anita

Art Elements Team: Claire, Lesley, Jenny, Cathy, Niky, Jen

I hope you find some inspiration in this hop!

If you have any questions about either of my projects, please don't hesitate to let me know. I'd be happy to help. 

Octopus Theme for Art Elements

As soon as I saw that the theme for this month's Art Elements Challenge was "octopus", I was in! First off, I already had a piece designed (not made, yet) that incorporated an octopus pendant, but I also have a love for the underwater creature itself.

For one thing, they're extremely intelligent. As well, octopi have mad skills. Not only do they have several extra sets of "hands" (who among us hasn't wished for that?), but they also have the ability to camouflage themselves. So cool!

Anyway...I've had this altered pendant from Dry Gulch for a good while now. It finally made its way into my Bead Box 6 last month.

As serendipity would have it, Claire chose this magnificent creature as this month's theme. I was all set and motivated to finish the necklace I had already designed. BAM!

I kept the palette of beads simple, choosing aqua blues and white to give a nod to the water in which the octopus lives. Antiqued brass beads were also used to pull in the metal of the pendant, though it has been altered with a rusty patina. That patina gives the pendant a sunken treasure feel. Yum.

I really could have left it at that, but it felt like cheating since it was a project I already had underway. Initially, I had hoped to complete an assemblage piece like I did with the flowers theme last month and the owl theme in February. Alas, I simply didn't have the time. Instead, I pulled together a quick art journal spread using an octopus stamp I found I had.

Those colorful circles are supposed to be bubbles... It was more about me playing with the supplies I had on hand than anything else.

And, I recorded a video so you can watch me create my Octopus Bubbles Art Journal page. 

Don't let me keep you though, this is a blog hop and there's a ton of more octopus-inspired art for you to enjoy. (You can always come back later and watch the video, I'll understand!)

Guest artists: Cat, Evie and Beth, Hope  (you're here), Karen, Kathy, Melissa, Michelle, Rozantia, Sarajo, Tammy

Art Elements Team: Cathy, Claire, Jenny, Laney, Lindsay, Marsha

Thanks so much for stopping by and thanks to Claire for a great theme!

I'm a Guest Designer for AJE this Month

How lucky can one girl be? I was fortunate enough to have my name drawn  as one of the wildcards for the Art Jewelry Elements Component of the Month for January 2014. This month's component was created by the talented Jennifer  Davies-Reazor. You can read more about her development of the component on the Art Jewelry Elements Blog, but let me go ahead and show you what she sent ME!

Isn't it sublime!? I've just been oooohing and ahhhhing over the metallic and patina combination she achieved on the polymer clay. Love!

It's one of those pieces that if I didn't HAVE to have something made by the end of the month, I would probably hoard for way too long!

Oh, and it even has my name in it! GAH!! Let me admit that I'm just a little intimidated by it's awesomeness but I've got until the end of the month to come up with something.

Check back on Friday, January 31st to see what I've made for this challenge.

Up to My Elbows in Challenges

There's a lot going on over here in the Craft Room lately. I've got a plethora of beads and challenges up my sleeve.

I went ahead and bought the beads for Lorelei's new Michael's Challenge, but the deadline is Tuesday and I still don't know what I'm going to make. Agggghhhhh!!!!

I better get on the ball if that's going to happen.

I was also one of the lucky three randomly selected to participate in Art Jewelry Elements' August Component of the Month. This month's artist is Melissa Meman and the component was one of her Melismatic Molten Morsels. It was a complete surprise which morsel we would each receive and I was so happy to see mine.

The morsel came without holes in it, but you can plainly see that I couldn't wait to take a picture before punching holes just where I wanted them. I can be an inpatient soul at times.

Lastly, ZnetShows is having a challenge for some of their design team. Here's what I received. I'll fill you in more about the challenge a little later on.

So, you can see I'm a busy girl. Yet. . .here I sit writing a blog post, hoping that inspiration will strike (and SOON!) What should you be working on instead of reading blogs?