keep calm

i had to post this

too many projects..................

i have at least a hundred ideas running around in my head

some of them new things i want to try

like crocheting wire

i've crocheted since i was 7, every barbie had a poncho

it's something i do while watching tv
it was so easy, i have tons of wire, yarn and beads

all i had to do was make some time and start!

now i can't stop

fleamarket finds

a gift from carmi and paul

i have a starflash, starluxe and starflex and now a starmiteIIII

it will be a challlenge to find any other starmites

my collection is growning 19 different brownies so far

and of course i found some metal and jewelry to add to my already huge pile

the pearls where a great find, occupied japan, 12 stands for $5

i love this little olive jar, when you lift the lid there is a spoon attached

and gifts for a friend

sunset in caledon

just when you think you've got the best picture

take another!

texture challenge

this weeks textures can be found on my flickr page

no matter where i go i always find texture......my eye just goes to it

telephone pole, rusted mail box, stone wall, peeling paint, park bench

at the flea market, auto garage, graveyard ......everywhere..anywhere

i always have my little camera in my purse just in case

someone asked me how i start a project
i create a new blank file add in all 6 textures and then bring in a photo maybe 2
i "turn off" all but one of the textures and try on all the blending modes
saving the ones i like and then moving on to the next texture
then i try 2 or 3 or all 6 to see what they look like
most of the time it gets a bit busy
this time i actually liked what happened
above all six layers and the blending modes i used

above six new textures i created by combining several of the textures
and playing with the blending modes
over the next week i will play some more to see what i can create
for this challenge, i will post results on march 11th
so if you want to play along go to my flickr page and download these textures
email me your results and i will post every ones projects

kumihimo and wine

now that i have mastered the "round" kumihimo disc it was time to tackle

the square version

once my friend carmi gave me the "coles notes" i was good to go
an hour later i had enough to make this double bracelet for my niece

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easy peasy or so i thought until i was invited for dinner and crafts

at my friends house, we should have opened the wine after the demo!!lu made a wonderful meal !!!

encaustic class

for today's class it was all about texture and glazes

first i covered the board with pages from a science book

once i chose a color palette of greens, yellow, grey and blue

i add light washes of color so that some of the paper would show through

circles, drips and a tracing wheel highlighted with burnt umber oil paint

cheese cloth and oil paint to create more texture