Happy Leap Day!

Today is one of those strange days that unless preplanned, you don't know what to do with it. So, I stayed at the computer and just surfed most of the day. Besides, it's snowing and very windy and downright cold!

My Leap Day consisted of watching the snow fall from my office window and then pray that the trees or limbs wouldn't come down and hit the house. At least the wind in knocking off the snow that accumulates on the trees. Usually we have warmer weather than this and any snow that does fall, melts right away. Tain't happenin' this year!

The deck after some melting this afternoon.

The woodshed and some snowflakes. (They are hard to capture in photos.)

Earlier this morning before the wind cleared off the maples.

Hoping Spring is coming sooner than later.

New Stuff at Colossal

There is some fun stuff over at Colossal this week. The X-rays of flowers are my favorite along with the light "paintings". Have fun looking at the hotel room that's half graffiti and half white. Not too sure I'd stay in that room, but I like the concept. Thanks for dropping by and visiting, if you are inclined, please leave a comment or some other kind of mark.

Post-It Notes as Art?

A fun and creative website, Fauxology, has a few pictures and links to show you the Art of Post-Its. I never thought of these little bits of paper as art supplies, but after seeing what these artists have done with them, no wall is safe.

If you would like, or better yet need, a bit of humor Monday thru Friday, you can subscribe to Savage Chickens, cartoons drawn on Post-It notes by Doug Savage. Follow the adventures of Timmy Tofu, Chuck Norris and a parade of chicken characters that will make you laugh, sing, cry and wonder why the heck this guy does this. ;)

Sunday Quote

Paradise Parking

Another fabulous post at Colossal is of Peter Lippmann and his beautiful pictures of cars that are going back to nature.

This series of work will soon be published in a new book by the same name.

I even have one picture of my own "Paradise Parked" Ford. This was taken behind our shop before it was cleared out. The Ford now resides in a corner of the pasture and is beginning another step in going back to nature. It makes a wonderful summertime play spot for the cat.

Friday Night Spotlight

The Friday Night Spotlight is back after a few weeks absence.

Tonight I am featuring a great blog all about the thrifting horrors of Austin, Texas. Now don't go and check out Pinterest just yet. ThriftHorror is going on my list of favorite blogs because it is so funny. TV's Jacob comes across these absolutely horrible thrift shop finds and then tells us stories about them. See for yourself.

From the site: ThriftHorror had its origins in the dusty bargin bin of time, where Ymir first purchased Krvlyn, a mighty war-hammer made entirely out of cowrie shells and pipe-cleaners twisted from the intestinal workings and heartstrings of mighty dragons and dead gods, for $2.78, because red tags were on half price that day.

Here are a couple of examples.

I love you, please don't hit me!

Drinking and driving is not good, unless you have your own car driven glass.

Make sure to take the labels off the bookshelf before you put something new on it.

New Earrings

It was rainy and very windy today so decided to get some new earrings made for St. Patrick's Day and Spring/Easter. These are just a few that I made and I have a number of ideas for more to come. I am not a fluffy pink bunny kind of girl, but don't those bunnies look just darling? :) The white glass beads with shamrock inserts are cool, the shamrocks are transparent. The angel is made from vintage Lucite flower beads. I call her the Flamenco Dancer Angel. I really like the green Swarovski crystal shamrocks. They have a wonderful sparkle and bring a bit of Spring to a very drab winter.

Cast Car Art

This piece is called "Escargo" and was created from the mind of Bernard Corman. I like the way this man thinks and LOVE his work. Wish I could afford to buy all of his stuff. For now, I'll just check his website for new pieces. Here are a few to check out.

'50 Olds - "Carp" series

'53 Buick - "Carp" series

Sweet Dreams

Book Surgeon

Brian Dettmer is THE preeminent book sculptor and you can see why here.

Standard Circle 2009

Kingdom View 2008

Birds of America 2006

From his site:
"Explanation of Process

In this work I begin with an existing book and seal its edges, creating an enclosed vessel full of unearthed potential. I cut into the surface of the book and dissect through it from the front. I work with knives, tweezers and surgical tools to carve one page at a time, exposing each layer while cutting around ideas and images of interest. Nothing inside the books is relocated or implanted, only removed. Images and ideas are revealed to expose alternate histories and memories. My work is a collaboration with the existing material and its past creators and the completed pieces expose new relationships of the book’s internal elements exactly where they have been since their original conception."

Go check out his website, there are so many more pictures to look at from 2005 to 2011. These works amaze me and I'm sure they will amaze you, too.

Sunday Quote

J.Shea9

J.Shea is an artist who has a strange and creative brain. I love his work with small bits of junk and beads. This link will take you to his site where you will sights like this....

Go through his portfolio and see what this Portland artist can do.

Hotels and Bonsai

If I could shrink myself down to fit into each of these fabulous pieces, I know I would have a ton of fun! TAKANORI AIBA is the artist who created these miniature vertical islands. Go take a look at all of his fantastical creations.

Virtual Sistine Chapel

Have you gone to Rome to see the Sistine Chapel? I would like to go some day, but right now I have to settle for a virtual tour. Click this link to see the fantastic work of Michelangelo, Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Perugino in this small but beautiful chapel.

Need Storage Ideas?

Here are a few ideas for storing your stuff from the Storage and Glee blog, gathered from around the net.

The Furniture has a lovely dresser with a secret. Great idea for hiding away your valuables.

Martina Carpelan certainly knows how to use her corners.

How about a little industrial look for the bathroom? Apartment Therapy has just the right idea for those extra canning jars you have hanging around.

For the guy who lives on the couch...literally. Belgian design brand Quinze & Milan presented a sofa covered in pockets for backpack company Eastpak at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan 2010. So when you're in trouble and kicked to the couch, you won't complain...too much.

Another idea from Apartment Therapy for a small home office. I like the idea of the crates, they work as storage but also look like shadow boxes.

Spring is coming and it's time to start thinking about the cleaning that comes with it. Get creative with your storage and see how great it feels to get organized.

Suspended Together

This is a very interesting exhibition by Saudi artist Manal Al Dowayan. Here is his statement about what the doves stand for.

“Suspended Together” is an installation that gives the impression of movement and freedom. However, a closer look at the 200 doves allows the viewer to realize that the doves are actually frozen and suspended with no hope of flight. An even closer look shows that each dove carries on its body a permission document that allows a Saudi woman to travel. Notwithstanding their circumstances, all Saudi women are required to have this document, issued by their appointed male guardian.

The artist reached out to a large group of leading women from Saudi Arabia to donate their permission documents for inclusion in this artwork. “Suspended Together” carries the documents of award-winning scientists, educators, journalists, engineers, artists and leaders with groundbreaking achievements that gave back to their society. The youngest contributor is six months old and the oldest is 60 years old. In the artist’s words, “regardless of age and achievement, when it comes to travel, all these women are treated like a flock of suspended doves.”

More Business Card Zentangles

I haven't been doing as many Zentangles on the back of my business cards since I finally got broadband. It's really nice to click on a picture heavy site and have it just pop right up, but my tangling has been curtailed. Here are some that I worked on last week.

I'm hoping I can find some time to get out my pens and cards in the near future. Everyone likes having a little piece of personal art, but I'm running out of arted up business cards!

Sunday Quotes

Boris Indrikov - Fabulous Artist!

I just discovered Boris Indrikov. WOW! I have no words to describe his paintings, they have all slipped away from me. Here are a few pictures instead.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

You can tell a lot about a woman....

...by her hands. Dawn Rogal has a lot of fun with her needles and thread. Here is what she has done recently.

Spirals Necklace

Here is one more necklace and earring set I put together from different sizes of spiral dangles and pendant. Made from lead-free pewter and 18" silver plated chain and findings.

This necklace and earring set is available at my online store.