Sunday Quotes

Sunday Quotes

Stay Healthy My Friends!

Sunday Quotes

Zenspirations

One of the newer Zentangle books out is by Joanne Fink and called Zenspirations.  It features wonderful ideas for Dangle Designs to add to your art.

I love this book!  I can now add dangles and finials and other cool "components" to frame and add to my tangled art.

Here are a couple of pages from my sketchbook that I played around with some of the ideas from the book.

These are really, really fun and easy to do when a cold creeps up on you when you least expect it....like what happened this weekend.  It doesn't require a lot of thought to doodle in the sketchbook when you're head is all stuffed up. 

I think I'll go sit on the couch now and work a little on my dangles after which a nap is in order.  *cough, cough*  UGH!

Tangled Masks

Last weekend was my art group's annual retreat. Tons of fun, laughter and creativity were had by all.  We always have a theme for the weekend and this year it was masks, along with a riddle, poem, story or whatever.  I decided to get a couple of blank masks to work on, not really knowing what I wanted to do with them. 

I ordered some papier mache masks online from Mardi Gras Outlet and waited for inspiration to happen.  (Most times it doesn't show up, but this time it did.)  These masks come prepped for paint or pen and were perfect for Zentangles.  They are not flimsy like the plastic masks, have a bit of heft to them and are comfortable to wear.  Here are the two I've worked on so far.  I think I'm going to order more and have some fun playing with my Sharpies.

I will probably add more to the first mask, although I do like the half and half thing going on.  These half masks are being "worn" by the two full masks I also bought from Mardi Gras Outlet.  I'll be working on those in the next few weeks and will post them as soon as I'm done.

In the meantime, have a safe and fun Halloween!

Sunday Quotes

I will not comply

The stupid government is out of control, too big and overly powerful.  I don't need a government employee telling me how to live, what insurance I have to buy, where I can go, what to eat and how they are going to spend my hard earned taxes on crap!

To that I say.....

Sunday Quotes

Sunday Quotes

Sunday Quotes

Sunday Quotes

Today is a different kind of quote, a quote in a song.

Brave by Sara Bareilles, listen and then go out and be brave.

Sunday Quotes

Note: If you have difficulty reading any of these quote pictures, simply click on the picture and it will expand for easier reading.

Sunflowers and Nasturtiums

It's going to be a hot day today and I was out early to get my walk out of the way.  I always forget to take my camera with me and usually find something I want to get a pic of, but can't.  Today I remembered!  So here are a few of the things I got before my walk.

One of the sunflower buds just ready to open.

Almost looks like an eye, doesn't it?

A tall sunflower with a bud behind.

Getting warm in the morning light.

Dew on the blossom.

Dewy nasturtium flower.

This was so pretty to see this morning. 

Nasturtium leaf

 

Now, because I did remember to take my camera on my walk this morning, I didn't see anything I wanted to get a picture of.  Ain't that the way of it?

 

Sunday Quotes

Sea Urchin Spine Necklace

I was straightening up the work desk and found a bag of sea urchin spines I received with my Bead Hoard box from A Grain of Sand last year.  I decided to make a simple necklace with them.  I also wanted to add a bit of bling and grabbed these lovely light blue crystals.  It's surprisingly light and fun to wear. 

Sunday Quotes

Sunday Quotes

Back to Beading

It's been a very quiet summer and I haven't really felt like doing a whole lot of anything.  Well, I did get a couple of books read, but that's about it.   

 

I keep an idea journal handy so that when I do get back to the Bead Desk, I have something to refer to when I need the inspiration.  (As if Pinterest weren't enough!)  In my wanderings around the net, I came across a picture of a young girl weaving a small bit of art and thought, "I can do that with beads!"  So, I did.  Here is my version in beady goodness.  I used up some of the spatterings of old bead left overs and new wire wrapped beads to complete this wall hanging.

 

Bead and Wire Wall Hanging

Detail

 

Granted, it's not really woven, just strung, but it's colorful, used up old beads and got me doing some art.  I think I'm going to do a couple more of these wall hangings, tho'  I will need to make a bunch more of those wire beads.  They're really fun, but hard on the hands.  Next time I'll use some copper wire for a different look.

 

Before I played with the wall hanging, I tried an experiment with a spool and bead fringe.  I think it came out quite well. 

 

End View with Copper Wire Insert

Lots and Lots of Fringe

Front View with Lampworked Beads

 

Now...this took me the better part of two months to complete.  I started back in May by doing peyote stitch around the spool with a three color bead soup.  I had teal, transparent purple and silver lined purple seed beads in the soup.  Then I added some wonderful purple leaf beads in matte, transparent with AB finish and matte in AB finish.  I worked on the fringe bit by bit until I ran out of leaf beads.  Added the copper wire insert so the ball chain wouldn't rub on the sides of the spool and mess it up.  The lampworked beads were an afterthought, because there can never be enough beads, right?  And they matched the color of the leaf beads. 

 

The thing I like most about this piece is how it feels.  I can't really describe it, but the fringe gives it a wonderful weight and sensual experience in the palm of your hand.

 

I'm working on another beaded wall hanging, but it's not ready for prime time, yet.  This one has been in the pipeline since about last fall.  I've been taking pictures of the work in process and will post those after completion.  Until then....enjoy the quotes.

 

Sunday Quotes

Sunday Quotes