Autumn Light Designs

Last items for raffle

2011-10-26T10:10:00.000-07:00

They say she's a little, hmmm, batty

2011-10-25T22:50:00.000-07:00

Another fun image from Alpha Stamps.

More bats in unlikely places

2011-10-25T22:49:00.000-07:00

This one is yours for the taking...leave me a comment and I'll do a random draw on Friday.

Where is my mind?

2011-10-25T22:45:00.001-07:00

Never mind that, where is my head? Poor Poe lost his head. Wonder what's inside? Hint: it's appropriately themed jewelry....

Skellies in the closet

2011-10-25T22:44:00.002-07:00

Oh, Marjorie, one does admire your pluck. I had too much fun putting this together, and this is for the raffle as well.

Bats in her, um...

2011-10-25T22:44:00.000-07:00

A Victorian bat costume, courtesy of Alpha Stamps. She's a little unrealistically proportioned (just a tad) but the costume was too cool to not play with. I made a frame out of recycled foam core board and some black acrylic paint, and also painted some expanded paper (very cool packing material) for the curtains.

Time for a Halloween raffle

2011-10-25T22:41:00.000-07:00

I'm coordinating an annual Halloween raffle for our Soroptimist Club tomorrow. Here's a set of tags that will be door prizes.

Embossed foil

2011-10-21T13:21:00.001-07:00

As I was casting about for a technique for an embossing enamel swap, my friend Carol reminded me of the following: scrunch up some heavy-duty aluminum foil. Carefully unfold and brayer. Color with alcohol inks and let dry. Cover evenly with Versmark and clear, thick embossing powder (I used Franklin Opals). Heat until set.

What you get is colorful foil that has some stability (meaning it doesn't tear as easily) and is very flexible. It's also very colorful, and quite fun.

I used it for the background on this ATC, for a swap, and with one extra I made this card as a thank you for a friend.

F is for Floating leaf poem with fern fragment on Fossil Stone

2011-10-19T14:17:00.001-07:00

A swap for Art-Ventures. I'd forgotten about this super easy technique. Here's how it's done:

1. Cut open a plastic page protector, so it opens like a book.

2. Ink each side of the "book" with dye-based inks. I just applied them DTP style and mixed up my colors. The main colors here were Adirondack Wild Plum & Red Pepper, with some random orange ink.

3. Close the "book" and gently walk your fingers across the whole page protector. You'll see lots of interesting bubbles develop. This is what you want.

4. Carefully open the "book" back up. Insert two 8.5 x 11-inch pieces of white, glossy cardstock, placed back to back and with glossy side out.

5. Close the page protector once more. Walk your fingers over once again and you'll see the ink transfer, bubbles, fissures and all. Et voila, Fossil Stone.

TP Tube book

2011-10-07T14:10:00.000-07:00

Ah, the uses of recycled materials. This Halloween swap was created using TP tubes, flattened to make little pockets for tags. Little pockets, big fun to make.

I sprayed the tubes with Lysol first (just bein' careful), let dry and then flattened them in my Big Shot. Measured some patterned paper to wrap each, and embellished, with stamps, clip art, fibers dye cuts, etc.

I drew a coffin shape freehand on a cereal box and cut two, painting them grey. The book is four tubes with tags, layered between coffins, bound with two rings and tied off with fibers.

I will use the tubes idea again for cards and such, though I'm thinking of just cutting up paper towel or wrapping paper rolls.

Tempest, in a Teacup

2011-10-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

This is Tempest. She's in a teacup, not a teapot, so perhaps she's a mini tempest. :) I miss my black cat and am hoping to get another one soon.

The ABCs of an ATC Swap

2011-08-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

As I wrote earlier, one of my groups is having a lot of fun trying out various background techniques and surface treatments on Artist Trading Cards, working our way through the alphabet a month at a time.

We're up to E now, but for A, B and C, I did a mini running theme of 'I Want to Go to Le Cirque." I'd been having repeated dreams about cirques and these Stampsmith stamps -- a sheet called "Balancing Act"--just spoke to me. Although I've posted some of these before, I thought I would show them as a group.

So: A is for "Acrobat on Acrylic Scraped Background"; B is for "Babs Balances on Blended Batik,"" and C is for "Canine Juggles on Cosmos Paper."

Though I've moved on from the theme, my heart still yearns for a good cirque.

Extreme Masking

2011-08-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Another ATC in an ongoing swap at Art-Ventures. This one, "E is for Extreme Masking, w/ Embossing." a Tim Holtz technique as described in Compendium of Curiosities. Very fun technique!

Steampunk Spoon

2011-08-16T15:58:00.000-07:00

A little of this, a little of that! Just for fun.

When the call went out for this swap, I had more "parts" than I knew what to do with. My favorite is the piece under the wings. Came from an odd but sweet vintage charm bracelet with a tool theme, though its hand spins to "true" or "false."

The things sticking off the side are capicitors, fun little things to use in assemblage.

Christmas in July

2011-08-16T15:53:00.001-07:00

For another AFTCM swap. I made several cards but liked this one best. Stamp is by I Brake for Stamps, background uses Color Mists and Pearl-Ex.

At the Movies

2011-08-16T15:51:00.001-07:00

For an AFTCM swap. Grace Kelly is a photo stamp from The Stampsmith.

Scrap cards

2011-08-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

Made to use up scraps on the worktable.

Pride & Prejudice ATCs

2011-08-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

For AFTCM, 2 swap ATCs based on the classic book. Love me some Mr. Darcy!

Approaching summer's end

2011-08-16T15:38:00.000-07:00

Somehow, I reinvent my perception of reality every summer. I recall long, languid, seemingly endless days of summer, and feeling like I had all the time in the world. I somehow think, as a working mom with 3 kids, that I'm going to duplicate that feeling. Not.

My past 10 weeks have been filled with kids in and our of the house, camping trips, river trips, beach trips, visiting family, work travel, etc. The time has flown by and in one week, school resumes. So now I am in the thick of BTS shopping and paperwork--lots of paperwork.

All of which is to say, though I have participated in a fair number of art swaps this summer, my blog has been neglected. So I'll make a start and at least upload some pics today.

H is for....

2011-06-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

And in yet another themed swap (I'm doing a lot of art swaps these days because I'm really busy and find they help keep my creative juices turned on, here is H is for ... Haberdashery on Heated Pearls.

Heated Pearls is one of those super easy techniques for creating a striking background. Spread white school glue on glossy cardstock, pounce on Perfect Pearls, and dry with a heat gun.

This goes out to Carol and I hope she likes it!

Fantasy Film ATCs

2011-06-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

So glad Carol Sweeney reminded us of Fantasy Film. I made some "paper" from scraps of FF and Franklin Opals embossing powder, ran it through the Sizzix and made this ATC. The stuff is so iridescent it's hard to photograph.

Is it EATable?

2011-06-07T18:57:00.000-07:00

I don't know, but that was the question guiding the creation of tags for this swap.

Gothic arch

2011-06-07T18:56:00.000-07:00

Created for my partner on AFTCM group.

B is for

2011-06-07T18:53:00.001-07:00

Babs Balances on Blended Batik...an ATC for an ongoing alphabet technique swap on Art-Ventures. Blended Batik is a Tim Holtz technique and one I've used quite a bit over the years.

I'm a winner!

2011-05-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

I'm the happy winner of a $15 gift certificate to Manto Fev, which supplies collage goodies. Thank you to the lovely Sara, and to Ephemeraology on Facebook, which coordinated the draw.

I've ordered some lovely & wacky items and look forward to playing. My full-time work has been crazy busy but I hope to have some playtime soon.

Sewing-Themed ATCs

2011-05-13T11:54:00.001-07:00

For a swap on AFTCM. The cream-colored one uses bits and pieces from my collection of vintage lace & linen.

"Sew Special" ATCs

2011-05-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

Created these for a sewing-themed swap on AFTCM. The cream-colored one uses bits from my collection of antique linen and lace.

A is for...An Acrobat on Acrylic

2011-05-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

On our Art-Ventures group, we've started an A-Z ATC Technique swap. For the first letter, I did Acrylic paint scrape technique (I did a tutorial on this a long time ago, which you can see here).

The acrobat is from The Stampsmith's Balancing Act plate. It's funny - these stamps didn't grab me at first but I've been having a lot of fun playing with them.

I've decided my first three ATCs for this tech swap are under the same theme, which is "I Want to Go to Le Cirque," so there are two more ATCs to come in this series.

A few quick cards

2011-05-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

Using up more from my scraps and paper stash!

Mother's Day card uses a stamp from Cat's Life Press. Sentiment stamp unknown.

The dress form is from Lost Coast Stamps.

Playing with Kraft Glassine & Kraft Resist

2011-05-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

I have some new Tim Holtz papers & I had a little playtime this weekend.

I'm posting a card here that uses both. I ran a strip of Kraft glassine with an embossing folder and then rubbed Distress ink over it. I also made some flowers but wasn't happy with them--I'll try again. My last post was about an ATC on a recycled paper bag--same general principle. But this is waxy, kind of translucent--reminds me a bit of a greasy paper sack, without the grease! I did crumple some and swipe with inks, and I can tell this paper is fun and merits further play.

The background paper here is the Kraft Resist Paper stash Tim has released. This is really fun stuff. I've often done emboss resist techniques but this saves that step, and has the bonus of being offered up on wonderful Tim designs..and on heavy kraft paper, which takes inks differently than other papers. I used Distress Ink in Chipped Sapphire. Lost a lot of the detail but I loved the contrast.

The card uses both papers and one of the first stamps I ever bought, back in 2003 (from Non-Sequitur stamps). I thought it was kind of funny to stumble across this old stamp, what with the current rage for mannequins and dress forms. I still like her!

On one of these samples, I used Distress Stain in wild Honey--you can see the difference with lighter inks. On another I used DTP with Dried Marigold Distress Inks. Then I used Color Mist sprays on the other piece, and the darker colors really made it pop.

So that's some preliminary results and I look forward to playing with these papers again!

Fabulous Blog Giveaway!

2011-04-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

Roni is celebrating half a million visits to her blog--wow! And even bigger wow, she has quite the blog giveaway going.

http://inkstainswithroni.blogspot.com/2011/04/half-million-visits-huge-give-way.html

Check it out!

Recycled brown bag ATCS

2011-04-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

Periodically I ink/paint/grunge up brown paper shopping bags for backgrounds. Here's an ATC made with that background

Treasure haul

2011-04-28T08:26:00.001-07:00

You've all heard the saying, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." My DH Craig is, how shall I say, a master scrounger. He can't bear waste, re-purposes everything and keeps a weather out for "treasures" I might put to use. He won't admit it, but I think he enjoys my creative tendencies, and he feeds them in his own special way.

Generally, that means bringing me "WROs," or Wonderful Rusted Objects. These may be things he's found on job sites, at the scrap recycling, or who knows where.

Last week he brought me this trove of vintage goodies. Included in this haul: vintage photos, dance cards from 1932, report cards from Oakland circa 1933 and some old newspapers. Will be fun to play with. Thanks, honey!

Wrinkle-Free Distress, Lost Coast stamp

2011-04-20T22:51:00.000-07:00

On NGS, Carol runs a book study. We're currently working our way through "Compendium of Curiosities." Wrinkle-Free distress is probably one of the earliest types of backgrounds I ever played with and it's easy breezy. Carol has a nice tute on her blog so I won't post one here.

I will post some pics of my backgrounds, and the pendant I made using a newish Lost Coast stamp. This lady of antiquity appealed to me so much, and I thought she'd look good on a weathered background with a little gold leafing. I came across the fused glass tag pendant and added some muted gold and green beads.

Folded ATC

2011-04-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

For a swap on Art Venturers....the text reads "The stuff that dreams are made of." I can't decide if she's dreaming of being within or without the castle. :)

Time Holtz Texture fades and Distress inks; stamps by Third Coast (woman) and Silver Crow (text).

The paper art of Isabelle de Borchgrave

2011-04-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

This is coming up in San Francisco--I must go!

Maintaining Balance

2011-04-13T10:05:00.001-07:00

I seem to have a preponderance of friends with foot injuries at the moment. Made up a batch of cards related to keeping one's "footing," or balance. Stamps are from The Stampsmith's "Balancing Act" sheet.

Tiny dome house - too cute!

2011-04-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

I am enamored of dome structures. Make them artsy--and kitschy--and I'm so there. Check this out. The domed guest house is sweet, scroll down to look at her main house. It's a masterpiece.

"Collage Couture"

2011-04-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

Artist Julie Nutting came to Davis this past week. My friend Heather Caswell of The Wardobe brought her to town for a Second Friday Art About, and then she taught a workshop at the Davis Art Center. Here's the fashion-themed collage I did in her style.

Julie is very sweet and I'm glad I got to meet her. She has a book by the title "Collage Couture" being published by North Light Press next month.

It was fun to watch Heather bring together the things she loves--fashion, of course, but color, paper and community, as well. I'm thinking some more workshops in this vein would be an interesting riff on things.

Bday cards

2011-04-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

I've been busy celebrating some bdays as my twins turned 11. My daughter asked for canvases. :) Here are their cards this year.

On the worktable

2011-03-18T10:44:00.000-07:00

Doing lots with blues & greens at the moment -- Amazonite and Chrysophase, especially. Full worktable!

In the Pink

2011-03-10T13:14:00.000-08:00

Continuing my exploration of the color pink, as I try to get to know it and love it better! Here's an asymmetrical necklace featuring some gorgeous hunks of stone: faceted flourite, large faceted rose quartz, some Swarovski vintage gold pearls, a lampworked bead, a vintage Japanese glass bead, and copper chain and findings. Doing up a matching bracelet and earrings for this one as well.

Water's Edge

2011-03-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know this dragonfly pendant by Vintaj has been "done." But I've had it forever and it seemed the thing for this two strand necklace.

"Water's Edge..." the colors make me think of an early summer day by a large lake. Little wavelets are splashing on a pebbly beach, foaming creamy white, while the sun hints at blue depths below the pale green surface. Dragonflies hover above and occasionally land on me when I am still.

The stones are Howlite (creamy white) and Amazonite, which is one of my favorite stones to design with. There are also some fire-polished Czech glass beads with an AB finish. I use antiqued brass (lead & nickel free) in a lot of my work because I like the vintage look, but also because it's affordable.

Starting a ramp up on jewelry making again. This one might be a gift, or for a charity auction, or for sale...not sure yet! I did enjoy carving out enough time to complete a piece and give myself over to the rhythm of the wire working.

A green, "green" project

2011-03-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

Casting about for something for a "G" swap, I found myself at my local thrift store, staring at this rather ugly little pink and yellow chipboard box. About 10 inches long, more or less, it had seen better days. But it cost a whopping 50 cents and I decided to do a green (as in color), "green" (as in recycled) project.

The pictures chart the progress. From sanding and applying a coat of gesso, to painting with a lovely blue-green (and adding Distress inks on top of that), to embossing, lining the drawers with paper and adding some grunge "hardware," here is my transformed little box. I'm thinking, "not bad for 50 cents!" I do love re-purposing stuff.

I filled the drawers with a variety of green art supplies, and this will go off to Chrissy for her to enjoy.

Heart-shaped ATC

2011-02-09T22:17:00.000-08:00

Made for a swap on DCI. Metal repair tape with Stayzon, folder embossing and more ink.

Making some Valentines

2011-02-02T18:33:00.000-08:00

I've always loved to make Valentine cards. Love is love, and I don't think it's any different on Feb. 14 (except for ridiculous expectations), but...I love the cards! Here's a start I made today, and I'll be posting more later this week.

Cards using Stampsmith images

2011-01-22T19:40:00.001-08:00

The heart cannot be constrained

2011-01-22T12:36:00.000-08:00

So in addition to having a thing for flying pigs, I have a major thing for winged hearts. Sat down and just played last night with no idea of where I was going, and made this. It's the first time in a while I've actually felt in touch with my creativity, and it was good "therapy."

I am behind the times in using some of the Tim Holtz dies I have, but better late than never.

Bamboo tile necklace

2011-01-22T12:32:00.001-08:00

This was a prototype that needs work. I like the concept, but I need to color the fleur components (which are cut off from a Tim Holtz On the Edge die) so they have greater contrast to the metal.

This is art metal wrapped around a bamboo domino and I want to give credit where it's due--I was inspired by Angle Haviland Hall's pendants.

I'll go back to the drawing board with this, but it was fun.

When pigs fly...

2011-01-19T11:38:00.001-08:00

I have a thing for flying pigs--at least images of them--because they represent what is "impossible," and I like to challenge notions of impossibility. Here's a quick recent collage with some of my flying friends.

Thinking about Color

2011-01-13T12:30:00.000-08:00

Pantone, that arbiter of color, has declared Honeysuckle Pink to be the color of the year for 2011. You can see the color here.

They call it courageous, confident and vital. What do you think?

Scrapcarding

2011-01-12T17:27:00.000-08:00

I've been doing something I like to call "scrapcarding" as I clean up my stuff. That's where I challenge myself to make cards using only what's already stamped, colored, painted, torn or otherwise resides in some leftover state on my worktable. No virgin sheets of cardstock were harmed in this process! It's great fun and a bang-up way to use up small bits of artistic flotsam.

Here are a few products from this process.

Wrapping Christmas

2011-01-12T17:22:00.000-08:00

I know I'm moving forward, but decided to post a couple of the Christmas cards I made...and I didn't make many. But here's a nice and a "naughty" one.

Let's do things differently and see what happens, eh?

2011-01-11T12:51:00.000-08:00

So it's 2011, and I'm thinking about my so-called artistic life. January finds me taking stock, cleaning up my studio area, organizing, culling, musing. Mostly I'm trying to figure out how to have a regular creative "practice" in a life that includes 3 wonderful kids, a husband, a puppy, a full-time job as executive director of a non-profit, and lots of friends and wonderful volunteer commitments. I love it all...and know that it all suffers if I don't give my creative impulses a very long leash.

I've been struggling with this for several years now, truth be told. The more I struggle, the less I actually create. I seem to have gotten tangled up in a web of my own expectations and perfectionism, laced with feelings of inadequacy. That, and a real lack of time, probably best explain my infrequent postings here last year.

Somebody hand me the scissors, quick. I'm bored with that approach and just want to do things differently. We can't all be [insert your favorite artist/designer here].

So this year I'm committing to posting here at least twice a week, to sharing more work in progress, and to worrying less about whatever my shortcomings are and just...making stuff. I'm making a choice to be INSPIRED and in the process, inspired. :) Warm wishes to all for a great year.

Quoth the Raven

2010-10-26T01:36:00.001-07:00

Variations on a Halloween and Samhain card. Lots of alcohol inks, stamping on acetate, layering and using different inks.

Stampsmith designs

2010-10-26T01:20:00.000-07:00

A new sheet of rubber came from the lovely Estelle today. Had some time tonight to ink up and felt thoroughly in the Halloween groove.

"Mum's the word": well, I love plays on words and these images (all from the sheet, except labels and background stamp (Stampers Anonymous) suggested this to me.

"There's a light...over at the Frankenstein house..." Rocky Horror fans, this will be stuck in my head for days. The graveyard and house are both Stampsmith. The tree is a die cut and white gel pen, the tombstone border is from a punch.

Then we have a beautiful black cat with moon, and some masquerade images. Lots of alcohol inks and bling here.

This was fun, thanks Estelle!

Autumn projects

2010-10-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

Creativity's been lagging as I've been working so much. I signed up for a few challenges on my groups, precisely so I'd make something--anything! And I had some fun, so that's all to the good.

First up was a challenge for the Stampsmith group. We had to use brayering, stippling or sponging, a Stampsmith image, a Halloween theme, AND there had to be stitching somewhere on this. I brayered on a rainbow ink, added direct-to-paper with Distress Dried Marigold ink, then stippled eggplant pigment ink over that. My mind goes to strange places and here's my version. Thank you Sandi Brooks for the challenge.

Next is an ATC for a house-shaped ATC swap on DreamCreateInspire. Nobody said it couldn't be a "haunted" house!

Finally, I made an :elegant eggplant-colored and embossed" journal for a swap titled "E is for..." on the Art-Venturers. I did the end papers on black cardstock, stamped with bleach, sprayed with Color Mist neon sprays and then embossed using a Tim Holtz Sizzix die.

Getting out my Halloween stamps was fun and I hope to have more time next week for some cards.

Redux

2010-09-29T10:26:00.000-07:00

I wrote this piece in 2007. As I think about my cousin's death, I'm moved to share it again.

Thoughts on an Equinox
Earlier today, I wandered the grounds of the Unitarian campus in Davis with a group of fellow travelers. Our walking meditation included prayers, poems for the season, and the collection of some of autumn’s treasures. We sang

Summertime has turned the star-wheel
Autumn is upon us
Glorious the trees
Glorious the sight of rust leaves falling, falling

and reflected upon the gifts of this potent season.

Some of those gifts—the literal ones—now sit on the family altar we built this evening. In the seedpods of the Western redbud, in the tiny crabapples and the leaves from the big leaf maple there are other gifts: lessons about knowing when to slow down, and when to let go.

I am struggling with the grief of letting go. So many friends are dying of cancer, so many too young. We have poisoned our earth and ourselves in the process.

At church today we learned that a woman we know, not much older than us, is on life support and not expected to last long. She leaves behind two young daughters and a son with Down’s syndrome.

Another friend, 42, is dying of an inoperable brain tumor. Another of a rare cancer. One of my dearest friend’s fathers is in hospice—leukemia. Another’s just died—liver cancer. And several elders—friends, Craig’s clients—are deciding not to pass another winter on this earth.

In my worldview, death is accepted, in that it makes room for life. They are part of the same cycle, inextricably bound. But when so much death comes at once, it is a struggle not to feel engulfed by sadness. To honor the dying, I must choose to live with as much grace as I can muster and to embrace what gifts and happiness are bestowed upon me.

I came home from our morning at church feeling sad and yet peaceful, and resolved to get some plants in the ground before it rained. My favorite autumn equinox ritual involves planting flowers. To plunge young plants into dark soil as we head into the dark season is an act of faith. Like some of my friends engaged with the act of dying, some of them will not make it through till spring. Others will surprise me with their blooms next year. In my yard, the tender plants will be buried with the mulch of a million falling oak leaves.

And what would this season be without a harvest? This afternoon the garden yielded up to me divine treats: plump tomatoes, fragrant basil, spearmint and oregano, zucchini, cucumber, red peppers and flowers of half a dozen varieties. Watching the kids play in the back yard while I harvested, hearing the chiming bells of their laughter, was balm for the soul.

Toting my harvest inside, I spent the rest of the day cooking. Tomatoes became salsa and soup, basil became pesto, and the zucchini, melded with nutmeg and lemon zest, resolved into a delicious bread. What could be more life affirming than the smell of good food in a warm kitchen on a cold day?

I could say I cooked for my family—to feed them, body and soul. Or that I cooked for myself, as distraction. But really, I think I cooked for Becky and Corvin, Marilyn and Jerry and Louis. It is up to the living to be strong, to make soup, to sing and grieve, and to remember. These are the tasks I take forward with me into my namesake season.

Remembering Laura

2010-09-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

At my women’s circle last night, we celebrated the Equinox, lamented the passing of one of our member’s close friends, and spoke at length about the letting go and death that seems to be part and parcel of this time of year.

When I arrived home hours later, my husband Craig greeted me with a silent hug and told me my aunt had called to tell us that Laura, my beautiful 42-year-old cousin, had passed away suddenly.

I can’t say that Laura’s death itself comes as a shock. About 13 years ago, she was exposed to aspergillus mold spores, and developed a chronic lung condition that had landed her in the hospital, and at death’s doorstep, on more than one occasion. Each battle left her lungs more scarred and less resilient. A reaction to medicine 10 years ago left her with reduced kidney function and near-total loss in hearing. She’d been in the hospital the past few weeks but seemed to be rebounding. Last night around 9 p.m., her body said “enough.”

Laura’s physical life from age 30 on was an odyssey of periodic pain and fear. She fared much better in other realms, with a wonderful husband, loving mom and sister, and a circle of devoted friends. Her husband Jonathan wrote this morning, “Laura and I had no illusions that her ongoing bronchiectasis would kill her sooner or later but we never imagined how hard or how fast the end would come. In the end every moment I could spend with her was precious. We were together for 25 years, married for 15, and I was proud and grateful to have such a loving and caring companion who never once faltered in her love for me.”

Laura’s mom is my mom’s younger sister and to this day, my favorite aunt, though I did not meet this branch of the family till I was 10. I’d spent my younger years in New Jersey; she spent hers in the San Fernando Valley. My mom and my aunt were separated when they were younger, and let’s just say it’s never been an easy relationship. There’s a certain emotional distance in our family but despite that, I got on like a house on fire with Laura and her whole family.

I recall spending a week with them soon after meeting. It was summer, and like most Valley kids, Laura and her sister Erin went to crafts camps, rode their bikes and played at the pool. We connected instantly, and under Laura’s tutelage, I learned more about reproductive functions than I’d ever known up to that point (her mom believed in full disclosure; mine remained mute on the subject).

Later, when they moved to a cottage in Santa Monica near the border of Venice, I’d visit and we’d head to the beach together. Laura enjoyed a level of trust with her mom and a subsequent freedom that I did not, and these visits were always very illuminating. Those were the years of the New Romantic Laura, she of the flamboyant clothes, spiky hair and multi-hued eyeshadow.

A few years later, I was at UC Davis while she was at UC Santa Barbara. She and Jonathan continued to be together, while I plowed through a series of regrettable relationships. She’d listen and laugh, but she loved my stories of journalistic exploration and was amused by my hippie lifestyle. This was the age of Laura the Goth. The hair was ever-wilder, the makeup, darker.

Flash forward to our weddings, mine in 1994 and hers in 1995, to Jonathan, the ever-stalwart and sweet man in her life. In Portland for their wedding, their minister failed to show up. Recalling that Craig and I had performed weddings before (we’re fully certified, Church of Universal Life ministers, got our licenses right out of the back of Rolling Stone), she asked us to step in and marry them. We did, and Laura and I shared some good laughs over that through the years.

They eventually bought a beautiful old home in Portland, near her mom and an ever-widening circle of friends. When she became ill, she stopped working for a long time, then worked part time as she was able. In recent years, she started an online crafting business. Jon has a great job, traveled often, and was able to be there when she needed him most. He took really good care of her.

Our conversations in recent years were too infrequent, and I last saw her in 2007 when we visited Portland. Unable to have kids of her own, she loved mine and was very sweet to them. She’d gotten into beading and knitting, and we connected in the realm of crafty in a big way.

Though I am not shocked that her body finally gave out, I find myself reeling with sadness and regret for all that wasn’t—for the half a lifetime she and Jonathan were robbed of, for the family who’s lost a daughter, sister, cousin, for the ways in which I could have been a better friend to her, but wasn’t.

I’ll remember Laura always as laughing, snarky, funny and bold, unafraid to tell you exactly what she thought. Rest in piece, my cousin. I’ll miss you.

Sept. 22, 2010

A decorated heart

2010-07-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

I've been having a busy summer and mostly just cleaning up/out art supplies and destashing. Creativity not exactly on high burn at the moment. Working on a few things, including this decorated heart swap, made from embossed metal and various other metal components.

Old earrings, new necklace

2010-05-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

Just started tonight. These are 1950s Lucite beads from some truly horrid and broken earrings found at a yard sale. I have begun recycling them into something new.

Rounding out a set

2010-05-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

These were created to go with the butterfly necklace in this post. Love this combo of crystal, pearls, brass and copper.

Card for Mom

2010-05-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

Using an image of Norma Shearer from alteredimages.com, and some handcolored tissue paper, stamps, and a brass embellishment. I told my mom the message was: "go on, be a Diva for a day!"

Paper Couture

2010-04-25T15:18:00.001-07:00

A friend pointed me to this site, which features paper couture! Beautiful and amazing creations to inspire you.

Recent necklaces

2010-04-10T23:17:00.000-07:00

I've been getting asked for donations to auctions (one of the ways I know it's spring!). I'm still loving playing with antiqued brass, glass and pearls, but I've done a few pieces in silver and antiqued silver that I like quite a bit. My current favorite stone of the moment is Russian Amazonite. I found a strand at A Better Place to Bead (local bead store) some months ago that I'm using a lot at the moment--big, irregular, chunky faceted barrels. Gorgeous blue-green.

Cowgirl grunge

2010-04-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

I'm very involved with our local Soroptimist club, which works to better the lives of women and children in our community. (Our March fund raiser to benefit emancipated foster youth & other programs raised $1ok!) I did Western-themed decorations for this Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament. Here's a few of the handmade pieces I did. I'd never really thought to use my creative juices to decorate events, but this was kind of fun.

Color Mist sprays & gesso

2010-04-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

Oh, my poor neglected blog. I've been working on some things but sorely need to update.

Well, let's see. I purchased a set of bright Color Mist sprays from the lovely Aileen at Outside the Margins. I used what she calls deli paper (a slightly coated tissue-like paper) and stamped all over it with white gesso. Let that dry, then sprayed the bright colors, which come out softly bright used this way.

Tore these into strips and covered a slide mailer with them using PPA. Painted and stamped inside for a nice little "thinking of you" sort of gift.

B is for...

2010-03-04T20:22:00.000-08:00

Brass medallion w/ brass chain; blue, brown and burnt sienna bits of backgrounds overstamped with Brilliance ink. A hanging piece that measures about 5 x 6 inches.

Cosmos Paper

2010-02-08T16:39:00.000-08:00

This is from page 46 of Paper Transformed and it's called "Cosmos Paper." It's very thick and shiny, hard to capture in pictures. Pretty, but it requires a lot of time with a heat gun.

Step 1: Coat illustration board or very thick cardstock with pigment. I used chalk pigment inks.

Step 2: Cover this with Perfect Medium or Versamark.

Step 3: Sprinkle on some clear UTEE and begin heating from a distance. As the powder melts, sprinkle on more UTEE. I did this about 3-4 times, until I had a very glassy, smooth surface.

Step 4: Let this cool, then cover again with Perfect Medium. Apply Perfect Pearls. I found that more was better with this technique.

Step 5: Sprinkle with more UTEE. There won't be anything to hold it to the surface, so start from a distance and move in as it starts to melt. Add more, and it will "drop through" the Perfect Pearls to form a sort of webby look.

Faux Patent Leather

2010-02-08T16:36:00.001-08:00

This was super easy and fun, and it gives a nice look I can see using as textural bits in collage, or as a foundation for more masculine cards.

Started with some plain colored cardstock, and applied a light coat of glossy gel medium (the gloss is key here). Let that dry, and then embossed using Cuttlebug folders in my Wizard.

Presto change, faux patent!

Luminous paste

2010-02-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

All I can say on this one is: check Carol's blog, LOL! I did try and did not like my efforts, but here's a photo of my daughter helping, and we did have some fun.

Pearly Mottled Paper

2010-02-08T16:26:00.000-08:00

This is featured on page 3 of "Paper Transformed" and is a very easy & pretty technique.

Step 1: brayer rainbow dye inks on coated or matte paper. I used matte white.

Step 2: Spritz the paper with water, just two sprays. Make sure your sprayer is big enough to get some bigger droplets. Blot, but don't rub the water with a paper towel.

Step 3: Lightly brush some Perfect Pearls in Gold or Kiwi (a green gold) over the paper. I did try using Moon Glow powders because I have many more of them, but evidently the binder in Perfect Pearls is necessary for this technique.

Step 4: Brush off excess and voila!

Paper Transformed - Book Study Project

2010-02-08T16:06:00.000-08:00

My friend Carol Sweeney is running a book study group on Next Generation Stampers, a mixed media group where we like to experiment with color and texture.

This time around, it's Julia Andrus' "Paper Transformed," published by Quarry Press in 2007. I got this book for Christmas 2008 and haven't really tried any of the projects, so I appreciate Carol giving us some motivation.

Over the past couple of weeks, some of the folks in our group have been playing with faux patent leather, cosmos paper, mottled pearls paper, and luminous paste paper. Here are some of my experiments.

Fluttering by

2010-02-08T16:02:00.000-08:00

These were for a recent swap on the Dream, Create, Inspire group. Back of mine, front of mine, and displayed on a beautiful piece of driftwood.

what creativity feels like, now

2010-01-25T20:11:00.001-08:00

under the surface, not fully awake, a hive of stirrings, communal and yet solitary

Rusted Ornament

2009-12-15T10:28:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since I've posted. Work and family have been pretty all consuming lately but I am glad to be getting a little play time now.

A while back, I wrote about the rusted tin lid I found lurking in the garden. Inspiration came calling last night and I turned it into this ornament, which is a gift for my friend Annie in England.

Canvas for swap

2009-11-01T21:49:00.000-08:00

For Carol A.

Inchie Frame finished

2009-11-01T21:35:00.000-08:00

Here's the finished inchie frame from the Dream, Create, Inspire group. From the top left, inchies by: Linda, me, Lynn, Vickie, Mel, Trizzy, Carol, Rena, Tracey, Chris, me again and Rhonda.

I finished mine in a mix of brick red and nickel azo gold, dry brushed with a mix of green and gold paints, sanded, brushed with crackle glaze. The center panel is made from a toilet paper wrapper--really crinkly tissue, glued on cardstock and painted. The leaf is made from cool stamps by Sandy Obertin and "aged."

This was fun. I have just the place for this. Thanks everyone!

Rainy-day blue & silver

2009-10-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

It's been raining here today. A friend had asked me to design something in blue & silver for a friend of hers. Sifting through cool blue & silver beads felt just right for the weather. Designed several pieces today.

Inchies, by golly!

2009-10-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

OK, some friends on the Yahoo group "Dream, Create, Inspire" decided to have an inchies swap. The concept has been around for a while--art that is 1" square. Let's just say I felt very challenged by working this small. :) But here they are. I'll be getting 10 back in various fall colors (my choice) and they will go in this frame, which I'll decorate when I have more of the inchies in hand.

Canvas for Heather

2009-10-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

I participate in an artists' group that is mostly Australian women, with a few of us from North America involved. I was so thrilled to be asked to play with this group. We're doing small canvases each month and this is what I did for Heather. She wanted a grungy white/violet colorwash, which is right up my alley!

Of rust & spent gardens

2009-09-26T21:17:00.000-07:00

Rooting around for the last of the sweet peppers and snagging a few fading zinnias on the way, my hand raked across a piece of rusted metal in the raised bed. Remnant from one of my kids’ art projects, the tin lid had obviously spent the summer being irrigated, and was revealed in its deconstructing glory only when I started to clean up the garden. Not sharp (fortunately), the lid called to me through a tangle of weeds.

My garden, overgrown and neglected through the end of a busy summer and start of school season, is undergoing seasonal deconstruction of its own, breaking down and beginning to return to its energy into the earth. It was just the right place this morning as I was struggling to recover energy after a flu that really knocked me down this week. The September sun warmed my back, and the colors of the late flowers—salmon zinnias, deep-orange Tithonia, amber Rudbeckia—were mellower and more comforting than the shocking pinks and oranges that dominated the garden earlier in the year.

I’m not sure if it was the flu, or that I was missing people who are not here right now, or perhaps the wistful rumblings of the wild turkeys’ daily parade through our neighborhood, but I was feeling a little melancholy as I pawed aimlessly though the bed. That’s when I found the lid.

My kids’ wanton mess making in the yard frequently annoys me. Near the trampoline, there are remnants from dozens of popped balloons. I’d rather they weren’t strewn about the yard, but I’m remembering the giggles that preceded the popping frenzy. Even better, I recall coming out to the living room on my birthday and finding the floor covered with those same balloons. We played balloon volleyball until the smell of pancakes lured us to the table.

In another corner of the yard, iridescent scraps of punchinella (sequin waste, left over after they are punched) litter the lawn. And on the patio table (which is inadvertently devoted mostly to arts and crafts), there is a cereal box covered with blue and purple paint. Nearby, a paintbrush’s cheap bristles glisten with that same paint, forever frozen at awkward angles. I’m not entirely sure, but I think my youngest daughter is the culprit there. Now 9, I can picture the intense look of concentration on her face as she cuts and paints. The image mostly banishes annoyance from my mind.

The tin piece once belonged to an Altoid tin. I’ve collected and been bequeathed many an empty Altoid tin over the years. I’ve sanded, painted and altered them into small reliquaries and repositories. My kids love their size and last year went through a phase of painting and decorating many. This one bears the remnants of primary-bright acrylics favored by my son. The inside though, is gorgeously rusted and I am reminded by the shape of what a perfect little shrine this vessel makes.

You see, I love rusted metal objects. I want to know the stories behind the patina, and I can feel the passage of time encoded in them. I delight in finding rusted objects in my daily travels, and I love when I am gifted with random bits. So finding one in the garden today was a happy discovery. As I began to envision the work ahead—of pulling weeds, taking stock, deciding what seeds to save, what needs to be composted or tossed to the curb—I was rather pleased by this rusted object and immediately began to envision in it an art project. Can’t wait to play with it.

None of this means my children are off the hook for cleaning up the yard. But I am grateful for having had a tranquil moment to think about kids and art, rust and gardens, and the cycles of change. I sometimes worry that I keep my art too private, that’s it not something I share enough with them. But then one of them gifts me with an ATC or a pair of earrings, or I pause to consider the tangible signs of an artful life strewn around our house and yard, and I am reassured. It’s enough to kick melancholy in the butt.

Think I’ll ask the kids to hide a few metal things in the garden and see what the winter rains produce!

Christmas in September

2009-09-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

I've been participating in some monthly card swaps on the Stampsmith group. This month it's been "Christmas in September." I dragged my heels on this one--not ready to think about Christmas! But I've received some lovely cards.

Here's what's going out from me. I love the look on Lucy's face and decided to take a humorous twist on it.

I'm looking forward to making some autumn-themed background papers and Halloween cards.

Gatefold CD bday card

2009-09-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

I learned recently that these plain CD holders are called "gatefolds." I have a bunch of them and enjoy making cards from them. They are handy to tuck stuff into.

Had not played with my alcohol inks in quite a while so I pulled them out recently to make a gift for a friend. Tucked in some goodies including ribbons and vintage images for her to play with.

Waiting for Inspiration

2009-09-12T22:25:00.000-07:00

Too much busyness and a dry spell. Organizing, cleaning, making background papers....

Winged Heart

2009-08-31T11:16:00.000-07:00

We're beginning a round of monthly swaps on one of my groups. This small canvas is for Trizzy's theme, wings in blues and greens. Hope she likes it!

Me & Mr. Moon

2009-08-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

A small canvas, this one for Rena. This features a Stampsmith image as well.

Recent necklace designs

2009-08-25T10:57:00.000-07:00

I love to play with metal and funky beads. Here are two recent designs.

Cards featuring images from The Stampsmith

2009-08-25T10:23:00.001-07:00

I've been a longtime fan of Estelle Landers' line of stamps know as The Stampsmith, and an active participant in the Stampsmith community for many years. I've been participating in some recent swaps featuring her images, and challenging myself to use others.

Here are some recent cards.

Cemetary Angel

2009-07-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

This is for my friend Margaret, who loves cemetary angels. It's collage on canvas board, watercolors, image transfer, Golden light texture paint stamped into for texture, Treasure Gold rubbed on top. The "hope" plaque may seem weird, since she's in a cemetary, but my take is that these angels exist to give those left behind hope that their loved ones are taken care of, watched over. Margaret, hope you like it!

California's Gold Country

2009-07-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to our great friend KC, my DH and I recently had a mini-getaway sans kids (delayed 15th anniversary trip) to the southern part of CA's Gold Country. He laughs at me whenever we travel because I take so many pictures of the sides of old buildings--I am a fiend for texture! :)

Had a lovely time. Top to bottom: Sutter Creek Inn, a lovely inn dating from the 1850s, where we stayed; an interior shot from Black Chasm National Monument, was just incredible; metal sculptures from Bellgarden Gifts, a truly charming gift shop in Amador City; sign from the Cowboy Church in Fiddletown; some walls that caught my eye in Sutter Creek.

June in a California Garden

2009-06-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

We've had a cool late spring here, very unusual, and my garden is amazing. This ATC series (they are all slightly different) is an impression from time spent in the garden. Giant, full-blown orange zinnias rub elbows with the biggest bright-pink cosmos I've ever grown. Pinks, oranges, reds, chartreuse everywhere I look, and veggies on the vine.

The ATC was made with acrylic paint, light modeling paste, gel pens, and oil pastels.

Say it Again...

2009-06-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

Oh, the Supremes have been stuck in my head for two days. This is not normal for me. But, making the best of it, I cranked 'em up and made a fun little canvas using this image from The Stampsmith

Magpie's Treasure!

2009-06-01T09:48:00.001-07:00

A dear friend of mine had a bumper sticker on her car that read, "Easily distracted by bright, shiny objects." I can relate!

I have my mother-in-law to thank for most of this bounty. When she moved to Wales, she cleared out her house of 30+ years of accumulated stuff. This was a large zip bag full of costume and semi-precious jewelry, with some vintage pieces sprinkled in. Years ago, I don't think I realized what a "treasure trove" this would be for me. Now that I'm involved with jewelry design and mixed-media art, I can't wait to incorporate some of these things in into my artwork. Thanks, mom!

Finished brocade pendant

2009-05-31T17:06:00.000-07:00

Here's what I'm sending to my swap partner.

Polymer Clay brocade

2009-05-31T16:59:00.001-07:00

My friend Adrienne challenged some of us to a "mystery swap," the mystery being that we signed up without knowing what we were getting into. Turned out the project was "polymer clay brocade," which Adrienne has done a lovely tutorial for here

Here's a peek at what I've done. True to form, my favorites are the pendants made from pieces of scraps--I am just a grungy girl, no escaping it!

Kreativ Blogger Award

2009-05-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

I have never received a blog award before, and my friend Rena Sawatski sent the Kreativ Blogger Award to me--thanks, Rena! I've gotten to know her through several online art groups and have several pieces of her lovely artwork. Rena lives in Canada, just one of many women around the globe I have come to call my friends through this crazy art exploration we do.

The Rules: List 7 things that you LOVE and link to the person who has tagged you. Choose 7 more bloggers to give the Kreativ Blogger Award to, then leave a comment on those 7 blogs to let the recipients know you chose them.

So here are the seven things that I love. I'm going to need to muse on 7 recipients--I think the people I would tag have already received blog awards 7 times over!

My husband and children, all of whom support and encourage my artwork. These days they are really cheering me on as I work towards the fall launch of an etsy.com shop. Thanks guys, you're the best!
My work. I'm lucky to have work I love, working with intelligent, fun people who care about improving our community. I'm not saying it's easy, but it's meaningful and I'm passionate about it.
Music! Live music, recorded music, local music, many genres. What did I do before my iPod? I listen to all sorts of stuff and love to sing along.
Community. This means different things to different people. For me, it really boils down to friendship. So for my friends of long acquantaince, for my Soroptimist sisters, fellow volunteers, moms, community workers, artists, etc., I'm better off for knowing you. Thank you.
The capacity for reinvention. Ten years ago I was not a visual artist. At all. Two years ago, it was a major hurdle to utter the words "I am an artist." Today, I'm embracing new identities and charting new courses. That's cool!
Art! Others' art, my own process, color, design, blogging, magazines, books, galleries. It's a really big, art-filled world out there.
Gardens. Those that grow food, those that harbor beauty. Those quiet restful places where I am drawn to a drop of water sparkling in the sunlight, or a sunny space where I can work up a good sweat amending compost into the soil.
My list would be much longer than 7...I haven't even mentioned books, chocolate, coffee, wine, travel, fabric, paint, dogs, cats, my parents, etc.

Stewart Gill acrylic backgrounds

2009-05-08T22:20:00.000-07:00

I've been painting tonight with Stewart Gill Byzantia paints, which I've had for just a little while and love. They are super saturated, very light reflective and really fun to paint with.

This is a recycled toilet paper wrapper--a very crinkly paper wrapper, glued to heavy cardstock with soft glossy gel medium. After it dried, I painted it with the Byzantia, using a number of colors.

I'll be working a booth on artist trading cards tomorrow, so I'll take these along to play with, along with a bunch of other goodies.

Adrienne's Dilemma

2009-05-08T13:32:00.000-07:00

This is for my friend Adrienne. I set up to make a piece using old things I had in my stash (canvas panel, paints, oil pastels, Grungeboard) and new things (Lulu word bubble stamp from The Stampsmith, grungy background stamps from I Brake for Stamps. Goofy piece I had fun making!

Copper/amber jewelry

2009-05-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

I made these for a charity auction this week. The necklace combines modern Czech beads (glass and crystal) with some vintage amber nuggets, lampwork glass and copper. The earrings are copper & crystal.

These got snapped right up and went for more than I had priced them--yeah!