Simple canvas tote

Embellished!

Painted using the detail from a manhole cover 

at the Sawdust Winter Fantasy!

I began by choosing a plain canvas bag and then combing colors

 for a custom blend.

Below is a photo of me rolling the paint colors over the metal cover.

Then I inserted cardboard into the bag and used a rolling pin

 to achieve the fun look!

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I had an old shirt that was the perfect plaid colors to line it with, 

and it even had pockets on the front 

that were perfect to have inside for your phone and keys.

So, I chopped it up, added some vintage turquoise rick-rack,

just for fun, and sewed it together!

Some simple stitches with embroidery thread added to the design 

and one of my ceramic fish was sewn into the center for a focal point!

Making magic with mixed media!

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Latest lovelies out of firing

Ceramic vases embellished with handmade mushroom corals.

I was experimenting with turquoise glazes 

and chose to add a luster glaze in the final firing.

The tall peach colored vase is a wedding gift 

for the neighbor's daughter

 and the tall turquoise vase will be auctioned off at a local 

event held here in town called "A Taste for Charity". 

Mosaic glass and ceramic seashore themed tree

I found the basic block wood tree at TJ Maxx and more.

It had a quirky lean to it even though it stood tall and strong.

Something about its simplicity and shape pulled me in 

even before I saw that it was marked down to $9.00

 It hung out with me in the cottage studio and bits of this and that visited

 just to see if they were compatible 

and what creative direction we would be taking.

                                                                           

It began to come together with some cool glass tile pieces leftover 

from a back splash in turquoise and blues 

and a few of my latest color tests on tiles 

in analogous colors cut into strips to fit in.

Bits of sea glass, ceramic seashells, pearls and even a few stray

 buttons, bright colored marbles all found a new home.

                                                                         

Here are a few fun closeups...

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Thrilled to share the fun in Somerset's Holiday issue!

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Here's the scoop

with the latest assorted ceramic serving pieces,

and mix and match fun

in coastal cool colors

just out of firing!

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My Favorite Summer Tote

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My Favorite Summer Tote

For the past several years the amazingly talented needle crafter Linda Nelson and her husband Ron make the long drive all the way from Michigan to Laguna Beach, California and have wintered in the guest house at Summerland Cottage.

The fist year as a thank you parting gift I gave them a little framed rendering I did of one of the paths in Heisler Park, our local park along the oceans edge that they they would walk their sweet dog Sammy through on their way into town.

The next year when they returned, Linda surprised me with a gift of a beautiful tea towel with a cross stitch flower border she had done in colors to coordinate with my kitchen curtains.

I was thrilled with it and when the towel began to wear I removed and saved the beautiful trim. Since then we have begun a friendly exchange of hand crafted gifts.

You can imagine how thrilled I was this year to receive the charming seahorse she had beautifully appliqued in my favorite ocean theme colors. Her husband Ron, the computer whiz, shrank the original pattern ( found @ cotton-picking.com) from a 24" x 36" wall hanging to the size you see here.

It was the perfect size for a pillow or small wall hanging but I chose to show it off around town by sewing it to the front of a simple canvas tote and adding vintage buttons to the bubbles as accents. Then scraps of ribbons were added down each side to accent the colors and sewn in place with a little latch added to the top to attach the house keys to. Not having a fabric store in town I was thrilled to find an over sized blouse for $5.49 at a thrift shop in the perfect color way and cut it up to use as border trim along the top of the tote, and to create a pocket on the inside to hold a cell phone and cover the handles with.

The Hunger Bowl...

created for the

silent auction of the

Annual National Hunger and Homeless

Awareness Week

Check out the other uniquely designed bowls donated by local and renowned artists.

And it's for a great cause, so please bid generously !

Read more about the event here

.....................'tis the season of giving !

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Mermaid ceramic vase

my latest ceramic design...

accompanied with some of my other turquoise creations.