Washed Ashore

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I believe most artists are inspired by their surroundings.

Living in a vintage cottage a few steps from the seashore

where we are no longer allowed to remove or take the seashells

is what encouraged me to create my own collection of ceramic shells

using various clays and glazes.

I have amassed a pretty amazing collection

over the years that I embellish with.

I also use them in mosaics, gift them to friends, barter with them

and as you see here create jewelry with them.

For this piece I used a scrap of fabric in ocean colors that I cut 10 inches long by 4 inches wide and folded it in half lengthwise with right sides together.

Then sewed a half inch seam along the length of it then turning it right side out I tuck the unfinished ends back into each side.

Next I cut a piece of 1 inch wide elastic to fit my wrist and slid it in with a safety pin and sewed one side down before stretching through to the other side and attaching the elastic down before I slid one side into the other and sewed it closed completely.

This is when the fun begins...

pull out your collections of buttons, beads, and baubles

and beginning with the largest pieces either use fabric glue

to attach them into place or sew them down,

and then continue by filling in around them

with buttons, pearls and beads.

I am the kind of artist that will use anything handy

so I've used dental floss to attach the pearls,

colored embroidery thread

for beads and even clear fishing line.

There are bits of plastic, ceramic pieces, glass

and pearls from a broken necklace and combined altogether

they create a wrist embellishment a mermaid may have lost

that was discovered when it washed ashore.

Summer Satchel

I LoVe blank canvases, blank books with no lines

and thick stacks of plain white paper.

To me they represent new beginnings.

So when I was gifted with this simple canvas satchel

and asked to decorate it,

my imagination went on overdrive with the possibilities.

I considered covering it in tapestry with corduroy

and a patchwork of fall colors.

Then the idea of using Sherpa suede with a wide tapestry trim in coordinating colors and vintage button detailing ...

or sewing a pocket inside for storing my paint brushes

and paint a color chart with labels of the various colors

on the outside as reference,the perfect tote for plein air painting.

Any of these would be great,

but last week I was inspired by the fabric paints

left out on the studio table

along with a collection of amazing seashells that caught my eye

and so I chose to paint a summer satchel

for the sun filled days of summer.

Perfect for toting my water bottle,

sun screen, sketch book and towel.

I added the hand crafted ceramic seashell

key chain as a fun little accent and

for easy access to the cottage house key

and the wide turquoise braid

seemed to be the perfect border for the painting.

Embellished Cardigan

I found the sweet peachy pink cardigan at The Gap

and loved the color, fit and length.

By now, my readers would know I can't seem to

just leave it as it was created.

I have several lengths of beautiful vintage laces

needing to come out of hiding and be shown off.

They seem the perfect embellishment.

I layer them and then

they are easily hand sewn on to the sweater.

Then feeling it needs a bit more,

I pull out the treasured vintage button collection

and pour it out on the table looking

for just the right lovelies to create a button bouquet.

The magic mesh comes in handy for laying out the gems

and then sewing them into place.

I cut away the extra mesh and add a magnet to attach it with,

so the fabric will not be damaged by the weight of the pin.

Fortunately I have the perfect vintage crochet top

that works beautifully as a camisole underneath.

I'm loving the happy spring colors being shown this season!

Paris Scarf

It had been a long anticipated rendezvous with my lover in Paris,

and it was after enjoying a lovely meal while strolling Rue Saint-Louise,

a charming street lined with adorable boutiques one more tempting than the next

that I discovered the shop with an amazing array of scarves.

Altering Paris fashion seems crazy,

yet I found myself adding bits of vintage lace to the raw edges

of this sweet little scarf upon my return home.

It is an all-time favorite that I wear most often and of course

it carries treasured memories as it was a gift from my lover

during our adventure in Paris together.

Sending Happy Valentines

with my latest ceramic heart designs

♥. HAPPY HEART'S DAY . ♥

Prima flower ring

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( photos courtesy of Stampington & Company )

I began by gently soaking the white Prima flowers

in warm water.

After soaking I reshaped the flat flowers

into a cup shape,

and set them upside down on the stove top

with the heat from the pilot drying them.

Then I joined them together with glue after they dried

and layering them inside each other.

You may chose to attach them to a ring or pin

and with a touch of glue in the center add a stray pearl!

Super easy & fun!

( could be cute tucked into an Easter egg! )

Painting on bisque

continues...

I am experimenting with Golden Gel Mediums

with acrylic paints for a raised effect in this design.

This is the sample piece,

the goal is to create this look on a large piece of ceramic bisque

and have it be mistaken for a vintage french vase!

You are LoVed

Here is the latest project I am working on,

a pillow shaped ceramic vase I made and glazed on the inside.

After painting the background I began decoupaging with paper and lace,

paint and marking pens.

It is not quite finished yet,

I am looking for small alphabet stamps to add along the ankle line

"you are loved" in walnut colored ink.

This is created for a sweet little girl in the hospital battling cancer.

{ Please keep her in your prayers }

( even better, I found a press on alphabet in chocolate by Fiskars! )

Homage to and inspiration from Julie Nutting's wonderful book!

Sweet heart graphics

Roxy Tee shirt found at T.J. Maxx yesterday with this cool graphic design

printed on the front

but looking like an unfinished pencil drawing without color,

finds its way home with me and ....

I pull out my fabric paints for a pick-me-up,

filling in the background to pop the design,

because I really need another painting project !

Knowing I would most likely be wearing it with jeans

I chose deep blue and began painting in the bottom of the heart design,

and taking creative license, chose to eliminate a few extra flowers

and web designs by painting the dark blue right over top of them.

Then I lightened the blue shade as I worked my way up the design

ending with a beautiful turquoise color at the top.

Sweet! & Valentine's Day is less than a month away!

Simple Scarf

While viewing Ralph Lauren's fashion week photos

of ready-to-wear for the spring 2012 collection

showing a myriad of beautiful neck scarfs in pastel colors

including peach and baby blue along with flowy chiffon skirts in sherbet-florals,

worn with cashmere sweaters in sunny yellow and apple green.

I'm inspired to take a look through my current collection of scarfs

to see what I have that may emulate the same look.

I find this little number in the same genre

and discover this variegated eyelash thread in a similar colorway.

I can't seem to resist adding a bit of embellishment to give it some texture

using the variegated eyelash thread.

With super easy basting stitches added

this simple scarf can easily transform any ordinary outfit

into something special!

Grateful to have it included in Somerset Life Magazine 

and 

Creative Living Ideas magazine!

Embellishing with Crochet

I totally surprised myself...

I would never have guessed I would take up crocheting.

This is the story of how it came to be...

I found a dusty pink crochet-look sweater, and loving the color, classic styling, and under $25.00 price, had to have it.

Later in the day I popped into Michael's to purchase small alphabet stamps for another project swirling in my imagination. Unfortunately they didn't have any BUT I did meet the helpful and talented Diana sitting at the front of the store demoing a little green yarn crochet flower....that she gifted to me, thank you Diana!

On my way back into town I stop at Big Lots for baby oil, cotton balls, and various sundries and spy this ball of yarn in their craft section. I love the color, do not knit or crochet but feel compelled to purchase it! Really it is all of a dollar and upon returning back to the cottage and unpack, happily realize it blends beautifully with the color of my new sweater!

I pilfer through a vintage sewing basket full of odds and ends remembering seeing a crochet hook in it, and much later that evening, while curled up on the sofa in the sitting room watching the latest episode of Downton Abbey, I attempt to mimic what Diana had been demoing. After several attempts on the sleeve I finally find my rhythm, pull out the practice yarn after jotting down the algorithm that seems to work.

Not being familiar with crochet terms yet it is a bit vague but doable and I begin with the sleeves, and then tackle the long shawl collar the next evening.

There are certainly a few glitches as I struggled with the yarn that had 3 different type threads in it, but I am pleased with the overall look and especially love how the scallop edge adds to its femininity.

I highly recommend

Trying something new!

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Seashell assemblage

Inspired by the always amusing and creative O.C. Cottage

and her post "Just use it"

I pull out a bowl full of seashells and spread them out across the studio work table

and create this seashell assemblage with them using e6000 adhesive.

...just wanted to share the fun.

A new year and new opportunities

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to connect with friends

write a letter and send it snail mail

view the world with a different perspective

read one of the classics

paint a picture

start a new journal

take more photos

try something new

create an amazing 2012

I love new beginnings !