The Wednesday Stamper challenge for this week is to show how we use color with stamps. I like to use paint. Here I stamped the dragonfly which is a Stampington stamp with StazOn ink and used Golden Fluid acrylics(yellow ochre, teal and crimson) to paint the wings and body.

Somerset Studio challenges often really challenge me to stretch myself in new ways.

I am working on making something to send in to the special publication Sew Somerset (deadline May 15). I am not a fabric/sewing person, but I wanted to give it a go. I had bought fabric paints at Christmas when I was asked to submit pieces for the upcoming Altered Couture Volume 2 (available May 1, I have 2 altered children's dresses in that publication). I found that I liked working with the fabric paints.

For this is a wall hanging that I used fabric paints on a scrap of fabric I had left over from when I attempted(struggled) to make a quilt for my now 5 year old (my Mum finally sewed it together when she was 3 :). I used my often dormant sewing machine to stitch on the altered photo. I think it is a start, but I have a ways to go with the fabric paint/sewing paper art. Nothing like an art challenge!

I Remember

A while ago I posted about stamp carving. Well I am still at it. I have carved leaves and grasses and fishes and designs which I have been using in my art work. But still my favorite is the eye. It was one of the first things that I carved, I got to use it today for the Wednesday Stampers theme for this week, which is Eye.

Mixing media

This is an example of something I have been working on within one of my larger projects. It is not finished, but I wanted to share that I have been have a wonderful time combining my various loves, altered photography, stamping and paint. I have lately been stitching art pieces together, which is a fun alternative to gluing. I have so many ideas and thoughts, they are almost bursting out of me.

Within the hustle and bustle of being a (homeschool) mom of 4 under 6 I am somehow finding the space to do it all. Creating art for me, at this season, is about finding balance between being the mother I was designed to be and being the artist I desire to be. My arms are wide open to it all.

The joy of Gesso

Gesso is the white paint like stuff that is used to prime canvas. When watered down it can be used to whiten images that are too bright and makes a great surface to stamp onto.

Here is a wood & bead bird hanger I made. The lower one is the bird before Gesso is applied. It is a Dover copyright free image and I find some of them a little garish. The Gesso helps tone it back.

My detailed photography needs improvement, but the words in the pendant say 'Dream Big'. This is something that I really am doing in my life right now. I am burning the candle at both ends, but in a good way. God has given us all 24 hours in a day, I am accountable for how I use mine. So I am dreaming big things and stretching out there, praying about everything and using my minutes wisely. Why not? I have only this one shot at being alive!

In my blog searching I found a link to a group called the Wednesday Stamper and their theme for this week (ending tomorrow) is white, so I am going to add this link to them!

This weekend I have been working on photo altering. I got out the box of photos I took last year on our trip to Ireland and have been sanding and painting a bunch of them.

This one is of a view of Dalkey Island from the side of Victoria Hill about 5 minutes from the house I grew up in, where my Mother still lives. When I lived there I took the beauty for granted. Now that I live in a flat, unbeautiful (hot and humid) part of the States I cherish these photos and memories.

I don't know what I will 'do' with these altered photos. Perhaps I will make a travel journal, or maybe another wall hanging, or I might incorporate it into a larger canvas..... hmmm, ideas are floating around. I love the act of creating.... bringing something into existence that was not before....

SPC

I was not going to do the month of March's SPchallenge until I saw the ever inspiring Misty Mawn's picture. The challenge is use online tools to create or enhance your image, they have a list of tools that can be used. I have been playing around with photoshop for a while and have done tons of fun arty things with photos, so I guess I was a little burned out on it photo altering. But I was able to do this one in 5 minutes with my son helping me (he is going to do his own once I finish this post). I love stuff that is quick and fun and a little different.

That photo is huge, ahhhh... I....

I had in mind to make something else tonight, but I had a bad day today (hormones, Monday, you know the story), lots of frowning faces on my accountability chart, so I decided to make myself something to wear that would inspire me to be a better Momma tomorrow.

The pendant I made says on the back 'joyful mother', now how can I wear this and lie? Tomorrow is a new day and I get to start over and BE the joyful mother my babes deserve.

As I was writing this, my 2 year old woke up from sleep and wandered out to me. She said 'I want on your lap mommy'. How can I resist a sleepy cuddle. So now I am writing this with Laura heavy in my arms. She has already forgiven me for not being quite 'on' today.

Tomorrow really is a brand new day and I will wear this necklace with a full heart.

It is official, the problem is the solder. I used lead solder to make the pendants for the butterfly pieces and they turned out great - smooth, shiny, no burnt bits. Then tonight I made this one with the lead free solder and the pendant is the opposite. OK, it is not that bad, but just not satisfactory to me.

Note to self - work on getting Silvergleam solder, I believe that it will make all the difference.

Thank you to all of you who left such nice comments on my butterfly piece. It encourages me, and makes me think that I am on the right road for now. Thank you again. I am honored that you would visit me and take the time to let me know.

It is all give and take. Through blogging I have found so many neat artists who have their own little art worlds that I can slip into and visit and enjoy and learn from. What did we all do before blogging? Waited longingly for the next issue of Somerset Studio... Okay I still do that, but now we can find out easily what other artists are doing online right now. I have a list of blogs I check out daily and weekly, you know who you are! It's fun, it's free, it's colorful. It's inspiring.

This is the first finished piece of a set of 7 mini hanging thingys I am making for the next issue of Somerset Home. I have made all the parts of the others, but have yet to assemble them. If I had another hour or 2 in the day I could get it done!

The accountability partnering I am doing with Shannon has been so fabulous. I am getting all the important things done as my list is there in the kitchen as I pass reminding me of what I need to focus on. And I am aware of it as I talk to Shannon through the week. It is like a constant reminder of my priorities.

This is the idea behind these pieces, each has a little reminder of things that are important to me. They are in my home as little visual reminders to 'create daily', 'love wildly' 'pray constantly', 'give happily', 'serve lovingly', dream big' and 'play freely'.

Susan Tuttle over at Ilka's Attic posted a photo last week and a challenge to create something with it. I used it as my canvas per week photo.

I decided to give the little girl a happy face, that of my little Laura. I guess as she will be hanging in my house I wanted to have someone cheerful to look at!

SPC - Momma me

This is the real me at this 'mother of young' season of life. Everything I do is done through the filter of my children. It is a time of constant movement, with no time to linger on my thoughts, I am pure action.... where's the Ergo?, do you have your shoes? no, you must wear real clothes, just a minute kids, momma is checking emails, here let me help, bedtime, storytime, Latin songs, time for math, have you done your literature?, lunch, no we are having turkey/cheese today peanut butter tomorrow, where is Laura... please get down from there, do you need to go potty? 'I need you momma', Mom Matthew won't let me have it, share please, do I have clean socks?....



Through all of this noise I have had to steel myself to get art done. There is no time to think. I have to be ready to craft when the time comes... usually late in the evening or perhaps a half hour in the afternoon. I can't do research, I just jump in. I can't plan the perfect collage, or pendant... I just do it. This is a good thing, I am really being me.

More SPC's here.

I usually paint my backgrounds, so this is a little new angle for me - I used a photo that I worked on in photoshop as the 'art' in this pendant. My son took the photo a while back and I played with it in photoshop.

I am pretty happy with the image, but not so with the solder. I have determined to try yet another type of solder, the one Sally Jean Alexander recommends... Canfield Silvergleam... if I could only get my hands on it.

More Somerset Studio

A while back myself and 4 other artists were sent a stamp and asked to make some art work with the stamp. It was a stamp of a woman by Paper Artsy Stamps. I had such fun with this project. I made a bunch of stuff, but sent Somerset the 9 pieces that I had completed by the deadline. They have included 6 of them in the March/April 2007 issue of Somerset Studio. I am so excited! (Look out for the May/June issue, I have an article in that one, and one in July/August... but I am getting ahead of myself!)

Many artists create best with freedom and openness. Art can come when we are free to choose any theme, any color, with tons of free time to do work. I can do that when I just want to enjoy the creating process and am making something just for me. But I also love to create within deadlines and rules - such as use 'just this stamp', or 'use just this color' or 'illustrate this idea'. Sometimes my creativity is squeezed just right by parameters set by others. A blend of both is what I seek and at the moment have. Some days I make whatever I want, other days I work on the specific deadlines I am facing. It is a good balance.

Other artists who's work I admire are in this issue are Lisa Guerin and Claudia Roulier and Kristen Robinson is on the cover. Enjoy! And Pam Garrison has a great article on arty blogs. I am going to check her site out this weekend.

Beading

Joyfully Home asked me what do you need to start beading. I am by no means a professional jeweler. I use stuff that I find at the craft store, nothing fancy. I the same beads & tools for my necklaces and for my canvas wall hangings.

Here are some suggestions:
This is a great starter tool set: the 3 Piece Mini Tool Set . It includes a Chain Nose Pliers, Round Nose Pliers and Wire Cutter. It is around $10.

Wire comes in different gauges, the smaller the number the thicker it is. I use 20, 24, 26 and 28 gauge the most, they are about $1-2 a spool. You can get wire in different colors, but I like the silver the best. Wire is good for making individual parts for a necklace, but if you want a full beaded necklace you will need Nylon coated stainless steel stringing wire. It is tough like wire but very flexible.

You will need what is called 'findings'. You can get a starter box of findings for about $6-8. Findings are the earing wires, clasps, spacers, head and eye pins - all the bones of making jewelry. You will also need crimping beads if using the stringing wire.

Of course you will need beads. Beads of all sizes come in little packets, on strings or in boxes usually in coordinated colors. Fancy beads are more expensive and you don't get many in the packet. Beads are often glass, stone or plastic. I like glass beads best, they are bright colors which appeals to me. I like to buy beads in assorted packs, which are good for finding random beads, but not so great if you find a size/color you want to repeat in a necklace.

You may need a bead storage tray once you get lots of beads. They are about $2 a piece. I buy the little packets of beads and then pour them into the trays, I am up to 5 trays! Buying beads can become an addiction :) When I am about to bead I pull these trays down and spread them around the table with the lids up so I can see what my choices are.

If you are working with wire you need First Aid tape to protect your fingers :)

I am sure there are lots more tools and supplies you can buy, but this has worked for me so far.

Just my cup of tea

Somerset Studio has a new book coming out, one I am definately going to buy. It is called Somerset Life.

Here is the by-line:

'The publisher’s dream for Somerset Life, a new annual publication debuting April 2007, is to encourage readers to make every day extraordinary: by infusing daily life with simple pleasures, art, romance, creativity and beauty. It will capture the imagination with stunning photography, insightful and entertaining articles, and imaginative ideas. Somerset Life will show readers how attention to the little things in life can lead to an inspired and artful way of living.'

Today I stayed home from church with a sick child. Mark took the others, so in the quiet of my house, in the daytime, in the real daylight :), I always do art things at night, I painted papers.

I covered bunches of white paper in Golden's gesso, which dries super fast, and then slopped on the paint - crafty, cheap acrylics and Golden's expensive fluid acrylics. I made monoprints of the sheets, let them dry and then painted over them. I sketched fruit and hands and eyes and painted over them. I scraped the paint and splattered the paint. I stamped with some of my new stamp carvings. No direction, no project in mind, just paper covering for the sake of it. It was fun and now I have over 40 new background options. Yeah!

Self Portrait Challenge - Black & White (2)

SPC 'Give and Take'. This represents to me the relationship I am building with my friends and fellow artists. I have given and taken from some special girlfriends these past few months. We are together in this life to learn from each other, to share ideas, friendships and inspiration. It is how we were designed to live. We give to eachother, we take from eachother, we are in community together. It is a beautiful thing.

Creating with kids

This book is a mother daughter collaboration! My almost 5 year old, Lily, decorated all the pages (9 pages per signature, 3 signatures) over a number of days. When the signatures were ready I sewed the pages together and cut out the cardboard for the cover. Lily chose the cover paper and glued it on. We used rubber cement for the binding.

Lily was so proud of her little book, she put it beside her bed so she could look at it. (I messed up a little by scoring the cover paper, so when it folded around the backbone the paper tore. I have to work on it some more).

We followed the direction for bookmaking from the book 'The Essential Guide to Making Handmade Books' by Gabrielle Fox.

Soldering

Turquoise Cro asked me if soldering is easy. Well, here is my long answer:

When I first started I was delighted with the process, as it is a pretty fast learning curve. You can make soldered pendants the first time you try them that look pretty good. I couldn't believe how awesome it was to watch the solder melt! It truly felt like I was making something from nothing.

But now I have been doing pendants for 7 months I am struggling to get better at it. I assumed that I would improve, that my pendants would look like they do in Sally Jean Alexander's book 'Pretty Little Things', all shiny and smooth. But they don't. They don't really look much better than my first attempts. This is frustrating.

My pendants have grit or little black burnt bits and sometimes seams. (I made this tonight and am unhappy with it)

I have attempted to solve my problems by buying better/different tools & supplies:

1) I have tried 4 different solders. Jean recommends Canfield Silvergleam. I have not found it in the store, but I have Canfield Lead FreePewter, which of course won't be shiny, but still is not smooth. I have tried Mastercraft 60% Tin/40% Lead. I tried Oatey Safe Flo Laed Free Silver. I tried DGS Lead-Free solder. None of them have been any better than the other. I guess I will keep hunting for Canfield's Silvergleam.

2) I have used different gel fluxs, made no difference.

3) I have bought 4 soldering tools, 3 cheap ones, the last one was $70. Each tool was awesome the first 3 times I used them, but then the tips got dirty and put little black burnt bits on the solder that I can't remove. I don't know if it cause the glue from the copper tape is burning, or if my tip cleaning methods are poor.

4) I have tried using a sal ammonic block. I followed the directions, but all it does is leave a sandy grit on the tip that then gets left in the solder on my pendant.

5) I have tried wiping the tip on damp paper towels and on a specially designed sponge. Neither kept the tip clean after 3 uses.

Well, on the more expensive tool it looks really clean, but still there are burnt bits, grit and rough seams.

6) I have tried cleaning the tip frequently and infrequently, neither made any difference.

7) Temperature control - I thought that the cheap tools were getting too hot, so I got one with a temperature gauge. Doesn't help.

The only thing that helps is changing tips or getting a new tool, as I said the first few pendants I make with a new tip or new tool look great - shiny, smooth free from burnt bits and lumpy joins. After that they look rough. I can't keep buying more tips.

Should I try different copper tapes? using more solder? using more or less flux? give up? Relax and live with it? What would Sally Jean say?