RECYCLING AT IT'S BEST

Always on the look out for creative recycling I love to surf the net and see what people have come up with. I found this really great company at the Viva Terra site that creates all kind of things from recycled objects. This item below was made from discarded flip flops!! What a neat idea.

Look around their site and you'll see all kinds of terrific things they have created. This picture below shows how they used truck tires to make an ottoman/table and stools. I just love it. Considering all the talk of what to do with old tires this idea is a great one!

Definately a site worth checking out!

HAND PAINTED CLOTHING - FINISHED....I THINK...

Well at top is the back of the finished pants and below that is the front. Wow, this was almost as much work as a painting. I love how they turned out and the color of course is bolder in person. (Still not too good with a camera.)
I mixed the acrylic paint with a fabric medium as per instructions and painstakingly applied it to the denim praying that it would hold up. However, I want to let them sit for a bit (I always do that with my artwork to let it cure and because I am always going back to touch up something I missed.) Then I will "heat set" it and then...the big test....the laundering. For the most part all the researching I did online suggests washing inside out in cold water and not putting in dryer, at least the majority of the articles did.
So stay tuned and in a few days I will let you know how they hold up. Now, how am I going to keep myself from painting all the rest of the clothes until after the final test. Hmmmm....wish me luck.
You know you're an artist when you can't find a nice outfit to wear because everything has paint smears on it.

WORK IN PROGRESS

I decided to start with a little pair of pants first. What you are seeing is the initial design. I don't use stencils and it definately isn't done by air brushing so it won't be perfect but will definately be an original one of a kind piece of art. I pre-sketched a few insects such as a dragonfly, bee, ladybug til I liked what I drew than picked up my paintbrush and began to paint freehand...so have to see now how well they come out....stay tuned!

You know you are an artist when ou butter your toast with your fingers, just to feel its texture.

MY NEW CANVASES

These adorable children's denim outfits are just crying out for an original painting by me. I can hear them saying..."we are so boring....paint us!" Only too happy to oblige I am off to gather up my paint supplies and create some magic on them. This time I won't mess up!!! Stay tuned for the results.

WELL DUH ME!!!!

Like a Bull in a china shop I rushed into the fabric painting experience. Okay, I confess, I am one of those people that never reads directions (I know it all don't you know?) When I have the urge to do something I just rush right in without taking the proper steps. In other words, I learn by trial and error (even when it comes to raising my children.) :)

So I created the cutest painting on the cutest little girls denim jumper. It looked so professional and was so bright. I heat set it and then decided to test it in the wash. Children's clothes have to be washable. Even I know that.

Anxiously waiting through the dryer cycle I reached in and pulled out my adorable little girls hand painted denim jumper and nearly cried when I saw that in a few areas the paint had cracked!!! What had I done wrong? I realized right away what the problem was. I had mixed fabric medium into my paints as this will make acrylic paints equivalent to fabric paints and produce a nice soft paint texture. However, when I did a few touch ups in the painting I remember dipping my brush into the acrylics instead of the premixed paints.....well duh me!!! It was those spots where the cracking happened.

That was so typical of me not paying attention. No matter. I learned an important lesson and now know how to create paintings on denim so they won't crack or fade. I just wish I had thought of taking a picture of it before I ruined it in the wash.

Oh well, stay tuned I have a few more adorable denim outfits to test out and I will be sure to post those pics!!!You know you are an artist when...The highlights in your hair are from your palette and not Clairol.

FABRIC PAINTING

Once again I have been bitten with the bug of wanting to try a new art medium. This time it is painting on fabric. I inherited a lot of baby girl clothes that I passed on to my expectant neice but before I did I came across two really adorable plain denim jumpers. It was like there were new canvases crying out..."Paint me! Paint me!" Well, what could I do but paint.

My kids use to tell their many friends trouping in and out of our house, "Don't stand still or my mother might paint you!" I guess they had good reason too as there is no surface or object I can pass by without looking at it and mentally adding the touch of my paintbrush. So...I am off to create a piece of wearable art and will post it shortly I hope!

Wish me luck!

A BUDDING PICASSO???

When I saw this picture online I just had to post it. I wonder if this is how Picasso started out???

A BIT OF EGYPT

I am in the middle of helping a young friend prepare to decorate her bedroom in her new home. She has a very avid interest in Egyptian history and for a 14 year old is very up on the subject. So it was only natural that we decided to create an Egyptian theme in her bedroom. As I love to decorate almost as much as I love to paint I am very thrilled to be helping her with this project. Since we can't actually get into the new home for a few more weeks we are working on preparing accessories and such for the room. I decided to make some paintings for her that would fit in to her theme. We are leaning towards a Cleopatra type setting so of course she wants it filled with authentic looking Egyptian artifacts and art. Here is a painting I created for her based on the "Eye of Ra". Turned out so nice I think I might recreate it on a larger canvas and offer it for sale. Let me know what you think.

PAINTING WITH ACRYLICS

I love to paint with acrylics. I have tried watercolors and I am not great at blending. I have tried oils and I admit I don't have the patience to wait for them to dry. So I love acrylics. They are quick drying, colorful and forgiving...you can paint right over your mistakes (of which I make many!)

I recently came across a great website where an acrylic artist by the name of Sandra Sheetz has a free video you can watch which gives you a few lessons on painting with acrylics. I found it very helpful and insightful so if you are new to painting with acrylics I would check it out. Painting with Acrylics video.

Below is one of my few attempts at oils. I find it easier to paint abstracts with oils as you can blend and create wonderful color and not have to worry about each color drying beforehand. However, I think I will stick with my acrylics. This piece is for sale and is gorgeous in person. My camera needs replaced!!!