I’m just popping in real quick to share another new design that will be debuting at the Na-Da Farm Sale this Friday and Saturday.
On a whim (and isn’t that the best way ideas play out, as opposed to thinking about it forever before you have a chance to act) I just made a mess, and painted randomly with watercolors, gouache and inks and then came back in with pencil and pen and drew in details. Some of those papers are shown above. Then, even though I was slightly in love with the color and mess, I cut the papers up into strips to use in my Paper Stratum jewelry.
I am absolutely in love with the resulting pieces. Here is a quick sneak peek.
These, as well as a handful more (rings and necklaces) will be available at the show on Friday. Leftovers will be added to my etsy shop, but even if I were to sell out (haha, fingers crossed) I know I will be making more of these. I kind of only want to make more and more of these at this point.
Don’t forget, there’s still time to enter the giveaway on the post from last Friday. You can win a piece of jewelry (of your choosing) as well tickets into the show AND cupcakes!
I’m finally back with that post I promised about my idea for using the security envelopes. I’ve been in major production mode preparing for the Na-Da Farm sale and finally finished these pieces to share here.
I used them to make my paper spiral stratum jewelry pieces. Some rings and some pendants that will be turned into necklaces. I made a variety so I will be able to add some to my etsy shop soon.
I made some using manilla envelopes as a contrasting color.
Fun eh? They would be fun for anyone, just to explain that the paper is actually the inside of security envelopes, but I kind of like to picture that book-keepers, accountants, and postal workers would really love them.
I hope to be back with another post in a day or two. Hopefully more about some of the other projects I’ve got going on for the sale. I have all these posts in the works, but just no time to actually publish them. It’s that pesky 9-5 job that always gets in the way. Right now I’m off to a hopefully productive work session with Courtney and Ann.
If you follow
me on instagram you might have seen sneak peeks of some of these pinwheel color pieces.
Shortly after moving into our house (August 2011) I bought a huge canvas with the intention of making some large artwork to hang on the walls. I went through
my pinwheel mania phase and made a few canvas pinwheel paintings to sell in my etsy shop. After one of them sold I was a little sad to see it go, but then realized I could make one for myself on that large canvas that had just been sitting there for over a year.
I liked it (the top image) so much that when I found a bunch of little canvases I already had in my studio, I decided to keep going. When I shared one on instagram it got a decent enough response that I thought I should make some to offer for sale at
the Na-Da Farm Sale and in
my shop.
When making these pieces I find it hard to know when to stop. For the huge canvas I created a “sketch” on the computer so that I would know what colors should go where. Even though I was happy with the sketch, when I made the real thing I kept noticing issues of certain colors that i didn’t like next to each other. I’d add a strip in here and a strip in there, and then that causes more issues and if I don’t stop myself the strips will all become so narrow that looking at it will be like looking at an optical illusion and will make a person dizzy. Even now I see areas that could use another color, but I have to call it finished (for the time being). Now, we’ll need to figure out where to hang it.
I made this one last week after
Anne Marie of NaDa Farm posted theme colors for the sale will be pink, turquoise, green and gold.
I’d also really like to loosen up on these. One of the things I loved most about the idea of these pinwheels was that some of the colors would be more textured. That’s why I’ve added the chalkboard paint one of gold paint, but I would also really like to do some where it’s just messy and not a solid color, or even straight lines. I have a hard time just letting go.
Unrelated, if you’ve made it this far down, I’m just about to wrap up my last installment of the 100 Things About Me series. I’m sure I’m missing things that should be shared. I posted a thing on
my facebook page asking for suggestions of things you might like to know about me. If you can think of something you think I should share, leave a comment
over there.
I’m not sure how I first heard about Tiny Notebook Club, but as far as I can tell it’s started with an instagram account asking people to post pictures of their creativity inside of tiny notebooks. People choose to post images of their writing, collage, paintings, drawings, what have you, in tiny notebooks and hashtag their images with #tinynotebookclub. On Monday the administrators pick 4 images to feature in their feed. It sounds like they are just getting started out, and have plans for a website to expand the project. I have my little green book from Green Trike Press and found this project the perfect prompt for me to work in it again regularly.
Here are my contributions so far. Let me know if you join in on the fun.
After getting my Zutter (spiral notebook binder) I had the idea to create some original patterns to have printed and use as covers for a series of notebooks (staplebound as well as spiralbound). Here are the instagrammed patterns I’ve created so far.
I’d like to eventually make a whole bunch so that I have a collection from which to choose the best. I would be remiss to make this post and not mention the inspiration I have been receiving on instagram with Anika’s #patternaday. I love all the patterns people are sharing.
I’m getting a little ahead of myself. It’s only the 20th and here I am posting cards 15-22 of the 31 Postcards in 31 Days project.
After using my silk screens for week 2 of the 31 Postcards in 31 days, and then buying new drawing fluid that actually worked I wanted to keep going. This week after being inspired by the translucent look of washi tape I decided to do another series of silk screen postcards. I used my new screen and made little simple lines and shapes. Then I REALLY diluted my inks with translucent base to get the look I was going for. I’m really pleased with the outcome and will probably try more printing like this in the future. I think I might make more little screens as well, so I don’t have to wash it out as often, and I can keep certain patterns.
The print part has a more dappled texture than what I was aiming for. Unlike normal paper one would print on, these old pictures have a glossy finish, so instead of the ink soaking into the paper it just lays on top and sticks together.
Also, I just realized none of these pictures have my signature “place stamp here” stickers on them yet.
It kind of makes me laugh thinking about having this (or possibly more) super tiny screen. When I was college my serigraphy teacher was continually trying to make me go bigger, Bigger, BIGGER! Yet I grabbed and used the smallest frame I could find. Later when we had to build our own she insisted that I build a huge screen. I have it still but never use it. Instead I use the smaller ones I’ve built myself.
One last thing before I sign off for the weekend. Today is is the NaDa Farm Sale from 9-12. I’m not selling this time, I was just too busy, but I did go last night to shop. If you live in the northern Illinois area you should check it out. It’s $5 to get in. Pictured above is just one room from the sale, but there are 3 more rooms full of vendors and also plenty of booths outside as well, including Anne from abeautifulparty, who I got to meet for the first time.
Have a wonderful weekend!
I have finished another week of mailart postcards for 31 Postcards in 31 Days. I also finally finished addressing and writing the first week’s postcards and dropped them at the post office this weekend.
Postcards 7-14
These postcards are the result of my silk screening attempt, or should I say 3 attempts. Since then I have purchased a new bottle of drawing fluid and Tada, everything worked out perfectly. I tested out a little sample sketch and I only had to do one coat of the drawing fluid and the lines stayed crisp and didn’t dilute during the screen filler application. These postcards are still based on that former screen I did.
Below are a few details
I have had a few ideas here and there for next weeks postcards, but nothing really set in stone yet. We will see what I come up with.
Day 5, a little different. Instead of space we have grass.
I’m going for a 3rd attempt at the silk screen this weekend. Doing prints should be much quicker for next week.
Have a good weekend!
This morning I woke up at 5 am and couldn’t fall back to sleep. Instead I got up and actually started painting my mailart postcard for the day. It was such a nice start to the day. I was in such a good mood in the morning. I’d love to say that I should begin each morning this way, but I also know I’m one to love to sleep in. I know the moment I’d make such a commitment I would not be able to climb out of bed until 7:30 to be at work by 8. In an ideal world…
The top picture was an iphone macro lens shot of the painting this morning. Bright and cheerful.
This is the finished piece. Day 4 of 31 Postcards in 31 days.
For over 200 more pieces of mailart I’ve created, see my flickr photo set here.
Day 3 of 31 Postcards in 31 Days. It’s been such a busy week. Every day this week I finish my postcard and then fall into bed and sleep like a brick.
Is anyone else participating in #31Postcards?
