Happy New Year ~ almost!!

Well, Christmas was wonderful. I enjoyed my grandchildren immensely as well as my son and daughter-in-law. We laughed and told stories...what fun!!! It was truly magical and to add to the festive occasion, we had snow! Hope you all had a blessed and magical holiday too!
I continue with my project with Karen Gartel's class and added images to the background papers that we made. I chose to use Zetti images. I just love them. They add so much whimsy!



I have to add text and borders next so I will keep you posted when they are finished. Enjoy!
Hugs
SueAnn

6 Days!!!

Six days until Christmas! I can hardly believe it. As I sit here waiting for my kids to come in from out of town, I am amazed and how quickly this year has passed. It has been a terrific year and hey, I even started blogging!! Next year promises to be just as amazing. I am all ready to take Pam Carriker's Journaling class. I have so wanted to be able to start journaling. So this is my opportunity.
I have taken a new class online with Karyn Gartel and so far it has been informative and fun. We are working right now on doing backgrounds. And as a mixed media collage artist; this I need.



This is an example of what I have been working on. As you can see they are soft and multi-layered.

Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed holidays season with friends and family. Things will get so hectic, don't know if I will get a chance to write until after Christmas.

Be well dear ones and thanks for visiting.
Hugs
SueAnn

Two new holiday girls

I am sitting here at the computer all snuggled up. It is really snowing outside and I am not a fan of the white stuff. Though it is pretty to look at. But just look...LOL!!!

Wanted to share a couple new projects that I have been working on. I have been playing with a "star" theme.

"Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket" la la la la laaaa te da da Anyway...I digresss! The title is "Catch a falling star". I used grungeboard for her hair and buttons for her pearls. A vintage piece of lace for her bodice. And lots of stars from a vintage book (the writing that is) The shapes were just cut out from the pages.

This next piece I just finished.

"When you wish upon a star...Makes no difference who you areeeeeee........a little off key but you get the idea. "Wish upon a star", is this one. You can just make it out...the title that is...on the snow field. I used grunge board letters to make the title...wooden house shapes for the outside houses. Buttons and sequins on their dresses. And butterflies here and there.

Hope you enjoy these latest offerings. I may list them on eBay...still debating.

Have a great week and Happy Holidays!

Hugs

SueAnn

A Lovely Blog Award

Funky Siren nominated my blog for this award. How honored I feel. Especially since her blog is so wonderful and inspiring to read. She even offers workshops. A definite must visit.

This award has some strings...but they are fun strings. Post a link to my blog on yours along with this award and then you must nominate others. See!! Fun!!!

Part of this award is to nominate seven other bloggers and their sites. So here it goes:

Artsnark Artifacts - wonderful blog and beautiful ETSY shop

Living Out Loud - So inspiring

Mind Wide Open - offers wonderful competitions

A Fanciful Twist - must see

Isabella Blue - wonderful art work

Paper Cat Designs - amazing paper art

Funky Siren - fabulous

You can visit their sites by clicking on the badges I have within this blog. Each and everyone of them will inspire you and take you to that creative place we all long to reach. I can only hope that mine takes you there as well.

Mind Wide Open Challenge

The image that Gail choose to use this time was so haunting. I just had to work with it. Thought I would stretch myself and do a little "steampunk". That was a challenge too! The prompt word for this piece was "Beginnings".
I copied the picture and applied it to a masonite board. For the prompt word, I choose a dragonfly symbolizing re- birth or new beginnings. The home is also for beginning of her life; where she was born. The sunflower grows where the soil has been disturbed. So it too signifies a beginning. New earth being tilled.

The gears and buttons signify a coming of an age and she is "Daddy's Doll". She is the first born and is the beginning of the family.
I used pastel chalks, transparencies, brass gears, and porcupine quills, handmade paper, lace and buttons. I love using the quills...they added much needed texture to the piece.
I hope you enjoy the piece as much as I did working on it.
Hugs
SueAnn

I am so thankful.....

To have such fabulous friends and wonderful family. I have been truly blessed!
One week before Thanksgiving, my granddaughter, Georgia Rose, came to stay with me. What fun we had!! She and I decided on an art project and it took us about three days, with generous breaks for snacks and such, to complete them.


They are our Christmas cones and make perfect ornaments. So easy to make too!! You take a 5" x 5" piece of decorative paper and make a cone. Then make sure you cut the top to be level. You end up with a 4 1/2" tall cone, approximately. Cut out pretty ladies or children from your vintage photo files and attach wings to them. We used butterfly wings. Then attach to cone. Add ribbons and bows on each side and fill with shredded paper. Wa la! Christmas ornaments!!

So pretty too!! Needless to say, we had a blast! And I hope you give this a try and share your Christmas ornaments as well.

Hope your holidays were bright and cheery, with lots of pumpkin pie!! LOL Well of course, whip cream!!

Hugs
SueAnn

My "words" of inspiration! Day of Sharing

You hear a melody drifting slowly towards you. The sound is unique; you have never heard it before. The music causes you to weep; and yet, the tears surprise you. If you could only make out the words!

You have awakened early to catch the sunrise. The warmth surrounds you; yet, there is still a chill in the air. As the light hits the world around you, the colors take your breath away. You've never seen a red so red, a blue so intense, a yellow so vibrant. If you could only take this palette of colors home with you!

You stay up late to catch the moon as it melts across the sky. The size of it amazes you; and it has a brightness that almost blinds. All things familiar become surreal, bathed in that silver spray. You've never seen the world like this, full of mystery and suspense. If only you could capture this on canvas or in wood!

The wind, it sculpts; the rain, it cleanses; the dark clouds intensify the colors. The hail carves; and the lightening excites and burns. The snow softens; and the thunder crashes and shakes. There is just no end to the changes that He makes. My work is to learn, to listen, and to see, hear, and feel. Simply be the person He created me to be. Then, I take a small portion of all of the above; mix it with prayer and rejoicing, and attempt to share it with you.

written by SueAnn

Hugs
Me

Getting in the mood!!!

Just wanted to start getting in the mood for Christmas. Can't believe it is almost here. I know!! I should keep it quiet. LOL But I had to do a painting that is simply to bring a smile to your face. It has been a long, harsh year. And things have been looking pretty bleak to alot of us. So I hope she makes you grin and feel positive about the new year fast approaching.
God bless and hugs
SueAnn

I entered an online competition

Please go visit Mind Wide Open. Mind Wide Open is having an open competition. We all had to use a vintage print of a lady peering through a window. The different applications are amazing!! You just have to see!!

I chose to do an assemblage using the vintage print. I added beads, ghost leaves, glitter, wings, porcelain Kewpie doll, vintage glass bottle and the vintage print.
I love the way she is peering through the window and through the door opening too. As if she is yearning for a time past and her Beloved!! She remembers the way it used to be. Her beloved is gone and she awaits his return.

Beloved is the name of the vintage print. Enjoy!!
And have a wonderful creative week!!

This is my entry!! Voting is open for all!! Come on by and vote!


Hugs SueAnn

And the clouds parted!!!

Once upon a time there was a piece of canvas calling out my name. I approached this canvas and began to attach many exciting things to the surface.
It is always exciting to start a new piece. You know you have begun an adventure and off I went. Over hills and through the valley's I traveled hoping to find the castle door at the end.
But alas, no door showed itself to me.
So in frustration, I covered the entire piece with gesso and went in a whole new direction. This was becoming quite an adventure indeed.
Adding gesso and cerulean blue changed how I felt about the piece. I removed some original areas and added new areas. I outlined all the pieces within the collage with charcoal and that really helped it to pop.
Here is the finished piece and I hope you enjoyed the journey!!
Hugs
SueAnn

How to make a princess!!

Take one vintage doll head, some wood and a creative drawing. Take a piece of copper and some hearts buttons and wala!! A princess!!
She was such fun to work on and all of the elements just came together.
I attached a collage to a piece of 1/4 plywood and cut the plywood into triangular shapes. I inserted a wood block into the base of the doll head so that I could drill some holes into it. I took four sections of the plywood that I cut and laid it on the neck piece that I had installed. Then I attached the plywood with dowels and glue. This made the base of the doll.
I took rectangular pieces of copper mesh and molded it to appear like cloth over the drawing. I held these pieces in place with heart buttons.
An vintage rhinestone collar made up her head piece and rhinestone trim made up her bracelets. '
She has been entered into the Queen of ZNE contest being held by the Art Dollz group on ZNE.
What fun!!
You all must visit the ZNE network (www.zneiscrafty.ning.com) Fun place to visit and filled with exciting artists from all over the world.
Enjoy the pics of the princess!!

Special Occasions!

These warrant special pieces of art. I was invited to add some of my work to a special project. This was for a wonderful lady named Chelise Henry. She was hosting an event in Pleasonton, CA in August of 2008 and many of my fellow ZNE'rs wanted to surprise her with some of our art. And it had to remain small, like an ornament, so that it would fit on a sculptural tree done by Chrysti Hydek. So I created these two pieces in honor of this special lady.
These pieces were done as mini collages and they are coated with bees wax. I am showing you the front and the backs of each piece.
Hope you enjoy them.
Hugs
SueAnn

Summer Vacation with Grandkids!!

Make a Smilebox photobook

Unfinished projects

This can be a real problem in the studio. Because they can accumulate and cause undo stress. Sometimes it happens because you are not sure what direction to go with on a piece and other times you are not fond of what you have done.
My example is a piece that I wasn't that fond of. It just didn't work for me. So I cut it up into large squares; about 2' x 3' and I attached each piece onto a piece of 1/8" plywood. Now we have something.
Purses were on my mind for some reason so I decided to fashion of the sections into a purse.
I added beads and fabric flowers, a feather boa and straps. Wala...a purse!!

Hope you enjoy the pics. Thanks for stopping by
Hugs
SueAnn

What She Said....

"What She Said" is a small fiber collage that I completed some time ago. About May 2008.
I love this one.
I started with some buckram as a base and used felt and felt pieces as well as vintage cardstock; lots of embroidery and copper wire. The whole piece is surrounded by a floral edging with I think really pulls the piece together.
Close ups are also included here so you can see the details.
This is for sale in my ETSY shop right now.
http://www.etsy.com/your_shop.php

Hope you enjoy this piece as much as I do.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs
SueAnn

Heart on my sleeve

It is so fun to create for someone else. I did this heart as part of a swap. I received a heart in return and it is fabulous. I will add that pic next time. Here are pics of the heart that I fashioned.
I used batiked muslin to do the basic embroidery stitching and then beaded it. I then cut the heart out and found that fun black and white fabric to make the back with.
Hope you enjoy it. I sure loved making it.

Hugs
SueAnn

Tip toeing!!!

As I tip toe through my studio; I realize it is time to get organized. I am really good about getting down to work. Just terrible at putting stuff away. I may need it!! You never know?!!! LOL
Thought I would share a project I worked on using silk and sewing notions, buttons and beads.
An art doll I call Spirit of the Lady.

• Fabric I used....

• The body constructed.....

• The finished doll......

• Close up......
  

Hope you enjoy her as much as I enjoyed working on her. Her face is a clay cabochon. Her hat is felt and the hair is buttons and beads.

Thanks for stopping by.

SueAnn