Rusty parts and my brother "The Art Enabler"

I wrote earlier about my family and how they all humor me in my art.

They call my brother Dave my enabler, because when I want to try something weird or different (to those non-crafty folk) my brother is almost always willing to help me!

Even when I don't ask, he is keeping an eye out for me.

We visited them this weekend for Sam's play and Dave took me to a nearby park where people were allowed to dump off metal to be recycled, he had seen a sign and thought of me.

So we asked permission when we got there and I nabbed several very cool rusty pieces. The big disks are my favorite, I got four of them.

Copper crusted vessel

I am sure enjoying making vessels for the textile challenge group. This one started with a piece of fabric I dyed a year or more ago, I crinkled and tied it up as it dried to try and get wrinkles and has stitched it to a piece of felt.

I folded over the top three inches and stitched the side to form a tube, then stitched a piece of timtex to the bottom. I added pieces of silky copper, heated with the heat gun, painted tyvek, crocheted hairy yarns, some copper mesh and painted lace, and a couple of plastic rings covered with hand dyed ribbon yarn. Then I used some copper lumiere paint to drybrush some color all over the piece. I have a really cool silicon baster mom got me this summer, it works great for just adding a little paint.

I wanted the vessel to have a little bit squished shape, so I painted more timtex and made a tube for the inside, a little bit smaller than the outside. As I stitched the piece inside I drew in some of the shape with the thread, then added beads that pulled it in a little more, and added some felt beads too. I think I am done-lol.

My wonderful family

I am so lucky to have a family who encourages and helps me with my art! Mom and dad are both creative, dad loves to do woodworking projects and mom likes to paint. My dad make these crosses and beautiful frames for my projects, plus he can figure out the best way to do anything. And he is the king of clamps! Yesterday I brought a breadbox I am going to mosaic for the EMA bitchen kitchen challenge. One of the hardest things (I think) in a mosaic is to finish the "raw" edges of grout, that's why dad makes the crosses with an edge. I brought the breadbox out just to show them what I am working on next, and he cut little strips of wood to cover the raw edges. He has like 18 clamps! on the one breadbox, holding the strips down while they glue, but it is exactly what I need to make the breadbox fabulous! I will start on it later this week since the deadline is November 4th. For details of the EMA contest see
http://www.etsymosaics.com/emachallenge.html.
My brother and SIL are both very supportive, they are always on the lookout for silver platters and bowling balls and other items for me to mosaic. When I told Dave I was rusting fabric this summer, he found me the most amazing piece of metal that makes a gorgeous rust pattern. And if I tell him some crazy idea for a project, he will jump right in and help me. My SIL, Anita is always generous with her supplies and is teaching me how to solder.
And then there are my nephews, the brightest stars in my life. Max is 13, a super sports dude, he loves to play basketball and soccer and his playstation. In the summer you can always count on Max to be in the lake. I have never been athletic but he loves me anyway and is always quick to give a big hug.
Sam is 15, he is a true artist. We used to color when he was little, then I would draw him simple dragons and fantasy creatures. He soon passed me with his drawing skills and I still am constantly amazed at his talent. Both Sam and Max are very handsome, very social with lots of friends, smart with good grades, and musical, they both have been in lots of school plays.
Last but not least is my sister Sue. I don't get to see her very often, but we talk on the phone almost daily, she is very encouraging for anything I am doing. I am so lucky and very grateful for my whole family.

mosaic crosses

Yesterday I grouted the four crosses from last week, I think they turned out great. My dad makes the beautiful wooden bases for the crosses, he uses oak and walnut and maple.

I love to hang out in dad's garage with him, this is where I mosaic (and paint fabric, and work with clay, and do my rust projects).
The cross below has a gorgeous raku piece in the center, created by my friend Lisa. She is an amazing artist. (www.lisapetersart.com)


Mom is there too, she watches and I ask her opinion on colors and design.
This summer we made a large cross for my brother's church and mom did it with me. And she always helps me grout, she could spend hours doing the final cleaning and shining.

Vessel for Textile challenge

This vessel started with a UFO from last year. I had dyed and painted the fabric, then free motion stitched it and added a little cheesecloth, ribbon and a crocheted circle. Tonight I added a lining, turned under the edges and rolled the rectangle into a roll, then stitched the sides and added a bottom. Added a plastic ring wrapped with ribbon yarn and more crochet yarn balls. It is 7 inches tall with a 3 inch diameter.

Earth Angel - etsy FAST October challenge

well, she is done and I added her to my shop. The pictures don't do her justice, but I'd like to know what you think.

Earth Angel in Process

I have been working on another angel and decided to share pictured of her in process. Everything is hand stitched, there are laters of felt, distresssed with the heat gun and hand painted with oranges, browns and golds. I found cotton yarn I hand dyed a couple of years ago with beautiful earthy tones, crocheted a string of chain stitches and stitched them down, then added painted mesh and crinkled tyvek

Next I will be adding fuzzy yarns, some melted felt rolls, small silk flowers and/or leaves and some beads. Underneath the felt layers I have some silky, rusty colored fabric.

The final step will be hair and her wings, this is a start on them.