Perfect cowgirl boots

OK how lucky is this?  I saw a pair of cowgirl boots posted on Facebook by my friend Theresa Stifel at Stifel and Capra in Falls Church, VA.  It was a very cute post one person said ohh these boots are to small, one said these boots are too big and I said hmmm they might just fit me.  Well I saw them in person they are a tiny bit big but I will make them work.  They are at the shoe repair shop getting new rubber heels put on.

Artists trading block swap

A Facebook group I belong to decided they love making Artist Trading blocks so much that they would like to do a swap.  This is an international group and my partner is someone I know and lives in near me (well kind of near).  We agreed to swap the ATBs at our monthly art meeting but the weather had other ideas so I sent mine in the mail between snow storms and Kathie dropped mine off at Artistic Artifacts for safe keeping until I could pick her up.  Well I was finally able to get over there and pick her up today.

Artist Trading Blocks are made of wood 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches and are 1/2 inch thick.  I found a board that was the perfect size and just cut a bunch of blocks to play with.  These had to be a specific size but you can use any size scrap of wood you have.

Here is the one I made for Kathie.  The legs are tiny wooden spools.

Here is the lovely gypsy soul I received from Kathie Barrus - I just love the hand on top

This is the back of the block.  I just want to walk through that door to see what adventures await me!

theresa mARTin - Eye Token class

 I attended a class with theresa mARTin at Artistic Artifacts in January.  My first class of the year.  Theresa is an excellent teacher.  I just love my eye token.  I even decorated the back.  Theresa provided kits and lots of extra beads for us to use.  When I saw the black and white kit I knew it was for me.  It also had some lovely crystals in it.

January 17: Mixed Media Eye Token with theresa mARTin in Alexandria VA

Mixed Media Eye Token Workshop with theresa mARTin
Saturday, January 17, 2015
10:00 am – 1:00 pm All Supplies Provided! In the 18th and 19th century, Lover’s Eye Tokens were popular with the wealthy. A miniaturist painted only the eye of a lover, to preserve anonymity, thus only the recipient knew the identity of the person depicted. The tokens were often elaborately decorated and worn as bracelets, brooches or pendants. Create your own version using the provided love token form (an oval, landscape format approximately 3″ x 2″, as shown in the sample photograph), beads, pearls, rhinestones, and an eye portrait. Class fee, $30.00 + supply/kit fee of $20.00, which includes all necessary supplies; students will have a choice of different kits and colors.Note: while all supplies are provided, you may choose to bring in assorted beads, charms and embellishments from your stash to add an even more personal touch. For ideas and to see a variety of tokens made by theresa mARTin, visit her pinterest board.

Christmas ATCs

Finally catching up with all the holiday blog posts.  I tend to get all my latest art news on Facebook these days.  I made a card that says, "Happy Everything" and some Christmas tree ATCs.  The trees are made of buttons with glitter - so very festive.

JAMs Holiday Party

Each year my art group has a fabulous holiday party where we swap hand made goodies.  We even decorated the bags this year.  Good food, friends and lots of lovely art!  Here is what I made this year.

Christmas swap 2014

Here are the lovely ornaments from the Christmas 2014 swap.  This is the last year for the swap.  My tree is full of beautiful handmade ornaments from all of my art friends!  Thank you ladies!

#1 Kathie Barrus - a very tiny perfect angel

#2 Christine Lush Rodriguez - a very cool pottery tree

 #3 Barbra Posey - A felted snowman with a star and vintage velvet flower

 #5 (No #4 this year) Marilyn Hammenwright - a felted ball with glow in the dark beads 

 #6 Melissa Terlizzi - the cutest snowman ever - made from polymer clay

 #7 Martha Brown - such a beautiful package with a glass jar with a tiny tree and glitter

 #8 Maryanne Lush - A large ornament filled with angels, trees and sparkly goodness

 #9 Robin McIntyre - a beautiful knitted bell

 #10 Stephanie Woolsey - A snow globe with trees, a gold deer and glitter

#11 Linda Morgan - I made 12 dolls.  The legs are typewriter keys.  It was really difficult to drill holes through the typewriter keys.  I had such a great time dressing each one.  Each has a crown and butterfly wings.

#12 Elizabeth Woodford our lovely hostess for all the Christmas ornament swaps.  The sweetest little bird ever!  Thank you Elizabeth for all your hard work.  I have really enjoyed the swap over the years.

Artist Trading block

An artist trading block made out of wood and some ATCs for trading with my art pals.

Christmas spoons

I took a class at Artistic Artifacts with Leslie Brier on altering spoons (bending, cutting, drilling holes) decorating them and filling them with ice resin.  This was my first time using ice resin!  It was very easy.  I made three spoons in class and 3 more at home.  Now they are all on my little tree filled with handmade decorations from past ornament swaps.  This was a great class Leslie always has the best treasures in her stash to share with students.

Leslie provides 3 spoons and 3 beautiful starched doilies (or whatever they are called).  You can use the doilies or just make them plain. 

Leslie Brier - a fabulous teacher

This is the cut off handle of a spoon with beads wired on it!

 My little tree with this years ornaments for the swap.  Can't wait to start opening them.

2014 Ornament preview

I belong to a group of artists who swap Christmas ornaments each year.  There are 12 of us so we each make 12 ornaments and get one of each and one of our own back.  They we all open them together, day 1, day 2 up to day 12.  I have a really fabulous collection of handmade ornaments on my tree each year.

Here is a preview of mine.

October 2014

Fall is here in Northern Virginia.  Rain, leaves changing colors, socks and sweatshirts are my best friends.  Pumpkin everything, sweet potatoes and homemade soup.  I found these paper masks when on a mission to straighten up my art supplies just in time for Halloween.

Artist's Trading Blocks

This has been a great summer class.  I have learned lots of new techniques and am just amazed and stunned at the talented people taking the class.  All of the dolls are fabulous and so very original.

Here are my Artist trading blocks from the Artful Gathering's class - The Imaginariam: Anthologies of an Art Doll.  They are made from wood and chunky enough to stand on their own. One of the techniques I just love is making stacks of beads on a headpin and adding them to doll and even the chunky ATB's.
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 I also purchased this lovely doll from my instructor Mary Jane Chadbourne's Etsy shop.  The Butterfly Queen was from the series she completed last year and provided the inspiration for the current class.