Art and Soul Retreat - Viriginia Beach - Charms

Well this year I am crossing off some of the 'bucket list' items that I've always wanted to do.   The Art and Soul Retreats have always been high on the list and one thing after another has put it off.   It moved up a lot after I retired, but it still has taken me nearly 7 years to get my act together with time and commitment to do it.   This past week, I went to the Virginia Beach Retreat and had an absolutely terrific time.    Over the next few weeks I will post information on my time there and the classes I attended.

 

Before the event I found out that there was a charm group that were doing a Safari Themed charm exchange.   Well, I knew that was something I would enjoy so I signed up.   The group hovered around 12 for quite some time, so I made (after MUCH deliberation and consultation with friends) 14 swaps.   Not a problem.   Imagine my surprise that the swap closed at 19.   Made 6 more, thought I should keep an extra.   Got the 19 mailed off.    

 

The distribution was to be at a time that I would not be there so Julie gave them to me a day earlier.   It was very entertaining in my room going through them.    

 

I wondered how I would display them - Surprise!   How about a charm bracelet.   They are all ready to wear except one that is being mailed separately due to a couple of mix ups by the post office (but that is a whole different story).

 

Participating in swaps is very thought taxing.   What to make???   Will it measure up to other participants' work???   I have been doing swaps for miniatures for years and when joining a new group, those questions can almost be crippling.   The following picture was my first thought.   A tribe of very primitive people discovered on a safari. 

 

Like it, but it needed more.   Add the 'shell' feature.   Primitive tribal people use shells.   

 



 Sent the above pictures to one of my very gifted friends and asked her opinion.   She said to add the shell, more is better.  
14 charms made.  

 I was very happy with them; even happy with the others I had to make to come up with the 19 swaps.  

It was a very fun swap and I'm delighted that I participated.   Jumping into the mix is sometimes the hardest part of the project.  

 

 

Four Square Mixed Media Collage

In my other blog, I posted about a use of 4 cheap frames.   You can check that out HERE.   Here are the other 4 frames.   Cheap.   

Here is the frame.  Cheap - not too special, just a frame. 

 4 pieces of canvas put together on a piece of cardboard with double stick tape.  

 4 pieces cut apart again and put in their individual frames. 

 Top Left Corner

 Top right corner

 Bottom left corner

 Bottom right corner

 Total look again. 

 

I really love it.   Now I need more frames!!!!

SoDu Gallery - From a Woman's Hands

I am participating this year in the above show.   It begins April 5 with an opening from 6 to 9 p.m.   Lots of local art and chocolate.   What could be better.    Here is the piece that I submitted.  It runs until April 15.

 

 

Titled:   Leftovers.

 

Come see it in person.

 



Little Bity Pots

 

This post is rather unusual in that I am posting this on two blogs. Here and on www.raggedykingdom.blogspot.com. This blog deals with those items I make or someone else makes and the Raggedy Kingdom blog deals with collecting things.   

 

In February I attended the Molly Cromwell Miniature Show in Orlando along with the Fun Day.   I had the opportunity to attend the workshop on miniature pottery.   It was taught by Craig Roberts (The Hairy Potter).     I had taken regular sized pottery here in Key West.  Great fun, but very taxing.   Not nearly as difficult as these little pots.    

 

The potter's wheel is about the size of a half dollar and fits in a plastic dish pan. 

Here they are drying.   They will need to be fired, glazed and fired again.  

Aren't they cute.   The largest is about the size of a nickle.   This class was so much fun. 

 

I

BEE MERRY

I love collages and although I don't too many of them; it is still one of my favorite forms of art.

These little white holders for doll house sized wine goblets have been hanging around for quite some time and I've always loved them and knew someday they would have their 15 minutes of fame.

Well, here they are:
Without the frame.   Title of piece comes from the little bees on the left hand side and the word MERRY.

Here it is framed.  You can see the bees much better.

Another framed pieces - has some glare on it, but glass does that.

Hope you are Merry today! 

Dishes repurposed and embellished

A few weeks ago I posted a blog on dishes being re purposed.   You can view that Here  One of the combinations needed something else.


This was a wine glass with a little mini fish bowl on top.

 

It needed some embellishment and I added jewelry, consisting of chain and shells.

 Added a little candle in a jar - keeps from cleaning up wax.

Find the shells you want to use.  

 Add the shells around the candle:

 

Finished container.   Can't wait until it gets dark.

 

What uses do you make of old dishes??????

Starting on the yard - Step 1

If you read my post yesterday, you probably picked up on how much I loved the gardens of the studios on the TSKW Studio Tour over the weekend. 

I have one area behind my television room that has been looking really neglected.   Had our yard guy cut down a really poorly placed tree (my doing and my mistake) and it looked even worse.  

This morning my first stop on a list of errands was Home Depot, garden department.   River Rock.

Came home and started sprucing things up.   Moved everything off the existing gravel area.    Here is what I was dealing with then. 

The things on the original river stones was just neglected and growing quite randomly. 

 Moved every thing off.

Benny loved the new cleared area.  He thought it was a special place to get a sun bath.

 This is one of my favorite things.   It came from a glass factory in Oklahoma.   When they were finished with a job, the glass was just dumped.   Over the years it has broken in smaller pieces, but it is quite impressive. 

I arranged all the shells, --I love shells.  

 Here's the finished arrangement.   A little bright. 

Another picture in the partial shade.   It looks clean and neat and not neglected any longer.   Now on to another area.  Stay tuned....