Happy New Year

Welcome 2012! 

 I am really ready for a new year and new art experiences.  Not one for resolutions, but I do pray for peace, good health,  and happiness for us all in the coming year.

Seasons Greetings

I haven't posted for a while, but I have been doing quite a bit of art, Encaustic art specifically. I wanted to share a bit of it and wish you all a Happy Holiday season.

What I've Been Up To....

Haven't posted here since the spring, when my Muse took a VERY long vacation.  Spent the summer relaxing and enjoying family, friends, and the beautiful weather.  As fall approached I got the urge to do a bit of visual journaling, so I made a few hand-sewn journals ('a la Julie Pritchard at the Land of Lost Luggage) and set to playing.  My initial plan was to sell the journals on Etsy, but decided I wanted to enjoy them myself.  The journals have four signatures of three sheets of Fabriano paper.  Love this paper!

Here are a few of the journal pages from the journals....

I have taken quite a few online classes during the Muse vacation.  Two of my favorites were taught by Judy Wise.  A plaster class with Judy and Stephanie Lee, and an Encaustic Wax class that just ended with Judy.  Both Awesome classes.  Here are two Encaustic wax pieces I finished....

The first piece was a work in plaster, that wasn't going too well, so I decided to use some of the techniques learned from the Encaustic class and it turned much better.  The second piece may be a no-no, but I tried it anyway.  The piece was done on a wood cradle, collages and painted with acrylic paint.  (Acrylic paint is a no-no).  I added wax and a leaf from our backyard along with some charms and I like it.  We'll have to see if it stands the test of time.

Happy Easter

I haven't blogged since January...WOW!! Haven't done much art so nothing to share.  Just dropped in to wish everyone a blessed Easter.

The New Year has found me a bit scattered art wise.  I received "The Cinch" machine for Christmas as well as having purchased the Bind-It-All just before the holidays.  I made a couple of journals using the Bind-It-All and gave up in frustration after ruining a couple of book boards.  I am so thankful for receiving "The Cinch" for Christmas because it was a life saver!  It is so easy to use and takes all of the guess work out of binding projects.  I have placed these three journals for sale in my Etsy shop.  The journals are filled with Fabriano and/or cold press watercolor paper.  Don't know about you, but I LOVE Fabriano paper!

Now on to the scattered part... You ever have so many things you want to do that you feel overwelmed and don't get much of anything done?  That is my current art state.  This has happened several times before and when it does, I retreat to my "go to" project...quilting.  I can relax and let the hum of my sewing machine take away the stress.  I fall in love with my hugh fabric stash again, and start on a new quilt.  This seems to always happen at the beginning of a new year.....
So I am content for now, binding a quilt I made last year and just got back from the wonderful machine quilter that takes care of my larger quilts, as I await my art muse.

I am currently taking an awesome online class from Misty Mawn, but have yet to start my drawings, don't know why.....I am also anxiously waiting to start another great class from Julie and Chris in the Land of Lost Luggage network.  I am hoping that class will inspire me to get back to painting.   So aside from my art muse taking another snooze, all is well.....