Friday, December 31, 2010

A horse


I have been able to play around with encaustics a little. I decided to take this vintage pic of a horse and overlay it using some darkroom techniques. I created the background, poured encaustic wax over that and then created the horse image on top. It makes for a soft vintage feeling on the background.

Monday, September 20, 2010


This is a little whimsical for me but I totally enjoyed working with the bird image, the stitching and the colors on fabric.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Image transfer on muslin



This is an inkjet photo image transfer onto mulsin. I then added a stamped image over the top and distressed the edges with ink. It was then wrapped in scrim and framed. I love image transfers.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Going abstract


I have been wanting to try my hand at abstract art for a while but have been extremely intimidated by it for some reason. So, I finally decided to try it out and found it to be extremely liberating. This is just my first. I know that I have a ton of improvement but that will come with time.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010


Well, the first couple of days of summer break have been a blast. I have made up a schedule for me and the kids and it is really working out well. They know exactly what we are doing for the day and around what time we will do it. I don't know why I did not do this years ago. I don't know how much creative time I will get for the next couple of months but, I know that lasting memories are on there way!
Just finished this canvas last week. I have been working on it for a while. The cross is made of clay and is similar to the technique that I did on HGTV. I am really pleased with the way it turned out. I am most definitely going to have to play around more with paper clay. I usually use the clay that you bake but, it is nice to use airdry clay since it is summer and my studio can get pretty warm. This is a 15" by 30" canvas.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

My little stars


It is getting hot in Texas already and school has one more week to go before summer break is official. The kiddos and I are so excited to get a break from homework. And after the teacher's meeting yesterday where she told me that homework is going to be heavier next year, we are ready for a break. I am setting up a weekly schedule this summer for my own sanity. I think if I make a plan for every day, they won't feel like they have to "pester" me with the "can we do....... today?" questions. It will also be fun to get them to participate in the planning and rewards system.
This is my little stars canvas. Lots of layers and I used a photo that I actually developed in the darkroom from my own film. I am loving the beginning to end process. The three stars represent my babies. One for the pregnancy that I lost many years ago but never forgotten.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010


Things have been busy the last few months. I have not found much time to do anything but play around in the darkroom some. I have a lot to learn but it is going to be a fun process of learning. I am finding myself needing a journal to write in while out and about. This is my answer. Fun to make and quick and fits in a little purse.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

It's the Unknowing


I finished this piece this week after having the idea for a while. The photo was taken in Italy on the trip we took a couple of years ago. I already want to go back. It was awesome. My hubby made fun of me for taking pics of doors and buildings but, now I am glad that I did.
My inspiration, I am feeling like it is difficult for me to open the new doors in my life because I am never certain what lies on the other side. It is always the unknowing that makes me linger outside.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Playing with paints


Well, I have been in the darkroom a lot lately trying to learn my way around. It has truly been some of the most fun that I have had in a long while. I have been experimenting with fabric and some other fun things. I still have not perfected anything that I can show but hopefully I can work out the kinks and share before too long.
So in the meantime, I have been playing around with paints. This is a 12" by 12" hard board canvas that I finished this week. Looks great on my studio wall.
My goal now is to finish a clay boardered mirror before it gets too hot to turn the clay oven on. Living in Texas, sometimes, I have to chose the project according to he weather. It gets stinkin hot around here and the oven is not something that you want adding heat to an already hot upstairs studio room.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Embroidering onto Fabric Paper




It is always fun to take supplies that I already have and use them together in a new way. Several years ago I scrimped and saved to purchase an embroidery machine. One of the best purchases that I have made ever!


I have these very skinny walls in between the windows in my "room". I found some canvases that fit perfectly just had to decided what to put on them.
So, I made some paper fabric, embroidered the letters onto it and mounted it onto the canvases. Turned out really nice. And I was really surprised how easy the embroidery machine worked on the paper fabric. I "babysat" the machine the whole time it ran worrying that it might get mad about stitching on such a foreign thing, but it worked out fine. I am going to have to explore this a little more.


Fun with Aluminum Foil




So this is something that I have been working on for a little while. I know that we are all encouraging everyone to be more green and reuse things that we have for repurposing. Well, I love jewelry of all kinds especially the pieces that I make myself. So, I was in the kitchen one day cleaning up after dinner and noticed the aluminum foil sitting on the counter. I took it to my "room" and out came this really great necklace. I am crazy about it. Just had to add a washer to the back for some weight. I will probably be making this in every possible color, maybe a ring, or earrings.

Time to play with wax!


I have decided after watching my mom use wax for a while to try it out. And I gotta tell ya, it is so fun. It is a great way to add texture on the top of something and still be translucent for the image underneath. The way it smells is nice too. This is definitely going to be something that I will play around with some more.

Monday, January 4, 2010

New Year's Resolutions!

So I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, but this year I have decided to jump in with a couple that I think will help along my creative process which has been in a little bit of a slump due to other duties in my life that have come up lately.
I am excited about what this year is going to bring. So what are my new resolutions????

First, I am going to start keeping a more serious art journal. I have been keeping one for a while now but always have the expectation that it should look like a finished piece of art instead of what it is meant for and that is an idea book. It is really only meant for my own personal "jumping off" anyway. And I want to jump back in on my blogging which I consider an extension of an art journal.

Second, I have been fortunate enough to inherit a wonderful Pentax ME Super from my late grandfather. It is a fantastic 35mm with a few great lenses. I have had in interest in photography but this is the year that I intend to learn how to take the manual off my cameras and explore the creative process through the lens. I also want to process my own prints.

That's it. I think those will be good starting points for me for right now. Some times it is difficult to keep my life straight with two kiddos, homework, housework, church stuff, animals, a husband, etc, and also make time for my creative side. I am hoping this will all help.

Oh, this pick is of my and my "little artist" an New Year's Eve. Just a few days ago.