Creative Tuesday: Paradise Island (#65)

This weeks Creative Tuesday challenge was the theme of Paradise Island.  What fun, right?  I can just picture it now....*close your eyes with me*  Sunshine, sandy beaches, soft blue water, and lots of time to relax with little umbrella drinks. 

I have been wanted to create a paper/fabric collage for sometime and I seized this as the opportunity to try it out.  I started with this handy paper towel that had accompanied me in my recent fabric painting.  I had used it to sop up extra dye as I created and then decided I couldn't part with it.. that I needed to create something with it. 

And it's got the perfect blues for paradise ocean waters.

I ripped and cut a piece of the paper towel and glued it down as the base.  The island and tree trunks are some brown fabric scraps I cut to shape.

I added a light airy, cloudless, blue sky and some wavy palm tree leaves.  I also added some depth of greens and turquoise to the water and browns to the island with watercolors.

And finally a little more definition with sharpie markers and a hammock strung from yarn.

What a little pleasure to put this together!  In my original plan, I was also going to add some stitchery to bring it to life even more, but I couldn't do it.  This piece kept telling me to stay simple and so I did. 

The only thing I might have added to the island, to make it more of a paradise, is either a stack of books to read or my kindle.  You know... that sounds like a sweet way to pass a warm sunny day with an ocean breeze.

You can tell I definitely have the multimedia bug.  I used paper, fabric, markers, watercolors, and yarn to create this piece.  And the textures are just out of this world!

And.. in case you're interested you can read more, see the other creations, and join in the fun if you like!

Creative Space Sneaky-peak

Here are a few things going on in my creative space.

I got a new set of fabric paints to play with.  I'm really excited to try painting and then thread painting that hawk in my mind.

I started making hand sewn mushrooms.  I need a lot of practice!  I need to work on more even stitching, hiding the thread, and that mushroom on the right doesn't seem to have the right proportions.

Sammy is constantly surfing around the room looking for fabric and shoes to steal.  And look how tall she is getting.  She can almost put her head on my desk.  That's sure to be a whole new world of trouble coming!

The baby apple tree is thriving in the window.  I'm still surprised to see all those leaves and how tall it's getting.  And yes, I talk to it!  Maybe we should name it?

Here's proof that there was sunshine flooding my desk again this morning. 

I also have a whole stack of cut triangles waiting to be arranged and assembled for the Patchwork Prism quilt... you know the one that's due next Thursday.  As in one week from today.  As it panic is setting in and I'm going back and forth as to whether I should push hard and go for the deadline or not.  I think I may dedicate tomorrow to it and see how far I get.. then take it from there. 

I've had this jacket pattern on my desk for nearly a month now.  Must make cute jacket!  Of course every time I go to make it... I get stuck on what fabric to use.  Silly, I know.

And I thought you'd like to see one of the art works that decorates my wall.  The colors, movement, and texture of this work are always inspiring me! 

And that's a sneak peak of what's going on in my creative space.  Are you feeling creative lately?

Creative Tuesday: Purple

It's Creative Tuesday!  Do a little dance, shake all around!  It's that time of the week where I open my sketch pad -- or do I? -- and see what comes out for the theme over at Mr. Toast's Creative Tuesday's assignment!

This week's theme was Purple. yes. As in the color.  As in the creative we come up with should be mostly purple.  I have to admit I was totally stumped.  I mean I could think of purple things like grapes and flowers.  I also thought of drawing something random like a hippo and coloring her purple.

But, in the end I took a totally different direction and even went away from my safe and comfortable color pencils.  It was all spurred by this... a bird house!

Yup, Katie gave me a hand crafted, one of a kind, bird house for Mother's Day!  Isn't she talented!  I'm sure, the mister helped her a little.  I was smitten!!  Been wanting my very own bird house for sometime now!

So, I gathered up my paints.  It's been a long time.. oh how I missed thee Paints!!

And I started to apply purples.  Purples mixed with pink, purples that were mostly blue, purples mixed with orange.. serious.  Check it out!  This unit even comes with blooming tulip gardens!

 I couldn't resist being my spunky self and adoring the front of the house with "Home, Tweet Home!"  And the back with "No Twig, like home"  (likened to No Place, like home)  Fun, right?

Then a large wash with Mod Podge.   Yummy!

And because that wasn't funky enough...out came the fake spanish moss to finish the job!

And there you have it.  A one of a kind, purple infused, ready to move in, freshly painted Purple Love Shack!

Mr. Toast, your incredible sir!  Thank you for the challenging them and I already say YES! to accepting your next challenge! 

I had so much fun unleashing my creative through this process, hope you consider joining in this or the next assignment (and I hope you do) feel free to check out other artists in the community here.

日本のための多くの愛
Much love for Japan

Breakfast Bar - almost done!

I shared with you last week here that we are getting closer to finishing the breakfast bar/pass through/hole in the wall between the kitchen and the dining room.

Well, this weekend it got some much needed color. 

The mister and I agreed this would be the living area accent wall that I have been dreaming of.  It's small enough that I can freshen the color often... and it's a fun place to put color to get that cozy dining effect that I love!

Here is where we were last... a mostly primed wall... errr.. hole.

You can see I put a little smudge of the color on the wall to the far right.  I couldn't resist trying out the color as soon as we brought it home.  Picking out color is so nerve-wrecking.  I usually feel like I am making a huge mistake when I am at the store. 

Luckily for me, Mr. Happy, as always, knew exactly what I was thinking and found me the perfect color. 

Yup, he's a keeper for sure!

Ahhh.... fresh paint!

Harvest Brown.  so very us! natural, earthy, simple!

Almost looks like cake batter in this pan doesn't it?

I started edging right away.  Stepping back every so often to see how it was progressing. 

This is hands down the darkest color I have ever painted on a wall in my entire life!  You see I was a military brat growing up (living in mostly military housing) and I usually had a minimal selection of light colors to pick from -- if I even had the option to paintt all.  And after that into my adulthood... I have rented. a lot. 

Let's just say that posters and thumbtacks are my friend!

Feels so good to be able to put my own touch on our house... it really is becoming our home!

Here you can start to get an idea of what it's looking like.  Warm, soft, comforting.  Doesn't it seem like a place you can linger in and talk and laugh!  Yup, that's what I am going for!

I am so so so very happy with the results!  Did I remember to take an "I'm done" photo?  Nope. (not yet)

I went straight from painting the wall to painting the inner edges of the doorway and pass through edges. 

And then right on to our 15 foot catherdral ceilings.  I know, I know.  I'm hogging all this painting for myself.  (ya, right)  The ceiling is getting a good two coats of ceiling white to increase the openess and light in the room.  I am painting over the icky faded off white -- so nice to say good riddens to the dingy old color.  It is already making the room so much cleaner!

I still have at least one more day of paining to finish the ceiling over the entryway and in front of the kitchen.  The new countertop should be installed this week -- wait till you see what we designed!  I also still have to clean the room from top to bottom to erradicat spackle dust.  The mister is painting the radiator covers and re-installing the molding.

And then I can put the living and dining rooms back together!  Oh, and somewhere in there I get to shop for three bar stools to go with the new breakfast bar counter. 

Can't wait to have my first sit and laughs at the hottest new eating spot on the block!!

Creative Tuesday: Art

It's time for Mr. Toast's Creative Tuesday's assignment!

This week's theme is "Art;" I hope it's okay that I waited till today to share the chair I painted in more detail as my creative entry.
 
I have shared some progress along the way... as there were many many hours dedicated to bringing this to life, but here is the final piece in more detail!
 
I am a huge fan of including a little surprise in each piece I do.  And yes, I am going to start right with the surprise.  I named the chair Daydream and found a fun related quote which I have inscribed on the bottom.
 
"Everything starts as somebody's dream!"

I never fully appreciated the effort required to paint something that is three dimensional. 

It was an interesting exercise in contorting and patience as I have designs that align on multiple sides.  It's a good thing this was a light chair!

The more I added, the more attached I grew to this chair.  To my Daydream. 

I love how wild and free it seems to stand there.  Taunting anyone to loosen up and let go!

It's almost primal with cave-like and tribal paintings covering several of the ladder rungs.

My artist supervisor was a critical part in assuring quality and completeness! 

And like most of my work, she also added a swish here or a dab there as her nose, tail, or paw got involved. 

I wouldn't have it any other way!

Really neat to see it against the rocks and trees!  It POPS!

A closer look at some of the details.  I tried to pull from the patterns in the seat fabrics to tie the wood and fabric together.

I couldn't be happier with how the quilting came out.  I haven't put my sewing machine away since.

Tribal bands on the uprights, swirls toward the bottom rung, and there is my lovie-pie. 

She was very interested during this mini photo shoot!

So, there you are! 

Another exercise in letting go, trusting myself, having a whole lot of fun at the same time!

And won't you check out all my fellow artists here!

La chaise est finie!!

Translation?  It's done! 

All of my wacky ideas and thoughts for what this chair could become have been brought to life!  A more detailed view and story to follow.  But, incase you were wondering... it's done, it's done, it's done!! 

Finishing a piece or project you are working on = happiness!

Welcome Daydream

"Everything starts as somebody's daydream." L. Niven

So, I told you about the cool chair I am breathing new life into (for a charity auction).  Well, here is the first peek at what I have done with it so far.

Removed the original seat and sanded down the base. 

Then I began to splash color on it.  BRIGHT color!  At this point I started to scare myself, but I tossed that to the wind quickly and just kept layering.

Concern?  What concern?

Another view down the ladder rungs.

The more color that came out, the more I smiled ear to ear!

Mr. Happy got me one of his work lights, so I could continue well past sunset.  (Which... have you noticed... has gotten so darn early.  I really need to invest in a sun lamp!)

Here is Daydream looking all wild and crazy.  Just the way I like her!

Just look at that layering!

Loving how the lighting really helps change the personality of the chair.  She really goes from day to night look with ease!

And that's it.

That's all you get for now.

I still have the seat to finish reupholstering with an original quilt design.
I still have a ton of detail that I want to add on top of the color splashes.
I still have to remember to breath.  Inhale, exhale!
I have to stop thinking about whether or not someone will actually bid on this chair in the auction.
I have to finalize my artist bio.  I know!  It's getting crazy around here.  I have drafted my first artist bio!

Oh, and did I mention the head shot?  Faint!


More to follow.  Can't have you miss out on this one!