Sunday, April 20, 2014

Apologies, Bribes, & Family inspired fun!



And so I have finally managed to get around to blogging... past my self imposed deadline, but hey... I'm blogging ;)

One of the main issues behind my lack of appearance here has already been mentioned in previous posts, and that is my grandmother. After a very long, painful, and debilitating illness, she's passed on and found rest. She was in an excellent facility, surrounded by family, and passed peacefully. No one could ask for more.

Eleanor Anderson
 The photo above has quickly become everyone's favorite picture of her. I'm thinking it was probably mid to late nineteen seventies. No later then the early eighties. And I just now realized, that I have that headband she's wearing... it was one of the items I claimed from a box of miscellaneous a little while ago. Wow... okay, that makes it even more awesome and it's totally going into my memorial display I plan on making :D


Any how, as I was saying, a great deal has happened in the past month and it's contributed to my funk in getting things finished. My living room floor still has a large sheet of paper taking up the middle of it, acting as a backdrop for modpodging my baskets and some pendant experiments... I'm hoping to get the baskets finished today, or at least the smaller ones... if so, there'll be pics of them right here....



... if there's no pic right there, then I didn't get them done ;)

My brain has returned to its chaotic attempts to multi task things that really shouldn't be multi tasked... at least not by me. In addition to my making messes with glue, paper, and various base materials, I'm also working on my BSBP creations. While I am not done, I have managed to better my usual efforts on this round by having BOTH main ingredients, the focal and the clasp, already in use and mostly finished :) I'm also working on about three other soup pieces at the same time, which has reduced my desk space to zilch... not even enough room to set my coffee cup down... so I'm on the couch with the laptop instead ;)

 Oh and in addition to everything else, I'm dealing with a wee bit of guilt. I NEVER spend this much money on something unless I really really need it.... and I didn't really really need this... wanted, yes, and needed, but not really really needed.. ;) ,  so despite the cost and the resulting frustrations over learning the ins and outs of a new system without giving in and killing it, I'm really glad I bought it. And not just for the luxury of being able to write or connect anywhere ( ie - in comfort :D ).

Okay, back to the BSBP chat for a second. The reveal is coming up rather quickly... kinda shocked me how much time has already come and gone! I have pushed myself to go outside of my box even more with this round then in past soups, so of course, that has slowed me down a bit as well, but in a good way :) Can't show you the pieces yet, of course, but as I've mentioned before, I tried some extremely basic chainmaille, although I'm starting to consider the idea of trying more after this. I even ordered some more jump rings to replenish my meager stash. Also some mixed-media with a bezel clasp and some modpodge dimensional magic ( I didn't want to break open the resin and risk messing it up >.< lol It's been too long since I've played with it for me to confident enough to risk it on such an important piece ;))

I've also been finding myself rather missing making beaded chain, so I think I'll be making more of that soon, too... you know, in between all of the other various crafty bits I'm doing or thinking or doing, plus my poor neglected writing.. and my painting. Although I seem to have passed it on to my brother who after taking up dabbling in song writing a couple years ago, has now started painting, and he's rather good. He has even dabbled into mixed media! This is awesome to me since, he's really not a 'crafty' person in that way... his painting used to be limited to customizing dinkycars, and the other creative type work he's done since he was a teenager has been ripping various electronics apart and putting them back together again... or trying to ;) Or taking photos and playing with the apps to change them. See, it's never to late to get your art on, people! :D



painting, mixed media,
'Crazy won't wash off' ~by David Steffen



'Medicated People' ~by David Steffen
As far as I know, he has no blog or website ( I know he used to, but haven't heard about a replacement yet lol ) but he is on FB  -  david.steffen.142   Not sure whether he'd accept friends, or if you can leave comments on his page, but you can still drop him a message and let him know what you think  of his work. I'm sure he'd be tickled :)

You know... I think since I DID say that I would keep up with blogging, and had set a deadline for myself that I missed... twice in a row I think, extenuating circumstances aside, I think I should do a little something to make up for that breach.

Anyone interested in a little giveaway? I think I should more interesting for everyone and make you all work for your entries :) Since it IS Easter, which religious intonations aside, is a day for Family, lets get the families involved this time :D hehehe

Share, either via a link in the comments below, or in your own blog post which you can then link to the comments below , an artistic achievement by a relative :) No matter how big or small, professional or non, and no matter the artistic medium involved... even if it's the newest drawing by your toddler... in lipstick all over your wall... ;) And yes, pets and really close friends are considered family in my book too :)

And yes, pets can be artistically minded too... if you've never seen it, then you haven't met the right pets ;)


Upload a photo of the artwork in question and share the link .. make sure wherever you have the picture, the settings are set for 'public' so we can all see it :)

Sharing the picture here on my blog will get you one entry .. writing your own blog post featuring this artistic endeavor , and then sharing the link to the post here... will get you two entries :)

What are you trying to win? Hmm... how about a little assortment?
Some cat's eye chips, a random selection from my Czech glass flowers and leaves collection.  Let's toss in a pair of polymer clay frogs, fish, and pudgy pink cats all made by Marlene Cupo. A couple lampwork orphans from Gail of Oregon Handmade. A little clap bird from Starry Road Studio. A bracelet bar from Firefly Design.   And, not pictured since I haven't made it yet, but a length of beaded chain in a 'mystery combo' .. mystery because it will all depend on what I grab when I decide to make it lol

Sorry for the crappy photos here... first time uploading pics form my camera on this thing and I have no clue about the editing programs on it yet lol I'll try to fixe them later ;)

so there you have it... rules above :D

Happy Easter :)