"The color of the object illuminated partakes of the color of that which illuminates it." -Leonardo da Vinci

After having attended most of the class on how to use Wacom Tablets presented by Creative Tech, I responded the first and only commenter on my previous post and told her exactly what I thought of it. I was not impressed, and walked away from the class feeling like a Wacom would potentially be an albatross slung around my neck.

I might give Creative Tech another chance if a free class comes up that I find interesting. But I'd be pissed if I were a Wacom official, or if I paid money for the class.

I just signed up for a free online class about using Wacom Tablets.
The course starts in 4 hours and 45 minutes. (Pst)

To find out more, go to Creative Tech's website and sign up.

My sweety recently bought us a new glass tabletop to replace the broken piece we've used as a coffee table. One night, over 4 years ago, I'd unwittingly decided to test the impact resistance of the glass with a pre fab fire log. The table top did not fair as well as we would have hoped. One end of our coffee table was thus broken into the shape of a Klingon Bat'leth. I didn't have the money to replace it at the time, so I wrapped the sharp edges in good ol' duct tape. My pal! The battle scarred table continued to serve us well, but as I got clumsier over the years, it seemed the table liked to bite me more often. Seeing this, Sweety set out to gumby proof my environment. Alright, maybe not THAT extreme, though at times I think he should have. The replacement was ordered 1/4" thick, with smoothly sanded edges and rounded corners. So naturally, it came to us with barely sanded edges and sharp corners. Once the tabletops were switched out, the new one sat there, mocking my every step toward it, daring me to take my eyes off its corners if I strolled past. No, I'm afraid this wasn't going to work either. And while duct tape is a wonderful product, it simply isn't a normal part of my decor. So a couple of days ago, as I sat pondering those menacing corners, I had an Edison moment. I was going to use a new medium to save myself (and my legs) a whole lot of pain. I'd use polymer clay to make rounded corners to cap its pointed teeth and insure that anytime it did bite, it wouldn't hurt as much as it could. I devised a way of making them so they could be made and baked without losing their shape or the dimension needed to fit a sharp corner properly. Of course, only after I'd made the first 3 (as shown below) did I come up with an ingenious way to keep them on the table through normal daily living (and survive the cats tearing around the house). They are also easily removed for cleaning, and leave no residue.

This was made with polymer clay. It is a bit offset so you can see how it will fit onto the corner of a table. This was my first piece, and while it is neither detailed or fancy, I still like irises enough to show it.

I made this with brown and white polymer clay. I used a chantilly lace texture board to imprint the medallion, then aged it with a burnt umber acrylic wash.

I used black polymer clay for the bulk of it, with purple polymer clay under a blue glass pebble to give it a little more depth and color range.

This is a shadow box with 3 dimensional art. I used brass filigree findings on an acrylic painted grungeboard butterfly. I also used the remnant of an old rusty clock hand for the body and antennae. I ripped and distressed a piece of striped scrapbook paper to make it resemble old wallpaper, and mounted the butterfly 1" away from the backing with a bit of wire.

I'm going to see if I can get better pictures of the shadowbox.

Twister

Origin The same flower as pictured in 'Twister', without any color manipulation. The Dixie Melody epiphyllum (cactus bloom) really IS THIS BRIGHT. It almost made my eyes bleed, but is amazing none the less.

Surfacing Another angle of the same flower pictured in 'Twister' and 'Origin'.

These are pictures I took of a flower in my mother's garden, while I was in California. I'm back now, and glad to be in Washington for as mild as the weather has been here. it's been so nice in fact, that I feel as though I should be tensed and waiting for nature's blast furnace to turn on any day now. As I observed, California IS Hell in a hand basket. Between the crap drivers, outrageous cost of living, and stifling heat, I'd come to fully appreciate my small town life in Washington. But their produce is excellent! I've never tasted berries so sweet, and locally grown organic vegetables that tasted so delicious as the produce I picked up in Redlands, California. Upon my return, I was really floored to find that artichokes are $4 each up here. I've had a wicked craving for artichokes but just can't rationalize paying that much for one. Then again, I've payed a hefty price for fresh Lychees, but Lychees are the ONLY exception I've ever made for expensive produce. Those moments of eye rolling bliss, as the fragrant juice explodes over my tongue leaving an aftertaste of exotic incense when having bitten into a fresh Lychee, is worth e.v.e.r.y. d.o.l.l.a.r.

Ultra-cool link of the week: The visual art of Mark Mothersbaugh. I would LOVE to go to his showing in Irvine, Ca. on the 13th of June, but I know I can't make it.

I am still in California, and expect to be here at least 3 more weeks. My mother is doing much better, but I will be needed here until she can drive. I went to Joann's the other night and bought myself plenty of Sculpey to keep boredom at bay. I'm working on a line of flowers beads, as my Callas (pictured a couple entries below) get handfuls of compliments EVERY time I wear them out. It really is quite amazing; 12 people stopped me in a large mall just to compliment my calla beads. (Yes, I counted) 4 people stopped me and commented on them when I made a quick trip to the supermarket. 3 people (and 2 employees) in Joann's praised them and asked me about them. I am going to make more. I will give some away, but I am nervously thinking about putting some up for sale. Over the next week, I will be trying to figure out how to make other hanging flower beads such as orchids, various lilies, and bell like flowers. (Lily of the Valley, Delphinium or Bluebells). I will take pictures of these, but I'm certain I will not get them posted before the week is out. I do not have my Fuji Finepix s700 viewer/shuttle software with me, and I can't seem to locate the right exe's on Fujifilm's website. I hope my Honey will bring the disk with him when he flies down to visit me next weekend. Woohoo! I love Honey and getting some sugar!

It's been a while since I last posted. I'd started going into frantic artist mode over the last few months, working on many projects simultaneously when everything came to a screeching halt. My mother had a surgery that didn't go as planned, and I need to take time out to help her. I am not sure how long this will be. Her current estimated recovery is 2 months. But how long she will actually need me is uncertain. I won't have access to any of my art supplies, as they are in a closet 2 states away.

I am in sunny Southern California, with my SPF1000, stretching my culinary abilities and patience to their limits. Attempting to make nutritious and tasty food with only 3 small stove burners, no blender, a pre-historic microwave and a temperamental oven that hates anything requiring its services is quite a challenge. Though so far, I think my cooking skills have definitely impressed my step dad and made my mother a bit jealous. But asking me to cook with the tools available here is like asking DaVinci to finger paint the Mona Lisa. And baking is simply out of the question. The oven laughs and mocks anything aimed at its gaping useless mouth. Why my mother doesn't bring her kitchen kicking and screaming out of the 1970's and into the next century is beyond me. If I won a lottery, I would buy my mother a nice new kitchen before I even spent a dime on myself.

However, I will have time to work on my photography. Once I get into the hang of things around here and get some personal time, I intend to cool hunt for the kind of photographic opportunities I impress even myself with.

I decided to try a new medium: polymer clay. My first attempts were merely push molds, but this time I sculpted various beads. Here are the lilies:

Calla beads Sculpted in polymer clay and painted with acrylics.

I also started working on faux ammonite fossil pendants. I admit, I am even impressing myself with the way they've turned out so far. Speaking of ammonites, this is too cool!

Dewdrops drops A super close up of dew clinging to blooming moss that is growing in my pot of bleeding hearts.

Calyx drop A close up photo of a giant dewdrop resting in the calyx of a bleeding heart frond.

Desaturated heart

Bluetooth

The following are things I'd made at the end of 2007, but hadn't posted to this journal.

Flower Chronicles, front side These are real flowers I either grew myself, or picked from my neighborhood and then dried in my Microfleur. They were then affixed to acetate treated with alcohol ink, stamped with script in stazon ink, and then mounted into a clear double sided frame so it could be viewed from both the front and back. This piece is really set off with light shining through the acetate.

Flower Chronicles, back side

Mechanical Aeshnidae 4x4 tile trimmed with hardware treated with alcohol ink, copper ox findings, UTEE button, aluminum mesh and brass ox filigree stamps.

Nile Dragonfly I made the button from UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel), coloring it with blue pigments and a special embossing powder. Then I trimmed it with Krylon gold leafing pen. I mounted it on a filigree backing, hung glass and czech fire polished beads in gold and emerald/blue AB from it, then put it on a gold tone figaro chain.

Calla Lilies a domino, treated with alcohol ink and painted with acrylics.

4x4 tile, wall hanging, treated with alcohol ink, embellished with a polymer clay dragonfly button (I made from a mold I created) wire, various bits of hardware, and beads, both moonstone and Swarovski.

a purse treated with alcohol ink, then embossed, sanded, and trimmed with silver foil tape.

gold and peacock green glass seed beads, topaz pearls and emerald AB czech fire polished beads.

a piece of florist foam cover with felt, aged with distress ink, and patterns stamped with black stazon ink. Glass topaz pearls were affixed with pins.

I posted some new photos on my Flickr account. Check them out here.

crocheted scarf The scarf was crocheted with Grape Homespun Lion Brand yarn. The scarf was gathered 1" across on each side, and black grommet tape was hand sewn at 16" intervals down the entire length. The ends were braids of Homespun wrapped in quilting/craft thread and silver silk thread for decoration.

Scarves I made both the purple and blue scarves. This pic is to show the fringe detail on the purple. But I made the blue scarf for my mate a couple years ago, along with a purple Homespun gnome hat. He loves them!

Animal Crewelty I made an apron I could use for crafting. The iron on ink jet transfer made with the John Tenniel woodcut of Dinah from Alice in Wonderland, is set off perfectly with the slogan I came up with myself. 'Crewel' refers to a type of embroidery work.

A necklace I made with various copper findings, including Tim Holtz Sprocket Gears, Swarovski crystal, chandelier lead crystal, and an old fish bow master key that has been handed down in our family. Each charm is attached to a lobster clasp, and can be removed and fastened to other items or easily rearranged into other configurations.

Bearded Anemone At first glance, it looks like a sea creature.

These are 2 of my 3 cats. Normally, I don't post this much in any given week, let alone 3 times in one day?!? But I couldn't resist these. Oh; and note that under threat of stolen breath or shredded leather chairs, my cats absolutely forbid me to use 'icanhaz' speak to convey their sentiments.

Davinci Santa cover

inside

Happy holidays!

	Nautilus This was a black and white photo printed on high gloss photo paper, inked over with Adirondack Alcohol Inks. Colors used are Stream, Butterscotch, and Wild Plum.
	nautilus The 2 layers, alcohol inked, and black & white photo printed on vellum, being combined.
	nautilus This is the project, using an alcohol inked photo under a vellum printed with the same picture in a very soft black and white.
	Nautilus The framed and final product of the alcohol ink nautilus project.

Snow peas This set consists of almond colored glass pearls, wrapped with silver wire to resemble peapods. The pendant dangles on a 20" silver figaro chain. The french hooks on the earrings are sterling silver, and come with plastic stoppers.

Aurora drops Two 8mm Swarovski Crystals with an Aurora Borealis finish are beautifully arranged with white czech glass pearls, sterling silver beads, and light purple rainbow twist glass beads. Hung from scrolling Victorian centerpieces, they measure 2" from the bottoms of their sterling silver french hooks, and come with plastic stoppers.

Retrohex As the name implies, this is a retro hexagonal paper mache box painted with Delta Ceramcoat Chocolate Cherry, sealed with Krylon Kamar Varnish. The acrylic and glass bead work in colors of pale yellow AB (aurora borealis), gold and amethyst is strung on copper wire and affixed to 6 panels around the box. The lid has a large brown silk bow, hand made and sewn together, affixed with silk flowers in mauve and tea rose with baby's breath and green silk leaves. I've been really reluctant to let this box go for sale or as a gift. (laugh)

Retrohex As the name implies, this is a retro hexagonal paper mache box. Top view.

Retrohex Side view

Copper Asymmeter This asymmetrical draping necklace is made with antiqued copper figaro chain, a vintage copper ox finding, freshwater pearls, green moss agate, gold fire polished czech glass beads, tiny copper beads and detailed with a couple watch gears on one side of the large moss agate disk. The moss agate disk freely spins, so you can hide the gears if you prefer. This is a long and elegant draping necklace, measuring 27.5" long from end to end. The matching earrings are symmetrical, and measure 1 and 5/8" inch from the bottom of the antiqued copper french wire. Plastic french wire stoppers are provided with the earrings. On special request and for a small fee, I could replace the french wires with copper lever wires.

Copper Asymmeter Detail of vintage brass finding, and gears on the moss agate disk.

I'd been scouring the web for information on what to use to seal alcohol inks (AI)
and Krylon leafing (pen form). I tried many things that had been
suggested, and each item altered the inks and leafing. I now have a selection of
varnishes and sealers both spray and paint on, that would rival any
local hardware or art store in town. I've tried applying it light,
heavy, in between, pouring, (etc) to no avail. Frustrated, I wrote to
Krylon. (Because if there is something safe for the leafing, it
could possibly be safe for the AI)

This was their reply:::

"Hi *****,

Thank you for your inquiry. Unfortunately we do not offer any clear
finishes for use over the Leafing Pens. These are designed to be used
as a stand alone product with no protective finish. I apologize I
could not help you with this request.

Thank you,
*****"

Having tested many things including wear, rogue cosmetics and
cleaning products, I see a need to seal both the Krylon leafing and alcohol ink
for a durable piece of wearable art. I've seen people all
over the net singing praises of sealers that I know first hand alter or muddy the alcohol ink and leafing.

[Edit Feb 2009] I still haven't found a solution.

Lily box I used a dremel tool to carve out the design on this soapstone box.