Things I like

two fold post
one fold: I reaslized I don't need to blog huge amounts of info when I blog, its ok to just post a quickie


two fold: I really like these little shrines, I find them very inspirational, and I want to make some
this is a Guardian Angel Box by SilverSunbeam


another two fold: Here is another loverly. wire wrapping and peridot colroed pearls, how can it go wrong? This tree is located at starsb117's etsy shop

my thing-a-day for february

more thing a day projects
Originally uploaded by Zoeowyn

The plan was to join the thing-a-day for February, of course I had a mental laps, and did not sign up in time. I still wanted to go for it, so I did. I kept track along with a few other crafty folks over on tribe, as we conducted our own unofficial thing a day.

I have photos of some, and not of others, here goes my list of February's thing-a-day


Feb 1 • I made a body stocking
its shiny and purple
Feb 2 • I worked on my altered collage box, painted a Hamsa
Feb 3 • the kid and I made her habitat dioramas of an African savanna, we poked grass into styrofoam blocks, glued it the front, modge-podged the definitions on the outside of the box, and modge-podged a photo wrapped around on the inside of the box
Feb 4 • design and start carving a hamsa print block

Feb 5 • I ended up getting a bit carried away with the hands and drew a bunch more
Feb 6 • I fixed a bracelets link, I collected the stuff for my belly dancer altered box and cleaned off the table in the art room so I can use it for art.
Feb 7 • I finished the hamsa block print
Feb 8 • a friend and the kids and I made heart crayons (see earlier blog)
Feb 9 • We made more crayons
Feb 10 • I painted the edges of a painting that I need to finish
Feb 11 • I painted a second layer and taped the sides of a canvas
Feb 12 • I finished the striping and black detail work on that canvas and one other one
Feb 13 • I finished painting the sides, and did the eye details,
I actually finished and signed one of them!
Feb 14 • I ended up taking pictures to post, and some doodling
Feb 15 • I started my Swimmy etsy fish project (see earlier blog)
Feb 16 • I "moved" into my clay bag and taught a friend how to make scrap cats
Feb 17 • I finished the fish

Feb 18 • I finally got to use the hamsa block I carved, and I made some gift cards
Feb 19 • I posted process images of the fish I did for etsy, the pics were crap, but I posted them anyway on flickr
Feb 20 • I got a good pic of the fish and made a lizard on a rock, and some plant life fimo
Feb 21 • I baked the creations from yesterday, made some more Hamsa cards, sewed the "'first draft" of a dance costume, tomorrow I make the revisions to the outfit so its dance-able for Saturday
Feb 22 • Finished dance costume
Feb 23 • Performance Art! Performed in the costume
Feb 24 • made and burned a little hamsa pendant
Feb 25 • had flu but still made a hamsa pendant
Feb 26 • had flu worked on mermaid cane
Feb 27 • made a dragon bottle, and a scrap dragon
Feb 28 • shopped for cake decoration supplies worked on mermaid cane
Feb 29 • worked on mermaid cane

Finished the mermaid cane on the 2nd, posting its picture here as well!

Three art books Im starting this year with.

Three books I am starting 2008 with.
I have been perusing these books at Michael's and BAM off and on for months now. I was happy to find them in my library's system.

Book One:


Secrets of Rusty Things by Michael de Meng, published by North Light Books.
De Meng is a sculptural collage artist living somewhere off in Montana. His creations that are featured in this book look like ancient artifacts of personal shrines. He shares some techniques on how certain effects are created. Its not a step-by-step per say, but it is basically a "how-to," ok more of a "how'd you go about doing this." Stylistically the book is designed to look like an artistic sketch/notebook.
His over all style is appealing to me. I recently became interested in creating Milagros art, and taking my mini sculptures into the realm of shrines, and I already like the style of creating art as artifacts.

His website is www.michaeldemeng.com, and it has lots of his cool images

Book Two:

Pretty Little Things by Sally Jean Alexander, also published by North Light Books.
Ok I want to go learn how to solder now. The lady makes sparkly little glass based thinguses (a technical term) that are soldered together using shiny silver solder. This book is laid out more as a "step-by-step" and "how-to." Her work is very cool, but I don't need another hobby. I don’t need to add these skills to my repertoire just yet. (Repeat I don’t need to add soldering skills or supplies) Her work is inspiring, even though I don’t do anything even near what she does.

www.sallyjean.com. goodies and visuals abound, as well as shopping opportunities.


Book Three:


Altered Books Workshop by Bev Brazelton, also published by North Light Books.
This book has the same set-up, not quite a full "step-by-step" book, but definitely a directions based book. This book takes you through various collage techniques and how they apply to altered books. This book, of the three, actually covers information I already utilize in my art occasionally. Still it doesn’t mean I didn’t read the book thinking "why didn’t I think of this first?" And, realistically it does incorporate items I may actually get around to using. The author has a few samples that are very much book shrines. It really sparked the concept of taking my shrines into books.

www.bevbrazelton.com another well desinged website, not so content heavy as the other ones, but still has the information you might want.


All three boooks provide ample food for thought, and are fun to look at as well. MY problem with purchasing books like this is I look at them, think they are cool, put them away for a while and then wonder why did I purchase these? I'm glad I have to opportunity to check them out of the library. The real test for me is if I keep checking them out, then I will go purchase the book. (I have done that many times with polymer clay books.) In the mean time, I'm enjoying these books.

Book cover images borrowed from Amazon so you can see what they look like, Im gaining in no way by sharing these with you.