No crafting today… However, I did update my blogroll to the right here. I added some really really awesome blogs to it that you should all check out. I couldn’t pick a favorite if I tried. I find inspiration in so many of them in so many different ways. Every one of them is exciting to read and has so much passion and creativity behind them. If I could put all of the people behind these blogs into one room, I think it might explode from all the artsy-fartsyness in it.

Take a moment, breeze through them, get some ideas…

This past summer on a trip to Bethany Beach I purchased some beautiful little shells for my bathroom.  They’ve been sitting in my studio, wrapped in tissue paper since August.  I have been looking for shadow boxes that were about 1.5 - 2 inches deep and 6″x6″ on the outside.  So specific.  I had no luck until this past weekend when I found them at Ikea. 

Supplies:  Shadow Box, Craft Knife, Hot Glue Gun, Scrapbook Paper and Bristol. (so simple!)

I found some pretty scrapbooking paper, mounted it onto a piece of bristol and hot-glued the shells onto the mounted paper.  That’s it!  Now I have ultra-adorable wall decor for above my bathroom vanity.

P.S. I love Ikea.

Yesterday marked session 3 of 7 at the Sweetwater Center for the Arts.  I wasn’t feeling well, my energy was low and my all-around motivation was lacking.  Not much got done.  However, here are pictures of what I did last week.  This little guy was a pleasant surprise.  He kind of just formed himself when I picked up the clay.  I can’t wait to get him fired and glazed.

I love throwing simplistic pots and adding all the flare with the extras in the “leather hard” stage.  I feel like that’s where my niche is.

My little peacock stands (or sits) barely one inch tall so all of the blemishes you see are hardly noticeable when it’s in front of you.  Next week I will have 2 more pots ready for some flare so I will have more to show.

I wonder when I’m going to get over this peacock phase.

My next illustration is by request of my soon to be sister, Jen. She loves hummingbirds and their beautiful colors. I hope my abilities can do this little angel justice. Last summer there was a hummingbird that daily came to drink of my petunias. Even if I was sitting on the porch, no more than 4 feet away from the box, she would still come. She always paused for a moment, mid air like something from the Matrix, and looked at me. She had a red head and a green belly. So cute. I hope she comes back to see me this year. I plan on putting out even more petunias to satiate her thirst. Anyway, here’s the rough draft of the hummingbird.. she’s about 8 inches tall right now.

Months ago before Christmas I posted about a stuffed owl I was making for my sister in-law Lindi. I finished it a while ago, but forgot until now to post pictures of it. Plus, I lost the USB cord for my camera, so I’ve been procrastinating getting the pictures off my card.

Anyway, here she is at last…

Unfortunately, she was the last of my sewing as of late. It’s just so time consuming and I’ve decided to focus on other mediums for the time being. Monday nights for 3 hours I’m paying for studio time at the Sweetwater Center for the Arts to throw pottery on the wheel. I’m doing this along with my awesome sister in-law, Dana and my two neighbors, Sarah and Kim. We have so much fun and I can’t wait to actually bring something home. Last Monday was the first of 7, so in a couple weeks I should have something glazed and fired to show. I’m going to take my camera with me tomorrow night to document some of the muddy action.

I hope everyone is enjoying the wonderful spring weather!

For a long time now I’ve had issues with the millions of plastic bags I’ve acquired from grocery stores, so I switched to paper.  Now I have hundreds of paper bags laying around my house.  One Saturday I casually walked past a stack of them sitting on the dining room table when all of a sudden a lightning bolt of ideas struck my brain and I had the solution to my wasteful problem.  The following pictures are what have come from this. 

Feather of a Peacock
The next step in the process is to turn my shredded mail into the paper to mount the cuttings on. 

Dead Tree -
This cutting is the first of many that will compile a forest of dead trees.  Somewhat ironic considering the motivation behind this project?

Bumble Bee -
I have a slight obsession with insect wings.  Check these out… Imogene earrings

Twig & Leaves -
This cutting is currently gracing the wall of my living room.  It was the first of it’s kind and I love it dearly.

I would really appreciate some feedback since I am considering these for my up and coming Etsy shop.  If I weren’t me, I’d want one.  ((laughing to myself))  I’m sure as I continue cutting them they will incresase in intricacy.

Thank you to Alice  and Rob for your wonderfully encouraging comments in regards to my peacock illustration.  It’s nice when hours of hardwork are noticed and admired.