Visit me at Art Saves this week!

Jenny Doh, over at Crescendoh, invited me back to be an alumni curator, so I invite you to pop on over to this link, scroll down, check out my monoprinting demo, with step-by-step photos, and visit some great art-related blogs.

Thanks again, Jenny!

A fun little Valentine project...

While teaching mixed media art classes (with my rockin' bud, Marilyn)at Captured Moments, last year, I saw a set of clothespin magnets similar to these, and I've wanted to make my own ever since. It has taken me a year to get around to it, but they're a cute little gift for friends, and a piece of functional art as well. Here's how I made them:

Materials:clothespins
scrapbook papers (mine are Valentine-themed)- cut to 3/8 inch strips
sheet music
Gel medium of glue of choice
buttons
acrylic paints/paint brush
buttons
roll of adhesive magnet back 1/2 inch wide
brown ink pad (I used Brilliance, chocolate)
rubber stamp - I chose a decorative swirl - from Memory Box (maybe!)
brown & rose colored mat board (cut to 4 x 3 inches) - I buy cheap scraps from an art supply store that does framing and mat cutting.

Instructions:Paint clothespins with acrylic paints.
Glue strips of scrapbook papers to the front of each clothespin.
Cut the adhesive magnet into long 1/4 inch strips & adhere to back of each clothespin.
Antique the edges of the clothespins by tapping into brown stamp pad
Glue a button on to some of the clothespins.
Tear a piece of sheet music and adhere to the mat board
Stamp bottom of mat board with swirl & brown ink.
Attach clothespin magnets to mat board to give as a Valentine treat or for any occasion.

There's no place like home...

Tomorrow, my last heart in the "nine hearts" series (previous post) will be headed to Boston, so I created a new series. This one has an obvious theme. It will carry with it my wish (and all of yours) for Avery's full recovery so that she can go home and resume her normal five-year-old life, with friends, neighbors, swingset, goldfish, a fridge full of Pelligrino and stops by the ice cream man, to name just a few of her favorites. These are just simple pencil sketches on foam core, embellished with buttons & velvet rickrack.

I have also been busy with some new heart paintings, which will make their debut here soon. I need to add just a few finishing touches!

And speaking of Avery, just a quick update:
She continues to amaze her doctors and make progress. Her lungs are improving and her heart has been stable. She may be extubated in the next few days (again), and we hope this is the road to her return home for sure this time!!

A project using Claudine's sticky-back canvas...

During a collaborative art day with my friends Marilyn and Laura late in the fall, my contribution was this miniature tryptich/wall hanging which begins with pieces of roof flashing and Claudine Hellmuth's sticky-back canvas, from her line of Ranger products. I used various inks, rubber stamps, and embellishments on the canvas before adhering it to the flashing and assembling the hanging.