My newest Creations

So I really enjoy doing tiny piecework with polymer clay. However, I don't really enjoy doing it over and over and over again. I love the idea of molding my own original artwork and casting it, and coloring it by hand. That way I can labor over the creation of the original until it is perfect, and mold it indefinitely  trying out different color combinations, antiquing, beading, and such.

I made several originals last weekend- three of them have a little well or frame in the center so I can change what goes there- a word, phrase, affirmation, poem, blessing, whatever.

Right now I'm on a quest to find the absolute best medium to cast them in. I tried Cool2Cast, which is a fiber infused plaster product. However, when you cast it thin, as these are, they are extremely fragile. You could snap them in half. That's why I only have 2 to show, because one of them broke into three pieces, and the other one I'm not willing to spend the time working on because it won't be sellable. Instead I'm dreaming up some new original sculpts and I really want to take it 3D as well, and make some small sculptures I can then cast and paint.

It's so fun birthing a new idea, especially since these have turned out better than I even imagined!

Crafty Love Note # 1- never use anything for what it's intended for!

I am the QUEEN. I mean it, no one else can claim this title. I'm going to take you on a little verbal tour of my studio and tell you what I've got going on in here and then show you my favorite product "mis-use."
I have two Ikea desks. They both have glass tops because I can put clay, apoxy, and paint all over them and then scrape it off. LOVE them. On top of those desks, I have two shoe organizers, the kind that go in the bottom of your closet. They do NOT hold shoes, rather they hold a variety of art supplies, some in clear plastic shoe-boxes, of course. I find that the thinner profile of the shelves is perfect for art supplies.
In one of the shoe thingies, I have a tray- the big kind you use to serve drinks. It does not serve drinks, instead it holds onto the most recent unfinished project or parts of projects that I am currently working on, so I can throw the little parts and pieces in there and find them again.
Above my computer monitor, which is balanced on top of two small drawer pencil organizers that do not hold pencils, I have a "dream-fish-net." You read that correctly. Instead of a board, I attached a 4x5 foot fishnet using command hooks (the adhesive kind) and all the flotsam and jetsom of inspiration gets tangled in that net. I put artwork, paper flowers, two big starfish (used to live in Florida) a ceramic bird, a piece of my own finished art, and whatever else wants to land there right in plain view.
And the creme-de-la-creme is the rolling cart that does not roll. It's too perfect, perched in the corner ON TOP of the desk. The drawers are organized not by type of supply, but by the type of project I will use them on. For example, my gelli plate is in a drawer with two brayers, some bubble wrap, and the 4 colors of paint I use most. The other paints are in another drawer with the mediums I use most, except for the lightweight modeling paste, which is in a drawer with the tools I use with it most... and so on.

Think outside of the box, and you will find efficient ways to be organized!

Mixed-Media Girl Paintings

I've always loved drawing and painting, but there is also almost always something lacking. I would NEVER just paint on a canvas, how BORING! When I discovered light modeling paste, something clicked. Then I discovered that if you mix in cheap craft paint, and I mean CHEAP, you can get some great translucent effects. The craft paint that comes in a little bottle for around $.89 is what I'm talking about. No Liquitex artist paint here! It's too nice! It covers too well! I love a nice translucent layer of modeling paste, usually pushed through some kind of texturing tool or stencil, to hide and reveal my background layers.

I will try to list the products I'm currently using, there are SO many! Let's see.... canvas of course as a base, 12x12 paper collaged for a background, clear gesso, pan pastels, mechanical pencil, Copic markers, punchanella, light modeling paste, craft paint, Liquitex acrylics both heavy body and basics in tube, a brayer and assortment of brushes, stencils for cupcakes, PYMII, glitter and glitter glue by Jones Tones, K&Company borders for scrapbooking. I may have forgotten something, but oh well!

I'm working on a new body of work to show to the Austin Craft Riot so I can partner with my friend Deanna and do a show at the end of August. I can't do jewelry locally as the market is SATURATED! I actually think perhaps the time has come for a promoter to do a handmade jewelry show, so that everyone who makes jewelry can get together and have parties of their own.