I'm in the Spring issue of CPS Studios

I will never fail to get excited about being in a magazine! It is the best feeling to see your artwork and writing in print. Yes, yours truly has a short article in the upcoming issue of CPS Studios. This is supposed to be a humungo issue full of great stuff. I haven't gotten to see the entire issue yet but have heard very good things about it. It should be worth it just to see me, me, me in it and my eclectic art space.

http://www.interweavestore.com/Mixed-Media/Magazines/Studios-Spring-2010.html

Interested in buying a Dremel rotary tool?

I posted this message in a group I belong to. I am reposting here for anyone who is interested.

I have done quite a bit of work for Dremel and was there demo/make 'n take artist at CHA. I can tell you a little bit about their rotary tools. On the right side of my blog, you can find what my favorites (what I actually use) are in the Dremel line: http://alteredbelly.blogspot.com/

Dremel has corded and uncorded rotary tools.

If you want to go cordless, then I would go with the 10.8V. It is a bit bulky but it does the job and it is the one that I use:http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Tools/Pages/ToolDetail.aspx?pid=10.8V+Lithium-ion+Cordless

Corded - if you are just starting out and not sure if you are going to be using one all the time, I would go with the 300: http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Tools/Pages/ToolDetail.aspx?pid=300+Series

You don't want to go lower than a 300 because you want that variable speed. You need that variable speed because you different speeds depending upon what material you are working on, what you are doing, and thickness of the material.

If you are serious about the tool or want to make a one-time investment, I would go with the 400 or the new 4000 series. It has more power and versatility than the 300. The 400 was just replaced with the 4000 but some stores might still carry the 400 stock.http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Tools/Pages/ToolDetail.aspx?pid=4000

I have the 4000 and love it!

If you are going to be drilling a lot of holes and do a lot of things like charms, pendants, etc. then a workstation might be a good idea if you have a Dremel. I have several Dremel tools and I have one permanently mounted to the workstation. I use it to drill holes into dominoes, tiles, wood pieces, etc. and just swap out drill bits.http://www.dremel.com/en-au/AttachmentsAndAccessories/Pages/AttachmentsDetail.aspx?pid=220-01

I also recommend that you get the drill bit set - it is not included in any of the rotary tool sets that come with the tools:http://www.dremel.com/en-au/AttachmentsAndAccessories/Pages/CategoryProducts.aspx?catid=29&catname=Drill+Bits

Drill bits are always sold separately.

Also important is the universal chuck - otherwise you will have to change out collets depending on what accessory you are putting on the Dremel tool. The size of the each accessory shaft is different. Most people who use the tool in industrial applications don't care that they have to change collets but I find it to be a pain to match them. If you have the wrong size collet, your drill bit or cutting tool will slide out of the Dremel tool. It will not tighten enough. The Universal chuck takes care of that problem. It is a bit bulky but that does not bother me.http://www.dremel.com/en-au/AttachmentsAndAccessories/Pages/AttachmentsDetail.aspx?pid=4486

If you are going to use your Dremel to cut things (like wood pieces) then you might want to get this:http://www.dremel.com/en-au/AttachmentsAndAccessories/Pages/AttachmentsDetail.aspx?pid=EZ406

The EZ lock cutoff wheels are much better than the regular cutoff wheels. I use them all the time to cut wood yard stick pieces and small wood planks.

HTHBelinda

Found Object Stamping

I made these yesterday for a series that I am working on for the past month. I am using leftover dyed muslin, Lumiere paints, and found objects. You will need to wait and see what I do with it. I am having a challenge though over at the Quilting Arts forum during the months of Jan/Feb creating these fun sheets of fabric. Get the chance to win one of three goodie bags.

Here is the link:

http://quiltingarts.com/forums/p/2736/15038.aspx#15038

It is free to become a member.

Domino...Mah jong tile pendants WIP

Just a peek at what I've been working on. Still need to finish the edges and drill the holes. The purples ones were stained with teas and the bone colored ones were stained with coffee.

skybluepink.com sale for pendant swap

Just wanted pendant swap artists and jewelry fans in general to know that skybluepink.com is having a sale in honor of the Mixed Media Art Friends Yahoo Group pendant swap (I'm hostessing) and Cloth Paper Scissors Pendant Swap. Grab these great deals while you can. I shop here all the time. I buy from here just like you do. I just try to get you a great deal in the process because I want to make the swap as much fun as possible. I don't get a thing for doing this from skybluepink.com. 8-D

Here is the link: http://www.skybluepink.com/belinda.html

Here are some other things I like from their website while you are there looking:

2" canvas: http://www.skybluepink.com/alterables.html
If you don't have Dick Blick near you.

Scroll down a bit and they have board books (called Possibilities Board Books) that are blank and ready to be altered. That saves you a lot of time and effort sanding down board books if you are really into ABs. I am going to get a couple and see how they compare to regular board books. My kids are past the age where they read board books (my sources have dried up).

Teeny tiny buttons: http://www.skybluepink.com/beads.html

Scroll down a bit further and on the beads page and you will come to my favorite Chunky Ball Chain Bracelets. I so love these! I wear those all the time. You can cut the excess length with a pair of cutting pliers. You can't beat the price.

Flat hand charms and Chinese charms: http://www.skybluepink.com/beads.html

Wooden Bingo numbers: http://www.skybluepink.com/products5.html
makes great charms or part of jewelry

Diamond Glaze and Smooch:
http://www.skybluepink.com/media.html

Letter Tiles and teeny puzzle pieces: http://www.skybluepink.com/products3.html
Letter tiles are great as charms or part of jewelry
puzzle pieces great for collage or ABs

Punchinella: http://www.skybluepink.com/punchinella.html

You can see some of my artwork/jewelry in skybluepink's gallery:
http://www.skybluepink.com/gallery9.html
http://www.skybluepink.com/gallery3.html
http://www.skybluepink.com/gallery.html

Whew! I am going shopping now before all of you take the stock and I am left with nada.

Answer to iPhone inquiries

I have been getting a few inquiries about iPhone usage. I am just a user and not a guru by any means. The best people to ask would be the people at Apple and not me. Not sure if most people know this or not but the Apple website has quite a few tutorials for iPhone users. That is how I learned to use my iPhone. They also offer free classes in their store (I took one of those as well).

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

OT: I am still lusting after a MacBook. Need to stay off the Apple site. Arrgh.

Rune-type pendants for pendant swap

If you haven't heard, Cloth Paper Scissors is having a pendant swap. So, I am supporting the effort by hosting my own swap right before that swap to get artists' juices warmed up and going for that swap. Mine is a 5 for 5 swap. It is in the Mixed Media Art Friends group.

http://quiltingarts.com/cpsmag/cps_challenge.html Here are the rules for the CPS swap.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mmartfriends/ Here is the link to the Yahoo group.

Realize that the quantity and rules differ for both swaps. Read each carefully please.

I will be trying to do a few tutorials between now and the swap due-date but I will be posting them within the Yahoo group only. 8-D

Melly Testa's cool Vid and new class

Melly Testa and joggles.com have partnered up for a class. Take a look. joggles. com is one of my favorite places for textiles.

How I did my latest batch of fabric paper

Whatcha need:
freezer paper - shiny side up
cotton muslin - thin stuff - I buy the cheap stuff from Joann's for this purpose
thin tissue or wrapping paper
text from books
textured or lace paper
white glue like Sobo
container
cheap foam or paintbrush
water
acrylic paint or fluid acrylics

Instructions:
1. Lay muslin down on shiny side of freezer paper. Do not use wax paper. It will stick to the wax paper and will ruin the effect.
2. Create a glue wash. I do about 1/2 glue and 1/2 water or a little bit less glue. Mix well and keep giving it a stir when using because the glue has a tendency to sink to the bottom as you are using it.
3. Cut or tear the thin strips of tissue paper or text into size or shapes your want. Important to leave space in between each shape or you will get chunky paper - not fabric paper.
4. With brush - brush on a layer of glue wash on muslin. Lay down the tissue or text shapes. Dab glue wash on top so that the shapes stay down. Let dry completely.
5. Water down the acrylic paint or fluid acrylics to the color you want so you get a color wash almost to watercolor consistency or a little brighter if you want. Give the entire thing the once over. You can do it in several different colors, if you want. Let dry completely. I would go with a light color here since you will be layering other colors on top.
6. Add random pieces of lace or Japanese tissue paper on top of fabric paper. Dab glue wash on top. Let dry completely.
7. Add color with acrylic wash in different colors. What I did was use Polished Pigments. and Simple Solutions #2. I did it so it was pretty watery - almost watercolor consistency and did that as the final layer. I laid the brush sideways and swiped the Polished Pigments on so that it was mostly the texture that got the color and some of the flat areas. I did that with several colors. It provided a great color contrast with just enough sheen without glittery sparkle. If you know me, I don't like glitter.

http://www.luminarteinc.com/catalog/primary-elements.html

Let dry completely.

8. You can do whatever you want once it dries and you peel it off the freezer paper. It is a little softer if you iron it first. Make sure you put a layer of freezer paper on top if you iron it. The fabric paper should be malleable enough so you can sew on it. '

Working on birds now for my swap. Email me or comment if you have any questions.

response to iPhone home page

Hmmm. I am responding to the person who wrote the comment about iPhone. I have 4 pages of apps on my iPhone. My friend had 5 pages. Once your main page is filled, it should automatically go to the next page. You can even move your apps and change them around. You just press down on them until you get them to be all jiggly and an "X" appears over them. Don't click on the "X" or it will delete the app. You just move the app around while they are all still jiggly. You can move the app off the page so it goes to the previous or next page. It will displace an app if the previous page is full. To save and to stopp the jiggling, just click the round button at the bottom on your iPhone. HTHs.

Photoshop App on iPhone

I took a pict of a bush from my yard and changed it with the Photoshop app on my iPhone. Free - BTW. Pretty cool.

Mother Nature's beauty even during a rampage

You can click on the picts for a larger view.

Even when she is pissed off and on a rampage, she manages to create things of beauty. We have been having some really crazy weather here in the past week - snow, rain, freezing rain, warm, cold, sleet, and now tons of snow again. Just a couple of days ago, we were having tons of rain that would freeze almost immediately making for very hazardous driving conditions, but it looked oh so fantastic on the trees and bushes. It was the most beautiful thing I had seen in a long time. I kept staring at the scenery on the way to the grocery store. I could not believe how nature glistened as the angry rain drops continued to pelt down on my SUV. I did what most out-of-her-mind artists would do, I left my groceries in the car and took picts of it with her iPhone. It was brrrr! cold out while I was doing it. My one hand with no glove got awfully chilly. It was worth it though. I hope my picts were able to capture 1/4 of the beauty that Mother Nature left us that day.

Newest sheets of fabric paper

Need to make good fortune birds and dolls for swap for the book study from Kelli Perkins book in my Yahoo group. Will do more sheets and experiment more but my latest was with Polished Pearls with fluid acrylics base with lace paper tissue paper. How's that for a long run-on sentence? The layers are still relatively thin and is pretty pliable so I can sew on it. Will make for some interesting birds. Found a really good bird template online. Gotta go and make some birds now. I got some great bells in the Xmas section of Walmart. Will put them to good use.

Tired of automated messages spamming my blog!

I don't know about you other bloggers out there but I am getting tired of rejecting automated messages from spammer that keep hitting my old messages. It has only been happening the last couple of months or so. It is a good thing that I approve all my message or a bunch of comments about Viagra and erections would be showing up on my blog. Spammers - get some integrity. Sorry, that would be asking for too much.

Winner of my earrings!

The winner is...

yvonne said...
First one to comment never wins but oh well. I love your shaker necklace it's my favorite. Love the earrings for the giveaway too. Lovely! Copper is so cool.

Nope, you weren't the first post. I have to approve them before they appear on the blog. You are the winner though. Email me at crazyartgirl@sbcglobal.net with your particulars and I will send them to you.

Congrats!

Better etsy picts

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtDustBunnies I have 5 pieces for sale on etsy.com. Hope you will go and visit. Pictures are a little better now. Enjoy the holidays. Go down a post or two and enter my giveaway. It is going on until Sunday, December 6th. I pick a winner on Monday.

Comment on digital camera

Yes, I have one but lost my cord for it when my desktop died. I bought a camera dock off eBay but it did not come with power cord or USB cord. In process of getting one. So many hours in a day. Wish I didn't need to sleep or eat. 8-D

New Giveaway!

In honor of cyber Monday and me actually putting something up for sale in my etsy store/shoppe, I am giving away a pair of resin earrings. Yes, they don't match on purpose - because I am that way. Sorry, my iPhone is not the best at photographing jewelry. All you need to do is take a look at my stuff on etsy and comment HERE about it for a chance to win the earrings. I will even throw in a Trader Joe bag.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtDustBunnies Link to my etsy store.

If you want to know where I get the resin - there is a link in my right column for Little windows. I get my copper sheet from Basic Copper. They are also on eBay. I torch soldered the copper pipe to the copper sheet. So much easier than soldering the other way.

So, you have until this Sunday to comment. I will pick a winner a week from today, December 7th, using the random number generator. Good luck. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any soldering questions. Little Windows has tutorials and videos on their website that explains all about doing resin, so it might be better to go there than ask me.

Let me recap. Go to my etsy store and take a look at my stuff on sale. Come back here and comment. If you are feel particularly lazy, you can just comment on the earrings. Comment before Monday, Dec. 7th. I will pick a winner on the 7th. The winner will win the resin earrings and a Trader Joe tote bag.

Copper pipe jewelry for sale!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtDustBunnies click on the link to take a look. Get them before they are gone. I don't put stuff up for sale very often. 3 necklaces and 2 rings

Distressed wooden storage box

I quickly slapped this together for Little Windows so they would have something to store my resin pieces in. I used a wooden storage container meant for utensils from Walmart. You can click on the picts for a larger view. I really like how the colors came together. You could always put a piece of felt at the bottom so the pieces would not get scratched up or anything.

Dremel Question

Dremel does have a new DVD out on how to use a lot of their attachments. I would think that you would be able to use it in Australia. You can give them a call or email them through their customer service department. Just go to dremel.com and click on the correct country for you. Their customer service dept is full of a lot of old timers who really know the products. There are also tutorials on youtube that are not by Dremel but by people who use the Dremel products.

Finished resin jewelry

Sorry, the picts are a bit blurry. They looked more clear on my iPhone but they don't transfer too well onto my blog. I like to do the double chains on my necklaces. I like the contrast esp with a little bit of dangle. The earrings are the leftover charms from Art Unraveled. The majority of them are going to be samples for Little Windows. There were two that were not perfect - the way I like them. I used a heat gun and blasted them and they look so cool - like kinda burnt and crackled. I think I will keep those two and put them up on etsy.com. I know that I will never wear them. Maybe someone else will like them and actually wear them instead of just letting them sit around and collect dust like I do. Initially, I made the pipe bezels at a Jane Wynn workshop - you have to take a workshop with her, if you ever get the chance. I have made several more since then. I added on the key on the back to make it easier to attach the chain/jump ring. Besides, I like the look. I use my Dremel to cut the end of the key off, if the key is too long.

Comments welcome

Dremel users - new Dremel tool!

Did you know that Dremel has come out with ANOTHER rotary tool? If you buy a 4000, you can even get a rebate on their new abrasive brushes. http://www.dremelepk.com/dremelenewsletters/November2009/PDF/Dremel%20Promo.pdf Just passing on the information for Dremel users.

Here is the link to the new 4000 on their website. I have one, it is a great tool.
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Tools/Pages/ToolDetail.aspx?pid=4000

Impasto form...not named

I normally do not give my artwork as birthday presents. Not sure why, I just don't. I did give two of my pieces today to two of my dearest friends. I was playing with impasto this weekend and decided to make something for them since I was doing it anyway. I used Matisse Derivan impasto medium and their structure acrylic paint. So love the stuff. It does not smell the best but that goes away quickly. If you love texture, you will love this stuff. I randomly put strips of cheesecloth underneath to give it some additional texture and loved the effect. Not sure I needed it but just wanted to experiment. Lots of fun. The base was done with Ranger/Tim Holtz crackle paint because I needed it to dry quickly. Crackle paste takes too long even though I like the effects better. I have to say I was pretty happy with this crackling though. I did not do a very good job taking picts with my iPhone this time. Did not look blurry when I looked in the iPhone view but I must have lost some pixels when I loaded it onto the computer.

Great party...Yummy cake

I went to a very fun party tonight for my friend, Sandy. She is one of my ABFFs - art best friends. She is a riot! Her family was there from out of town. Food was great. I did not really know the people who threw her the party but they made me feel welcome. I could not believe the cake that was there. It was too good. I am glad that I don't eat like that all the time. I had to come home and type out a presentation but I had fun anyway. Just wanted to show all of you the cake that looked almost too good to eat.

fabric paper and soy wax journal base pages

Here is how the journal looks closed. I just took a big eyelet that came with the crop-a-dile. I braided some fibers together so that the journal would close. I took the two ends together - found the middle and put that thru the eyelet. I knotted the middle end where the eyelet was and pulled it through so that it would go through the eyelet. Instant braided roped to close my journals. I did that with all 3 journals. This one was longer than the other two journals. BTW, if you click on any of the picts, you can get a bigger view.

This is the soy was journal that I am going to send to Melly (shhhh!). I took the soy wax workshop with her in Arizona. Lots of fun. If you ever get the chance to take it, do it. My fabrics turned out fantastic - as you will see in the my journal pages. The fabric page journal is the large journal. The two small journals are all soy wax. The soy wax journals are soy wax on both sides. My fabric paper journals are fabric paper only on one side and watercolor on the other because I did not have enough fabric paper made. I figured I could do other things on the other side like texture or collage.

This is how my fabric paper collage journal looks. Yeah, so I got a little carried away with the embossing powder. I figure I can always cover that up with some texture later on, if I want.

Forgive the fingers, I had to keep the pages open to snap the picts. The tomato looking shapes are my favorite. That was some kind of kitchen utensil that Mells had.

This is a page that folds out into thirds.

Back of my journal that I am going to doodle on and texturize. Wanted to see how the heart stamps would look with the distress embossing. Some experiments turned out better than others.

You can see on the side of this how the fibers come thru the eyelet.

Interesting how the embossing worked on some parts of the soy waxed fabric and didn't on other parts. Cool effect.

Remember, this is just my base structure, I really haven't done any work on my journals yet. I don't think that I am going to do any work in my soy wax journal. The backgrounds are too beautiful for me to cover up. I think I am going to leave it. I am going to work in this journal though. I will post when I am done.

You can see the basic fabric paper backgrounds and the fluid acrylic background. I did do the edges in different acrylics. The edges are sewn together.

The fabric paper took the embossing really well. I figure that I can add layers to the journal. I know I can't write over the embossing. If I want to write something, I can just add a layer over the embossing. I am thinking that my next step might be to try some of the impasto medium that I just got. Linda told me about the Matisse Derivan impasto medium and paints that she uses in Australia. It is available here in the US. I just got some and I am itching to try it. I already have some ideas in mind.

The top part in the pict is not really that shiny. Just glare from my window. Oooh, I also got a iridescent medium that I need to try on my journal. If you are interested. Here is my source for the iridescent medium:

http://www.aswexpress.com/discount-art-supplies/online/3679/art-supplies/4

I just finished the base structures on 3 journals based on Teesha Moore's blog vid. I modified the 2 smaller ones since they are not the same size. The big one is the same as the one structurally as the one in Teesha's vid. The two small ones are folded differently and don't have the same amount of pages in them. The large journal has fabric paper pages adhered to the watercolor paper and the two smaller journals have soy wax paper adhered to them. I used the the thermobond type adhesive type paper and ironed it onto the watercolor paper. I then sewed the edges of the fabric/soy paper to the watercolor paper. I also sewed the edge where I was going to do the binding just for a little exta support.

I have not done the impasto yet but will very soon. If you want my source:

http://www.aswexpress.com/discount-art-supplies/online/3422/art-supplies/3

Teesha's blog for her vid:

http://teeshascircus.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-16-page-journal.html

Teesh'a blog in general: http://teeshascircus.blogspot.com/

That's about it folks. Comments and questions welcome.

EZ screenprint is having a sale - last day!

http://ezscreenprint.com/ This the site where I get my stuff for stenciling on fabric. This is the last day of their sale. I was going to buy some refill sheets and I found that they were having a sale. Yes, I buy my stuff from them. It is not a hard thing to do. They have complete instructions.

Resin trays, clean-up and other resin questions

Someone asked about the Little Windows plastic tray clean-up. It is actually really easy to use them. I love that they come in several sizes. They do say that you should pop them in the freezer for a couple minutes before taking the cured resin out. The resin comes out so easily that way. Clean-up is really easy. I just wipe the tray clean. Sometimes, I might need a bit more clean-up if I have been messy with some mild soap and water but that's it. the resin does not stick to the plastic even when I am being a clutz. Little Windows has all sorts of directions, videos, and tips on their website.
https://www.little-windows.com/

Someone else asked about the mold size. The medium ones are pendant sized and the small ones are charm sized or bracelet sized.

Another asked about extra resin left on the doming tray. I have not ever had soft or liquid resin left on the doming trays. The resin will harden and just use a paper clip or something to take a section of resin off, if needed. I will just throw that out in the garbage. Little Windows resins is non-toxic. When I wash my hands or wash my stuff out, I use dish washing liquid and wash it in my kitchen sink with some pretty warm/hot water. I don't have any resin left-over. I always use it all. I will always find something to pour the resin into even if it's a bottle cap.

Hope that answers everyone's questions. Let me know if that does not.

Fortune cookie sayings and copper sheet source

I buy my copper pipe from the local Menards - hardware store and my copper sheet from Basic Copper - basiccopper.com http://basiccopper.com/. They also have an eBay store. You should check out the article I wrote for them.

Cheesy fortune cookie sayings are not made up by me. I looked them up on the internet. 8-D
http://www.chinese-fortune-cookie.com/fortune-cookie-sayings.html

http://joshmadison.com/article/fortune-cookie-fortunes/

http://www.fortunecookiemessage.com/

Quilt Festival Quilt Scene

I have had the opportunity to attend the IQF - International Quilt Fest in Chicago for the past few years. It is a ton of fun but hard on your feet. You really need to have a good pair of walking feet. It is not for traditional quilters only! It is for art quilters and mixed media artists, too. I am seeing lot of great things as I walk around. There are some great buys on machines, if you are in the market.

Anyway, I am privileged to be in this commemorative issue of Quilt Scene magazine. I was lucky enough to teach a couple of workshops at MIU - Make-It University and to be one of the Studio Artists for Quilting Arts.

Even if you are not a quilter, you would be blown away by the quilts that you see on display at the Quilt Fest. They are fabulous. I cannot believe the intricacy, work, and creativity that go into them. You get to see some of them in the magazine. You also get to meet some of the artists. There is even an 8 yro quilter in the magazine proudly showing her quilt. It is very awesome!

Helen, I love your modeling skills! You rocked that recycled tote bag apron!

There is an article in the magazine on how to make fabric birds. Way cute. I am going to have to try to make those when I have some time. There is a pattern and everything. They even show you how to make their feet. So very cute. Don't snicker at me. I will get to it...eventually. Next comes the fabric fortune cookies. Being Chinese, I am not too sure that I would make them since I have been around the real ones way more than I have ever wanted to be. They are very colorful though. Email me if you want some cheesy fortune cookie one-liners. Susan Brubaker Knapp has a very funky door organizer that looks like a really big tag with pockets. That definitely has possibilities. If you added a long enough strap, you could hang it on the back of your car seat for the kiddies' stuff. I was also groovin' on the vintage quilt book covers that were in the magazine. I could see using my scraps for something like that. I would adapt it as an altered book cover. I don't wear belts but there is a fun article on how to create your own quilted belt. An especially interesting article was the memory narrative that would be great for beginning quilters. I liked that one because it was an art quilt and it had that distressed look.

The magazine goes on with a section on special exhibits. Fab quilts. Cannot believe how great the quilts are. There are a couple of articles on quilts for the floor and a scrappy quilt and a mini hexagon quilt. I loved the inside out mini quilt because it is something that I would do because it is non-traditional. There is a section on quilting tips and even a table top with a round quilt underneath the glass top. Lyric Kinard has an article on exploring color and value with some examples. One of the most informative articles for me was about machine quiting starting right - I make some of those mistakes! Now I know how to correct them. My friend, Melly Testa, has a fun article on free-motion quilting exercises that I have to try. I have had limited success so far with free-motion quilting. How about you out there? Pokey has an article on fabric ATC and some great examples. I want one of her very cool and colorful ATCs! Alisa Burke shows you how to make a quilted cuff to wear as a bracelet. Then comes my rag quilt apron. Don't miss Beryl Taylor's quilted heart motif. If you have not tried doing one of these, they look wonderful in real life. I do these when I watch TV with the kids. They really add something extra to my artwork. The magazine ends with tips and trivia about attending IQF.

Whew, this magazine is packed full of stuff. Honestly, I would have bought this issue even if I was not in it. I hope that this was interesting/useful to you. Comments welcome. I hope to see you at the International Quilt Fest in Chicago next Spring.

Copper pipe bezels, copper pipe charms, and enameling

I have gotten several questions in the last couple of months about it since I have posted picts on FB. If you are not my Facebook friend, you can find the photos on my Facebook page under my name. I will approve you for my friend - just ask.

I do my copper enameling with a butane torch. I don't have a kiln. I don't do it enough to buy a kiln and a kiln is not in my budget right now. It is not hard to do it with a torch. I just set up a tripod with some rebar wire to heat the copper and enamel powder. Here is a very good website with lots of good info, literature, and source for enamel powder. They sell beginner's kits. Don't forget the sifter and holding agent so the powder doesn't fall off. Susan Lenart Kazmer and Richard Salley teach copper enameling classes. If you ever get the chance to take a class with Richard, grab it. He is a great instructor. I have not had a chance to take a class with Jane Salley but she is a wonderful artist.
Here is the website link: http://enameling.com/FAQ.html

I got my tripod set-up from Rio Grande.
http://www.riogrande.com/MemberArea/ProductPage.aspx?assetname=502085&page=GRID&free_text%7c1256438407875=tripod

If also have a pair of copper tongs to use with pickle:
http://www.riogrande.com/MemberArea/ProductPage.aspx?assetname=501017&page=GRID&category%7ccategory_root%7c126=Soldering+Equipment+and+Supplies&first_answer=121

I also bought my soldering pad here:
http://www.riogrande.com/MemberArea/ProductPage.aspx?assetname=502063&page=GRID&free_text%7c1256438945578=soldering+pad

Don't forget your flux and lead-free solder.

From the hardware store, I got my top cutting pliers. They are great for snipping the solder into small bits so that the solder will flow more easily into the crevices when heated.

People have also asked me about a butane torch. That is a personal preference. I can only tell you that I like the ones that are easy for me to hold. I like the ones that self-light - that you click and they light by themselves. I don't like the ones where you have to take a flame to it each time you want to light it. You want the ones that you can easily control the flame. I don't like the ones where you have to hold the trigger to leave the flame on. Your trigger finger gets tired and sore sooner than you think. There are some where there is a knob where you can switch it so you can take your finger off the trigger. Make sure you have an extra can of butane fuel. It goes fast.

Playing with Resin!!!

Here is a close-up of two where I used fabric as the background. One is from Pokey and one is from soy wax printing. I just cut out the piece and glued it with Sobo glue to the bezel. It looks fab in real life. Sorry, the picts are not the best because I had to use just my iPhone. My digi camera works but I can't find my cable that connects to the camera to the computer. Need to buy a new one. I lost it when I got rid of my old desk top. BTW, you can enlarge any of the picts by clicking on it.

Picts of my copper pipe bezel charms and pendents. I did some fun soldering this summer. It is actually quite easy once you get in the groove. I gave away the charms at Art Unraveled this summer.

I had to lean the pendants over the edge of the table because the jump rings are actually built right into the bezel and extend into both sides so the back side is not flush. I had to extend it over the table so the backside was flat or the resin would glob over to one side. It was either that or I would have to have the bezels lean over on a book or something.

Just more picts of my bezels. I did this one during Jane Wynn's class at Valley Ridge. I will never use this big one for anything. Just experimenting.

That long silver bezel you see is one that I won from a blog contest that I entered from Amate. I won a bunch of bezels and bezel rings from Amate. You will see some of the bezel rings in this next pict.

The two top right ones are my pipe bezel rings that I made during my workshop with Jane Wynn at Valley Ridge. The other ones are the Amate bezel rings that I won during their blog thing. The green thing that they are set in is something I got at Michaels or Joann's from the garden dept. It is the green foam that you stick the stems in for flowers. It keeps the rings upright while the resin sets. Hey, I do what works.

Being the impatient person I am, I mixed up a larger batch of resin than I should have. You should mix small batches of resin and do more as you need it. Little Windows resn makes it easy for you to make up more as you need it anyway. I had some left over and I did not have anything really ready and I wanted to experiment...so I put it in a jar with some stuff and made this. I think I wanted to be a mad scientist in another life. I have mixed it up a couple of times before it has set. It has some bubbles in it, but I don't care.

Here is one using Little Windows trays - no bezel. The background you see is a board that I use for stenciling fabric - that is why it is so colorful.

More Little Windows trays and found objects in resin.

This is Little Windows doming tray and some of my stuff. The four little pieces were rather small and flat so I put them on the doming tray. You can actually pour resin using stickers and/or sheets of paper using the doming tray and the tray will catch the excess resin. Directions are on their website. I use it when I have small or shallow bezels, too. I just put the two key bezels here because I did those two last minute. BTW, when you have something that is copper colored, it is better to put something contrasting inside and not something copper colored inside or it will look too dark when you resin it. See how dark it looks with the copper colored face bead when I put resin in the key bezel?

Side view of the jar after it was stirred up.

More Little Windows trays with stuff and resin.

Keep going! I have text at the end!

Okay, end of picts! Hope you enjoyed that. I will post picts in a couple of days once the resin has hard cured. Some of it has soft cured but I had to put a second layer on it to dome some of it.

Okay, I used to think that resin was a really hard thing to do when it really is not at all. My friend, Harriet, and I braved the winter to go to Valley Ridge to learn how to do resin. We had a blast! It was a lot of fun. I have been doing resin ever since. It is not hard. It is messy though. I have to remember that my hair is longer and it does not belong in resin. I also have to remember that impatience is not a virtue with resin. Coughing does not work well with it either. I had to finish coughing first before pouring.

I used to buy my resin from Rio Grande but now I buy my resin from Little Windows. https://www.little-windows.com/index.php

The reason why is because it is easy to use, it does not smell, and it is low bubbles. I also like that Fran puts out all sorts of information on how to use it on her website for easy references. I sometimes forget and that makes it easy for me when I do my art in the middle of the night! I am also part of her referral program, so mention my name if you are ordering something from her. You can also be part of her referral program and get something if your art friends order something from the Little Windows website.
https://www.little-windows.com/referral.php

Back to resin, it is easier if you do it in small batches. If you realize you need more, you can mix up another batch while you are waiting for the previous batch. It is important to make sure you have the correct amount of resin to hardener. The correct proportion in on the bottles and there are measurements on the measuring cups. There are even little stirrers that come with the resin packs! Make sure you are on a level surface. What I do it use a board on my table. If I spill, then I don't care about messing up my table. I have a heat gun and small lighter nearby for bubbles. The straw doesn't work for me. I have a tendency to blow too hard. Make sure you have adequate light when you are pouring so you know when to stop so you don't pour past your bezel or tray line. A mistake I once made was touching the resin before curing. I have a piece now with my fingerprint on there. Don't touch something for a couple of days or you may ruin it.

To be sure, I will wait until tomorrow to pop the little discs out of the trays and put any holes in them with the manuals drills. If anything, I can use my Dremel to create holes. I would rather have them hard cured rather than too soft when drilling a hole through them. Last time, they were still too soft when I drilled and I ruined one of them. It was rather sad.

What I did...

1. Mix 2 part resin to 1 part hardner.

2. mix for 2 and 1/2 minutes slowly so I don't create bubbles.

3. Let sit 5 minutes - it starts to get warm.

4. Pour resin into trays or bezels. Cover with box or trays so dust doesn't get on resin, if desired.

5. Come back periodically to check for bubbles. I use heat gun or lighter to get rid of any bubbles.

6. Next day, mix up small batch of resin to put on second layer to cover any pits created by curing, hole bursting, or if I need any additional doming.

7. Let sit at least 24 hours, covered again (if desired).

8. Pop out of trays (if used).

9. Clean trays and doming trays, if used.

10. Embellish and create jewelry

Post a comment if you have any questions. Comments are welcome.

Pretty Colors

Dino picts

Shots from a museum field trip

iPhone eye candy

Just some nature shots from Arizona while we were on our way to the Grand Canyon last August

iPhone eye candy

Close-up of some foliage while in Arizona. Thought they looked pretty cool. It was during our tour of the Grand Canyon.

Muslin I used for book study

Just click on the pict for a larger view. I just used what I had at home. You want to use the thin, cotton muslin. Does not matter if it is natural or white colored since you will be painting over it. Don't buy the bulky muslin. You want the thin fabric. The cheap muslin will work fine. The general idea is that you should be able to sew on the fabric paper when you are done creating the fabric paper base.

How to make basic fabric paper according to Belinda

Some handmade paper someone gave me.

You can't see it very well unless you click on the pict and enlarge it. This is using Japanese lace paper. I used some leftover muslin that I had laying around - that is why you see some paint on it already.

This is a piece that has the paint wash on it with the Japanese lace paper. If you click on it to enlarge it, you can see the patterns more.

This is a mixture of papers because I had this leftover from the other sheets I made.

Text papers from a dictionary.

This is some tissue paper I picked up at Michaels while I was buying some white tissue paper.

Can you tell which half has white tissue paper on top and which one doesn't? I did that so you could have a comparison.

See how there is more texture on the top half of this one? Tissue paper on top of the top half and the bottom half does not have white tissue paper on it.

I am doing this for the start of the book study that officially starts October 4th. I just wanted to get things started so people could get basic sheets started so they could try out some of the other techniques in Kelli Perkins book - Stitch Alchemy. If you want to play, you can join the fun at Mixed Media Art Friends:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mmartfriends/

I also recommend Beryl Taylor's book - Mixed Media Explorations - very highly. There is a section on fabric paper in that book. I go back to that book for inspiration all the time. She does a great job at combining fabric and mixed media elements into her art.

Back to the basic fabric paper...

I used freezer paper and cotton muslin - cheapie from Joann's that is thin and a bit off-white because that was what I had. White will work as well. You need to use the shiny side of the freezer paper or it will stick to the paper. Do not substitute wax paper. People have used other things instead of freezer paper.

Mix up a glue wash. I use Sobo and water. I use about a 1 parts glue to 2 parts water or a little bit more on the glue side. Mix it up well with cheap brush or foam brush. I use a cheapie foam brush. Remember to swirl every once in awhile because the glue will settle to the bottom. People have used Elmers and Aileens as well.

Place something underneath the freezer paper to catch drips. I use red rosin paper or plastic sheet. You might need to tape down your freezer paper if it curls up on you.

Take your brush and brush an even layer of glue wash on it. Place your tissue paper, wrapping paper, whatever paper on it, and put a layer of glue wash on top of it. Instead of wiping the brush across, you might need to tamp instead like the book tells you. A lot of people on their blogs have been showing a layering of paper on their muslin.

To begin with, I highly suggest you do one sheet with just one layer of paper/tissue with a bit of space between your paper pieces. The reason why is the texture. It is especially true if you intend on sewing on the fabric paper later on. When I did this before when Beryl's book came out, I layered the paper instead of leaving space between the paper. My fabric paper came out too thick instead of being more like fabric than a collage. It did not have enough give to it like fabric. You don't need a lot of space but just a smidge so that retain that fabric flexibility. Once you have done the basic fabric paper, you can go on to experiment with Kelli's book and layer to your heart's content. I just want you to see how different it is with just one layer of paper and with the spacing before you go off and do the other things. It does not matter what the shapes are, squares, rectangles, or long strips. It matters if the paper is thick and if you leave spacing in between.

Once you have your paper down and have put a layer of glue down, then it is time to decide if you want a layer of white tissue paper or not. I did some of mine with tissue paper and some of mine with half tissue paper to show you the difference. If you go back and click on my picts, you can see the difference. There is more texture on top because of the tissue paper on top. If you want more texture, crinkle the tissue paper and loosely uncrinkle before putting it on top of you fabric paper. Put a layer of glue on top. You need to tamp instead of wiping sideways or the brush/foam brush will pull the tissue paper apart and you will get a gooey mess.

Applying paint wash. I wait until the glue has dried instead of doing it right away. The reason why is because the tissue paper has a tendency to lift off and get gunky. I like to wait until the tissue paper has dried. It also gives me better texture that way. You can also lift off your paper because the glue is not dried.

If you are impatient you can apply the paint wash while the glue is still wet.

Once the glue is pretty dry, I have a roll of paper towels and a garbag can with a liner nearby. The idea is to get some color down without obscuring the paper elements. I don't want my color wash to be to pale - my preference. I don't want the consistency of watercolors. I like my colors to be more bold. If you want more pale colors, you might want to add more water. I add less water and more paint. I use a foam brush here as well because I don't like brush marks. I generously add color to the fabric paper and then pick up the excess liquid with a paper towel in certain areas. I will press down harder in some areas than others. I use the same color on different sheets in several different layers. I might have 2 or 3 or 4 layers when I am done. I might use an interference color for my last layer.

Remember, this is your background. You will be doing more things to it from the book. You are not done with the fabric paper. Yes, I had to remind myself before I went too far. The pieces you see with color are while they are wet. They will probably look different when they are dry. I might make some more with just one color background so I can get started with some of the techniques in Kelli's book. I get carried away when I get started with something. I can use these backgrounds for something else, if I can't use them for the book. I bet I can find a technique in the book that I can use. Just need to look.

Remember, don't do too much so we can do things in the book study!!!

So, I hope this helps. This is what we are going to do the first week of our book study. We are going to make basic fabric paper so we can use it for all the other stupendous techniques in the book study. See you in Mixed Media Art Friends!

Comments welcome.

Links to past fabric paper posts for book study

Thought some people would like to see some of the fabric paper stuff I have already done before we get started on the book study in October. The book we are using is Stitch Alchemy by Kelli Perkins. We are doing it in the Mixed Media Art Friends Yahoo group. You can find the link in the right column of my blog. Here are the links:

http://alteredbelly.blogspot.com/2008/08/fabric-paper-revisited.html

http://arttechniques.blogspot.com/2008/09/fabric-paper-pocket-purses.html

I will try and do a basic sample of fabric paper in the next couple of days before we get started on the stuff in the book so people can have an idea of what it looks like sans stamping, embossing, and everything else. I will also try and get a schedule done.

How an art book study works

I have had a couple people ask me this question so I thought that I would answer it once.

Don't know how it works for other groups but this is how it works when I do it...

How many times have you gotten an art book, flipped through it once or twice, and then forgotten about it? You meant to go through the techniques and try the projects but never got around to it. You will get around to it one day but something keeps coming up. One day just never got here. Sound familiar.

A book study give you the chance to put that book to good use. This gives you the chance to actually go through the book. We don't go through the book in its entirety but a good part of it. How much you participate is up to you. You do not have to follow the schedule. You can do it at your own speed depending on how busy your life it. You can follow along at the same pace and decide that you don't want to be part of our conversations. You can remain a lurker in the group, if that is your choice.

What I do is try to lead the group in trying the techniques in the book. I will try and give everyone a little lead time or schedule in what we will do so that people will have time to get whatever materials are needed. I will try and do it on the same day every week. People will try the technique. You can post a pict to the photo section and post comments on how the technique went to the group. You do not have to follow the technique to the letter. Variations are always welcome. One of the great things about mixed media art is that you can change techniques to the kind of art that you do.

If you get busy with life or if you are out of town on business, you can skip that time and come back to it when you can. If you don't have the materials or that specific technique does not interest you, then you can skip it for that week. We will also do some of the finished projects in the book. I will probably not host any swaps stemming from the book. I am going to ask other people in the Yahoo group to do that since I am extremely busy with other things and don't have the time to dedicate to something like that right now.

There is no pressure. The book study is for you so you can get the chance to do something with the book and to share with other people to get more out of it. I have also been thinking of doing a fabric book with a fabric book background and a board book. That would be later on.

Do not feel that you have to have every single thing that is listed in the book. It is okay to have things that are similar or to substitute something that you already have that is something you use in your art. It is okay to say "what if I did this" and try it as long as you let us in on it. If you don't have something and you just want to try it once, you might want to ask someone in the group if they have it just to try it. It can be a trade or some other arrangement. It is all in the file section under the book study group file in the Mixed Media Art Friends Yahoo group.

Done rambling. Feel free to ask any more questions.

Stitch Alchemy Book Study

Okay, it is a GO! Book Study starts October 4th. You can get all the details in the Yahoo group. Link is here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mmartfriends/

message #3232 until I set up the files

You do need to join the Yahoo group to play. It is not hard to do. You do not have to be part of the rest of the group, if you don't want to.

It will be a lot of fun. You don't have to have a lot of sewing experience. If you are a mixed media artist who is looking to get your toes wet on "the other side" (fabric), this is a great way to do it. You get to combine a lot of elements you are familiar with and get to incorporate some fabric into the mix. If you are a quilter/fabric artist, it is a great way to do it the other way around.

Come join us and have some fun. How much you want to participate is up to you.

Book Review: Creative Paint Workshop for Mixed-Media Artists by Ann Baldwin

I am ambivalent about this book. I really like a lot of the artwork in this book but do not like some others. Only a few though. It is a composition/layout issue. I figure that's how I'm supposed to feel about art - I like it or I don't. I do like the composition and the texture. I also like her color palettes. This is the first book where I have encountered mixed media composition addressed this way. She not only discussed it with examples but talks about what about this and what about that. That is great for collage artists. I think this would be a great book to give my niece who is just starting out in art. It would be a great reference book for her. Oh, she's not getting this copy. I'll have to get her another one!

I did like the section on encaustics. I don't do that much but it was an interesting read. Besides a couple of points that I did not personally agree with in the book, I think this book is a keeper. It is full of good tips and it tries to answer your anticipated questions. It has some good techniques in it. Techniques are brief. Pictures are very large and detailed. What do you think?

Book Review: Green Guide for Artists by Karen Michel

I saw this book at Art Unraveled when I was in Arizona. I saw it while I was walking around during Vendor Day. I did not pick it up immediately and it was gone when I came back around the second time. So, I ordered it and I am am very happy that I did so. I have been trying to use up a lot of what I already have and have been trying to not buy a lot of "stuff" besides fabric, glue, and paint. I reuse a lot of scraps in my art. I am also a lover of found objects. I have been trying to be "green" for awhile now to do my part to save the earth for my children's children. Hey, I'm trying.

I found this book to be a very interesting read. I met Karen Michel briefly while at Art Unraveled. I did not get a chance to talk to her for a very long time, but I do admire what she does with children. She runs a nonprofit art center for children with her artist husband. I am sure she does a ton of other things, too. I read about it from time to time on Facebook.

Getting back to the book, one of my favorite things in the book are the wood collage vignettes. I love working on wood blocks. They really speak to me. They hold paint and other textures so well. I do such lovely things to them with my Dremel. I got a chance to see some of her vignettes at Art Unraveled and they were great! I might have to host a swap for some of the individual blocks. Wait! Slap me. What am I saying? When do I have time any more to host a swap? Scratch that! They are wonderful though.

Going on...the book talks about greening your studio and then green recipes and then green projects. There is even a section with different artists. The last section with the different artists was the least interesting to me. I found the rest of the book before that most appealing to me. I really enjoyed this book. So groovin' on the paper mache beads and bird. I am so going to have to do that when I have some time. I like my art to be simple and not overly done. That is how this book is. It is not overly done. The pages are not glossy and not "too much". The pictures are still clear and very nicely sized. The directions are very clear. I like having alternatives and that is what this book gives me. Simple and clean.

Winner of PhotoEZ sheet

Ellen Lyn said...This sounds cool!! Count me IN! ThnxCongrats. Email me or I will pick another winner! I need to send you the special paper for your artwork so I can create the stencil!

Ellen Lyn - please contact me. We never connected and I wanted to make sure you got your stencil created.

Soy Wax Eye Candy

This one is one of my absolute faves. It looks scrumptious on both sides. I cannot have asked for it it turn out any better if I planned it that way.

This one not very successful - one of very few (above).

I absolutely love this one (both sides).

Loved this one - one of my faves (above)

This one did not turn out as well as I would have liked (above).

One of my favorites (above)!

This one is not as faint in color in real life.

These wonderful pieces of fabric are from Melly Testa's workshop soy wax batik at Art Unraveled in Phoenix, AZ. I just got home a few days ago. I had to come home to iron them to heat set the Lumiere paint, scrub the paint off where the wax was, and wash the wax off the fabric. These are the results. I am very happy with my results. There were only a couple that did not turn out well. You can click on the picts to get a larger view of the pict. You may not be able to see the metallics in the pict but they look FAB! in real life.

Melly's sox wax technique is also in her rather new book, Inspired to Quilt: Experiments in Art Quilt Imagery by Melanie Testa

http://www.amazon.com/Inspired-Quilt-Creative-Experiments-Imagery/dp/1596680962/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1250456278&sr=8-1

If you ever get a chance to take a class with Melly, grab it. I had the most fun in her class. I am rather picky when it comes to taking workshops. I had a lot of fun.

Great new blog

http://www.highschoolsupergirl.blogspot.com/

I wanted to support a great new blog that someone sent me a link to. It is great to see a girl this age so empowered. Don't you remember wanting to be a superhero at this age when you were a kid? What did you want to be when you were a kid? I wanted to be a truck driver amongst a few dozen other things. Now I hate driving long distances. Go figure. Plz go and give her some positive feedback.

Dremel Giveaway Winner is....

Well.. I put in my contacts and I counted twice to be sure I had the correct winner.

The winner is....

Elizabeth in NM with this comment:

Elizabeth in NM said...
So, DH "borrowed" my Dremel and took it down to work--at least I get visitation rights. It would be nice to have my own at home again!
12:55 AM

Congratulations! You know the drill. Email me with the details.

Art Unraveled

I am there RIGHT NOW! If you really care and want to see picts of what I am doing in my workshops and sometimes instructor samples, go to my facebook page. I have some picts. I might have some comments under my profile. I am under Belinda Spiwak. I will become your friend. Just say you are from my blog.

New Giveaway: Dremel 100 Series!

You have until August 14th to leave a comment. I will pick a winner August 15th from the Random Number Generator. Just tell me about your Dremel experiences or what you would do with a Dremel.

Here are the 100 series specs:
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Tools/Pages/ToolDetail.aspx?pid=100+Series

Dremel also has a new DVD out with how to use their tools and has some projects on there - not our kind of art but it shows the tool in use. It is very useful in learning how to use the tool in general. Did I mention that the DVD is free? Here is the link:
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/customerservice/ManualsAndLiterature/Pages/default.aspx
On the same page is their accessories guide poster. It might not look the best printed out- have not done it myself - but it is a great reference guide.

Good luck! Thanks to Dremel for providing me with this great giveaway!

stampczy and resin kit giveaway

You have until August 15th to email me with your mailing information. If you don't respond by then, I will have to pick a new winner. Here is the comment you left:


stampczy said...
Ok, mission accomplished. The site is nice and bright with good info and her samples are great. Resin is on my list of things to try but haven't taken the plunge yet.