greenpepperpressblog

Tag: cool stuff

  • Who’s a Lucky Girl?

    I've been saying it for years….even had a ring made that says it:  I'm a Lucky Girl.  And now we have one!  Yesterday we adopted a little female kitten.  She is precious – still very shy and skittish as she gets used to our home, but she is very loving and a cuddler.  We are crazy about her already.  Her name is Lucky.

     

    MW Lucky

    I didn't think I would ready for another cat this soon as we are still mourning our Winston.  But one day when I was driving in the car, sobbing to myself as I was thinking about him, a black cat ran across the street and I almost hit it.  Swerving over to the side of the road I said to myself, 'that was lucky'.  And for some reason it felt like a sign that it was time to visit the shelters and see if we might fit with a new friends, and open our hearts and our home to another black cat.  It's commonly known that black cats are the hardest to adopt out, maybe because people think they are bad luck?  I've only had two cats and they are both black.  I guess, like this bowl of jelly beans, the black ones get left behind.  Lucky for me, I love the licorice, and I will gladly invite a black cat home.  So with the help of the kind ladies of Second Chance for Animals, and the Franklin Township Animal Shelter, we brought home our girl.  They think she was born sometime in March 2012, so we are claiming today as her birthday.  Fits, right?

     

    MWblackjellybeans

     

    I haven't had time to mess around with graphics to create a St.Patrick's Day greeting for you, so I am pulling up the one from 2009.  They say you have to make your own luck….done!

     

    MWstpatricksday09

  • lost and found

    I did a little organizing yesterday as I'm launching into a few new projects and had to clear the debris from the table.  As I was putting things away, I stumbled upon these polymer clay cutting devices.  I know I own at least three sets of these….they never seem to surface when I'm looking for them.  So I had to dip them into the wet paint nearby and tap them off on scratch paper.  Cool tool for clay, but also handy for making little marks on your journal pages!  Now I've put them in a place where I will find them the next time I need a quatrefoil fix.

     

    MWmarkmakingtools

  • lost and found

    I did a little organizing yesterday as I'm launching into a few new projects and had to clear the debris from the table.  As I was putting things away, I stumbled upon these polymer clay cutting devices.  I know I own at least three sets of these….they never seem to surface when I'm looking for them.  So I had to dip them into the wet paint nearby and tap them off on scratch paper.  Cool tool for clay, but also handy for making little marks on your journal pages!  Now I've put them in a place where I will find them the next time I need a quatrefoil fix.

     

    MWmarkmakingtools

  • i love art: assemblage

    MWILOVEARTassemblage

    MWILOVEARTassemblage2

    MWILOVEARTassemblage3

    Remember back in grade school when you had to make a diorama?  Mine was a science project built in a shoebox.  Later in high school I fabricated scale models of houses that I designed in my architectural drawing classes.  One even won the first place blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair!  I love constructing and assembling art in boxes as it provides the perfect platform for collecting and presenting interesting items – some found, some altered, some invented. 

  • i love art: assemblage

    MWILOVEARTassemblage

    MWILOVEARTassemblage2

    MWILOVEARTassemblage3

    Remember back in grade school when you had to make a diorama?  Mine was a science project built in a shoebox.  Later in high school I fabricated scale models of houses that I designed in my architectural drawing classes.  One even won the first place blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair!  I love constructing and assembling art in boxes as it provides the perfect platform for collecting and presenting interesting items – some found, some altered, some invented. 

  • i love art: visual journals

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals2

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals3

     

    I love my journals.  They chronicle my art journey.  Sometimes I use them to work out ideas, with sketches and notes, and trials of techniques and a playground of discovery.  Sometimes I use them to collect evidence of a work-in-progess with paint strokes of color, collage clippings, and remnants of materials or supplies used.  There are also times I just want to focus on a theme and make a self-contained journal with a recurring motif.  I have big ones, little ones, some finished, some incomplete.  I believe keeping a visual journal is a vital part of my artistic process.

  • i love art: visual journals

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals2

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals3

     

    I love my journals.  They chronicle my art journey.  Sometimes I use them to work out ideas, with sketches and notes, and trials of techniques and a playground of discovery.  Sometimes I use them to collect evidence of a work-in-progess with paint strokes of color, collage clippings, and remnants of materials or supplies used.  There are also times I just want to focus on a theme and make a self-contained journal with a recurring motif.  I have big ones, little ones, some finished, some incomplete.  I believe keeping a visual journal is a vital part of my artistic process.

  • tip: stencil/mask storage

    Do as I say, not as I do.  Truth be told, I don't always put my stencils away.  I often toss them in a cardboard palette or a massive file folder.  Every once in a while I will set to the task of arranging into binders, according to style.  There is an alphabet binder, and one for fronds, one for patterns, some handcut, some commercial….

    Many stencils come packaged in clear envelopes or bags.  Why not add some easy DIY tabs and keep them stored in a three ring binder?  Supplies required:  binder, packing tape, 1/4" punch.  Done!  For stencils that don't come with packaging:  page protectors! 

    MWstencilstorage

    Registration for CREATE NJ has begun!  Hope to see you there!!

  • tip: stencil/mask storage

    Do as I say, not as I do.  Truth be told, I don't always put my stencils away.  I often toss them in a cardboard palette or a massive file folder.  Every once in a while I will set to the task of arranging into binders, according to style.  There is an alphabet binder, and one for fronds, one for patterns, some handcut, some commercial….

    Many stencils come packaged in clear envelopes or bags.  Why not add some easy DIY tabs and keep them stored in a three ring binder?  Supplies required:  binder, packing tape, 1/4" punch.  Done!  For stencils that don't come with packaging:  page protectors! 

    MWstencilstorage

    Registration for CREATE NJ has begun!  Hope to see you there!!

  • more workshops….connecticut in october

    I didn't expect to have several posts in a row all about the upcoming workshops but each venue has posted the class listings so I wanted to give you the latest news.  Just up today:  Art Is….You in Stamford, Connecticut in October.  Registration for this event begins February 1st.  Visit the site to see the list of instructors, workshops, and events.  Lots to consider!  Below are quick-reference visuals of the workshops I'll be teaching.  For full descriptions visit my Workshop page, or Art-Is-You.com.

    There are a few spots left in the 3-day May workshop, Far Away Places, I'm co-hosting with Lynne Perrella in CT.  First weekend is full!  If you are interested, click on the workshop link at the left sidebar, or top navigation bar, for workshop description.  Full dossier of registration and lodging details available by request, LKPerrella@aol.com

     

    MW Art Is You brief