Children's Books

 I am reviewing vintage imagery in some very old children's books.  Don't you just love this border on the title page?  I wish this style of illustration appeared in more books.

The illustrator for this book has created the most beautiful animals.  I think she used a combination of water colour and pencils.  I want to make a magnet set up with some of the bunnies!

Antler Pin

 I have the most interesting pin idea to share with you today!

 A few weeks ago at the Mixed Minded event in Kitchener I met a lovely lady named Beverly.  She signed up for my resin classes and brought something very unique to work with.  This is a slice of antler.  (Deer and elk lose their antlers naturally so you don't have to worry about animals being harmed.) 

We wanted to see what would happen to the slice if we poured on resin.  I protected the surface with a few coats of mod podge. Then I glued on a tiny bit of a decorative napkin.  I poured some Envirotex Lite onto the surface after everything was dried and dropped in a few glass beads.  It cured perfectly!

 I decided to attach the slice to some filigree.  Then I glued on a pin bar.

 This pin is so pretty!  Thank you Beverly for making me experiment on this new surface!

The Bead and Button Show

 I have never been to the Bead and Button show.  My friend Karen has been going annually and I always love to get together with her when she gets back to hear about what she bought and which classes she took.  I am going to go one of these years.  Luckily for me, Karen took some super classes this year and when she came home she made me this necklace!

Isn't it beautiful!  I love metal!

Resin Clay Transfer

 Last week I designed a post for the John Bead blog that shows you how to do a photocopy transfer to white clay.  I am working with Apoxie Sculpt, a resin clay that does everything it promises to.

 I had an idea to create these two clay filled bezels with a transfer.  The transfers turned out beautiful.

I covered the surface with an extra layer of Envirotex Lite resin so now they look glassy too!

Resin Clay

 Sunday always feels like a wrap up day for me.  I have a chance to review everything I did in the last week and I start to plan out Monday morning.  One of the projects I am really excited about is the one I posted on the John Bead blog site.  Resin clays are going to be part of what I plan to really learn about this summer.

If you have time for a cup of coffee this morning you'll enjoy the bead blogger links I have posted this morning too!

About.com Jewelry Making
As an admirer of all things arts & crafts, Lisa shares the hand painted jewelry pieces of "Moni's Originals". Stop by to check out these miniature works of art!

About.com Jewelrymaking
Looking to make some easy metalsmithing jewelry? Take a look at these new jewelry videos.

Art Bead Scene
Looking for some creative jewelry displays? So is ABS Editor Heather Powers. Come check out what she's found.

Beading Arts
Free-form peyote stitch and wire work...what could be more fun than combining the two?!

Carmi's Art Life/World
Carmi's new ring features a rock garden!

Earthenwood Studio
Melanie opens a weekend bead store at her local artist market and has lots of pictures of her booth to share.

Resin Crafts!
Resin Crafts has a great tutorial showing you how to create a pendant with a spoon.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Andrew Thornton, a wonderful person and a member of our group, is having a "Virtual Yard Sale" as he calls it . Check it out on Jean's blog and then go have FUN!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Andrew hosts a week-long Virtual Yard Sale! The week is filled with Ebay sales, new products added to the Shop, lots of giveaways, and some major deals!

Free Card Download from Crafter's Companion - Part Two

This is the second card I made with the free digital download kit from the Crafter's Companion celebrating the arrival of Humphrey the Elephant!  It is very sweet and I finally have a nice card for a boy!

The free Humphrey's Corner download is linked here.

 This is a very generous give-a-way!  Thank you Crafters Companion!

My crafty blogging gang was super busy again this week.  I have a long list of great links!

About Family Crafts
Learn how you can save money and enjoy quality family time by making your own fun craft supplies.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen shows you how she made her old faded patio umbrella festive again! 

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi has a new tutorial featuring the sweetest little elephants! 

Craft Buds
Sewing with oilcloth is fresh and fun, and these sandwich bags will help you reduce waste! There's a little debate over whether or not laminated fabrics are safe for food. Do you know a food-safe alternative? 

Craftside- A behind-the-scenes peek at our crafty world
This week at Craftside there is Year of the Rabbit knit pattern based on the kanji of the Chinese zodiac, a tutorial on how to make a hollow lamp work glass bead along with a chance to win a copy of the book- The Glass Artist's Studio Handbook it's from, a call for entries and a free cute clip art crab perfect for summer art. 

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy discovers some retro crochet items and has a brief moment of nostalgia.  

Cross Stitch at About.com
You're the Designer! See what Irene did with Connie's Hummingbird Outline chart and try your own hand at designing and stitching too. 

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Here are a couple of ways to make hybrid cards to match a gift. Gift baskets of all sorts make lovely eye-appealing gift packages. Coordinating the elements is easier than you may think. 

Lindsay Sews
Have you ever tried the quilt-as-you-go method? Lindsay wraps up a rainbow ticker-tape quilt this week and experiments with a disco-floor layout. 

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi has finished piecing and stitching her little bird quilt top, and now she needs advice on what to do with it! 
Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery 
Computer key ATC card inspired by the book Inner Excavations.

The Scented Surprise

Whenever I see a table of vintage jewelery I always look to see if there is something that I might be able to repair or re purpose into a new piece of jewelery.  I bought this small pin some time ago.  I didn't have a project in mind for it so I put it into a plastic bin I have with other brooches and jewelery I plan to remake.  Well, I opened the bin yesterday and suddenly I could smell Christmas! 

This brooch was made with cloves. That had to have been a labor of love.  I think I will leave it as is for now!

Vintage Flowers

This is one of my favorite new stalls at the big antique market north of Paris.  Finally a vendor that knows you need to just see everything and take a picture or two!

These vintage floral arrangements are gorgeous!

The Best Friends Stamp Set from Humphrey's Corner

I am at The Crafter's Companion Blog today with another card tutorial featuring new stamps from the Humphrey's Corner collection!

The Rock Garden Ring

 Thinking about how hard it is to manage a garden inspired me to create this teeny tiny rock garden ring.

 I used real gemstone chips for this ring. 

 I selected a ring that I had no idea what to do with.  This ring blank is meant to hold a rectagular stone.  Instead I filled it with Apoxie Sculpt.

 All my chips are permanently embedded.

A new ring to make me smile.  A new garden easy to manage.

I Have No Idea Why

Does anyone know why I want this bird cage...but I do not have or want a bird?

I saw this bird cage at the big Paris antique market in April.

If I lived there, this would be taking up precious space in my apartment.

The Cactus Flower

My parents have the greenest thumbs.  Whatever they touch seems to flourish.

They already have fresh garlic, fulls heads of lettuce and tomatoes.  Everything is flowering in their garden.  These two amazing flowers are just two of dozens growing on a cactus.  Yes, a cactus.  We live in Ontario.  Geeze, it just stopped snowing.  

So I salute all green thumbs today.  It is still spring and I bet you are all enjoying your gardens.  The rest of us are on our way back to the garden centre to replace the plants that have already expired.....

Happy Father's Day!

 Happy Father's Day to all who love and parent two and four legged babies.

This week I plan to do something with this peacock.  In the mean time, here are my bead blogger Sunday links!

The Bead Dreamer
Ever wonder if the Knew Concepts red jeweler's saw frame is really better? Charlene shares her take on it.

A Bead A Day
Earrings make great gifts in a hurry for yourself and friends! Lisa shares a few newly made pairs using both sparkly and vintage beads!

About.com Jewelry Making
Get in the mood for summer jewelry fun with two turtle jewelry tutorials from Tammy.

Art Bead Scene
Art Bead Scene dishes up some lovely sunshine - come get some!

Beading Arts
Cyndi's favorite wire guru, Paul Bishop, shares a wonderful tutorial with Cyndi's readers!

Beads & Books
Have you ever wondered how much traffic websites such as Etsy or ArtFire get? Michelle shares a free online tool that gives you quick website statistics.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi is experimenting with Apoxie Sculpt!

Resin Crafts!
Resing crafts has a special $200 give-a-way ending June 21!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Cyndi Lavin, multi media artist and beader extraordinaire, has added a new chapter to her e-book! Please read my review of it! Her book is now 5 chapters long and is filled with great ideas and beauty -- irresistible! Plus, as you may know,the first chapter continues to be a FREE download! Hooray!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Want a "post-Bead&Button Show" stash of jewelry-making goodies? Enter to win this week's Thursday Giveaway!

Mother Nature Handed Me A gift

 

I can't imagine receiving anything nicer today.

Have a great Saturday and please enjoy my crafting blogger links.

About Family Crafts
Check out several Summer themed beaded safety pin patterns can be use to make fun jewelry to wear to celebrate summer and they also make great gifts!

Aileen's Musings
Aileen tells you how she created a inexpensive fabulously fun outdoor chandelier for her porch from a hanging wire candle holder. 

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi debuts her project for the a special Canadian workshop at CHA. 

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
This week at Craftside there is a tutorial on how to use spray starch to make a hand applique, a recipe for white chocolate cranberry blondies, tips on carving your own rubber stamps from the book Unfurling. 

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
This week at Craftside there is a tutorial on how to use spray starch to make a hand applique, a recipe for white chocolate cranberry blondies, tips on carving your own rubber stamps from the book Unfurling. 

Crafty Princess Diaries
To give her hands a little bit of a break, Tammy is checking out the possibilities of loom knitting. 

Cross Stitch at About.com
Great gifts for Dad for Father's Day or any other day. Do you stitch for Father's Day? Vote in the poll and let us know. 

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Most silk scarf painting/dying is done with a stretcher frame. But if you don’t want to spend the money on a stretcher and are not planning a detailed design, this easy dye method can yield beautiful results as well. 

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi continues her experiment using an antique trading card for quilt inspiration! 

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery

See how to make a tiny scrap fabric dress decoration inspired by the book DIY Art at Home.  

“BE INSPIRED” At CHA 2011 Summer Conference & Trade Show

CHA Canada is proud to reveal the projects that will be highlighted at the upcoming CHA 2011 Summer Conference & Trade Show in Rosemont during education day on July 18, 2011.

To sign up to attend the event you will first need to register to attend the CHA Summer show, then register for the Special Event E506. Go to www.chashow.org for more details

For this Special Event for retailers, CHA Canada approached some of the finest designers in Canada to take on a mixed media challenge. They all received the same set of products from four sponsors and had to design something unique on a 10 x 10 canvas. Below you will see the results.

As part of the event each Designer will discuss and in some cases demonstrate how they created the project. Sponsors will also display the products used and give you a sneak peak of new releases from their product line before the show opens the following day.

DESIGNER PROJECTS

Carmi Cimicata:

Read more about Carmi on her website at:

http://www.carmi.ca/

Note: This is actually a necklace attached to a canvas!

Debra Quartermain:

Read more about Sharon on her website at: http://www.debraquartermain.com/

Lorine Mason:

Read more about Lorine on her website at: http://www.lorinemasondesigns.com/

 

Marie Browning:

Read more about Marie on her website at:

http://www.mariebrowning.com/

Michael Sellick:

Read more about Michael on his website at: http://www.thecrochetcrowd.com/

Sharon Reinhart:

Read more about Sharon on her blog at: http://www.smrdesigns.blogspot.com/

 

Tracy Moreau:

Read more about Tracy on her website at:

http://www.tracymoreau.com/

 

Wendy Russell:

Read more about Wendy on her website at:

http://www.wendyrussell.com/

See you in Rosemont July 18, 2011!

Pink Flowers In Clay

I can't stop experimenting with Apoxie Sculpt. I have been creating all sorts of samples for the John Bead Blog and in my spare time I have been making extra pieces.

Apoxie Sculpt is a fabulous clay that air dries rock solid. It is an ideal surface for mixed media projects. For this pendant I began with an open bezel. I filled it with the clay.

Then I embedded all these findings. I did not use any additional glues or any tools.

Because I embedded the dangles I was able to attach these charms. I could make these all day!

In the Paris Shop Window

Sigh.  How I love this painting.

Wish I could draw or paint like this.

Art Sumo

Have you heard about artSumo?

This is a very cool new website and concept that features a painting each day from an unknown artist in the developing world.  If you sign up for their email they send you one picture every day of one painting that is available to buy.  My husband is really enjoying the daily art show.  Only one painting for sale - at an amazing pricing.  I happily "liked them" on Facebook too!  These are just a few of this weeks offerings!

Fur Cards

  Can you walk by a postcard display without stopping?  In Paris, I can't.  They have so many different postcards.  Just when I think I have them all, I see another postcard stand with a completely different collection.  This stand stopped me for a different reason though.  Can you see it?  The shocking pink?

 Faux fur cards!  I didn't buy them, but now that I see them again I think how funny they would have been to receive in the mail.  Next time I am getting these for all the children in my life....and a few big kids too.

My Mixed Media Project for "Be Inspired" Event at CHA

 "BE INSPIRED” 

A Canadian Designer Look & Learn Special Event for Retailers

I received an invitation to participate in the "Be Inspired” workshop.  It is taking place at the Craft and Hobby Summer conference in Chicago this July.

Eight Canadian designers and sponsors are participating.

Designers are provided with the same group of materials with the task of creating a mixed media project and instructions.  The companies we received products from include: Canvas Corp, DecoArt, Loisirs Harmonie and Tsukineko.

The retailers who attend this event will get a CD containing all the instructions for the eight different mixed media projects.  Isn't that an amazing idea?  I had a great time selecting the products I wanted to use for my "Tribute to Oscar Wilde."

I am really looking forward to meeting the other designers and seeing their projects.  If you are heading to CHA you won't want to miss this workshop!  Retailers take away an inspiration kit, with products valued at over $150, to recreate some of the projects in their stores.

Where:  CHA Summer Conference and Trade Show – Rosemont, Illinois

When:  July 18, 3:00-5:00pm  Pre-Show Conference day