New year new books.

2011 Art Journal

Although we're a whole week into the new year I still have that fresh, new and full of potential feeling only the new year can bring. I've been following the Creative Jump Start Summit 2012 this last week and it's been so inspiring. But when I went to do some playing in my art journal it was almost completely full. I made this journal from some scraps of water colour paper I had left over from some precious book projects. So the size was determined by the size of the scraps. Even the cover was made from a scrap piece of water colour paper. I thought it was going to be a little small for an Art Journal being only about 5"x5" but at it turned out I found this size worked out really well. It's seemed to suit me just right, it wasn't too small to work in and have room to play and it wasn't so big that it was daunting to fill the page. Although I have some other store bought journals this one has been my favourite so I decided to make a similar one for 2012.

2012 Art Journal

I didn't have much in the way of watercolour scraps this time but I did have a few large sheets of similar paper. I can't remember what kind it was, it's smoother than water colour paper but still heavy enough to be able to work in any kind of medium I want. I decided to make this one a little bigger so it's about 6"x5 1/2". I used the same Butterfly binding because I really liked the openness it gave to each page. I used a corrugated board for the cover since I seem to have an excess of it and I really like the look. So now I'm ready for a new year of Art Journaling. I hope to get more of it done this year.

When I was searching for paper for my new Art Journal I came across some nice smooth black paper in my scrap pile so I made this book to try out some white on black zentangles. Can't wait to try it out.

If you haven't noticed yet I have a new winter schedule up on my workshop page. I'll be teaching at a few local studio's in the next few months as well as here in my own studio. At Earmark Studio I'll be teaching the Piano Hinge book and Metal embossing on canvas. At Laura Daub's Studio I'll be teaching metal embossing also. These ladies are both amazing artists and have beautiful studio's. To learn more about them check out their web sites.

Wendy

Wine word canvas.

I just managed to finish this canvas on time for a Christmas gift. I wasn't sure it was all going to come together but with a little help from some family members it did.  The Tin Man says it his favourite word canvas that I've made so far.

It's got me thinking about some other themes I can use for a word canvas...!!

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Did you make any Christmas gifts this year? 

Wendy

A wish, a hope and a little sorry.

 I'm more than a little sorry that I've neglected you, my blogging friends. I'm alive and well, although a little tired and worn out from the holiday festivities. Tis the season and all that! Starting out the holiday season a little low on energy caused me to shorten my list of to do's so blogging and baking were two of them. We did fine without the baking as many people bring things with when they come to visit and the Tin Man bought a few extra sweet treats while shopping. But I missing my blogging and am glad to be back at it. I found a little time in December to create some tags and here are a couple just for you.

A special wish that your holiday was a joyful one with lots of laughter and fun.

And a Hope of Happiness and Health in the New Year!

Wendy

One last show for the year.

I'm getting ready for a show tomorrow which is appropriately names Last Chance Craft Show. Well maybe that's just what I need since I'm not done my Christmas shopping yet!

 As usual I get a burst of creative energy just before a show, so here are a few of the new items I'm made this week.

 This is one of three nest necklaces that will be their.

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 These have just a slight steampunk feel to them.

It took me a while to finish these ones. I did the patina months ago and couldn't decide if I liked them or not but once I found some beads to go with them I think they may have become one of my favs. So I may have to keep one of these for myself!

Along with these earrings I have about 8 more pairs all a little different from each other.

So come on out to the Richmond Arena for some last minute Christmas shopping. What you say you're done! Then come out and get yourself something special to celebrate, you deserve it!

Last Chance Craft Show

Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 10am-4pm

Richmond Arena upstairs Hall

6095 Perth St. Richmond, ON.

See you there!

Wendy

New earring design.

At my Open House recently I was wearing these new earring I had made a few weeks earlier to try them out...well you know you can't sell things without test driving them first! These little bead and shells are each wrapped on it's own head pin. I had made them to add to a bracelet as  little extra dangles but then didn't like them on it so there they sat on my work table waiting for another project to fit for few months. I don't use pink and purple much in my work but sometimes I do wear a little so I thought I'll just make a small pair of earring for myself with them. I'd been playing with the idea of making some dangling earring from bits of chain and I could try it out with these before making some more combos on head pins.

 Well back to the Open House- one of my favourite customers notices them but asked me to make them in an orange gold combo of colours. I love when people asked for variations of my jewelry because it inspires me to continue to find more variations on a theme. Something I never tire of.

 In this combo the shells are more golden than the first ones I did and the ear hooks are my own had made ones too.

 This has the little coloured shells again with my own ear hooks. I like the way the orange pops more with the lighter coloured shells. What's your preference?

So if you every have any suggestions or variations of my jewelry you'd like to see, I'd love to hear about it.

Wendy

My first blog hop.

WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

I'm so excited to be a part of the Holiday Shop Hop this weekend. This is the first time I've participated in a blog hop and I'm looking forward to meeting some new blog friend. So if you're new to my blog give me a shout, I'd love to meet you. Or if you're not new give me a shout any way, spread some holiday cheer to kick off December.

We've had a lovely light snow fall this morning and everything is coated white. It's a winter wonderland that  can't help but put me in a festive mood. So along with my first blog hop I'm going to have my first Etsy sale this weekend.

Saturday and Sunday

December 3 and 4, 2011.

10% off everything in the shop.

Use code HSH2011 at the checkout.

Now you can go check out all the other participants in the Holiday Blog Hob.

A Bead A Day

Blackbeary Mountain

Blue Pearls Handcrafted Goods

Chic and Frog

Crafty Hope

Dragonfly Dreamers

Etania Gems

ExPostFacto Jewelry

Fangdangles

GreenBead Designs

Handcrafted Serenity Jewelry Designs

Happy and Healthy Magnetic Jewelry

Holly Westfall / Silver Rose Designs

Just A Tish

Just Mare Pottery

Keefer Style Creations

Kabs Creative Concepts

Klassy Joolz

Kristi Bowman Design

Lilly Rose Jewelry Designs

Little Rocks

MiShel Designs

Melinda Orr Designs

My Life Under the Bus

Olive Branch Organics

Pine Ridge Treasures

Pink Poppy Studio

Rosebud’s Lampwork Beads

Sand & Sea Designs

SCJ Jewelry Design

Sew Stacy

SongBeads

Studio Waterstone

Sundancegems

Suzanne Stevens

Sweet Creek Herbs

Sweet Water Designs

Wire Worked Handcrafted 

Now I'm off to do some holiday shopping. Have a great weekend.

Wendy

Just part of the journey...and my first tutorial!

For the most part I'm a self taught Artist. I have no formal training other than taking a few workshops here and there. I love to explore and teach myself a variety of techniques.

So when I decided I wanted to combine metal and leather, I just went ahead and got started. It all went well until it was time to attach the copper to the leather. I had seen a few examples of this kind of think on line and my first impression was that the metal had been attached with wire.  After some time fighting with the wire, copper and leather, I discovered that this was not going to be as easy as my brain had led me to believe it would be, as is so often the case. When I get stuck on an idea my best solution is to start doing some google searches. This usually delivers endless suggestions for how something should or could be done. But in this case I came up with next to nothing. Not one tutorial or video to be found. Etsy as usual was a great inspirational source but I could only guess at how some of the lovely leather and metal cuffs had been combined. So it was back to the drawing board. I started to think about any conceivable method of attaching these two elements. It wasn't long before I had a number of methods to try. So I went ahead and tried them all

With this first one I attached it with waxed linen. Something I had handy from doing some book binding. Once the holes were made in the leather and copper I sewed it together. For fun I added some rivets to the leather band with my Crop-a-dile.

The next one I decided to try some mini nuts and screws. I had bought these earlier this year but hadn't tried them yet. Although they are very small to work with they proved to be very easy to use. I was able to cut the extra length of the screw off with my wire cutters and just give the ends a little sanding with my metal file. I will definitely be using these more in some upcoming projects.

On these last two I used rivets and my Crop-a-dile. I was able to use the Crop-a-dile to make the holes in the metal and the leather and then set the rivets. On the tan one I added flowers with more rivets to the band.

I started out thinking if I try lots of different methods for attaching metal to leather, I would at least find one that worked well or that I like. But in the end I discovered three methods that are quite easy to accomplish and I really love the look of.

So what do you think? Which method is your favourite?

And let me know how my first tutorial went. Did I give you enough information or too much? I can take it, let me know how I can improve.

Also if you know of any other methods for this I'd love to hear about them.

Wendy