Beauty everywhere I look April 24, 2008

I have been walking around feeling a little high lately.  Everywhere I look I see nature’s beauty.  Maybe it is because we are actually having a Spring season this year.  As opposed to Virginia’s usual mad rush from Winter to Summer.  Everywhere I look nature is begging me to notice her.  And yes, I am quite sure that Nature is a woman.  Who else but a woman would display her beauty over and over begging you for a complement?  Well, she’s definitely caught my attention.  Here are a couple of shots of the little things I noticed on a recent walk. 

I see you, Nature.  And you are gorgeous.

It’s all black and white March 7, 2008

Recently I wondered what it would be like to fill a white space with black shapes.  This small ponderence started me down another art journey that resulted in my first sale of Art.  Now, to be clear, I have sold things before.  I sell my art on greeting cards, mirrors, magnets, a bird house and of course I have sold lots of jewelry.  But this sale was the first piece of Art for Art’s sake – Art that has no other function than to be admired.  

The sale then inspired me to make more of my black and white or “Filigree” pieces.  I now have a series of 6, all available on my Etsy site (http://www.beautifullystrange.etsy.com)  Pictured here is “Bird on a Pedestal” my latest work in the series.  As always, I would love to hear your thoughts.

 Kathleen

Quid Pro Quo January 20, 2008

My favorite Yahoo group has announced that it will most likely dissolve at the end of this month.  I am so sad.  I have had such amazing art exchanges with this group.  Just finished a bracelet made from 20 different handmade charms from numerous artists.  Such a cool experience – to send in 10 of something and get 10 amazing pieces of art in return.

 My most recent swap was a one on one exchange with a very talented artist named Ang. (Visit her blog here  http://altermyworld.blogspot.com/) She fell in love with my tree cards and ordered a couple of sets, then asked if I would make one just for her.  I in turn selected one of her design concepts and asked her to make one for me. 

 O happy day! When her card arrived in the mail I was smitten.  Every time I look at it I feel like its my birthday.  What a great feeling.   I have posted here pics of both my and Ang’s art.  Hope it makes you smile too.

Kathleen

Just another excuse to make art. November 12, 2007

As many of you know, I have recently been ill and required minor surgery.  I have received a wonderful outpouring of affection from friends far and wide making thank you cards a necessity.  So I took this opportunity to make a few new pieces of art.  I figured if I am gonna send a card, why pay for someone else’s work?  I would much rather make something and pass it on.  The fruits of my labors became a set of 4 bird themed cards, and a set of 4  with trees.  They will soon be off to all my lovely friends and relatives. 

I was pleased enough to post a few here and offer both sets for sale at my etsy shop www.beautifullystrange.etsy.com.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Kathleen

Feeling a little blocked… October 2, 2007

A little over a week ago, we put our dog to sleep.  This has left me feeling sorely uncreative (among other things.)  Normally, I would just allow myself time to get through it, knowing that I will eventually be able to get my art on.  My problem is this – my skinny book pages are due soon and I still have a lot to do.  So I am trying to work through it.  Even though I really feel it is not my best work. 

I have made 5 pages and thrown out 2 – something I don’t normally do.  Usually even if a work isn’t what I was going for, I can handle the surprise and make it into something else that I like.  Not this time.  I am veiwing everything with a great big jaundiced eye (not my usual rose colored glasses) and it all looks like crap to me. 

 I can only hope the receipients of these pages don’t agree with me. 

 In the meantime, I am throwing everything I have at this effort.  Paint, sewing, clip art, collage, layers – everything I can think of.   The pics above are of the ones that are dry.  On the left is “glamorous” – I love using this face.  I call her Judith.  The one on the right is a reaction to feeling like my heart is missing a piece since Augie died. 

Kathleen

Jewelry September 6, 2007

I started my artistic career as a jewelry artist.  Although I am in a “mixed-media mode” my first love will always be creating jewelry.  There is something so zen about creating a simple yet elegant piece of jewelry.  Whether it be earrings that dangle and shine, a bracelet that adds a touch of whimsy or a truly glamorous necklace, I find real joy in creating jewelry. 

 The piece shown above is a 14k gold necklace and earring set, one of the few I have made in gold.  Most of my work is in Sterling silver.

 In the interests of revisiting my first love, I have opened a second shop on Etsy, selling my jewelry creations and a few extra jewelry making supplies.  Check it out if you are so inclined.  I’ll gladly take 10% off of any jewelry item if you mention you saw my blog at the time of purchase.

 http://www.getdistractedby.etsy.com

Kathleen

P.S. Here is a link to a really great set of beads.  I just bought too many!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6991133

Still more skinny book pages August 26, 2007

This pair brings me up to 12.  Only 14 more to go.

More skinny book pages August 26, 2007

I finally decided to bite the bullet and tackle some more skinny book pages.    You will recall from previous posts that I am making 26 original pages for  Chrysti Hydeck’s skinny book exchange (as featured in a recent issue of Cloth Paper Scissors.) Partially due to my fear that I will wake up and have all the unfinished pages due at once, and partially because I am tired of making purses right now (I have a whole bunch posted on my Etsy site www.beautifullystrange.etsy.com) I chose to make 4 pages.  Here they are with (hopefully) a few more to follow in the next few days.

More skinny book pages August 25, 2007

My next venture August 1, 2007

I am an admitted purse-o-holic.  My constant search for the “perfect purse” (you know, the one that will make your life complete?)  has led me to start wanting to make them myself.  So I purchased a few books, a few patterns and a whole heap of funky fabrics.  Yet I still couldn’t bring myself to try and make a purse.  Why?  Fear.  It is so wierd to me that even after all the things I have successfully created, certain things still scare me.  In this case, trying to line a purse and create a square bottom had me quaking in my shoes.  So, I took a class and in less than two hours had mastered the skill I feared to try on my own.  The result, three funky fabulous purses ready to use.  Will I use them?  Maybe.  More likely I will try to sell them.  After all, I am not yet sure I have created the perfect one.

The above purse started life as two placemats.  See more purses and stuff at my etsy shop www.beautifullystrange.etsy.com