Bella & Wenchie

Trust Me

Playing with a drawing of Etsy SteamTeam member Wenchie today. Hopefully she won't mind the liberties I tend to take when putting my spin on a portrait. Not sure if it is done yet. I am at that walk-away-for-a-couple-of-days-so-I-can-get-a-fresh-perspective point.

If you get a chance pop by her Etsy shop Wenchie's Sacred Relics . She's got some fabulous pieces like this necklace:

Chastity in Chains

Yay! The artwork for the Twilight book club on ZNE is up. Looks like only a few of us played for chapter 1. I'm hoping more members will jump aboard as we get further in. I think you can see the other entries if you click HERE & just scroll down the page. Here's my final piece.

Bella

Supposed to be cleaning the studio today. Spent too much time puttering with everything I found. As usual. So, the place still looks like a cyclone passed through. Sadly, this is the neatest corner in the room. Sorry the lighting is so lousy

I did take a bunch of scary before shots but I think I'll wait until there are afters so I don't thoroughly embarrass myself.

By the way, no Thursday Giveaway this week. Great prize for next week though (if I do say so myself ). The lucky winner gets a customized art box. Click HERE for details & pics. Then just leave a comment before noon (EST) July 9th to enter the random drawing

My sis & her husband are visiting for the weekend so I may be scarce. Chomping at the pencil, um, bit to find out what tomorrow's IF prompt is though. Like I don't have enough projects to finish, eh? Silly me. In case I don't make it back in time, I want to wish everyone a great weekend! Have fun!

Mix It Up With Melange Challenge - FUN

Just got back into town after a long weekend of fun & sun to find this cheery prompt from the folks over at Melange On Etsy blog. This is a new mixed media group & each Wednesday they offer up a fresh word to stimulate the creative juices. To play along, simply add a comment HERE with a link to the FUN piece you have made.

This prompt reminded me of all the fun some lucky people are having in Pleasonton, California starting today. They are attending Convenzione ZNE through May 3rd and will be making lots of friends, memories & wonderful projects! (What is ZNE? It's an online gathering place for "mixed media & indie artists". To read more about my experiences with this creative community click HERE) Fabulous classes will be taught in a variety of media - click HERE for more info about the instructors and their artistic talents. There is also a Vendor Fair which is open to the public on Saturday & Sunday. Click HERE for more info & to get a coupon for $1 off the $3 general admission price.

To my fellow ZNE members: I know you are having a blast! Hope to see you next year !!

_____________________

The Party Continues! Happy Birthday to The Duke!

NY declares April 29 Duke Ellington Day
NPR & others ride the 1939 A-Train with The Duke Ellington Orchestra
Now that sounds like fun!

Sneak Peek- My little house

Someday is not a day of the week ~Author Unknown

I should tattoo this to my forehead - in reverse of course ;D

After a major attack of Duh, a couple of ugly blunders, 2 dying printers & an inordinate amount of procrastinating ....FINITO. Sheesh! To quote that learned sage Anonymous once more: If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done.

While fussing over partners for the Hot House Flower - I (thankfully) got a clue...hot house...wildfire charity...duhuhuha...my Freudian slip was showing (again). Really, I'm not tacky on purpose...I just let my subconscious take over more than I should. Thought I was channeling this whole Spicy Diva/Orchid kind of theme...nahhh

Ok. Searched thru the hundreds of unprinted images I've hidden in the computer & found a piece I made for ZNE Verses last year. I'd digitally collaged a charcoal drawing from 20+ yrs ago with a couple of my photos & a leaf skeleton to accompany a St Patrick's Day poem. Resized the piece to house specs and ...nothin....printers died. Back burner time.

Unfortunately "the back burner" is code for no man's land in this studio. Finally got it together, printed, cut, pasted, painted, drawn over & scribbled on.. Coated with UV resistant finish, felted bottom & .....hated it. Too clean. More scribbles, a couple small tears, sandpapered & grungy markers on edges and....blah...but so overdue I'm calling it done. Will photo sides in the sun tomorrow (note to self: get better lighting) and submit to the OzBushfireAppeal shop.

TOOT TOOT TOOT!!

Yep, tootin' my own horn (again). Just so darn thrilled I have to share! Hopped over to ZNE in the wee hours to see what was new & found my latest experiment on the front page. I finally joined the book club there. We are reading Michael De Meng's book Secrets Of Rusty Things. Group members discuss chapters & create their own projects based upon each chapter. This funky flower vase is my interpretation of project# 1 ("Ameratsu - letting daylight out")To find out more about this piece and other ZNE book club projects click here .

ZNE is a gather place for "mixed media & indie artists". It's an amazing community of supportive creative people. There are so many different things going on: ATC swaps, photo challenges, book club, collaborative poetry (finished poems are here ), technique/art supply sharing, a convention , and much more.

Although it sounds corny, ZNE is more to me than a great place to hang out. It was the support of the talented artists I met there that lifted me out of a 5 year art-rut: In 2003 I stopped creating. Last February I joined the group & I started making Art Trading Cards to swap. I started small but now I've got more works in progress around me than I can count! I'm painting & drawing again and trying my hand at something new - jewelry. Through my involvement with ZNE, I've had a piece published in the art book Never Forgotten and participated in my 1st group show in 5 years. I found the confidence to open an Etsy shop & start blogging ( big deals for me as I am not computer savvy or comfortable putting myself "out there").

And I have made some great friends!

If you've read this far, thanks for your patience. I guess, I just want to say THANK YOU! to ZNE founder Chelise Stroud Hery & all of the wonderful people I have met at ZNE. Their patience & encouragement has turned my creative energies right around! Now I just have to find to time to do it all :)