Spring is coming soon...

...and with that the smell of trees blooming, and a freshness in the air.  I cannot believe it is almost here, since we had no winter, no rain, and virtually no Autumn!  I wish someone we could load up all that snow back east and plop it into our empty and bone dry lakes.  So here in the central valley I pray for rain, and lots of it.

One of the things I want to do this year is get back to my blog.  I hope I haven't lost touch with everyone.  I have been visiting all my followed blogs and glad to see you are all still around.  I have had some health issues for the last several months and am still navigating through it all.

Here are a few things I have made recently.  This pendant below was taught by Amy Hannah at Terri Brush Art Camp in the fall.  I had an amazing time!  I love this necklace.

Plexiglas, paper, leather,fibers, and etched metal pendant

Etched brass shield. Back of bird shield

This next photo is a wrap bracelets a sterling silver molten cross I made from Terri Brush' s class at Art Camp. I free hand cut the cross from nickel silver metal then stamped flooded solder. So much fun!!

This trio mixed media pieces I did in a class with Kristen Robinson. I also learned the metal etching from her too.  She is a sweetie!!!

We will see you again real soon.  Becs

2013 Artful Gathering Online retreat

If you have not had an opportunity to take an online class from some of the most amazing instructors ever...Now is your chance.  You can still sign up for the second session of Artful Gathering that just started this week.  The videos are great, the classes, are awesome and the teachers are amazing!  I took a class from Colleen Moody, the doll Atelier.  She taught a class on making one her amazing Birdie clay dolls.  Briley the Birdie.  I have to say it was one of the easiest classes to follow.  Colleen is a wonderful and talented teacher and artist.  I have taken classes from her in person and it was just like being there.

This is my version of Briley the Birdie, her name is Isabelle and she was a swap gift for my Swap partner Theresa, Dulaney Woods Treasures.  Theresa has received  her swap so I can now share Isabelle with you.  I have been so excited for her reveal.

I have several more in the works that are not finished yet.  I love working with this medium.

  

I also sent other goodies to Theresa along with Isabelle, but I did not take any photos.  Hopefully Theresa will share some pics when she gets her stash. 

I will aslo be showing my altered playing cards art work when I am finished with them.  That class, The Spoken Soul, was taught by Mary Jane Chadbourne, Desert Dream Studios.  Mary Jane is teaching another class this session too. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Blessings....Becs

Kindred Souls "With One Image" Swap cards

Hi all, As some of you might have seen, I posted some cards I made for a swap with Kindred Souls Art Group.  The swap was for cards using the same image but used however we wanted.  To see the cards I made click here. 

These are the cards I got in return.  They are all so different and amazing.

made by Gloria Alexander, Leader of Kindred Souls Art Group

 

 

made by Stephen Jew, bearcrazyman blog

made by Carol Sweeney, Creative Expressions

 

 

made by Victoria Sturdevant, art by vic blog

 

 

made by Mary Beth Janisse, My Journey Into Art

 

I have some more swap returns to post in a day or two.  Thanks for stopping by and please check out the other artists' blogs for more amazing art work.             Becs

 

Farmhouse Summer Swap reveal

 

A few weeks ago I joined Amy, Bumble Bee Lane's, Farmhouse Summer Swap. I have always admired the swaps she hosts and was lucky enough to get to join in. I had a fantastic partner, Theresa, DulaneyWoods Treasures. Theresa sent me the most amazing Prim Crow doll with baby and she smells yummy too.A few weeks ago I joined Amy, Bumble Bee Lane's, Farmhouse Summer Swap. I have always admired the swaps she hosts and was lucky enough to get to join in. I had a fantastic partner, Theresa, DulaneyWoods. Theresa sent me the most amazing Prim Crow doll with baby and she smells yummy too.

 

She also made me a vintage wall hanging with an old photo and vintage lace, Love It!!!

 

She made this fabric book and red and green tomatoes.  They are adorable. 

 

 

Theresa found out about my love for vintage china and she got me the cutest little set with tiny pink roses....so cool!

And she tucked in some old wooden spools and a vintage rhinestone brooch that is just beautiful!

Thanks Theresa and thanks Amy for hosting this great swap!  I will post what I sent to Theresa in a few days when I know she has received her package.  I was a little late in getting it in the mail to her.  Please come back... Becs

Happy 4th of July!!!

Another year of our independence.  Please take sometime today to thank those that have served to keep us free.  Remember what this day represents to us.  And, m ist of all be safe!

God Bless you you all !! Happy Independence Day!  Becs

My Home is My Castle ATC Swap

I recently joined in a blog swap hosted by Marion Bockelmann.  The theme was My Home is my Castle and there had to be a home or castle as partof the body or attire.  There are some amazing ATC's for this swap o please hop on over to Marion's blog to check them out.  These are mine, sorry about the photo quality.   I will post my returns when I get them.

 

I used chipboard cards for my base and stamps from Character Constructions.

 

These are my favorites of Caatherine's stamps.  They are from The BeeKeeper's garden" collection.

 

Hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July weekend and be safe!  God Bless, Becs

Karen Valentine, My Desert Cottage is hosting her yearly "Where Bloggers Create" Blog Party.  This year it starts on July 12, 2013 .  If you would like to join in and post your space, just click on the button on my side bar to the left for all the details and to sign up.  I am going to join the party this year!  I have wanted to each year, so I am diving in. 

God bless, Becs

Kindred Souls Art Group Card Swap

I recently joined a cool group called Kindred Souls Art Group.  The leader, Gloria, is hosting a 6 for 6 card swap using a particular image.  I thought I would give it a go.  Everyone has to use the same image, but can do what they want with it.  I chose to print out the original image that was black and white, and painted them with water color Aquarelles.

 As you can see, each of my cards is different. 

 

 

I used scrap paper pages for the base. 

 

I embellished with lace, paper, millenary, and ribbon.

 

 

I love how they are all different.

 

I think this one is my favorite.  Probably because it is pink!

 

 

and I love the floral paper on this one, and HOPE is one of my favorite words.

 

 

This one is sooo French!  And I used fabric paper for the base.

 

 

I was so thrilled to be accepted into this group.  I made this for the hostess of the swap.  It's a wall hanging with the same image on it.  I really like how it turned out.

 

 

 I'll post later with pics of the ones I receive from the swap.  I am excited to see them all.  Thanks for letting me share and have a blessed day...Becs

"Fabric of Nature" swap display

As most of you know, I recently participated in an all fabric (no paper allowed) ATC swap hosted by Kim Laws at Art Joy Stuff.  See earlier post here for the artwork and the participants.  I had some amazing swap partners!!!

Kim asked us to create a display for the cards and post about it.  You can go to her blog to check out all the other displays that are just awesome! Kim will be posting each day about them for the next week.

 I wanted to do a temporary display for mine beacuse I want to eventually make a wall art piece with them, but have not had the time to do it yet.  So I came up with a burlap flag banner.  I cut out flags from burlap then tacked the ATC's on then strung them on cord. I have three of them and have them hanging in my studio for inspiration. They are all so beautiful. 

Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to check out the other blogs to see their displays.
Have a blessed day.....Becs

Fabric ATC's! who new they'd be so much fun.

Recently I participated in a fabric A T C swap with Kim Laws at Art Joy Stuff. Blog.http://www.artjoystuff.blogspot.com/  We each made 12 ATC'S out fabric that had to be nature inspired. we were not allowed to use any paper. I fell in love with making these little works of art.  The photo above is of the 12 I made and sent off.

                                               

I used burlap and canvas for the bases, then sewed lace, fabric and trims. I added a fabric printed image, millimetre, saying, ribbon and metal charms and some vintage buttons.


                                            


I chose the theme of Nature's wings and did birds, nests, bees and butterflies.  I also used some quotes that I love on some of them.

   

I received some beautiful cards back and will share them with you in a few days.  We are supposed to do some kind of creative display with them and I am still figuring that out.  Below is a group photo of the ones I received back.

@

From top left to right:  

Marsha Mees, Tattered Chick blog  http://www.tatteredchick.net/

Jewels Welsh, justtickety-boo blog justtickity-boo.blogspot.com

Maggie Raguse, the mag rag blog www.themagrag.com

From bottom left to right:  

Karla Jackson

Carolyn Huber

Liz Waring, lululizinlalaland blog lululizinlalaland.blogspot.com

From top right to lefth

Marlene, uniquely Ella blog uniquelyella.blogspot.com

Kimberly Laws, art joy stuff blog http://www.artjoystuff.blogspot.com/

From bottom right to left

Amy Bauer flickr.com/photos/7866304@N08

Terri Heinz, artful affirmations blog artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

Thanks Kim and the ladies listed, for an awesome swap.  Come back in a few days to see how display these beauties.  Kim will be hosting a reveal as well. 

Have a blessed week, Becs