I've Been Framed!

Lately I've been repurposing vintage frames I find at the flea markets and antique shops... and using them to showcase prints of my original artwork. Sometimes the frames need a little jazzing up... like this one here. It was really ornate, but because it was one solid metallic color, none of the detail really stood out and it looked too "new".

So I brushed over it — one section at a time — with watered down black acrylic paint. I then quickly wiped off the excess paint with a dry paper towel. This leaves the paint in all the crevices, and... POW! What a difference it makes.

This frame had some fantastic detail as well, but my technique here was actually just the opposite of the one above! I wanted more of a dusty look to the frame, which meant giving it a kind of "faded" look. I also wanted to bring out some of the pink in the artwork as well. I accomplished this by taking a very fat paintbrush full of light pink acrylic paint... poking (like stippling) it into every crevice of the frame (again, one section at a time), and then removing the excess paint with a wet paper towel.

So there you have it folks! To add a little umph for your frames, remember...

dark color + wet paint + dry towel = distressed, aged

light color + dry paint + wet towel = dusty, faded

Thoughtful Thursdays: Rainy Days

Now don't get me wrong...
I wouldn't want to live in Seattle or anything like that! But sometimes I just love those lazy rainy days.

The whole world seems to get quiet as you listen to the droplets of rain falling down. The air gets a little thicker, almost forcing you to move more slowly. And everything seems to smell just a little bit sweeter. I really could sit at the window and watch it all day.

We've had a bit too many rainy days this Spring... and today is another one. But today... it suits my mood. So I'm just going to sit by the window and enjoy it.

And The Inspired Remnants Book Tour Winners Are...

First let me say thanks so much to Kerin Gale for including me in this wonderful blog hop to promote her new book Inspired Remnants, Curious Dreams! And second, I'd like to thank all of you for stopping by and leaving such inspirational comments on last week's book tour blog post. This was really a fun online book tour.

And now, for the winners!

1. A copy of Inspired Remnants, Curious Dreams book goes to:

Quentin Eckman... who said...
Very cool post!

2. One "Power Pack" of Aves brand epoxy clay goes to:

Canace... left the comment...
Your Raven is awesome! Thanks so much for taking the time to do a tut.. great job. :o)

3. Fluid Chalks Online Workshop by Lesley Venable on her Art of Altering Site goes to:

Connie... who said...
cool bird! your blog was a joy to browse thru! i am having a blast on this blog tour!

4. Two digital collage sheets by Alicia Caudle of Altered Bits goes to:

Ann Chluba... commented...
Inspirational. Thank you for sharing. I love magic sculpt too

5. A sample pack of Silputty 40 (an epoxy formula Kerin likes with a longer curing time), goes to:

dogfaeriex5... who said...
oh my gosh!! love love the raven and howyou used the epoxy..very smart you are!! kim from ohio

6. 1oz. of ICE Resin and a mixed metal bezel from Susan Lenart Kazmer goes to:

Kathy... who commented...
This blog hop is awesome. I've been eagerly reading/waiting for each blog. I've already ordered my first order of apoxie sculpt, and very anxious to get started with it. Love the example you show here with taking the doll apart, awesome!

Congratulations to all of you! If you are a winner, please contact me via e-mail with your e-mail and home address so we can send out your prizes!

Thanks again for playing!

When Right Brains Go Left...

It's funny how my creativity works sometimes! Lately I've been making so much art that I actually had a craving for making jewelry. Hmmmm... what's up with that?

I'm not exactly sure, but I think that free and flowing goes a long way (right brain usage), but sometimes it feels good to get lost in the analytical details (left brain usage) of creation.

For instance, on my last flea market foray, I uncovered lots of cool items that needed a little finesse in how they might be assembled into jewelry. And I was ready for the challenge.

These two owl pins were some of my favorites and it definitely took some left brain activity to figure out how to cleverly and aesthetically create necklaces with them. For the blue-eyed beauty, I actually left the pinback on and used it to attach the chain. For this little green-eyed cutie, I removed the back and put jump rings through the openings of his feathers. I really like how he's attached in the middle.... and he looks so adorable hanging around your neck!

For this Elf In The Garden necklace, I took an old ceramic figurine and made him a swing seat out of a vintage key. But... duh! The top was too heavy and he'd fall upside down (and no one likes to have that happen when they're swinging!). I had to think about this one for awhile! I finally thought if I attached a bale behind his little elfin head and ran a second strand of chain through that, well... he'd be able to hold up his end of the bargain! Add two vintage flower clip-on earrings I already had in my stash, and... perfection!

And so it goes, folks... sometimes you feel like being specific and utilizing the laws of science in your art... and other times you just want it to be free and flowing like a river. I guess this is my Scientific Age. But who knows what next week will bring. I know I'll be surprised! I always am.

Note: all the items you see here (and more) can be purchased in the Vintage Upcycled Jewelry section of my Etsy shop.

Thoughtful Thursdays: Dimension!

No matter how hard I've tried (okay, I didn't try that hard!) to keep my mixed-media collages on the flat side, I pretty much always end up adding some kind of dimensional objects to them! It just makes the whole piece pop a little... makes it more real... and a little more interesting!

For this mermaid piece, I needed her to have a little offering of some sort. So I cut a piece of cardstock in the shape of an oyster... and painted it with acrylics. I then brushed some Perfect Pearls Pigment Powders over top to create that cool inner-oyster sheen. I wrinkled up the edges... attached it to the collage and then glued in some freshwater pearls.

Pleased with the results, I liked the subtle way it added to the otherwise flat piece. A little dimension goes a long way!

Quoth The Raven: It's An Inspired Remnants Book Tour & Giveaway!

Did you ever wonder how you make something like this... out of stuff like this...

Well, you can do it with mixable, moldable, malleable Epoxy Clay! I first learned about it when I took a Mechanical Flying Bird class with Kerin Gale. Then she wrote this really great book — Inspired Remnants, Curious Dreams — on how to do lots and lots of things with epoxy!

The book begins with an elaborate look at how to mix and use multiple types of epoxy clays and mold-making putties. There are no complicated formulas or fancy terms, and so many tips and tricks! You can read my full review here.

So for this Blog Hop Book Tour, I decided to create something that normally I wouldn't be able to, if I used regular glues and mediums. Working with lots of different objects made with different materials is one of my favorite things to do, but not so easy in the assembly department!

But the FIXIT® Sculpt epoxy I used, makes it so! To sum it up... it lets you stick this to that! Just mix two equal parts of the epoxy clay components until they are completely blended and you're ready to go!

For the doll preparation, I blended clay over the armholes to prep for the wings, added some on the neck for securing the bird head, and put some on this metal candle holder that I'll be using as the base.

And you just squish everything on! Super easy. The epoxy starts to cure in a short amount of time, so you don't even have to sit there holding your items until they dry in place. You won't hear me saying... boy are my wings tired!

I even used the epoxy to mount this tiny little rivet.

And again to mount the index sign to the piece. Easy peasy!

Then I added some very delicate twigs to the base. Just rolled some epoxy into a little snakey thing and pressed the twigs on — and they stuck in place right away! Mixed-media heaven I tell ya.

Well, there you have it, folks... a mixed media project in only a few hours. Something that otherwise would have taken days to dry, and just think of all those toxic substances you'd need to glue disparate objects together. So now for the fun part...

THE GIVEAWAYS!

Especially for this Book Tour Blog Hop, Kerin has some great stuff to give away. Simply leave a comment on this post by May 22nd and you'll be entered to win one of these fabulous prizes! (Please note that digital items can be "shipped" anywhere but the remaining prizes are for the U.S. only)

1. A copy of Inspired Remnants, Curious Dreams book
2. One "Power Pack" of Aves brand epoxy clay
3. Fluid Chalks Online Workshop by Lesley Venable on her Art of Altering Site
4. Two digital collage sheets by Alicia Caudle of Altered Bits
5. A sample pack of Silputty 40 (an epoxy formula Kerin likes with a longer curing time)
6. 1oz. of ICE Resin and a mixed metal bezel from Susan Lenart Kazmer

In addition, Kerin has 6 more Grand Prize Giveaways if you review her book on amazon... and is offering $5 off class tuition/book bundles for Book Tour blog readers (just tell 'em Yesterday's Trash sent ya)! Find out more on her original Book Tour Kickoff blog post.

Wanna see who's been playing along so far? Check out these other blogs and leave comments on their book tour posts for more chances to win! Woohoo!

May 1 - Kerin Gale
Remnants of Olde: http://RemnantsOfOlde.com/posts

May 2 - Alicia Caudle
Altered Bits: http://alteredbits.wordpress.com/

May 3 - Lesley Venable
Flatwoods Folk Art: http://www.flatwoodsfolkart.typepad.com/

May 4 - Christine Lehto
Lilly Bug Studio: http://lillybugstudio.com/blog/

May 5 - Seth Apter
The Altered Page: http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/

May 6 - Nancy Perennec
Little Bit Wired: http://littlebitwired.blogspot.com/

May 7 - Jen Cushman
ICE Queen Zine: http://www.iceresin.com/category/inspired-remnants-blog-tour/

May 9 - Beth Robinson
Strange Dolls: http://strangedolls.wordpress.com/

May 10 - Brenda Schweder
Brenda Schweder Jewelry: http://www.brendaschweder.com/

May 11 - Esther Verschoor
Vanessie Art Dolls: http://vanessies.blogspot.com

May 12 - Kecia Deveny
Lemoncholy’s Flight of Fancy: http://www.lemoncholys.blogspot.com/

May 13 - Rachel Whetzel
A Year In The Life Of An Art Journal: http://oneyearartjournal.blogspot.com/

May 14 - Shannon LeVart
MissFickleMedia.com: http://missficklemediacom.blogspot.com/

May 15 - Marlaine Verhelst
Marlaine Verhelst Art Dolls: http://marlaineverhelst.com/blog/

May 16 - Lisa Jurist
Mud Hound Studio: http://mudhoundprimitives.blogspot.com/

May 17 - Michelle Bernard
Yesterday’s Trash: http://michellereneebernard.blogspot.com/

May 18 - Kerin Gale
Remnants of Olde – Alan Rogerson feature: http://RemnantsOfOlde.com/posts

May 19 - Join the Facebook Party!
Apoxie Clay & Epoxy Clays Page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_158159677562761

Thoughtful Thursdays: Black & White Photography

Way, way back in college (I won't reveal the year)... I took a class in black and white photography. I admit that it was just an obvious elective for someone studying Graphic Design as their major... but I had no idea I would fall in love with the medium!

I never moved on to the color photography classes, and when I stopped to wonder why... it became very clear to me. When you look at a color photograph, you're looking at a scene. When you look at a black and white photograph, you're looking at the subject.

Take this photo of my (late) kitty cat, Mercedes. If it were in color, you might think... oh what an adorable kitty cat, how cute! But in black and white... Wow! Just look at those eyes. I don't know about you but she's piercing my soul (still!)

And check out this 100-year-old train station. In black and white, you really see how the light streams through the doorway and casts delicate shadows on the wall, bench and floor. A glimpse of the suitcase in the bottom right corner only adds to the desolate feel of this photo.

The black and white nature of this photo really emphasizes the chrome-like feel of an amazing vintage Chevrolet. It puts all the elements on an "even playing field" if you will... creating visual balance between the logo, the twin headlights, the grill and the bumper. It all works together now. The highlights and lowlights really pull you in, and the midtones  in the headlamp reflections bring a sense of softness to the overall feel.

Look at this photo of a barber on his break. But when was it taken? 1972? No... it was taken in the nineties. But the black and white captures the nostalgic values of this Charlotte, NC soul. Look a the wrinkles in his brow, and the stains on his shirt. Doesn't he just look like he has stories to tell? I find it interesting too that, because of the position of the sun... the photograph captured a reflection of the parking lot in the window rather than the barber shop contained behind it. Kind of matches the outward cast of his eyes... looking beyond.

I hope you can look beyond the colors of everyday and find the emotion in photos you take and see. Because... not everything in this world is black and white!

Thoughtful Thursdays: Black & White Photography

Way, way back in college (I won't reveal the year)... I took a class in black and white photography. I admit that it was just an obvious elective for someone studying Graphic Design as their major... but I had no idea I would fall in love with the medium!

I never moved on to the color photography classes, and when I stopped to wonder why... it became very clear to me. When you look at a color photograph, you're looking at a scene. When you look at a black and white photograph, you're looking at the subject.

Take this photo of my (late) kitty cat, Mercedes. If it were in color, you might think... oh what an adorable kitty cat, how cute! But in black and white... Wow! Just look at those eyes. I don't know about you but she's piercing my soul (still!)

And check out this 100-year-old train station. In black and white, you really see how the light streams through the doorway and casts delicate shadows on the wall, bench and floor. A glimpse of the suitcase in the bottom right corner only adds to the desolate feel of this photo.

The black and white nature of this photo really emphasizes the chrome-like feel of an amazing vintage Chevrolet. It puts all the elements on an "even playing field" if you will... creating visual balance between the logo, the twin headlights, the grill and the bumper. It all works together now. The highlights and lowlights really pull you in, and the midtones  in the reflections bring a sense of softness to the overall feel.

Look at this photo of a barber on his break. But when was it taken? 1972? No... it was taken in the nineties. But the black and white captures the nostalgic personality of this Charlotte, NC soul. Look a the wrinkles in his brow, and the stains on his shirt. Doesn't he just look like he has stories to tell? I find it interesting too that, because of the position of the sun... the photograph captured a reflection of the parking lot in the window rather than the barber shop contained behind it. Kind of matches the outward cast of his eyes... looking beyond.

I hope you can look beyond the colors of everyday and find the emotion in photos you take and see. Because... not everything in this world is black and white!

The Circus Has Come To Town...

Come on in folks...

Now, don't be shy! Right here under the tents you'll find arcade toys and clowns and visual illusions of all sorts and kinds. You'll encounter oddities and freaks and things you've never seen before. So step right up for the spectacle of all spectacles... it's Yesterday's Trash!

Whew! In the past two weeks my life has been a little like a circus! First, mom and I took a trip down to Hampton, Virginia to sell some stuff at the Art & Soul Retreat's Vendor Night. Usually I'm an attendee, but I thought I'd try my hand at selling now that I'm a full time "Maker". But I didn't only bring my art...

I made sure to put plenty of junk in my trunk... well, because it's that kind of crowd. It's fun to see everyone sifting through the bags of antique baubles, vintage game pieces, jewelry bits and tons of ephemera. Because... that's what I'm usually doing!

On the way home, we hit at total of 6 flea markets, antique stores, goodwill buildings and this little lean-to-turned-antique-heaven that would make Mike and Frank from American Pickers proud! We're going to go back soon and do the whole circuit again (just the junkin' part)!

And if coming off of one show and getting ready for the Music & Arts Festival in my home town this past Saturday weren't enough... I decided to start and finish a pair of Ruby Slippers for a gallery show!

Then back to the business at hand... creating more business! This weekend's Festival brought perfect weather, a diverse group of artists, and lots of interested shoppers! Being in a beach town and living near the boardwalk, my style of art definitely touched the hearts of many attendees!

And because my art was different from most... I landed myself a video interview by Ocean Grove's very own Blogfinger. They took a shining to my Sideshow Banner and had me talk about the inspiration behind it. Fun!

But I must say, now that I have those art shows behind me... I'm looking forward to finally getting back to "work" and also being able to clean the house. The circus life ain't easy, folks... but it sure is fun! Ta-daaa!

Happy Mother's Day... and a Poem!

Ever since I can remember, I've had this strange ability to create rhyming poems on command. Today I decided to use my skills to craft a Mother's Day card for my own mom. My inspiration was an early morning photo I took of a tulip in her garden...

From the time that we’re born
we hear a tale of happenstance,
That the family we’re in,
was a matter of chance.

Well I heard another story,
and it certainly makes sense,
That the families we're with,
are not just coincidence. 

Wouldn’t it be funny,
if that really were true?
Because it would mean,
that I hand picked you!

Happy Mother’s Day
to the one I picked!

And in the spirit of sharing, I'd like to offer you this poem to use... for any holiday or family member it might be meaningful to.

Happy Every Day!

Love,
Michelle
xoxox

Beauty Under Glass...

What's a girl to do when she's in the middle of work-related deadlines but has an opportunity to create a gallery show project with a shoe theme? I'll tell you what... she leaves the dishes in the sink, the laundry in the hamper, and the vacuum in the closet. And, instead she...

Goes to the local Salvation Army and finds a cute pair of pumps.

She covers them with a light coat of gesso, to give them a nice tooth... and paints them ruby red.

Adds tons and tons of fun and funky red gemstones using gel medium to adhere them.

Then she add tons more!

Fashions a pretty bow made from wired ribbon. Then she checks for the perfect placement on the shoe. She knows it's the right spot when she squeals... "how cute is this?"

She distresses the bows with sandpaper along the edges and random spots... and paints with a wash of brown acrylic and water to make them look old.

Ages the shoes by toning down the bling with dry white paint.... removing some with a wet paper towel.

Then she brushes the entire piece with watered-down red paint to make them look more cohesive (we're going for hundred year old shoes here!).

When she's all done... she takes a step back.... feels the sense of pride in her work... senses a giant smile come across her face and says, "what dishes?"

----------------------------------
If you're local and would like to see my Ruby Slippers in person, they'll be on display this month for the Hats & Shoes exhibition at the Art Alliance of Monmouth County, 33 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ. Opening reception is tomorrow, May 7th from 6-8pm!

Thoughtful Thursdays: Sketching It Out

Sometimes having an idea in your head just isn't enough before you set on a path to actually create it! That's where sketching comes in handy. Now... mind you... I still think I can't draw! But, if I pretend that no one is ever going to see my drawings... that I can tear out the page if I really don't like it... and oh yeah, I can use that little eraser thingy on the other end of my pencil... everything will be just fine!

Sometimes I like the sketch just as much as the finished piece. Sometimes more! This Queen Hotel drawing still makes me smile.

Sometimes I'll get brave and even sketch out my ideas in pen! Scary! But if I mess up, the (lingering) perfectionist in me will not let me scratch it out. So I end up collaging over it. But that can be cool too!

Sometimes my sketches are for work stuff. Like this one I did (ahem, at home on my own time... you're welcome!) for Ranger's Memory Frames packaging. I was inspired and happened to have my journal nearby. The final package is pretty darn close, I must say!

And sometimes pictures are just not enough... so I make lots and lots of lists and notes to explain my ideas. Often, there's no time to actually create these projects in the moment... so a journal, a pencil (or a pen if you're brave) and your imagination are the perfect creative companions!

Feeling sketchy? I hope so!

P.S. Stay tuned for a very special blog post tomorrow! I'll give you a hint... there's no place like home.