First off I was inspired by ladyoflosttimes to try my hand at making a doll with copper embossing powder.  It turned out OK, but I did learn that the next time I want to poke holes in something that is embossed, I should heat the awl first.

The next project is one that I kept putting off because I knew it would be difficult.  It’s a colored pencil drawing of Ginger and it was hard to do justice to all of the colors in her tortoiseshell colored fur.  I will need to keep practicing.  Ginger is a whole lot cuter in real life.

Ginger - Prismacolors on Bristol

As many of you know, I have been working on a project I call “The Crazy World”.  Well I finally finished the background and appliqued the world to the center.  To give you perspective, the center circle is 18″ in diameter.  As always, click on the images for a larger picture.

A Crazy World

That is it for this edition, I have a bad cold so keeping this post short.  Hopefully I will have more to share next week.

First I made a postcard using a paper cocktail napkin, lace, ribbon, trim and a rubber stamp.

click on image for larger version

click on image for larger version

Then I played around with making a tag using another paper napkin, card stock, pearl cotton and rick rack.

One night on Stickam, ladyoflosttimes was making an art doll using a tag and beads.  It turned out so cute than I had to try my hand at it too.  Luckily there was a face bead in my stash along with loads of beads and findings.

click on image for larger version

I will leave you with a view of my craft supplies.

Miss Ginger

except for miss ginger

So to show what I have made by using it up, I’ll start with an ATC (artist trading card) I made using an adorable image of a bossy looking little girl.  I made a set of 9 ATC’s and have traded or gifted all but 5 in case anyone is interested in a trade.  As always click on image for larger view.

Miss Priss

Another journal spread.

Time is and illusion

Seekingforart  has been streaming about her melted crayon technique and inspiring me and others to haul out our crayons and play along.  My first attempt was a card with a stamped and colored front and then I made a tag.  This technique is very addictive and has many possible uses.

So even if I haven’t been blogging, I have been busy arting and hanging out till all hours with great friends in the Stickam chat room. I hope to not be so neglectful of this blog and since we are supposed to post how we are UIU I will  hopefully be blogging regularly.

I’ve become more active with a group of wonderful and very supportive arting friends that I discovered on Ustream.  Lately I have been playing more with paper and paints.

The Nest

The next project was inspired by a Ustream video by Barb of “Creating Faces”.

Paper Applique

A decorated tag.

Another journal spread.

Love is ....

For Christmas I received a set of 48 Prismacolor pencils.  For my first attempt with them I worked on a portrait of Grandfurkid Josie as a gift for Steven and Jessica.

Josie - Prismacolor pencils

As always, for a larger view, click on the images.

To close out 2011 and end on a humorous note, I leave you with a picture of our laundry.

Kitty Laundry

Quilted Batik Journal Cover

Opened Journal Cover

 click on images for larger view

The paint wasn't totally dry when i closed the book so the pages stuck together. The darker area on the right is a map image on a transparency.

To get the background to look like parchment it took 7 layers of paint, plus the stamped script.  The transparency can be lifted up to see the background underneath.

I also was playing around with my little $1.00 Halloween stamps.

This weekend is the Skrappy Ladies Fall Canyon Camp Retreat.  Will be good seeing everyone and know we will have a great time.  I’m not taking any major projects so may not have a lot to show next week, but looking forward to relaxing, laughter and visiting.

Attitude of Silence

Click on image for larger view.

I haven’t accomplished much more than catching up on the Criminal Minds series, which I just now discovered.  Guess I’ve been hiding under a rock.  Too hot to do much of anything and since I can only hobble around it limits my options.

About a year ago I twisted my knee and was told by rheumotology Drs that I should just use anti-inflammatories and exercises, that there was arthritis in my knees and not much could be done about it.  I did get one steroid injection, but it only lasted about 3 weeks.  Finally last month after my hip, ankle and foot started hurting too, I talked to my primary care doctor about it and asked for a referral to an orthopedist, the next week I was at the ortho clinic and the Dr is telling me that I probably tore the medial meniscus in my knee and was sent for MRI.  The MRI showed not only the meniscus tear but I have bursitis with a lot of fluid under my kneecap, along with the already known arthritis.  So in a couple of weeks I will be having arthroscopic surgery on my knee and am told I will be walking later the same day.  Looking forward to that, I’m tired of the pain and limping.

On to better and brighter things.  I have managed to finish 3 pages in my Journal.  The first page is about the Passages exhibit at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.  The exhibit was extremely interesting, Bill and I both enjoyed it.  Of course it would have been a lot better if I wasn’t constantly looking for a chair to sit in.  The exhibit starts with examples of the Torah and then the exhibit shows how the Bible has progressively changed through the centuries.  I highly recommend the exhibit and it is here in OKC until October when it will move on to the Vatican and then New York.  Click on images to enlarge.

Passages - Journal Pages

The next journal pages were inspired by Japanese woodblock prints.  Those of you who know me well, know that I love oriental things.  It’s kind of hard to tell but there are a lot of gold accents, but they don’t show up in the photo.

Japanese woodblock prints inspired

I don’t know, but I think the next journal pages may be a little too subtle in conveying the message.    I was in the midst of a Fibro flare.

PAIN - Fibro flare

Hope everyone is staying cool and taking care of themselves during this terrible heat wave.  I don’t venture out unless absolutely necessary.