On my workbench today...

Heyas!
Some of you will know I am a bit of a crazy multi-art-tasker. I think it stems from hating to wait! I probably have somewhere in the vicinity of 15-20 CURRENT projects. Occasionally it gets overwhelming and I will have a full on finishing blast and complete a bunch before starting something new again. Its no wonder I have to have a major clean up session after that kind of carry on :)

So it felt good to finish a couple of projects this week and I started a long term project that I have been wanting to work on for weeks. I have been creating alot of goal cards and work featuring words and ideas to do with inner vision and motivation. Life's purpose and all that - you know - easy light subjects! heheh. This project is a box is intended to hold some of these cards and some daily ideas I want to keep at the forefront of my attention. In theory I should make a card a day but since I know life won't allow me to keep to that I'm just going to work on it as I can. The box however is my starting point.

I am always drawn to texture, at the moment I am really exploring how far I can take it and what kind or real depth I can create. I'm going for a very deep, embedded result so it will be interesting to see where I end up!

So far:
(above image) Creative Imaginations bE recipe box glued with various laces, feathers, beaded fabrics, stitched papers and spray painted black

(above) Detail of first layer of textured items.

(above) Texture paste spread over areas of the box to reduce clarity of items and create additional texture. Box has since been spray painted black again.

Next step: Not sure! hehe... well sort of, heading back into workroom to glue more goodies!

ttfn!

It's a beautiful night...

...and its been raining two days straight! Well I think so anyways - the days are such a blur at times :)

I live on the edge of New Zealand Native Bush. The window is open and if I breathe slowly and in to my stomach I can almost taste the wet bush air. This is a good thing! I am very inspired by nature, there is nothing like being surrounded by plants to make you feel alive. It doesnt take much to spur on a creative streak when you take in the beauty of outside.

Just tonight I wanted to capture the twilight atmosphere of the wet bush in photographs except I didn't make it but a few steps off my back deck before spying natures art in action. A criss cross layering of spiderweb upon spiderweb at varying heights between some trees... but what really caught my eye were Rimu sprigs that had fallen from above and had become suspended almost mid float. Each one so perfectly placed - varying sizes, varying heights, varying proximities... combined with the wet raindrops... Magical!

I TRIED to photograph it... not so easy! But the point being it will become a springboard for an art piece. Not that I would desire to try to recreate such beauty but to Capture that essence and inspiration is what it's about.

What can you see out YOUR back door?

Crazy feather lady!

Hellos!!
So whats a girl to do when she is compelled to create something - ANYTHING in a snatched moment and the brain hasnt quite turned on to current projects at hand???... Stitch feathers of course! I'm addicted.... I just can't get them out of my system at the moment. Feathers are appearing in all my work. Not rare feathers (I believe in the USA you have some restrictions on using feathers?) - these are regular run of the mill feather duster/boa variety.

Combined with crazy out of control zig-zag machine stitching you have a lush texture like no other. This little piece was whipped up with no adhesives, just a random piece of packaging card, fabric stitched straight on, feathers, a piece of text left over from a niche cut out to create a border around a collage image and small fabric remnant and brads for detail. No clue where this will end up but fun to make!

ttfn
Kathleen

Sneaky peek workroom pic + Adhesives favs

I just LOVE peeking in other people's workrooms. I can't QUITE bring myself to call it a studio since to me that just sounds too fancy for what to me fluctuates between wanna-be order to creative chaotic multiple project MADNESS!

Rather than a photography tour I'm going to give it to you in bite size pieces...it'll be more fun that way I promise!

Number One Fav Workroom possie: My adhesives drawer!



This is an adhesives drawer like no other... it is BIG. And I mean BIG. I'm not sure how much a meter is in yards but see the green tray inside it? That is a large tool tote so perhaps that gives you an idea. When I say I like the right glue for the job... I mean business! One of my staff loooves my adhesives drawer a little too much... can you see the fingernail grooves from me prying her away on the edge?? LOL (You know who you are!!).

Anyway, it's a deep drawer in a freestanding kitchen cabinet. Fits in my workroom just dandy, like right in the middle, so I can lay my hands on whatever gluey stuff I need easily.

Adhesives and seal coats are probably the thing I get asked about most so I took a pic of my favs...

From Left to Right:

• Spray Shellac. Yum. Here in NZ the Bulls Eye brand is available but I'm sure there are others around. Gives a very sheer application and gloss finish. Light honey color, no mess, and you can build up coats easily. Did I say Yum already??
• Scotch Quick Dry Tacky adhesive. Tiny tip for easy application, clear drying white glue, dries quick and fav thing - works GREAT as a foiling or leafing adhesive. Draw with the tip!!
• Terrifically Tacky Tape. Clear, strong, no mess, works great with micro beads, ribbons, and embellishments. VERY handy.
• Mod Podge. Here we are with that word again - BIG. I love being able to use a product without skimping because it's too "precious". This is my must-have glue for creating niches and drawers or glue pages together. Says it's a seal coat but honestly, just save it for heavy gluing.
• Perfect Paper Adhesive Matte. SATIN SMOOTH FINISH. So so nice. PERFECT is true when using tissue, serviettes, and other sheer items. Not so good for regular paper gluing but for thin gluing with a divine subtle finish there is no other choice for me.
• E6000 Glue. Super strong glue. This is my heavy embellishment adhesive. See how my tubes are all screwed up like? I shall be crrrrying soon since I will be out and my current supplier no longer stocks it.
• Xryon X2 roller adhesive. FAST no mess!! This gives a bit of a scrapbooky result in that it's just too neat! I just can't beat how quick it is to use though. NO WARPING. I use this to apply flat sheets of paper to smooth surfaces like book board or chip board. There is no drying time - can't complain about that!
• Diamond Glaze or similar. Diamond Glaze just happens to be the one sitting on my bench at the moment but there are lots of variations on this type of clear glaze product. Ranger's Glossy Accents, Crystal Lacquer, Dimensional Magic, Papier Glass Finish all find their way out of my stash to adhere tiny beads, hold embellishment clusters, create glass like seals and so on.

hmmmm... not pictured: Brown paper tape! See I just keep thinking of more. A girl can't have too much glue! :)

On my workbench...

Don't you love quick projects??! I was given these two crystals this week and they have been rattling around in my pocket - which I kinda like, but then I had the thought that they might fit in some jewelery findings I have...lo and behold they do! Here is an in process pic... they are currently drying... so easy!


Process so far:

1. Jewelery findings + crystal sitting inside
2. Pour in Diamond Glaze (any other Dimensional Magic, clear accents type product would work just as well)
3. Sit inside small dish (the jewelery! not you personally!! ...heheh) and pour over micro beads.
4. Wonder to yourself if you are going to leave the sticky microbeads that lapped over the edge where they are or scrape them off later.....
   

to be continued!!

Keyplate Album

Heyas! Here's the pic of the Keyplate album mentioned in my last entry. When these little chipboard albums came in I was immediately drawn to the long curved shape of the keyplate style. Combined with their Periphery Collection I just thought, YUM!

This little guy is going to be taught as a class in our store and I just love the techniques and they are deceptively easy! Those of you with a current copy of Altered Arts Magazine have a head start advantage since the embellishment on the surface involves using the Hot Glue technique in the latest issue.

I really enjoyed mixing the combinations of blues and silvers with a twinkling hint of green. Lots of textures and yes, texture paste! (one of my fav things!) The words are four of my favourite quotes that keep me semi-sane...

The Four Agreements (I try to remember these and avoid drama!)

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

Have a great day!

Clipboard Cross Outs

I have in front of me one HEFTY clipboard. You could say it was my brain for yesterday. Juggling multiple roles has its challenges but if I can write things down and then CROSS THEM OUT I know that I'm doing okay. The cool thing about what's on my clipboard today is that I have crossed out ALL the urgent things and when I get a moment from doing regular stuff I will be able to do the FUN things!

Want to see what's on my list??

• Sort Name Plate Box. Now this is a cool project. I will try to take a picture of it today to post - it is a key plate album using Basic Grey key plate album and papers. Course I gotta make it all artsy like so it has georgeous texture paste and silver leafing. I'm teaching it as a class in my store so I have to organize the kits - kits are such a big job!

• About me page. One of our current store projects is for each staff member to create an "About Me" page to introduce ourselves to the customers. Mine is still in process! So far it is a background of wired together twigs! There is NO WAY it's going in a page protector...lol

• Collaged Canvas using Stemma Products. One of our design team members has a busy month this month so we ended up with a spare kit. Guess who volunteered to make it up anyway?!

• Nature Study Journal. This was a piece I created for Altered Arts Magazine quite a long ways back. I have taught it as a class before and have QUITE the waiting list of participants who want to make it. This is a major kit to organize as there are some REALLY mucky techniques. But I will get there!

I would reeeeaally like to just play in my workroom some. You know, throw some bits together, tweak them and see what happens. I DID get to do that the other day now that I think about it.

I am going to have to post some pictures!

Stay tuned...

Hello!!

Wow! An Altered Arts Magazine Blog... those ladies Clara and Cyndi know how to keep me busy! Bear with me as I find my thoughts...doopie doopie dooo... oh yes, I love altered art! heh.. Not sure how I rattled in with Cyndi thinking back now - I've been with Altered Arts Magazine since the beginning, actually before it even WAS a magazine (can you hear me growing old? lol)... I started making artwork for Cyndi to use in her inspirational design sheets for The Altered Book Club - and now she can't get rid of me!

Some little tidbits about me. You just KNOW this isn't going to be short, don't you?! I have come to the decision that I am determined, in fact it's my DESTINY, to live an extraordinary life... doesn't that sound great?! Well it's true - how fun is that?!

• I live in New Zealand...it is green, beautiful, ever changing, and bizarre in that you can be at the mountains one minute and the next at the ocean. We like sports (I'm supposed to say that..lol), hokey pokey ice cream, bbqs and apparently we speak funny!

• I'm a wife and a mum. My husband is Brendan and I have a daughter named Brooklyn (yes y'all from the USA you read right) and a son named Oliver.

• My Mum and I own New Zealand Scrapbook Company and have recently made the move to a Mega store. Fortunately we have an amazing team of staff - my day there is NEVER dull!

• Prior to scrapbooking and altered art I have been a Florist and a Make-up Artist... creativity is my passion.
  

• I admire anyone who lives their passion. Even if it is something that is not of interest to me.

• I have lived my life as an overweight person, actually an obese woman. I have taken control of my life and now love looking at the world through new eyes over 110lbs lighter.

• I am now expressing my creativity via my body through body building! Yes, you read that right too!

• Recently I have been entertaining the idea of using my new strength and fitness in the area of volunteer firefighting.

• I am most inspired by nature. I love bugs. I love oxygen! I am addicted to texture. I learn visually. I want to touch artwork. At the moment much of my art is a little edgy. I love red. I love black. I love combining textures and items in odd ways. I like thought provoking art. I love art that influences your emotions.

• I like to talk!

• I like it quiet!

• I've drunk too much Coke Zero! LOL

I'm looking forward to sharing more of my artwork with you and some of my current inspirations. If you have any questions about my art or even just why I use too many exclamation marks I would love to hear from you!!! (See there are those exclamation marks again.)

Until next time - cya!