Archive for June, 2008

African Violets, Melody Armstrong

{ June 28, 2008 @ 11:14 am } · { inspiration and links, polymer clay }
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well it is raining here in Mi. which is no surprize.  At least we are not as bad off as some but we have certainly had our share.  It does make a good day to work on the computer although not so good to play with clay. It makes the light bad.  I did work on a few flowers early this morning and hope to work on them again when I get done here.  Maybe I can even finish them up.  It is a project that I have been trying to work on for the last few days but wasn’t having much luck.  I will post pic when I finish them.  These are from an idea that I got when visiting with a friend.  I had made some plant pokes to look like the flowers that the dumb cane produces.  Well this friend of mine said “gee you should make some african violet flowers for people like me who can’t get them to flower”  So that is what I have been working on.  I want them to look as real as possible.

While looking around on flickr this morning I ran across an album by Melody Armstrong.  And was awestruck by her work.  So I just had to go to  her website.

Melody Armstrong is a Canadian metal artist who designs and creates precious art jewerly.

 

 

Her work is increditable. She combines sterling silver, anodized titanium, patinas, semi-precious stones, and gold, into natural and geometric shapes which are very stunning.
She has these pin that she calls Quirky, that she has used copper, patina, paper, glass, and epoxy together. If you look  close you can see eyes, mouths or faces in them. Very intriquing and unusual.She also has a set of mini chairs that are just the cutiest things. Melody is good at a lot of different crafts and arts.She created her own web site, designed her own business cards, post cards and logo for jewellery tags, and photographs her own work.  A very talented lady for sure.  
Hope everyones day is happy and healthful.
  

 

 

a good site to check out

{ June 26, 2008 @ 11:09 am } · { inspiration and links, polymer clay }
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While checking my email this morning I noticed I had received my newsletter from

Craftbits. This is a great newsletter having craft ideas for a lot of different mediums.

There is scrapbooking with Sarah Hodsdon. She has put together a nice neat site.

With links to other  scrapbookers and some great ideas on organization, her vs him

scrapbooking, getting emergency safe (this would be good for any craft), and even which adhesive to use on what. I

spent a long time on her site just checking things out and I am not a scrapbooker.

Then there is Vicki Howell on knitting, she also has a great site. There you will

find “free” patterns to download, new products to check out, and whats new on the

knitting scene. Vicki is the host and creative consultant of Knitty Gritty on HGTV.

So if you like to knit you might want to check her out. But be prepared to stay a while.

And of course out Heather Powers on polymer clay. I spend way to much time on her

site. She always has such interesting things to say whether it is on someone else’s work,new tutorials,

or sale items. She has it all. She is a creative multi-medium bead artist. Her work has

appeared in BeadStyle Magazine and many others.

Craft Gossip blog:

 http://craftgossip.com/

is the main blog with many blogs within. I

have told you about three of them but there is crochet, candle making, and jewelry

design just to name a few. If you would like to sign up for the newsletter just click

on the link “newsletter”. I could go on and on about this blog but you should just go over

there and check it out for yourself. Can you tell this is one of my favorite sites?? It

has something for everyone, no matter what medium you are in to.

Well I guess that is all for today.  I have some polymer flowers to make.  See ya’ll tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

I added some new soft wear, and crayola art

{ June 23, 2008 @ 5:17 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Boy I didn’t realize it had been so long since I did anything on here.  I have been so busy.  I took a week-end vacation with my daughter and visited my youngest son.  That was a good time I had not seen him in a year so it was nice.

My Daughter-in-law and her two boys came for a visit.  I had not seen the new baby. He is now 8 months old and just the cutest.  Her oldest is just turned 3 years.  My do they ever change when you don’t get to see them very often.

I added some new software to my pc.  I have had it for a while but never downloaded it.  Boy am I glad I did.  It is photosuite5 by Roxio.  And it offers so much more than the HP photosmart that I usually use.  This one has borders,frames,edges and some awesome editing.  You can even remove wrinkles!!!  I have been having fun with that today.  Now I have a couple new pictures to put in my flickr account.

I think I mentioned that I was working on a pendant inspired by a painting called Four Winds.  While I put some pictures of that in my flickr I am still working on it but I thought I would show some of it anyway.

I also found a cool tutorial on abalone and made a cane of that and have done a few things with it.  I have pictures of those also but like the pendant they are works in progress.

I did manage to make and finish a Bottle of Hope for my daughters Mother-in-law.  She loves Great Danes so that is what I made for her.  It is bigger than the usual BOH I used an empty white diamonds perfume bottle because I wanted the height.  I think it turned out pretty good. I have put those pictures in my flickr also. 

I received an email from a friend of mine the other day with some pictures from a crayola crayon artist.  His name is Don  Marco.  He does some of the most awesome pictures I have ever seen.  I had to find his whole web site so went looking around today and I found it here.    http://www.themastercrayonartist.com/shop/custcat.aspx

I just love American Indian stuff and western and he has quite a few on his site.  He also sells them.  I hope you enjoy looking around his site as much as I did.  His works are way to expensive for me to buy so I will just have to bookmark his site and go back to it often.  His is a remarkable story also.

Well until the next time have a happy clay-zie day everyone.

http://LGdesigns.wordpress.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5125957
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lgdesigns_by_linda/

 

A Monday Ramble

{ June 9, 2008 @ 12:57 pm } · { polymer clay }
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Hello All, I have had a really busy week and week-end. Didn’t get a lot of clay-play time in but did start a new pendant. The first part of the week I finally got to meet my newest grandson (6 mos). He lives in Kentucky with his Ma and Dad ( my oldest son)and older brother ( almost 3). Ma and kids got to come to Mi for a 2 week vacation so we made sure to get to see them a couple times last week. This week will be seeing them again and getting things ready to send home with them.

Then this last week-end we held a garage sale with some friends of ours. The sale wasn’t to good but we had a nice time visiting and enjoying the nice weather. Had a cook out and got caught in the rain.

This week-end I will be going up north with my daughter to visit my youngest son. I haven’t seen him in about 18 months so that will be nice and it will give my daughter and I a chance to hang out.

I am working on a pendant in polymer clay. I was looking around for American Indian art and came across this painting called the Four Winds. I just fell in love with it so I am doing my idea of the Four Winds mine doesn’t look to much like the orgininal but it is the way I wanted it to look. I have been working on it for a week off and on. Adding some or removing some. I think I have the main idea done and will bake it later today and then finish it hopefully some time this week. (It’s another busy week). I will post pictures when I am ready.

I have a few ideas of things I would like to make ( a pc) but right now I just don’t have the time. At the same time I am crocheting a car seat blanket for my daughter-in-law who is due to have a little girl the end of this month. Also I have been knitting some things to give as gifts.

I am going to start making some crocheted dollies for a lady here in town who was left some thread and hooks but can’t work the looks herself. Haven’t got all the details yet but it should be a fun project.

I read a great article on CraftyGoats site, http://blog.craftygoat.com/2008/03/keeping_track_of_what_inspires.html#more about keeping track of the things that inspire you. That article was real useful and I joined del.icio.us right away. http://del.icio.us

I am still in the process of getting things organized but this is a good place to start. If you have problems with keeping things organized you might want to check it out. She has a few good articles one about cleaning your extruder that is useful.

Well I am off to a doctors appointment. Hope all have a great day.

Happy Clay-zie Day, CraftyLinda

http://LGdesigns.wordpress.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5125957

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lgdesigns_by_linda/