Took me all week to finally get the time to finish this 5x5 canvas collage but I'm happy to say it's done :-) I used Deli paper colored with Color Mists for the background. If you click the following link you can see what the before piece of deli paper looked like:
http://www.outsidethemargins.com/colormistbk7.jpg

Playday Today!

I had a playday today and learned how to make this copper wire bracelet, thanks to my sister. The turquoise focal piece in the center is a piece of very old African glass they used for trading.






Next I finished up a Valentine's art doll made from a plush playing card doll and the head is a beaded faux optical lense

Here's my piece for this weeks Artword of the week "Latte" I hand carved the coffee beans for the background stamp and drew the coffee cup then I painted it with my Color Mists. The Caffeine Saying stamp is by Dawn Houser.

Art all around you!

Hey when life gives you cold make some art I say! Here's a couple of pictures of a stalagmite hubby created from an outside shower barely dripping into an outside garden sink.

Another piece of art I recently did for a trade with a friend:

Colder than a witches....

Man is it cold and its not warming up! The sun is shining and it gives the illusion that its nice and warm out but once you go outside that wind chill hits you and smacks ya back to reality!

Its a good day to do art mostly I've been working on more projects that are in various stages Here's an a piece that is a work in progress...I used a paper mache torso from the craft store and covered it with molding paste and then wrote into it and let it dry. Then I patinaed over it with Modern Options Patina added a final for the head and wings made from fine copper mesh then it sat for awhile and today I was inspired to add the arms using my Funky Arm Pens from my website. I heated them with the heat gun to make them more moldable and cut holes and glued them into place. Once they were dry I painted them with Golden's acrylic paint mixed with a little glaze. I'll be sure to post when I do anymore to it

Here's a 4x4 page I did for Vickie from BMuse for her healing book. She unfortunately had an aneurysm and the prognosis is for a good recovery my thoughts and prayers go out to her! If your a friend of Vickie's or have shopped from her online store and would like to make a page you can contact Sandee on her blog for more information: http://sandees-sanity.blogspot.com/

I miss you mom!

Dear Mom,

I've been feeling emotional today and realized that Its been 10 years today since you've been gone and I miss you as much now as I did when I last squeezed your hand and kissed you good-bye! Although the pain is not raw like it once was, the ache in my heart and the void I feel not having you here is as strong as ever.

I never got the chance to thank you for all that you shared and taught me. Its because of you that my life revolves around art now, I hope it brings a smile to your face to see this. I wish so much that I could share my art with you on an earthly plane and to be able to learn even more from you and to share creative time together.

I also wish you could see your grand kids even as young as they were you left a lasting impact on them and they miss you and talk of you often. A favorite story Spencer and Morgan have is that last time you took them on a walk to Burger King of all places.....they knew that wasn't something normal for you and they had so much fun playing with the helicopter leafs with you, throwing them up in the air and watching them spin around to the ground! Nicholas told me not so long ago how much he still misses you and how very important you were to him. I'm sad for them that they didn't get more time with you. I know you'd so enjoy them right now and you would be very proud of all your grandkids!

This morning I finished a piece of art and it made me think about the imprints we leave on others and you left a huge imprint on each life you've touched not only your families but friends and kids you taught. Sometimes people leave only small impacts on a life, but your impact was so deep even now, all of your kids still feel it and miss you terribly!

Here's an altered book I created several years ago that I dedicated to you:
http://www.outsidethemargins.com/abmom.html

I love you mom and wish I could hug you one more time!

Lasting Imprints

Here's another piece I did for this weeks Artwords the word of the week is Graffiti...this is a piece that I had already started but wasn't sure what to do with it after I reached a certain point...I have lots of pieces like this, so I usually set them aside where I can see them and then when an idea springs to mind I finish it....this keeps me from being frustrated and allows me to work on several things at one time. On a side note this piece was created using deli paper, my Color Mists, Sailor Pens and glazes.

I named this piece Imprints on my Soul because once I really looked at the words and images in the depths of it, I started wondering what type of imprints have been left on me and what imprints will I leave in my art, my life, my kids those I meet. We grow, we change and our life's experiences leave imprints on each of us and helps form who we are. In a way imprints are like Graffiti...

See the definition of Imprint from the dictionary:

im·print (ĭm-prĭnt') Pronunciation Key tr.v. im·print·ed, im·print·ing, im·prints
To produce (a mark or pattern) on a surface by pressure.
To produce a mark on (a surface) by pressure.
To impart a strong or vivid impression of: "We imprint our own ideas onto acts" (Ellen Goodman).
To fix firmly, as in the mind: He tried to imprint the number on his memory.
To modify (a gene) by chemical means. n. (ĭm'prĭnt')
A mark or pattern produced by imprinting. See Synonyms at impression.
A distinguishing influence or effect: Spanish architecture that shows the imprint of Islamic rule.

What kind of imprint do you want to leave behind?

(click to enlarge)

Out with the old in with the New!

I've been working on finishing up projects and one of them was to finish making charms for a found object charm swap I'm in on the Altered Diva group I belong to. Here's my charms I created from a folding ruler I cut up, and some silver tags I made out of PMC:

I also have been making a few ATCs for trades that Joyce Vance taken on semi hosting (thanks Joyce!) If you want to see the rest of the ATCs I have for trade click the following link:

http://www.outsidethemargins.com/atctrades.html If your interested in the crowns I used you can find them here:

http://www.outsidethemargins.com/charms.html

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a new year filled with happiness, love and creativity!

I recently created some pieces using my new Precious Metal Clay on a play day with my sister here's the results:

I also created a piece yesterday for Artwords word of the week "Begin"