Monday, April 27, 2009

You're Not Ready!

I know you won't believe I've already made this guy! And, I don't think you are ready for the cuteness! I worked on him between classes and every chance I got at school yesterday and finished him last night! He is a school sample after all. :)



I keep thinking of variations I can make but need to finish other projects before I make more. :)

I have lots more journal pages to show you from this weekend so stay tuned this week!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

My First Finished Plushie

I finished my first plushie last night! He is imperfect and I love him! The best part is that while I was making him "it" hit me! I was taking this class hoping I could somehow figure out how to do a similar project with my kids next year. (See, I'm always planning ahead!) I have already made the pattern and am excited to try it out but I can't reveal it to you quite yet. (I'm sure you are on pins and needles. I have to many projects on my to do list...I NEED SUMMER!)



Also, I am excited to own my own SEWING BASKET! They were on sale for 40% off at Joann yesterday and I have a teacher card to get an additional 15% off so you can see why I HAD to own one. :) One of the girls in my class had one on Saturday and I was very envious of it. Now, I can keep all of my hand sewing supplies next to my chair in the library. :)


And, (Mom, don't faint...) if you have a sewing basket and a 40% off coupon and a 50% off coupon you really must own your own fabric scissors and snips! :) Cutting felt with my paper scissors necessitated this purchase. I bought all of these things and 4 pieces of felt and one pack of embroidery floss for what I should have paid for the basket and I am silly happy! I had to explain to Jim that he could not cut anything with my sewing scissors. It was a funny conversation and I agreed to just buy him his own normal scissors because he hates the pair he currently has that I gave him. :) In all fairness they are Michael Graves scissors that I bought at Target years ago because I loved their design. Jim would prefer the dollar store variety.

Yesterday

I decided to take the Plushie Mania class at Frenzy Stamper yesterday with Donne Goldstein. Here is what my Plushie looks like now. I'm planning on working on it more today.


When I got home yesterday started reading Climbing Higher By Montel Williams and then I went to dinner with Buffy & her family soI didn't coninue after class.

I did get a few journal pages done yesterday. The trick with the journal that I am working in now is that I had collaged several pages that just needed journaling and also I put lots of tape throught the journal that I am now trying to design around. I like the way it's turning out but it explaines the random dates all over the place.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Happy Mail!

I got the most exciting happy mail from Jamie yesterday! I was expecting the button tree from and art trade we made, and I told her I'd love to borrow the Montel's book, but all the other surprises blew me away especially the second piece of art.! :)



Last night I spent some time making art for myself. These larger journal pages feel so different. I am enjoying using my larger focal images though! (I recently received my focal image swap from A Prompt A Day- I was outstanding and I can't wait to put them to use!)



P.S. I hate when I'm too tired to post on Friday night! Then I feel like I lost one of my prime blogging days. :)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

So Busy!

This week has been so busy! Monday and Tuesday I was taking care of setting up the Cartwright Young Artists' Exhibition at Desert Sky Mall. (Doesn't that sound fancy?) It involves coordinating 30 teachers from 26 school sites making the greatest student art show in Arizona!- I admit I am biased but really their is nothing else like it! Imagine 25, 6 sided panels of 2-D art and 25 tables of 3-D art all in one mall for 2 1/2 weeks. See, I told you it was cool!

This year one of my second graders was chose to be awarded best of show for K-2 3-D art! Who Hoo! Each school is judged by another art teacher to select Best of School, and 1st-4th places. Two People from the West Valey Art Museum juged the Best of Show awards.

Here are my panels and table. It's much cooler in person!



To destress last night (Yesterday was an especially stressful day!) I embroidered abird on my favorite apron. The 5th graders freeked out when they saw it today. Just wait until they find out they get to do embroidery on their next project! :)

Sunday, April 19, 2009

My Fingers Actually Hurt...

but my first embroidery project is done! I have big plans for this little piece (and a few others I'll be working on soon.) Stay turned to see what's up. :)



Last night I went to Buffy's house to have dinner with Malissa and her family. (Malissa's family has a special place in my heart not only because they are fabulous but because they introduced me to Jim.) When I got to the door Iwas greeted by Kakes in sunglasses and a watch! The cuteness was too much!



We ate pizza. got caught up, and Baby Q and I also took out first self-inflicted photo!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Supply Gahtering

Most of my time today was spent cleaning and gathering supplies. My mom and I headed out to The Paper Studio for their 40% off closing sale. I would say I remained in control of my purchase. I did buy some items I would not pay full price for like stencil 1 stencils and finally bought some things I had been thinking about for a LONG time like the cute little eco friendly bag.



I also went to Joanne for embroidery supplies. I think embroidery is the cheapest new hobby ever! I spent less that $15 on supplies to get started including a little fabric!


I did make/finish a few journal pages this morning too. The second one I had collaged forever ago and finally just journaled. I don't love the way I switched pens as I wrote but it's all a big experiment. :)

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Happy Birthday Ayesha!

Ayesha is a Tax Day Baby! I was lucky this year because I happened to know that she was interested in owning a graffiti purse and a hand stamped bracelet with purple pearls.

I had started this canvas and knew she like the colors but spray painted on some black low riders and purple stars. Ayesha loves purple and stars.


Then into a purse it went. :)


Check out my new logo tags!



Here is a terrible picture of her bracelet too!



We get to go to dinner tomorrow night since I've had art events the last two nights. Happy Birthday Ayesha!

Monday, April 13, 2009

My Next New Fascination

Embroidery! See, if you had any doubt I am related to my mother. :) I've been seeing cool embroidery all over the place lately and I've got to try it out! (I also want my 5th graders to try it out too.)

Jamie told me about The Purl Bee, and then I found Sublime Stitching. I also found several cool books on Amazon and HAD to have one in my hands so Ran to Barnes & Nobel tonight and picked up Doodle Stitching. I think I'll feel better just as soon as I embroider a skullon something. :)


Sunday, April 12, 2009

Old Journal, New Journal

Yippee! Another full journal!



I finished the last three pages late last night.



I will be going back to my Tape Journal that I made with Kelly about a year ago. I was really the first art journal that I continued to work in after class but it inspired me to move on to a different journal and it is only about half way full. It is much larger than my last journal which is nice because I feel like I've used all of my smaller focal images from my stash and the larger ones are begging to be used. :)


Have a Happy Easter! I'll be goofing with Kakes and Baby Q later today. :) Buffy and I are hoping that Kakes is ready to hunt eggs. :)

Saturday, April 11, 2009

I Love Three Day Weekends

Today was filled with sewing, spray painting, jewelery making, and cake baking. I have felt so productive the last two days. The next few weeks have lots of events that had me working on surprises stay tuned to find out what they were and who they were for. :)

Last night I made altered tarot cards for an all card swap. I kept all of the potentially scary cards so that no one would be disturbed by them. :)



I was working on jewlery for Maggie and Donna at school.



I was actually taking a little nap on the couch today when the dogs started barking like crazy. I jumped up because my car was on the driveway (It was raining all day today so my spray painting was drying in the garage. :) and went to see what was going on. My mail man was lifting an enormous box over our locked gate. My guard dogs didn't want me to help him with this process which reminded me of this time last year.



I couldn't resist putting up this picture again! :) Yes, I plan on torturing the dog again in the morning it's a Frizzell tradition.

Off to squeeze in art journaling time before bed! Yay weekend!