A Window Seat...

A little bit of Asia...

Asian influence was the theme of the day at Friends and Company. Four workshops, four instructors and four different ‘Asian” projects.  I really enjoy these ‘fests’ that Doris has created for her customers. The participants get to choose from one of two workshops in the morning and again in the afternoon. Everyone gets a ‘goody’ bag, a fabulous lunch and then door prizes to boot!  

I had a great time with my workshop this morning.  My project was an Asian screen.  I used a wood hanging album from Kaiser Craft and non-traditional papers from Cherry Arte in creating this project.  Lots of embossing, cutting, layering and a great deal of ‘bling’ made for some great screens today. 

I felt that most people would be able to finish this project in less than the three hour length of the workshop.  So, I created a ‘bonus’ project, a little explosion box.  I called it a ‘chaos’ box.  A great company I discovered in my wonderings called Everlasting Keepsakes had these wonderful little chipboard Asian words, among many other wonderful chipboard items.  I used the Asian character for ‘chaos’ at the top of the box and the negative of the tile piece on the inside bottom of the box.  The students were again given the Cherry Arte papers and away they went decorating their own ‘chaos’ box!  They added more bling and rub-ons to complete it.  My sincere thanks to each of these companies for helping make this workshop a success.  Their wonderful products made creating these projects a joy for me.  Look for them at a store near you!

 

I’ve created a little video of the workshop for you to enjoy.  The projects turned out beautifully each and every one of them.  I hope you enjoy the view from your window seat.  Maybe next time there’s a ‘fest’ at Friends and Company I’ll see you there!

 

A studio in progress...

When I last posted here I talked about my new studio.  I was in the process of moving and trying to get it all in order.  Well, it is not quite in order completely, but it is a great new working space.  Here are some pictures of what the studio looks like, a project in progress all its own. 

I still have some things to bring from home including another table that is 90” long.  It will go lengthwise in the room and allow loads of space for friends who want to come and spend some time with me in the studio.  I have art to bring for the east wall and I am out looking for a great old chair.  I am going to make a nice area to sit and relax if that is all I want to do that day. 

Beyond that I am gearing up for the big Asian Workshop this weekend at Friends and Company.  If you haven’t yet registered there are still a few seats available.  I am attaching the video that shows the projects in case that helps make up your mind. 

For my project I wanted to do something different and I believe I accomplished that with the screen I created.  I went even further by using a non-traditional paper for this Asian theme.  I found these great papers from a company called Cherry Arte.  The papers fit nicely to the theme as I suspected they would when I discovered them.  This company also has the best rub ons I’ve used to date.  There is embossing and loads of ‘bling’ on the screen.  A little different piece of art for you to enjoy.

The second project I decided to do is an explosion box.  They are really fun to do and they have endless creative possibilities.  I again used the Cherry Arte papers and more ‘bling’.  The ‘bling’ are rhinestones from Kaiser Craft out of Australia.

Kaiser Craft is just one of the best new companies in the market place.  They have rhinestones and flat back pearls in nearly 20 different colors, including black!  Their wood products are a must!  I used a 5 piece wood hanging from Kaiser Craft  to create my Asian screen.  It is fun to color outside the lines and making this screen I’m sure was not in the minds of Kaiser Craft when they designed the product.  I hope they like what I did with it!

I’m off to the studio to paint the wood pieces for Saturday and finish putting the class packets together.  I also have donations to be picked up for a charity in Tacoma. When I moved I also sorted and purged!  So there is a great deal of art material going to some deserving kids in Tacoma and about 350 cards for them to sell to make some much needed money. 

 In the meantime, sit back, relax and enjoy the view from your window seat.