Make your own tool..

Michelle Ward is great inspiration. If you have not looked at her blog, you need too..she may not be your style but she is full of wonderful ideas and things to use in your own works..she has a whole line of cool rubber stamps too..

Awhile back on one of her "challenges", she wanted you to make a tool you needed in your art work..whether it be a stamp, stencil, resist or block..I did that one..and had great fun making rubber stamps with my hand drawn images..so today that came back to me..


I have an idea for a new line of charms..and I wanted a name to set them apart from anything I do or anyone else..But I knew I didn't have the computer skills or program to make that something up that I had in my mind..But! I can draw it out...I can Carve! it away..I did have some lino left and time to make that idea in my head...

So after a few tries and some tweaking here and there..Some carving, and cleaning, and inking..I came up with what was inside my head:

I'm quite happy with the results!

I think it will all jell and come together in the next couple of weeks and I'll show you the whole she-bang~But for now..that's all you get..hope you are inspired to do something like this..to make your tool, to find an alternative.

Have a great Thursday!

tee

Ready to share..

Awhile back I gave you a sneak peek at a new Class idea..

WELLL, now I'm ready to share with you.. I've sent in the displays to the Craft Scrapper and we've set up class times..








So...ta.da:

This oval one is my fave..not to tall..but big enough for a statement..

But this one...haaa..I love the old paper and the random style words..and of course~ doodles.. Hope you join me for classes! We are making 3 rings, 3 sizes and 3 styles!

I'm also going to list some similar on my Etsy..

Thanks for the comments on the Butterfly pendant!! Feedback is always welcome!!

Soldering and such

A couple of weeks ago I started this, it was an example in my "Chubby Charm" class. To show the students how to use the same technique but on a larger scale. This piece is about 3 or 4 inches across and 2 down..not a pendant by any means..lol..
I finished it off with the corner pieces attached and added the rings and chain after the class time..I think it's a cool art piece. I'm adding this to Etsy also in the next few days.

Here are more of the Thick, Chunky pendants I've been working on:

I know a couple of them were posted yesterday..but they made a fun grouping..

A few nights ago, I challenged myself:

This was made from 1x1 square charms..whadda you think??? I know, it's abit rough on the edges..but hey~ Cowgirls are a bit rough on the edges, aren't they?? But inside lies a Heart of Gold~ I've not 'built' too much stuff..but this was fun, I need to perfect it though.. Next I'm going to patina it black..did you know that hides a multiude of sins??? no pun intended..lol..

Hope your week is going good, we are half way done with another one!

teedubya

On the work table

Just wanted to remind you about Chunky Charm class at the Crafty Scrapper on August 11th. You will learn how to do a demisional object between glass..not this exact object, but similar..
You will have a thick shadow box look when you are done, we will make two in class. The second on will be a vintage button floating between the glass. Also that day, a beginning solder class is going on too..

This is my first attempt an idea..it's been swirling around in my head the last few days.

When I saw these glass tiles on the site where I purchase glass disks for the round charms, I knew I had to make square ones..This one has old leader paper as the background, a rub-on crown and those super small sticker letters, I'm soooo fond of. The back is completely soldered up too..

This is the second attempt:

I love the crown I added on the top..it hides the bail. They are big and chunky and would look great on a chunky necklace. I think they would look good on a thick leather cord too in a short almost choker style..you know, right at the base of your neck...I'm off to make more and hope to have them on Etsy soon.

I was thinking back, and I started soldering over 5 years ago! This has been one thing that I have kept on doing, you know how you jump around and learn new things, some you leave behind, some you continue on with..well this has been an on going learning process that I love dealing with! So much fun for me! I've also posted over 250 post under this blog name! Sheesh..never thought I be doing this either~ I've met some really cool people thru this and other blogs, flickr too..this has been a good connecting place for artists..I'm glad I found it.

Paper Cowgirl Fall sign ups are going on now, go check it out...We are playing on October 3rd.

Hope to see you soon!!!

Where did the week go?

Here's my end of the Charm Swap ready to mail out..just a trip to the Postie~


Even have a Buckaroo charm in there too for a FB friend..It's on the way too~~


This is what was finished up on the work table:

These and several more..the "family" and "Chums" images were from Lisa's Altered Art on Etsy, she has some great images...check her out if you are in the market for some cute ones~These are inchie sized and made perfect little tiny charms..or you could put them on a scrabble tile if you didn't want to do glass and solder..**idea**

Thursday's are just Friday Eve..remember that today~

later,

teedubya

Studio Time!!

Spent the day in the studio!! It was wonderful!! Soldered up quite a few charms, most of what have been waiting on me..finished up my end of the swap too:

Had fun deciding how to wrap every thing up for the swappers..

I also made a few of these to entice my fellow Buckaroos with...My daughter works at the High School and alot of my former classmates are on Face Book with me..

Hope I have some takers, they turned out quite nice. I have some square ideas in my head too and not using regular glass either..so stay tuned for that one~ In the meantime, I have several other ideas floating around in there that need to be out..so if you'll excuse me, I'm back to the studio to work out some of that mess that's in my head!

Hope your Wednesday is a good one!!

later,

tee

On the work table

Here's what's on my work table: These are TINY~ One inch by One and a half inch..

Each one cut and embellished separately. They are for a soldered charm swap..The background for each is a page torn from a time book that is over 70 years old. A bit of egg display image was used in each background and each one has some type of swirl on it..and each has the initial of the recipients on it.

This is only ONE side of the charm..the other will be one of my photographs... So, if your in the swap, here it's a sneaky peak..If not..I may have some similar on my Etsy soon. That is much neglected at them moment~

We woke up to fog here in the prairie this morning..it's a bit odd to see it in the middle of summer..and the weather stick is pointing down, so that means more rain for the day. I hope it's correct on it's prediction~

I read this and thought it a bit funny, see what you think:

Number of guys who, like Tim Taylor, have asked a neighbor for advice over the fence: 1 in 4.

Number who say the advice was lousy: 1 in 5.

What do you think about those numbers?? I thought it was a riot~ that came from Men's Heath Mag, btw~

Fall Paper Cowgirl sign ups are under way~ Check it out~

Hope your Tuesday is a slow ride~ enjoy the trip!

later,t

Wild Weekend!!!

While still on my Paper Cowgirl high, I attended a Tim Holtz class! It was held at Ten Seconds Studios in Hurst on Sunday. We piled up a Tahoe full of ladies from the Crafty Scrapper and headed over. I'm glad I went...

This is a poor photo of the original that was on display for the class. They split up the class. You took the inside portion from Tim, then you altered the outside of your frame with Cheryl of TSS.
Since I was with the CSS group, I got to be one of the "lucky" ones in the "A" group. So we went to Tim's Class first.

Here is a bit of mine, while working on it. I was very impressed in they way he managed the group. He had a power point going on too as he explained what to do. He kept people rolling..all the while, telling us : Don't think about it, Just do it..and that is what so many people don't do..they over think things..so, that slows down your whole process. I'm guilty of it too some days. I heard some people say it was fast paced, I thought it was just fine. I like to work fast.

I was also impressed with how he didn't make you feel rushed when talking to him or having a photo made. They had to set up for the next class so I know time was limited with this end of it..but he didn't make you feel like you were in the way.


Cheryl's end of it was good too. She gave a demo on how to line up your frame on the metal, how to emboss or deboss it and then let us go at it. Then another demo how to add the metal to your frames..we had a good time, I have a awesome piece. I expect to see some influence of this in some future works.


Paper Cowgirl has come and gone, but, we are still posting flickr group photos and blogging about it over at the PC blog, so check us out and see what you missed~


I'm still unpacking and decompressing from it all. Ideas running amuck in my head too.
Vendor night was very good for me and I have alot of pieces gone and now to redo my Etsy shop. It needs a face lift, in August it will be re worked with some new items listed.

Thanks again to all the gals who attended. Cindy and I are happy with what we are building right here in our own backyard, and want to see it grow, we can't make it work without you~


Happy Tuesday ;)
tee

So Sorry...

My life has been busy lately..the great onion harvest is still going on..I have smelled of onions all day..

I've been working on stock for Vendor night..got a few things ready to solder up:

Backsides...Do you see the ships in the background one the first one?? the front of the charm is from the same photo..I love how this looks..

Hub found this little fella the other day..we were excited to have him at our place..you don't see

horned toads too often anymore..We always called them Horny Toads..and would capture them at the playground at school and put them to sleep by rubbing their tummy..We both have fond memories of these creatures..We hope he grows up and has a family here on our little place..I will be on the look out for him when I mow..

My blogging is going to be sparse the next few weeks, soo sorry..Paper Cowgirl and Classes at the Crafty Scrapper, and other things are going to be on top of the list..just to let you know, I'll be hit or miss for awhile..I've tried to be a good blogger and do it daily..but alas~ I can't..

I finally listed this Shrine necklace on Etsy:

Have a great weekend!!

t