TTTPL Art Journals Week Two

Good afternoon, happy Sunday to you.

This Art Journal endeavor has taken on a life of its own.  I had envisioned a project where we worked on parts, set them aside and then revisited every month or so.  Clearly, the enthusiasm has propelled this into a multi-week consecutive process.  My students have asked for yet another week of the same initial phase of this project.  This means that anyone who has not yet started their art journals at MacKomics Studio has another week to get in on the action! 

Supplies and activities available the past two weeks and next include:

Paper: tissue, sheet music, handpainted rosettes, scrapbook-patterned, doilies, vintage imagery (1910-1970), maps, books, mini commercial die cut, fine art, cardstock, velum, handmade

Other: see-thru colored plastic, metal frames and brads, jewels, ribbon, buttons, stickers

All sorts of glue and mod podge, fancy edge scissors, glitter, image transfer files, fabric, markers, paint, colored pencils, art pens, metallic powder paint, pastels

Table top die cutter to make custom envelopes, library pockets, and various flower shapes in the paper of your choice.

The tables are not sufficient to hold all the materials so we've cooped the work tables on one side of the room just to hold all the bins!

The pictures below depict work begun this week and alterations to work begun the week before.

Here is a completed front and back:

Here is a front and back from last week with some beautiful additions.  The inside surface of these covers are shown just below.

 Here are the inside covers of a few pieces completed last week:

I can tell from these photos that a few projects got out the door prior to picture taking so I'll be making some calls and updating this post when they come in!

Speaking of updating posts, there is one more completed Vignette Jewelry Brooch update and one Open Cards Crafting update - click the links to get the latest!

Last week, I started the post with pictures of books I've checked out of the Library to bring inspiration to this project.  The first one, Painted Pages by Sarah Ahearn Bellemare,  I chose specifically for its approach to creating an artistic journal page. 

In an attempt to emulate this style and thereby teach my students.... I created three successive pieces.  The first picture is a scan from the book so you can see what I'm talking about.... I really appreciate the use of white, the simplicity and balanced layout of these pages.

As you can see from these examples, I get super excited about the materials and then just put too much on the page.... the piece below has an image transfer, stamps, three different grid papers, paint, magazine image, gel medium, gesso, wallpaper sample, cancelled stamp, colored pencil, sharpie, metal frame and brads... I really need an art-intervention here!

So, I started out with the same materials and actually had to cut out part of the image since it was going down the same path as the one above.  However, I believe it is closer to the graceful simplicity from the examples in the book.  It still has a cancelled stamp, colored pencil, gel medium, stamps, a tag, image transfer, decorative tape, paint and two kinds of grid paper!

So, I decided to actually do an exercise from the book... there is no collage here, but I think I got a lot closer to my goal of serenity.  This is a little piece, just about 6 by 6 and I'm pleased.  What do you think?

So... in other news... my Fascinating Fascinators class at the Lawrence Arts Center is swinging into its last two weeks and we have finished up two weeks of upcycled projects and are moving into our final projects.  Here are some pictures of the fun pieces I prepared for the upcycled portion of the class.

I started with a random selection of materials I regularly save for art projects or the Earth Day recycled art event (more to come on this later!)

Here is the a casino-ready fascinator made from fruit bags, playing cards, tiddly winks, and one die all attached to a plastic hot chocolate lid cut to make a shallow cone shape.  This accessory lies flat on the head.

This diminutive red one was created by cutting circles from hard plastic packaging and applying heat to transform the shape.  It also contains a red circle cut from a metallic coffee bag, "feathers" cut from a warped badminton birdy, the backs of playing cards, a few beads and lots of hot glue.

This clear one also employed heat on a circle cut from hard plastic packaging.  I cut a spiral into the circle and bent it into a rosette shape as it softened in the heat.  The "leaves" were made by layering two pieces of plastic cut from one of those flexible zipper pouches new sheets are encased in.  In between the layers, I placed cancelled stamps and some large webbed fruit bag netting.

This mini "pill-box" hat was made from a strip of hard plastic packaging taped into a circle.  I unwound a new (1) bath scrubby and cut a length from it, opened the tube (yes, they are tubes of netting...) and inserted the plastic circle.  I used invisible thread to secure the inside to itself and then just tied a knot/bow in the center.  The spiral decorations are paper clips.  

I cut additional pieces of hard plastic packaging into feather shapes and then applied some heat to warp them slightly.

This next piece is fairly elaborate... the plastic hot chocolate lid base is covered with fabric flower petals and then scrap netting, pieces of a broken christmas decoration and another bath scrubby were used for the top.  The wings were cut from hard plastic packaging and scored with scissors to give them more dimension.

I really enjoyed preparing these examples for my students and tried to only use materials COMMON to any household... the fabric petals may have been stretching this definition a bit!

I've asked my students to bring in all their creations this week, so hopefully, we will have a gallery of their fabulous fascinators to show in the near future.

One last question: I've started this little piece and wonder whether it should be a brooch, barette, or just part of a larger fascinator compostition... what do you think?

If you haven't checked in recently, I'm up to 63 dresses over at Dress-a-Day!  Click the link and leave me a comment!

I hope your weekend is going great and that the week ahead brings you fulfillment, happiness and plenty of rest.

Take care

Liza

TTTPL Handbound Journals

Hello - Happy Sunday!

This week at Tending to the Pilot Light, we started a new project: hand bound journals.... We started with the covers.  Using ideas and inspiration from these great books from the Lawrence Public Library, we began the multi-week project.

We are working in a relatively small scale: 5 x 7 inches, using mat board cut to that shape.  This week, each student has the task of creating a front and back cover.  Supplies ranged from fabric, stickers, tissue, lace, playing cards, mixed art papers, mini images and lots of glue and glitter.

Here are some of the results... a few projects made it out the door without being photographed but I will post those pics when they come in.

Participants had the option of composing vertically or horizontally and several even managed to complete both covers in one night!

This week, we will finish the covers and begin planning the interior pages.  I have cut paper for signatures and will have the equipment available to create custom envelopes in several sizes as well as library card style pockets to be eventually bound into the book.  If you missed the first week and still want to be involved in this particular project, all the cover making supplies will be out this week as well.  We will NOT commence the binding portion of this project this week.

If you are looking for inspiration for the theme or "look" for your interior pages, please google "art journals" on the web and you will find amazing results.

and here is a link to our very own local artist Traci Bunker's YouTube channel where she has posted some very interesting art journal videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/TraciBunkers/featured

If you get a chance in the next day or two and are at the Lawrence Public Library, take a look at the display case right in front of the children's room.... a certain young penguin lover on tennessee street has graciously allowed Lawrence to view her collection.

I hope you have a lovely week!

Liza

TTTPL - Burnt Organza Accessories

Good afternoon readers! 

I'm so impressed with the creations that leave here each Tues and Thurs evening! and what fun we have making them....

This week we played with fire, yes... very small flames, but, yes, fire and poly fibre fabrics.

Man-made textiles have a dramatic and beautiful reaction to heat - check out these layered roses:

There were a few that managed to leave the house without photos but I'll post them if I can catch up to their creator!

Here is one I made for my sis... a custom piece she dubbed "Le Pavot" (The Poppy)

It has a nice shape, hugging back around her head. (I'll post a pic if I can get "zee O.K.")

Like many of our projects, I'm loath to pack up the materials because it becomes the "one and only" that I want to be spending my time on!  The problem with having lots of interests is that you get pulled in a million directions at once, so this weekend is a stay at home, get the domestic situ in better shape, spend time with the girl and not... start... any... more... projects!

Last weekend I had a great time in the print room with my friend L. and here are a couple of links to my "Dress-a-Day" page showing some of the fun stuff I made with puffy paint prints!

http://mackomics-studio-dress-a-day.blogspot.com/2012/02/dress-fourty-three.html

http://mackomics-studio-dress-a-day.blogspot.com/2012/02/dress-48.html

This next week for Tending to the Pilot Light, we will be making 4 x 6 two dimensional art pieces to participate in ..... No way... rats CITY! I just went to get info on this project to relate it to you and even though the deadline for signing up is not until March.. it is full!

Seriously, this was going to be a great Art-Coop project.

so... (significant pause here, while i comb through supplies and ideas.....)

This next week for Tending to the Pilot Light, we will be starting a larger project that will be revisited over time.  I will provide 5 x 7 mats that will be the basis for covers for handmade art journals.  We will decorate them with mixed media and start talking about projects for the inside pages.  In the future, we will bind art paper pages into these covers, using a coptic stitch binding  (for easy and flat display). 

For this week, in addition to the mats, I have matching double layer framed mats with an opening of 2 5/8 x 4 5/8 inches.  As you prepare for class this week, think about combining these items, nesting treasures within the frame, or creating layers of imagery between transparent sheets.  I will have a full range of materials available to create portrait or landscape oriented art journal covers.  If you think about a theme ahead of time, your design choices will flow quickly and you will be able to accomplish a great deal in our short time together.  Google art journals, and check out all the different directions you can go within these parameters!

Notice to other creative types (including my talented students!) - Jump into teaching in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere....

I am interested in hosting guest artists and have some nibbles already: Art Dolls, Mail Art, and possibly Jewelry making from a friend in KC.  Please contact me if you are interested in teaching for a week.  I will host the classes, provide the space and do all the clean-up.  You bring materials, teach and the class fees are yours!

Is there any interest in once a month weekend projects? We could meet for 3-4 hours on a Saturday and have a larger project, or work on completing existing projects... I'm open for ideas and looking for feedback - please let me know what you would like.

Check out this link for additional photos... scroll to the end for more valentine pictures!

I hope you have a great week - take care!

Liza

More fun with felt

I had so much fun playing with felt in my Lawrence Arts Center class and making brooches in our Tending to the Pilot Light Classes a couple of weeks ago that I keep making more schtuff.  C. gave me this cute magazine(thanks!)  which was the inspiration for the brooches:

Here are the brooches I made last night...

a close up of the hair...with teensy weensy felt rosettes and beads

and some of the poppy hair bling ...

These are fun and simple to make and use up all those leetle bits of felt left over from more medium sized projects!

Have a great weekend

Liza

TTTPL - Open Card Crafting

Good evening readers!
I'm excited to spend some time in the print room tomorrow, so posting my weekly report on Saturday evening - one day early.

I am typing on a new computer... all fast and slick - the tower sitting here on the desk ...looking everything like a cylon except for the left and right motion of the thin red light emanating from the top third of the front facade.  Since I spend 2-4 hours a week processing photos for this blog each week, I was delighted to be able to open 20 at a time (blink blink blink) without freezing the whole system, without any warning messages telling me I would compromise functionality etc.  Thanks to an excellent computer guy (Thanks D.!!) I have now jumped forward light years in computer speed and efficiency. And...here's a special thank you to my old workhorse HP who did its best for the last 6 years.

Enough with the boring 'puter stuff.. let's get on to ART

This week (February 14th and 16th) we will be revisiting burnt edge organza accessories.  And yes, I will have class on the 14th, I'll have all the materials set up just in case anyone doesn't have valentine plans!

This week's challenge was to host a two day blow out over the weekend and then be ready by tuesday evening for a new Tending to the Pilot Light class.  Here is the before and after photos from Tuesday!

This was quite a feat and I made it with a mere 5 minutes to spare!

Here are some of the lovely cards created this week:

Apologies for this being so blurry...

Here are the pages of a sympathy card I made for my dear E. 

One more addition to the cards...

Inside of card with image transfer, handmade paper, and vintage wristwatch clock face

Close-up of outside

Even though this is the month of love, 29 days of hope and connection, the peak of my personal creative outreach to the public ... I'm finding it a challenge to keep up the momentum. 

Life runs in cycles of energy, circles of anniversaries, memories and habits folding round and round like a mobius strip.  Similar, not identical, unpredictable to the forgetful among us, and always chock full of information. 

I found gratitude to be my motivator for January and worked with, against, and along-side various forms of gratitude.  February seems to be demanding yet still greater patience, suspension of judgement and flexibility in self assessment related thoughts. 

We all move along at the pace set by our little generators housed safely in our chest.  I am happiest when I remember exactly what is at the center of my path and really open my eyes, listen, witness and let it all pass into the next moment.  Because, for now, there IS a next moment and another step to be taken and creative ideas to be expressed.

I wish you a lovely moment filled evening.
Liza