A Bit Of Wildlife

I just had to show you this. We live on 5+ acres in the country and quite often have visitors from the wild. I happened to look out the back window at the right time and saw this. Mom and her new baby!

 Such a little one. And full of energy!

Psuedo Stained Glass

I'm re-posting this from my other blog. Enjoy!

This week's project came about because I was pawing through my art supplies and came across a watercolor sampler set that I had been given many years ago and never used. The brand of the paint is Rotring. As I was reading the printed material that came with the set I discovered that they could be used on glass, ceramic, plastic or what-have-you.  Hmmm....the mind started up and began to whirl. I was thinking that I could purchase a piece of plexiglass...the kind that is already cut to size for a picture frame. However, since I'd rather use what I have since I'm on a kick to deplete my supplies, I found a small frame with glass in it to use. I removed the backing, broke the holding tabs off of the frame and cleaned the glass. I also attached screw eyes at the top and bottom of the frame.

 I then decided on a design to use as a template and drew it up on scrap paper. I placed the glass over the design and proceeded to paint the glass.

While the paint dried I strung up some glass beads and pearls to hang from the frame. Next I glued the glass into the frame and hung it in the window (using an old chain necklace to hang it with).

...Elohim will provide Himself a lamb... Genesis 22:8

Because the watercolor paint in this set is transparent it makes it perfect for the stained glass effect. There are other paints in the craft stores that would give the same effect. Check out alcohol inks. These work nicely on glass too.

A Change Of Pace

Sometimes you have to change what is emphasized in your creative endeavors and that is what I have been doing recently. Mind you, I still love quilting along with other crafts but it was time to re-prioritize what I put my creative efforts into...at least for the summer. And so I decided to take an online art journal workshop with Roxanne Evans Stout at http://rivergardenstudio.typepad.com/

This is the first page I completed from the workshop. Our teacher Roxanne suggested we work on our journals outside. That was precisely the nudge I needed to be motivated to act instead of just think about it. It feels so good to stretch my arty wings again.

And here is the inside of the back cover of my journal. All decorated with a rejected watercolor painting for the back ground and a decorated envelope to keep treasures in.

And lastly, here are a couple of pictures of the garden where I worked on my journal.

Red and white columbine portrayed on the first page of my nature journal.

Wild columbine