CREATE with Cloth Paper Scissors Mixed Media Art Retreat Costa Mesa

This year I had the opportunity to attend the fabulous CREATE with Cloth Paper Scissors Mixed Media Art Retreat in Costa Mesa in May.  It was an amazing, fabulous experience! So much fun! 

One of the workshops I attended  was called "Creatures and Critters" with instructors Ty and Marcia Shultz.  Though initially, it was anxiety provoking, I really enjoyed this workshop.  We worked with wire, aluminum foil, masking tape, fabric and Paverpol (a fabric hardener).  We started by creating an armature then ended with fabric and funky eyes. I finished my critter with acrylic paint at the end of the day in my hotel room.  The pictures that follow show my creation, Dottie, from armature to critter:

Hello again!

Yes, it's me!  I really am here.  I've been thinking about my little blog often & have come to the realization that it's time to make some changes here.  While I really enjoy all of the things I post about, I've decided it's time to make the focus of this blog my "random creative moments" rather than the cool things going into The Whimsical Muse.  So, I'm starting a new blog for The Whimsical Muse, aptly titled The Whimsical Muse.  I will post my first welcome over there in the morning & have some fun things planed over there.  

I also have all kinds of fun things to share here.  I went to Cloth Paper Scissors CREATE Art Retreat in May in Costa Mesa.  I've been making some "critters" inspired by an article in Cloth Paper Scissors by...Diana Trout, I believe.  I'm continuing to participate in the Outside the Box book club & do related projects.  And more!

Anyway, I will be back soon & look forward to having blogs for both my shop & my mixed media creations.  Please join me here, if you're interested and/or my other blog.

Pam

Packaging kits at The Whimsical Muse!

I've just added a packaging kit & new set of stickers to The Whimsical Muse on Etsy!  The kit is a set of 10 pink glassine lined bags, kraft paper heart stickers, recycled white starburst stickers & 10 yards of black & white baker's twine.  I love the color combination! 

  

You can check them out at  http://www.etsy.com/listing/73953930/pretty-pink-packaging-kit-from-the 

Random update

 After a month long spring break, the kid returned to school today.  I would have enjoyed another day or two or five with her.  She was raring to return to her teacher, her friends and...math.  The nut.  I'd say she fell from her dad's side of the family since grandpa is a math nerd (taught university level math, retired but does math for fun) but my dad was an accountant & his sister taught junior high school math.  I can't blame it on the "other side."  The kid  knows full well homework will start after school today but was chomping at the bit to get out of the house this morning. 

Spring break: made cake pops with the kid, went to the library almost weekly, helped her finish sewing her felt elephant (it's so cute!), had her help me more with dinner prep (she absolutely loved that), spent some time painting with watercolors several times (she wants an art journal, yay!), went to the park several times, enjoyed a birthday party for one of her best friends, drove to L.A. to visit grandma (my mom), had a visit from the Easter bunny, went to a week of art camp (day camp) & more! 

I've got some more new items "coming soon" to this blog & to The Whimsical Muse!  I will be posting new things here as I list the items on Etsy.  

I'm absolutely thrilled to be heading to the CREATE Mixed Media Art retreat in Costa Mesa later this month!  I've not been as obsessive about gathering my supplies as I was for CREATE in Chicago last year.  Time to get moving!  It will be so nice to just throw everything in the back of my car rather than worrying about packing everything for the airplane & drive up there.  At this point, I'm thinking that I will probably keep my shop open & simply mail everything when I get back home.  I do plan on being able to return convos (messages) daily but probably not until the end of each day. 

How's that for a random update?

New to The Whimsical Muse!

Some new items are making their way onto the "shelves" at The Whimsical Muse on Etsy this week! 
I'm offering them in sets of 36 and 120.  They are cute & tiny at .75" tall by .75" across at the widest point.  They are great for envelope seals for invitations for special occasions, such as weddings, showers & anniversaries.  They are also fun for notes to your sweetie or lunch notes to your kid.
36 kraft heart stickers 
120 kraft heart stickers

 

ICE Resin

It's been a while!  What's new?

Last month as our "kit" for our Out of the Box book club (formerly, Scrapbook club) we were given:
ICE Resin (Created by Susan Lenart Kazmer)
the book Explore, Create, Resinate: Mixed Media Techniques using ICE Resin by Jen Cushman
a bezel
a little cup
& a stir stick

I was thrilled!  I had been wanting to try resin but was a bit intimidated with having to measure exact amounts & stir everything exactly perfectly, not to mention my concerns about toxicity.  It was enough to put me off of trying it before now.  Anyway, the book is gorgeous!  So many creative people contributed so many lovely pieces to it.  It also has great ideas on how to use the ICE Resin.  I loved that the resin came in a containers where I could press the plunger & the correct amount of both the resin & the hardener would come out.

I added pool colored alcohol ink the first time.   I poured a partial amount, filling maybe half of the bezel after the stirring & waiting process (2 minutes of stirring, 5 minutes sitting, stirred in the alcohol ink, then waited another 5 minutes for the bubbles to dissipate under my lamp).  The day after, I added my butterfly (painted with acrylic paint) & filled it in with more resin, this time I left it clear.  I love that it domed!  I figured there would be a few bubbles but I can't see any.  It looks like glass.  The only things I didn't like were more of a user related issue in that I think it would have looked nicer if I had added Mod Podged paper to the bottom of the bezel in  a light color to bring out the other items a bit more & if the contact paper I used had actually sealed my word properly. I made a few other things alongside this & will be back (hopefully) with a few pictures.

I love that you can use the amount you need & save the rest for later!  Very user friendly.  I'm looking forward to picking up some more bezels & making more pendants with what I have left.