Eating... Painting... Sanding

EATING:  The New Year is almost hear folks and I'm sad to report I'm 10 lbs heavier than I was 3 months ago!  ARRGG.  Really I'm 5 lbs lighter than I was last year at this time.  I lost 15 lbs earlier this year and since the end of Oct I've gain 10 back.  Bizcochito's are the reason why!!!  Well for sure one of the reasons.  They are my demise, they are addictive, they are almost gone!  Since I'm from New Mexico we make these every year before Christmas as it is a long held tradition in my family and they are one of my favorite holiday cookies.  

Bizcochito's

Bizcochito or biscochito is a crispy butter or lard based cookie flavored with anise and cinnamon. It was developed by residents of New Mexico over the centuries from the first Spanish colonists of New Mexico.

PAINTING:  I couldn't take the sanding anymore so yesterday I started a watercolor painting - this afternoon I completed it.  I think I'm finally getting the hang of leaving the paper white for light.   I love painting Iris ~ my mom was an iris breeder in her spare time and so there were many gorgeous ones to pick from.  You should see her garden in the spring time.

SANDING:  Today I have been working on a "MODERN" fireplace screen that I really shouldn't of excepted doing for someone.  1st Reason is I don't do this type of work, 2nd I don't do MODERN!  All day I've been sanding this thing (I'll post when I'm done).  It's actually fairly simple, but it's so not what I do.  Note to Self:  Don't except work you're not excited about. 

Iris Weaved Hearts & The 12 Days of Christmas

 

I just finished a really fun project.  I saw weaved metal online and thought it was so beautiful, so I tried it.  It was challenging and I didn't get it exactly straight, but I guess everything I do is never perfect ~ I like flaws.  The iris was fun trying to make it look real.  I used a purple patina on the final flower and red patina for the weave.

This will be the last project I'll be working on until after the holidays.  It's time for baking, shopping, cleaning & decorating.  Yes I am that behind!  Yikes!

Merry Christmas to all 

and may Santa bring you Abundance

in

Love, Blessings, Kindness, Understanding

&

Compassion

or may he bring you just what you need

12 Days of Christmas..... explained

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.  It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

Starving Artist or Not?

Sometimes I feel starved for ideas

starved for knowledge and training,

starved for a connection, starved for social interaction,

starved for attention and understanding.

I'm starved for inspiration, 

I'm starved for time and energy.

But, if truth be told... I'm full,

satiated,

appeased ... truly.

I don't make a living at this craft I've chosen,

but I do make a life at it.

So that Question?? of starving ... is definitely questionable

at least in this Artist.

The burro is a pretty bird,

and loves to dine on shirts,

But for a midday luncheon,

Prefers to eat old skirts,

old petticoats and bloomers

Appraise his appetite

While crinoline and corset

Fill him with delight

Once in while a kind monk comes

to her stable and brings

a pear, but more

than that,

He looks into her eyes and rubs her ears

and for a few seconds the burro is free

and even seems to laugh

because love does that

Love Frees

Crow caw from the fields

sun slants through old bottles of

brown, green claret, clear

Rust is an Aphrodisiac

It's the afternoon before Thanksgiving and I've been cooking all morning, the Indians are getting restless and I'm in need of a "FIX" ... a Rustic Resurrectionists Aphrodisiac, which means METAL, JUNK and RUST.  So we packed up the guests and headed out to feed that need.  It was a gorgeous day here  ~  the news stated that it was the coldest day on Thanksgiving in 80 years ~ a high of 58 degrees!  We get very excited about cool weather in AZ and I know some of you are thinking ... 58 is cold! YES, here in AZ it's like an Arctic Blast... Trust me.

OK, back to my Aphrodisiac.... I don't know about the rest of you metal lovers, but RUST is my favorite color.  It can have more beauty than any man made color I've ever seen.  It changes normal colors to spectacular colors.   So on our little outing here is what I found.  Beats clams everyday of the week!  Don't you agree?

SunFlowers & Iris Metal Garden Art

I've been away from my blog for far to long, forgive me for I have missed you, but it has been for good reason.  I've been busy, busy, busy.  November is a very hectic month around her...  Eight birthdays to celebrate (I guess I get along good with Scorpio's!) Mom came down from NM to help me celebrate my bday and she actually had a big surprise party for me.  Last surprise party I had I was 16!  That was definitely a loooong time ago.  I had a great time and I know it wasn't easy pulling it together, because rarely has anyone ever been able to keep a secret from me of that magnitude.  I guess I'm getting old and not paying attention to things.  Although there were a few strange comments made that gave me pause... don't think I didn't notice them folks.

 We are back out doing shows and trying to get ready of the 20+ people showing up to feast on Thanksgiving dinner, but I've carved out a few days to create some more of my garden stakes and butterflies for Saturday's "Wild West Days" show. 

May you all be blessed with good friends, good wine, new memories and full belly's!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Caged and Broken Hearts

The Botanical Garden Sale this past weekend was a huge success.... That's Good and Bad!  Good that people loved my stuff... BAD that I'm back at it trying to replenish my supply.  Hey, this isn't suppose to be a  JOB!!!  When did that happen?  I need to talk to the manager!  Oh yeah, that's me.... #@%&!

I'm having so much fun making these winged hearts here's a few more.  They are a tribute to the caged and broken hearts in the world.  I see so many shows about abuse and control that these are for all those survivors that have come out on the other side and pieced their lives back together after so much heart ache.

Winged Hearts & Butterfly Shovels

The house is a mess

There's sheet metal remnants & dirty dishes in the kitchen

The laundry's spilling over

The yard is trashed from the lastest storm 

but...

WHO CARES

I'm creating again like a mad woman

I've gone off the track as usual and decided to make some new creations....winged hearts, some 3D flowers & butterflies on my shovel art.  I've got a big three days show coming up in a week in a half at the Botanical Garden's Fall Plant Sale so I guess the chores will just have to take a backseat to

PASSION

 Because without that..... we have nothing!

I love the red metal in the wings & hearts.  I found this piece of steel in a cow field and just had to have it.  Nothing prettier than that old weathered paint.

 This one will be rusted soon.  I love it in just the steel look and always agonize if I should rust it or try to keep it pristine.  Dealing with putting patina or paint on steel  is always a struggle for me.  In fact, my husband bought me an airbrush machine 2 years ago.... I've yet to try it cuz it scares me!

 This one is flame heated to get that blue flame look

  Lots of sewing with steel wire... Fun

Live ~ Love ~ Laugh

Friendship Resurrected

As Much as Life Changes.... it Remains the Same.

Back in May I spent some time wondering thru the back roads of my childhood.  The house that my grandparents & great-grandparents built and the house that I grew up in was still there. It's a beautiful old adobe with hand carved doors and beams that my grandfather carved.  I have not been in that house for over 47 years.  I was lucky enough to go inside since my Mom knew the artist that now lives there.

 

Me my brother and our loyal watch dog Hondo in front of that door. I did ask if she'd sell me the door, but she wouldn't.  How wonderful it would be to have that in my house. 

 

It was wonderful growing up there and having 3 generations together.  Every morning I'd awake to the smell of fresh baked pies my "Nana" would make for a local restaurant.  We had a bountiful orchard that supplied an abundance of fresh fruit.  Sadly, it is no longer there.

I was stunned to see the same floor still there.  They don't make linoleum like they used to.  Definitely more worn, but in tact.  The cupboards still the same, the concrete sink in the laundry room that I used to get bathed in ~ still there.  It took me back to a time that was joyous and carefree ... my childhood.  Growing up in the country, riding my horse, swimming in the river, playing with my best friend... Jeannette.  The Good Ole' Days

As I left the house and drove down the road to see where my bestfriend lived I discovered her mother still lived in the same house.  Of course, I went to the door to say Hi and she remember me like it was yesterday.  She gave me Jeannettes' phone and after I got home I contacted her.  We hadn't spoke in over 47 years, but it didn't matter.... we were best friends.  After catching up and promising to get together on my next trip and before saying goodbye, she said "you know for 47 years when I go to visit my Moms, I take the exit before her house to drive by your old house and I always think of you".

How great was that!

Here we are at a Halloween Costume Party. 

I'm the "China" Girl

Crucifix Bottles

I love dabbling in various mediums and for years I've done stained glass - although my metal work has pretty much pushed stained glass aside for now.  I do love to create these bottles, however with crosses on them. As with every whim, craft, and art project I fall in love with I always go whole hog and buy massive quantities of that particular "whim" item I'm working with (the excuse to head to the thrift store is never an issue). Needless to say, I have now acquired a huge quantity of gorgeous bottles, crystals & jewelry for such.  I will never get them all made with crosses on top ~ Now what? 

If you think that is bad you should see the amount of shovels & wheelbarrows I have.... it's daunting!!  

Ok, Ok, I have a problem... what of it.  It's only one problem, right?

So here are just a few of the Cross Bottles I've made. 

Iris Watercolor Lesson

I've been trying hard to get better at my watercolor painting.  It's a weird feeling when I begin to paint a picture I kind of feel like I won't remember anything I learned from the last painting.  In fact, I start getting really nervous and my stomach gets fluttery.  Even when I'm creating my art out of metal I get the same feeling ~ especially when I've done something new.  It's kind of like when you have a dream and you can't quite remember any of it.  I get this strange feeling like I'll never be able to recreate something similar again. 

DO ANY OF YOU ARTIST OUT THERE GET THE SAME FEELING??  

So in trying to better my painting skills I ordered a video by Jacqueline Gnott who does fabulous watercolor flowers.  I've admired her work for a long time so on Thursday I received my video on her step by step instructions.  I learned a lot from her techniques and found some of my weaknesses my biggest issue is slow down, pre-plan and lighter layers.  I'll probable be painting this flower many times over.  Mine is way to dark, but I was working on a picture that was actually darker than her's shown below.  Check out Jacqueline's blog and see all her beautiful flowers.  http://jacquelinegnott.blogspot.com

This is Jacqueline's Painting

 

Dalton Ghetti Pencil Artist

I love finding new and quirky artists. Dalton Ghetti is one of those. His patience is beyond what I could ever imagine.  Many artists have used pencils to create works of art - but Dalton Ghetti creates miniature masterpieces on the tips of pencils The alphabet, all carved from 26 pencil tips.

Dalton hollowed out the centre of the wood, then carved the central column of graphite to create this hanging, linked heart

Dalton, who works as a carpenter, has been making his tiny graphite works for about 25 years A sculpture of Elvis Presley wearing shades, carved from a single pencil

Using the eraser end of a pencil, Dalton created a tiny cross sculpture from the internal graphite

 Dalton has made about 100 carvings, and is currently working on an epic piece inspired by the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. He said: "I decided to make a teardrop pencil carving for each of the people who died in the attack, about 3,000. Since 2002 I have carved one every day, it takes me under an hour. When I'm done they will form one big tear drop. It will take me about 10 years but it will be worth it"

Two interlocking hearts, carved from one pencil

Dalton, who is originally from Brazil, has a box full of more than 100 sculptures that have broken while working on them that he affectionately calls 'the cemetery collection'. He said: "I have quite a few broken pieces so I decided to glue them on pins and into Styrofoam for a display case. People might think it's weird I keep them but they're still interesting. I worked on them for months so they might be dead now but at one point I gave them life"

Is this guy Awesome or What!!!!!!