Repurposed - Repainted - Resurrected Trivets

I've been stockpiling old antique Trivets for sometime now.  I have large to very small.  I was drawn to their ornateness and of course they are steel or cast iron and I knew I could use them in different aspects of my art.  I've used them on my license plate butterflies as part of there tails (do butterflies have tails?), like this one.

There are so many things you can do with them, transfer photos to them, cut stencils in steel and replace the tile.
So today, since I wasn't in the mood for welding and getting dirty I figured I paint on one.  I really love how it turned out.  You have an instant frame for one of your paintings or pictures.

 Just scuff up the tile, paint an acrylic base coat color of your choice then, draw your picture on it.  It's instantly ready to hang up.... well after it dries and you really should put a clear coat over it for protection.

Did you know

I LOVE DONKEY'S!!!

Shovel Art #4 - Hippie Zen Love 3D

Ok - so I've always been a hippie at heart.  Would love to run around in long skirts and short shirts with no shoes.  Wear a headband of flowers - I've got the long hair still so that will work, but sadly when you get a certain age you just can't pull off that look anymore.  So, in memory of those Hippie days long past here's a Hippie/Love/Zentangle/Peace Shovel with a few flowers thrown in... you know the headbands of flowers we used to wear.

I'm still working on the stand - have to just meditate on that for a while.  Ideas Anybody?

Just Hangin With Friends

Wow, I can't believe it's been two weeks since I posted.  Truly I haven't been loafing, but if truth be told most of that time I've been dealing with botched dentistry.  My dentist who I've been with for 28 years retired and my first experience with the group that took over has been horrid!  Needless to say I shall be finding a new one! 

Since I haven't been real busy in the shop I'll just share a few pics from my days out and hopefully next week I'll be back to welding and cutting.... I HOPE!

Last week I was finally able to take my mind off of the tooth problem and hang out with some friends. On Thurs, with my old friend Meeg who I've know since high school, we did some window shopping, lunch and threw in a few thrift stores for good measure.

Then on Friday, headed off to the Tucson Quilt Show with my Friend Anna - and of course there is always time to scout out the Tucson Thrift stores.  Good thing most of my friends enjoy thrifting - cuz if they didn't I'd have to drag them along kicking and screaming!

I'm not a seamstress and never will be!  I admire all these folks that have the patient to put these beautiful quilts together.  I prefer to sew with steel and if I had to sew something needing a straight line... I'd be in big trouble. 

Shovel Art #3 - Here Kitty Kitty

Here's a crazy one my friends!  I love the shadows that these cast.  This still has a lot of rusting to do, but why wait for a showing.  Found the old gear for the base walking down the road to an old Mercury mine that we attempted to get to over the New Year Holiday.  Unfortunately, we're gonna need more energy for the hike, or an ATV to traverse the rough road.  It was late in the day and we were unsure how far it was.  I wanted to go there to photograph all the old equipment that's been left behind from the early 1900's.  Hopefully we can reschedule that hike.

Oh Naughty Bird - stole Kitties Bell

Hope you're not tired of these yet?? .... more coming.  I guess I'm on a roll - huh?  I'm getting thru that shed of shovels one by one.   May have to take a break soon and work on a wheelbarrow!  Not much of a break though.  Have a great weekend!

Passion Flower - Resurrection

I'm sure you've noticed that I tend to lean towards "garden art".  I love flowers and I love creating them.  I've filled  my backyard with so much "garden art" that it's ... dare I say.... Overgrown!  Honestly, I can't imagine surrounding myself with anything else.  How lucky I am to be able to create what I love. 

As mentioned in my post last week I found this crazy looking object aka candle holder.  Funny story - I didn't realize what it was even though one of my addictions is candelabras, candle holder, candles and such so when I came home and ask my husband what he thought it was and he immediately said "it's a candle holder", well I felt really stupid and then was like..  Oh Yeah, it is huh?  Duh.  Well we are all entitled to a senior moment now and again! 

So here it is  - a huge 12ft tall Passion Flower for the garden.  Everything is made from other pieces of various things I had laying around.  See it's good to never throw things out!  or at least that's what I keep telling myself.

Being in the Moment

These last few days here in sunny AZ have been so beautiful.  Yesterday, I just sat and revealed in the sunshine,  the beauty of  my garden, the singing birds and other furry creatures and just soaked it all in. Sometimes we just have to relax and do nothing... and BE in the Moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ART FOR HEALING - Obsessive Beauty

Now I know there is hope for all the various articles of junk I collect - Sometimes you just need someone to show you that you're not crazy and that there is a mission to your madness.  I believe I have found that someone.....Her name is TAYA DORO MITCHELL and she is my new hero!  What an interesting story she has.  Please do read about her HERE.  

But to truly see what I'm so over the top in love with you have to see THIS video.  I'm just in awe of what she has done!  What an inspiration!  What a talent!