50 Gallon Drum Project

 We recently drove up to our land in the Superstition Mountains,

it's only about 25 miles from where we are now 

 This mountain is called Ship Rock..... humm wonder why?

 

(This snow isn't typical - I've only seen it snow like this on these mountains twice in 43 yrs.

The pic below is our view from what would of been our living room.)

 

where before the housing market came crashing down, we were going to build our dream home (don't get me started!!!) and I remembered this awesome rusted 50 gallon drum barrel that was cut in half that we dug up while trying to move a culvert. 

I got very excited about it because the natural patina was so beautiful after it weathered for 2 years, so I decided to haul it home.  I don't know why my husband had a funny look on his face when I mentioned that, but with me and the things I drag home, that look isn't anything out of the ordinary. I usually just glance at him, bat my eyes and say "isn't it beautiful" and he just smiles.  If you keep up with my blog you know RUST IS MY FAVORITE COLOR and I can't resist it. It draws me in like a moth to a flame

So, I've decided that these will be very large lights in the corners of my yard.  I think they can be used in many different ways as lights, so I'll just have to work with that part later.  After I decide what pattern I'm going to place on them and cut out with my plasma cutter, I'll post.  It's gonna be a long project - sort of like the wheelbarrow (on the right side) I cut out.  I've got some old lace that I'm going to try and duplicate on it, but I'm also torn on Moroccan design ~ decisions, decisions.  I'll have to make my own stencils so this will be a project and a half.  

What do you think..... Lace or Moroccan?

I'm Tired So Join me and Relax

It's been a long show weekend, and I'm tired so today I post this for your enjoyment and mine to regroup and relax.
This beautiful video by Terje Sorgjerd of The Aurora Borealis.

PS.... Mute my Music & be sure and click the little 4 arrow to enlarge to get the full effect. It's Glorious.
Hugs to all.

The Aurora from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

Garden Jewelry

Put a fork in me - I'm done!

 Two days before the three day show and I've done all I can do.  I'm always torn with the option of painting steel and letting it rust naturally. 

 I love, love, love rusted metal so it's always a tough call, but I also know that others love the colorful stuff, so of course I have to throw of few of those in and all with a little birdie.  The birds above are still hiding a little since they are waiting to Rust more.

 These are all one of a kind and you certainly can't buy them at your local garden shop where most items are imported, but if you're in the Phoenix area head on over to the Botanical Gardens this weekend and pick one up along with some butterflies, ocotillos, winged hearts, shovels and last but not least Lace cut wheelbarrows.  Support your local Artists

Please stop in and say Hi

I sure hope to see you there!

Crazy Flying Licence Plates

It's been a very busy two weeks.  I'm getting ready for my show in 2 weeks, been working hard on getting the butterflies made and all the other items.  I'm also taking care of hubby who had a total knee replacement last Tuesday.  He's doing really good, but still hobbling around and I'm doing more than my fair share of duties this week.  I'll be hitting it hard tomorrow in the shop as my days are getting shorter with being two people.  It's amazing how much we depend on each other for our various chores and then when one can't do them, man it's a lot of work.  Ok, I'm done whining now.  I'll feel better tomorrow since I don't have cleaning, shopping and therapy to do - I'll be in the workshop all day!  Yeah 

I hope you aren't getting tired of seeing these big butterflies, but I sure have fun making them.  I've been experimenting with the rusting processes.  These came from the same piece of steel, but yet each one reacted or colored differently.  I always try to make each one unique.  Some have steel leaves on them, this one below has a door handle on it, others have cut designs and some have glass beads incorporated and they always have long antenna's or as I call them Antlers; What you've never seen a butterfly with antlers!  

Mission San Xavier

On a little road trip a couple weeks back, I went to one of what I consider one of the most beautiful Catholic Churches in Arizona.  It had been at least 25 years since I last was there.

 San Xavier is the oldest intact European structure in Arizona.  It has a very long history and dates from the late 1700's when Southern Arizona was part of New Spain.  Then following Mexican independence in 1821 it became part of Mexico and then again with the Gadsden purchase of 1854 the Mission joined the US and now it is ours!

The Baroque architecture style features playful dramatic elements such as theatrical curtain displays, faux doors and marbling and an overall sense of balance.  It is constructed of low-fire clay bricks, stone and lime mortar, the entire structure is roofed with masonry vaults making it unique among Spanish Colonial buildings with U.S. borders.

See the "shell" in the windows, it's a symbol of pilgrimage after the patron saint of Spain, Santiago or St James the Greater.  It is replicated all through the structure.

I was mesmerized by the shadows that I saw.  The sky was an incredible ocean blue and the sunlight bounced off the pristine white walls and was blinding.  It was totally beautiful.

 If you ever visit Arizona please put this on your list of beautiful places to visit.   It remains a testament to the endurance of culture throughout our history.

Women Can Weld – Get over it!

What is going on in the 21^st Century folks!  1998 was the 150th Anniversary of the Women's Rights Movement and we've come a long way baby! Women have been voting, running Corporations, flying planes  and WELDING  for a very long  time,  so why is it that when I’m doing a show and my husband just happens to be sitting in my booth that he’s the one they think makes my ART.  What’s funny is my ART is delicate looking, whimsical; it’s got flowers and butterflies and could even be considered girlie, in a way.  My husband is 6’5 and looks like Tom Selleck and in no way portrays anything delicate.  He makes knives, hunts and shoots, he doesn’t make “whimsical, flowery art”, and so it makes it even wierder that they think he does my ART.

It never fails someone walks into my booth and we are both sitting there and every single person looks at my husband and says “how do you do this”?  He points to me and says “Ask her, she does it” and they gasp and reply “YOU DO THIS”!!   Like being a Woman Who Welds just doesn’t happen in this world.  Then for some strange reason they continue to ask my husband more questions while I’m just standing there.  At first, I thought it was really funny that this kept happening over and over, now I’m not laughing.   I even had a friend helping me set up at my last big show and she sat with me for a while and I’ll be damned if they didn’t look straight at her and think she did it. 

What is it about me that makes me look like I can’t do this?  Maybe I need to not wear makeup (can’t do that I’d scare them away), get a tattoo, or cut my hair short – I know I’ll wear a Rosie the Riveter T-Shirt and just for the heck of it I’ll get one of those temporary skull tattoos and an earring in my nose.  Then I'll look like a bad-ass that can weld!

Valentine's Weekend Tradition

Every Valentine's Day it just so happens that the  

Tubac Art Festival

  always falls before or after V'Day and every year my "Love" and I always go to this beautiful place.  

Of course I make it easy on my "love" because I always find some special piece of art 

Like THIS

 and THIS

and THIS

to add to my very diminished wall space, garden area or patio and my "Love" always says "I'll get it for you for V'Day".  It always works out perfectly that I always get what I want!   Plus the annual Gem and Mineral Show also happens that same weekend, so it's a wonderful treasure hunting 2-3 days.

We are headed there tomorrow to stay the weekend I'm so excited. It's a little early, but

Happy Valentine's Day All!

Icicle Cactus & Ocotillo's

Ok folks it is flippin' freezing here in Sunny Arizona .... really!  

Look

We don't do ICE!  

only in our Ice Tea!

We have very thin blood here and this is just to cold for me.  Remember we fry eggs on the sidewalk here.  I'm trying to work outside and my hands have lost all feeling.  I know many of you are in really cold country, so don't laugh at me but, for me this is really cold.

 Desert Botanical Gardens Spring Plant Sale

I'm getting geared up for the annual BG Sale and creating some Steel Garden Art Ocotillo with lots of flying critters on them.  I've got another 5-7 to go.... As soon as I can feel my fingers! 
 

This dragonfly is made with a Railroad Spike.

  

and Here's a Butterfly

of course I have to throw in some

Licence Plate Art Dragonflies

 

Three Sisters & a WASP Tribute

Marguerite (Ty) Hughes Killen

Born ~ May 16,  1924

Died ~ Jan. 17, 2011

WASP:  Women Air Force Service Pilot

Ty, as I called her was my very best friends Mother.  She was a character and a hero in her time.  She was one of the first WASP's to fly in World War II. She attended civilian pilot training and received her commercial and flight instructor ratings on her 18th birthday and at 20 she graduated as a WASP.  As a teenager she spent most of her time at Fly Field in Yuma, AZ servicing planes and learning all about them.  She was flying planes when she was 15.  She later was a flight instructor and a teacher.

All records of the WASP were classified and sealed for 35 years, so their contributions to the war effort were little known and inaccessible to historians. In 1975, under the leadership of Col. Bruce Arnold, son of General Hap Arnold, the WASPs fought the "Battle of Congress" in Washington, D.C., to belatedly obtain recognition as veterans of World War II.

On July 1, 2009 President Barack Obama and the United States Congress awarded the WASP the Congressional Gold Medal.

Ty and Shauna (my BFF) before the award ceremony

As a small tribute I created Three Flying Hearts one for each daughter with three roses that were Ty's favorite flower and also representing her three daughters.

Flyer's Prayer

When this life I'm in is done, And at the gates I stand,

My hope is that I answer all  his questions on command.

I doubt He'll ask me of my fame, Or all the things I knew,

Instead He'll ask of rainbows sent On rainy days I flew.

The hours logged, the status reached The ratings will not matter,

He'll ask me if I saw the rays

And did you see the twinkling eyes,

Of student pilots keen?

The way your heart jumped in your chest,  That special solo day -

Did you take time to thank the ones

Who fell along the way?

Remember how the runway lights Looked one night long ago

When you were lost and found your way, And how - you still don't know?

How fast, how far, how much, how high? He'll ask me not these things

But did I take the time to watch The moonbeams wash my wings?

And did you see the patchwork fields And mountains I did mold,

The mirrored lakes and velvet hills,

Of these did I behold?

The wind He flung along my wings, On final almost stalled,

And did I know it was His name,

That I so fearfully called?

And when the goals are reached at last, 

When all the flying's done,

I'll answer Him with no regret -

Indeed, I had some fun.

So when these things are asked of me, And I can reach no higher,

My prayer this day - His hand extends

To welcome home a Flyer.

by Patrick J. Phillips

Drop a Love Bomb & Others

I had a lovely comment today on my Art and wanted to share with you what I discovered on her blog http://creativelysensitive.blogspot.com.  This is why Blogging is so wonderful ~ strangers stop in and out of your blog, say wonderful things, spread their love and make us aware of a bigger picture then the one we see just outside our windows.  I know this new "socialization" changes lives everyday.  It has changed mine forsure.  It makes people who may not be able to get out and about bring the world to their little piece of heaven.  It teaches us, it makes us believe and it saves us.

I'm so thankful to all of you that share yourself with me.  I learn so much from all of you!

If you do nothing else today go here! 

http://dropalovebomb.com/

http://www.itstartswith.us/blog/

http://payitforwardday.com/

Thank you "Creatively Sensitive" for sharing these posting on your site.  

Repurposed ~ Resurrected ~ Shovel Art

One of the crazy Recycled Art Resurrections I do are Repurpose Old Shovels into delicate, whimsical sculptures and the older the shovel the better.  In fact, I won't use new shovels their ugly!  They have no character plus they don't smell like cow manure when I fire up my plasma cutter! OK I know that sound weird because SHOVELS as delicate, whimsical art doesn't really match.  I made this for friend of mine who I've known for many years who always helps me with my garage sales & loves dumpster diving with me whenever she's in town and she's just a really good friend.  It's one of my favorites.. one because it's a scoop shovel and they make the best wide palate for cutting out designs on and two because of the butterflies. The bottom has an old curtain finial since the handle was broken.   I hope she likes it.

Modern Monster!! then my salvation :)

I'm about to finish the fireplace cover I mention a few posts ago.... can i just say now NEVER, EVER AGAIN will I agree to do something I HATE!!!

He caught me in a weak moment, although I tried to get out of it by placing the responsibility on the customer to email me  with what he wanted and a drawing, (I was hoping he's lose my bus card) then I quoted what I thought would be a price to high to accept and HE BOUGHT IT! In the end of how long it's taken and all this issues of this project I think he got the better end of the bargain.  OK I vented enough .... on to things I'm passionate about. 

During the process of this MODERN MONSTER ~ I had to clear my brain and paint another IRIS.  It made me feel so much better.

Rebirth, Rust & Transformation

Ojo Caliente was one of my many stops thru the Tewa Indian Territory of New Mexico were I lavished in many old Arroyo Junkers that filled the front and backyards of old adobe homes, like flowers fill an English garden with their many colors of blue, green, yellow and orange.  The only other major attraction is the Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs, which is actually one of the oldest and most sacred springs and health resorts in North American. 


This relic of an oil rigger has certainly been out of commission for a seriously long time, who knows perhaps it was a mineral springs rigger.  There is an endless supply of Junkers in this part of the country ~ which makes me wonder why?  Perhaps nothing really dies, it's just resurrected & reborn through a lens or a rusty piece of art.  I hope to make a book of Rustic Resurrections someday of all the beauty seen in these old pieces of history (one more thing on the list of Things to Do).   I'd also love to reproduce these beautiful patina's in my metal work.

 Old Oil Rigger

Ojo Caliente, New Mexico

 1942 

Ojo Caliente, New Mexico

 Cuyamunge, New Mexico

Tewa Indian Territory

 Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico

"Place of the Strong People"