Swirly Paper Spirals!

Thanks to a pinterest inspiration I made some paper swirls. They haven't turned into a finished piece yet because I'm still working on them!

The instructions are simple - find some colorful no longer needed paper, magazines, catalogs, whole foods fliers. Cut, or in my case tear into two inch strips. Fold, fold, fold, press with a small knife if needed to get them flat. Roll and glue (I used hot glue) as you go!

It is a slow process and I thought I'd have a finished product by now. Instead I'm collecting my swirls until I have enough to make a large collage or a series of 3 small ones.

My daughter has a birthday coming up next week and I may try to use some of the wrapping paper in spirals.

Happenings

My writing here has been quiet, but many of my personal projects are slowly coming together. In addition to my crafty projects, I've been face painting more. Through word of mouth my art colleague Theresa and I have painted at a few events. We are looking forward to the adventures ahead and much of our conversation has been about not limiting ourselves to "face painters." We'd love to do pregnant bellies, or super hero parties, or body art for adults. You can find us on fb here.

My latest discovery is a glitter tattoo product. I can use the body glue free hand with a paint brush - it seems to last a LONG time which is good, but if I make a mistake or the person doesn't love the design it makes for an eyesore.

In the mean time while I work on finishing my posts with a goal of two a week from here on out, I'll leave you with a few pictures!

Good Things Ahead

I haven't posted in a while, not because I forgot about this space but the pace of life is so busy sometimes I don't document it fast enough!

I have news.

I'll back up a step. In my community there is a family who has been on a long and terribly sad journey. Their little boy, Kai passed away last night in his mother's arms. They have been blogging about their days here. As a part of the extended community coming together to support the family (and the Jimmy Fund) a craft fair has been organized (fb event here). I was asked by a friend to face paint and then I added a vendor table.

I haven't done craft fairs in many years as a vendor. Most recently I've organized and advertised them which is an organizational skill but not about me having products to sell. This challenge has me thinking and making...  my list is a bit long but I'll have a table full of my creations and next to it a face painting space (creating art and selling art at the same time!).

This opportunity (plus a few others that have fallen in my lap) has pushed me to make Isabelle Jane a real business. I filed my dba and opened a business checking account just yesterday. As of today I can accept credit cards on my iphone and have a system to keep my art separate from my personal account. For me this is a BIG step.

So, as I create in the next 2 weeks, I'll post items here and everything that doesn't sell on the 8th will be added to my etsy site just in time for Christmas.

Pigs and Teaching

Once upon a time I taught at a magical place and learned from so many creative people. Like many things I fell into the opportunity and it was exactly what I needed. One day I was encouraged to make clay piggy banks by putting two pinch pots together ...

The kids and I spent weeks making every possible animal and I even sold the banks at craft fairs for a few years. I had a website, a coloring book and they were fun.  Unfortunately some of the cool animals: moose, elephants, cats all had easily breakable features which resulted in a lot of unusable art (and ultimately sad customers) but the bright side is I created some wide-eyed monsters. The first variations were underglazed, then glazed, then acrylic painted, collaged, and most recently watercolors (the photos are all of the watercolor version).

Yesterday my daughter came home from school and told me I was going to teach art again to her and her friends. They all wanted to be artists and wanted to hire me. It was very sweet and passionate. So, I'm in the process of scheduling some workshops for any age kid to come (at a yet to be determined location) and create. Nothing like some motivation from your kids to reinvigorate my act.

Hair Sticks

On my honeymoon, the only trinket I bought was a carved hair stick. It has served me well for the past 7 years, until recently when it broke. After trying to clean up my work space I found a few old broken knitting needles and transformed them into hair sticks or hair pins. The larger wooden one I put in the pencil sharpener to bring back the point and then sanded it all over.

Deciding how to decorate it with out loosing the natural wood feel, was tricky. I dipped the end in  old enamel paint to add a bit of gloss and when dry added two highlights of gold. Subtle, but me.

 There are a few more in the works with beads, colorful paint and maybe even some wire. If my oldest hadn't used up my kitchen stash of chopsticks for a puppet making project, I would still be making hair sticks.

Skirts from a dust ruffle

It sounds a bit odd, but it was the perfect way to use a unused dust ruffle.  I was given a duvet cover and sheet set and with it came a dust ruffle. The girls sleep in bunk beds and I didn't know what to use it for. After channeling my inner Maria from the "Sound of Music" I decided to make some clothes.

Dust ruffle before I cut it!

The edge is already hemmed and the fabric gathered. I needed a side seam and a waist band! Some quick measuring and a fast satisfying project finished.

For my older daughter, who is taller I had to do a slightly different waist band to add more length.

I'm working on a skirt for myself with a zipper and possibly an apron as a gift. I'm going to keep my eye out for dust ruffles from now on.

My first pattern!

I did it. I wrote my pattern for the boobie beanie hat! 

After my post a few months ago, I've made 10 or so more hats and have tweaked and perfected my original hat concept. I have sold a few hats through my etsy shop, but can't knit fast enough to make it worth my time. And being the idea person I am, I want to make new stuff! (sewing, lots of sewing is coming my way - I can feel it)

It was a great exercise to write out my pattern that has been in my head and to test it out a few times. I polished up the layout, added a few cute pictures and voila! I have a pdf pattern available for sale.

Since this blog is very low traffic, and I haven't done much to publicize it - I will give away a copy of my pattern to my um, loyal readers. Comment, send the link around to your friends and I will close the comments on Saturday morning - random drawing and maybe you'll get lucky!

The give away is over - lucky Sarah, my only commenter got a copy!