Slowly but surely

It was nice waking up really early and thinking about what I want to do instead of what I need to do.

I didn't need to be anywhere in particular this morning and since I already purchased the glass and drew out my patterns earlier in the week, I got up and cut glass for a couple of hours.  I finished all the leaves! I also have enough glass to finish the background but I don't want to rush.  I'm enjoying this project and I'm not in a hurry to get it done, even though I would like to have the window completed and hanging up some time in July. This project has been in the works for a very long time and it's one of those projects that done for pure enjoyment.  When I'm working on it  It's the most amazing feeling when I cut the glass, I lose all sense of time and it's just pure bliss, (unless I cut myself, of course :)).

Here's a few pictures of my progress.    

I can't wait till I start cutting the colorful birds!

Busy Month of May

Wow!  May is almost over with and it feels like a blur.  With end of the school year activities, receptions and award ceremony's May seems to be the busiest month of the year so far!

As I was driving around dropping kids off here and there and attending some of the evening functions, I really lost track of time.  All my projects were on hold, until this past weekend when I was dropping off my Son on Saturday for his TKD black-belt testing.  I passed by a yard sale and since my son was early to help set up I decided to go back around the corner and browse.  I spotted a scratched up, neglected coffee table that was solid wood.  I couldn't pass it up as the "re-finisher" in me came out and I purchased it for a whopping $5.00! I came home that evening and started to sand it and it really was a diamond in the rough.  I spent Sunday working on it and plan on finishing this weekend.  I would post pics but I would like to actually post them all at one time, from beginning to the finished product. Oh yeah, did I mention that it was stamped underneath "MADE IN U.S.A."? Well that little tid-bit made meal feel proud that I salvaged this piece and bringing it back to it's old glory:)

I'm also working on my stained glass window that was neglected for the entire month of May. I went out last night and purchased the most beautiful yellow sheet of glass for two of the birds. Drew out some more of my patterns on several pieces of glass to cut, and my goal is to have the window finished in July.

On another note, since I will only have one child at home, I decided to go back and finish out my degree. I only have a few classes left to complete it.  It won't be a "life changer" (as of yet), since I'm pursing my Associates Degree in Fine Arts at this time.  Eventually I hope to pursue my bachelors degree in Art with an emphasis in glass blowing. Maybe at UT Arlington???

till next...... :)

 








 

Just for fun......

Sometimes it's nice to act like a 5 year old and just have some fun.

I started out by saving some of my weird looking scrap glass that came form pieces I cut to use in my stained glass window.  These shapes got my imagination going.  Using the glass, spray paints, nail polish, pencil, pastels and paper, I came up with a "New Zoo" just for fun. This won't be a "beautiful treasured item", it will be just a piece of fun art that was a pleasure creating as I was lost in time..... that's what art is...isn't it?

I don't know why I created them all facing the left (except for 1)????  Anyway, this was way better than having to do the dishes or laundry.  So now you know what I did this Sunday...just for fun!

Friday Night Ice Fights

I was excited to be invited as an artist to submit a piece of art and a poem at this weeks Friday Night Ice Fights. I have attended the event before and the outdoor atmosphere at the studio is a pleasant one with a mixture of people from all walks of life, hanging out enjoying the space, artwork, and poems that are recited at the poetry slam. In the past, after the poetry slam, the place comes alive with music as a live band plays until the main event. Once the ice sculptors rev up their chains saws and start creating their artwork it's an adrenaline rush as ice is flying everywhere. About an hour later, 2 large beautiful pieces of art are standing in front of the crowd, from what was once huge blocks of ice as people clap loudly for the "better" sculpture!  

I have submitted my "Flower" light box along with a poem written by my friend Debra Powell.  I'll be taking pictures (if I remember my camera:))

Buddy          &     Butter         both are great artists!

I love tools!

Just like every artist, I love tools.  I love to collect them, use them and most of all buy them!

My newest tool is a router with it's own table.  I was so  excited with the new purchase that I came home, read the step by step instructions and put it together in about an hour. Now I'm not a carpenter,  It's one thing to read the instructions and put a tool together, it's a whole other story to use the tool. So I waited for someone to show me how to use my new tool :) Well, my husband and my brother were so excited about MY new tool, that they were more than willing to "show" me how to use it. By the end of the night, THEY had completed the wood portion of MY project.  It's all good though!  I took notes and what felt like a math lesson from my brother. Now I'm  confident I can create whatever I feel like:)

Well, the whole idea about getting a router was to create a light box.  I was given a 12"x12" quarter inch thick piece of window glass (I love free glass!) and thought that I could create a piece of art that I could enjoy in my new studio space (when the studio is finished:). Of course I had to create a flower (I love flowers!) and I thought it be nice for it to give off some light, thus the light box.

Light off

Light on

I'm really pleased with the way it turned out and I can't wait to hang it up on the wall!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all!
I'll celebrate Easter today with a Ham, and I will celebrate the Greek Orthodox Easter next Sunday with Lamb.  The best of both worlds :)

I have continued to work on my stained glass window, the progress is slow going, but I'm happy that I am working on it.

I had the opportunity to take a basic wire class with Liza Connell last week.  I took the class to learn how to wrap my pendants, although I didn't come away with that technique form her (yet), I did learn a lot from her!  Liza is an encyclopedia of information when comes to creating and I recommend her class to anyone interested in making jewelry! Here's a few things I created in class:

On another note, since we did get spring showers, my rose garden bloomed like mad!!! Here's a few pics:

I have about a dozen different rose bushes in my rose garden, which is in the front yard. It's always a beautiful sight (and smell) when I come home from work and there all in bloom.

Back to the beginning......

Today I went back to the beginning, to my first love.

I had designed a window for my vanity area a couple of years ago and rolled it up and stuck it in the closet.  A few months ago I pulled it out, cut my patterns and felt a sense of accomplishment. Then I stuck everything back in the closet.

Today, the sun was out, it was warm, I felt good, and I had no obligations to do anything or be anywhere. I pulled out my design, pattern pieces, picked out some glass and started cutting away.  I finished cutting all the flowers out this afternoon.  While I worked, I had the same feeling today as I did  over a decade ago when I worked on my first stained glass window, blissfully in my own world, without any sense of time, just lost in the beauty of the art. The only reminder I had that the day had passed by, was my stomach reminding me it was close to dinner time.

Now that I have laid out the pattern with the small portion of cut glass, I can pick out beautiful colors of glass and continue cutting since I will not be sticking everything back into the closet.

                                                    (I did not grind the flowers to shape yet)

The leaves are next......................