Your visits to share in the adventures of creating my art are very much appreciated and I am ...
Friday, February 13, 2009
Happy Valentine's Day
Your visits to share in the adventures of creating my art are very much appreciated and I am ...
One World, One Heart Gifts
The luck of the draw for gifts from other participants in this huge gift giving event happened three times for my name. I had visited all 911 blog sites, but had left comments only on the ones that offered a gift that I would really want to receive.
This beautiful gourd bowl gifted by Barbara Valianti of Reading the Sky is decorated with fillimiore canes. I will love having her work added to the collection of art in my studio that represents the creative energy of my fellow artists.
A lovely handcrafted copper freeform heart pendant with Swarovski crystals, fresh water pearls, and some vintage crystals wrapped in square copper wire is the gift from mrs beadsley of maine. This, too, along with its creative energy will be added to the art in my studio.
A" Journal and Embellishments assortment" was one of three gifts given by Gerry Hookstra of Sewing Southpaw. These goodies will find their way into some of my creations.
Participating in this world-wide gift giving was an adventure. I send out a big "thank you" for the generosity of all who shared their work and all those who came to visit me ... especially to those who have added my blog to their reading lists. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
This beautiful gourd bowl gifted by Barbara Valianti of Reading the Sky is decorated with fillimiore canes. I will love having her work added to the collection of art in my studio that represents the creative energy of my fellow artists.
A lovely handcrafted copper freeform heart pendant with Swarovski crystals, fresh water pearls, and some vintage crystals wrapped in square copper wire is the gift from mrs beadsley of maine. This, too, along with its creative energy will be added to the art in my studio.
A" Journal and Embellishments assortment" was one of three gifts given by Gerry Hookstra of Sewing Southpaw. These goodies will find their way into some of my creations.
Participating in this world-wide gift giving was an adventure. I send out a big "thank you" for the generosity of all who shared their work and all those who came to visit me ... especially to those who have added my blog to their reading lists. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
One World, One Heart Gift Drawing Announced
At 12:00 noon EST the drawing from 287 comments left by those who desired this gift was made.
I'm amazed at the number of people from around the world who visited my blog and by how many stuck around to check out other postings. Even more amazing is that 23 added themselves as "Followers" of my blog. I thank all who visited me for their interest and participation in this world-wide gifting. Thank you, Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian for including me on your caravan of 911 gift giving bloggers. If there was a link to a blog in the comment, I visited in return and discovered blogs that I now visit regularly ... blogs that I would never have known about without this event.I enlisted help from my husband by asking him to choose three numbers ... three times:
- first set from 0-2
- second set from 0-9
- third set from 0-9
belonging to Pat Winter
For those of you who really, really, really wanted to win this bird here are two options for you:
- Make one. My pattern and instructions are posted as PDF files online. Just click on the red lettered words to download them to your computer to print out.
- Buy one. They are sold at two galleries for $60 plus postage:
Good Goods Gallery
106 Mason Street
Saugatuck, Michigan 49453
Morris Galleries
111 N. Main
Sweetwater, Tennessee 37874
106 Mason Street
Saugatuck, Michigan 49453
Morris Galleries
111 N. Main
Sweetwater, Tennessee 37874
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Never Mind
If you are accessing my blog through Google Reader, you have seen an incomplete post announcing the winner for the bird in the One World, One Heart gift drawing. For some reason Google Reader published this from the draft that I've been writing. I needed a head start so it could be published at noon when I will away from home and my computer. So, if you've read that unfinished post and wondered "what the heck?" ... never mind.
Has anyone else had this problem of a draft being published by Google Reader?
Has anyone else had this problem of a draft being published by Google Reader?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Making "Snow Globe" Valentines
Every year I make valentines for my grandchildren that include photos of me and each of them. This year's pictures are cut from a photo taken of us making faces when I was with in Chicago at Christmas time.
They are old enough for me to finally make a "snow globe" type of card with lots of tiny stuff. The message written inside is "All Shook Up" in reference to tiny stuff shaking around ... and the presence of Elvis.
I printed four copies of the photo to get that many pictures of me, which made four pictures of each grandchild ... they're all used in his/her valentine. The pictures are glued to a heart shape that is cut from red card stock.
The message is written with a big fat silver Sharpie pen.
A fat chenille yarn was glued around the outside edge of the red heart. Then the fun began! Sprinkling sequined hearts, stars, circles, plus some featuring Elvis and granules of glitter. Too much glitter was put in the first valentine I constructed ... it obscures the background and photos. I also put about 8 beads in the mix to serve as spacers between the two layers of hearts.
A heart shape the same size as the card stock one was cut from firm clear plastic that I had saved from packaging of other "stuff". A line of glue was applied around the outside edge. It was positioned over the red heart with the glue side down on top of the chenille yarn "bumper".
After the glue had dried , I machine couched that same fat chenille around the outside edge to secure all the edges. Use a very wide zig-zag stitch that is not spaced too close together to avoid making a perforated line of holes that easily tears.
All that's left to do is write a special message to each child on the back of the valentines with that same silver Sharpie, put them into envelopes and get them into the mail.
PS: To see last years cards that I made for these kids, go here.
Now, to make valentines for some of my friends made from copies of this photo.
It's a crazy quilted heart valentine that I had given to my husband in 2001.
They are old enough for me to finally make a "snow globe" type of card with lots of tiny stuff. The message written inside is "All Shook Up" in reference to tiny stuff shaking around ... and the presence of Elvis.
I printed four copies of the photo to get that many pictures of me, which made four pictures of each grandchild ... they're all used in his/her valentine. The pictures are glued to a heart shape that is cut from red card stock.The message is written with a big fat silver Sharpie pen.
A fat chenille yarn was glued around the outside edge of the red heart. Then the fun began! Sprinkling sequined hearts, stars, circles, plus some featuring Elvis and granules of glitter. Too much glitter was put in the first valentine I constructed ... it obscures the background and photos. I also put about 8 beads in the mix to serve as spacers between the two layers of hearts.
A heart shape the same size as the card stock one was cut from firm clear plastic that I had saved from packaging of other "stuff". A line of glue was applied around the outside edge. It was positioned over the red heart with the glue side down on top of the chenille yarn "bumper".
After the glue had dried , I machine couched that same fat chenille around the outside edge to secure all the edges. Use a very wide zig-zag stitch that is not spaced too close together to avoid making a perforated line of holes that easily tears.
All that's left to do is write a special message to each child on the back of the valentines with that same silver Sharpie, put them into envelopes and get them into the mail.
PS: To see last years cards that I made for these kids, go here.
Now, to make valentines for some of my friends made from copies of this photo.
It's a crazy quilted heart valentine that I had given to my husband in 2001.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Two More Birds Join the Flock
Another black bird is added to the flock. I'm so glad to have discovered those Luminatre H2o paints.
I applied one coat of "Scarab Beetle", which has luminescent flecks of all the colors in a dark base. On the previous black birds I painted layers and streaks of various colors ... "Black Cherry", "Bougainvillea", "Blue Grass", and "Ocean Wave". Each method gives different, but equally good effects. I recommend the one coat of "S B" on a print fabric and streaks of multiple colors on plain black.
This bird flew in on breath of spring-like air. He reminds me of an Easter egg. He required no added paint.
My fabric birds inspired my friend, Judy, to draw some fanciful birds in her sketchbook. She even named each one.
PS: To see a beautiful sunny day on an icy Lake Michigan go here. That site features a new photo every 30 seconds, 24 hours a day taken by a camera that is hooked up to the web. There's a permanent link to this site in my sidebar for your viewing pleasure any time. At night you'll only see the lights at the ends of the piers ... that is unless there's a ship entering or leaving the channel.
I applied one coat of "Scarab Beetle", which has luminescent flecks of all the colors in a dark base. On the previous black birds I painted layers and streaks of various colors ... "Black Cherry", "Bougainvillea", "Blue Grass", and "Ocean Wave". Each method gives different, but equally good effects. I recommend the one coat of "S B" on a print fabric and streaks of multiple colors on plain black.This bird flew in on breath of spring-like air. He reminds me of an Easter egg. He required no added paint.
My fabric birds inspired my friend, Judy, to draw some fanciful birds in her sketchbook. She even named each one.
PS: To see a beautiful sunny day on an icy Lake Michigan go here. That site features a new photo every 30 seconds, 24 hours a day taken by a camera that is hooked up to the web. There's a permanent link to this site in my sidebar for your viewing pleasure any time. At night you'll only see the lights at the ends of the piers ... that is unless there's a ship entering or leaving the channel.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Mind Wide Open Challenge ~ Dream
This collage is my entry for February's Mind Wide Open Challenge. All of the entrants should be posted tomorrow. It is always great fun to see the variety of art that is created using the same image as inspiration. Do yourself a favor and go over to have a peek at some wonderful work. While you're there, if you feel so inclined, you can even vote for my collage :)
Available in my Etsy shop. **SOLD**
© Nancy Lefko
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