New Things Finally!

I finished up a few new card wallets over the last few days and got them all listed in my shop and ready for their new homes.  We have had quite an interesting 2015 so far, lots of illness and not a lot getting done.  It finally seems like things are improving and we are down to one earache and cough, which is a whole lot better than what we've been up against over the last meanwhile. 

I have not had a lot of free time for much of anything so of course, nothing creative gets done.  Now that these little guys are all ready to go, I'm going to head back to the sewing table to work on my various projects (the most recent being a simple checkbook cover design) and get some stuff done!

I did get to hide my handmade valentines all about Arcata and it looks like they have all been found and given homes.   Since Valentine's Day has become a sort of blah, nothing special day around here for me, I was able to enjoy it more because of my little project.  I got to give some love and appreciation to my community and that makes my tiny, rotten heart happy.  I can't wait to make some more.  I'm thinking the next project is going to be something to do with dragons or monsters of some sort.  Probably in the same medium too.  Glue and pastels have been an awesome reintroduction to drawing and working on paper.  I am also kind of addicted to my metallic pastels and paints too!

Here's to having fun and getting stuff done!  Happy Friday!!!!!

I Missed January!

I would to say that I missed January because we were so incredibly busy with activities and super fun stuff that I just didn't have time to post, but, no, I can't.  We've all been sick since the end of the year at least and we are now dealing with a nasty tummy virus that has gotten both the kids so far.  I thought I would post something before it catches me! 

The pictures above are for my newest project for the Humboldt Art Abandonment project.  They are specially made valentines that I will be placing throughout Arcata over the next few days.  They are simple glue resist paintings on black paper with extra special metallic pastel painting and a little bit of sparkly fairy dust to make them super magical!  I just finished framing them and will wrap them later today.  Then off to find some good "abandoning" places for them around town.  I think I'll abandon the first one tonight on my walk around the neighborhood.

I have been working in between illness and other various activities.  I even managed to come up with a new wallet design and finished the first one this week while I was home with Ciaran.  I'll have pics of those later when I get to sewing the rest of them up. 

I had such big plans for January, but, nothing worked out they way I planned.  We even had to postpone Ciaran's 8th birthday party because we didn't want to make anyone else sick:(

Now it's February.  I sure hope I don't miss this month too!

I am crossing my fingers for a healthful, creative, and happy February for us and everyone!


N.

Abandoning Art

Sterling silver necklace with opal and peridot beads

My newest Art Abandonment piece in copper and various gemstone beads

I took a bit of a break from leather work to get a couple of jewelry projects finished.  I wanted to play with some opal beads I had and ended up with a pretty fun necklace with them and some beautiful teeny tiny peridot beads too.  I like it!  So much so that I am keeping this one.  I do plan to make a few more though.  I have some already cut out in copper and will be using a bunch of different gemstone beads as accents with those as well. 

The copper piece is a pendant that I made specifically for the Humboldt Art Abandonment Project here in Humboldt County,  California.  I hadn't made anything in a very long time and really wanted to do something special.  So I found this neat little copper piece that I had cut out many, many years ago and couldn't figure out what to do with.  I added some purty beads and made a necklace out of it(beaded with a copper chain)  So today, on our hike up to Redwood Park, here in Arcata, I will be "abandoning"  this piece for some lovely soul to find and enjoy. 

Other than that, we are plugging along.  There is nothing super exciting going on, just keeping our adventures close to home, and enjoying the outdoors.  I don't get a lot of time to work on anything but I am thankful for the patience of my kids when I need to buckle down and get stuff done.  They've been awesome that way.  So we're off to eat lunch and then off to the park to abandon some art and play!

Feeling Kind of Icky........

So after being sick last week, enough so that I sent myself to the ER, I am now back to work for the most part.  It turns out that after years(and I do mean years) of horrid stomach problems, my gallbladder has been trying to break up with me all this time.  Now, it's made itself well known and I'm on my way to getting it all taken care of.  Crossing my fingers here:)

 I have some glorious stuff to finish up including a pretty awesome cuff(my first copper/brass/leather concoction), and some large pouch-y/wallet-y kinds of things.  I am taking it easy since I really still feel pretty gross, and, with Ciaran out of school now, I am finding that my free time for my work is minimal once again.  This is mostly good because it forces me to get out of the house and to really utilize the early mornings and evenings for my work.  The trouble is that right now, I am ready for bed at 8 or so.  Hopefully, everything will work out so I can continue to work without taking too much of a break.  It feels so good to be productive!

I'm also pretty excited to be a part of a project called Humboldt Art Abandonment.  I will be making pieces to "abandon" in various parts of Humboldt County and beyond.  I have wanted to do something like this for years and this is the perfect opportunity.  So, if your out and about and find something leathery or metal-like, it might be a little something from me to you:)