Art Unplugged 2014

I had a blast at this year's Art Unplugged at Mrs. O'Leary's in Wichita, KS. Catching up with old friends, making new ones, creating lots of art, being silly, and learning a lot of new techniques are just some of the antics that take place each year at this awesome week long event! 

Here are three of the Santos dolls that were created during this week.
 Joni, Debby, and Mary did a great job, don't you think?!

A few of my projects from the week...

This is a little soldered house with vintage photos inside.
The roof is hinged and opens to add trinkets.

One of my favorites. a little capsule made out of copper tubing, etched, cabochon/bezel added to the lid.  I then decided to make it into a necklace using dark chain and other copper embellishments. I love the contrast between the copper and the dark chain!

I was not brave enough to make a complete Santos with wings this time, but I did want to make the crown. I ran the cut copper through the embossing machine for texture, annealed it, and then added the stars with copper nail brads.

This is one of Joni's favorite tile bracelets that she has created in several themes.  I used the extra work time to hang with my buds and finally finish mine.  Special thanks to Faron for helping with the wire wrapping to relieve my tired fingers from all their work this week!

There was a bit of leftover clay from the Santos projects hanging around in the workshop.  I decided it would be fun to make a VanGogh ear. My friend Texas Mary helped perfect it. Then, I decided it would be great to make it into a charm to hang from a necklace with VanGogh inspired trinkets. This lead to deciding that this little fun-ness needed to go home with one of my fellow Art Unpluggers as an award for being the best listener as voted by all attendees. I had to make a traveling box for it, as well.  Next year, the previous recipient (yay Cecile) will bring it back with them, possibly adding a few more things to it, and it will be awarded again to the best listener...I know, super silly, huh?...Just another fun thing that happens at this great event every year!

summer scrappin'

This summer I got to play "Scrappin" with some vintage photos, stamps from Artful Illusions, stencils, fun papers, and embellishments to create "Stamples" for Mrs. O'Leary's. Here are a few of my finished products and close-ups.

It was a fun challenge to layer all of these products, techniques, and photos to create a 12 by 12 composition.  I really love how these turned out!

You can see more of my 12 by 12 obsession here, here, and here.

Keep Calm...

That time of year again...a new bulletin board to inspire the lovelies to bring their pencils to art class!

Mona is helping give the stare down 
as students enter the art room, making sure they 
"keep calm and always carry a pencil to art!"

You can see more Mona inspirations here, here, here and here...