Thursday, December 20, 2012

In the Meadow We Can Build a Snowman...

Every year I come up with a design and use it for a Christmas card which I print and send out to family and friends. This is the design I created for this years card. I used a combination of watercolor and watercolor pencils for this illustration. I plan on one day getting my designs licensed so I can share with the whole world what goes on in my mind.

May Peace Be Your Gift
At Christmas
And Your Blessings All Year Through


Monday, December 10, 2012

Drink Coasters

I have put some of my designs on natural tumbled stone tiles from Turkey.
 They can be used for drink coasters and they are sealed to protect from moisture. I have put four felt pads on the bottom of the coaster to protect furniture from scratches. 
I like the variation and uniqueness of each stone.



WELDING FOR WOMEN CLASS

I took a Welding for Women class at LTC (it was FREE :)   
We learned how to use a plasma cutter and a wire feed welder, this was a Nontraditional Careers course. Their goal is to allow women to try these classes to see if they are interested in entering jobs that are traditionally for men, so they offer this course in spring and fall. The instructors, who were men, say that the women make excellent welders because they are very detail oriented. The class consisted of four days, from 4-8 pm for a total of 16 hours of training. The class was very fun and informative, and I like that I could use things that would normally get thrown away and turn it into something awesome. 
  This is the project I completed using scrap metal pieces, I think it is a "Gooney Bird"

 "GOONEY BIRD" 
The parts I used were two pinballs for eyes, a pair of pinball casters for knobs on its head, two railroad spikes for ears, some washers, old rake wires for the tail, an old rusty decorative hook for on top the head, the body is a brake drum and the head is flat axe or hoe.
 The legs and feet are scrap metal pipe and pieces.




My Dog Frankie checking out the Gooney Bird, He thinks it is pretty cool.

OWLFEST at Woodland Dunes Nature Center - 2012


Owlfest poster
Lake Michigan beach stone owls
My Owl Art Display
Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve featured my owl design "Regal Raptor"on their t-shirts and posters this year for the annual Owl Fest. I set up a table of my owl related art to sell.  I made little owl drawings on Lake Michigan beach stones, prints of my art, greeting cards and magnets. It was really fun and we learned about the migration of the Saw Whet owl and were able to see an owl that they had just caught and banded. I love being involved with the preservation of nature and Woodland Dunes does a wonderful job with educating the public and offering these wonderful programs.

 

Owlfest t-shirt design