Blissful Things

Automatic Journal

2011-10-17T17:07:00.000-05:00

Automatic writing journal..what is it you ask? A place to write thoughts good and bad ,doubts and wishes. To do or not to do lists or pretty much anything floating around your head that will probably not make sense to anyone but you. A journal to express those repressed thoughts..to purge your mind so you can think more clear and move on. The journal I'm using is a hand bound one with watercolor and stone henge papers hand sewn with a codex binding so it will lay flat and has the look of a Coptic bound book but much faster to make...Try some automatic writing for yourself its quite freeing!

My paper stacks

2011-09-20T11:42:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! here is my paper stack.Included in the stack are little booklets,watercolor papers waiting to be bound ,journals and rice paper scrolls.I hope you leave a small comment so i know you've been here..I'm looking forward to seeing yours!
To see who else is participating go to Seth's blog at The Altered Page

Paper Stacks

2011-09-14T11:06:00.001-05:00

I'm looking forward to September 21st...
My Face book friend Seth Apter from The Altered Page posted a beautiful picture last week of a stack of papers and books.When I seen this I thought how just a simple picture could be so powerful .The papers all painted,one group tied with a ribbon were inviting to look at,If you were able to unstack them I'm sure you would find many little treasures.That made me think of how many artists have their own stacks of papers on tables,book selves and desks and I know that they would be just as interesting to see so I made a comment or blurted out a suggestion to him for us to share ours with him and all of you,He is very kind and agreed so please go to his site and join in! Get stacking!

pattern repeats

2011-09-12T17:57:00.000-05:00

Hand painted pattern repeats on rice paper..This is what i set out to do this past weekend why i don't know!I had a thought run through my head, a challenge of sorts.I wanted to experiment with rice paper
(Kozo ) I have a roll of it and boy its wonderful! Its soft to the touch yet strong to work with
The idea of repeat patterns for me is a way to create something unique in mark making in small easy steps.I hope to develop a personal motif that i can use as a stamp for my other works like a signature
When I did this this weekend i tried hard not to think of where i was going to put my first mark or what kind,I used watercolors they themselves have a mind of their own so that helped allot.
One dot on the paper with my brush and the color spread followed by another...
I did fold my rice paper into grids so i would have a guideline to follow and just repeated up and down the paper and letting my mind wonder...try this yourself use whatever papers you wish, you will see how your own unique mark will show up over a short time

Doodle map

2011-08-29T18:32:00.000-05:00

Thought I would share a little project with you! This morning i was going through some paper i had stashed and found a few sheets of ingress paper,Ive never tried it with watercolors and thought what the heck lets give it a whirl! I tore down a sheet into small pieces and splashed watercolors on and let the color flow where it wanted and let it dry

before

I came back a little bit later and took a long look and thought that it kinda looked like a map..hmmm
What if I outlined all the little shapes of color? I grabbed my favorite pen and just went with it... I did not really think about it to much I just started at one corner and doodled away and sipped my coffee :)

Detail

This was allot of fun i think ill have to do some more but bigger! and include some hand stitching to add texture.You can use whatever colors that appeal to you and doodle what you see I think that's the best part of it everyone see's something different..have fun :)

doodle map

watercolors....

2011-08-22T16:03:00.001-05:00

Loving watercolors! ...Playing and experimenting I'm finding out new things everyday.
The more you experiment the more you learn on your own.Even mistakes are a good thing!
Give yourself some time to really enjoy a new medium,figure out what you like what colors speak to you and heck even try some that you really don't care for at first they may surprise you!
This has been a good summer experiment so far...now to make these papers into a book :)
I do have a facebook friend who loves watercolors as much as I do she is preparing for a workshop with them and you should jump on over to her blog and have a look. I have noticed her and i are very like minded and I'm starting to think shes my watercolor sister lol! Her name is Diana Trout and shes awesome!
Here are a few pics of just some of my little experiments

stacks of papers

not always pretty

Temple Wave (Japan)

samples

watercolor pencils

2011-07-31T19:47:00.000-05:00

These are fun! Such beautiful colors in this set..so smooth and blend perfectly!

I just wish i got the bigger set of 120,Ill just have to save up for them
or put them on my Christmas wish list :)
Ive tried them on hot and cold press paper with no problem at all, not like some watercolor pencils that when they dry you can see the pencil marks.These also lift with ease with little to no staining,you can go back in after they dry to glaze to build up color and are fun wet in wet.Ill take a pic of some experiments later to show you

Water World

2011-07-29T14:38:00.000-05:00

Enjoying the beauty of watercolors,oh what fun!
How they mix on the paper (hot press) resulting in so many looks and textures the possibility's are endless

WIP..

2011-01-18T16:31:00.000-06:00

Working on The Sea Of Silk today..So far I have needle felted it and rinsed away the stablizer and im getting ready to add more silk to it to create more texture.Next the hand embroidery then at last the beading..

New Video

2011-01-15T20:41:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone..The other day my new camera broke! But i was able to have it replaced thank goodness
and i was able to use the video i was working on that i saved to the SD card.This is a new piece I'm working on called Sea Of Silk so far I've done the basic layout of the silk fibers..now that my camera is back i can continue filming some of the process

A Sea Of Silk

2011-01-13T13:18:00.000-06:00

Today I have been working of a new piece called A Sea Of Silk. Im just started the lay out of the fibers and just letting it happen,I work in a free flowing manner just letting myself lay down silk fibers without thinking to hard about where they will go,much like painting in abstract.Its in its early stages and much more work to be done..A lovely way to spend the morning.I am also filming parts of the process and when i get to the next stages I'll film more ..

A little bit of silk

2011-01-10T16:34:00.001-06:00

Well today i had the chance at last to play with my new little video camera,I decided that this year is to be about documenting what i do as i said in my last post.I am shy to a degree and a little unsure about making videos and being brave! Last year or maybe a little longer i did do a few videos and put them on YouTube but for some reason i panicked and did not do any more.So here is a little one explaining about silk fibers that i use..

A Creative New Year

2011-01-01T11:04:00.000-06:00

A new year has begun! This year will be about documenting my creative works how ever small or large

pure silk yarn and threads

New book bindings and textile works,I hope to put together some small tutorials and learn how to make pdf files to download..

New Little Book

2010-12-28T12:39:00.001-06:00

My second love after silk fibers is paper.I love how it feels, the noise it makes in your hands as your folding signatures for books.

I have been trying different bindings and papers.This little book is a little gem,made with fabrino water colour paper and hand painted covers.The pages are removable so as you fill the book they can be replaced....

removable paper pin to hold pages in

book opens flat

beadwork

2010-12-27T20:13:00.001-06:00

I have been working on some new beading as part of a series of small silk/bead works as of late and im ready to start the second peice next week.I hope to have ten peices in the series...

new thing

2010-06-03T14:30:00.000-05:00

trying to understand facebook..

Books Paper paint

2010-05-05T20:41:00.001-05:00

Well ive been busy learning a few new things,book binding for one and i have learned three very good bindings to work with all the different papers/projects i have been playing with.One is the coptic binding the other is a way to bind single sheets together with covers and a very simple codex binding,I can see so many ways to use these with the smaller works on paper and binders board and textile/paper pages..I will have to take a few pics to show you soon..I have so many Ideas in my head for artworks and for this blog
xox

A change is coming

2010-01-30T16:08:00.002-06:00

New things..New directions..Im so excited to change things very soon here and on my website
Alot will be different soon... I hope some of you are still out there :)

Klimt and little birds

2009-03-23T14:24:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone well been busy on Gary Reef's Ning site tons of things going on there, art challenges
different art groups to join and a heck of alot of great artists!Here is a WIP im doing for a past challenge on Klimt and a peek at some new little birds..enjoy! and see garys link on the right ;)

love this video

2009-02-12T17:50:00.000-06:00

http://

a painting a day

2009-02-07T18:39:00.004-06:00

a painting a day is what im working on this month in mixed media,this will be a interesting challenge for me and a few art friends i knw online the purpose of this is to experiment and to loosen up and produce 29 works that you use as a refrence for future works,these are really alot of fun if you work outside your comfort zone and learn to just let the work come out and not to think so hard about it lol..try it youll see! this painting was done useing only a pallet knife and the close up is the part of the painting i liked the most and the ideas in it, i wrote information on the back so i can use it in a work on canvas or in fiber at a later time

self portait challange

2009-02-03T16:18:00.001-06:00

heres my portrait challage..i need to work on this more was fun though

stamp carving

2009-02-03T12:27:00.003-06:00

made some texture stamps yesterday for a background im doing for a van gogh challenge ..lots of fun to make and easy to do! i used soft-kut blocks that i got from Dick Blick i had to stop making them i only have one small block left..

new year

2009-01-02T18:55:00.002-06:00

happy belated new year!

i haven't updated for a long time but i will get back into the swing of things ..
somethings that have gone on for why i haven't posted.i have not been feeling well for awhile
health probs have left me drained and concerned about my well being,i have not felt involved in my work or blogging as of late but I'm sure this will pass

disappointment's in a class i took has me wondering why i took it, i felt abandoned in a way,
sure, i learned a few things but i think i could have done all of it on my own,I took the class to belong to a group of others who wanted to learn the same thing and to have "class mates" to bounce ideas off of, but that did not happen as the other two in the class chose not to post in the forum so i was on my own in a way,oh well they say hindsight is 20/20.........
enough of that...

Santa was good to me and brought me a Julian french full box easel and prisma coloured pencils
and also some Rembrandt soft pastels....thanks santa..you know who you are ♥{now I'm afraid to get paint on it!}
i have been messing around with a cool cell phone too a LG Shine its a little confusing but i think i got it now thanks to my daughter who got one for Christmas too shes now a texting guru..but i beat her to understanding "bluetoothing" pictures and music to and from my PC... So HA mommy wins! i took some quick pics with my phone of things on my desk so ill put them up in the next post
hugs to all

a little peek and some news

2008-10-10T15:24:00.007-05:00

Hi everyone.. I have a new web site that is now up and running!

I am very excited about this and the other new things to come {Etsy shop} and new works i have been working on and a new series of canvas fiber works I hope you will go and check the new web site out and let me know what you think! Here is a sneek peek of some things i have been working on i will post more pics in the next few days as well

hugs to all ♥

http://blissfulthingsart.com

new banner

2008-10-07T18:24:00.001-05:00

i made a new banner..well its a fiber painting really but it works well with the kind of work i do
ill use it as well on my Etsy store that will be open next week!! :)
what do you guys think?
hugs ♥

hello everyone

2008-10-06T14:08:00.000-05:00

well its been a very busy time for me,so many things on the go at the same time
i have been very busy creating new things for my etsy store that will be ready very soon
and i have also been building a website that will be online in a few days ! whew..im getting a little tired doing all this i hope you will like what ive done ♥
i will post some new pictures this week

busy busy!

2008-09-19T06:41:00.000-05:00

well being busy is good but i forget to update this blog! i have been making new little birds ..yellow ones and magenta ones.. oh and of course in blues and greens,also i purchased a domain for my website that will be up and running very soon.. I'm very excited about that,there doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to get all i want done and working from home seems to lead to some distractions, I know one day ill have the studio i always wanted to work in or"go to" it will happen i just have to be patient but that wont stop me from daydreaming about what it will be like :) I did receive my order i put into Dick Blicks the other day,more canvas's and aquabords,a shadow box {to try a new idea} ohh and a tin of 40 neocolour II water pastels ,i had a set of 10 that i loved.. but i felt i really deserved a bigger tin :) they were on sale and how could i pass that up ? some women drool over shoes or clothes..i drool over art supplies and studio spaces on flicker,I have to give my DH credit for letting me do such things, when i first moved here he really thought a art supply store was harmless or cheaper than letting me spend time in a mall shopping..hmm not so anymore,he asked me what i wanted for Christmas last year{our first together} and i sweetly said "oh just the big tin of watercolour pastels" 120 count that is ,well this was fine until he realized this would cost over $200.00 ...so now he knows "box of crayons" is not what its cracked up to be :) BUT they are still cheaper than a fancy pair of shoes...i know he will read this.. i love you dear!♥
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Hugs

ohh an award!

2008-09-02T18:57:00.000-05:00

i just noticed this award given to me! how sweet!!!
its from rowen at http://rowandevoe.blogspot.com/
thankyou very much im to pass it along but with so many wondeful blogs out there ill have to think for a day or two to make a list

ive been a bad blogger

2008-09-02T16:45:00.000-05:00

ok ive been a bad blogger this past week and havent posted anything
well i have been busy though working on some new projects and trying to create a few things to put into my Etsy shop when i open it very very soon
i am very excited about all this though and have so many ideas in the works and more that are almost complete,im taking a class with Wyanne in how to market and sell on the internet{see her link on the right}so it will be a few short weeks untill im ready to launch the Estsy store here is a little preview of what i have been doing

and a little journal i have done to record my Ideas in

happy monday!

2008-08-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

Back to school for my daughter..uggg i cant believe she is in her first year of highschool already..where has the time gone? This is the first time she worried what her hair looked like before she went this morning and she even asked me to help her with it! i remember the days when what was her recess snack was more important or if she could bring her favorite beanie baby to school with her so she would not be scared..the beanie baby was a bribe from me so she would go in the door on her first day of kindergarten..now a purse has replaced the "back pack" and can i wear makeup?
(no she cant yet...another year maybe) :) for every new school year she has brought her beanie baby to school,im not sure if it went today with her ..i suppose ill have o sneak it in her "purse" tomorrow so it will experience high school with her even if its for one day...its just the "mommy" in me i guess..I love you Molly...sigh

birdie has landed

2008-08-13T19:51:00.000-05:00

im so happy that the little bird has landed at Bernies house all safe and sound!
Bernie loves her and the little suprise i put in her package too..some of my hand made beads...happy happy happy!

colours and textures

2008-08-11T08:24:00.001-05:00

I am a blue/green colour addict.. i cant help it, they are the colours I'm drawn too
every time i pick up a paint brush to paint they are the first colours i reach for
Its same with beads and fibers..threads...I think i work better with these than others,don't get me wrong i use allot of others too but just find that blue and green easier..things just "happen" unplanned image's appear. This painting i did the other day was like that, I was experimenting with silk and wool and i had a background already painted onto a canvas, when i first layed down the fibers the canvas was in a different position..lengthwise and i was quite happy with how it was coming out..I took a little break to get some coffee and while i was looking down i tilted my head just to see what would appear..i seen a woman so i turned the canvas around and there she was..a spot just waiting for a face and a flowing dress was already there..the painting has water colors,ink and arcylic paints and is finnished with beeswax..it glows and has a raised texture with the fibers i wish you can see it in person
She reminds me of the ocean and her hair is like stands of seaweed and she looks like she is dreaming..so she is called "Ocean Dreamer'

Yippy!!

2008-08-08T18:44:00.000-05:00

this is exciting! my little bird has found a new home! it was a complete surprise to me that she was wanted by a wonderful lady named Bernice who had to have little bird for her collection. I am so pleased that little bird will have a nice new lady to keep her company! She also asked me to make another bird for her as a remembrance for her daughter..i am honoured to do so :)
so i had to make a pay pal account to do this transaction..all new to me and a little overwhelming but i did it,now i am about to have my own etsy shop soon
i have to get over my fears and just do it..i think that i needed a little shove to do this and i have to thank little bird..and Bernice
any advice on selling on Etsy would be most welcomed..

a little peek..

2008-08-07T10:53:00.000-05:00

hi everyone well things here have cooled down a little bit so im back feeling creative..the heat just kills me im more of a winter person i guess lol
heres a little peek of what ive been working on

been away..

2008-08-04T16:44:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone..i've been away this weekend my DH took me for a little out of town trip for our anniversry we had a great time!i have finnished the little bird from my other post she turned out well i will post her new look later tonight and some other pics too of something else i have been working on
Its been so hot here today i feel like im going to melt..yuck lol

beadwork video :)

2008-07-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

what are blissful things?

2008-07-27T14:13:00.000-05:00

Well to me many things are or can be blissful..most of the time its the simple little things in life that let you pause and reflect on them. A book you really enjoy and you cannot put it down

A beautiful little bird that comes to land on your deck while you look out the window and stays just long enough for you to get a real good look at it and you smile while it skips around looking for little bugs to eat or to take back to its nest..

For me today its just a relaxing sunday afternoon with nothing and nowhere special to go ,im just going to sort through some arty things i have going and tidy up so i can get a good start on some work tomorrow,i have so many ideas in my head i have to write them down so i dont forget lol

some days its like that a million ideas then some days just a few or none.

ill have to finnish my little bird and show you later on

hope all of you have a great weekend!

Hugs

whoops!

2008-07-23T21:08:00.000-05:00

My picture size was way to big in my other post! But i have figured it out now..i think :) these are beads made from tyvek

if you are from creative souls these are the beads to be in the draw!

Testing the video options..coolness!

2008-07-23T16:28:00.000-05:00

Beadwork Pictures

2008-07-23T14:04:00.000-05:00

I have managed to take a few pics of some beadwork,Its a new camera so im still learning how it works so please bear with me ill get it right soon enough :)

This peice was done with the embellisher for the background hand dyed silk fibers and scrims on a hand painted background cloth,I love working with fibers and beads, Some of the beads are 10c gold and crystals

Hello everyone!

2008-07-22T16:00:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone and welcome to Blissful Things!
I have so many things to put onto this blog,its overwhelming and new to me and a little scary!
I have read so many wonderful blogs by other artists and have taken the plunge to get myself out there and to share my art with all of you..i hope you will enjoy!