Life, Food and Art Escapades
About Me
- Queen of Tides
- I am a multifaceted woman, living with intention and passion. I always see the glass as half full (ok, almost always). Currently into: jewelry design, glass beadmaking (aka lampworking), visual journaling, cooking and web design everything. Things that bring me great joy: my family, friends, Scrabble, British period pieces, Shabby Chic, Austin, TX, mini art tiles, autographed cookbooks, chocolate, Chianti, pedicures and beach glass. I don't "do" and/or dig: dishonesty, guilt, intolerance, unkindness, drama and goat cheese (it's a long story, but I love all the other cheeses!) So you now have a teeny tiny little picture of me, with a few warts thrown in. Welcome to my world!
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Monday, January 10, 2011
Drive by posting
Thursday, June 17, 2010
More books...
This is a continuation of another post about books I have and books I wish I had. I'm still working on listing the books I have, so probably won't get around to books I want until later.
"Found Art Mosaics" is wonderful for anyone who wants to try creating a mosaic. Besides having excellent projects to get you started with great instructions, this book explains what kinds of glues and grouts to use depending on the materials and surface you are playing with! That alone is worth the price and then some. I actually saw this artist's work in Fredericksburg, TX last year, it is amazing and inspiring. You'll never look at a piece of broken anything the same way!
Another book I have is "Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life," by Kathy Cano Murillo. This is also a fun book with great projects and ideas to get you thinking outside the box. She also tells some stories with each project that are full of insights, some funny, some touching. There is also a lot of Mexican and South American feel to the projects, very colorful.
Also part of my library is "Subversive Seamster: Transform Thrift Store Threads Into Street Couture," by Melissa Alvarado, Hope Meng and Melissa Rannels. My kids and I love to hit thrift shops, resale shops and garage sales, so this book is really useful. Again, you will look at ordinary pieces of clothing in a whole different way. One of my favorite projects is creating a wrist cuff bracelet from purses that have interesting closures.
And I own several of Rachael Ashwell's "Shabby Chic" books. I love that particular style of decorating, worn elegance, pretty and comforting.
When we lived in Texas, there was a wonderful antique show in Round Top. I went a couple times, since it was an annual event. The antique show lasted several days, maybe even a full week. This little town, really little, was overrun with giant tents, like a circus had come to town, only there were several circuses. Different farmers rented out their fields and you just parked and walked, and walked. You couldn't see it all in one day. But there were so many treasures, I just loved it. Shabby Chic is big in Texas so lots of the vendors had things already finished in that style. Pieces of old furniture, stools and lamps, painted in pale or washed out colors and then gently distressed. I still love it.
"Found Art Mosaics" is wonderful for anyone who wants to try creating a mosaic. Besides having excellent projects to get you started with great instructions, this book explains what kinds of glues and grouts to use depending on the materials and surface you are playing with! That alone is worth the price and then some. I actually saw this artist's work in Fredericksburg, TX last year, it is amazing and inspiring. You'll never look at a piece of broken anything the same way!
Another book I have is "Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life," by Kathy Cano Murillo. This is also a fun book with great projects and ideas to get you thinking outside the box. She also tells some stories with each project that are full of insights, some funny, some touching. There is also a lot of Mexican and South American feel to the projects, very colorful.
Also part of my library is "Subversive Seamster: Transform Thrift Store Threads Into Street Couture," by Melissa Alvarado, Hope Meng and Melissa Rannels. My kids and I love to hit thrift shops, resale shops and garage sales, so this book is really useful. Again, you will look at ordinary pieces of clothing in a whole different way. One of my favorite projects is creating a wrist cuff bracelet from purses that have interesting closures.
And I own several of Rachael Ashwell's "Shabby Chic" books. I love that particular style of decorating, worn elegance, pretty and comforting.
When we lived in Texas, there was a wonderful antique show in Round Top. I went a couple times, since it was an annual event. The antique show lasted several days, maybe even a full week. This little town, really little, was overrun with giant tents, like a circus had come to town, only there were several circuses. Different farmers rented out their fields and you just parked and walked, and walked. You couldn't see it all in one day. But there were so many treasures, I just loved it. Shabby Chic is big in Texas so lots of the vendors had things already finished in that style. Pieces of old furniture, stools and lamps, painted in pale or washed out colors and then gently distressed. I still love it.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
44 Things to do before I turn 45
I have been inspired by Spindelmaker's blog post to create my own list of things I want to accomplish before I turn 45 in December. I love lists, they give me something to aim for with the added pleasure of closure as I check off finished items. This is going to be fun! I am going to create the list in no particular order, so I can work on it from any direction. BTW, I am borrowing some of Spindelmaker's list ideas, they were very inspiring...and away we go!
1. Read 10 new books
2. Learn to make bath bombs or bath fizzies
3. Get up to 30 laps in half an hour at the pool
4. Submit work to three magazines
5. Write one letter by hand every week(this is going to be really challenging!)
6. Create art postcards to send to friends and family, randomly
7. Learn to make a good pie crust
8. Can at least 10 different things
9. Bike to Suttons Bay
10. Watch 5 sunrises(meaning I have to get up early!)
11. Go camping at least once
12. Put a flower garden in along the fence
13. Make new glass faucet handles for the kitchen sink
14. Make new glass faucet handles for the bathroom sink
15. Finish the mermaid sculpture I have started
16. Clean and fix up my glass/jewelry studio
17. Clean and fix up my basement
18. Sew curtains for Sophie's room and Tess' room
19. Send anonymous gifts to 3 people
20. Participate in a swap of some kind
21. Finish my new Queen of Tides website
22. Learn to make paper from recycled materials
23. Learn how to silk screen onto fabric
24. Spend 4 days alone with my husband
25. Hang up all my vintage mirrors that have been packed away since our move
26. Have 2 garage sales
27. Volunteer at Cherry Festival
28. Volunteer at TC Film Festival
29. Polish some of the wonderful rocks I've collected, especially the Petoskey stones
30. Add 3 new items to my Etsy shop each week
31. Learn to use the vector portion of Illustrator
32. Watch 10 Photoshop tutorials
33. Write 3 chapters of the book I have in my head
34. Get a tattoo
35. Use my metalsmithing equipment to create some gifts
36. Learn a dance of some kind, something fun, like salsa
37. Sort through old family photos with my mom
38. Create a family tree
39. Take a yoga class
40. Grow herbs indoors
41. Learn to make homemade corn tortillas
42. Make our Christmas cards
43. Make glass beads on average, once a week
44. Create a large mosaic
Ok, so I might edit this within the next 48 hours...depends, something may strike me over the next two days, something I've been wanting or meaning to do and forgot.
Wish me luck!
1. Read 10 new books
2. Learn to make bath bombs or bath fizzies
3. Get up to 30 laps in half an hour at the pool
4. Submit work to three magazines
5. Write one letter by hand every week(this is going to be really challenging!)
6. Create art postcards to send to friends and family, randomly
7. Learn to make a good pie crust
8. Can at least 10 different things
9. Bike to Suttons Bay
10. Watch 5 sunrises(meaning I have to get up early!)
11. Go camping at least once
12. Put a flower garden in along the fence
13. Make new glass faucet handles for the kitchen sink
14. Make new glass faucet handles for the bathroom sink
15. Finish the mermaid sculpture I have started
16. Clean and fix up my glass/jewelry studio
17. Clean and fix up my basement
18. Sew curtains for Sophie's room and Tess' room
19. Send anonymous gifts to 3 people
20. Participate in a swap of some kind
21. Finish my new Queen of Tides website
22. Learn to make paper from recycled materials
23. Learn how to silk screen onto fabric
24. Spend 4 days alone with my husband
25. Hang up all my vintage mirrors that have been packed away since our move
26. Have 2 garage sales
27. Volunteer at Cherry Festival
28. Volunteer at TC Film Festival
29. Polish some of the wonderful rocks I've collected, especially the Petoskey stones
30. Add 3 new items to my Etsy shop each week
31. Learn to use the vector portion of Illustrator
32. Watch 10 Photoshop tutorials
33. Write 3 chapters of the book I have in my head
34. Get a tattoo
35. Use my metalsmithing equipment to create some gifts
36. Learn a dance of some kind, something fun, like salsa
37. Sort through old family photos with my mom
38. Create a family tree
39. Take a yoga class
40. Grow herbs indoors
41. Learn to make homemade corn tortillas
42. Make our Christmas cards
43. Make glass beads on average, once a week
44. Create a large mosaic
Ok, so I might edit this within the next 48 hours...depends, something may strike me over the next two days, something I've been wanting or meaning to do and forgot.
Wish me luck!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)