WIP an Alice figure?

A gourdeous fella don't you think? Okay, bad pun, but he is a gourd figure for our Alice Challenge with AHA.

This is only the beginning as he needs a body and other "stuff" to finish him off. Now that I'm home I can perhaps work on him some more. Stop back by to see how he evolves. Oh, wait, I need to get the medals done for the CROCK POT OLYMPICS we are having at church....oh yeah!

Why Not Wednesday...Friend Give Away Share

How Darling is this?! Why not share? Well I would like to be the only one in the hat for a chance to win this, but I know I won't be so I will share and hope for the best. I discovered Michelle's blog through Diane Knotts, another talented artist who's work I love. Some day I hope to be as talented and proficient as these two ladies, but for now, I will work hard to get there. Michelle has an etsy shop where she sells her work so there's more delightful pieces to see. Thank you Michelle, and here's hoping you will all take the opportunity to go see Michelle Palmer and her fabulous art. http://michellepalmerart.blogspot.com/2010/03/giveaway-to-celebrate.html

Alice In Wonderland White Rabbit AHA Challenge Piece

The final unveiling of the White Rabbit! Ta daa! 

His head was created using air dry clay over a foam egg. The stand/base is a vintage textile spool attached to a wood base.

He has several elements that make up his whole. Stop by my ebay listing to learn more about him. A little side note I didn't add to his listing, did you know that the white rabbit Alice saw had pink eyes?

WIP Alice in Wonderland White Rabbit continues

H

Here is another teaser on the way to seeing the whole piece finished. I used stamps as well as  polymer clay to create the design and numbers for the clock face. There are card photos applied to the trunk of the piece. I was excited to be able to use the mesh ribbon I have for the collar. The unveiling will come later!

WIP Alice in Wonderland White Rabbit

 

Don't know what is happening with blogger but I will try and post here. I've been working on a white rabbit figure for our AHA Alice In Wonderland Challenge. It took me longer than I wanted because I was torn between making a cloth body for him or just moving ahead with my idea of using a vintage spool as the base. Here's what I gathered together to put this together. I started with a pink layer after gessoing the whole head. Scary huh?!

Then I dry brushed shades of buttermilk and white. I touched up the strokes with some maple syrup to give him some depth. I continued on with layering colors until he was the way I wanted him to be. Blogger is really not cooperating right now so I'm moving on rather waste time. Below you find the finished head. I will unveil more later today. Thanks for stopping by!

Sneak Preview of the Spring Celebrate365 Issue!

Here is the Spring issue of Celebrate365 that I designed the cover for. To give credit where due, the graphic artist at the printer changed the ribbon color and put a backround of grass in the stamp frames, but other than that, the design was my concept.

I was tickled to be able to be a part of putting this together. Thanks Connie, for the opportunity! There are at least 3 of our very own American Holiday Artists featured on the cover, Lori Rudolph or Retro Rudolphs, Carrie Murtha of Snippets Pets, Johanna Parker of Johanna Parker Design and David Everett of Chicken Lips Studios. You can find their links in my blog roll to see more of their fabulous work. I also have 2 pieces in the Easter portion of the publication. If you are interested in subscribing to this publication click on the Celebrate365 banner to the right to go directly to her site. There is a lot of eye candy in each issue, as well as informative articles for the ornament collector. You can find the contact info if you are interested in any of the featured ornaments as well. Here's to Spring and Celebrate365!

March PFATT Marketplace

Art for Spring. The bunny mixed media piece at the top is perfect for small spaces or places.
The bunny cup will hold treats.
The fresh fruit painting would be a wonderful addition to any kitchen or dining area.

American Holiday Artists Alice In Wonderland Challenge

That's right, in honor of the new Tim Burton movie our AHA artists are creating some magical wonders to add to your Alice collection. Stop by our blog, and search AHA on both etsy and ebay to see more of what is up for purchase or auction.

Halloween Gourd Jack O' Lantern

In an effort to make room for new creations I've been "catching up" on finishing creations started earlier in the year. This Jack took some time as he didn't seem to want to just be an ornament. So I searched and dug and I searched some more through the different elements in my studio and came up with a vintage oil can I purchased for another idea that never got past the thought stage. Next I had to scrounge up the time to put this all together as babies don't wait for creativity. When they are hungry, or wet or whatever, you just do babies. That's fine, it should be that way. I'm finally finished though and he can be found at my etsy shop. Thanks for stopping by!

What do Easter Bunnies and Santas have in common?

They are holiday art of course! I am in the process of creating several Santas for Reasons to Believe and so I will share as I get each one done. As a member of American Holiday Artists I spend a lot of time creating holiday art. The cute Easter Bunny trinket box is listed on ebay right now so check him out for more information.

Recycling WIP

I really dislike throwing away cardboard and glass or plastic if I can find a way to use it. I do love inspiring artists who can use "found" items to create beautiful gifts for others. One such is Diane Knott's over at Diane Knott's Musings. She has the master's touch when it comes to creativity so I like to visit her blog often. She has been creating lovely pocket tags, so I've decided to follow her lead.  I took a shampoo packaging box and used it to cut some tags as I really loved the scroll work on the box. The image is beautiful as well so here I go trying something new. Stop by Diane's blog to see what I mean. Oh, she was the inspiration for the new hand painted border on my blog.

Primitive Crow Raven Pastel Painting AHA pwgl ADSG - eBay (item 150416784676 end time Feb-27-10 08:00:37 PST)

Primitive Crow Raven Pastel Painting AHA pwgl ADSG - eBay (item 150416784676 end time Feb-27-10 08:00:37 PST)

Primitive Rabbit Easter Bunny gourd ornament AHA PWGL - eBay (item 150416994664 end time Feb-27-10 09:31:19 PST)

Primitive Rabbit Easter Bunny gourd ornament AHA PWGL - eBay (item 150416994664 end time Feb-27-10 09:31:19 PST)

Billboards and marketing design.....

My husband and I make several road trips a year. We often see billboards that give you no clue as to what they are selling because they are so busy with an overloaded message. When I saw this photo above I about fell off the chair laughing as it leaves no doubt about the message though simply stated. A perfect example of good marketing no matter how you feel about George W. Bush. Simple, to the point, and not cluttered with too many graphics or text for people to try and read as they drive by. It gets your attention and makes you laugh or get angry depending on whether you are still waiting for the whole "hopey changey" thing to happen.
When I worked for an endodontist in Alaska we spent many hours peering into patients mouths so we would pass the time in one of two ways. We had a code system set up with fake names for office personnel that we were discussing. Little Napoleon was the son in law, Goldilocks was the receptionist in the Anchorage office, there was momma bear and poppa bear, Tinkerbell and so on. The other way we passed the time was to listen to the radio. Our favorite part of that was the commercials. We would talk about the voice over talent or no talent depending on the ad, the copy and so on. We would try to see if we could come up with better ideas as well. I love commercials TV or radio as they can be so creative. Marketing and advertising have a lot of ins and outs that business owners don't think about and are usually not told when being sold an ad campaign. Tips like never give a laundry list of what you sell. Pick out the "hook" item or service that will bring people to your business. Never start an ad with a question. For instance, " Are you tired.... of being sick and tired, being ripped off, being overweight and so the list goes. Most ads that start with a question are quickly silenced as the listener moves to the next station or mutes the radio until the 4-5 minute commercial break is over. Unfortunately most folks haven't figured out that most stations are all on the same schedule. A clever ad is fun or enjoyable to listen to, and will remind you that you haven't tried this or that yet, or wow that sounds great! The purpose of radio ads are to remind folks of what they either need or want and where to find it. It's called controlled word of mouth. One of the most satisfying work experiences I had was in creating an ad campaign for a flooring store that not only helped them grow, but gave them confidence that advertising does work when done correctly, and helps them grow some more. I really miss working in radio, the reporting, voice over work, copy writing and sales, all of it!
I got to thinking about this as I worked with a fellow artist to re-do her blog. She wanted a fresh look, new banner and set up. We had fun perusing images and so on and I had fun trying out new things with photoshop. As I was putting her banner together I was struggling with the placement of text and so on. It didn't come together until I changed one simple thing.... the message. Here's what I mean. We went from this

to this

Of course I've come a long way since I created her first banner two years ago. The message is simple, elegant, the text flows and the design fits her personality so well. If you get a chance stop by and see what her blog looks like now at  Seasonal Whimsies . I would love your feedback!

Bunnies and Ravens and Signs and Things....

 

It's a sign of the times.... literally. Easter is fast approaching and this sign is ready to display anywhere you would like to add a touch of Spring. Inspired by Victorian ephemera, this one of a kind original will be a great center piece for your Easter decor.

  

 Buddy Bunny Pull Toy is a little egg gourd creation I put together using air dry clay. It's a two part creation with a little pull cart sculpted from clay. Buddy's friend Charlie Chick Pull Toy will be featured in Celebrate365 Spring issue.

 

Last but not least, I've decided to let the original pastel of this painting above to go. You will find all these pieces on ebay so visit my link to the right.

Dressing Up....

I've spent the day playing with paint and now have a new sidebar for my blog! The actual painting will be a wrap for a glass candle jar, but I created it with my blog in mind. What do you think?

I recently had the opportunity to sign up for 2 Valentine swaps. The lovely Valentine card and ornament you see above was created by Ashlee of The Paper Heart . Isn't this just darling?! So pretty and feminine! I love it! This event was sponsored by our PWGL team. Stop by our blog to see all the other creations sent out.

Christine Edwards of A Work in Progress sponsored a secret admirer swap. Angie of Hopemore Studio overwhelmed me with such wonderful generosity! I had to take 3 photos to show all the delightful creations and trinkets she sent my way. I will be having a blast using some of the things to create my own pieces of art. Take a look at the hand made box, the card and the pin and charm. Amazing work! I will be doing this one for sure next year if Christine hosts it. Thank you Christine, this was fun!

AND THE WINNER IS......

Lauren! Congratulations to Lauren for being the winner of this fun give away! Thank you so much to all who stopped by and left such nice comments. It is inspiring to read them and will give me the incentive to keep trying and improving. Thank you so much to Lisa for this wonderful event.

Sheryl

PFATT for February

We are so ready for Spring around our house that it pushed me to share some of my favorite pieces with you. Here are my latest works available at the PFATT Marketplace for February.This is an acrylic painting on a 9 by 12 inch gallery wrap canvas. Original art ready to hang.
Just in time for President's day, an Uncle Sam ornament that can be hung anywhere year round. Hand sculpted over an egg shaped gourd.
I lovingly call this Roadtrip Roses as it was done on a trip to Idaho to pick up some bunnies. I have several of these prints available right now. They come on high quality heavy duty print paper in a 8.5 by 11 inch size with a white border. To see how to purchase these click on the PFATT banner to the right.
A huge thank you for all who have entered the OWOH give away so far! I so appreciate all the uplifting and inspiring remarks! As always, thank you for your support of what I do. If you haven't yet, scroll on down and get in on the give away!

Primitive Rabbit Easter bunny ornament AHA ART PWGL - eBay (item 150412666380 end time Feb-13-10 16:49:11 PST)

Primitive Rabbit Easter bunny ornament AHA ART PWGL - eBay (item 150412666380 end time Feb-13-10 16:49:11 PST)

One World One Heart

A event that has taken on monumental proportions, One World One Heart links bloggers all over the world. Artisans everywhere have joined in and it's been so popular that folks can't wait to participate each year. Click on the banner at the top left to stop by and see what this is all about.

What's in it for you? A chance to win a wonderful piece of art from some very talented artists! What you do is leave a comment here on this post with a way for me to contact you in case you are the winner. One winner will be randomly drawn on and announced on February 15th.



Here's my offering for the giveaway part of this event. This is an 11 by 8.5 print with white border of a pastel I've done. It will come signed and dated and it's the last one of a limited series.
I am a primarily self taught artist that picked up my art tools when all my children grew up and flew the coop. I love to dabble in a variety of media, from clay and paper mache to painting on canvas and art papers. Stop by my website at Mother's Dream Artworks to see more of what I do. I also do web graphic design, and am working on cover art for a magazine. A big thanks to Lisa at A Whimsical Bohemian for sponsoring this event. For more artists blogs to visit click on the banner above.
If you like what you see here, don't forget to sign up below by leaving me a post with a way to contact you. Thanks!

Spring Things

A few years ago now, I was sent some gourds with the challenge to see what I could do. this lady bumble bee was started back then, and has been hanging out around my studio without her limbs attached or being painted and dressed. She finally had enough and told me that if I didn't get her finished she would find someone who would. She's quite happy now so all's well that ends well. She was created using a bottle gourd. Her wings were hand cut and glittered as well as her "petal" skirt. She is really much more darling in person.
Bunnies and chicks pull toys are these adorable little egg babies. Both are hand sculpted, painted and dusted with glitter.
Not sure if these will be ebay, etsy or my website. Send me a note if you are interested. What are you working on these days? Right now, one of my little charges is demanding my attention, so off I go for my daily mashed sweet potato shower. Have a nice day!

Color Test- What's in a name....

Color is an interesting animal in that there are so many different names for the same colors that it could confuse even the most experienced artist after awhile. I know that in the decorative arts field though that it helps to have specific names for shades so that people can follow instructions and get the results they hope when trying a new painting pattern.
One way to get my hubby going on the trendy, yuppie pretentiousness of certain quarters is to put a certain clothing catalog in front of him. Oh, he loves the clothes, the quality and so on, but the names they give the colors drive him up the wall. He understands blue, yellow, red and so on, but willow? pintail? Every time he comments on these types of names for colors I think back to a Newlywed's Game Show one night where the husbands were asked what color the sheets on their beds at home were that day. So they answered with colors such as blue, tan, white and so on. You know the drill. Enter the wives, they are asked the same questions. The wives answered with Cornflower, Vanilla, Oyster. Fighting broke out among the couples that didn't match as this was THE critical question. I always laugh when I think about how we as males and females think about things like this. So here's the test, can you see how many of these shirt colors you can get right? I'm going with the catalog names and will reveal these on Sunday. There's a sweet little treat for you if you can guess at least one. As for me, I happen to like the fancy names, but that's the creative artist in me. You know, my hubby still loves me anyway? :-)

WIP Queen of Hearts

Creating a doll is not as easy as it would seem if you try and make your own pattern. Art is ever a learning process and that's half of the fun! This Queen of Hearts is a little bit prim, a little bit vintage with a retro twist. Prim in design with a vintage retro skirt of dotted swiss fabric. Do they even make dotted swiss fabric anymore? I found a couple of small pieces of the fabric, not large enough to do anything really big, but it is so cool I couldn't pass it up. Oh, the joy of the hunt when visiting a soroptomists store or other thrift venue.
This queenly lady has a hand painted face. The tall collar isn't attached yet, thus it isn't standing the way I would like, but she is as they say, still a work in progress. What are you working on today?

Bits & Pieces of Valentines

Love is a circle that doth restless move in the same sweet eternity of love.
Robert Herrick

Biggest WIP yet!

Okay, so it's not art, but it's art related. Scary though isn't it?! We moved things around, including shelves to get our food storage in the big closet. Having done that I was left with huge piles of things that needed organized. I've been working on it as I can so it doesn't still look like this. I hope to have it finished and ready for unveiling tomorrow night. Then I can get back to creating. It's amazing the things you find that you knew you had, but didn't know where they disappeared to!
I don't know about you but before I start a project I have to have some semblance of order, at least to start out with. It doesn't stay that way most times, but the plan is, with the new see through drawer units, to save time and have a ready place to put things back when I'm done. The gals over at Prim &Whimsy Girls want me to show off my studio when I'm done so I better do this right....lol.

Valentino - Alice in Wonderland White Rabbit

Perhaps you didn't know it but the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland has a name even though it's not well Known. Valentino has worn his heart on his proverbial sleeve for a while now but is ready to find his true love. Are you looking for a special Valentine? Who knows, he may be the one!

WIP Valentines or Alice in Wonderland White Rabbit

Pulling out my illustrative skills to paint this rabbit up in a new and different way. Couldn't decide whether he should be a White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, or a Valentines bunny, so why not both?! He's almost done being dressed, well we couldn't have a naked bunny running around, really now! :-)
Here's a little something to put you in the mood for love......

"Kisses are sweetest under covering hair"

Kisses are sweetest under covering hair,

And whispers in its woven twilight best;

As flowery boughs above the chirping nest

Make sweet and sacred all the darkened air

Wherein abide the soft-secluded pair,

And know in the warm fragrance where they rest

The small heart beating in the downy breast

Each of its mate:--a Paradise they share.

This is a longing of the human heart

After that dream, an Eden all for two,

Some lonely island 'mid the ocean's blue

Where Love may sport, and laugh, and kiss apart.

Therefore it was a moment past I drew

Thine hair about mine eyes, Eve that thou art.