Small Business Saturday!

I crossed paths with my friend Lillie in April 2014.  We had a conversation and I hung up the phone thinking how could it be that I met someone so like me.  Since that time we have spent time sharing ideas, dreams, crafts, and all the other girl crafty stuff.  This weekend she was invited to participate  in this event at ThirdSpace.  We went to a meeting and I loved the energy of the place and the other artist!  So wish us luck and here's a sample of the fun things I'm selling.

Holiday Art Show 2014

It's that time of year!

I love this time of year!

I've been busy in the studio

lots of holiday decor and crafts

the house will be decorated with all things Xmas

food & holiday drinks

but,

the best news is..

A HOLIDAY ART SHOW

featuring all my things

jewelry, holiday decor, art prints

Also plan to feature some of my talented friends.

Here's the flyer...

So if you live in my area, stop by, please!

Getting ready for a art show/open house!!

This past week and for the next two weeks I'll be working night & day to get ready for this show.  I"m dusting off a crate of holiday themed crafts from past shows and offering them up, again.  I'm making new things, too.  The fun part is decorating and getting the holiday spirit through out the house.  More details to come....

Rusted mattress spring trees & burlap artwork.

Holiday words on fabric

I'm sewing stuff and decided I needed to embellish them with some fabric labels/ fabric words.  I originally used my old school typewriter and they turned out good.   As I was sewing them on to some burlap stockings.... I had an idea,  why not use my printer, it's fancy enough to type on fabric.   I love how they turned out....labels in color and different fonts!  Great idea.  It's endless how to use these.

What's going on around here

It's that time of year getting ready for the holidays.... (in no particular order)
... get the decorations out of the attic
... turkey dinner, what to do?
... decor & crafts, oh so fun!
... Christmas card ideas
... find all things to sell
... buy plants
... lights everywhere
... pillows to make
... chalkboard stuff
... cookie exchange to plan and invites to make
... fill the house with Santa's & snowmen
... sew up more stockings
... print up photos
... gift making
... gift buying
... organize photo challenge
... music music and more music
... holiday get togethers
... food!
... tamale making stuff
... so much more

I love love love this time of year, don't you?

Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

This is Anaya in her witch costume.  She  was such a good sport.

She's also has a zebra costume her Tia Melinda made for her.  

Halloween is one of my favorite days.  I was one of those kids who always had a costume and continued on into my adult life.  But the funnest was dressing up Gabi, she was always game to dress up!  Here's some past Halloweens with her!

Sewing adventures

I traveled with my sewing machine on this road trip.  Today my Mom asked me to get it out for her to try out.  I'm like Mom you'll never be the same after using this machine.  She could see already how there's too many options...haha.  She's got a whole bunch of fabric squares cut and she's gonna sew her heart out on this machine tomorrow!  I love how we both have a passion for sewing.

Setting eyes on her for the first time in person & I'm in love

I'm in love!

Meet Anaya

I'm in love with this cutie pie! 

With this sweet face!!

With these big eyes!

With this storyteller!

Tia Jobi loves you!

Announcement - Invite card

Here's the final product.  It came out so nice.  For some reason I was really challenged with centering the back with the front image...ugh  After a number of attempts with my printer I got it right.  I paired it up with a light brown envelope.  Very happy with the final product.

Way to go Christine!!

We went out to a local park to get the perfect sunset photos, but instead the sky was boring, well it was really wasn't - it was a beautiful blue color as usual in Arizona!

I took about 100 shots, but this one was the first one I took and it was perfect for her announcement/invitation!  She's an awesome young lady and as beautiful.

Another shot that was a close 2nd.

She's done!!!

While we were trying to get a sunset photo near the yellow flowers the bees and bugs started flying around and Christine was scared of the bugs!  She wouldn't stand still...the red balloon was probably attracting the bees...didn't have the heart to tell to let the balloon go and she would be fine....ha ha

 It was a really fun time!

Baby photo shoot!

I got to spend time with two babies with my camera in hand. 

Garrett is 6 months old and spending the evening with him was precious.  I got to get him after his nap and he cuddles so sweetly.  He smiles and smiles and smiles.  He makes the sweetest baby noises!  It was fun taking his picture.  In these photos, the green jumper he's wearing is his daddy's baby jumper and the ball was a toy his daddy had as a baby.  Isn't that sweet.  The rest of the evening with him was awesome.  He even gives kisses xoxox!

This sweet baby girl is Avery.  She was easy to photograph.  I crocheted the crown for her and it worked out great.  

The pink dress she's wearing is from her Grandmother, it was so cute and so cute on her.

Studio time

I don't always mind nights I can't sleep because my studio is inviting.  I got lost in there tonight and finished some pendants.  These designs have been dancing around in my head for weeks.  One thing I used was metal buttons.  I have quite the collection and I came across something about pounding metal buttons.  I loved the look and especially love the how they look with the bigger beads.  I can't wait to wear these...oh yeah , they'll be for sale!

Husker football + GuruHoney = fun times & good things!

It's that time of year.... Husker football, Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska!

To all my family and friends who live in Lincoln and those of you who plan to travel to Lincoln for a game.

There's this really neat shop in Lincoln, it's not downtown or near the stadium, but it's worth the trip to North 48th Street. I'm challenging you to travel a little bit east and check it out!

I was fortunate to meet the owner, Andrea Watkins. Her shop is full of unique gifts, graphic t-s...hirts, framed art, home accents, baby wear, accessories and much more. It has my jewelry pieces for sale, too! 

Please hit the share button and share with all your Facebook friends and give me and GuruHoney a loud Husker spirited shout out!! Thank you so much.

GuruHoney
2701 North 48th Street, Suite 2
402-890-5520
https://www.facebook.com/guruhoney.design

Etching

Some of my samples I previously did

A friend of mine asked about etching metal.  He has a project he would like to do.  It involves etching 1/2" strips with sayings.  He wants to make them into bracelets.  Today we did a trial run so he could see the steps it takes to finish one piece of brass.  He plans to make 50 bracelets.  I had the supplier cut my sheet of 24 gauge brass into 6"x1/2" strips.

Step 1:  rounding down the corner edge on the grinder

Step 2: find tune the edges with a fine hand file

Step 3:  clean up using a very fine steel wool

Step 4:  decide what design you want on the strip using a sharpie or use a rubber stamp     with permanent ink or both.

Step 5:  mount each strip on a piece of tape, we didn't have electrical tape so we used masking tape.  Each strip is mounted on the tape with the design side up.

Step 6:  using a glass pyrex dish pour the etching solution about 1/4 inch deep.

Step 7:  suspend each strip in the solution and set timer for 30 minutes.

Step 8:  check metal at 30 minute mark.  We liked the etching so we removed the metal strips.

Step 9:  nuetralize the strips using baking soda in a dish.

Step 10: rinse in cool water and clean using a rag.

Step 11:  polish up the strips using steel wool.  

Step 12: using a black patina solution brush it on and let set for a few minutes.

Step 13:  clean off the solution and rinse strip in cool water.

Step 14:  polish with steel wool and all the raised areas will polish up.

Done!  Oh no, we're not...we still need to make them into bracelets!  Remember he wants to make 50 of them!  Big job but he's very excited and happy with the results of our trial run.   We spent two hours in our trial run.

Moving into the NAU dorm

Just over 18 years ago Gabi Buckley came into my life and I’ve been blessed to be a part of her life.  This week she moved into her dorm at NAU (Northern Arizona University) in Flagstaff.  We helped her move in and get her room somewhat organized.  

I made her a quilt using her Tshirts from city rec youth volleyball.  I've had them years and just wasn't sure what to do with them.  I sewed them up like a rag quilt.  It's not a full size quilt but it should work perfectly to snuggle on those cool nights in Flagstaff.

Handmade leather journals!

I have this love affair with journals.  I have many journals, handmade and purchased ones. I use one for house ideas, one for jewelry designs, one for painting, one for sketching, one for landscape & plants, one for daily doodles, one for inspirational sayings & thoughts, one for things to do, one for business to do things, one for nothing in particular, one for things that have moved me, things & places I've been, one for photos, one for ideas, on & on & on.

I came across the Midori leather journals and had to have one.  They're not overly expensive, $35 or so.  But all the inserts can add up $$$. I came across this blog, www.mylifeallinoneplace.com/ It belongs to Ray Blake.  He has all kinds of tutorials to help you make your own Midori Travel Notebook style journals and inserts.  

I remembered I had a leather garment bag I found in the garbage at my office years ago.  I got it out,  cut it up to salvage as much of the leather I could.  I was able to get a number good size pieces and all the hardware off of it.  I used leather cleaner to clean it all up.  

I had enough leather to make three full size and two passport sizes.  I also have enough left over for some leather bracelet cuffs!

On Ray Blake's blog he has a good tutorial how to make the journal, so if you want detailed instructions go to his blog site.  I'm just going to give some idea of how I made mine using his tutorials.  

I measured out and marked five holes along the center of my leather piece.  I used a punch to make holes.   I used elastic cord to weave through the holes to make the elastic holder for the notebook inserts.  Got the cord at craft store and had the hole punch.

A neat trick used to thread the cord is to use a piece of thread and make a loop and pull the cord through the hole.  Very clever!

This is what the inside looks like.

The notebook inserts are threaded through the elastic band and you add the notebooks using elastic rubber band things and there's instructions how to combine all the inserts.

You make a loop and thread it though the center hold and it's you elastic band to wrap around the journal.

I rounded the corners of the leather with a scissors to give it a soften look

I really like the way they turned out.  My next post will be how I made the paper inserts!

Again, this is a rough view of how to make these type of journals, so check Ray Blake's blog to get the detailed instructions/tutorials.

Making earrings

I noticed I don't have very many pairs of earrings in my personal collection.  Not sure why, but I'm bound to change that.  I've been looking for inspiration for color combinations.  I shopped for beads and found I really gravitate to blues and turquoise shades.  I also pulled out all my seed beads and will be using them in my designs.  I need to get my designs on paper and outa my head.  Some days I find I can't sleep because I have so much creative visions in my head!  Actually, that's what's going on now....can't sleep.  I got my jewelry sketchbook out and pencil in hand!  Stay tuned.

Roosevelt Wall Art

Several months ago I was out looking for some interesting background wall art for senior photo ideas.  I remember noticing some cool stuff along Roosevelt Road, downtown Phoenix.  Here's a sample of what I found!

This was a huge painting along a side of a building.  Very colorful but not really my style.  Other than the design on the left side of this where the blues, pinks and orange are.

I like this, but again, not for photography background

I really like this and could see the feather section as a background.

Okay these next two photos are the same wall art.  I love love love this!!  I especially love the turquoise car hood with the birds!

This the rest of the same wall.  I just love it and you really have to study it to see all the elements.  This is in an alley way/parking area.  Let me tell you a little something about this wall/business.  It's called greenHAUS boutique + gallery, 222 e. roosevelt road.   Cole Reed is the owner/designer.  The gallery part of her building is full of art, gifts, vintage & antiques, furniture made from re-purposed metal finds, lots and lots of very interesting pieces, and so much too see.  I recommend a visit to her business.  She is the designer and builder of this wall of art!

This is the opposite wall of greenHAUS boutique/gallery.   This piece of wall art is by Lauren Lee, muralist/fine artist.  It's beautiful!  Love the colors, love the size, love everything about it.

This is close up of one of the birds!  It's so awesome.

Interesting tidbits of this particular building and area along Roosevelt Road.  Over 28 years ago we moved to Phoenix and the building next to greenHAUS was where my job began as a probation officer.  We called the building Chesterfield and it was a crazy place.The training department was housed in Chesterfield and I was introduced to Phoenix traffic, Phoenix heat, Phoenix monsoon season, Ridos tacos, and had no freaking idea what I got myself into....haha.  It turned out to be a great career.  Where greenHAUS is located used to be The 222 Bar.  This whole area was underdeveloped and not a fun place to hang out.  Now it's a really neat area, lots of art galleries, neat  and unusual shops, and the area is the center of Phoenix 1st Friday Art Walk.

Now see this freaking cool wall...see the no trespass warning sign!!  OMG this would be so perfect for a background.  But no way in to this area and believe me I drove all the way around it from every direction looking for a way in!  This building is next to greenHAUS and Cole Reed even took me into this building, it holds a coffee shop and gallery.  I didn't notice the wall until I drove away!!   You can bet I will ask about it the next time I stop in to greenHAUS.