WE'RE ALMOST THERE

This week has been a flurry of rush. Strain on the lower back because I had to reach the center of this LOL and viewing this piece on my dining room table for the last time before it goes on my living room wall for it's final pieces 

to be anchored on it.

There's mixed emotions on finishing this; it's given me something to do in my manic moments and yet I'm relieved that it's almost finished. 

The butterfly in the center is 9 inches at it's widest part, laser cut to perfection. I found the shape on Etsy and once it got here I spray painted it with glossy white paint and since there were two, fixed them together for a 3D effect. I'm going to be adding some crystals to it in keeping with the 'bling' feel. I also picked up it's 'brothers' and 'sisters' all in rainbow colors to add to the top. They'll all have crystals on them, and be anchored with wire from the back, curly cueing out for an awesome "pop in your face" kind of look.

Once completed with will also have large flowers on green wire anchored from the bottom back, in an arch pattern that will pop from the bottom sides to give you a feeling like you are standing in the garden looking through an opening.

This has been such a journey.

If you'd like to see a slideshow on this piece click on this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojUnvoT73hQ&feature=plcp

To see more cool handmade items from the Etsy shop I found the laser etched butterflies from visit

http://www.etsy.com/shop/EtchedinTimeLLC?ref=pr_shop_more

A DRAWERING (LOL) OF MY ARTPRIZE "HOPE BUTTERFLY"

Hello! I thought it best to catch up on my blogging so decided to begin with a sketch of my entry for ARTPRIZE. The flowers have been taking on a life of their own as I am getting ready to attach them to the canvas. A lot of these will be on long green wire, curly cuing throughout the piece mostly coming from the bottom. There will be some directly placed on the canvas and also attached to the back winding hither and yon (I've always wanted to use that phrase haha) around other paper flowers and insects cascading upward toward the base of each side of the butterfly rainbow.
The butterflies will be of the correct colors of the rainbow but some will be printed paper, some solid and attached will be crystal beads to the backs of the butterflies for that added bling feel.
I thought it would be fun to have small crystals, resembling raindrops dangling off the top in front of the piece. In doing so when the sun shines it will scatter beautiful sparkles of light across the front delivering just the right touch. But we'll see. These are my thoughts, would love to hear from you.

THE EVOLUTION OF MY ARTPRIZE EXPERIENCE

THE EVOLUTION OF MY ARTPRIZE EXPERIENCE

 

The second installment of "The Evolution of My ARTprize Experience"... I did think for a while (thought it probably doesn't look like I put any thought at all into this piece haha) on what I wanted my entry to look like. I knew I wanted to go with it being very colorful and eye catching, and I also wanted a design that didn't fit inside any box. Especially not any box of mine. I wanted to push myself outside of my abilities, so I could learn new things as I go. So far, I have. I learned that you really want to pre drill. You just do. Less splitting of expensive canvases. Then thanks to my dear husband, clamping is a must, just do it, you'll be a lot happier when there are no gaps. So I purchased several different sized premade canvases and began to join them together.

Then you need to think if you have a wall big enough for your piece to hang. CUZ THERE AIN'T NOBODY GONNA BUY THIS LOL aw come on....laugh at yourself. Yes. I have learned to laugh at myself A LOT. Unfortunately I find humor in almost anything. I laugh at myself the most. I'm always shakin' my head and laughin' at all my projects because they are all such a hoot and I usually end up suprising myself. Just after I got all of my canvases together, joining them with little steel brackets I wanted to hang it on the wall and get started. I found that the whole piece wanted to make a circle. It wasn't wanting to lay flat against the wall. So after talking with my hero (Geoff) he told me I definately needed a brace and not only one but two. Oh dear and I thought this was going to be easy. Nope. So yesterday we picked up more wood to make the cross pieces needed to keep my art piece flat. It's at the point here in the above picture right now because I'm waiting for the screw driver to finish charging up after laying down the first brace and re-positioning most of the steel brackets.

This would be a good time to talk about re-purposing. I've decided to make my art piece using as many materials that I already have on hand. Hence, these old wood screws.  When I found these I knew I needed 15 and do you know that that's exactly the number I had on hand? YAY! No second trips to the hardware store, it's all here. I'm so happy I saved these when we first moved in to this house. 

So I sit here and wait for the screwdriver to charge, and share with you all the progress of my artprize entry and the shop front where my artprize entry will be displayed. It's called God's Kitchen where many hungry people are able to have a meal and be given hope. It's still such an honor for the opportunity to be able to call this venue, my artprize venue.

AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING!