Wordless Wednesday

Ideas Galore



a batch of papier mache pulp
waiting to become something amazing

Okay, if you're just stumbling onto this blog, my work, or me, for that matter, you probably don't know that one of my all time favorite mediums (as an artist with a short attention span) is papier mache. My name is Renée, and I am a papier mache addict. There I said it.

Anyway, I was online doing some research for some new techniques. I had stumbled onto an old book with a different type of paper art that I wanted to try. In my searching, I happened onto a new design blog, which I instantly followed and wanted to share. So here we are. Dornob: Design Ideas Daily is a rabbit hole of things to look at in every type of design. They just happened to have a post that included examples of beautiful forms made of papier mache that sucked me in: http://dornob.com/pulp-projects-recycled-paper-pots-planks-shelves-more/. I will warn you, this blog is packed to the brim with ads, but if you can look past them to the meat of the content, you might find some gems yourself. Enjoy!

Wordless *Leap* Wednesday

Leap Day History: http://goo.gl/e2sUD

One Tip Tuesday

New feature! Since one of my objectives with this blog is to share creative techniques and practical things I've learned in working to get organized and grow my business, I am going to get myself rolling with a baby step. This will be easy to commit to, since it will be short and sweet. I hope it will be a collection of tips and ideas that will help and inspire you, and things I can read back through for my own benefit. Sort of like notes, ideas, simple steps for making being creative easier. I'd love to hear from you in comments with your own approaches or better ideas! While I don't expect to post every Tuesday, One Tip Tuesdays will hopefully become a regular feature that will help some of us get it in gear :o)

So, without further adieu, the first, super simple One Tip Tuesday tip:

Plastic resealable bags are a great way to protect photos and other small objects when you're using them for reference in painting.

Drop the photo/item in the bag and seal it, and never worry about paint ruining them again. I figured this one out after I accidently got oil paint on a special photo I was using for reference. :o(

Thanks for reading- here's to lots more tips!

Friday on Fire

Today I kinda feel artistically invincible, ha. It is amazing what a little rest and reflection can do (that caffeine can't) for the creative spirit. So I've been like a little Tazmanian devil, whizzing around fixing one thing, finishing another, confirming some things, starting others. And feeling like my to-do list is a constantly refreshing feed in my brain (in a good way) as I get things done. I am working on some things behind the scenes that will hopefully be revealed very soon, and am excited for what the next few months hold for my work (think new series, technique sharing, new venues, demonstrational videos). I can't wait to share, but I'll just have to wait a little while longer. :o)

And now, back to the fray.

Oh, and here's to the weekend- enjoy!

Atlanta skyline from the top of Stone Mountain

Wordless Wednesday

The Clock Strikes February

So it's Jan. 31, 2012, roughly 10 minutes away from February, and I'm looking back on the month, feeling, for the most part, satisfied with what I've accomplished with the first month of my new year. Have to be- no turning back! I can say I'm thankful for everything that I've enjoyed this month, from new friends and fun, to progress in my work, challenges that forced me to "up" my game, and plans for new projects. A major accomplishment for me personally, especially looking to the next 11 months, has been greater organization and time management. I know it sounds hum drum to some folks, but everything I can do to make it easier, happier, more efficient and more fulfilling to do my creative work and make a living at it, is a good thing. Heck, a great thing.

I am a dreamer with a realist streak, and while I have big dreams about all the projects I'm anxious to complete, and all the ideas I'm itching to share with the world, I have to also be a doer. For this reason I am so thankful for a God-given passion for creating. It's one thing that I could have never learned. It had to be there from the start to whisk me off on the road to these dreams. And now it's midnight, and February is here. I'm looking forward to all the opportunities and inspiration that await. Are you?

Hello!

So, my 2012 is starting out on bright notes, with lots of plans, ideas, and big hopes. I don't know why, and I keep saying this, but I've got a good feeling about this year, for all sorts of lovely things. It's probably helping this outlook that the weather in my part of the country has been beautiful this first week- as though it's setting the tone for a brilliant, sunny, happy year. I've already anxiously started on my mental and written lists of things to do, and I'm loving the feeling of accomplishment! Wonder if I'd feel this way if this had been a rainy, nasty week? Yeah, probably, but I might have tackled projects a little differently for lack of light.

Anyway, I'm not a superstitious person, but I did get in the traditional black eyed peas (for good luck) and collard greens (for money) as part of my New Year's day dinner. And I ran into something else that's supposed to be a good sign:

hello there!

All things point to the amazing, including my expectations, so let's do this! A very happy and prosperous New Year to all! :o)

The Joy of Low Key

I have not been ignoring this blog. I have just been thinking about it from afar. While I do lots of other things. The good thing is that they were fun, creative, productive things.

*Yawn* K, so it's the week of Christmas, and I've kept the hustle and bustle to a minimum. Well, at least outside home. I did all my hustling and bustling here, away from the crowded stores, running around in my socks, finishing some creative projects and pieces, shipping others, and starting still more. Anyway, today (a beautiful day) has been some of this:

And a lot of this, as the day wore on:

I'm getting some work done, but the sound of that rain getting heavier outside as dusk sets in is making me think about some of this:

And maybe a little later:

A book and a nice fire to read by could be nice, too. Okay! Back to work, lol.
But later maybe...

Wordless Wednesday

A Creative's Collection

So, as a creative person, with all kinds of ideas and inspiration constantly running through my bean, I have been known to hoard things, both in my head and in my physical space. I'm drawn to things that have a unique beauty, and it's a bonus if they have a little story attached to them, or just a little mystery that prompts me to create my own story for them. I don't really consider myself a collector, though. In my mind, when I think of collector, I think of the people you see on t.v. with rooms and rooms of stuff that all follows a {sometimes} strange theme. I don't have anything like that, just a few treasured things that have some meaning for me. One of my favorite personal collections is my handkerchiefs. I don't have a lot of them, but I enjoy them for their pretty colors and the stories behind some of them. I inherited most of them from my grandmothers, but some of them were just gifts or lucky finds at vintage shops.

I know these are the days of kleenex purse packs, but when I remember to, I like to drop one of these in my purse to use. It's a bonus if I have one that goes with what I'm wearing.

One of my grandmothers, who was a part of the era of women who wore hats, gloves, and carried hankies on regular days. Most of these were hers.

This one is a favorite, for its color, and its cut-out leaf design. It's one of the inherited ones and was once lost, I thought forever. I had left it behind at a wedding reception, and when I realized it, I called the hotel, but no one seemed to have seen it. Over a month later, it showed up in a little white envelope that came in the mail. I was SO relieved- and I felt like Nana must have helped it find its way back to me herself, lol.

Anyway, I don't really care about adding to this collection, and I think my grandmothers would be pleased to know I'm actually using them, not letting them sit in a box somewhere, hidden. The best part of collecting is enjoying your treasures, right?

Wordless Wednesday: Window Shopping, Wishful Thinking