Custom Connection

Mmmkay, I've been busy with things, but, well, it's time for me to pause and post, because sharing is caring, right? So I wanted to share a part of my work that offers me yet another facet of joy and fulfillment.

 

I often get requests from customers who've seen something in my Etsy shop, or my home website store that excites or inspires them, and they begin to think "what if?" As an artist, who wants to stir up the imagination of others, I love that! Sometimes people will ask for something in a different color, or something totally different from what they see, but in the same style. What follows is typically a few messages back and forth between myself and the customer, sometimes with pictures or sketches attached, to help their vison connect with mine. Once we're on the same page, I begin work.

 

I seem to get the best feedback from this type of order. Better than when folks just click "add to cart", it seems to be a great experience for all involved. Maybe it's because they get something made to their own specifications, and I get to make what they envision real. Having some customer service background, I think it's the "human touch". I mean, I am a real, breathing person with a working studio beyond this computer, and I don't employ any robots, lol.

 

Anyway, there's a little thrill involved, at least for me. Maybe it's the drive to really "get" what they want and exceed what they expect, or prove I can. I recently experienced that when a new customer purchased a necklace I made with my papier mache beads, then came back, thrilled with her first purchase, to order another in the shop and request a third made to resemble a decor item I had elsewhere in my shop. I loved her idea, and was excited to create it. Sometimes I like to think of it like I'm lending customers my hands and techniques to make what they would. Here's the finished piece:

a papier mache "painted stones" necklace with
ribbon tie

 

 I shipped this and her other piece off today. I hope she's as happy as she was with the first! And now, I'm gearing these hands up to create another special request, but I'll be back soon. I still have a few more posts to share before summer slips away!

 

Sweet Summer

With a little over a month left of this summer season, I'm trying to maximize every moment and fit in assorted memorable fun, big and small. Something I feel no summer should be without, especially in the Southern U.S., is some good old fashioned funnel cake. Most of us, at one time or another have had the priviledge of partaking in this yummy treat, whether at carnivals or ice cream shops, but almost always during the hot summer months, where it is enjoyed piping hot with either confectioner's sugar or a host of other toppings piled on high.

This summer, for the first time, it occured to me to try making funnel cake from scratch. I found a super easy recipe online that I wanted to share.

• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• vegetable oil

Mix ingredients with a whisk. Heat vegetable oil in a pan (at least 1/2 in deep for frying). Drizzle batter into hot oil. Create shapes if you like. Flip once when the edges brown. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Add powdered sugar or topping of choice if desired.

 

Here's what mine looked like. ↑

And voila! You've made a classic treat right at home. Hope you try it out :o)

The Big Secret

A favorite medium of mine is papier mache. I create in both the strip method (layering glue soaked strips of paper onto a shape) and with pulp (a mash of paper broken down in water to function like clay). I use these simple, centuries-old techniques, and then I finish them off with my own modern visions for surface treatments, often taking a cue from ceramics, stone, wood, metal, and other materials. I think I take a sort of trompe l'oeil approach, because I like people to be surprised when they discover a piece is made of salvaged paper.

That being said, I sometimes get the impression that some people are skeptical about how simple and basic the mache aspect of my pieces is. I've read about and seen plenty of methods that incorporate emulsifiers, fillers, etc., and I have even tried some of those techniques. But I always gravitate back to the purest, simplest way to make papier mache (because the surfaces are where I get really complicated, not the forms!). So I wanted to share the steps to make the pulp I use to make many of the things you'll find in my online galleries and shops. Maybe you (yes you!) can give this a try yourself. It's not a state secret, and it's super simple!

You need: newspaper, water, white glue*

First thing's first. I start by hand tearing the newspaper into skinny strips, dropping them into a big paint pail. When I first started making pulp years ago, I followed someone else's instructions to tear into 1in squares. All that is really not necessary, lol.

I like to fill the pail up as full as possible, and if I'm short on newspaper, I will mix in white paper from the shredder, no biggie. I will note, however, that my preference is newspaper, because it's softer and easier to pound into a fine pulp. But shredded junk mail will do in a pinch.

Once I've torn enough paper to fill the pail, I start pouring water in over the paper. The temperature doesn't really matter, room temp. is fine. Some resources will tell you to boil the paper in water on the stove to break down the fibers better, but again, not really necessary, especially if you're okay with putting a lid on it and letting it soak for a couple days. Don't be in a hurry with this. If you're in a hurry, go to the store and buy mache mix or paperclay.

I make sure that there's enough water to cover all the paper, then slap the lid on and forget about it for a few days while I do other stuff. When I return, PRESTO!!!

Looks the same as before I put the lid on, lolol.

Now is the point where I would recommend you've had your Wheeties for breakfast and done some stretches, because this stage calls for some gusto. Now that the paper has soaked and softened, I sink my hands in and start tossing, kneading, pounding and mixing. You really have to put some muscle into it, like you're kneading dough, washing clothes the old fashioned way, or grinding corn. It's called pulp for a reason, lol, so beat it into one! The more time and energy you invest in this stage, the finer, softer, and more clay-like the end result will be. As you knead and pound, the mix will begin to look like this:

Notice the excess water in the pail. I've got two solutions for that. Either drain most of the excess water out, leaving enough to keep the pulp malleable, or do as I've started doing more recently: as I'm kneading, I will continue to sprinkle shredded office paper into the mix and kneading it in. This absorbs the extra water and makes an even bigger batch of pulp, which is great, because I always have a cue of assorted projects going at one time. Either way, the more water that is absorbed or removed, the less shrinkage your pieces with exhibit as they are drying. The water makes the paper puffy, then as it evaporates, the paper fibers shrink and harden. The lower the water content, the less correcting up in size you will have to do to your pieces to allow for shrinkage. 

The last step is to add glue. I don't add a specific, measured amount.

I just add a generous amount, then mix it in with my hands. I know I've added enough when the pulp feels smoother and begins to hold shapes, or hold together like clay. At this stage, it's like mixing up a meatloaf.

More energetic kneading (this is a great thing to make when you've had a bad day, need to blow off steam, or just burn calories, lol.), and I arrive at this:

I harp on spending plenty of time on kneading because the finer the texture of the pulp, the finer the details you can achieve when you sculpt with it.

paper fiber and glue: a fine texture can be achieved

And there you have it. That is my one and only papier mache pulp recipe. You can use pulp to make all kinds of awesome things, limited only by your imagination. Give it a try!

*The only way I ever deviate from this recipe is to sometimes add baking soda. Paper, after all, tends to take on a strong *ahem* "character" after soaking for a few days, so I sometimes toss some baking soda in to alleviate the smell. I don't think it really makes a difference to any other aspect of the pulp.

UPDATE: Be sure to check out my YouTube channel for video tutorials on topics like this. Subscribe to see more!

Before & Afters

I've loved makeovers since I was a young'un, long before they became a thing on reality t.v. and elsewhere. I love a good transformation or upgrade, and am always looking at things from houses to clothes with an eye to their potential. So I'm starting a new series on this blog called "Before & Afters" to share transformed things that I'm excited about. I'm thinking it will be a lot of my own projects, and with any luck, I'll be able to toss cool stuff transformed by other artists and companies into the mix.

So for my first official Before & Afters post, I'd like to share a piece from a series of vases I'm working on. I've been taking standard small vitamin bottles and sculpting papier mache pulp over them to create working wet vases made totally of recycled materials. Because of the plastic bottle inside, these can be used with water and flowers like a traditional vase. Here's the before:

an empty vitamin bottle

And the after:  

it's paper, but water is a-okay in it!

This is also a sneak peek for posts I'll be publishing soon, revealing my super simple papier mache pulp recipe, and the steps I took to create the vase above. Hope you're looking forward to this series and the technique posts. I am!

Almost forgot- if you wanna find out more about the vase, go here: http://shophandmade.reneezanceart.com/collections/sculpture/products/small-handmade-paper-mache-vase-green-and-orange-papier-mache-decor

One Tip Tuesday

Today, in a rare One Tip Tuesday edition (because I haven't done one of these in like, forever), I wanted to share a tip on paint economy in the studio.

Paint. Is. Expensive. Well, sometimes. I personally know how to catch a good deal and ways to stretch the paint I already have.;o) This tip is so simple it's a no brainer, and it works for artist grade acrylics, oils, and craft acrylics. Whenever I mix up a special color, I try to make more than I think I'll need, so that I don't have to go back and mix again and try to match the first batch. So there's almost always leftover. Well, since it is near sacrilegious in my studio to throw out perfectly good paint, I seal up the excess in empty plastic containers. Whenever I need to create layers, thickness, or depth on a project, the excess comes out to play. It doesn't matter that it's not the color I intend to use in the end, because it will end up covered, and I won't have used up the intended color trying to create "body" on a painting or a sculpted piece. And I've avoided waste. So winner winner... well, you know. 

The Garden of My Mind

As an artist, I spend a lot of time visualizing things I would like to create, from simple projects, to things I want to think into existence for my life.

a Chinese lantern plant

One of my personal dreams is to one day have a beautiful garden at my home. I've always possessed an inner gardener, one who loves the feel of the earth in her hands and relishes the fruit of carefully tended plots. I love flowers, succulent cactus, and edibles, and my dream garden would have all of these.

Having thumbed through seed catalogs time and again over the years, I could name off some of the magical things I would grow *ahem*, will grow when the opportunity arrives. I want beautiful colors, strange shapes, and tasty specimens. I want everything from crispy cukes, to paw paws, to edible flowers that I can dust with pretty sugars and perch on homemade cakes. I can see myself strolling, sitting, sketching, and just renewing in my perfect garden. I've grown things in the past, and enjoyed the satisfaction of creating something from seed, earth, sun, and water, but because of limited time and other resources to devote to maintenance (like keeping hungry pests away), I have temporarily given it up.

While out exploring with a friend recently, I happened onto a plant precariously tossed beside an old railroad depot. It had obviously been ditched there, because there were just branches lying on the ground. I recognized it as an elusive favorite, which I had never seen in person, and one that I had pictured for my own garden, a Chinese lantern. The petals on the "lanterns" were gorgeous shades of soft pink, green, and tan, and they reminded me of my goal, so I brought home some of the stems. I managed to extract seeds from some of the pods, and may be able to start them in a pot. Who knows, this could be the first step to that dream coming true! Before I forget, I wanted to share this awesome video, which in part, inspired this post. So I can't take credit for the "garden of your mind" idea, lol. Hope you like :o)                              p.s. I love Mr. Rogers and PBS. We go waaay back!

Update: I'm officially back at it with a slowly expanding container garden! Follow my "grow things" board on Pinterest to see what I'm cultivating!

(not so) Wordless Wednesday

Ok, so this was supposed to be a Wordless Wednesday post, but I just couldn't help myself, lol. Today being the Fourth of July/ Independance Day in the States, I've been thinking about how much I love fireworks. I'm a big kid when it comes to fireworks. Everyone I know seems to think they're no big deal, and if you've seen one show, you've seen them all. But they never seem to get old for me. I still love the colors, lights, and sounds experienced during a good pyrotechnics show. They still give me a sense of wonder. I think the only way I could get tired of them is if I were to see them constantly. But for now they remain special, something beautiful, bright, happy, and out of the ordinary. And today they will celebrate our freedom as a nation! Hope you get a chance to enjoy some :o).

Old Hats

I have become an efficiency expert for myself these days. I like to maximize my time, even when I'm having fun or relaxing. An example is that I always have a sketchbook, the kindle app on my phone, or a good old fashioned book with me to take advantage of any time I may have to spend waiting. So  yesterday I had an appointment with the eye doctor, so I grabbed my sketchbook and the junk mail to go through while I waited. As I flipped through the store flyers and sale papers, I came across this picture of a gown. The general idea ignited something - stirring up an old interest of mine. Back in my middle school days, I had a passion for clothing design. It was a strong contender for my ultimate career, and into highschool, I spent hours sketching designs. I remember drawing concepts for classmates' prom dresses. Eventually that interest gave way to other forms of expression, but I always had a fond place in my heart for wearing the designer's hat. Anyway, when I saw this gown, I thought to myself "no, no, no, that needs tweaking!" (sorry, Vogue sewing pattern people!). So I whipped out the sketchbook and started laying it out, the way I thought it should be. My version is inspired by the stunning, clever fashions of old movies that designers like the inimitable Edith Head clothed in unforgettable style. Such an inspiration. Anyway, here's my slightly "octaned" up version:

What fun to revisit an old love!

Wordless Wednesday

Flashbacks and Fuel

Hi! How's your day?

studio flashback:
papier mache prototypes

Mine's been great- lots of creative fun and being all industrious and stuff. I just wanted to share a little highlight. As I was check-
ing out my statistics for my shop on Etsy, I noticed a hit that came from a blog. Whenever I see a particular blog or website send traffic to my shop, I go check it out, to see what led the visitor to me. So when I visited the blog, I found the sweetest post, written by my very first customer on Etsy, back in 2009. I had set up shop in the fall of 2008 and my first sale (on my birthday!) was to Sharon, of Morgan Street Soap.
Anyway, after receiving her item, Sharon wrote the nicest post about her experience buying from me. That is what I found today: http://morganstreetsoap.blogspot.com/2008/11/dreaming-big.html
 Warm fuzzy feelings abound. And, as a bonus, more fuel for the drive to create more and better and share it all! Stay inspired :o)

Lightbulbs

I love it when an idea just comes to me, especially when it's the solution to something, clear as a bell. Yesterday that happened as I was attempting to get an order packed to ship and couldn't find just the right thing. I was shipping some papier mache gems, and I needed something in the same vein as the metallic finish on the gems to use as filler for the bag they were in. I like to pack pretty, so my things are fun to receive! The closest thing I had was plain brown kraft shred, and it wasn't doing it for me.

So I put that aside for a bit to go do other things. That's my way of allowing the "lightbulb" to find me, so to speak. And it did. I remembered a sad crumpled sheet of metallic gold tissue paper that I had laying around that had been used and reused, and had seen better days. It wasn't really pretty enough to use in a gift, but I hadn't had the heart to ditch it. But anyone who knows me knows I like to recycled the mess out of some things, until they just turn to dust or disintegrate from time and space. I thought of the gold tissue and this random handheld mini shredder that my awesome brother had given me years ago (more on him later). I dug up the paper, then found the shredder and before I knew it I had this:

excuse me while I make flaxen gold (ignore the fuzziness of the pic, please)

Which became this:

oh my! love this!

 Which I used for this:

 

 And that was my lightbulb. Side note: I've been busily working on lots of new things, including reorganizing some of my work areas. That's my "shipping department" in the background. It's awesome, but the lighting is not really conducive to picture-taking. Anyway, with all this making new and reworking, it could just be a huge coincidence that Etsy has set up something new called an "About" page for sellers. The moment was ripe to share a little, so that's one of the things that's been on the project list. Here's a sneek peek at my (as yet unfinished) about page, (which reveals the shipping department!): http://www.etsy.com/shop/studioRenee/about/

That is all. Have an inspired weekend!

The Summer of...

So I will confess to being a workaholic. If I'm pried away from my home office and studio for very long I admit, I get a little anxious thinking of everything I want to get done here. But lately a new pattern seems to be forming. Today my brother (love him) managed to get me away to join he and our mom to see the movie "Avengers". By the time the 20 minutes of previews and commercials was over, my anxiety about my to-do list was quieting down, and I was able to have a good time hanging with them and seeing an excellent, action-packed movie. I know the old adage about "all work and no play...", but sometimes I get so busy in my "artist with her nose to the grindstone, paying her dues" mindset, I forget to make some time to do things just for fun. But when I do, the payoff is that I return to my work refreshed and inspired, often with something new to bring to it.

Just to set the record straight, I love to have fun, and I do realize the importance of balance in one's life. And in the past few weeks, I've had the opportunity to enjoy a number of new adventures! In a series of firsts, I visited some new towns, walked some beautiful new nature trails, cooked some new dishes, went kayaking, and went to an amazing Korean sauna I'd never been to. Just reflecting on the past month or two, I'm putting it out there right now: This is gonna be an amazing, wonderful summer (more great firsts, please!). Professionally and personally, artistically and otherwise. I'm going to make that happen. What are you putting out there?

P.S. I promise I'll be posting projects I'm working on and sharing techniques as part of my amazing summer - stay tuned!