Tree of Life

With the new year fast approaching, I've decided I'm going to concentrate on creating a themed set of wire creations for each event I'm going to be selling at. I want to participate next year at the Día de Muertos, which I've wanted to do for years! 2020 I'm going to make it happen! Along with Holy Shrines, I'm going to make skull jewelry, wire trees of life and wire leaves. 
I used a crystal with Amethyst chip beads to create this chunky tree of life.

This tree of life on this crystal I made a little different than the first. I like this style better as it was less fiddly. The bail is hidden in the back.
I got a strand of dyed crystals from our local hobby store. They have a side drilled hole at the top which I might consider using in the future for a different take on this pattern.

I created a traditional tree of life using a circle. This very basic shape was going to be a center of a more elaborate piece, but it ended up being to heavy looking for what I was trying to achieve.
Here is the piece I ended up making with the smaller/finer tree of life for the center.

I made some trees on some thin agate slabs too...
These all have a wire frame in the back that I've attached the wires to.

I actually like making the bare trees better than the ones with the chip beads. I'll continue to make both as I hone my skills to get better at making them.

I entered my wire jewelry at our local fair. This case below was entered as a "display" case and so it didn't get to be judged. Everything I made for this case was pirate themed...

 I was going to heavily "pirate" it up with netting, gold coins etc--- but time got away from me so it ended up being a very basic case. Cute, but plain in my opinion *wink*

 My competition case took first place. *woot-woot* I do play to win!

 The only down side to winning first place two years in a row... you don't get to compete any more... because... You're. Just. To. Good. My words not theirs lol ....

 Next year I will have to enter "wire wrapping" instead of wire weaving in order to compete.... nuts, I don't like wrapping wire. In the photo below you can see two single entries that I got ribbons in. Wire weaving, first place. Wire wrapping (bracelet) second place... wrapping is so boring. I've got a year to come up with some eye catching designs to garner a blue ribbon!

There was even a category for rock painting. I painted Jack Sparrow on a rock slab. This entry got first place. *big grin* I am not a painter by any stretch of the imagination... but I can fake it pretty well!

big hugs,
Cheryl

D.I.Y. Cannon

I have always wanted to try my hand at making a cannon. Weird, I know... but when you have a pirate themed backyard it is on your list of "must haves." This cannon I made is going to be in a building at our local fair so it isn't made for the elements...I found a large foam cylinder at a thrift store for a dollar, that was the catalyst for the cannon. I added cardboard around the foam so that I could better attach other pieces to build the cannon.

My friend had given me an empty Pringles can to add to my "stash" of things I might need for making pirate decorations. Well, that worked perfectly for the side pieces of the cannon.

My husband had bought a ready to eat salad from the grocery store-- that worked out perfectly to create a rounded end on the non-firing end of the cannon. Once the basic shape was formed, it was simply a matter of adding the finishing touches. I added pieces of crinkled tissue paper on the cannon, the cardboard 2 x 4's and the wheels too.

Once the tissue paper had dried, all I had to do was paint it and put it together. Now that it is finished, it is going to hang out in my garage until needed.

Easy~peasy, lemon-squeezy~ I'm pretty happy with how it turned out :-)

big hugs,
Cheryl

Rock Hounds

This Saturday I'm going to participate in a craft boutique, I've also got another one the following Saturday. The first one is being hosted by one of the clubs I belong to-- "The Fresno Gem and Mineral Society." At first I was told everything that was to be sold had to be "rock related" in some way--- so I whipped up some "Rock Hounds."

 I like to create small fussy things in bulk-- I have no idea why.

I had bought a huge bag of wooden cabochons awhile back for super cheap. I used those as the base of each little rock hound.

 I added a red felt tongue to each puppy...

 I also added a collar with a little tiny silver dog tag. Yep, I like to work on small fussy things.

Now, come to find out that I can sell other things besides rocks lol.... no worries. I've got bins and bins of things I've made that I can drag out to sell.
big hugs,
Cheryl

Book of Pirate Codes

I decided I needed a few books of the "Pirate Code" to scatter here and there in the building I am decorating in a pirate theme....

I purchased some books at our local swap meet to use as the base of each pirate code book. 

To create the old world look I was after... I glued crumpled tissue paper onto the book to create a super old looking finish. I host a weekly "craft party" at my clubhouse where volunteers come to help me in creating things for this upcoming pirate event. I showed them how to put the tissue paper on the books and let them get those finished for me. I was lucky to find/buy a stack of pop out letters at a yard sale to use for the books cover. I then cut long one inch pieces of cardboard to replicate the look of the book being bound by leather straps. Looking super cute already isn't it! Aaaaarrrrggggghhhhh~

It would have taken a lot of layers of craft paint to cover the original books graphics so I spray painted a base coat on the front and back of each book. 

Next, the FUN part...painting a pirate finish to each book!
 I am pretty happy with how they turned out...
 I've been kinda lackadaisical in blogging as of late. I was planning on blogging more-- honest... but then I was involved in a rear end collision and that really has side lined me. A twenty-one year old on his phone hit me at about 50 miles an hour while I was at a dead stop turning onto a side street.

Both front seats were at there closest setting to the dash board (I'm only 5' tall) and both seats were unhooked and knocked back into the backseats which had been knocked flat during the crash. You can see the drivers seat at an angle, the lower right part is where my seat hit the headrest.

 I got to travel in an ambulance for the first time.... Praise the good Lord above I survived the entire event....

 The accident was bad enough... I couldn't breath to save my soul. I felt for sure my ribs were broken. Once at the hospital, I was given Fentanyl. My breathing got much worse. The doctor got in my face and told me I was having a "panic attack."... ok... your the doctor, you know what is what right???? Next they gave me Morphine. My breathing went from 89 down to 19 before they could reverse the effect of the drug. Seems I'm allergic to opioids. The first trauma doctor had been called off my case and the advanced trauma teamed stepped in once I started to "die."..... So, I'm slightly traumatized by the entire accident from start to finish! I am super-duper sore, but life goes on doesn't it! I am very blessed to have not gotten hurt worse than what I was!
big hugs-- but not to tightly :-)
Cheryl

Wednesday Workshop

Every Wednesday evening from 6 to 9 I host a pirate prop workshop to get some help for creating items for our Fair fundraiser in October. I have lots and lots of little filler items that are time consuming to create and are the perfect items for people who don't craft a lot to help to make. Basically, all the stuff I don't want to do!
I was going to save these plastic skulls for the helpers to help out with. I dirtied up one... 

and while creating a sample skull-- got carried away and finished them all. 

I cut up some cardboard boxes and made some small knives...

I created some large swords too.... these I'll take to the clubhouse and have them do a fast paper mache job on each one.

I've taken some girl scout cookie boxes and turned them inside out to create some boxes of "beans." Because, you know.. pirates like their beans. *wink*

These stenciled boxes will serve as storage for props leading up to the event and then of course... to be used at the event. I stuffed the skulls I made into the bean boxes for storage for now...

I've been saving small cookie boxes and turned all of those inside out as well. These boxes were created last Wednesday evening when we got together. I brought them home and touched them up a bit... and added a little more detail to each one, glued the boxes back together and added the red eye socket which will get red glitter added to it this evening. I'm going to make a small sign that reads, "It is all fun and games until someone needs an eye patch" and place that somewhere close by. Actually... did you know that pirates wore an eye patch over a single eye so that one eye would be pre- adjusted to darkness while going down below into their ship or boarding another ship in the night? Smart pirates!

Well, I've got a rolling cart filled with projects for my helpers to help me with this evening. It is a lot of work to create a project and get all the supplies together for everyone to use, but it would be even MORE work to have to then create everything myself!

I hope I get a lot of people to come help out tonight!
big happy hugs,
Cheryl

Shrines

This past week two of my good friends passed away. Nothing makes you cling to your faith more than when you lose someone you love. One of the gals was my friend Jennie, who is actually the one who kept calling me "Artsy Fartsy" over the years and with that ingrained in my head, it was a no-brainer to call my blog that very name.

Feeling kinda moody, I set out to create some Holy shrines... creating these really does soothe my soul~

I have several containers of things I've put aside to incorporate into Holy shrines when the mood strikes....

I also have a huge bin of vintage metal fluted pastry molds that I've always wanted to work into a shrine, I was happy to finally get to try using them.

I had to cut two fold lines in each tin and then bend up the bottom so that it would sit flush on top of the base of these silver plated salt and pepper shakers.

I poked through my drawer of rhinestone pieces and found a few crowns and a swirly piece to use as toppers on each shrine.

I filled each shrine base with aquarium gravel so each shrine wouldn't be top heavy. I sealed the gravel with a layer of hot glue so none would ever spill out.

I lurve how the vintage pastry molds added radiance to each shrine. I'm glad I have a lot of them to use in the future. 

It is good to have your faith to support you when things get tough.
big hugs,
Cheryl

Happy 2019!

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and was able to ring in the new year in style~ One of my new years resolutions this year is to blog more. It is already the 11th of 2019 and I'm already slacking on that resolution... I always say "I'll do it tomorrow," and before you know it so many tomorrows have passed that it turns into months. In my defense time has sped up... don't tell me you haven't noticed that yourself. *wink*

I did create some candy cane creations for my two grandkids to pass out in December. This year I created nutcrackers, sixty in total.
I also created candy cane cheerleaders for my grandaughter to pass out to her fellow cheer friends.
The squad has dwindled down to only thirty from the previous year of having sixty cheerleaders.
 
I'm not complaining one bit...

My word for the year 2019 is "EXTRA." Possibly even "so extra" or even "super extra." I think it will be a day by day struggle to decide which one to go with. The struggle is real people. Last year, was a very basic year... this year, my wish is for it to be EXTRA!
big hugs,
Cheryl