Have your cake and bake it too

The past few days I've been helping out with a university event where staff donate cakes for a "cake race" and the people that run or walk in the race all get their choice of a cake at the end of the race. I've never worked the event before, and did it this time because my friend that usually does it had an accident and needed surgery; I took over her duties at the last minute.

I know people are busy these days, but I was surprised at how many people bought the cakes, or other baked goods, they donated. I'm not complaining mind you, we appreciated ALL of the donations, I simply thought more people would bake for an event like this. Since most of the participants on the race are students, and most of the donations come from faculty and staff, it seems as though students would appreciate home baked items rather than store bought. Just say'n.

On the other hand, students will eat anything. I have learned during my eight years of working at a university that if you want students to come to an event, all you have to do is use the words "FREE FOOD" and they will come in droves. Just say'n.

Economics

I started class Tuesday night. It looks as though this will be a good class! What a relief! Economics is actually an interesting subject if you have a good instructor. My current instructor is funny, has good taste in books - even though he chose seven of them - and doesn't make math a part of his class. These are all important factors for me when I make a judgment on a faculty member.

Someone once told me that math and art are very similar. Since I hate math and love art - I disagree. That's an understatement. Since I am good at art, and break into a sweat, develop a rash, and hyperventilate when I have to do math, I disagree.

Economics is interesting because everyone wants money. How we go about getting it, losing it, and the fact that we dream about having it, runs our lives! I'm not saying that's a bad thing, it simply is. We share it, we steal it (that's bad), we spend it, we save it, we move it around. We think about it more than we think about sex. Think about it! It's true! When we don't have it we're ruined, when we get it, it ruins us.

Economics... good class.

Top of the Box - Top of the Weekend!

I did it! I have completed my jewelry box project by the end of the holiday weekend!
This is a photo of the box before grout. Notice that I left what is called "grout lines" - the curved lines in the piece. This is simply another way of directing the eye.


The next photo is the piece grouted and cleaned. I'm very pleased to have finished this project this weekend!! Off to class tomorrow!

The Top of the Box cont...

It's 11:30 pm again, and I've been working on this piece all day. I get an idea in my head and I can't let it go. I'm also under a time crunch because I start class on Tuesday and I have no idea how much homework I'll have. I won't be able to get this grouted before class starts, but grouting is the easy part. It's also a lot of fun!













Grouting is less thinking and more like playing in mud. It's like when you were a kid at the beach making sand castles. You get to mush your hands around in the grittiness and smear it all over working it down between the pieces of glass. It feels good, and it's also the moment of truth. It's when you know if your piece actually works or not.













The color you choose for the grout is extremely important! It can make or break your piece. You also have to make sure you mix enough grout if you mix a custom color. I use plain grout, un-tinted, and mix it with acrylic paint. I'm new at all of this, and what I know I've learned from my Californian friend - hopefully he won't be upset that I am giving away trade secrets...

The Top of the Box...

Stage One...

Yesterday, after opening an early Christmas/birthday gift from my dear friend in California - see the tools pictured in the background of the photo? He bought me my own nippers, a glass cutter, and some running pliers. (I was using borrowed nippers). Also a GREAT ceramic coffee mug so I can drink coffee from a creative mug while I work . :0}

After my mom and I listened and watched the same friend play the Warsaw Concerto (From the movie Dangerous Moonlight, 1941) over iChat - the Warsaw Concerto is my mom's favorite piece of music and my friend has been learning it for her for months. He is an amazing pianist and brought my mom to tears.

And, after visiting with my daughter and granddaughter for a bit, picking up my 15 year old daughter and her friend, and making a run to the store to buy oil for my glass cutter, and some Titebond glue, I was finally ready to begin my jewelry box project.

As I said I would, I took the top off of the box, covered the mirror side with newspaper, and taped off the edges. I also used a light sandpaper to ruff up the surface so it would be easier for the glue to grab hold.

I was just going to type the words "Stage Two" when I realized I probably should have taken a photo of my drawing. What I was about to call Stage Two is actually more like Stage Three.

Stage Two...
I drew my design on a piece of drawing paper, and since I don't have any transfer paper right now... which would be a great idea by the way, I cut my drawing into sections and traced the sections onto the lid of the box.

Stage Three...

I then started cutting my glass and gluing the pieces in place. I was a bit frustrated with myself because it has been tough to get the hang of my new glass cutter (the tool at the top left of the photo). Like everything, I have to jump into doing something complicated like cutting curved flower petals. It's not easy!!

To use the glass cutter, you have to hold the cutter straight up, or perpendicular to the table, apply firm pressure, run the carbide blade on the glass in the shape you want, and then snap the glass with the running pliers (yellow handled tool). Let me tell you, it takes some practice! One nice thing about mosaics is that you can always use the scrap pieces of glass for another project!

Another difficult task is keeping my cat Shady from sitting right in the middle of my project. He has to have his nose in EVERYTHING! I had trouble even taking these photos. I would have posted a photo with him in it except that he is black, and it's tough to get a shot of him that doesn't look like a black blob. Especially at night - I took these pictures at 11:30 pm.

I'll be working on this project all day today - stay tuned!

Moving on..

My last project, small but fun, was a complete set - necklace, earrings, and bracelet. I love the large hook shaped clasp. Big, long, and clunky is in!

My next project is going to be a mosaic on the top of this jewelry box! I'm excited about this one! I think I will log my progress on my blog. I'll let you know when I am frustrated, things are going
well, and of course when it's finished!









My first task will be to draw a design. I will also take the top right off of the box. It has small screws which I can carefully take out. This will protect the rest of the box from damage - especially from grout! I'll cover the bottom of the lid - mirror side - with newspaper and tape to protect it while I'm working.

This will be my Labor Day Weekend project since I start class on September 8. My fall semester class will be Economics and I had to purchase seven, yes "7" books for this class!! I may not be making much art during the fall semester... or at least large projects like this jewelry box!

Oh to SELL on Etsy!

Yes my friends, I sold the jar I was so concerned about. The piece I fretted over. The one I thought was going to be a disaster, and thought the band around the bottom of the jar wasn't going to cut it, was my first "real" sale. I say my first real sale only because the first person to purchase something from my site was one of my best friends. She didn't have to do that. I would have given her anything she wanted. The person who purchased the Cobalt Jar was a complete stranger from PA (THANK YOU!). I love that jar...

Broken Compass

Now that I've started this new journey back into the world of making art, I find myself not knowing what project to begin next. I've always been a bit eclectic in my work - I like too many different kinds of art. Photography, drawing, painting, collage, now mosaic and jewelry making. I've done needle crafts such as quilting, cross stitching, needlepoint, and embroidery. You name it and I've probably tried it, and most likely mastered it to an acceptable skill level.

Acceptable. Yes, that's what I said. Acceptable. It has always seemed to me that I should probably pick something and stick to it in order to go beyond acceptable and possibly become an expert. The idea scares me. Maybe it's like the groom fretting over the idea of having to sleep with only one partner for the rest of his life. Do I have a problem with commitment?

I'm usually the one that jumps in with both feet. I'm the one that always says, "Let's make a decision and go with it." Why is it that I can't pick one medium, one art form, and stick with it until it's perfect?

I've always been jealous of artists who have a style. You look at their work and you know. You simply know whose work it is without seeing the signature. I've always wanted that...