Pyrography - Wood Burning Fun

It just seems like I go for ages before posting something new so for those who have asked, here are a couple of pieces I did this last week.  Though they are very similar, if you look close, the ladies are a little different...making each item a bit unique. 

For those who have not read my posts in the past, please keep in mind, I am having fun here, I do NOT claim to be any good at what I am doing, just that I am having a great time doing it.

First off, I had gotten a 2 gallon Red Wing crock for my birthday so I decided to make a lid for it. The lid just looked so plain to me. The more I looked at the lid, the more it looked like I saw a face. So I decided to bring that face out.

 

Later, I decide to work on the face a little bit by trying to recreate it on a wooden plate I had laying around the house.

I love the natural color of the wood on this plate so she seemed to stand out nicely on it.  This wooden plate now hangs on our wall and quietly watches over all who enter our home.

I have another Red Wing crock with a lid just calling for me to do something with it so we will have to see where that leads me. 

Until next time everyone!!  Stay creative and have fun!!!

It's been quilting season for me

Well, I've been busy lately. Not doing too much here and there except so dabbling.  Would like to go back to wood burning, painting, drawing, etc, but just haven't found the time. 

One of the things I was working on were some quilts. Over the years I usually try to make at least one quilt a year if not two or three. Unfortunately, I did not think to take photos of all the quilts I was working on this year or two, just for my own scrapebook, but here are a couple that I finished recently. 

As always, I do NOT claim to be any good at what I am doing, I just claim to be having a GREAT time doing it!

The first one is a quilt for my son. Actually I made him 2 quilts, these are not colors I personally care for, I prefer more earthy tones but they fit the quilt's center piece...

The first one is a "Beatles - All You Need Is Love" quilt. After piecing it together, I hand quilted the entire quilt. I quilted the center piece following the original design.

Around it I quilted in peace signs, an outline of my son's hand in a peace sign, musical notes, hearts and the triangles found on the outside border .








The second one I created for my son is left over material from the original "Beatles" quilt. This one is the "Peace" quilt. Also hand quilted with peace signs & hearts over the entire quilt.

The last one I have to show you, well, I didn't think to take a photo of the finished product before I shipped it off to my sister as a gift. I only took photos of some of the squares I had created. Her quilt was filled with "Teddy Bears & Hearts".

I had made my sister a smaller lap top quilt many years ago but it is now long gone. This quilt was to cover her entire bed so this one is a much larger one.

Its always nice to work on a quilt during the colder months. You can keep busy while watching TV, visiting with others, etc, but can still stay warm and feel productive.

Wish I had taken photos of quilts I have made over the years for my niece and nephews. Each one of them received a quilt at some point where I took a fabric book panel, (example: Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeerm Frosty the Snowman, etc), cut the panels apart and created a book quilt instead of just a book. Then sent along a copy of a movie to go with that quilt. This way they could watch the movie and follow the story line with their own quilt. Makes reading a little more cozy & fun.
Keep creating everyone!

Burlap Bag Bowls & Mugs

Here is the first set of burlap bag bowls/mugs, in brown.
Unbelievable. For me anyway. I have gotten a few people requesting to purchase my burlap bag bowls. People can be crazy!

Well, trying my hand at something new. Creating bowls & mugs. One set is in brown, I left the outside a rough and dull. The inside is glazed and finished.



The bowls have ties that are woven around the rim of the bowls. On the smaller bowl, I created what looks like a tear in the fabric, then laced it up with the ties as well.



I also created a mug to match the two bowl sets.

My favorite is the Walnut finish.

I personally prefer this finish, but I have some who seem to like the darker brown.

Here is the mug

I tried a lower bowl as well.

Mouse Plate - "Look who's coming to dinner!!"

With the generous help of my friend Jeff Guin, I have another clay plate to try painting on.

I highly doubt many will be adventurous enough to eat off of this one due to its subject, but it was what I saw when I looked at the plate.

Jeff creates the clay 'canvas' for me to work on, I paint away, then he does the final firing.

I can't wait to see how it looks once it has been finished.

I do enjoy this new form. It can be somewhat forgiving in that if I really don't like what I have started, I can wash it off and begin again.

Groucho Marx - Pointillist Ink Drawing

Here is one of the pieces I did in ink, Pointilism.....Groucho Marx

This one was done back in 1982. Pointilism was one of my favorite forms of artwork for a very long time. Though I did many full, complete pictures, this one of a vague impression of Groucho was, for some reason, one of my favorites.

Pencil Drawing from Big Muddy River Rendezvous

While camping out at the Big Muddy River Rendezvous in Winona Minnesota (October 2007) I hid out in our canvas tent, grabbed paper and pencil and started scribbling away.


I have been finding a quiet little corner to scribble and scratch on paper for as long as I can remember. My favorite subject has always been our outdoor friends.

Even back in high school and just after, I always found them so much fun to draw.

This hound dog was drawn back in high school....I know, back during the dinosaur era.

"Friends" were drawn back in 1979...WOW! Ancient history!

My son is pushing me to pick it up again....thus, the first drawing at the top of the page, "Fox" was created. Though sold at an auction, it holds a special place in my heart as one of the first pieces I have drawn in many, many years.

I know that these drawings are very old, but throughout the years, not doing much of anything for so many years, most of my work has been given away or sold. Now, with the ability to scan my work, or take photos, I can at least share it with some friends and, thanks to the kids pushing, I think I just might start trying to work at it again. Not because its any good, but because I have so much fun with it.

Wooden Bowls

Here is another area I have been playing with. Last second, I decided to do something extra for some of my family members. Had planned on just wood burning the family names on the back, but once the wood burner had warmed up, I just couldn't stop myself. Started with the cat bowl for my sister.













Then did the Bear Family Bowl for another family member.


Last, finished with the Beaver Bowl for family friends.

Seems like nothing is safe once I start thinking.