Jewelz Junque

Skulls, Skulls, Skulls!

2010-11-02T01:30:00.008-04:00

I have been busy making more Day of the Dead felt skull ornaments recently; both in my traditional white base & also with a new black base.

I just love how they turned out!

Calaveras (or sugar skulls) from my understanding are used as a symbol of loved ones that have passed during the Dia de los Muertos celebration in Mexico. I think they are truly beautiful & bright!

I have to admit though: I was quicker about posting them to Etsy then I was to my neglected blog & 2 of them have already been sold! :)

If you want one you better get yours before they are all gone!

Garden Update

2010-11-02T01:02:00.011-04:00

I was questioned about how my garden was coming along earlier this week.

As it is now frickin' cold (already!) & I even saw snowflakes last week :o( - my garden has officially been put on hold until next year. But lots of changes & exciting things happened (well, at least to me they are exciting!)

After pulling out all the unwanted bushes & plants (I can't find the "before" pic on this computer so you'll just have to trust me that it looked blah), we dug out the brick & mapped out the new path.

Then, we had to dig down as we discovered and VERY clay based soil (not so much soil at all actually!) (FYI: This water issue was also one of the main reasons behind the new landscaping.)

Next came the levelling by the very handy free labour guy! :)

Onto the fun part! Brick laying!

Tah dah! A new brick path. Lovely!

Now I just need to fill up my new gardens with new plants! Here's a start & I also added rock edging:

Lots still to do, but I think it looks SO good so far!

50th Post - Whoo Hoo!!!!

2010-11-02T00:28:00.009-04:00

A great moment in the life of this blog has occurred - post number 50! It is a very exciting time and all of us at JewelzyBug Designs are bouncing off the walls:

Umm... I said bouncing....

Excited?

Well, at least moderately happy about it?

Ok - so we are moderately happy about it and wanted to share it with all of you! So keep in touch - there's more goodies yet to come!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T23:36:00.007-04:00

I have been quiet around here once again.... Been keeping busy attending classes & stuff & have had no time for my poor neglected blog....

BUT!!! I have had a request to post some things from some people (yes, you know who you are!) So here we go - I'll start off small.....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Very exciting time of year for me. I just LOVE it!

The pumpkin carving... (and the baked seeds!)

The house decorations up and down the street:

What were you for Halloween this year?

And the Winner is...

2010-07-20T15:57:00.002-04:00

Congratulations goes out to Heather from Oshawa, On!!

She won her choice of one of my original book page art prints in the SewTara giveaway. She chose #036 - Butterfly.

Yay! Thanks to all who entered and a VERY special thanks to Tara for hosting such a great giveaway!

New Whoos!

2010-07-18T18:41:00.005-04:00

Ok - I have once again been inspired! This time by my book page art!

I have created: Little Whoos! Felted hand sewn owl ornaments.

I just love them! They turned out terribly cute!

For sale on my Etsy. Get yours now!

More cute critters to come as well! :0)

Giveaway!!

2010-07-15T15:21:00.005-04:00

I have EXCITING news! And I can't wait to share it with you!

I was recently contacted by Etsy seller, fellow blogger & 'Shwa-tizen SewTara about hosting a art giveaway on her blog SewTara. I, of course, immediately said yes! What a wonderful idea!

So - here's the deal: you have to visit her beautiful blog HERE tomorrow (Friday) & read the fabulous post about Moi! She will have instructions on how you can win your very own FREE original book page drawing by me.

Now for the fun stuff! (I know - how could there possibly be more fun stuff?!?!) The winner gets to choose what book page drawing they wish! That's right! Any one they want! I have posted all 90 of them on my Flickr for your perusal.

Be sure to get over her her blog to enter! What are you waiting for?

Garden of Love

2010-07-05T23:41:00.020-04:00

I have gotten bit by the gardening bug & it has been whispering into my ear...

First, the back story: I met my house 1.5 years ago - the gardens were bare - full only of 2 cedar globe bushes, a tiny weigela, a purple sand cherry, a hosta & 2 other bush types. The path flooded into a stream with every rain fall. The wooden step turned into a slip'n'slide at the slightest moisture. None of this really bothered me. It was easy to maintain and I was content painting the interior of the house... Until recently.

Now - I am ready for a change. I am ready for colour. I am ready for pretty, pretty flowers.

I know my basic design: informal country inspired perrenial garden: lower maintenance, lots of colour & year round (or at least as year round as Canada gets.) I want it to take over everything - be wild & free! But still be functional & practical for winter shovelling & use.

I have scoured the web & come up with a few inspirations of my vision to come.

A flagstone path by Cottage Charm Landscaping:

Or this one from Pandorea...:

Or even this with enough patience (found at Denver Botanical Garden):

Maybe recycled brick with how-to on Ben Riddering:

Or this one at Craftsman Remodelling with added flagstone pieces & mossy goodness:

Or do I want something more organic like Maggie at My Garden:

Even this one from Puddleduck Musings:

The overall garden of Empress of Dirt:

Including her rock edging:

Of course I would need a pickett fence, like this one from Better Homes & Gardens:

And natural stone edging as seen at The Garden Artist:

The ideas really are unlimited! This is going to be so much fun!

Celebration!

2010-07-01T22:25:00.004-04:00

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!

What did you do to celebrate?

Did you watch the fireworks?

My fine city hosts a beautiful fireworks display at the lake every year and we are fortunate enough to get a view right from our deck.

Hope your day was a blast!

Inspiration

2010-06-29T22:41:00.007-04:00

What inspires you?

Outside influences?

Nature?

What about your home & possessions?

Where do you go for inspiration?

Other artists?

The internet, tv or movies?

Where ever it comes from - pull it in - and share it with the world!

Home...

2010-06-25T10:33:00.009-04:00

They have sayings for it:

Home Sweet Home.

Home is Where the Heart is.

There is no Place Like Home.

Whatever home is for you - there are always memories - either good or bad - sometimes a bit of both. It is a place to cherish, to hold in your heart, to share with family, friends & pets. A place where memories are held. And a place you never leave even if you haven't been for years.

You watch it grow and change - possibly see a new family move into it and make it their home - but in your mind - Home is what drew you in and helped to form the person you are today. Cherish that because YOU are beautiful!

5.5 & Still Alive!

2010-06-23T14:28:00.005-04:00

Cheesy title - I know - but I just couldn't refuse!

When something of this magnitude happens even for 20 seconds in your life, I feel I need to exploit it to its highest possibilities! :0)

Ontario just experienced a 5.5 earthquake. At first I thought I was going crazy, getting dizzy, or maybe someone was having a really exciting lunch upstairs - the keys on the wall were shaking and, after confirmation from Mary, I realized I wasn't really going crazy!

I called Adam in Toronto, Mom called Mandy in South Oshawa & Corinne in Madoc. Most felt it, but those in a car or outside didn't. Melissa also felt it in Oakville & Michelle posted about it from Hamilton.

For an area that doesn't get earthquakes - it was a little nerve racking to say the least. But all in all - everyone is just fine! :)

Art for Everyone!

2010-06-22T14:36:00.008-04:00

First - A little story: Back in high school, a well meaning art teacher tried valiantly to get me to paint, draw & sculpt what she wanted/needed me to (read: teach different styles & techniques.) Well, stubborn as I was, I refused.

Since then, I still refuse to be told how or what my art should be. I fight every step of the way.

Why is she telling us this, you ask?

I just have to say it: I don't DO custom work. There - I said it. Whew!

So, when I rediscovered painting & drawing & art in general - I told myself no customs. Then friends & family whined at me - I huffed & I puffed - but:

Mom got her Oak picture:

Mandy got her Zanara & Lite picture:

Jessica got her cupcake painting:

& Mary got her goldfish necklace:

Despite my temper tantrum - it all turned out alright. Now my inner 5 year old is safely back on the shelf with a big lolli & a band-aid! :0)

Reveal!

2010-06-21T23:30:00.009-04:00

Not too long ago I posted a hint as to what new goodies were in the future for me with this photo:

Were you able to guess? Well, I think it is finally time to let you all know what I have been up to. (I am terribly excited - aren't you?)

Tah Dah!

I have begun painting onto found beach stones from the beach in Jewels' post.

I am in love with how they look! I even traded in one of my favourite necklaces so I can proudly wear this little gem:

What do you think? Check out my Etsy & Artfire stores in the coming days for more!

Cuteable me!

2010-06-18T17:08:00.003-04:00

I have been featured as a Flickr Friday feature on the Cuteable blog! How exciting!

Time to celebrate:

Hint, Hint...

2010-06-16T13:30:00.003-04:00

Ok, I'm not quite done yet... But I have NEW goodies going to be coming in my Etsy & ArtFire stores and, of course, on my blog.

I don't want to release anything about it quite yet, but here is a hint to keep you guessing:

From the ones that I have made, I have gotten wonderful responses! I can't wait!

More Goodies...

2010-06-14T18:43:00.006-04:00

I am having so much fun making, posting and sharing my new doodle-ings! :)

I thought I would try a new style of goodness though...

Rather than my usual: paint, draw, colour, etc...

I thought I would try: paint, paint some more, draw...

I am also coming up with more new critters and styles for the future...

I think they look fab framed too!

Check out my Etsy and ArtFire for more designs!

Expeditions...

2010-06-13T17:18:00.011-04:00

Enough of this art stuffs - Today it's my turn!

We went for a journey to unexplored worlds... And put our 'marks' on the path of life, if you will.... We explored high...

And we explored low...

We found all the good things to sniff and especially play with...

Even a fellow world explorer...

We tested out the waters...

Said "Hello" to the locals...

Climbed every hill..

And stopped to smell the flowers...

After we sniffed and chewed and searched as best we could: Homeward bound we go...

Whew, what a day!

Jewels' Anniversary Celebration!

2010-06-11T14:41:00.005-04:00

5 wonderful years ago today my sister, Mandy, called me & asked if I would like a boston terrier named Jewels. I conferred with my husband and immediately agreed. She has been a treat ever since. Bringing joy to our lives and a smile to my face.

To celebrate, I bought her her very own special paw cookie.

She sniffed it out:

Carried it around:

And decided it was all hers:

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MY BEAUTIFUL GIRL!

Shh.. I have a secret...

2010-06-10T13:43:00.003-04:00

I AM IN LOVE!

I have discovered and designed something new to me and I LOVE the results!!! :) Turned out better than I could have thought of.

I am even thinking of producing more. Spreading them out all over my house. Like a virus or infection! hee hee...

Ok, enough suspense.. Here they are:

Aren't they fabulous?!? I need to purchase more ribbon to add more length, but I think they turned out gorgeous with the kitchen wall! And the button details on the top are just as I imagined!

Don't you love when things work out for you?

Oldies and Goodies!

2010-06-09T12:08:00.007-04:00

Little something, something to post today: Some lovelies from the past that I haven't yet posted. Currently working towards posting them in my Etsy for sale.

Hope you enjoy!! :)

Inspiration!

2010-06-08T16:25:00.003-04:00

Ok - I know it has been awhile now but I have finally struck inspiration gold after being off from art for a while.

So much has changed for me - I am now back in school learning to be a Holistic Health Practitioner and I am also learning how to better love and accept myself. Everything is going pretty darn good for myself if I do say so myself! :)

Well - I have started a new venture, a step forward, if you will, back into my artings in the form of cuteness!

I have even begun posting them to my Etsy store and on Flickr. Wow - I am felling a little rusty being away from cyber-space for so long! :)

The Story of the Pumpkin Fairy!!

2009-10-22T22:43:00.016-04:00

This story begins a little while ago on a cool autumn day. Jewels and I were coming home from our walk...

As we were walking up the pathway to the front door a spot of orange caught our eye. "What is this?" we wondered. There upon a bed of leaves sat the cutest little pumpkin: all orange and round; eagerly looking for a new home. So we gave it one! I lovingly picked it up and carried to the front step to sit with a larger pumpkin I had brought home the day before.

After tucking the little pumpkin in to its new home, Jewels and I headed off to work for the day. Little did we know another little pumpkin would find its way into the garden before the day was out - looking for the friend that got away! "Oh, no!" I thought. "We must also give this poor little pumpkin a home!" So off to the porch to be reunited with its little friend. The little pumpkins snuggled together happily.

The next day, Jewels and myself came home to a third little pumpkin that had lost its way.

"How strange!" I thought and quickly placed our new festive treat with my now growing family of pumpkins. "Hmmm.... I wonder who could be doing this?" So I decided I would try asking around to see where all my pumpkins were coming from. After a few brief interrogations it was finally revealed that I had my very own PUMPKIN FAIRY gifting me with little homeless pumpkins. How delightful! I was also informed by a little birdie that more pumpkin fairy antics were sure to ensue. Sure enough - the very next day my once bare tree was blossoming with colour one day...

And my gardens were decked out in smiling faces another day!

The next day I came home to see that the Pumpkin Fairy had not visited me while I was at slaving away at work < :o) >. Saddened - I went into the house. After a little bit - a mysterious phone came informing me that the Littlest Pumpkin Fairy came today and I was to look under the bushes. So away I went and - there - under the bushes sat the littlest pumpkin yet.

I carefully picked up the littlest pumpkin and brought it in from the cold. It now sits looking out the window to wave at the Pumpkin Fairy during visits. The next surprise visit came in the middle of the night and brightly shone its light onto the rest of the ever growing pumpkin family.

I had also noticed one day that the Pumpkin Fairy had spoke to my pumpkins that day and they much more enjoyed their new home so much that they wanted to explore the gardens and visit the flowers instead of sit on the step. Instead on the step stood a pumpkin so full of life - it glittered happily in its new home.

Two more days followed and two more pumpkins arrived.

My house is adored in pumpkin loveliness because of my Pumpkin Fairy Godmother! Wow -what dedication! I wonder just what will be in store for tomorrow. Hmmm... I can hardly wait! :o)

Still Going...

2009-10-06T01:46:00.005-04:00

Well... I have been at it still with the Halloween stuff around here. Making inchies:

Bats:

Some StampinUp cards at the workshops I go to regularily and even a little witch girl for my altered encyclopedia I do in my spare time:

Been a blast! Now if I can only figure out how to stop tinking of creative things to do while trying to sleep! Hmmm....

Fall has Fallen!

2009-10-02T21:06:00.005-04:00

Whew! Been a while. Lots of new and exciting goings on in my household.

We installed new windows (some replacement and some new) in the house. That was a week of truly hard work. I have a new found appreciation for people who do that work professionally! :)

Jewels came upon a bad spell of bad luck. What with an upset tummy, removed toe nail and now bladder stones - she has been keeping us all busy and worried. Poor little girl! She has been quite the trooper through it all and still has the smile the prove it though!

I have been also loading my days with my favourite time of the year: HALLOWEEN! I just can't get enough of it and I have been anxiously doing tons of swaps on Swap-bot. My favs so far have been the ATCs, inchies and handmade ornaments (can you really have too many?) I can't wait to decorate!!! Yeah!

I'm not going to promise to be better at this regular blogging thing (for all you people who have complained - I loves ya!) but, in the immortal words of Bart Simpson - I'll try to try! :)

Pumpkies!!!

2009-08-03T00:07:00.005-04:00

Halloween is in the midst of my future and I am INCREDIBLY excited about it! It is my absolute favourite time of the year!

In looking forward to it, I have been inspired to make some punkies in celebation. They began a little plain...

And blossomed into little beauties...

I have listed these on both my Etsy and Artfire sites.

I will be making more Halloween based tags in the future and have even been working on a bat style already.

Sugar Skull Love!!!

2009-08-01T17:09:00.006-04:00

I have a new obsession! It just sprang upon me when I signed up for a little Day of the Dead ornament swap on Swap-Bot. I decided I was going to try my hand at embroidery.

I made one and fell absolutely in love with it. Then I made 5 more.

I have since posted them on my Etsy (my VERY first posting - Yeah!) It has been a week of firsts for me!! :)

Check out my Etsy store HERE for more info and prices.

Rainy Day Fun!!

2009-06-11T14:24:00.004-04:00

The forecast calls for rain but I don't care! I have always wanted to do it and I felt NOW was the best time to do it! SO I did:

ISN"T IT GORGEOUS!?!?!? I know - not the most original idea - but I don't care! I hate my front walk and LOVE colour. So I went to Wally Mart last night - purchased some chaulk - and spent my morning doing this. It is my MAGIC WALK! It even makes little magic sprinkles every where you walk! :)

Jewels stood by and watched her Mommy being crazy. I even got a few strange looks from my neighbours - but I think they are just jealous! :)

And it also goes PERFECTLY with my beautiful stars 'lighting' the path! :D (See don't they look lovely there??)

Wow - Been A While!

2009-06-08T21:09:00.006-04:00

I never realized how long exactly I have been ignoring my blog. Funny how time is flying by....

Lots of new and kinda exciting things have happened and changed and occurred in my journey.

Firstly: more journal playtime and fun! I have recently signed up for a Wreck This Journal journey with other artists to create and generally Wreck the journal (see the link to the right --->). I have been keeping up with it in spurts. Little bits at a time. I have decided not to push it but I do carry it around with me in case inspiration strikes (and it has!)

Mostly as a glue book (and that's ok because it is my journal and I will glue if I want to ! :D )

I have also painted a few more altered business cards, read lots of books, bought a new Wii Fit (this is SO fab I can't even begin to tell you - If you don't have one - get one! Now! Go! :)

I also attend a Stampin' Up class hosted by either my friend Sharon or my friend Becca. It is great fun. Check out StampinUp.com to find a host in your area and join the workshops! But be warned: it DOES become an addiction! :D

Wow! & Belated Happy Mom Day!

2009-05-11T23:20:00.004-04:00

I did not realize it had been quite so long since my last blog update. Where, oh where, does the time go?

So what have I been up to do you ask? Well, I recently made a Mommy Day gift for my mommy and one for my sister also (Hey! Us fur-mommies need loving too!)

9 X 11 Mixed Media on stretched canvas. Papers, gel medium, glitter, confetti, brads, ribbon, scrabble pieces, masking tape, ink, buttons and rhinestones.

This one features my sister on the left, my Mommy in the middle and myself on the right. I now hangs proudly above my Mom's couch in the livingroom.

"Companion" 8 x 10 mixed media on stretched canvas. Papers, gel medium, glitter, confetti, ribbon, masking tape, ink, buttons, muffin cups and rhinestones.

This one features my sisters 3 kitties: Tigger, Fluff & Spaz. Tigger is actually my Venture's Mommy and Spaz is his brother. Check out Venture's cat profile link to the right to see the sort-of resemblance.]

So there we go blog-verse people! I have been doings and goings in my art. I have been also Wrecking This Journal and painting more business cards. More blog updating to come in the near future. Stay tuned! :)

My Day Recently

2009-04-29T13:12:00.004-04:00

It has been quite a while since I have visited with you blog people! I'm sorry! I have been making vlogs and Twittering like crazy recently and it has taken up all of my online time.

So what is new in my life? Well, I got a recent order from VistaPrint in and I am in complete LOVE with it all! I now have more postcards, notepads, note cards, posters and magnets to share with you all! I will be posting them to my Etsy site tonight. Check it out here:

As for blog picture love: I went to see the movie 17 Again last night with the girls. OMG - what a fab movie:

Yes - this is why it is a fab movie! :) Now I would suggest to any girl out there to definitely go see this movie - but I would also suggest you leave the guys at home. It is good for some laughs and quite the sweet romantic comedy overall - but who am I kidding? This isn't why I went to see it! :)

For those of you who want to see what I have been up to check out my YouTube channel for my not-so-daily vlogs!

Above all - enjoy this beautiful weather and all the views it affords! :)

CafePress & Stuff

2009-04-18T22:08:00.005-04:00

I have recently decided to expand my online journies to include CafePress! I am excited to offer my art on a variety of different products. So thrilling! CHECK IT OUT: www.CafePress.com/JewelzyBug

As to my art - well - I seem to still be at an impasse. Things around the house have been taking a priority over my art. Still having a little struggle with the inspiration and the motivation to begin.

I will keep working on it! Soon I will be back in the swing of things!

I've Been Bad

2009-04-12T11:04:00.004-04:00

Here I go again neglecting my poor little blog. I have been doing some art and even purchased a little something for fun:

I am terribly excited about this and have jumped in with both feeties! My sister was even having a bad day last night due to a furbaby illness and so I let her drive over my book 3 times so we could get a good picture ans she could relieve some tension! It worked wonders - she began smiling immediately. My goal is to do at least one page a day. I will not worry if I miss a day though. It is supposed to be about fun! Today's contribution (2 of them!) included ripping a page up and then gluing and taping it back down to the following page.

Beyond the book I have been keeping busy making stretched canvas backgrounds for future artworks and mixed media creations. I am having a blast making these and really enjoy the free flow and messiness involved in their birth.

So much fun!

Queen Jewels!

2009-03-30T21:44:00.005-04:00

I have been slowly tinkering with a new painting for awhile now. Despite all my best efforts (ok, maybe they were a little half-fast!)- I have still been going slow on any new pieces of any sort. Last night my inspiration struck again and *poof* a new piece was born.

It began as a simple creative jump-start attempt you all may remember from a previous post:

The purple canvas. At the time I had no idea what I even wanted to do with it. After leaving it be for a while I realized it was too purple and needed something. This was born:

Still nothing was coming to me. Then - I would love to add "in a dream" - but this just isn't true - movies just get your hopes up for things, huh? :) - an idea finally came to me. Inspiration struck and I was on my way with nothing going to stop me.

"Queen" 8x10 stretched canvas. Mixed media: papers, gel medium, confetti, stamps, ink, acrylics, button, thread, fabric flower, glitter & masking tape.

I LOVE the results. This is hands down one of my fav pieces so far. It has so much detail that the photos do not do it justice (in fact they don't really impress me - I should try to take them again.) This is one for my permanent collection. One I will never let go. Replicate - maybe! Take cues from - definitely!

My very own piece of art with all of my furbabies in one! :)

So my overall suggestion to all you fledgling artists, tinkerers or just creative folks who are in a rut - pull out all your supplies and just start somewhere - it will come to you - even if it takes a few weeks! You never know - it may be your great masterpiece! :)

Mail Love!

2009-03-26T22:33:00.004-04:00

Ever since I was a little girl I have always LOVED receiving mail. It didn't really matter what kind of mail (yes, I am probably one of the only people who loves to get bills in the mail!) It used to sadden me when i got no mail, so my Mom used to mail my birthday cards to me so I would have somethign to open. This was the most exciting thing to me. :0)

Now that I am older, my love of all things mail related has not changed. I have joined a variety of mailing websites and groups just so my mailbox is never empty. My husband doesn't even bother to look in the mailbox anymore due to my obsession! :0) Soem of the frequent sites I haunt for my mail fix are: www.swap-bot.com and www.postcrossing.com. Both are completely free and brimming with mail loveliness! Check em out!

Recently, I sent out for refills on my blog note pads, postcards and mailing labels from www.vistaprint.com.

It is always so very exciting when new product comes in - all shiny and clean! Their edges always so perfectly crisp and aligned!

I'm sure I am not the only one out there with a mail fetish. I say join all the sites you can and get your daily fix in your mail box! If only they still delivered the mail on the weekends! *SIGH* :0)

Swapping Fun!

2009-03-21T19:24:00.006-04:00

So I am currently participating in a blog exchange swap on swap-bot. Part of the swap suggestions were to post about the on goings in my swap-bot world and to mention my current fav swap. So here goes:

I would have to say the Picture Perfect Pets swap is hands down my fav at the moment. I mean a swap completely designed so I can brag about my furbabies? How much better can you get!! I am a PROUD furbaby mommy and love any moment I can get to talk about and share stories about them. There was even a little questionnaire I filled out for all of them. My recent swap-bot goings have mostly been questionnaires so it is perfectly up my alley!

Check out my Picture Perfect Pets answers:

My pet goes by the name of... Jewels
The little furball was born on... 9 years ago. She is a rescue. This is the estimate I got when I rescued her.
And I got her from... The street. She was running wild. She had tags on and my sister traced them to find out her owner had passed and her new owner took one look at her and said he'd never seen her before. Grrr... He was not a nice man.
When I saw my pet for the first time I thought... She is tiny and adorable. I just loved her. She was snuggled on the couch with my Mom.
You can wake her in the middle of the night for... anything. She loves cuddles and food.
And the best way to treat my pet is with... food and walks. She is a walking belly! :)
If my pet was circus pet, her bestselling trick would be... She shakes a paw (both), rolls over and dances so you choose!
The worst thing my pet has ever done was... She is not very well socialized. I have worked hard to train it out of her, but she still charges and nips at other dogs.
and on top of that she even ate my... She has never eaten anything she wasn't supposed to. I can even leave my dinner beside her and she won't touch it because I haven't given her permission.
The cutest thing however, was that one time my pet.. After everytime she chews on a chewy, she rolls and snuffles at the couch and spins and makes a fool of herself. it is so cute! I think she is wiping off her face on my couch! :)
Things my pet really, really dislikes are... men, strangers, new dogs, loud noises, quick movements and cats. She truly is a sensitive soul.
When hearing an ambulance or any sirens at all, my pet acts... Depends on where she is. In the car or house: doesn't care. Walking on the street: frightened due to the noises.
I tried to dress my pet with a little jacket, and... She wears a jacket most of the year. She has a winter coat, long johns, tshirt for warmer days, rain coat for rain, booties for snow, and even a little fancy shawl for dressing up! :) She will sit there and wait for you to dress her.
The most recognizable feature of my pet is... Her eyes. They are huge and bug out. That's why her knickname is Buggie! :)
and I absolutely LOVE my pet because... She is the sweetest little thing you will ever meet. She looks at you with those big brown eyes and you fall in love. She is the master at the cute puppy dog eyes thing! :)

My pet goes by the name of... Venture
The little furball was born on... May 2001.
And I got him from... His mom. She gave birth to him at the end of my bed.
When I saw my pet for the first time I thought... He was so tiny and sweet. He was born with 4 siblings. So tiny and mewing.
You can wake him in the middle of the night for... anything.
And the best way to treat my pet is with... food and cuddles. He loves to play also.
If my pet was circus pet, his bestselling trick would be... Sneaking into places he isn't supposed to be before you can stop him. Hence the name Venture! :)
The worst thing my pet has ever done was... Scratched the furniture or the carpeted stairs to pieces.
And on top of that he even ate my... He will eat anything dairy you leave anywhere. He is quite sneaky and usually can do it before you realize he is there.
The cutest thing however, was that one time my pet.. He was the first of the kittens to make it on the bed and over the dog gate into the rest of the house.
Things my pet really, really dislikes are... water & getting his nails cut
When hearing an ambulance or any sirens at all, my pet acts... Doesn't care.
I tried to dress my pet with a little jacket, and... Yeah, ok! :) He so would not let me put a coat on him!
The most recognizable feature of my pet is... His purr! He is always purring and happy.
and I absolutely LOVE my pet because... He is so very sweet and cuddily, he makes me laugh and loves me unconditionally.

My pet goes by the name of... Kazie The little furball was born on... About 5 years ago. He is a rescue also. This is the estimate I got from the vet.
And I got him from... A co-worker. He followed her home and she couldn't keep him, so I took him.
When I saw my pet for the first time I thought... He was a girl. He was scared and in a crate.
You can wake him in the middle of the night for... anything. He loves cuddles and food.
And the best way to treat my pet is with... food, cuddles & liver treats.
If my pet was circus pet, his bestselling trick would be... When he jumps in your lap he does this suction thing where he makes it hard to push him off. And he doesn't use his nails!
The worst thing my pet has ever done was... Every morning he wakes us up to tell us he is hungry. He is quite persistent and frustrating!
and on top of that she even ate my... He will eat any food you leave out and you don't watch.
The cutest thing however, was that one time my pet.. He is a face smusher. He crawls up your chest and smushes your forehead or nose with his nose. :)
Things my pet really, really dislikes are... Being squirted with a water bottle because he did something wrong.
When hearing an ambulance or any sirens at all, my pet acts... Doesn't do anything. He doesn't care.
I tried to dress my pet with a little jacket, and... I never tried but he doesn't stand still for anything like that.
The most recognizable feature of my pet is... He is pure black with a white little belly.
and I absolutely LOVE my pet because... He is super cuddily. It makes it hard to not love him. Even when he has been a pain in the butt! :)

My pet goes by the name of... Wickett The little furball was born on... 11-12 years ago, I think? He is a rescue (seeing a pattern? :)
And I got him from... An old room mate needed to find somewhere for him to live after her daughter was allergic to him. She called and I took him.
When I saw my pet for the first time I thought... He is very handsome. He is a maine coon and is just a ball of fluff.
You can wake him in the middle of the night for... anything. He loves cuddles and food.
And the best way to treat my pet is with... Cuddles and food. He just adores to sleep on your lap and purr.
If my pet was circus pet, her bestselling trick would be... Sleeping in extremely odd and unique positions. He fits himself in anywhere.
The worst thing my pet has ever done was... He gets territorial when I bring a new pet home and he pees on the carpets and anything soft on the floor.
and on top of that he even ate my... He is older and doesn't jump well so he usually doesn't eat anything out of the ordinary.
The cutest thing however, was that one time my pet.. As soon as he comes within contact with you he starts to purr.
Things my pet really, really dislikes are... new things (such as pets) & dogs.
When hearing an ambulance or any sirens at all, my pet acts... Nothing. He doesn't care.
I tried to dress my pet with a little jacket, and... He will just sit there and let you do what you want.
The most recognizable feature of my pet is... His purr. It is truly loud and so nice to hear!
and I absolutely LOVE my pet because... He is a gentle giant who loves everyone and loves a good lap to sleep in.

My pet goes by the name of... Rose The little furball was born on...No idea. She is a rescue and my vet couldn't even estimate what her age could have been. I have had her for 3 years now though.
And I got her from... The hallway outside my apartment 2 days before New Years. She was scared and curled into a corner, so I took her home.
When I saw my pet for the first time I thought... She was scared and beautiful.
You can wake her in the middle of the night for... not much. Maybe a cuddle.
And the best way to treat my pet is with... food and a nice place to sleep where she doesn't get beat up by the boys.
If my pet was circus pet, her bestselling trick would be... She stands in the kitchen waiting for you to drop anything and then scoops it up quick. Like a little kitty vaccuum! :)
The worst thing my pet has ever done was... She absolutely hates the other cats. She hisses, growls and swats at them if they are close to her.
and on top of that she even ate my... She eats everything she can manage. You have to be quite careful when she is around.
The cutest thing however, was that one time my pet.. She is the tiniest kitty we have and almost has this permanent kitten look to her. So cute! She also sleeps on my chest at night.
Things my pet really, really dislikes are... Other cats and water bottles.
When hearing an ambulance or any sirens at all, my pet acts... the same. Doesn't phase her.
I tried to dress my pet with a little jacket, and... Yeah, ok! I would only try this if I had a death wish! I don't even cut her nails or bathe her! :)
The most recognizable feature of my pet is... She is pretty much all grey except her white feeties and white 'Hitler' like moustache!
and I absolutely LOVE my pet because... She really is a pretty little girl with a big heart and loves to be cuddled.

You can catch more of my furbabies on my flickr site: HERE or on my YouTube.

Slacking off But Still Doing...

2009-03-20T10:49:00.005-04:00

Recently I have been slacking off on the doing of art and more just looking at art. I don't know what is up with me. Maybe it is the season change. Anyways, to try to get myself back into the swing of things I have been beginning projects left, right and centre. Here are a few:

Acrylic background on stretched canvas.

Acrylics on subscription flyers from magazines.

Paper mache with cardboard, newspapers and masking tape.

I have also taken to pulling out all the old editions of Craft, Paper, Scissors for inspiration and new tricks.

I have been diligently sketching new ideas out in my sketch book as often as possible as well as drawing a few little inchies to get the creative juices flowing! Soon I will return to full creativity! :) Watch out me! :)

Update...

2009-03-17T22:34:00.002-04:00

I haven't really had the energy, drive and time to update my blog lately. So here is some art fun to tide you over! :) I hope to be back into it soon.

Zentangle-ing!

2009-03-04T21:40:00.006-05:00

For those who know me, know my art or have just searched through the bowels of my Flickr site - they will already know of my great love of all things Zentangle. The mindless and very calming path of the controlled doodle (or in some cases not so controlled.) I love the final results and the various uses and techniques to use.

I started off little. I had a book of blank water colour postcards I got given to me for Xmas along with some dollar store gel pens. I put the pens to paper and came up with some great patterns and designs. I never stopped. I carried it with me everywhwere I went. The great things about zentanges is you can draw them basically on anything with anything you like and still get the design out. Here are some of my examples:

These are all ATCs (2.5"x3.5") done either on water colour paper or card stock with pens. Notice the variety of patterns and textures and colour. It is really up to you.

Now some people think zentangles should be done in a manner using certain tools and supplies. I do not follow this same thought process. I have even done some zentangles in full colour with sharpies and they ended up turning out more like doodles. But what are zentangles really other than a doodle?

I have also taken my love of zentangles to a smaller format and came out with some inchies (1"x1"):

Give it a try! They really are quite easy and fun! Especially after a hard day! Also visit: www.zentangle.com for more info on this unique art form.

Phone Book Series

2009-03-02T23:04:00.006-05:00

As previously promised I would like to share my phone book series mixed media paintings with you all.

Now how this all began - I was bored and flipping through a older copy of Cloth, Paper, Scissors one night and stumbled upon an article regarding figure drawings. (I'm sorry I can't find the magazine and tell you more - but I have moved since then and I am still patrially packed!) UPDATE: It was Katie Kendrick in the Winter 2006 (issue 9) of Craft, Paper, Scissors!

So I decided it was the perfect time to try this out. Now, I have never been one to draw or paint figures as I didn't feel I had the ability to. I also didn't really paint anything at that time. Most of the art I was creating at the time was collaged ATCs and a few sharpie or gel pen doodles.

The start of my attempt: I decided the perfect paper was an old phone book I had kicking around, so I sat at my coffee table with my whole phone book, black acrylic paint, 1 paint brush and my pastels.

These are some of the results:

8 x 10. Mixed Media on phone book pages. Acrylics and pastels. Not sealed.

Now these are just a very few of the total amount I ended up making that night. I made about 30 in total. The process: I painted on the black outline - tossed it onto the floor to dry - and then continued onto the next one. Always painting it directly onto the phone book paper while still in the book and ripping it out to toss on the floor. After they were dry, I pulled out the pastels and coloured them all in.

Now some of them I LOVE, some of them I like, and some of them I'm not too thrilled about. It could be by line work, my colour choices, anything. Overall, they make a pretty impressive collection all together.

I have a few postcard prints of a few of them that I freely send away (message me for a free postcard), but I don't think I would ever part with the originals of this series. In fact as soon as I buy frames and paint my walls - I am finally going to hang them all. They have been living in a file folder in the file cabinet for the last few years. Poor neglected art! :)

Different Strokes Challenge

2009-02-27T12:01:00.009-05:00

Last night I was floating around the internet and came upon this blog: http://www.differentstrokesfromdifferentfolks.blogspot.com/. I was instantly fascinated by all this and the process. Every 2 weeks the blog curator (sounds so important, huh? ;) uploads a photo for the artists who participate in the challenge to paint. At the end of the 2 weeks all the photos are submitted and posted to the blog. Challenges can collect anywhere up to 90-100 artists in one session. It is fascinating to see all the different methods and styles of painting one photo.

I decided now was the perfect time for me to give it a try. The photo at the time is a photo of a bunch of mannequins and wigs in a shop window. Perfect for my style of recent girlie paintings. Here is the original:

I would like to take a moment to say: this photo is the property of Different Strokes From Different Folks and does in no part belong to me. Nor have I altered it in any way.

At first it seemed daunting to me. So much going on all in one photo. Then I started to simplify it to fit my style. I decided I was only going to use the main grouping on the right side of the photo. Here is my rough paint sketch and out line work I came up with after staring at the photo for a bit:

Not too bad. You can see the general idea of the photo. Next, I decided I was going to turn this into a gathering or crowd of women instead of a window display. So on went the colour:

Looking quite good in my opinion. On I went and this is the final product:

"Gathering" - 5 x 7 canvas board. Mixed media - acrylics and papers. Sealed in Krylon finish.

I am thrilled with the results and loved how my vision turned out. Could I have made it more in depth and comlicated? Yes, but that isn't what my aim was. I aimed for simplicity in the chaos of the photo. I think I acheived it in my own way. :)

Furniture Redo

2009-02-27T11:05:00.007-05:00

My husband and I recently purchased our very first house! Yeah! As soon as we moved in I was determined to finally make it my own. Too many years of living in an apartment I wasn't permitted to paint had put it's strain on me. So on a determined day, I bought some paint and decided I was going to paint some of the furniture!

What better to paint than a dresser we picked up out of the trash at the apartment that needed a new lease on life!

The first step: sanding it. Now here was the complication: it was December. It was cold and snowy out. The only sander we owned did not collect the shavings at all, so I couldn't sand inside the house. After some careful eyelash batting and "please!" I finally convinced my loving husband to sand the dresser in the garage. In he went and out he came an hour later. "It's ready!" he declared. So off to the store we went.

Now I have recently begun my love of bright colours. It has slowly been creeping up on me over the years. I have now such a love for colour I have no ability to choose just one. So after 45 mins standing in front of paint chips I finally chose a colour for the base coat: Rapture!

I had my paint, so back home we went. The first coat went on and then the second and we stood back in amazement. Now, it would be a great time to mention to you all that the reason I skipped the important step of priming the dresser is due to the fact that this dresser had already seen a coat of primer, paint and varnish in its life time. When we sanded it, we made sure to only sand it as far as the primer. Thus deleting one important step in the process.

After that paint dried the fun began! The acrylics came out and I got to work painting the dresser! Here are my results:

"Celebration Dresser" - Latex, acrylics and varnish sealant.

Jewels tried, tested and safe!

I loved the process and the finished product. I will definitely be painting more furniture, but I think I will wait until the warm weather comes. It would make the process SO much easier!

Video Art!

2009-02-26T10:48:00.005-05:00

Ok, so it is not so much art as it is Jewels promotion!

Dyson is hosting the Next Top Animal contest. From now until the end of the year. Each month a video will be chosen by the world and they will win a Dyson vaccuum. Of course I just HAD to enter my Jewels (who is fabulously talented by the way!)

Here was my video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlpvXT34hTY

I hope she wins!!! Not so much for the vaccuum (which WOULD be fabulous) but just for her winning! I love when she wins and I get to play the proud Mommy! She is too cute for words in my eyes and I love when people agree with me! :)

Check it out and be sure to vote! www.dysonanimal.ca/contest/

PS. Jewels will send you doggy kisses to everyone who votes for her! She LOVES doggy kisses!

Phoenix art

2009-02-25T18:52:00.011-05:00

As mentioned in a previous post here is the process of my Phoenix painting.

It began one day in Aug 2008 with my mothers' bday fast approaching and me with absolutely no idea what to get for her. She declared one day she wanted a mural painted on a blank wall in the hallway of her home. After I thought it through and tried to decide a plan for a mural - she decided that what she really wanted is a painting of her 14 year old dog Phoenix:

After thinking I would rather paint a mural then try my hand at Phoenix - I decided I had absolutely no supplies for this kind of painting - so off to Michaels I went! After 30 mins of floating around the painting aisles, I left with a bag of every colour I could have possibly used for Phoenix and some canvas. Next I sketched it out:

I liked how the drawing turned out so I left it for the night - looking at it and thrilled. I was terrified of painting over it - sure I was going to ruin it - so I did the only thing I could: The Background:
Ok, now I was stuck. I was unable to go any farther without actually ruining my drawing - so I dived right in and I painted the entire thing. After deciding the colours I used were so completely wrong - I tried again and repainted it. Here is the first layer:

Not too bad. The shading is coming along. The eyes and nose are just black in this photo with no definition yet. Whew! It is not so bad or scary! So I continue on:

I finish with this stage and leave it overnight - but something is off; something is not quite right. So a little more work is needed and:

I'm done! I'm actually done and I love it. It was not as bad as I thought! I didn't ruin it. This picture doesn't really show the eye shading, but it is there. Here is a closeup:

"Phoenix" - 16 x 20 stretched canvas. Acrylics. Sealed with Krylon finish.

Now they have asked me for 2 - yes 2! - paintings of Ebony. My heart flutters even thinking about it:

In the Past - Acrylic

2009-02-24T12:25:00.011-05:00

Here are some older paintings I did pre-house. Still done with acrylics but not so much mixed media. I will post my older mixed medias at another time.

My very first acrylic painting:

"Jewels Peaking" - 5 x 7 Acrylics on canvas board. Sealed in Krylon finish.

I was thrilled with how this came out. It was my first try at painting anything substantial and I love the look in her eyes. Here is the original for a comparison:

Next, I decided to take on the world of Mexican celebrations and make a Day of the Dead skull painting:

"Day of the Dead" - 8 x 10 canvas board. Acrylics. Sealed in Krylon finish.

Not too bad. I still think I should re-do the background and add some depth to the eyes. Maybe one day. But for now it is safe just the way it is.

I took a breather after this and created a series of phone book mixed media paintings. I will post these on another day. Next came a painting I was asked to create for my Mom for her birthday. It was a portrait of her dog Phoenix (RIP 2008.) I was thrilled how it turned out and it was my first fully shaded and defined piece I had tried so far. It was also a larger size than I had tried prior (16 x 20.) I will make another post to detail the process of this one as well.

My spirits were high and my confidence soared. I could paint! Soon I discovered an artist by the name of Suzi Blu and was inspired. This mixed media thing was exactly what I have always wanted. After years of doing similar pieces in ATC form bringing it to canvas was a dream come true! I had to try it out!

"Starry Night" - 8 x 10 stretched canvas. Mixed media - acrylics, glitter, various papers, paper flowers, watercolour, ribbon, stamps & beeswax (not shown in picture.) Sealed in beeswax.

I liked her. She was pretty and cute and exactly what I had envisioned. Onto some bright girls that spoke to me in my dreams:

"Contemplative Thinking" - 8x 10 Stretched canvas. Acrylics & glitter. Sealed in Krylon finish.

"Little Friend" - 8 x 10 stretched canvas. Acrylics & glitter. Sealed in Krylon finish.

The Art of Business (Cards, That Is!)

2009-02-22T19:48:00.006-05:00

I came up with the idea of painting little paintings and using them as my business cards. I have been collecting business cards (and even received a box of old ones from my hubby) for a 'rainy day' when I figured out what to do with them. Well, today it poured! :) I have been painting and painting and came up with 13 of them. Now I just have to decide what to do on the back to display my info. Hmmm....

The first step was to either paint the front (the back is blank on these ones)

Or to add phone book pages to both sides of the card ( for damaged, embossed and glossy cards.)

Next, I decided what images to paint and went forth painting them.

And painting...

Finally, here are some of the finished product. Still no backs yet. I will update later!!

The Process

2009-02-21T19:46:00.004-05:00

I decided I would try to show a little of my process to my paintings. I have to admit I am not good at stopping long enough to grad the camera. I tend to be a paint-in-one-session kind of artist. So here is my first try at my process!

I start out every canvas by adhering phone book pages to the canvas. I do this for a few reasons - I like the texture. I like the wrinkles and the words visable through the final paint. I get asked whether I should be using other peoples phone numbers, names and addresses in my artwork - I say: Sure! Why not? I get the pages from the Yellow Pages which are public knowledge anyways. You can find all the info on the pages I use on the internet - now there is privacy for you! :)

Stage 2. The first coat of paint. I actually had to stop and go to work at this point. I also found out (rather late) that I was completely out of white paint and in need of going to the store first. So far - I don't like the face. Too perfect and bright. I'll have to fix that!

"Star Gazer" - 8 x 10 Stretched canvas. Mixed media - glitter, confetti, acrylics, gems & papers. Sealed in Krylon finish.

Overall, I am quite happy with the look. As you can see I changed the nose and added more depth to the face & features. I also changed the background to a different colour by adding a blue wash over the grey I had (it is difficult to see in this pic.) I love the final appearance of the sky. This piece really looks great in the sun!

Midnight in the Garden of Jewels

2009-02-17T22:23:00.005-05:00

So I painted another of my kitties today. They are just such a joy for me - all of their little faces and their big eyes. Here she is:

8 x 10 on stretched canvas. Mixed media - confetti, acrylics & papers. Sealed in Krylon finish.

What should I paint tomorrow I wonder? I am also looking in to some canvas that is a larger size than my typical paintings. Maybe I'll venture into that soon also. I have a few mixed media techniques I would like to test out soon. Ohhh - very exciting all these new developements!!!

Kitty Cats Galore!

2009-02-16T15:11:00.004-05:00

I really enjoy painting my 'vase kitties' as I call them. I love their long necks and bright eyes. Here are a few from the past few weeks including today's painting:

"Benny & Jett" - 8 x 10 stretched canvas. Acrylics. Sealed in Krylon finish. I made this one for a friend. These are her 2 cats.

"Samantha" - 5 x 7 canvas board. Mixed media - acrylics & papers. Sealed in Krylon finish.

"King of the Mouse" - 8 x 10 Stretched canvas. Mixed media - acrylics & papers. Sealed in Krylon finish.

Today's painting:

"Mardi Gras" - 5 x 7 canvas board. Mixed media - acrylics & papers. Sealed in Krylon finish.

Blo-gging Behind....

2009-02-16T14:26:00.008-05:00

I told myself I would write as diligently as possible - but here I am - with a new baby blog and not writing every day. I will get better, I promise.

To catch up on what has been going on, here are some more paintings I have done recently:

"Suzanne" - 8 x 10 stretched canvas. Mixed media - acrylics and papers. Sealed in Krylon finish.

"Going Home" - 8 x 10 stretched canvas. Mixed media - acrylics, buttons, papers, wooden shapes & confetti. Sealed in beeswax.

"Lollipop Trees" - 8 x 10 stretched canvas. Mixed media - papers, acrylics, confetti & ribbon. Sealed in gel mediums and Krylon finish.

Top: "Caramel Apples & Candy Corn", Bottom: "Cotton Candy & Lollipops" - 5 x 7 canvas board. Mixed media - acrylics and papers. Sealed in Krylon finish.

"Fancy Free" - 8 x 10 stretched canvas. Mixed media - acrylics & papers. Sealed in Krylon finish.

Twitter

2009-02-12T11:59:00.005-05:00

To ease myself into the wonderful world of blogging I have chosen to also join Twitter.com. I will be trying to update my goings ons and doings as much as possible both here, Twitter & Flickr. Stay tuned for more art!

You can find me at http://www.twitter.com/jewelzybug and http://www.flickr.com/photos/jewelzybug

Until later! :0)

Where to Start?

2009-02-11T18:32:00.001-05:00

Whew! Today is the first day this month I have taken off from painting.

It has been a daily trial and error (mostly trials) of the wonderul world of painting. I hope to be able to start selling on line on various websites soon. (Ok, so I am scared sh#tless of selling my art - but I have to start somewhere as this was a goal of 2009.)

So after finally settling in the new house I began painting again. This was the first creation:

It is a 8 x 10 wrapped canvas with phone book paper glued on for texture and then painted in acrylics. Her crown is painted newspaper. I'm pretty happy with the end result. I like the colours and textures.

I immediately felt much more confident and continued onto another painting. Ugh! What a mistake! I hated it within the first few strokes of the brush. (Sorry I didn't even take a picture of it - I'll try better next time!) After adding my layers and more paint over the old - this was born:

Originally the painting was another girl with a bird in the background. It looked nothing similar to this one. This fabulousity (yes, it IS a word ! :-) ) is another 8x 10 stretched canvas with phone book paper and acrylic paints. The house, tree and embellishment is scrap book papers and it is entirely sealed in beeswax (my very first attempt!) I love the end result! It was totally unexpected and nothing I have ever created previously.

I thought nothing could stop me now!