Tin Can Treasures

I know...its been a while...needless to say, a lot has been happening here...but I'm trying to get back on track...with creating, with inspiring, with blogging...

And so...I've scheduled a fun Art Party...at my studio here in Everett...perfect for upcoming holiday celebrations...I know...the holidays are coming on way too quickly...but denying it won't make it go away...so whether you celebrate Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Winter Solstice or just a day where the sun shines brightly, I'll show you some creative ways to package up whatever treats, surprises, souvenirs or trinkets you may be giving.

You'll use vintage wallpaper, washi tape, old postage stamps, ephemera bits and well-loved hardware to turn ordinary tin cans into decorative containers...plus we'll be making pretty packing shred from discarded books and fabric ribbon from textile remnants...we might even create a tag or two...

The workshop will be held on Saturday, November 7 from 1-4 pm - exact details and directions will be sent to you with your registration confirmation.

SOLD OUT!
if you want to be put on a waiting list, email me at amy_duncan@yahoo.com

and still more birds...

I  have birds on the brain...maybe because of spring...probably because I've always had a soft spot for them...

and when I see some fabulous bird prints, I go weak in the knees...

I saw these Morris bird prints on Rhubarb Reign's Facebook page...I was smitten...a back and forth exchange ensued...soon my package arrived...8 bird prints were mine.

I had a bit of fun using the prints as photography props...they are quite wonderful...hand colored...
with just the right amount of vintage wear...

I decided though that I wanted to share...so six of these prints will be available at my booth at the Vintage Market this coming Saturday.  I decided to keep the presentation simple...I had a stack of white mat frames...and a slew of clipboards...I embellished one corner of each mat with a combination of paper ephemera and washi tape, added a little flourish to the top of the clipboard and called it done...

Easy to hang as is...or one could do a proper mat and frame of the print...
I attached the print to the mat board with nothing more than two small pieces of tape so as to leave the prints relatively clean.

Wishing the photos were clearer...that's the downside of the PNW...we've had a mild winter and spring...but the sun doesn't always shine...makes photography a challenge...and when I saw how grainy these pics looked, the birds were already packed for the show...you'll just have to stop by my booth and see them for yourself...let me know that you read about them on my blog...I'll have a surprise for you...

three little words

empty glass bottles...on the way to the recycle bin...

a moment's hesitation...I gather them back up...
stash them in a box...add to them as the weeks pass...

holiday prep is creeping into the calendar...
I spy the bottles...and remember a spark of 
inspiration from lynn whipple via latitude studios...










I grab the white paint and begin...

a pencil outline...a wrap of ribbon...a single suggestive word...

a vessel to hold a dream or capture a wish...

or perhaps impart a pearl of wisdom or two...

the holidays approach...inspiration is building

linking up with kim klassen's Texture Tuesday...
today's photos edited with kk texture dollard soft and gentle and with french kiss texture grunge...

lessons learned

This past weekend was the Fresh Paint Art Festival...

edited with kk texture awaken - soft light 60%

there was the threat of rain...its been dry all summer and of course had to rain the week of the show...but the clouds broke after the morning fog and the weather was great...being held at the Everett Marina, a beautiful day on the water...enjoying art...what could be better!

I want to thank everyone who stopped by my booth...
old friends, 
new acquaintances, 
a couple of cute dogs, 
several curious children...
it was all great...


























What sets Fresh Paint apart from other art shows is that the artist demonstrates their craft in their booth...I spent the weekend showing how the simplest of materials combined with an easy technique can create art...I wanted to impart the lesson that expensive supplies or an involved process is not necessary for inspiring images...all I used was a glue stick, a pair of scissors, a straight edge and a 8"x10" piece of mat board...my examples...

I call this my David Hockney inspired collage...magazine ads and a photo from the local electric company bill

the Friday NYTimes Art & Entertainment section, the outside envelope of an Audubon Society solicitation, 
magazine travel photo, magazine ad

the inside of four different envelopes from bills received in the mail, picture from a food magazine, 
wrapping from a Trader Joe's salami roll, image from an old postcard, more NYTimes copy

and finally the crowd favorite...more NYTimes (glad we renewed our subscription!), wine bottle labels 
and the cat from the cover of the Sunday paper insert, Parade Magazine, from a couple of weeks ago

The response from most people was laughter...and agreement that art is approachable...but more than one person responded that this would be a great activity for kids (which it would be - but why limit yourself) and that they wouldn't attempt it because  they aren't creative (everyone is...you just need a nudge)  At which time I would tell them about the art parties I hold...which are about fun, play, chocolate and art...all for adults...

But I had neglected to prepare the fall calendar to hand out at the show...and to let everyone know what's happening at the workshop studio this fall...

My lesson learned - be prepared!  
Working on the schedule this week...I promise to post the art party info before the end of the month...

And I'm hooking up with the group over at  kim  klassen's Texture Tuesday...
now there's some great art worth looking at...

Zen poetry

I'm in the throes of prepping for my upcoming art show, Fresh Paint...but thought I would show you a little diversion I had a couple of weeks ago...

Since my paint can lid message board in my workshop studio is such a popular re-pin on Pinterest, I thought I would make some smaller versions...

I still had leftover lumber...and plenty of paint can lids...and a supply of magnetic words...

So what does that get you...Zen Poetry Boards!

The overall picture makes it hard to read the words...so here's two up-close versions...

I'll have twelve of these for sale at my booth...along with lots of new art work...will show more peeks as the show approaches...mark it on your calendar...
August 16-17, Everett Marina...

humble beginnings

these vintage sign letters spell out the agenda for the party...

Last Sunday I felt like playing...so I put the call out to my friends for an impromptu Art Party...three of us got together...and though the group was small, the creative vibes were large...

I had been itching to try a technique that I saw on the Stampington.com blog...making recycled journals from corrugated cardboard and package mailing tape...I had plenty of cardboard and just so happened to have a roll of the suggested tape...so I was set...click HERE for the link to the complete instructions...



Once my journal was assembled, the embellishment could begin...lately I've become enamored of using magazines and junk mail for my collages...influenced by the fabulous junk mail collages posted daily by Jacki Long...incredible creations...



I decided to make my journal an ode to art girlz...
those of us who create whenever/whatever/wherever the mood strikes...

With peeling back the layers of the corrugated cardboard, a depth of texture is revealed...

I'll be working on finishing up this journal...as well as adding to my trip journal...at my booth at the Fresh Paint Art Festival.  Part of this cool show is that each artist demonstrates some aspect of their art in their booth...I'll be showing how you can create with the most meager of materials...stop by, say hi, get inspired...I'll be in booth 21...get all the details on the show HERE...

And these paper images...perfect fodder for jumping off point of a digital collage...check out what I create with this...I'll be posting on my Instagram feed...having too much fun on IG...so visual, so instantaneous, so creative...my user name is four corners design...follow me and I'll follow you back...

From the heart

I believe that presents sent from the heart are the best...and presents made by hand make them even sweeter...

With the holidays now in full force, I thought I would share with you each Monday until the end of the year, simple projects that would make great gifts...each crafted from the most common of objects...upcycled into a new and creative use.  They could be used as Christmas or Hanukkah presents...or hostess gifts...or an idea to entertain a group on an idle afternoon...for whatever purpose...have fun...





Art Journals: My custom art journals made from vintage book covers have been quite popular.  Here's a much easier approach to creating a one of a kind journal to record hopes, dreams, wishes and plans...

Start with a school notebook - I like these simple black and white composition journals - available at the dollar store or one of the big box office supply stores...






 


Get yourself a glue stick, a pair of scissors and go on the hunt for scrap paper around the house...you're going to make a collage for the front cover...I have a big tub in which I keep all of my scrap papers...every bit of useable paper from previous projects goes in the bin...

The secret to making a great looking collage lies in three areas-
   1 - focus on a theme to help you hunt and sort through papers
   2 - keep your color palette limited to no more than three main colors
   3 - think outside the box...or in this case, outside the tub...anything that is paper-like can be glued down...expand your possibilities...what junk mail did you just throw away?  where's that receipt from the weekend movie?  how about the teabag you just used?

I usually do a dry run of playing around with the pieces of paper I have selected until it seems about right...using one central image for the middle of the design provides a nice balance...a little overlapping of images gives a cohesive flow...after I glue everything down, I often end up adding in a bit here or there along the edges...

I hope this inspires you...as you discover...

it doesn't take much time...

to explore whatever you have at hand....

to be creative!