A trip down memory lane...

back to my roots..... ( in more ways than one....)  

 

   I've spent so much time since moving out on my own learning new art forms and tricks of the trade, that I find it hard sometimes to do that thing that I love, the thing that I have been doing since I was a small child.  "DRAWING".  

   It's been so important to me to learn new things, and even when I find a subject that I want to draw, it somehow never happens.  

   On my last trip to Mom & Dad's during spring break of this past school year while looking through some of Dad's Georgia History books I ran across a picture of a very old run down gas station.  It took me back to a time as a child, before interstates when we would drive to Florida on two lane roads.  The only way I had to entertain myself was to day dream about the places we passed along the way.  

   I know there are probably thousands of these old run down gas stations all through this country, but there was something about this particular one in this magazine that cried out in memory of my childhood.  Maybe it was due to the memories it reminded me of, maybe it was because it reminded me of the drives down to Florida, up to North Carolina.  Or, maybe just maybe I had driven past this gas station once upon a time.  One day while day dreaming during a road trip... Whatever it was, it touched me and it had to be drawn.  

   It has taken quite a while to get started.... too many other projects started and not completed.  But, for my own sanity, I started drawing on Friday and I haven't been able to stray for long.  I placed it on my dining room table, and everytime I pass by I have to stop, take a look, make a few strokes of the pencil across the page.  

   I'm getting very excited about my first drawing in quite a while, so I thought I would stop and let you see how it's coming.  I know that may seem unorthodox, but it's me talking.  I'm not generally very orthodox, so why not!  Plus, I'm excited!  

So, here it is.....  I don't have a title yet.  Maybe, "Once Upon a Time".  

 

 It won't be long before you see it in my Etsy Shop www.etsy.com/AllBeckysCreations. 

Artist Interview

   As you may know, I have spent the past few weeks getting involved with a few facebook sites for artist's.  

   One of the people I have met along the way is Debbie Prewitt from Colorado Springs, CO.  I met her on the Fiber Arts/Mixed Media Art facebook page.  

   She owns a business called Blue Twig Studio in Colorado Springs, on-line store for all kinds of fun mixed media and fiber arts supplies.  www.bluetwigstudio.com  the website for her store and bluetwigstudio.wordpress.com Debbie's art blog.

Now on to the interview....

What are the inspirations for your work?

My inspiration can come from anywhere really. I see potential in virtually everything...from the song birds outside the windows...to the color  and smell of the roses....to the lines created by rows of telephone poles...to the glorious setting sun.....to kids playing and laughing at the park.....to reading about other artists, etc. You get the idea. Inspiration is everywhere.  

Where do you get your ideas? 

Ideas are the same. They sort of just pop into my head, either when I am working in my studio, or when I am doing something completely unrelated. For some reason, driving in the car seems to jumpstart my idea list. 

Did you get your degree in art?

I do not have a degree in Art. My degree is actually in Psychology, although that can be useful to have when creating Art. But I have always tried to be creative, and started when I was quite young with painting and sketching. I have taken time off from art over the years (when other parts of life got in the way) but I always come back. 

On an average day, how much time do you spend on your work? 

I wish I could say I devote a lot of time to daily art and creativity, but alas I just don't always have the time to do so. I am more likely to carve out a big chunk of time (say 6-8 hrs) once a week than to spend small amounts of time daily. Although I would like to change that pattern. Because I do believe that having that regular and consistent artistic practice is important. But even if I am not making Art everyday, I will at least visit an art blog or read some type of artsy magazine or book, just to stay tuned into the creative vibes.  

What types of medium do you use? 

I am a true mixed media artist. I love to try anything and everything. I do not have just one artistic genre that I do. I do a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Of course, that means I am really not an expert at any one type, but that's OK with me. I like dabbling in a variety of mediums. I love using paint as that was really my first love of Art when I was young. I spent years sewing clothes and making quilts, so I have a love of all types of fiber arts. Hand-dyed fabrics and funky yarns and trims make me happy. I am a CZT (certified Zentangle teacher) so of course I am drawn to all the Zentangle Inspired Art out there and have a lot of fun with learning new patterns. I have developed a love of book-making and art journaling as well. See, a little bit of everything. 

Tell me about your Blue Twig Studio.... When did you open? How many members do you have? etc.... any other tidbits you would like for others to know. 

Blue Twig Studio is a business I started about 2 years ago. Right now it is primarily an on-line store for all kinds of fun mixed media and fiber arts supplies (although you can make an appt to stop by to shop). I have a variety of products, from ribbons to stencils to stamps to paint to embellishments to threads, etc. I also offer classes and workshops and play dates in my in-home studio/store space. I have my own classes that I offer of course, but I also get other teachers to come in to teach so there is a wide variety of classes being offered. My favorite class is the monthly Arty Party. It is an evening class, so it is great to do after work and with your friends. It is a mystery class, where you don't get to know what you will be making until you arrive. All supplies are included and we also have wine & chocolate. We make something different each month, and it is designed for the novice artist, although more experienced people can also join in and play along and have just as much enjoyment. We have a lot of fun and everyone goes home with a finished project. My goal with Blue Twig Studio is to move into a store-front space where I have more room and am more accessible to customers. I am trying to build a community of creative minded individuals, but also reach out to those people who feel they aren't creative and help them to see that they are. You can visit my website at www.bluetwigstudio.com and my blog at bluetwigstudio.wordpress.com .  

Here are some of Debbie's works....

 This one is one of the projects we did during an Arty Party and I love how fun and playful it is.

Zendala Art

This is a mixed media/fiber art piece called Summer Surprise.

 

Zentangle Inspired Art.

What is Zentangle you ask?  Well, I (Becky) looked it up.  Here is what I found...

Zentangle is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns.

This is an art quilt I created quite a few years back, called Winter Walk. I love the raw edge applique of the tree.

 This is a journal I made, which I like.

 
 This is a piece of needle felted fabric with hand stitching embellishing. It will probably end up being a journal cover, but for right now it is just a flat piece of artwork.

Changes are in the air.......

I started my Etsy Shop in  2011, www.etsy.com/AllBeckysCreations. 

Shop Owner

Becky Burnette

Nashville, Tennessee,
United States 

 

Once I joined the Etsy site, I went into the shop added new merchandise and then didn't have a care in the world.  

I truly did think that it would be at that point that I would begin to make money, even though I had not read any of the emails sent to me from Etsy.  I had not read the Etsy Handbook, had not tried to get to know anyone on the site.  I just thought it would magically happen.  :)

 

After several months... Ha, it might have been a year.  Who knows?  I noticed that other's were favorite ing me.  I thought this was cool, so I determined that in the name of networking I would check this out.  I started noticing wonderful shops, shops that were productive.  Then, while doing this I noticed there was a handbook, there were workshops and tutorials, even Forums and groups.  I joined a group, then I joined two.  I ordered the handbook and it sat in my documents file on my computer for a year before I pulled it out to read.  

 

Still no sales?  Couldn't figure it out to save my soul.  My daughter told me to take the photo's with a camera instead of my phone.  I took that under advisement for over a year.... 

 

It's been two years, no sales.  I barely have any traffic... :( I really do want this to work.  I've been learning lots of new stuff, taken up sewing, feeling really good about myself and my abilities.  So, I got out the handbook and started to read.  I went into a number of blogs, as you have been a witness to, and taken it upon myself to get to know some of the people from these blogs.  I went about really getting to know some of the friends I had met on Etsy.  I was feeling really good.  

I went into the forums and asked a question.  

Becky Burnette from AllBeckysCreations 6:42 pm Jun 13, 2013 EDT edited

I opened my shop in 2011. With the exception of adding to my inventory, I have not spent as much time as I should concentrating on the shop. It is my objective this year to put my heart and soul into this shop of mine and need some advice. I have been reading the Etsy Handbook and other emails I've received, and have started working on my exposure on line. I would graciously accept any tips, ideas, general objective opinions or any advice those who have been at this a while and know what they are doing could offer. Thank you!

I was tickled that I got 3 very helpful suggestions from 3 shop owners giving me their takes on my problem. I am so appreciative of their knowledge and willingness to give advice.  Such wonderful people. 

I finally got out my camera, and took some official shots of my work.  Some of the work, there is still much to be done.  I changed my refund policy, I stayed in Insurance much to long, I am learning to be a little more pleasant, but after being taught how to be an insurance underwriter, it is so hard!  

 

I changed the titles and descriptions of my work, some of my work.  It is still a work in progress.  

 

Before bedtime last night I went back into my shop to look at the statistic's.  My shop has gone from one to two viewings a day to 80.

Ha!  I couldn't sleep I was so excited!  I was dancing laying on my side in bed!  Laughing my head off!  

I went into the shop statistic's this morning and there were 144. Oh, the amount of thrilled I am is indescribable!   EEK! 

 

Needless to say, the shops VioletsandWine, TheTastefulHooker, and ShantyIrishStockyard, are three of my new best friends!

 

I'll show you what I did.  

 

 

 

 After

 before

 after

 before

 

 

 My country road series is just the after pictures, the before were so blurry, I deleted them immediately after adding the new ones.

 

 

Much Better!  

and the better will just keep coming!   

 

Art 911 | Carolyn Dube acolorfuljourney.com Crazy, crazy, crazy week. Some good crazy. Some necessary crazy. And some completely useless crazy. A normal week. But I hadn’t had enough art and paint time so it felt so much crazier. Thankfully, I made it to the studio to play! Of course, I should have been working on the new workshop or the a...

Art 911 | Carolyn Dube acolorfuljourney.com Crazy, crazy, crazy week. Some good crazy. Some necessary crazy. And some completely useless crazy. A normal week. But I hadn’t had enough art and paint time so it felt so much crazier. Thankfully, I made it to the studio to play! Of course, I should have been working on the new workshop or the a...

Caatje's Artsy Stuff: Step by step journal spread

Caatje's Artsy Stuff: Step by step journal spread

{Words of Me Project}: Studio Time

{Words of Me Project}: Studio Time

April Cole's Studio - One artist. One Story. One brush stroke at a time.: tiny makings...

April Cole's Studio - One artist. One Story. One brush stroke at a time.: tiny makings...: :: altered matchboxes :: Great things are done by a series of small things brought together. VINCENT VAN GOGH  Over a delightful ...

Total Art Soul - for artists

Total Art Soul - for artists

I have joined another venue for showing my art.  Craftori, a group that I know from Etsy and Twitter introduced me to Total Art Soul - for artists.  

Spreading my wings! 

Craftori

@Craftori

Shop Handmade - Free to Submit Arts, Crafts & Vintage linking to any Venue ***SUPPLIERS - Reach your target market for just $6 p/m for unlimited uploads!

worldwide · craftori.com 

 

Just wanted to add a few more of Jenny Rodda's art work.....

Art Journal Page

Fearless

Balance

Brave

Blue

Artist Interview

    I have met some artist and crafts people since joining Etsy in 2011 that I have continued to keep in touch with them and their art.  One of these artist is Jenny Rodda from Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.  

 

 

 Jenny graciously accepted my invitation for an interview, so here is Jenny and the art that she creates.  

 

What are your  inspirations for your work ?

I find inspiration literally everywhere.... I am completely inspired by nature... one of my favorite things to do is to simply sit and look out at the beach or the lake or under a tree and just soak up the beauty surrounding me...  it has become like a meditation that gets the flow of ideas rolling... fabric designs and texture... photos... colors... quotes.... books... soulful music....  words... art supplies... shops... particularly home decor and vintage...  thrift stores... smells... architecture... and people.... whether complete strangers or folk that I meet.... their hairstyles.... faces... clothing....  their expressions.... bountiful inspiration....

 

Where do you get the ideas?

I love to use reference pictures as inspiration for my drawings... not  so much for likeness, but merely as a starting point... so I LOVE magazines... you will often find me at the library checking out a bundle to take home... my intuition.... I will often start with a vague idea for a painting and more times than not will lose myself in the process... where the thinking stops and my intuition takes over... I am always on the lookout for free little booklets and postcards.... and my art journal.... I am always sketching down ideas for future pages.... 

 

Did you get your degree in art?

 

No I don’t have an art degree.... however I have been creating since I was very young... I have very early memories of visiting the drapery with my Grandmother in her small country town and being totally memorized by everything in there.... My Nana taught me to sew on her old treadle sewing machine, to smock and embroider... I always kept a diary  where I both wrote and doodled....  and when I was thirteen started sewing classes after school where I played with designing some of my  own clothes...  I have participated in all sorts of classes... quilting, scrapbooking, cloth doll making... designed and sold my own  cloth doll patterns... and more recently mixed media, art journaling and face painting classes...  I am in absolute awe of technology.... to be able to take an online class with someone who lives on the other side of the world  still amazes me... I love  learning new things and hope it is something I never stop doing....

 

 

On an average day, how much time do you spend on your work?

 

Creating is a daily practice for me... I also have a part time job but rarely a day passes when I am not in my studio for at least some of the day.... sometimes it is a very short amount of time... but often it can be for hours....  it might be creating a new painting or something for our little mixed media group swap....  or a gift... or it could be sketching... playing with  art supplies.... or simply being inspired by reading a book or magazine... my studio is the place that I LOVE to be... it is not only soul nurturing but it also fills me with joy....

 

Do you show your work?  Where?

 

I share my work on my blog and facebook page and also have an Etsy shop...

 

 

 

 

 "Harper"
 8 x 10 - the original was painted in a mix of watercolor, acrylic, pencil and pan pastel...





"The Calling of a Dream"  
 8 x 10 -  the original was painted with watercolor, pencil and ink... has a collage of sweet stamped images...

 

 

 

A pastel -  on patterned paper...and blended without gesso... 

 

 

 

 

Just a small representation of her work.  You can see more of her work here - 

www.onevintageday.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/OneVintageDay

www.onevintageday.etsy.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had to tell you something.....

Had to tell you something......

Gopher cheeks!

 

I don't know whether you can tell, but I feel like my cheek is about 2 sizes too big.  Ha!  On the happy side, I'm not feeling too bad.  

I really do need to do something with that hair, don't I?  Ha!  Just kidding!  

While recuperating yesterday Schroeder solidified his possession of the said pillow, of course George could not have cared less.  As he sat on the easy chair chomping on bones.  

By the end of the afternoon, I realized that George wasn't smelling too good?  By the time I got into bed at 9pm, it was more than I could take.... So, at 9:45 George took a bath!  

Plum tuckered out!

 By the time I was finished scrubbing his silly little body, he was good as gone.  He made a big ruckus on the floor for a time, but then he climbed into bed, (yes, with that some what wet body)  and completely collapsed. 

Of course, that gave Schroeder the idea of trying to play with him.... Schroeder pounced, George reared up and growled more ferocious that I have ever heard him growl and Schroeder slinked up to his pillow beside my head and sheepishly went to sleep.  

                                                   And that was our day, in a nutshell. 

 

The smell of lavender...

The smell of sweet lavender.......

Sachet bags filled with lavender

A set of 3, tied with a silk ribbon

 Such a lovely aroma! 

    These are excellent to place in unmentionable drawers, pajama drawers, linen closets.... wherever....
  
    My most recent entry to my Etsy shop.  A very low price of $15.00 for the set of 3. 

    I had some dental work yesterday, so I'm out of sorts today.  I'm going to try to draw today, but if you don't hear from me in the next couple of days, don't worry.  I'll be back! 

Lot's of new friends....,.

Joined another group too.....

                          Magically Mixed Art Community

 A little about the community....

Hi everyone! What a wonderful place this has become.....a place to explore and connect with others around the world who like to play and create. a place to inspire each other through ups and downs. a place to be your authentic creative self. a place of no judgment. come on in, make a cuppa and stay a while. feel free to post links to your blogs or workshops, pics of your art and be sure to tell us a little about yourself

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
Anais Nin 

George doesn't like his bed.....

Animals!

 

Enough said...... 

 

 

 

at least someone will enjoy it.

Joining Groups..... 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheStudioAprilCole/

    

The Studio- a thriving artist community

This is a website for artist.  There are 131 members, of which I am included in that number.  

Art challenges, tutorials, workshops.... I really do believe I'm going to enjoy being a part of this wonderful community of artist's.  It will be a chance to learn a lot of new technique's and make a lot of good friends with people just like me.  Well, artist's like me.  

 

The Trodden Path 

http://thetroddenpath.ning.com/

 

 

The Trodden Path is an artist community designed to energize and inspire you on your creative journey. It is a place for learning, loving, and sharing with others.
We have a diverse collection of online art classes that walk you through the process of projects from start to finish.

 I am really excited about these two new online communities for artist's.  I am especially excited that my art work was accepted into "The Trodden Path's Gallery.  I now have another venue for selling my work.  

I am progressing right along with my art and my outlets for creativity.  My one true love throughout my life was to be an artist, to sale my work and be known for how talented I was.  I'm getting there, and it is very exciting! 

  

Sewing

My next door neighbor, a master semstress, has taken it upon herself to teach me to sew.  

As I said in my last post, my art studio is upstairs, and shows a whirlwind of activity.  Due to needed space, I had to place my new sewing machine in the dining room.  I had every intention of doing one project at a time, cleaning up afterwards, because I am rather particular about the living area's of my apartment. Well, "Not So Much!"  Ha!  

Barbara and I went shopping yesterday and I bought more fabric, notions, zippers...because we are learning makeup bags next.  Yipee!  And she will teach me soon the different techniques for sewing zippers and how to make button holes.   I am so excited!  

I have spent the past few days creating a doggie bed for George.  

I believe he will be very happy with his new napping bed, if Mommie can ever get it finished.  Ha!  It is extremely big and there is lots of ribbon involved.  

My initial reason for creating this bed was due to the renovations of my deck I have just completed over the last couple of months and I realized soon after that, George has no where to park it except hard wood floors.  That will never do!  So, Barbara has graciously helped me to begin this bed.  WOW!  Is It Big!  

I am painstakingly, and patiently stringing ribbon throughout the entire pillow.  Yeeks!  

And the notion of keeping the dining room clean.  Well, that flew out the window.  Ha!  

I have quite a mess here.  And, as all messes, I have got to clean up a bit.  So, I am taking the day off.  Mainly because learning to sew is a tedious and messy lesson in patience.   For me, but more importantly, due to her student, for Barb's.  Ha! 

Ha!  Look at this photo of my dining room.  Wow!  What A Mess!  That corner will never do!  No, no, no!  Ha!  

I won't show you pictures of the rest of the apartment.  No, no!  

But, on a lighter note, the pillow looks great.  And it's coming along nicely! 

As you can see, it's an undertaking, but I like the results.  I mean the results of finished products is what makes all the nuances of imperfection so worth it.   And, stringing ribbon around a large pillow, twice!  Oh Yeah!  is not a easy thing to do!

On a happy note, Barb's says I am a real good student.  I learn fast!  Ha!
At least I've got that going for me.

You will have to excuse me now, I have an apartment to clean up!