Bottles of Hope

The Bottles of Hope project began in 1999 when Diane Gregoire, a cancer survivor and polymer clay artist, put her talents to use to spread hope to others going through chemotherapy and cancer treatment. Using polymer clay, she decorates small glass medicine bottles similar to the bottles that the chemotherapy treatment comes in, and gifts them to other patients as a symbol of hope.

The Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy is active with the Bottles of Hope project and I have just completed six bottles to donate - I have a feeling I'll be making more, as they were a lot of fun to make! The bottles I made are sealed shut, because I made sure to fill them with hope and wishes for good health and happiness for their recipients!

(click to view larger)

Think Warm!

I shouldn't complain, as I live in a fairly mild climate, but man, it's cold out there! I think that it feels especially cold because I'm comparing it to the recent unseasonably warm weather. Regardless, I'm ready for spring, and it appears I'm not the only one with springtime on the brain...


StormyDesigns is waiting for these little ladies to come back out and frolic in the spring blooms.

Pair of Sculpted Ladybug

Button/Ponytail/Cellphone Charms- $9 at StormyDesigns.etsy.com

Mosaico's lightswitch covers will make that indoor light a little more bright and sunny until the real thing comes back.

Evening Sunflower Decorative Switchplate - $12.50 at Mosaico.etsy.com







Clayspirits' flowers remind me of childhood days filled with sunshine and flowers and candy!


Spring Flower Necklace - $48 at Clayspirits.etsy.com

The Artists' Lounge - Making Progress!

Since I'm being a real perfectionist about it and it's going to take me FOREVER before the Artists' Lounge is what I would describe as "finished," I am responding to requests for "during" pix. I apologize for those of you who have trouble loading this picture-heavy post - I don't know how to do a cut on Blogger. If you know, comment and let me know, and I'll hide them.

First, let me introduce the family.


Pippi, ever-willing, props up Jeremiah's arm while he tests out his new oil pastels, his reward for accompanying me to the Michael's (I gave him my extra 40% off coupon and told him to get whatever he wanted.)



Hummus, my main man (don't tell J!) checks out the new arrangements.



Eddie LOVES the "new" shag rug. (Not new, actually - it used to be wall to wall in my grandparents' sun room. I grew up playing on this rug, and when the moved I had them tell the new owners that if they didn't want it, I'd love to take it.)



Luna, Queen of the House and Resident Evile. "I want you all to get OUT of MY ROOM!"



Now, the room.


It's already a much more productive work environment!


Many hours and cursewords later, I fixed the mat (I fixed it, alright!) and hung the pic. Awesome artwork, but very silly un-standard size. If you look closely, you can see some of my handiwork. As a rule, since art school, I NEVER EVER EVER cut my own mats, but what can I say? I'm broke!


This corner is my workstation for "crafts" vs. "art." Mainly for polymer clay, although I will most likely be found getting into other sorts of mischief here on occasion.



I used my 40% off coupon for this spinning paint organizer - I totally needed it!



My ribbon.


New/old (thrift score) sewing box to be used for findings. More notes on Flickr.


More storage. More notes on Flickr.


This area will be the office workstation, where I can focus on my photo restorations without the distraction of the fun clay supplies. ;) TV, DVD player, and mp3 player ready and able.



These shelves are actually, for the most part, much more organized than they appear. Click on this pic to see Flickr notes.








THIS is what's left to organize! HELP! Just kidding, it's not so bad considering how much I've already done!



And, of course, I scored a car full of random art supplies the other day, so I have to find room for even more stuff!

Valentines

Every year, my husband and I make Valentine's for each other. That's the rule. We can't spend any money on gifts, although we do often (as we did yesterday) go out for a nice meal or date of some kind. But there are no diamond pendants or other expensive gifts. I can't imagine it any other way. I now have a collection of amazing mementos of our years together. Each one was made with so much love.


This is the front of my husband's valentine to me. I unfolded it to show the whole picture at once. You can't see in the scan but the moon and stars are metallic silver.

And the inside...


The front of mine to my husband...


and the back...


TRUE LOVE DAT!

Ahoy!

If there are any devoted readers out there (??? Speak up!) wondering where I've been, I just want to assure you that I am indeed alive and well. February is always a rough month for me. The weather here in Delaware is so flippy-floppy - it's in the teens/low 20's today; last week it was in the high 60's. The sun makes very strong appearances, then nearly disappears for days on end. I decided yesterday that I need to buy an outdoor thermometer for my bedroom window, so I know what I'm looking forward to when I get out of bed each day, because you really never can tell. Oh, climate change.

I've been unmotivated to do much aside from drink hot tea, eat hot soup, and keep snuggled up on the couch, covered by blankets and cats and dogs... sipping tea and eating soup. BUT... I've been hit with an organizing bug, or rather, I'm completely fed up with the haphazard work environment and the splay of craft supplies throughout my house.

For those of you who don't really know me or my house, let me say this: I have a lot of stuff. I love stuff. I'm a stuff afficionado. I'm trying to crack the habit but it was a long time building and it will take some time. I'm married, with no kids, and my husband and I live in a very big house with lots of rooms. Rooms of stuff. We have 4 bedrooms in the house, assigned the following status: (1) Master bedroom, (2) Guest Room, (3) Yoga Studio (a.k.a. "Fortress of Solitude") and (4) The "Slackers' Lounge."

The latter used to house our television (on which we watch DVDs only) until I realized we were bringing food up there much too often and got grossed out and made my awesome husband help me move the entertainment center and all its components down to the living room (where I cringe every time I see the "idiot box" staring at me - I can't wait to be able to afford a flat screen t.v. that can be hidden behind something!)

Since then, slowly but surely, my art supplies have begun to take over the living and dining rooms, where I have brought my supplies down to make art while hanging out with the husband, watching movies, etc. Of course I rarely bring them back up and put them away, especially since it's either late at night, or I'm mid-project.

It has to be done: transform the "Slackers' Lounge" into the "Artists' Lounge."

Requirements:

• Room for me to work with clay and also retain some sense of posture (ie. no hovering over coffee table!)
• Room for large toaster oven to bake pieces (and get that stuff out of my kitchen!)
• A space for Husband to draw, and a place to keep his sketchbooks and supplies on-hand.
• A place for Husband to relax and get comfy if he just wants to watch a movie while I work.
  
• A desk for my computer, printer, and scanners.
• A television and DVD player
• A way to play music
• Plenty of bulletin boards
• Inspiring artwork on the walls
  
• Organized storage of:
• Clay supplies
• Crochet supplies
• Photo restorations/Photos to scan (of these there are MANY)
• Bills/documents
• Other art/craft supplies (ribbon, paper, adhesives, paints, etc.)
• No disturbance of kitty window bed
• Overall an inviting place to spend our time

I think that about covers it. :)

As we speak, I am about 80% done with the space, after 2 weekends of working on it. Still need to get the new artwork ("Rise" by Kurt Halsey)
matted and framed and hung, and put a wire on the back of one of the 3 bulletin boards so I can hang it. I bought and hooked up the tv and dvd player, and moved my radio with the iPod hookup from the guest room to the ARTISTS' LOUNGE. The desk things are in the desk area, but not yet organized, but most of the art supplies are in place.

I'm almost done, and I'm getting itchy to get going making art again! Stay tuned for pics of the new space, and then pics of some new pieces, I hope!

Your Vote Counts!

Time again for the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy's monthly member challenge! This month's theme was, of course, LOVE.

Click on the picture below to visit the PCAGOE website and vote for your favorite polymer clay piece. You'll be automatically entered to win a fabulous prize yourself! Voting ends midnight EST on February 3rd - GO VOTE NOW!




THANKS SO MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR VOTING (please comment if you do!) and STAY TUNED FOR THE WINNER!