I'm really kinda liking this intro/extended body thingie. I need to try to include some images in my intros, though, so it isn't horribly boring here on the front page.
Today, played with glue and paint and paper and buttons. I think the paint is finally all off of my hands. I went to the bank earlier and my hands had streaks of black gesso on them.
The black gesso was used to paint the chipboard base of this little button wreath. Originally I was going to use primary color buttons on top of the black base, but found a baggie of pink buttons and thought that that would be even cuter. I bought a new (small) glue gun at the hardware store in order to be able to do it. I can find my big glue gun with the interchangeable tips. It's buried in my stuff somewhere. I was going to make myself wait until I actually found the glue gun before I made this, but I couldn't resist.
I found the original idea for the button wreath on Little Birds. I think it was back in November. I don't know why I was reading that far back in her blog last night (I should have been in bed), but there it was, and I fell in love.
I'm on day number 23 of my little business card decorating project -- I can't believe it's already the 23rd of January. Wasn't Christmas just last week? After I finish the alphabet (I still need to do today's, the letter "W"), I think I might make little wreaths for a month. I jotted down a bunch of ideas -- not just buttons, but other things, too. Paper, fabric, trim, different themes, a person could go a little nuts. We'll see. I have to get through this month, first, I guess.
The other thing I did today was make some paste paper. I stumbled across this website: Go Make Something. (You have to register in order to be able to view any of her content. I think she has had some copyright issues.) The gist of it was mixing liquid starch with acrylic paint and spreading it on the paper, then using different objects to create texture or designs in the layers of paint/starch. I used a couple of different things to create the texture. Here are some snippets of the papers I made. I don't know exactly what I'll do with them. Backgrounds for things. It was pretty fun to to, and I suspect I'll do it again some day in other colors.
You may be wondering what on Earth any of this has to do with any of the things I'm supposed to be working on. And you would be right to wonder.
The answer: Absolutely nothing. Here I am complaining about all of the quilts that are on my list to complete, and what do I do today? Play with paint and glue and buttons.
I did spend time working on my class handouts for the class I'm teaching on Saturday, and I got a lot of work done on my book yesterday, so I feel ever so slightly justified in playing a little bit today. My piano student will be here shortly, though, and then after he's gone, I'll have to get back to some quilt work. Well, after I feed the hungry monsters that are starting to inhabit the bodies of my 7 year old boys...
A little playday never hurt anyone; especially, an artist! In the Artist Way, Julie Cameron strongly suggests one each week.
Posted by: Debra Spincic | January 23, 2007 at 05:46 PM
I love your papers...mixing starch with paint reminds me of finger painting...what fun! I have some finger painting paper here somewhere...=-)
Posted by: Debby | January 24, 2007 at 02:49 AM
The wreath is so cute and I love the papers - what fun!
Posted by: Vicki | January 24, 2007 at 06:36 AM
Hi Suzanne,
Love the paste paper especially! Thanks for the web links and I love your blog!
Posted by: Carla Barrett | January 24, 2007 at 09:47 AM