Super Magic Powers

I'm still laptop-less, so this is just a quick post about something I've been meaning to share ever since I saw it.  Something about an ordinary lil thing with....Super Magic Powers, like DaddyBoy would say (now with the LittleOne following suit, of course).

Baking soda.  Yup.  I've always been a big fan - I use it for cleaning spills on the carpet, and for scrubbing the stove and appliances in the kitchen, not to forget countertops. Even the bathtub and the toilet come out shining with it.  It really is a handy thing to have around if you don't like the chemical-infested cocktails they sell as household cleaners.

Of course, baking soda is also a manufactured compound, so we do ravage the earth a little while making it, but it's still far more friendly to the environment than regular cleaners, both in its production and its use.  Combine it with earth-friendly vinegar and you have a powerful team of Super Fighters.

But then I came across this.  30 great tips for baking soda.  And then some, if you look at the comments this post generated.

Here's one from my Mom: Take about equal quantities of baking soda and active dry yeast.  You need very little of each - less than half a teaspoon.  Mix together with a tiny amount of water to form a paste.  Rub gently on your face.  Keep for a couple of minutes, then wash off.  You won't believe how soft your skin feels afterwards. Try it!

The Deception Of Time

Gouache on acrylic paper

6"x9"

As painted...

...and 'digitally remastered' : )

RIP

That's for my poor laptop, who died a hero after an epic battle with chocolate milk. (NanoBot with glass of milk and laptop negligently left on coffe table...enough said.)  I've never seen a laptop screen do the things this one did as it passed on....

So no computer means no computer time, mostly.  Sharing DaddyBoy's right now, but I used to like to do all my computer stuff while the LittleOne was asleep, either very early in the morning or very late at night, so that I would be with her most of the day at least.  But DaddyBoy also needs it at the same times, so I haven't been able to update my blog.

OK, that was just an excuse - I've been lazy!!!

We had our first snow - three days ago!

Anyway, the Brocante Lux was so good!!  The new cuffs were a hit, and all my brooches are gone as well.  Next up is a project coming up with a clothing company from the U.S.  Wish me luck! 

Last few days I was busy doing a writing assignment for a wonderful blogging network - sisterswhoblog.com - a press release and letter to the CEO of Qatar Airways.  The network will be giving out awards for best blogs and the founder is hoping QA will give out free tickets to the winners. 

Let's hope that letter works!

I'm also in the midst of illustrating SuratAlFurqan - the most challenging illustration project for me so far.  Meanwhile, here are a couple of pics form my last book, as promised...

It's about two sisters who find a necklace...

And the older one reminds the younger one about doing the right thing...

The younger one suddenly remembers who she had seen wearing it,

and off they go on an adventure to find the owner...

It was a fun book to do!

Ciao for now!

Books and the Brocante

I've been struggling with getting the illustrations done for the latest book I'm working on - a cute story about two sisters who find a beautiful necklace, and their quest to find the rightful owner.  They're pretty much all done, except for the cover, but I have a few days for that.  Some pics soon...

Meanwhile, here's what I've been working on alongside - these will be at the Brocante Lux this Friday...I'm excited about how the cuffs turned out, and they look really cool on the wrist, all encrusted with roses and beads and sequins. 

Very quick pics...so they don't show the whole cuff, and I've got them wrapped around an old bottle from IKEA : )

The roses are less orangey and more deep pink,

but somehow it doesn't look that way...

I made a brooch with this same base - see the last picture!

And a few simple earrings...



Looking forward to the show!



Flames Of The Forest

Oh, these are BRIGHT!

This first brooch I did with my usual layering of fabrics with the machine,

then layering some more by hand, and then embellishing the whole thing,

by hand of course.

On this piece I have let the edges be, but for a lot of my jewelry I sew up the exposed edges, and it can take a lot of time, like on this necklace:

And then I discovered fusible web.

I never knew about FUSIBLE WEB!!! 

The salesperson told me the kind I bought was non-woven,

whatever that meant. 

Anyhow, it was the only kind they had. 

So I bought a meter of the gauzy thing, and voila - new technique!.

This multicolored flower (brooch? fascinator?)

has the magic touch of fusible web.

Now I thought fusible web was useful for sticking two fabrics to each other, and maybe some kinds are, but this kind turned out to just be adhesive on one side.  So when I sandwiched the web between the two fabrics that I wanted to adhere to each other, it only stuck to one.

Still, I ended up with fortified petal shapes, and a fortified base shape,

and sewing the two together turned out much easier than my older technique.
Also, I didnt have to worry about the edges -

the webbing stops them from fraying!

I have much to learn about the different kinds of fusible webs out there

(is interfacing the same thing??)

but it looks like it'll be a fun thing to explore.

The New Black...

...is PINK!!!

Ok, only for me - but isn't it sweet?

: )

Captured Colors

A series of reds and pinks...

And a woodsy brown and green.



Fall In The Water

Observation:

The breeze sounds different in Fall.

Theory:
It must be because of the leaves being a different texture and feel.

Fact:

Fall is magical even in its reflections,

even when you can't hear the breeze, only see its results.

 

If the leaves are falling in your part of the world,

take a moment to marvel at it all...

Blue and Gold, and the Brocante Lux

Some older pieces, reworked.

This top one was a pendant, but it looks better as a brooch, I think.

So I removed the bail, refinished the back, and added a brooch pin.

This was a pendant too, and still is, but I trimmed the corners

 and rounded them, then refinished the back.

I wasn't satisfied with how these pieces used to look,

but after revisiting and reworking them, I feel ready to show them.

Next up is The BrocanteLux Art and Fashion Market, Nov.26;

check it out!

Manga and Mystery

Chilling out and taking a two-day break with some graphic novels...

Not sure I like Agatha Christie in such an abridged fashion.

The Tatsumi is fascinating, though. 

It's also very long - more than 800 pages worth,

but a manga eye-opener for sure!

Industrial Chic

Well, a little bit of industrial chic, and a little bit of shabby-industrial chic...

metal + fabric necklaces...

 

Still vintage, new, repurposed..

Still fabric, lace, cord...

Just ever so slightly edgier...

Also, a quick way to make something when you're in the middle of

a bunch of illustration assignments :)

Featured

I'm sharing page space in Niagara Interiors magazine with some

pretty cool Niagara artists. 

Not sure where they saw my work, but I'm thinking it's from the Brocante Lux exhibition in September.  The editor emailed me for my address and even sent me two copies of the magazine, which was great.

You can see the whole thing online here.

Ahhhhh - DEADLINES!!!!

So I had just submitted my pics for the first of the four books that form a series, when the publisher emailed me yet another book to illustrate - and this one takes precedence over the series, so I have to think about some new characters, and soon!  Meanwhile I still need to keep working on the other books, not to mention a whole different book from some time back that I have not yet finished.  Ahhhh!!!!

Sometimes when I'm faced with too many tasks I just do something else altogether to clear my head and gear up for the work - sort of mentally rolling up my sleeves by just letting my brain rest with a different activity than I'm pressuring it about.

So I made this little piece today while the NanoBot was also painting.  I love the shimmery summer colors in it (it's dark and rainy outside today) and the profusion of white, which is less stark actually than it looks here.

Today I also go to a book club meeting, and I want to make some apple crumble to take with me.  I made some last weekend for a small party and it was a big hit, so I'm gonna fall back on it for today as well!

Now back to work :)