Inside the Sketchbook

Some of the pieces I have been working on in my sketchbook...

This was for the daily prompt of - Mom. It's a watercolor based off my last maternity photo shoot.

This one I chose to do on a canvas with acrylics. It's titled "Yesterday" - a nostalgic memory to keep the wonder of childhood alive. It will be listed in my Etsy shop next week.

A different style for the daily prompt of something that starts with the letter L. In the end a lot of people choose a lion. This was a watercolor and pen sketch in the sketchbook.

 A watercolor and pen commentary on social media for the prompt of reward. In the end only we know if we have bent our personalities to fit a mold. It's something I fight against on a regular basis.

And this last piece is in progress. A tiny vignette of retro Disneyland was more work than I anticipated - lots more more layers and details to do, but it does make me happy. 

Grand Re-Opening of All Things Belle Etsy Shop

My studio is overflowing. I didn't start painting with the intent to sale, but it seems crazy not to. With some reservation, I've decided to reopen my Etsy shop. For now I am selling my original paintings, textile art and mixed media piece. I hope you will stop by now and then and see what's over there. I will start selling prints in June of 2015.

 Vanilla Milkshake

 French Macarons

Her Last Bath

Why I Chose To Leave Etsy

Let me start off with gratitude. I am so grateful for every Etsy buyer that trusted me to create something beautiful for them. I am grateful that for a number of years I was able to bring home a large chunk of change to my dinner table. I am grateful that I have a family that supported me, watched as I worked crazy hours and believed in my dream.

I am so very grateful for what Etsy was, but things have changed. Somewhere in the last couple of years, the heart and soul was lost. The beautiful handcrafted community has been blanketed by mass amounts of resellers. I'm not talking about those selling supplies or vintage goods - there is no ambiguity there. I'm talking about those shops that are selling mass produced items under the false guise of handcrafted.

Now personally my niche is not really at stake. Art and quilts don't normally have mass produced competitors. However it is what Etsy is not doing that has pushed me to leave.

I don't want to dwell on negativity. To each their own, but I've decided that is something that really matters to me and I have to stand my ground. I will continue to buy on Etsy from the sellers I know and love. I hope that in the future things will change for Etsy. In the meantime I have closed up my shop and will be trying out Big Cartel. There is a link to my shop in the header. You can also peruse the gallery to see some offerings.

xo,
Jennifer

Domesticated - Painted Plaster & Encaustic Art

I raised to respect and love the domestic arts - and I do with all my heart.

 My latest art piece, "Domesticated"  is an ode to one of my favorite hobbies - baking! 

Using my new favorite methods.. Layers of plaster on a wood plaque.. Shallow carved using Urban Threads embroidery designs.  Truly, there are soo many ways use to embroidery patterns beyond it's intended use. A fabric and lace apron dusted in chalk, stamped, and covered in beeswax...

A few more layers of paint - reminiscent of those fun, flour messes that build in our home after a day of baking cookies.

The Raven - Mixed Media Art Piece

My latest mixed media art piece - The Raven. I had a blast building this wood plaque up with plaster, pastels, hot beeswax and then shallow carving it down for some darker paints. While the raven is an iconic image, this was a recent memory for me. My girls and I were out running errands and came upon this tremendous raven sitting on a fence during a fiery sunset. It was just stunning and eerie  Of course, I was too late with my camera - as if it would have done my memory justice. I've wanted to recreate that spooky, beautiful moment for awhile now and am quite happy with this piece. Our memories are always so more vivid and alive than can be captured by film, this mixed media art is a bit closer to what feelings were invoked.

Seriously loving playing with plaster and paint!

Playing With Fire - My First Dive Into Pyrography

Last week on Instagram, one of my online friends displayed a photo of her wood burned spoons. I fell in love! Pyrography is something that has always interested me, but I have never played with it. I was inspired to see how it can be used in such modern ways to create amazing art. Also given my latest love with playing on wood bases for encaustic and plaster art, it seemed like a natural technique to learn up on and incorporate.

My very first piece was this queso / cheese board that I just paired with kitchen towels and listed on Etsy.

I free hand sketched the design and just dove into it with my pyrography pen. I feel in love fast! Wood burning is not quick, it is a slow art that allows a level of meditation. If you try to force it to move quickly, you will not receive the desired results. You have to relax, man. Yeah, I need some more of that in my life!

The Halloween trinket box, I posted yesterday? The ghost bunny was wood burned first!

And what else I have been playing with?

A wood burned paper mache egg! I can't wait to finish this and paint in the dots with some metallic cream. This beast is not a normal egg shape,more like an ostrich egg and it will be some time before I finish. But working on it is the best reward!

If you are looking for a new medium to work in and would like to be forced to sllooowww down, pyrography is the way to go!

DIY - Salt Dough 'Thank You' Tags

It is amazing how much packaging of items can play a part in our level of happiness. I'm always striving to create cute shipping & packaging for my Etsy items. I want people to receive my item and feel like that special care was taken, that their purchase has become a memorable gift.

I've decided to raise the bar a bit and make something a bit extra to show my appreciation. This afternoon I decided I would create salt dough gift tags. There are a number of DIY salt dough recipes on the internet, but if you are interested, the one I used is here. After rolling them out, I used my Making Memories metal tag stamps to create the "Thank You". Metal stamps are pretty popular these days; you should be able to find them in your local craft store or even some hardware stores like Harbor Freight.

Once these come out of the oven, I will give them a light wash of color and highlight the text. Then pull a yummy ribbon or baker's twine through them and wrap them up with my outgoing orders.

It seems like these days customer service is so rare that we remember the few places we find it.
I hope this will help my clients feel treasured and appreciated!

**
Linking up to: Today's Creative Blog

The Stitches That Bind

Oh my, this was just too much fun to make! I have been itching to do another encaustic / textile mixed media piece. My girls both had the flu this past week and there has been little time to sleep nor play. As soon as fevers subsided and laundry cleaned, I ran to the studio for some art therapy!

This was done on a mounted canvas. I pulled out one of my easels and acrylic paints with glee. I then layered it with the quilting cotton fabric (they are from Blend, Charlotte Lyons line - Walnut Hill Farm) I embroidered on linen the following quote - "Reinforce the stitch that ties us, and I will do the same for you". They were embedded into the canvas with warm, hot beeswax.

I wanted something more.. Something organic. I wanted to have some free motion sketching on the canvas, but I did not want to cover up more of the paint with chunks of fabric. I had an idea!

I knew that you could create free standing lace by stitching soluble stabilizer and tulle. I wondered if I could do that with just free motion sketching and if the hot buttery wax could melt the stabilizer. And it did! Looking back I could have washed off the stabilizer, dried it and then embedded... Oh well, maybe I will try that next week.

This was such a fun treat to make after a week of some ickiness.
I think it is the perfect Valentine art and just placed it on Etsy.. 

Inktense Fun With Machine Embroidery

Earlier this week I really wanted to play more with the Inktense pencils. And as much I as enjoy free motion sketching, I really wanted to just focus on playing with the pencils and not get caught up in critiquing my  thread sketching. I decided I would use my machine embroidery for a quick and beautiful canvas. This deer head pattern was purchased from Urban Threads.

I originally had intended for this to be a masculine gift item, but after having fun with the Inktense pencils.. I decided to go down a more feminine route. I simply can't get over how the pencils come alive with a bit of liquid. Right now I tend to paint over it with a 1:1 mixture of water and fabric medium -- it gives me great control without any bleeding issues.

I decided to piece it into an tote with an improv quilt style. I really wanted to keep it, but in the end I decided to list it on Etsy. If you are interested it is $35.00 and listed here. I'm not sure how much I'll be making items for the Etsy shop, but by request I am trying to create more artistic works into an item that can be worn or used.

Modern Nativity

Yesterday I was able to complete my Nativity art quilt. Lots of free motion quilting, hand embroidery and it is gallery mounted. There is a little embroidered halo gracing his sweet head. Loved I was able to create what I wanted to do in a timely manner.. I must be gaining some of my old energy back. It is placed in my Etsy shop for about another week or so if you are interested.

Now off to finish some teacher gifts.. lots of needle turned applique going on here!

Hooked on Sewing - Halloween Coasters

I'm so excited to dive back into my "hooked on sewing" projects. The latest one I created is listed now in my Etsy shop. I have wanted to make my reversible coasters for awhile. The backs are crocheted rounds with hand appliqued fabric on top. Perfect coasters!

I love these coasters are soft..with two young kiddos I'm always trying to create beautiful items for the home that can not be easily broken or ruined.. Most of our ceramic coasters were damaged in the last four years..

These coasters won't scratch your table, won't break on tile, or hurt little one's teeth if they decide to trying chewing on them.. Not that my kids ever tried to chew a coaster before..

Lots of more Halloween goodies coming soon! Have you started making projects for the fall season yet?

Quiltsy Spotlight

Do you have an Etsy shop? If you do, have you joined any of the Etsy teams? I'm on a couple and even manage one; I think it is a fabulous way to have an online support system. My favorite team, is the Quiltsy Team. Everyone quilts and everyone is supportive of each other - isn't that just awesome?? I truly love that instead of being scared or upset about competitors, we embrace them as friends and truly understand that there is room on the market for everyone.

Every day on the Quiltsy forum, people talk about their shops, their families, and of course their latest work. There are monthly challenges to help raise awareness of everyone's shops; a favorite challenge is to create Etsy treasuries. So much effort to help their fellow quilter, I really can't express how wonderful I think that is. 

I don't participate on the team nearly as much as I would like to. Managing family and work is a daily struggle, so sadly I'm usually a drive by commenter on the forum. I was pleasantly surprised when I was contacted to do a Spotlight post! Jennifer of the Olive Street Studio wrote and posted the very sweet article today.

Thank you so much for the feature - I love this team more than I can express!

If you are a quilter and you're on Etsy, you absolutely need to join our team today..

A New Line Of Blankets

I've been adding a new line of flannel blankets to my Etsy shop. I will be adding several more throughout the month. They are a perfect gift for summer newborns - they are sewn without batting and are not too heavy. I hope you love them and if you have a specific request, just let me know!

Riding Through Flowers

Marching Elephants

An Eggcellent Series!

I'm completely obsessed with  making Easter pillows right now. Not sure why, but I've decided to run with it. 

Next week I will be posting tutorials on how to make several different kind of pillows. I have two faux chenille ones featured below. There will also be a paper piece quilted one and an embroidered lovely. I hope you will tune in and get inspired!

And if you are not sewing inclined, I do have these listed in my Etsy shop now..

 Shabby Chic Eggs

Good & Bad Eggs

From Sweet To The Not So Sweet

To say I have ADD when it comes to creating is probably an understatement. I used to struggle with it, but whenever I try to narrow it in I'm always unhappy. So ADD it is! 

This weekend is no different. Kiddo turns four in a couple weeks and has requested a Strawberry Shortcake themed party (I think she made this request the day after her 3rd birthday party..sighs) I designed the invite this evening. I left out the specific details..but you get the gist. Thank heavens for Photoshop! Now I need to finish her gifts and get moving on the favors for her friends..

And then on to the not so sweet... It's my latest piece of art,"Before The Luck Ran Out". I tried to make it just a sweet Irish/St.Patrick's day work, but it just didn't end that way. I really wrestled with adding the little glass whiskey bottle. Ah, well I know it won't appeal to everyone...but that's what makes it art and not a trendy commercial, right?

If you are so inclined.. I have placed it for sale in my Etsy shop..

Top O' The Morning!

Well it is after Valentine's Day, right? I've already started to decorate our mantle for St. Patrick's Day! For the longest time I thought I was part Irish.. well it turns out I'm part Scotch Irish which is different? I don't know.. I do know that I like to partake of dark beer and See's chocolate potatoes..

The vinyl came from a local Utah store, The Wood Connection. It was a year or two ago that I bought it and I just now found the time to have some fun with it.. So I'm not sure if they still sell it or not, but they love holiday motifs and probably have it or something similar for sale.

Do you like my little shamrock glass? I made it this week and just added it to my Etsy shop..

Paulie the Peacock..and yes the Yudu post is coming..

I know what you were thinking. My blog didn't have enough craziness to it and I should add one more area of crafty art. Awesome! Me too! 

And I know some of you have heard about this Yudu tutorial coming.. and it is. It's totally not sponsored by anyone and I'm a bit pokey with it right now because I want this to be comprehensive and really helpful. I thought I had all my ducks in a row, but then I had some late night discoveries.. OK, I promise the tutorial is coming, but for now can I show you some fun & successful screen printed projects??

This is Paulie the Peacock. He is my own little drawn creation and he is screen printed on my Yudu. I have a  little crush on him. Which one is your favorite? I love him bare on muslin, but he was also sooo much fun to paint as well.

Later this week, you will be able to buy him in my Etsy store. I will have him available as a DIY sewing kit - boxed with front & back fabric, and you can choose to paint him or not. He will also be sold as a ready made softie. I think he would be a super fun project for kiddos to paint. He's like a giant coloring book just waiting for some colorful feathers.

Here is the backside of the painted Paulie. I loved this fabric's colors and peacockiness (is that a word, it should be..)

And here is bare Paulie's back.. Mmm.. love me some Moda fabric!

Creating From The Heart

This is my latest piece of soldered art. I'm so ever thankful to Lauri Grimshaw-Cox for her class that I took last month. I'm no longer sad when I see my soldering supplies, in fact I've dedicated a portion of my studio for it. There are so many things I want to create! I love shadowboxes and little assemblages; you better believe the next one is going to include some quilting..

Even though I'm so happily married, I do remember the sting of Valentine's Day from years ago. I still have mixed feelings about the day... I think this piece of art reflects that for me. Our hearts are fragile and hidden away..

I hope this piece inspires you! And well if you are so inclined to want to purchase it, I have it up for sale in my Etsy store..

Chocolate Kisses

I love rag quilts. They are so fluffy and only get more cuddly after each wash. The only thing I don't love about rag quilts..is cutting them!

Don't you agree? Well if you do agree and you're in Utah, you are in luck! Early this year at Thimbles & Threads I will be teaching this Valentine baby rag quilt and the best part? I will have all the fabric & batting precut & fringed for you! Yup! You get to come to class and enjoy the best part of quilting - the quilting! I alternated between traditional X's and free motioned hearts, but you can do whatever you like.

  

Now, I have the same fabric on the back - I personally love this look. It's like a whole new patchwork blanket on the back.

Don't live in Utah? Don't want to quilt, but want this? I have them available on my Etsy store and will custom make it for you.

MaryJane's Farm Magazine - Artist Feature

It's hard for me to keep secrets.. like super hard. So when good things happen and I have to keep it under wraps, I typically let little bits slip out before I can. As you may have guessed from previous posts and/or my Facebook chatter, I am in a magazine this month.

I was interviewed for MaryJane's Farm magazine about a new line of items that I will be offering in my Etsy store. I am creating DIY paper pieced fabric card kits that are perfect for the new quilter. They are small and not intimidating to create, but for the very lucky receiver they are mini works of art to be cherished. I love quilts - the love & the time that goes in to them. How wonderful would it be to receive a mini bit of love in the mail?

For those that don't want to quilt, but want to enjoy this textile loveliness - I am offering quilted cards made by me.. Now the real question will be, do you keep it or give it away?

I have just a few in the store right now, but there are many more on the way this month..