New Website!

I and pleased to announce that my blog will be moving to my beautiful new website:
Stillwatersart.net.
Click the link to continue to my new blog and on the homepage, click on the top left photo for the most recent post.
The web design is by my son's company Scheitel Design.
Check it out!

New Additions

There are seven new additions to our menagerie, 5 Americauna and 2 Barred Rock chicks. I have been wanting some new chicks for a while. Many years ago, when my children were young, we had 29 chickens. That was a bit too many. My DH got burnt out on eggs for a while. He will just now eat them again.

I took them out for a little sunshine and put them in the outdoor run of their future home. Maggie was fascinated with them...unfortunately. She found a small hole in the chicken wire and made it bigger and almost got to them. Thankfully, I found it in time and rounded them up and took them back inside. At least I found the weakness in the wire and know how to make it secure now.

See the mischief in her eyes?

There is a bit more to do to prepare their home, but they still have a week or so to grow, so I will not be rushed.


I'm so excited that it is spring! All I want to do is be outside and garden and enjoy the GREEN!
Flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing! My creativity this time of year is directed out of the studio and outside. What a blessing to experience spring in Tennessee!

Love Is In The Air

What a beautiful day! I went for an afternoon walk around the pond with my sweetheart and had to take a few photos to share. The air resonates with the love songs of hundreds of frogs and toads. They got a little shy when I went around to photograph them, but I managed to find one who wanted to pose.
They have decorated the edges of the pond with thousands of eggs. The beautiful strings are like necklaces adorning the grass and weeds in the water.
If all of these manage to make it to adulthood, we will have a plague of Biblical proportions. Fortunately, (or unfortunately if you are a tadpole) not all of them will make it, but some years we have hundreds of tiny toads migrating from the pond to the forest.
I had to stop and feed the neighbor's horses some apples that I had saved for them. They seemed to appreciate the attention.



These are little Ipod holders made from recycled, felted wool sweaters and transferred photos and vintage buttons. They will be at this month's Silo Studio Sale.

Blooming

Crocheted yarn flower necklace.

More polymer clay moths.

Spring Forward

Yaaaawwwwnnn! Don't you just love time changes? It will take a little getting used to, but I really love having daylight later in the evening. It makes it easier to work in natural light rather than artificial.

I found these little paper mache houses and got inspired. They have lights inside so that the windows and doors glow when they are lit. Flowers and colorful moths and butterflies cover the sides.

They will show up at Silo Studio on March 31 at our sale there.

Flutter By Butterfly

Misty sunrise.

Polymer clay with laser print transfers and glass beads.

Studio Time and Nature Walk

After two long afternoons in the studio, I finally finished this Sedona scene that I had been working on at the request of someone special. (If you can guess, shhhh! I don't want them to see it yet.)

It's been a very rainy day, but the clouds parted for a few minutes and the balmy temperatures drew me out for a walk with the dogs. There are a few tiny signs that spring is on its way.
It's a little scary to see buds and blooms this early after the devastating late freeze that we had a couple of years ago when the leaves were already on the trees. There was no fruit at all locally and it took a long time for the leaves to return. It was a sad spring followed by a tough drought. I hope that we ease gently into spring without too much cold. It's a little to optimistic to think that we won't have a bit more though.

The dogs enjoyed the excuse to explore. Maggie was in constant motion so my first attempts at a picture of her were just a blur. She finally paused for a drink and a dip in the pond.

Milo found a tiny pond of water captured in a root and refreshed himself.

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~Anne Bradstreet

Frida

Frida Kahlo

Laser print transfer on polymer clay, mint tin, glass beads, vintage button, pins.

Face To Face

Shifting gears again. Polymer clay has once more grabbed my attention. These "lockets" are made on mint tins with laser print transfers of Renaissance portraits.

This pendant is just the clay, without a tin. The dangles are carnelian and glass beads.

Winter Treats

Winter has definitely found us in here Tennessee. I think that it has snowed every week this year. We are not accustomed to quite so much white stuff here. It has been beautiful though. These are views from my front yard. Maggie is enjoying a romp through the snow. She loves rolling in it.





I just had to show off the beautiful goodies that my friend Steph in Belgium sent to me recently. There is a necklace similar to the butterfly bracelet that she gave me in her Etsy shop if anyone is interested. The beaded necklace is made from the beads that she sent me in the last package of treats. The delicious chocolate did not make it into the photos, alas. It was speedily consumed. :-)



This cowboy necklace is made from a vintage tin. It will be available at the next Studio Thursday at Silo Studio in Thompson Station, Tennessee, which is coming up on February 10th from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm. Come and help support Snooty Giggles Dog Rescue. Their new website is designed by my son Zach. The background artwork is by Shawn, but the layout and functions are by Zach. If you know of anyone who needs a website done, send them to Scheitel Design and make Mom happy.

Soft, Cozy, Warm, and Inspirational

What is it about winter that makes me want to play with soft wool and yarns in bright colors and neglect the cold, hard, metal and beads for a while? My hands have been busy while I sit and watch a movie, or travel in the car, or listen to podcasts. I've been knitting some fun, colorful hats. See my beautiful DIL modeling one. (The photo modification was done by my 12 year old niece as well) :-)
I've also been recycling wool sweaters and making small purses and necklaces and cuffs. I was inspired by Keri Smith's Living Our Loud- Activities To Fuel A Creative Life and I made some small, inspirational cards to go in and on the purses and cuffs.
Some of the purses are small enough just to be a necklace and to put some small tokens in. Others are large enough for a phone or Ipod.
These cuffs are made from recycled, embroidered sweaters with vintage buttons sewn on, along with the quotes printed on fabric.
I'm getting ready for January's sale at Silo Studio coming up on January 21st. I'll keep you posted.