Christmas Art Show

I finally printed off at Office Max some greeting cards of all of my paintings I did this year, this year being my first year of painting. I really like them. I also tried printing out some 8x10 prints as well!

I think my table looked awesome and beautiful and spectacular, LOL! 

Merry Catsmis From Santa Paws

Drake and I wish you a very Merry Christmas (Catsmis)!!!!

And a Happy New Year !!!!!!!!

My First Hat

I was following a pattern found here (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/neely-slouchy-hat) but the gauge wasn't working for me, I needed to use a way bigger hook to get the pattern to work which I didn't realize until it was too late. So I then took it upon myself to alter the hat. So I sewed the back down. I added the brim from this pattern found here (http://mandaringraphics.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/semi-newsboy-cap2.pdf) and it just morphed into this hat. Check your gauge early on and this hopefully wont happen to you, BUT crochet is awesome and forgiving and you can fix it and make it into something different but just as wonderful.

My hat is growing!!!!!

30 Day Unconventional Portraits: Days 8-13

Colorful Faces

Crochet Bracelet Made Over Thanksgiving

I brought my crochet thread and buttons over to my moms for my stay with her for Thanksgiving. I made this cute little bracelet the night before gobble gobble turkey day.

30 Day Unconventional Portraits: Days 1-7

So the Grant we have at the Drop in Center I go to, one of the projects is to do a sketchbook with 30 unconventional portraits in thirty days. I am not feeling very creative and I do not like, not using paints. Maybe I will try using paints in my journal later on. My paintings all tend to be unconventional but take my paints away and limit me to markers or colored pencil or pens and all I seem to be doing is a little tiny step at a little zendoodle here or there. This is a really good practice in creativity though if you can keep your mood up when doing it and just be like a kid.

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain

an artist once we grow up. " - Pablo Picasso

In The Likeness of Picasso

Two years ago I took my first community ed class, an acrylic painting class. We were only allowed to bring the primary colors and had to learn to mix all the rest of the colors. I'm glad I was forced to learn this way!!! My teacher had me try painting after one of the great painters to give me something to go off of. I liked Picasso because of the colors and because his portraits were easy enough for me to paint. I was so encouraged after doing this, I was OMG I can paint. I am so glad I took the class. I learned about mixing colors, background washes, different layers of paint and that paintings only look good when they are done.

Savers Sculpture Painting

So it was another day shopping at Savers. I saw this awesome wooden sculpture. I wanted to paint it on a canvas because it reminded me of a Henri Matisse Piece. So I walked around with this beauty in my cart, but put it back on the shelf because I decided I wouldn't need another knick knack in my at that time one bedroom only living situation. My friend however was shopping with me at the store but we walked around separately by ourselves and when we checked out I was happy to see that she bought the sculpture. I was thrilled and wasn't too surprised. Now I could have access to paint it whenever I wanted too! We both giggled at our similar taste. I used metallic paint and tiny crackle medium.

Crocheted Stuffed Animals

I got these patterns off the Internet. 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fierce-little-dragon

https://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&&note_id=234956509874597&id=234956033207978

So crocheted stuffed animals are really cute, they don't have to look grandma-ee.  I found I like making huge blankets better because in the long run its faster and smoother. Working with a small hook in rounds and whatever the pattern calls for, calls for patience and it kind of hurt my hands after awhile. So I'm not saying boooooo to the cuties. I'm just saying there cute but for me they are a lot of work. I guess I'm just use to zoning out doing a blanket and only having my hands or arms hurt like after the billionth row. My great niece and nephew loved them. I still have one more to make for the youngest. It's winter again so I can start crocheting again.

Throwing Pottery

I got to have my try at the wheel about two years ago. I was in transitional housing for my Mental Health and this staff guy was storing his wheel in the basement till he moved to his new apartment and had room for it. Randy said we could try it out and he didn't even have to be around, we had his permission to use his baby. He gave me one lesson, all the steps in one. Randy wanted me to interact but I was too shy and worried about utter failure that I just watched. So I tried it by myself three times and made these items. Unfortunately I was never able to get them in a kiln so their fragile and not glazed. I think they are pretty good for a first time even though there a little thick. Sorry for dark fuzzy cell phone pics.

I hope to in the future to get to do this again and have more lessons, maybe this time hands on training. It was such an awesome feeling. It was very soothing, very tactile. Good for someone who struggles with self-injury to have something to distract themselves with and satisfy their sensory needs while creating a sense of mastery.