Blue

Blue

     A blue ball, this one may be my favorite.

Green

Green

      A green and purple ball.

Getting There

Getting There

        I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I have three more of this design to make.

Blue

Blue

      I wanted to try one more YouTube video, before attempting to draw a cat on my own.  Amie Howard Art doesn't have too bad of a video.  

Study

Study

     I had found some studies on YouTube on how to draw cat's eyes in colored pencils.  I'm not pleased with the yellow one, but leaned to use  a blending marker.  

In the works.

Garden Bracelet

Garden Bracelet

     I get an small break, then at the end of the day, I'll teach the "Garden Bracelet."  Hope to see you all at the workshop.  

     
     This elegant beaded bracelet is tatted using a single large shuttle only. The finished bracelet measures 7” but can easily be tatted longer for a larger wrist. This bracelet won 1st place at the county fair.

Keys To My Heart

Keys To My Heart

    Saturday morning, 2 May, I'll teach the "Keys To My Heart V1&2."

   
     Learn to prepare a piece of jewelry for embellishing with tatting. Class will cover how to go about designing a pattern to tat around jewelry. Practice your new skill by tatting around a small key and a heart. 

Spirograph V2.0

Spirograph V2.0

     This class is the last one for Friday.  I'll be teaching two classes on Saturday.  

     A simple Spirograph design was transformed into this motif with stacked rings and beads.

Ruby Red Pendant

Ruby Red Pendant

     After lunch, I'm teaching the "Ruby Red Pendant."  This is a continuation of the mornings Tatsmithing class.

     You are able to take this class if you took “Intro” last year or this year. The emphasis of this class will be adding the “sides” to the “Basic Design” (started earlier) and tatting a sturdy “bail.” 

Registration Info HERE.

Tatsmithing

Tatsmithing

     I am teaching at the Shuttlebird workshop this spring.  I'm teaching Tatsmithing, first thing, on Friday the 1st of May.

     Learn the “In’s and Out’s” of Tatsmithing – how to go about tatting the “Basic Design” around any object using metallic sewing thread. This is the basis to all Tatsmithing. Practice tatting with sewing thread and tatting the basic design around a button. If you have been afraid to try metallic sewing thread, this is the class to take. 

Won

Won

     Quilling card was doing a giveaway and I won the emoji card and a pair of earrings.

Break

Break

      I need a break from making Christmas balls and decided to do a little silversmithing.  I decided to make a few rings out of pattern wire.

Spiders

Spiders

     A few Christmas spiders are making their way to the tree.

Thomas

Thomas

     Here is Mr. Thomas O'Malley, the alley cat from the Aristocats.

Cats

Cats

     My mom had given me a drawing kit, on how to draw Disney characters.  I started with the "Aristocats."  Here is Duchess and Marie.  Yes...there is a kitten named Marie.  Next to tackle Thomas O'Malley the alley cat.

     I was happy with the picture, as-is, I didn't want to add color or too much shading.  Once I get it down...later.

Harvest Mouse

Harvest Mouse

     While trying to find a YouTube video, on how to draw cats eyes, I came across a cute mouse video.  The video wasn't very good, so again...I had to wing it....back to the drawing board.

Resin

Resin

      The threads that wrapped the eyes, onto the pole, need to be sealed with UV resistant resin.  I had a little resin left and made a few cabochons with it.  Once they cure, I'll tatsmith around them.

Hubby

Hubby

     Hubby gave a custom ice fishing rod kit.  We fitted and glued the handle, portion on.  Tom made a jig, so we could easily wrap the eyes on to the pole.  Then, we decorated the pole.  

The Jig:

     Our finished pole....now for things to refreeze up.  Can't make ice when it's in the 40's and raining.

      The handle of my new fishing pole was a little plain.  It needed a little marbling to match the rod.  This method could be done on a shuttle also.  This is easy to do....Tape off a stop point on the handle.   Fill a disposable cup with water, not all the way.  Drop fingernail polish on to of the water (it floats).  Swirl the polish with a toothpick.  Dunk the tip of the handle in the water, just to the beginning of the tape, but not past the tape.   Very important...before you remove the pole, wipe up the excess, floating color with a Kleenex.  If this part wasn't done, once you remove the handle from the water, the left over color will coat your handle again.  Usually the floating stuff has overmixed and muddied.  Don't want that mess on your beautiful handle.  Dab, carefully, any water from the handle (there isn't much).  Let dry and add a quick dry clear coat of fingernail polish on top.  

Back

Back

    Back to making Christmas balls.  Some that you were seeing, I gave as gifts.  I didn't want to post them, until after Christmas.  Now to make a few for me.  Yes, I am just getting around to making them.  

Bee

Bee

     I finally finished, the first colored pencil drawing.  This is a picture of Jan's flowers with a bee in the middle.  

Winging It

Winging It

  
     Here is my attempt to finish the cat's face.  Not too bad for my second colored pencil drawing.  First time, for fur.  Next, I'll make another cat's face or the mouse on the wheat.  

Fur and Nose

Fur and Nose

    Emmy's next turorial is on fur and nose.  Unfortunately, she doesn't have he ears and the rest of the cat.  But it's just practice so I'll wing it.  Here is the start of the fur and nose.

Eyes

Eyes

       My sister and mom are hinting, that I should draw their cats, using colored pencils.  I am floored at some of the colored pencils drawings.  They look like a photograph and not a drawing.  I want to do that, so I went to YouTube for help.  I'm starting with cats eyes, since the eyes is the mesmerizing essence of the drawing.  Here is my attempt.  I am going to do two cat tutorials before I attempt the family cats.