Isaiah 41:10 Sunday Collage on Canvas and Some WIPs

I was looking at the calendar this morning and realized that this time last year I was diagnosed with breast cancer  and preparing for my double mastectomy surgery which took place on September 14th.  Wow, almost a year has gone by since that surgery and many more associated with this disease.  But here I am a year later writing this blog post and can say that I am still cancer free! 


10" x 8" canvas that I first painted with Pitch Black Adirondack Acrylic Paint

Various decorative papers including vintage ledger paper, white paint pen, fun foam and Diamond Glaze . . .

I threaded some cotton candy pink and white twine through an antique silver breast cancer awareness "Hope" charm for the girl's necklace. . .

 Since I had the paints and papers out, I started three more canvas collages . . .
I painted the canvas using Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paint in Classic Teal.  I just love the consistency of her paints!

I used her Landscape Green on this canvas . . .

Have a great art-filled week ahead!

Fun at Whimzy, a Teesha Moore-Inspired Necklace Creation and bc Update

Thank you ladies for another fun Eclectic Charm Necklace Workshop at Whimzy in Old Town Tustin yesterday! . . .  

 

 

The completed necklaces . . .

Carol

Elizabeth

Mary Lee all the way from Las Vegas!

And I have to show you a photo of the delicious cookies made by Sheryl of Whimzy.  And yes, they are (were) as delicious as they LOOK! . . .

This was my last Eclectic Charm Necklace Workshop at Whimzy for the year.  If you are interested in hosting a workshop at your home, please contact me.  The host will get the workshop at no cost!  You invite your friends/family/co-workers, provide tables and chairs and I'll bring everything for the 3 1/2 hour workshop.

* * * * *

And Sunday, to relax, I created a Teesha Moore-inspired necklace today using Fragments and some of Teesha's papers and some metal charms including Idea-ology Muse Tokens . . .

Have an art-filled week ahead everyone!

BC Update:  Had a follow-up appointment with my plastic surgeon this past Thursday to check on the "reconstruction site" :)  Everything is healing nicely and I don't go back until September 22nd.  I go for blood work on September  8th and on September 15th I see the Oncologist.  

"A" is for Art

I've had these large 12" x 6" (the "R" is 8 1/4" wide) x 1 1/2" papier mache letters for over 2 years now.  Isn't it funny how that happens?  You make a purchase and it seems forever before you decide what to do with it?

The "A" and the "T" were already black, but the "R" was a natural color that papier mache usually comes in, so I painted the "R" with black paint using Ranger's Adirondack Acrylic Pitch Black Paint Dabber.  If you haven't used these before, you should pick up a few (or all of them!) to make covering large areas so much easier.

Most of the papers I used are from Teesha Moore's collage sheets that she sells.  I've also used some of my own papers in the same bright color scheme.  I'm finding since I took Teesha Moore's workshops in June that I've been drawn to brighter colors lately.

I collaged the sides of the letters, added some dots using a white paint pen and . . .

some stripes on the letter "T".

All of the letters have a generous coating of Diamond Glaze.  Here they are standing up on a table.  They can also be hung on the wall.  Not sure where I will put them or if I will sell them.

So that's it for the pens, paints and papers for me today.  I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and will have an art-filled week ahead.


**BC update:  I'm going in for a check up on my "reconstruction site" this Thursday and to discuss the next steps in the process.  I've been feeling pretty good aside from the side effects of the medication - hot flashes, some sleepless nights, sore throat, weight gain.  But HEY, that's nothing compared to what I COULD be going through isn't it? *smiles*  I feel blessed to be doing so well.

Teesha Moore, The Rubber Stamp Convention & a BC Update

Saturday, July 9th and Sunday, July 10th is the Rubber Stamp Convention in Carson, CA at the Convention Center. This time Tim will be here.  Color me (with distress inks of course) excited!  

November 13, 2010 at the RSC

And get THIS . . . Teesha Moore of Zettiology will be teaching some classes on Friday, the 8th. I've already signed up for both of her classes that morning.

At 8am she will be teaching a 3-D Mixed Media Painting class . . .

and at 10:45am she will be teaching a Visual Journaling class . . .

There are some other artists teaching that day and Saturday and Sunday as well, but I figured these two classes with Teesha would be enough to get the juices flowing and the weekend off to a good start. Plus, on Saturday and Sunday I will be spending much of my time at the convention with my posterior end parked at Tim's table over in the corner at the Stampers Anonymous booth!


Ooooh, and I will be meeting up with Nancy Lynn from Using Up All That Stuff. She's flying in from Arizona for some of the classes and both days of the convention. I think we're going to have a fun, art-filled weekend!


I will be staying at the DoubleTree Hotel on the same property as the Convention Center so I don't have to drive back and forth each day.  I'm treating this as a mini vacation.  I've included the link to the discounted hotel info in case you decide you want to take a little vacation as well.


and now for an update on my b.c. journey: Monday, June 27th I will be going into the hospital to get the (very uncomfortable) tissue expanders removed and implants installed *yippee*.  I will be recovering at home after surgery until July 5th. All of this just in time for the weekend of Teesha Moore classes, Tim Holtz and the RSC. Life is good!

Blues, Birds and Butterflies

My latest necklace - Tim Holtz Idea-ology Fragments, laser wood cuts, Tim Holtz Distress Stain - Broken China, Tim Holtz Distress Stain - Faded Jeans, Cavallini decorative paper - Flora & Fauna Birds & Music 20"x28" parent sheet.

A little wired bird nest with blue eggs, metal birds from Tim Holtz Idea-ology Adornments, words/definitions from dictionary

Decorated the Fragment backsides in blues to coordinate with the front sides if they turn while being worn

That's it for today.


And for those of you following my "C" journey . . . here's an update:
Went to see Dr. Smith (cutie pie plastic surgeon) last Thursday.  No more tissue expansion procedures.  My last one was April 27th.  

The tissue expanders need to stay in place for another month and a half and then I will have surgery to remove the expanders and replace them with breast implants. I am sooooo looking forward to getting these out of me!  

And in case you're wondering what they feel like, do you or have you ever worn a bra with underwires?  Well it feels like a bra with an underwire that goes around the whole bra and filled with fluid until your skin feels like those tight leather pants you wore as a teenager.  Yep, that's what it feels like.

Boise Race for the Cure and an Upcycled Blue Moon 6-Pack

Before I show you my upcycled Blue Moon 6-pack, I just had to share this photo of my friend Linda Ledbetter of Studio L3 who was a participant in the Race for the Cure in Boise, Idaho today wearing my name on her back.  


I am just so honored for her to be celebrating my survival of this awful disease called breast cancer.  Here is my sweet friend giving the thumbs up.  Thank you.  


Now really folks, how can I NOT continue the fight with support like this?! . . .

photo stolen from Linda's twitter page this morning!

At the end of my last blog post I showed you this . . .

This is what it looks like now holding art supplies that can be ready to go at a moment's notice . . .

Products used: Claudine Hellmuth's Sable Brown and Traditional Tan Studio paints, Tim Holtz Paper Stash Crowded Attic, Idea-ology Tissue Tapes (various), Idea-ology Ornate Plates, Fragments, Glossy Accents, Inkssentials Wonder Tape, Idea-ology Metal Corners, vintage ruler pieces,  findings, a custom laser wood cut, a rub-on and bubble wrap.


And I reinforced the bottom with some recycled corrugated cardboard . . .

The month of May is Inspiration Emporium's packaging challenge.  Stop by our blog and join in the fun to win $50 in Emporium dollars!  The challenge started this past Friday and will end on June 5th at midnight.  We all have packaging so what are you waiting for - upcycle!

Happy Mother's Day Weekend 

Fears and Dreams

12" x 6" collage titled "Fears and Dreaams" on recycled heavy mattboard . . .

Hair made from "controlled doodling" pieces
Decorative papers use for background, dress and sun
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Stash - Lost and Found used for girl's body parts
Tim Holtz Collection - Stuff to Say rubberstamps (new!)
Stampers Anonymous - Binding Edge rubber stamp
Random script rubber stamp - unknown 

Post Script on "my other journey":  Had my second "pump" for the tissue expansion procedure last past Thursday.  A little more discomfort this time around but I'm hanging in there.  Going back this Thursday for pump #3.  Shouldn't be too long now! :)

Don't forget about Inspiration Emporium's customer challenge! 

Warrior Women Blog Hop BLOG CANDY Winner!

It's Tuesday and it's 6:00pm.  And if you were a part of the Warrior Women Blog Hop and your name isn't Electra, then you were entered into my blog candy drawing if you followed the instructions on THIS POST.


I placed all of the names in a little pink box tied up with a breast cancer ribbon, shook it up, opened it back up and then reached in (eyes closed of course!) and picked the winning entry.


So are you ready to see who the winner is?  Scroll down a little further . . .

Sharon Sutton

Congratulations Sharon!  Sharon is a member of Scraps of Color and has a blog - My Craft Journey .  She has chosen one of my pillows in my Etsy Shop that I created.  


Thanks to everyone that entered and thank you for your continuing support of breast cancer awareness!

Warrior Women Blog Hop Winner!

There were sooooo many fab-u-lous entries for the Warrior Women Blog Hop on Flickr that I had the hardest time making a decision about the winner.  But a decision was made and the winner IS . . .

Electra 1824

Congratulations Electra - please contact Linda Ledbetter for instructions on how to claim your prize!


But WAIT there's MORE . . . every one of you that participated by submitting a piece of art can have the opportunity for a chance at winning any item in my Etsy Shop - including the shipping and handling, as a thank you.  This chance to win is open to ALL participants, INCLUDING the Pink Ribbon Warrior Women!


All you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post and tell me what you would like to receive as your gift if you win.  That's it!


I will randomly select a winner from the entries on Tuesday evening at 6pm Pacific Standard Time.

Thank you Linda Ledbetter and all of the Pink Ribbon Warrior Women Blog Team members - Ellen Vargo, Hels Sheridan, Jennie, Judy Wood, Nancy Crissinger, Sharon Sutton and Tracy Jacobs for putting on this wonderful event in support of a cure for breast cancer and my personal healing journey.


And a big thank you to Eclectic Paperie for sponsoring such wonderful gifts for the give-away!


Still Fighting - One Day at a Time! - Sherry  X O