here's how I got started...

here's how I got started...
a 20 minute podcast by Crazy BeYOUtiful

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

catching up and cages...

Happy Tuesday!
The sun is out...finally, but it's still bloody frigid here.

We had an awesome show in Columbus...
with lots of inky fun...

The BAD thing...someone allowed it to snow...geez...about 3 inches...

and we were also drenched with freezing rain...
I think I need to add to my contract...

...will work in nice weather only!

I know I've been AWOL...

so SORRY...the TO-DO list is growing daily...YIKES.

How can I not have a REAL job & be so busy???

And what is going on?

Yesterday I got my first stamp images from Zach(the stamp magician @ Stampers Anonymous).

He did his part & then sent them back to me for tweeking...

I got that done yesterday...now I'm waiting for the finals.

I KNOW this seems early...but in order to get them made into real stamps...(so I can start book projects...) the process starts early.

What will you see?

More large backgrounds...more...???

and some of those...too!

And I'm REALLY excited about the...

That's it for now...it's way too early to start the teasing...

these don't get released until CHA this summer...

On to the cages...

I had LOTS of emails & questions @ the show about tim's Sizzix birdcage, so I thought I'd give a few tips here...

It's cut from grungeBOARD...
because I wanted it to be thicker & stronger and to have more dimension.

I inked it with jet black archival...
right from the pad...
but I didn't cover it completely...

I inked the bare spots with brushed corduroy & in person...it looks like metal...

I used a piece of wire to shape it...

It's attached to the base with skinny strips of Wonder Tape...per tim's suggestion.

The wings are tim's die cuts...
they come with the awesome heart die.

They are stamped with (today's favorite)...register stamp.

And guess what?

We sold out of the cage @ the convention...

I guess I'm not the only one who LOVES it!


And speaking of cages...

Back in February I popped into Michael's looking for an odd sized frame for Rick's bathroom...

This guy caught my eye...

I tried to order 300...
I had big plans for a fun new class...

However...
Michael's doesn't do special orders...
darn...

So this...





turned into this...
what a fun class it would have been...boohoo...



I wove skinny strips of stamped grungepaper thru the wires...

I LOVE the accent dots with the Sakura glaze pen...
it's amazing that the dots will stick to metal...
and it even works on fragments.



So...instead of a fun class...
this will be a little Mother's Day gift.

The moral of the story here...
keep your eyes open for fun stuff to alter...

just don't expect to order 300 of them!

I hope you have a good day and can take some time to...

make art!
wendy

49 comments:

Scrapthat said...

Fabulously cute!!

KAT said...

Wendy - They has something similiar at Hobby Lobby and I believe they do take special orders... Check with them because - you are right - that would be an awesome class! I just got my bird cage die - can't wait to play with it.... Tim made an awesome tag with it in Boston.... (per twitter - I'm not there boo hooo)

helena said...

Love that cage and the other one too!!

Unknown said...

Both projects are GORGEOUS!
Thanks for revealing how to attach the cage to the background so it has dimension. I hope you find more metal cages, that project would be an inky treat!

Chirpin Is Fun said...

Awesome bird cage...well cages! Love to see what you do with "stuff". The sun is shining today in central Illinois...is the snow going to stay away for a while? I sure hope so. Thanks for inspiring us to make art!

Elaine A said...

Wendy -

If I were standing by you right now I'd smack you (gently of course), but I'd smack you. What do you mean you don't have a real job??!!! What you do IS a real job! You make Art, you design stamps, projects, write books - THAT IS A REAL JOB!!! And you work very hard at it, I for one am glad you have the job you do because you do it wonderfully!

So thank you for all you do!

Elaine Allen

P.S. Thanks for the info on how you created the bird cage (no real job indeed!).

michelle said...

No job. . . really I think you get paid. . .for playing everybody dreams of a job like that!

Love your projects to day and I am so looking forward to More large backgrounds, more ??? and some of those I have been waiting my whole life for some of those . . . ;)

Tona said...

Omgosh! I love what you did with that birdcage! Fantastic!

Anne Jagger said...

These are both just beautiful.

Nancy said...

Thank you!!!!! I, too, bought that birdcage @ Michael's (I got the green one) & I've been trying to figure out what to "do" with it, besides hang it on the bathroom wall. I LOVE what you've done! Thank you!

You DID cut the birdcage from grungeBOARD? I was told this past weekend by a Ranger educator that couldn't be done! (Insert unprintable words here!) Thank you for saying otherwise 'cause I thought you could.

I'm glad your time here went well! I'm still bummed at not getting to the expo & seeing you. :-( Next time ...

Let's hope the snow is DONE! :-)

Donna said...

Love your cage! I bought the full cages to alter.
My LSS had some of tim's dies so I got lucky and got the bird cage and a couple others.
Now to complete my wants and needs I need to get the stamp set of yours with the bottle and I am good to go!

Juliet A said...

I love the sakura glaze pens, too! I use them all the time on plastic.

Liz in MO said...

Love the birdcage, would have been a cool class!!!

Kathy Eddy said...

Wonderful art as always! I love birds, so of course, the cages go hand-in-hand. I hope you can find something very similiar and teach within my reach as I would love to take this class!

Lori said...

Awesome pieces, per usual. Love what you did with the Michael's cage, FAB!

Colleen - the AmAzINg Mrs. B said...

Wowowow! This is gorgeous! Now I gotta go find a bird cage!

Hels Sheridan said...

I loooooove that cage, I neeeeeeed one...cannot WAIT to see the new images you have been designing...I have got the full set now...so I best get saving for your next lot...can you say how many sheets there will be so I know how much to weedle out of OH?? ROFL

pat smith said...

Wendy, you are amazing! You make art out of everything, that blows people away! You inspire me so much! Hugs, Pat Smith

borcherding said...

good god that cage is AMAZING!! Freakin' A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

SusanK said...

Don't know where to begin the compliments - both projects are super amazing! Wonder if I can finagle another trip to M or HL this week????

Helen said...

Welcome back, we've missed you. Like all the others, I too absolutely love that cage, so inventive...

Sharon said...

Just too funny! So, Michaels's can't do special orders? How dumb is that? (Sorry I have a long list of why I don't think they really want any customers...this is just another sign that they don't want to survive in a difficult economy.) But thanks for what you did with the birdcage. Those hints about the hidden constructions are really useful and important. No point in re-inventing the wheel...re-altering it, maybe! Hope you dry out and get some great sunshine!

Karla Anderson said...

Heading to Michaels to find that birdcage....lol. Awesome ideas as always.

Etta said...

Sooo glad you are back! Miss you when you're not in my computer. The bird cages are great! Love YOU...love your ART!!!

Kristin said...

Lovely lovely, thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I love what you did with the cage, and thanks so much for telling us how you attached the cage die cut so that it is dimensional.
And, welcome back...you were missed.
Eileen in NYC

Cher said...

well too flippin cute Wendy! luv the bird cage and cant find anyone who has it either...cant wait to find one...by then the trend may be over :(...glad yer back...still wondering how many sets you will release in the summer...

Debby said...

Beautiful cage. Will have to look for one of those. It would look great in the powder room. But I still need some of your sets of stamps! Thanks for sharing with us!

Unknown said...

Welcom back, as always your art is too cute!
Sue

Dorothy said...

Love all your art Wendy!!!

Anonymous said...

LOVE the cages! Hopefully some of your loyal followers will be able to find similar metal cages and decorate to their liking. I know I'll be looking for one! Enjoyed seeing you in Columbus along with your creations. They are even better in person. What fun!
Congrats on being the Guest Artist this month in "Stampers' Sampler" magazine! I just a copy and loved reading about what inspires you and how your creative process works. Keep it up! Marijane

slbt17 said...

very pretty
you never cease to amaze me!
Sandra

Denise G said...

Love hearing about the new things coming this summer.... so fun. Love the projects today too. You are amazing.

Anonymous said...

Missed your blog. Glad to have you back. The bird cages (both of them) are freakin awesome.

Deb S in Bloomington

Shirley said...

I love what you did with the birdcage. Wow! I think I have seen that at Michaels before. What you did with it is just amazing.

jan metcalf said...

Welcome home Wendy! WOW project!

pooky said...

Welcome back! You are just so lucky to have the "job" that you have...lol. It must be awsome to be able to play with all those goodies. I wish I could be in your shoes ...even if it was for one day! Thanks for sharing!

Crissi Harvey said...

stunning pieces wendy love them

2amscrapper said...

I have to get that birdcage. And I love the metal piece.

scrappin-scrappin said...

Wow, that would have made a great class!! Beautiful!!

Unknown said...

I love the birdcages--both of them. Too bad about the 300 needed for classes. Someone REALLY missed an opportunity!

libbym said...

Beautiful projects!

Lillian Child said...

Art is where you find it - love the altered little birdcage hook! VERY sweet!

Julie said...

Great idea to pretty up a plain looking bird cage from Micheals. Guess I will be going there to check out the bird cage too!

mamakat said...

OMG Wendy! Happened to be in Michael's after reading this post and found your cage at 50% off!!!
Must have been meant to be.

Liverpool Lou (Anne) said...

Absolutely love the bridcage art (Tim's birdcage is top of my list) and the metal thingy looks fabulous :)
Anne xx

Kate Burroughs said...

Look at the tag on the bird cage and see if you can't find a distributor or if you want that many, order direct from the manufacturer. Sometimes you have to work backward from the manufacturer to find stuff. Trust me!!! We want to see that class so you go girl!
Aloha, Kate

Art By Wanda said...

Awesome!!!

pta4him said...

Love your cover. I need to do some of those butterflies.