The top TEN things I want to post on Facebook but dont….

The ten real comments I would love to post on FB but dont….

1. 1. Are you for real??? (This comes to mind A LOT!)

2. PLEASE, stop posting pictures of yourself taken in the bathroom. I totally get the need for an occasional picture when are looking fabulous, but we really don’t need to see 30 additional shots of you a day, taken in your bathroom. (Really, its gross…. go outside for heavens sake or have a friend take your pic, leave the bathroom out of it!)

3. WOW…Are you really THAT angry at life? Is your life really that terrible? Do you live on the edge of a cliff EVERY day? Suck it up buttercup; it could be much, much worse.

4. Life sucks? Well, so do mosquitos, quit complaining and change it! 

5. Are you 13? Are you really “Calling Out” our current girlfriend/boyfriends on Facebook? REALLY???? Think about it; are they even on your friends list? Face it, if they aren’t…they can’t see you calling them out! Really, people, really. 

6. Again, are you 13? Are you really posting your relationship/family drama on Facebook??? Here is a bit of the truth for you, most everyone who reads your drama is rolling their eyes and thinking to themselves you deserve it…. Seriously. 

7. That half nude picture you selected as your profile picture, really? This is Facebook, not Slutsville. Have some morals, young kids are on here you know. If you want to pose nude, email Hugh Heffner and pray he doesn’t laugh you off the internet! 

8. Please, quit posting things like “OMG! THIS IS WORST THING EVER!!!”…and of course people ask you “What happened?” Then you comment “I can’t post it on Facebook!” THEN WHY DID YOU POST IT IN THE FIRST PLACE? MORON.

9. The “WAIF” look is out, quit tilting your head and sucking your cheeks in in every picture, you aren’t a fish. 

10. If you really are my friend and you really “KNOW” me, then you know I say what I think and I can be blunt. That’s just me, so if you don’t like what I have to say, don’t read my posts. No one is forcing you to read all my status updates so quit attacking me like I am signaling you out, chances are Im not, but someone else is! =D

I never met a medium I didn’t like… part 2

On one of my latest ventures to Hobby Lobby in search of a new medium that would add some spark to my jewelry creations, I ran across an air cured clay called “LUMINA.”
So, you know me and my clay obsession… I quickly put a package in my already overly full shopping basket and headed to the check out lanes. I couldn’t wait to get home and try this mysterious new clay medium. Through much trial and error, here is what I learned about this pricey, yet extrodinary air cured resin-based polymer clay.

Lumina, unlike Polymer Clay brands such as Fimo, Cernit and Sculpey is an air drying, resin-based, polymer clay . I have to admit after playing around with this clay I was amazed at how well Lumina holds up when rolled out to a paper-thin sheet. I also am amazed and love that creating delicate pieces such as flowers and intricate small designs far surpasses regular polymer clay, and when I saw far surpasses, we are talking by leaps and bounds!
It’s flexibility makes it the perfect medium that will not break or warp when cured. Although Lumina is semi-waterproof, never leave this clay in standing water… I had some clay that dried out a bit and decided to try to re hydrate it… sadly I found that if left in water too long it will melt.

The major downside to this clay is that it only comes in translucent. So, being the adventurous person I am I tried kneading in food coloring (BAD IDEA!) then tried oil paint, a sheer disaster and then moved on to try acrylic paint. To my wonderful surprise the acrylic paint worked! I must mention though that kneading in the paint is a messy job, but the results are wonderful when you can create the exact color you are wanting to achieve. One note of caution, and believe me when I warn you that Lumina can not be kneaded in a food processor like Sculpey, Cernit or Fimo, in doing so I created a huge mess that took a ton of elbow grease clean up. =( My food processor has never been the same since…

Here are some earrings I created using Lumina, they are super lightweight. I actually painted these with acrylic paint after the Lumina had cured and then sealed them with Flecto Diamond Varathane for a water protectant sealant.

Lumina does not hold a very good bond to itself either, unlike polymer clay it just doesn’t hold its own per say. I experimented with Super Glue, E-6000 and found that Mod Podge or any 3-dimensional adhesive works extremely well.
It’s important to keep Lumina at its ideal moisture level so it maintains the right texture, this means having to add a bit of water when the clay feels as if it is drying out while you are working with it.

A word of advice, if you’re used to working with oven cured clays such as Sculpey, Fimo and Cernit, it may take a bit to get accustomed to this clay. It’s quick drying nature makes it less than ideal for sculpting large pieces, and is very frustrating to work with if you are creating canes. Lumina must be kept in a tightly sealed package in the refrigerator, and yes, it can and will grow mold.

Although I am impressed with the detailed intricate work I can create with Lumina, it is priced a tad too high for my pocketbook. Hobby Lobby carries Lumina at about $9.00 to $10.00 per package. If your ready to venture into using a new medium and you don’t mind the cost, Lumina is a fabulous medium for the most delicate forms you can create.

If you have not yet given Lumina a try, you should. It is great for tediously small works such as roses, flowers, leaves or anything else you can think of. Though the clay is expensive, I think its worth experimenting with, you never know, you could find that you LOVE working with this amazing clay!

Monday I will continue with polymer clay and Precious Metal Clay, you wont want to miss reading about these two incredible mediums!

I never met a “medium” I didn’t like….

Being an artist for over 20 years, I can definitely say I never met or worked with a medium I didn’t like. When it comes to creating, there isn’t anything that I actually dislike working with. I would have to say that my favorite medium of choice would have to be porcelain clay. I know there are many artists who claim that porcelain is a difficult clay to manipulate, it dries to fast and or unevenly, it shrinks when firing..etc. Maybe it was my many years of working with polymer clay that made my transition into porcelain work so natural. I have noticed that porcelain dries a bit fast when working with it, however I just keep a spray bottle of distilled water on my studio desk and spritz the clay when needed. To me, there just isn’t a more beautiful look than that of the milky transparency of porcelain after firing.

On the left is “WET” Porcelain block of clay, to the right is an un-glazed finished piece that was fired at 2000 degrees in my kiln.

Cold Porcelain
Then there is “Cold Porcelain Clay”, to be honest I have never used nor handled cold porcelain clay. I do know many artists who LOVE cold porcelain, and if you do not own a kiln or have access to one, cold porcelain is an air-drying clay that’s amazing for making small objects and jewelry.
You can make your own Cold Porcelain Clay, it is super easy and only requires a few simple ingredients.
What you’ll need:
3/4 cup white glue
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cold cream (such as Pond’s, you can find this at Wal-Mart or Walgreens for about $4.00 a jar)
1 teaspoon glycerin
1 cup cornstarch, plus additional for dusting your hands

I suggest that you use an old saucepan and spoon when making cold porcelain. The ingredients in cold porcelain are non-toxic, however it is extremely sticky.
You will want to mix the white glue, water, cold cream, and glycerin in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until smooth. When the wet ingredients appear nice and smooth, add 1 cup of cornstarch. At this point the mixture will transform quickly, becoming stiff it is important to keep stirring. The mixture will look a bit like cottage cheese, and within minutes have a consistency of instant mashed potatoes. As soon as the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan and “Clumps” into a large ball it is done. Remember that the clay is HOT to the touch so you will need a clean, old dish towel that has been wet with cold water. Drape this towel over a plate and place the clay on it. Now you will want to knead the clay with your hands. Soon the clay will be cool enough to handle, and you can continue kneading with your hands. Keep a small bowl of cornstarch nearby. Keep your hands dusted with cornstarch so the clay doesn’t stick. You can also dust the surface of your work-space with cornstarch as needed. Your clay should be smooth textured, elastic, and no longer sticky. You can now add some color to your clay by kneading in a small amount of acrylic or oil paint. When you create projects with your clay they must air dry for about 24 hours. When dry, the clay wil be very hard, slightly translucent, and smaller, as this clay does shrink about 10%. When not in use, keep your “Cold Porcelain Clay” in an airtight container. To clean your utensils soak them hot, soapy water.
Here is a great YouTube video that can get your creative spark going: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IJj6ipGeM4 This is a tutorial on how to make a flower blossom.
To the left is the cold porcelain mixture, to the right is a beautiful rose made by Chameleonite Jewellery. You can visit their awesome blog here: http://chameleonite.blogspot.com/2010/05/cold-porcelain.html

Earthenware Ceramic
Earthenware ceramic clay is pretty awesome,too! Earthenware clays were actually some of the earliest clay’s to be used by potters. Interestingly enough, it is one of the most common type of clay found. Earthenware clay’s are easily worked with due to their pliability, however they can be a bit sticky. Earthenware clay reaches its optimum hardness at between 1745°F and 2012°F (950°C and 1100°C) during firing, this happens due to the iron and other mineral impurities that the clay contains. The typical colors for moist earthenware clays are red, orange, yellow, and more common; light gray. Colors for fired earthenware includes brown, red, orange, buff, medium grey, and white. Fired colors are in large part determined by the content of mineral impurities and the type of firing temperatures and techniques used.

To the left you can see what a “RED” Earthenware Ceramic block of clay looks like.
To the right is the clay after being fired at 1800 degrees in my kiln.

Stay tuned for my continuation of mediums when I will next go over polymer clay, resin, PMC silver clay and more!

Congratulations to my artist curation of the month….. Canadian Craft Critter

I would like to congratulate Canadian Craft Critter, a crochet and knitting artist who I met when I was Captain of STATTEAM. Barbara was one of my team members who came on board as a new seller and quickly became a good friend to me as well as many of the team members. I am in awe of Barbara’s creativity when it comes to curating item collections, her ability to create the most ingenious and beautiful collections. What I love about her curating style is that she has come up with the most clever themes and tantalizing treasures to feature.

Barbara has also impressed me in that the short time she has been selling she is someone who has gone above and beyond to promote others, not only by curating collections, but by promoting others on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
It is an honor to have worked with Barbara on our online adventure in selling handmade goods, and it is with great pleasure to feature her as my FEBRUARY Artist Curator!

Below are two of Barbara’s collections in which I instantly fell in love with, I hope you will agree that these collections are truly amazing!

‘Beautiful Victorian pink’ by CanadianCraftCritter

Victorian colors and avid treasurers team challenge featuring The yarn kitchen

Felted bowls – Spring victor… theYarnKitchen $26.00	Light Mauve Pink Tulip Glass… AngelBDesigns $10.99	Pink Mesh Armwarmers w/ Embr… DeluxeAGoGo $12.00
Sweet Twin Pink 11.5″ t… PetiteSophisti… $69.99	PINK ROSE RING black cameo v… VikingX $10.00	Kendall – Metal Cuff Bracele… littlestboutiq… $74.00
Pillow – The Victorian Pink … birdandwhale $28.00	Enamel Vintage Flower Earrin… SSSJ $16.00	Long scarf shawl with 3D cro… allmadewithlov… $79.00
Beautiful Domino Pendant Nec… freedomdivine $34.50	Recycled Handmade Pink Paper… OrganicGlamour $5.00	202,Victorian rose,cocoon an… fairyshred $48.00
Pink Glitter Flower with Rhi… IttyBittyBands $12.50	s c a l l o p i n i ….roma… houseoftelsa $62.00	Victorian Roses Ponytail Hol… Mimiandlola $4.50
20% off – SUGAR Frosted FLOW… dorataya $14.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

‘lilac and vanilla fields’ by CanadianCraftCritter

lilac and vanilla items a 123 treasury team challenge featuring The Yarn kitchen

Skinny scarf – Crochet jewel… theYarnKitchen $34.00	SALE Flower Photograph Nurse… AmeliaKayPhoto… $21.00	Purple and Cream Hydrangea F… TheWaughdrobe $21.00
Hand crochet Lariat Scarf Li… nurlu $25.00	High Quality Hand Woven Turk… Turkishtowel $23.50	Pastel Elf Coat – Upcycled s… Fairytea $289.00
SET – Lilac, Cream & Bali Louby $18.00	Decorative Pillow Cover 18 i… DelindaBoutiqu… $21.00	Lilac Soy Candle AAngelsHeavenl… $14.00
Lampwork Earrings Brown Crys… AbacusBeadCrea… $38.00	Bridal Sash – Sash in Lilac,… SolBijou $220.00	Vintage Inspired Feather Res… zougeebean $36.00
Lilac and Cream Floral Tote … PortobelloBags $35.00	Amethyst and crystal silver-… EarthWearDesig… $27.00	Lilac and Cream Baby Chin-St… MissLene $22.50
Lampwork Heart Earrings with… ariesdesignsto… $40.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Visit Barbara’s online shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CanadianCraftCritter

Ever Changing Style

I have always been infatuated with “STYLE”, not actually following trends but setting them. My teen years were spent in the 80′s with “Big Hair” and more “Swatches” (most of which I added rhinestone’s and my own artwork drawings to) on my wrist than the department store could host in a glass case. Though I did submit to some of the trending styles I was the one in school who went above and beyond to bring that trend to a whole new level. I took Madonna’s signature style black bracelets and added beads and charms to mine, I liked to stand out and I liked being “different”. I have always felt if your going to make an entrance somewhere, make sure everyone looks and remembers who you are.

In many ways that trait has carried on with me throughout my years as a jewelry design artist. I have always paid great attention to detail in my designs, and of course creating a signature style that stands out. I knew I had my brand when my clients would tell me they knew my jewelry at a glance, without doubt a piece was created by yours truly. My jewelry creations have always centered around vivid colors and patterns with using shapes that I have a love for, being mainly crosses, hearts and roses. Throughout my career I have dabbled in many mediums, polymer clay being my main medium of choice. I loved the versatility of polymer clay, the blending of colors, the texture and of course the ability to leave a project out without fear of it drying out and crumbling.

In 2011 I decided to put my kiln to good use, I used it occasionally for fusing glass or annealing glass lamp-work beads and rings, however I felt it was time to do more. With this I decided to embark on a new journey with ceramic and porcelain. Having worked with polymer clay for over 15 years has given me an edge on creating with these two mediums, many techniques I used for PC I incorporated into my ceramic and porcelain design. My designs are still the same, however now I am creating more unique pieces that are distinct to my brand.

These porcelain pieces still have vivid color, and my designs are unique and focused on things I love. I think that when an artist has been creating for few years their style doesn’t really change, it only evolves. Many times that new-found evolution comes from the artist having experienced a “creative rut” or many times the introduction of a new medium. To be honest, I hit a huge “creative rut” while working with PC, it wasn’t the medium itself rather it was years of experience creating with it. What I love about ceramic and porcelain is you really can’t bank on what you will get out of the kiln, you can change a glaze dramatically by firing temps and times, and this is where my interest peaked. I love the beautiful uncertainty of ceramic and porcelain, I also love the new spark it ignited in my career as an artist.

I hope that when you read this, if you are a new artist or a seasoned creator, take the time to learn new things, experiment with different mediums and enjoy whatever beautiful uncertainty it may hold for you!

Spettkaka (spit cake)

Reblogged from semiswede:

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I’m a big fan of the spectacular Swedish spettkaka. Ribbons of batter piped onto a conical form make-up the unique confection sometimes called a pyramid cake in English, probably because the literal translation of spettkaka is spit cake. That’s a bit unfortunate, but makes sense when you learn the cake is baked on a rotating spit. Popular since the 17th century it’s a specialty of the southern region of Sweden called Skåne and has Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status from the EU.

Read more… 1,364 more words

Meet theartland.coms shop of the day: Emergent Glassworks

Congratulations to Trevor the artist at Emergent Glassworks!
I am totally infatuated with this artists amazing skills with the flame! Take a look at some of his artwork, I am sure it will have you saying “WOW!” just as it did me!

(Emergence: the formation of a completely new system, patterns and properties by the complex interaction of lesser elements in the system.)

Finely crafted with exquisite detail! you’ve never seen anything this cool in your life! there’s a hundred different ways to display this; Hang it around your neck, dashboard mirror, your wall or put it somewhere cool like your fish tank, desktop zen garden or just in a display case.

This is a Handmade 1.25″ marble with a realistic amanita mushroom in it. Great for any mushroom enthusiast or marble collector!

LIKE on facebook!http://www.facebook.com/emergentglassworks

I hope you enjoyed these amazing creations as much as I did featuring them! Stay tuned for our next shop of the day!

Meet Madeline’s Jewelry Box

Meet Madeline’s Jewelry Box, our third shop of the day! Madeline’s Jewelry Box is the 3rd generation of jewelry makers in her family. Her jewelry designs are stunning, I love her use of stone in her designs!

Kelli Worth Designs (http://www.etsy.com/shop/KelliWorthDesigns) and I teamed up to make this beautiful copper and beaded bracelet.
The first layer of copper has been brushed and hand fired to bring out a hint of the same color in the beads. The beads are a gorgeous turquoise! This necklace is beaded on wire. It has a toggle clasp.

Kelli Worth Designs (http://www.etsy.com/shop/KelliWorthDesigns) and I teamed up to make this beautiful copper and beaded necklace.
The first layer of copper has been brushed and hand fired to bring out a hint of the same color in the beads. The beads are a gorgeous purple/blue agate! The beads are knotted off with leather one at a time. The toggle clasp is made with a left over bead.

This necklace is a awesome statement piece! These beads are chunky…but not to heavy. All the red beads are coral. The silver color beads at the top are silver. The toggle clasp is silver color hypo allergenic metal. This necklace is 19 inches long.

You can find Madeline’s Jewelry Box on FaceBook:

Shop of the day…. PokeyPotamus

Our next shop of the day is Pokeypotamus, this glass lamp-work artist creates the most adorable “PUG” sculpture and pendants! Here are some of her adorable creations:

The pug measures approximately 2.5 inches from his squished, puggy nose to his curly, little tail! A lot of time and effort go into each piece! Every pug has it’s own unique expression, personality and posture. I try to capture the character of a pug and bring it out in the form of glass by adding all the wrinkles, fat rolls, head-tilts and pouty eyes that we all know and love about our precious fur-babies.
Each pug is sculpted using a torch, colored glass rods and various hand tools. Because of this, no two sculpture are alike! Every sculpture is signed by me, dated and numbered!

Each pendant is hand sculpted with borosilicate glass and kiln annealed for added strength and durability!

I use high quality chalk pastel pencils on white sketch paper. I’ve experimented around with different types, textures and brands to find one that works for the quality of portrait I strive to create.

I hope you enjoyed these adorable creations, you can like PokeyPotamus on FaceBook:

TheArtLand.com’s shop of the day…CreativeXpressions

Congratulations to our shop of the day, CreativeXpressions! In her shop you will find a treasure trove of items for hearth and home that includes her inspirational book, inspirational pin back buttons and magnets, a variety of decoupaged wood crafts, handmade bead magnets, nature photography, photo button magnets, pin back buttons, custom pin back/photo buttons, and sun-catchers. Her crafts are one-of-a-kind originals; no two are identical.

A Good Pill To Swallow Is Pride 2.2.5 Pinback Button and reminds us that pride is symbolic of a pill that is indeed good to swallow, but not very easy to do!

Lordship Through Friendship is a 192-page inspirational book that can be used in a small group study or as a personal devotional.

Written in a conversational format, the book contains 25 chapters along with a chapter-by-chapter study guide. Chapters can be read in succession or randomly since each chapter has its own beginning, middle, and ending.
One of the backcover endorsements…
“[W]hile Rita’s targeted audience is Christian, her themes have wide appeal; her metaphors are fresh and clear, and her provocative prose is inspiring.” Joan W., Professor Emerita
Two of the inside reader endorsements…
“One of the things I loved most about Lordship through Friendship was how the author presented Bible verses that I grew up with in a new light. Rita Sullivan’s conversational visits with the Lord and His modern-day parables enabled me to see these verses afresh. All of us need to pause at times and reexamine our faith and beliefs. The book’s chapter–by-chapter study questions will assist you in that reflective process.” –Rosalind E.
“This book was very enlightening–a big eye opener. I found much wisdom in these pages. The book has rekindled my desire to grow spiritually closer to the Lord.” –Gayle P.

This listing is for a photo print anniversary card, which I designed and gave to my husband for our anniversary this year. Photos inserted on the card were taken by me while vacationing in North Carolina in 2005.
You may choose to change the card from an “anniversary” to a “birthday” card. If you prefer to insert photos from your own collection, email the photos to me in a jpeg, pdf, or png format with a pixel resolution of 300.
The anniversary card is printed on heavy cardstock. The card along with its envelope will be shipped in a sturdy mailer to protect it during transit.

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse of the items from our shop of the day as much as I enjoyed featuring her wonderful work! You can find CreativeXpressions on TheArtLnad.com:
LIKE her on FaceBook: