What page is it on?

Spanikopita on 4th of July?

Jewelry artist, instructor
& friend Louise McClure,
decided to make Cheryl Prater's recipe
for Spanikopita and invite us to dinner.

Why? You ask? Why did Louise choose Spanikopita
as the main dish
on 4th of July? The answer,
of course... because wanted to.
You see, Cheryl included a recipe for
her delicious Spanikopita in
her book
Mixed Mania
"Recipes for Mixed Media Creations"

Cheryl and Debbi Crane were just here teaching
a few weeks ago and Louise really enjoyed meeting
Cheryl and reading the book.

Here's my portion along with
the Dragon "something" green beans and mozarella/tomato salad.

The end; no one wants to eat the last piece.
What's that all about?

Thank you Cheryl Prater for adding the recipe to
your book, but can you send me the
recipe so I can add it to this blog?

Thanks Louise for a great evening
along with fireworks on the veranda.

The lonely swing

This swing has such an
interesting story having
come from a house ready
to be razed in Charlotte, NC.
I can only imagine the moments
spent by the lovely couple
who first bought it back in
the 40's or 50's.
A city lot, enormous trees,
beautiful flowers, well pruned
hedges, garden paths,
friendly neighbors, private
fenced yard with the whole
world yet to be discovered.
Then suddenly, those years
have passed them by and
it all disappeared into the past...
their house, their family,
their garden.
I think that I will keep this
"lonely swing"
and the memories that only
I can imagine or perhaps
create lovely new ones.

Just in today!
Art Revolution is on the cutting edge, exploring how artists are reinterpreting, reinventingand redefining everything from the surfaces on which they work to the way viewers interact with their finished pieces.
Available now at Random arts

Mixed Media Techniques for successful tranfers.
NO FEAR Transfers...
If you have ever tried image transfers or have experienced image transfer
mishaps, then Image Transfer Workshop is for you.
This book presents step by step techniques for 35 image transfer
processes, extensive tips for fixing mishaps and examples of how
to combine transfers in finished pieces of mixed media art.
Available now at Random Arts in Saluda

Making jewelry with meaning.
The things that you collect - the ticket stubs, the coins, the pieces of shell from a
beach - hold meaning and significance, reminding you not only where you have been,
but also where you are capable of going. Making these items into wearable pieces
of art - amplifying their power to become amulets and talismans- is a rewarding
experience that's easy to do.
Available now at Random Arts

Woven Rug Books

I loved making this book!

•••••••••••

Many thanks Sally Casper,

for inspiring me to make my woven "rug" book!
We call it a "rug" book because a couple of years
ago, Sally started one of the woven cuffs and
woven it both up and down instead of the way
we were doing it... just one way.
So she ended up with a really thick
piece of woven fabric... thus, "the rug".
Sally surprised me a few weeks ago
with a finished "rug book" project and
I got inspired by her, to take it in the same
direction. Although I did not remember what
her rug book looked like, I bought my batik
fabricsat the quilt show
in Hendersonville, and started weaving.
I must say that it does take a lot longer
to weave the cuff ribbon both ways.


These batik fabrics
really got me going.

Here's the cover with ragged edges
and a photo transfer sewn
on with 2 little buttons for embellishment.

Inside, I used some handmade indigo paper
for interest, that I received as a gift
from Wendy McEntire, on some
140# watercolor paper.
I used waxed lined to sew the signatures
together with a simple pamphlet stitch.

On the back I added an inkjet transparency
"handmade" with Golden Fluid Matte Medium.


•••••••••
Here is Sally Casper's inspiration book
that got this whole thing started.

2 more views of Sally's "rug" book.
I love it!
Thank you Sally.


•••••••••••••••••••

More of Sally Casper's work
can be seen in the latest
Somerset publication on page 70.

Reminder...

We will be closed from
Wed.July 1st
through
Tues.July 14th
Remember---
Don't come to town on Coon Dog Day
Sat. July 11th
We won't be here
and you won't be able to
get into town.

Quilt Show Weekend

The Winner... and still champion
Mama Crow aka...

Linda Knight shows
her "delight" with
her eBay win!

Linda Knight

Our amazingly creative booth
at the Hendersonville quilt Show.

Here's another view and there's Jen

Linda and I "sharing the moment"

2 New Books

I am pretty sure that I ordered this book
by LK Ludwig sometime last November
and finally, we can say... "it's here!"

Her book includes instructions and tips
for organizing collaborative ventures,
techniques & how to's
instructions for participating
and much much more.
It's over 130 full color pages of inspiration
for mixed media applications.
•••••


re-bound
by
Jeannine Stein

This new book as all about creating
handmade books from recycled & repurposed materials.

This book shows you how to take everyday materials and turn them
into clever and eye-catching hand- bound books.
Full color with 16 fully illustrated projects
Gallery of leading artists offering further inspiration
Ideas on where and how to gather unique supplies.
Available now, here at Random Arts

Sweet Tweet Books have a new home!

$232.50 was the high bid for
the Sweet Tweet Book
that was auctioned off this past week.
We are so happy that we were able to
raise money for Arts For Life North Carolina
and we are even happier for Linda Knight
from Charlotte, NC
who was the highest bidder.


Thanks to everyone who spent their time
and energy with me preparing the books
for "binding" and many many
thanks to all the participants in the book.

Each and every one of us should be thrilled
that our work was chosen by a like minded
artist, Linda Knight, to have in her collection.
Linda was a participant in the book, as well.
Maybe you remember... "crow, crow, crow your boat"...