The Cloud

Posted on my favorite go-to art/design source this morning was this incredibly cool creation by designer Richard Clarkson...

Clarkson has created Cloud, "an interactive light shaped like a cumulus cloud that simulates a thunderstorm both in light and sound, based on external input from either a remote control or motion sensors."

Enjoy~

From Sky to Earth

A huge thanks to Elandra Designs for including my key holder (row 3, col 1) in her gorgeous Treasury!

https://www.etsy.com/treasury/MzI3Njc3NjN8MjcyNjMzMTA0Ng/from-sky-to-earth

The Writing's On the Wall

Some fun art-ptical illusions...



Enjoy~

Plum Infusion

Took a little time to create a new Treasury this morning ~ haven't created one of these in forever. Hope you enjoy...

https://www.etsy.com/treasury/ODU2NDczN3wyNzI2MzQ2MjA4/plum-infusion

Bullseye - On Target for Success

A big thanks goes out to AidforAbby for including my banner (row 1, column 1) in her gorgeous new Treasury~ Bullseye - On Target for Success

Pastel Passion

A big thanks goes out to lifetimeofhandmade for including my bracelet (row 2, column 2) in her newest Treasury~ Pastel Passion

From Behind the Silence~

It's funny where life takes us sometimes ~ looking ahead from this time last year I knew my life would be different. With my youngest finally venturing off to college in September it was inevitable that life would bring many changes.  While I could feel the waves of change pulling me in new directions, I never imagined exactly how different my life would be and how very grateful my heart would feel.

"War Reenactments" by Kendra Binney

Life had grown quite stagnant, personally speaking, and those who know me best knew this to be a sad reality.  There's flight in these wings, with room to soar and carry others as well, so being spiritually grounded for so many years had become a huge burden to bare.  I adored my art and this lovely business of creating beauty and helping others, but as we all know there are many sides to a faceted diamond that need light in order to shine.

skeleton print by Kendra Binney

My approach was to take the tides as they came and remain open to where they would lead me.  It's tough to go with the flow, let go, and not question. I think we all know that, but I must admit that whenever I do, it tends to take me in directions I could barely have dreamed.

"This Can't Go Another Way" by Kendra Binney

Where I might have envisioned a lovely island filled with delicious fruits and flowers ~ life would more likely deliver a chain of islands filled with beautiful white sands, lush greens, and tropical songbirds, all living among those envisioned fruits and flowers, and nestled snugly between gorgeous blue seas and sky.  It's simply a case of this little human not having the sight of the gods.

yellow bird by Kendra Binney

And so, where is it this journey wound up for me? Well, here I sit ~ in a new state, with a new job, in a new home, with a new life. And happy? Oh my...
It's been a very long time since I could say I feel peace in my heart.  Where the slow steady rhythm of tranquility and gratitude strum a gentle melody through my days and nights.

tiger print by Kendra Binney

It took nearly a year to get here, really a lifetime, but here I stand ~ joyfully, courageously. The best part is that even though this life is interwoven with others, many of whom were crucial in helping me gain this freedom, at the core is the spirit of independence. For the first time in my life I stand on my own two feet ~ solely and squarely and happily.

While my "To-Do" list is miles long and I still feel the pull of many tasks on my wings, I finally have a calm heart, the necessary fuel to soar highest in this life and catch the best dreams.

"Rose City Till I Die" by Kendra Binney

So where does this leave my little plumrose dream? As with all good dreams, they never truly die and so neither will this fruit of my heart.

Scaling back from a team effort to a solo woman biz, I've got big plans in the works ~ with finishing up the website, creating an in-depth blogger video library, adding more prefab graphics, and offering a bigger selection of trinkets and treasures.

"Hummingbird Mansion" by Kendra Binney

And so this is me... peaking out from behind the silence and this veil of fruity pinkness to say "hey, I'm still here"... better than ever.  Thanks to all of you who've helped me get to where I am ~ gratitude doesn't even begin to express my heart, but thank you will have to do.  Thanks for sticking by, for waiting and wanting, and now.. off we go ~ let's fly!

This post features the beautiful artwork of one of my favorite artists, Kendra Binney. For more information and to purchase visit:
www.kendra-binney.com and www.kendrabinney.etsy.com

Artist's Spotlight ~ Shelby Scott Photography

It's always a treat to share the creative talents of other artists but none more so than when there's a personal connection.  In this case it happens to be the inspiring talent of Shelby Scott Photography.

The personal connection is through our middle son, shown below in the bottom right. Artists always seem to converge and such was the case as they became good friends in high school, several years ago.  Shelby, shown below with painted face and further down with seaward hair (love that), has since moved on to college where she's just graduated with her degree from the Antonelli Institute.

Watching our kids grow through childhood is filled with so many special moments but watching them emerge into adulthood and begin to pave their own way in this world fills us with pride, wonder, and excitement.  We can only begin to imagine the roads they'll travel and how they'll impact this world through their own talents.

One thing is for certain, we've absolutely no doubt that where ever this gifted artist goes, success is sure to be her constant companion as she journeys through life!

You can view more of her work at: www.facebook.com/ShelbyScottPhotography  and www.shelbyscottphoto.com/

Enjoy~

Colorful Day

Ah, colorful days are simply the best and never more so than when they're filled with a brand new Treasury! This one was curated by Aurelia and includes our digital bookmarks.  So a huge thanks goes out to our fellow Etsian and a congrats to all the others included as well.

Colorful Day

So here's the direct link in case you'd like to show your support or find some wonderful new handmade goodies to covet and artists to support: www.etsy.com/treasury/ODMwODA0NHwyNzI0ODMzMTA2/colorful-day

Enjoy~

Headache

While I may me experiencing a few of these from my summer bug, this "headache" is of a different sort...
Here's a video by the same name, featuring my son performing his newest song ~ hats off to the crew who put this together, they really did a super job!

Enjoy~

The Daily Journey of Creativity

"Whatcha doing?"
"Making a faerie... and a pot bellied pig."
"Weren't you making a mermaid?"
"Yeah, that was yesterday."

And so goes the path of any given chat here at Plumrose Lane.  I have to laugh at the places I go in my day-to-day work. From fantastical creatures to mystical meanings, it's a fun job and one I truly enjoy, most of the time. Of course there are those projects that take a temporary tailspin but the universe usually manages to kick-in at the last minute and save the day.

The work can be challenging at times, especially if I'm venturing into uncharted waters  ~ case in point, this custom project I'm working on for a lovely return customer.  Her beautiful landlubbing lady was created by an artist to represent a certain part of her business and while it fits, she also needed a water fairing version too.  My job was to come up with one that fit well within the artist's original work, to then use in a custom theme.

Working on these type of projects is always a discovery process ~ in part I'm discovering the image hidden within the original work, but at the same time I'm discovering more about my own skills. You see, I honestly haven't a clue whether I can actually accomplish the task and I really don't even question it.  I just go on a sort of blind faith that the skills will kick in when I need them most.  It's a gift I readily accept from the universe and one I treasure immensely. And so it's the delicate path I walk each day in my creativity and although there might be more secure paths to follow, I rather enjoy this one ~ it's laced with uncertainty but filled with the sheer delight of new discovers and bringing happiness to others.

Enjoy~

Winter Jar Swap

A while back I announced that I was going to participate in my very first challenge and found this fun Winter Jar Swap through Glitter Tart Designs.  Today is the big day where we share what we created and received so we go...

Even with the wonderful challenge theme it was tough nailing down exactly what to create and so I allowed the project to take it's own direction. Finding that most of the winter items had been removed from my local craft store I chose to go in a "do-it-yourself" direction and made most of what I used.

What I wound up creating was a wintery scene of fairies in the woods...

First I lined the jar with a coating of "frost" throughout the inside of the glass, leaving only a small oval "viewing" area.  Then I added moss to create a hidden wooded feel which I frosted with white paint and shimmering glitter.  Using dowels, moss, paint, and glitter, I created a selection of small trees to add a sense of depth and dimension to the scene.  A small "frozen pond" cut out of glitter paper was added as a focal point in the scene.

Next I created a selection of tiny faeries which I printed and cut out, placing them in different locations throughout the scene.  Along side the "pond" I used a rusted antique key as a found object, wrapped with golden wire and a few small shimmering crystals. This provided a resting place for the faeries, along with a few natural gemstones as "rocks" to frame the pond.

On the outside I added some finishing touches, including paper "silhouettes", mesh flowers, snowflakes and vintage jeweled pieces.  While putting the final touches on everything a poem came to mind and so I included that with the completed package as well.

The second part of the swap was receiving the jar someone else made for me and that was equally as exciting.  Like any blank canvas the options are endless so I had no clue what to expect. My partner created a darling winter scene with a polar bear nestled in a glittery, wintery scene.

The touches of deep red flowers and grass blades she added were a perfect compliment to the cool green, white and silvery elements she used throughout.  I've been fond of polar bears for a long time ~ to me they're a symbol of tremendous strength yet still dependent upon our actions as caretakers of this planet.

I love that my partner included the swap title and her name, handwritten at the top. I didn't think to include this in my own creation and I think it's a great way to mark these different creative events.

This challenge was super fun and I really enjoyed reaching out of my usual comfort zone to create something whimsical and fun and the joy of receiving a  handmade gift from another creative soul.

Best,

Supplies

I spent some time searching for supplies yesterday in preparation for this fun little challenge I've joined.  I have to admit the jar was the easiest part, since I have a small collection accumulated from my favorite Caesar dressing. *yummm*

With the holidays now behind us it was a little difficult finding some of the goodies I was hoping for but I wound up locating some nice glittery paints, Spanish moss, and a sampling of scrapbooking supplies.

Of course my imagination was a million miles ahead of me; daydreaming of an icy pond scene with tiny skating figures surrounded by a snowy landscape ~ gotta love that imagination!  It's fun to plan though and even more fun to imagine how the final version will actually turn out.

I hope you're off to a creative start for the week too!

Best,

Outside

I'm not sure what it is about this year but I think the word "outside" is going to find it's way into more of what I do. It's not the great outdoors I'm thinking of but more of that area beyond this little box I spend my time in. You know, the one we always think is so "comfortable".  Stepping outside of that area seems to be something I'm more willing to do these days.  Not completely, but certainly in ways I'm not accustomed to.
Case in point... I've joined a challenge ~ yeah, me.  While I've never participated in one, I've certainly admired all those pretty little creations I see bloggers postings about and sharing ~ from ATC cards to small keepsakes; they're enchanting, lovely little treasures. Personally I think there's nothing better than "handmade" ~ there's just something about taking the time to make something for someone else that stirs the soul.

The challenge is being offered through Caroline's Glitter Tart Designs (cute title, isn't is?!) and is called the "Winter Jar Swap". Gee even that title is cute ~ invoking all sorts of snowy faerie images!  The challenge is open to anyone who wants to join-in until the 15th of January and you can find out more by clicking the challenge title above.

I'm super excited about this new territory ~ from making my own to receiving one from someone else. I haven't a clue what I'll make but I know I'll have fun. I guess there's a little part of me that wonders how many "outside" stories I'll have to reflect on at the end of the year.  Tough to tell, but for now I'm just appreciating the process of "stepping out".

Best~

What Goes Around Comes Around

Don't you love that title? I do.  There was a time in my life when I wouldn't have ~ when I wasn't concerned about how I treated others or for that matter, myself.  I'm glad I changed and so did my life. It's a happier place now.  It might not always be filled with sunshine and lollipops but at least I learned to see them in the most unlikely of places.

Today's lollipop is a followup post to my "The Beholder", written by Kinga, titled All's Well That Ends Well.  Needless to say the last 3 paragraphs had me wading in tears of humility and gratitude.

I hope you're finding your own lollipops this weekend!

Best~

The Beholder

I received a recent comment on one of my blog posts that shook me up a bit and I wanted to share the encounter with you.  Not for the shock affect but rather for how the whole situation turned out...

A while back I wrote a blog post titled "Connecting". Within that post I included a few images, a quote, and a video ~ all of which I had found on Facebook through other friend's musings and page postings. I found the content particularly inspirational and so I felt with the proper citations I could share them with my audience.  All was fine until yesterday when I received a comment from a blogger informing me that one of the images I used was her own original work and I did not have her permission to use the image.

I was mortified.

Of course it drives me crazy to see my own images used or altered without my permission but as an artist, an Art Education student, and being someone who tries to literally "live" the change she wants to see, the concept that I had inadvertently infringed on someone's copyright was absolutely horrifying.

Fortunately Kinga, the aforementioned artist, included a link to her diviantArt page within her comment and so I was able to contact her directly.  I think it's important to share this part because I could have easily just removed the image, deleted the artist's comment and none would have been the wiser but in truth I would have missed out on a wonderful opportunity.  You see upon visiting her page I was met with the most exquisite imagery I've seen in a very long time...

The Christmas Miracle by Kingabrit

Honestly this is my type of art ~ it's eclectic, whimsical, and phantasmagorical all rolled in one.

Here was an artist who's gorgeous images have been featured in such noted publications as Advanced Photoshop...

and Photoshop Creative...

I can only dream of her talents and aspire to create with her imaginary greatness...

New Moon Rises by Kingabrit

And so I wound up contacting Kinga.  To my delight she was gracious and kind and allowed me to keep the image in my original post, with proper credit and links now in place.  I think this important to share because too many times it's easy to get our feathers ruffled and can so easily miss little treasures.  From my perspective it's an absolute privilege to be able to share such beautiful imagery with you and an honor to converse with such a talented individual.  Beyond this I've had the opportunity to add one more artist to my own "Inspiration" section and found an opportunity to share her with all of you. It's wonderful to find the flip side to difficult situations and I do believe these opportunities are out there if we're only willing to look for them.

Here is a direct link to Kinga's deviantArt page if you wish to find out more about her artwork or follow her yourself: http://kingabrit.deviantart.com/

Best~

Custom Order of a Different Sort

Over the past six weeks I've had the pleasure of working on a very lovely custom order set.  A new customer had visited my Etsy shop and fell in love with the "Delicate Walk" bracelet ~

...her hope was to have me create a coordinating necklace.  I quickly got to work contacting the focal bead artist, the most amazingly talented Zuda Gay, to see if she could create a matching focal pendant. These type of flower focals can be tricky because the artist uses polymer canes and once the original color combination is used up it can be tough to recreate.  Fortunately Zuda was able to accommodate my request and within a short time the new focal had arrived.

From there it was a matter of coming up with some coordinating side beads.  I original made the side beads I used in the bracelet but being without a proper torch or annealing kiln these days, I needed to find an alternative source.  Fortunately there are a few beading artists I like on Etsy and so within a few weeks several custom lampwork bead orders began to arrive.

The assembly was exciting and fun ~ it's wonderful to see a project you've worked on for some time, finally all come together.  The end result is this matching set that both the customer and I love.

I hadn't realized how similar these type of projects are to the custom order blog themes I create but they too possess the ability to create something truly special for someone and to connect with the person I'm creating for ~ I think in this crazy busy world we share, that's a true gift in itself.

Best,

Painting!

Wow! I had no idea painting could be so much fun!  Sure I've touched brush to canvas before but honestly it's been so long I really can't remember the last time. I recently picked up this great little starter kit which included a selection of acrylic paints and 9 small canvases.  It was an absolute steal at 50% off and since I've had painting on my mind over the past several months I snatched it up.

Those canvases have been all but screaming at me lately so I finally took some time over the weekend and gave it a try.  Here are a sampling of my first attempts...

I had fun including different elements ~ for example the painting below is titled "Break-time" and includes espresso coffee grinds and pomegranate rose tea.  I have a collection of rose petals from my garden so I included a few of those and one is even heart shaped...

I think I love mixing colors the most ~ it's just so much fun to watch the swirling colors mingle and blend to create new shades and patterns.  The bottom one is titled "Winter Rose"...

This one is my son's favorite, probably for the dark browns and greens with vintage imagery and watches, he's always favored that style...

Now the trick is figuring out how to properly photograph them ~ it seems I don't have a white wall in house (hmph!) but I hope to get that figured out soon.

I want to thank Angie of Artangel and Lisa of The Wright Stuff for all their help and tips on getting started with this medium.  Both of their work have served as strong inspirations to me in the past and I really appreciate all the help with answering questions and offering up creative advice ~ thanks ladies!

Best~

Thanksgiving and a Lens

One of the big treats for the holidays is spending time with my daughter-in-law.  With  her innate artistic abilities she fits beautifully into our outside-the-box family.  She's currently studying for her degree in Photography and so you can imagine what an added bonus her talents are around the holidays.  Her is a small selection of her wonderful imagery... 

welcoming...

entering...

 

smiling...

baking...

refreshing...

waiting....

playing...

conspiring...

 

clowning...

 

jumping...

catching...

sharing...

lifting...

 resting...

Best~