FrAgMENteD Journal Continued

A continuation of my FrAgMENteD Journal. It's interesting how the drawn parts look larger than the photograph parts. I traced them, so they are the same. I also liked the collage on the left better versus the right. Actually, I am not sure which collage I prefer. Which one do you like best?

For those of you who read my journal pages, my husband Mark is doing fine. It was surgery for carpal tunnel, Lateral epicondylitis, also known as tennis elbow and Medial epicondylitis, also known as golfers elbow.

Raven Box

This box was a gift, just the box. My family knows me well. I love boxes! It is an empty German candy box. Ancient Asbach brandy-chocolates made from the river Rhine Rudsheim. I painted the raven on it this past Fall. I felt the box needed something more, perhaps a shadow for the bird. So it sat unfinished until today. I traced the raven and cut it out of dark paper, lined up the feet, and traced the shadow made by a sunny window. A decorative piece of wood is the finishing touch. My original intent was to list this in my Etsy shop...

until I discovered that my bead design board fits inside perfectly. This will make transporting and storing my jewelry in progress a lot easier. I guess that I need to keep the box now. Time to find another box to paint.

January Sketchbook Challenge – Doodling

I am a bit behind on my sketchbook challenge posts. January’s challenge was “doodling” and it is already March.

As you can see from the dates on my journal pages I did complete these in January. I used the paint from my prize winnings from the December Sketchbook Challenge. More information from that post here. I am quite happy with the selection of Luminarte Radiant Rain colors that I received.

I admit that I haven’t even started to work on the February theme, but I did put it on my to do list. I’m looking forward to trying the twinkling H20’s shimmering watercolors next.

I like the contrast in the first doodle more than the wash of colors in the second one. It’s my journal, experimentation rather than perfection is the goal.

More Drawers – Repurposed Silverware Chest

I seem to be drawn to these vintage silverware chests at garage sales. I love boxes and drawers! I brought this one up from storage and put in the necklaces I have been making. Some are already listed in my Etsy shop. Some aren’t quite done yet.

A close-up of the burgundy velvet lined drawers and jewelry. Looking at this picture reminds me how varied the styles are that I like to create in.

RAEvN’s Nest Dress Form

I want a dress form to display my jewelry for photo shoots. I love the vintage muslin dressmaker forms with the manufacturers name stenciled on them. I really don’t need another dressform, I already have three.

This is one of the dressforms that I have. After tightening up all of the sections it does look better. Of course it is now too small to use for making clothes for myself. I find that the separate sections are too distracting.

The dress form does look better with the knit shell pulled up and pinned on but I really have my heart set on a muslin one.

So I decided to try and make my own. This will be a removable canvas cover.

I am not very good at taking step by step pictures. If I’m creating I don’t usually feel like recording. Here it is almost done. What do you think?

I made a stencil with my own name for it.

I still need a metal collar to complete the look.

One of my necklaces displayed! More to come…

Snow - Weather to Talk About!

This had been a mild Winter without much snow. Perhaps today will be different. March 2 marks the first "Winter Storm Warning" of the year.

We already have a few inches here in Fredonia. This is the view from my front door.


The snow is heavy and wet. The white pine trees are already leaning over from the weight.

Printers Cabinet Now Holds Jewelry Making Supplies

I couldn't resist this printers cabinet! I sold some things I kind of liked and bought this cabinet that I really like. My assemblage studio isn't heated so I squeezed this into the kitchen for now. It will be for my jewelry making supplies. Yes, I know I have a drawer problem. I told my friend Jill Shulse while watching Hoarders, one of our favorite pastimes, "I'm one of those organized hoarders. When I'm 80 my house will be lined with rows of cabinets with drawers. There will only be enough room to walk through the aisles. All my drawers will be labeled and if I like you I will let you look in them. LOL"!

It fits perfectly in front of the mural that I painted on the walls years ago. Instead of standing on a door the rooster looks like it is standing on the cabinet.


This is one of my drawers for "Inspiration" pieces.

This drawer is for pearls and shells...

One of the drawers waiting to be filled...