Zendala Doodle

Nursing a bit of a naughty hangover on Sunday, I wasn't hugely in the mood for crafting, or housework, or anything really. But I really needed to work on some display pieces for work, one of them being a doodle.

More on what the Doodle is for later, but in the meantime I found I could scribble away withou it causing too much of a headache.

So here is my Zendala (cross between a Manadala and a Zentangle) Doodle.

Work in progress.

Finished..... or is it? I always find I can go back & add bits later.

Do you doodle?

Introducing Madarts

For Christmas I got a lovely piece of artwork from my sister, Julie.  Her friend Maddie had created it and she thought it was right up my street.  It certainly was!

Here it is.....

I love the way the background variates down through the pictures.

I had met Maddie before so I added her on Facebook and liked her MADARTS page.

While browsing through her images I found another that I totally loved, this one reminded me so much of one of my favourite places, Marrakesh, I just simply had to have it.

Makes me long to be back there every time I look at it.

As I have been sorting out and getting rid, I gave Maddie a few bags full of stuff to sell on her eBay site, in return I got given another piece of her art, this one....

It works so well on the wall with the other two.

I have my eye on another as we speak, I love this, the colours just totally work for me.

Go have a look yourself, there may be something you like  :)

www.facebook.com/MadArts68

Warwick Higgs

Yesterday was my sister, Julie's, birthday and she is a massive 'big cats' fan.  So I bought her a Warwick Higgs print which I then got framed.

I have loved Warwick Higgs work for ages.  Daddy L used to have a fine art print and framing business so I got to see some wonderful art work as it came into stock.

I bought Julie a wonderful picture of Cheetahs, called 'Peek-A-Boo'.  She loved it.

I also had to treat myself to a new one, I bought 'Head Start'. I don't have it framed yet, will do that when I redecorate my dining room.

Also, in my collection of Warwick Higgs work I have 'The Runners'  (cannot seem to find this one online anywhere, perhaps it's now out of print).

'Highs and Lows'

And the Polar Bear range titled 'First', Second' and 'Third'.

Thought I'd share  :)

Abstract Wall Hangings.

A little experiment fresh from the kiln.

It does need a little tweaking, as most experiments do, but quite pleased with the outcome.

So, a selection of glass rods, chosen in complimenting colours and arranged (or should I say balanced) in the kiln and left to slump down.

The beauty about these is that you can hang it in whichever way you prefer, so if you like things square you can have it straight on, and if you prefer it diagonally you just hang it from a corner.

This is the same piece, just photographed from a different angle, as you can see it looks quite different.

They measure approx 15" x 12"

Stained Glass Wall Hanging

Following on from my Stained Glass course with Mo Wallis way back in November, I came home and ordered all the equipment and gadgets that I needed to have a go myself.

Until this week it has sat in a box unpacked, but I decided I should really have a go while I can still recall what to do.

A wall hanging, I decided.

I love waves and circles as opposed to straight lines and right angles, so I drew a random pattern on a piece of paper, blobs and rounds, and curves.

To add texture to the piece I decided to fuse some glass to make nuggets, this would make the finished hanging a little more 3D I thought. Then I cut glass, grinded (ground?) the edges and got showered in millions of glass splinters. On trying to pull one out of my hair I managed to cut a chunk of hair out !! A bandana is needed next time I think, or perhaps a baseball cap.

I still need to work hard practising my soldering skills, it's all a little too rough for my liking, but hopefully it will improve with time.

This piece is just slightly smaller than A4, and I think I will gift it to my Godparents, who I am visiting tonight after too many years of not being in touch.

Splosh - Bottle Art Wall Hangings.

I had a cunning plan, but it didn't quite work, so the next best thing was to turn it around and try something else. Bring on Splosh ! Bottle Art.

Smashed up wine and beer bottles, arranged in an abstract manner and melted in the kiln, then a little strong wire added for a hanger, and in some cases a little matching dangle too :)

I have ideas for advancing this design, so watch this space - once I can figure out how to use the bottle cutter to cut perfect rings !!