New work - Map of I AM.

During a small bout of restlessness, I got the idea that it may be fun and a great challenge to compete in a few art competitions.  I love the feeling of being pushed to do better and to create something that is true to me on a subject matter that I might otherwise never consider.  I hit up the theartlist.com and found a call for entry with the theme of maps.  The only requirement was that the piece must include some element of maps within it.  The following is my creation and hopefully will be juried into the show.  We shall see.

I am asked a lot about my process and how I create one of my mosaics from start to finish.  Here is a journal in pictures of sorts.  The original drawing was done on a 12x12 art board.  I start with an idea on how to do one small area and do not think about any other part of the picture until I get there.  With so many pieces to the puzzle, it is too overwhelming to think about it as a whole.  I let the picture unfold organically.  The pictures where I remove thought from the process and just let it become what it does, are always the most enjoyable to make and the most pleasing to view.

Now Free Forever! Quilling Shapes Tutorial up on LittleCircles.net

You asked for it and I listened - my very popular quilling shapes tutorial is now available for free... forever... on little circles.net!  If you need to learn or know someone who wants to get crafty, this detailed tutorial will do the trick.  Check it out.  If you love it, please pin it or share it so we can grow this amazing craft. Mahalo.

Shapes Tutorial

Quilled Retro Telly Fish Tank

I have had this design in my head for the longest time, but finally got around to making it tonight.  I love how it turned out.  I am going to make up a couple more versions this week and post a tutorial on littlecircles.net really soon for those interested in trying it out for themselves.  I think I will finish it off as I do all my jewelry and turn it into a necklace.  It will be a total fun wear.

Lotus Flower

Just finished up my lotus flower.  It is pretty huge.  I am not sure I will be able to pull off wearing it - we'll see.  I am gearing up for some exciting (and free) new project tutorials for the members on my website.  I will be posting pics soon!

Big News!

Big, big news in the world of little circles...  We've got a website!  Not a personal website, but a social one where quillers can meet, get inspired, exchange and learn.  There are galleries, tutorials, and soon a shop that will be filled with more than 100 shades of quilling paper and the latest tools.  We may have a few surprises up our sleeve as well ;) I am so excited for this new endeavor and I hope that other paper rolling enthusiasts will like it as well.  If you are one of them, why not check it out?  There will be many additions coming in the next few months, but the site is worth a good look around.  Let me know what you think!

www.littlecircles.net

Intention Necklace.

I believe in the power of intention - as in, what you think about, comes about. Set an intention and then see it come into fruition. That mindset is what inspired this Intention Pendant that I designed last night for myself. It will soon be made into a necklace, but I wanted to share it with you first. It measures in at 2.5 x 2.75 inches and was created in many hues of violets and green - thus setting my intention for spirituality, abundance and health.

I will be making up a few more color varieties (thus different intentions) over the next few days as well as additional designs with intention as the intention (punny!) and may even add them to my Etsy shop... we shall see.  I am working on my soul series of paper mosaics and find this realm of paper jewelry making a nice retreat and compliment to the work.  I hope you like them as much as I do.

It's Springtime in Paper Earring Land!

Although I live in Hawaii and the weather here is pretty much always amazing, sunny and warm... I swear I can feel spring nipping at the toes of all of my favorite peeps in the North.  As with all seasonal change, something in my body goes *SWITCH* and I need to create new beautiful things in it's honor and in new and fabulous colors to boot.  The itch hit me this week and ever since, my little fingers have been busily working on new designs for the warmer days ahead.  There is absolutely more to come, but here is a peek at what I've been doing :)

Getting along.

I feel like I have hit a new stride in my work.  I feel like I made a decision in which I am really going to show up for myself - and for no other reason than to please my being.  I am sure this makes no real sense, but that does not make it any less true.  I have been working on a new picture and am finding the greatest satisfaction in it's creation.  It is the first in a series that I hope to accomplish in the upcoming months.  I feel I only have a few days of work left until it's completion, but as I have a motto of never getting in the way of life... the estimate is merely that.

I took this picture of the work in progress a few days ago.  The finished project will be 11 x 14" unframed.  This is just a glimpse - I do not want to spoil the overall feeling by showing too much at this unfinished stage.

And here is another (the last of February) mini work that I created for a swap on Craftster.org.  Measuring in at 2.5 x 3.5 inches - it was incredible to make.  I love working on the details of such small projects.  It was ridiculously fun.  My partner's theme was Japan.

The Bride.

I belong to quite a few different art and quilling groups, both online and off, but my favorite one at the moment is Craftster.  There are so many incredibly talented and inspiring people on there that post pictures of their ideas and projects.  They also hold different challenges and swaps which I adore.  I love swapping.  I do personal swaps at festivals and such all of the time and some of the most amazing art I own was acquired in this manor.  My new obsession in the world of swaps however is one that I  was introduced to recently: Art Trading Cards (ATC).  I posted previously about a card that I created (the robot) and I am back to share my latest with you today.  The thing I love about doing ATC swaps is that the person you are swapping with dictates the subject matter based on their personal preferences.  These likes and dislikes are usually quite different from my own which pushes my brain.  I am creating a work with another person in mind while keeping to my artistic methods and creativity.  The same is done when I do most commission work, but the ATC cards have the added element of being extremely tiny. A finished piece must measure in at 2.5 x 3.5 inches in total.  Which when you are used to working with much more space, is a great challenge.  I love it.  Troy has imposed a limit as to how many swaps I am allowed to participate in at any given time (they take a lot of time and I do create such work as a living normally) but I am embracing it.  The swaps seem to give me the feeling I used to have when I was more craft, less art.  I don't know why, but it is nice to step back once in awhile.  I also get beautiful little cards of art in the mail themed on MY preferences, which is simply amazing.

Shannon's Perfect Tree

Here is the third piece I have completed for the friend of mine who has started a collection.  It was inspired by a photo he sent me of a tree that his wife loves in Michigan.  The kids call it 'Mom's Perfect Tree'.

Newly finished commissioned work - 'Lily'

I was commissioned by an old friend to do two pictures for him and his wife. They bought a small piece from me a few months back and are now starting to collect. They want all three pieces to be nature in theme and be bright and bold. The first work they bought from me was a 5 x 7" retro flower picture that I often do variations of because they are so popular. This go round they requested a 6 x 8" and an 8 x 10". The 6 x 8 was left entirely up to me. The following pictures are of what I came up with. I just finished last night. I am pretty happy with the finished effect. I used all of the colors that I used in their previous picture plus many additional. I plan on incorporating this element in the third as well. The couple plan on hanging their collection as a grouping - and while they will all be different in subject and perhaps even stylistically, there will at least be a little similarity amongst them all. I have sent off photos to him but have year to hear back as to whether or not he likes the work. I hope it is a yes... then I can get started on the next one :)

Here is a photo of the picture I made that inspired the first work the couple commissioned from me:

Hawaiian Petroglyphs

The first four in a series of Hawaiian petroglyphs (rock carvings) that I plan on creating.  You can find renditions all over the islands by many talented artists and it was time to do my own version.  Each is 3.5 x 5 inches plus frame size.

New Work.

This is an 8 x 10" work and I am currently getting ideas for names on my Facebook page.  If you've got any ideas - head on over and give it a go :)

surf-ettes in progress.

I have taken a few days off from my picture to spend some time doing other quilling related projects, but am now back at it.  I am in the thick of working on a 16x20" picture - which take me forever and a day to finish and leave me little time to blog if I am really acting like the dedicated quiller I proclaim to be.  So... here is a sneak peak of a bit of the work before I put the computer down and head back to the grind.

Stiff ladies.

Starting something new...

trees.

I kind of have a thing for trees.  Sometimes, even in the middle of a different project, I feel the need to stop and paper a tree.  This is one of those times.