Mixed Media Collage Hastypearl

Mixed Media Collage

Hastypearl

I. Love. To. Collage. :)

I told the story a while back, 

about taking a ton of paper to Colorado during one of our last visits.

For me, Colorado means...No Cooking.

No Cleaning.

Few Responsibilities.

Etc.

On the Flip side it DOES Mean...

Yes, to Exploring.

Yes, to Photography.

Yes, to Art.

So, my favorite thing to do, when I first arrive, 

is I set up a great Drafting Table that the previous owner of our home, left, 

a nice lamp for light, 

and a small radio set to KSNO...get it?...Sno :)

Then, I spread my supplies out, that I have bit by bit, 

sent up in USPS flat rate boxes and 

I CREATE!!!

Well, back to my story.

I first cut out my basic 4"x 4", 5" x 7 ", 8" x 10 " and 10 " x 14 " watercolor paper.

Then, as they say...I Let The Fur Fly !

When I do multiples like this, 

its wonderful, to see a series of themes, 

similar colors, style and even philosophy take shape.

My life experiences certainly speak up.

Songs that I hear, speak up.

Dreams that I have, speak up.

Everything at that moment...Can Speak !

One thing that I did at the Redstone Labor Day Art Show this year, 

was intentionally NOT tell my customers the art pieces' stories.

They are after all, MY story and don't have any business worming 

their way into someone else's lives :)

I like to leave that up to the viewer.

Again...what ended up happening to these pieces on that trip was...

I got all of the compositions laid out, 

probably three days before we were to head home...

but I hadn't taken into account, 

that they ALL HAD TO BE GLUED DOWN, BEFORE I LEFT!!!!

EEEEEK!

So, I went white knuckle nose to the ground, and glued almost 40 pieces, 

with just enough time to have them dry and to be 

packed in my luggage to bring home !

I think I was a little Too relaxed and without a plan and it was a Close Call !

My recommendation to you...

Don'tEverDoThat !

So, here are some of the 10 " x 14 " pieces that I created on that trip.

They are all mounted on beautiful birch cradle boards, with black edges.

(I've recently blogged about that process if you would like to learn)

They have saw tooth hangers making them ready to hang,

 or I often lean my art on a shelf, against our books, or even on a mantle or console,

They certainly can still be professionally framed.

I like to give my customers options.

*

This first piece is called, Reclamation.

Below, is a close up of my handmade watercolor papers, 

vintage fibers with a little stitch, 

the stain patterns left on a tea bag, 

all built on a vintage journal page, #45.

*

This next piece is called, Neighbors.

Named after another old poem.

I've NEVER been able to recreate that amazing Teal color since 

this piece of handmade watercolor rice paper. 

You would think if you did it once, you could do it again.

It is my quest...to keep trying, because it is SO striking.

There are lots of subtle metallic's on that same sheet of paper.

Stitch, and vintage trim, a vintage telegram fragment 

and black and white, mark making paper.

The image, two down, shows the profile of the black edged cradle board.

* 

This next piece is called, The Roots.

I used a very old botanical book page, 

and circled the words in metallic gold thread,

The roots, 

followed by more random circled words...

...established a position and in particular abundance.

Then, I stitched a tree above and below the earth.

And I also included a paper fragment with the words...

...coming home.

Lastly, the piece that I titled...

you, me, us 

You can see the fragment with those words covered by the sheer gold paper.

The colors on my handmade watercolor paper, run from greens to salmon.

It takes layer upon layer of colors, to get this much coverage.

Sometimes, I just can stop!

Every new color that I add, makes it even more beautiful.

There is another word fragment...

I am always on the look and listen out, for beautiful phrases.

This one says...

...and how we used to lay under the tree, gazing upwards...

Who hasn't done that in their lives?

If you haven't...you Must!

And maybe you will do it With someone...

...you, me, us

Relationships like that, are woven together.

Weaving's in my art are always symbolic and seemed so for this piece.

*

My customers tell me that they can look at my art over and over, 

See new things.

Find new meanings.

Its a way for me to tell a story.

An open ended story.

One that doesn't have a right or a wrong.

Its just up to the viewer, to fill it in for themselves.

So, it has been a while, since I had posted my hastypearl art.

These four 10 " x 14 " pieces are listed at $140. each

I hope that you enjoyed seeing it and maybe could see it working its way into your lives :)

These pieces are all listed in my Etsy Hastypearl shop.

Please take a look at more images of them, and the other listings that I have.

You can go there by tapping here !

I'm so glad that you stopped by.

I'd love for you to sign up to receive an email,

(you can find that box on the right side column) 

letting you know when I next post.

I hope you will :)

See you again, soon?

Enjoy these wonderful days !

Best...Laura   

One Thing Leads To The Other... Hastypearl

One Thing Leads To The Other...

Hastypearl

As you well know by now, 

half of my heart resides in the Hill Country, in Texas, 

and the other half belongs to the Rocky Mountains, in Colorado.

Right away, you can see that I have Great Taste, right? :)

A while back, one of my favorite Art and Business Mentors, 

(I have quite a few), 

told me to start submitting my art, 

and One Thing Would Lead To The Other.

 I took her advice.

After all, What Would I Have to Lose? 

While I always know that Providence is in control 

of everything 

that happens in my life, 

including the good AND the bad, 

I still love watching it play out.

For instance...

A Colorado Home Owners Association reply letter from me 

and sent to a neighbor Betty Bradley,

with my Hastypearl Etsy and Blog addresses in the signature, 

led her to explore my Etsy shop.

After that, 

she asked if I would submit a piece of my Mixed Media Art 

to a fund raiser for a ministry, that we have known about for years.

Of course I said, Yes!

I didn't know that she was the President of the Redstone Art Foundation, 

that holds an annual Art Show, to raise money for 

Art Scholarships for High School students 

headed to Art Schools.

She asked me to participate in that Art Show

....my very first Show Ever!

Again, I said, YES! 

See?

One Thing Leads To The Other...  

I'm sure that you have had similar things happen to you, both large and small.

This past 2015 Labor Day weekend, was when the Redstone Art Show took place.

It wasn't easy long distance preparing, shipping and setting up

...but I am So Glad that I did it.

It has given me a total new respect, 

for those of you who do this on a regular basis.

Now I can see what you guys go through :)

It was a wonderful learning curve and I feel so much better for it.

I am thrilled that I have been invited back,

 and even asked to make the name tags!

So, while I worked Many hours daily at the Art Show, 

I also found time,

 to practice shooting in Manual mode with my camera

...another wonderfully steep learning curve!

Lets face it, every where in America is beautiful, 

so all you have to do is look around, and snap!

Below, are various photos that my husband took of my space.

The weather was all over the charts, 

but the fantastic enclosure that it was held in, was not only charming, 

but also very safe for the Art.

At closing time, we enjoyed the great restaurants in the Redstone area, 

and as Always, found a few necessary minutes out in nature.

One day at the Art Show, was funny hat day.

I had a hat, but didn't have the Funny!

Larry suggested that I find and attach something that I had made, 

so I used my handmade leathery envelopes and lavender filled pouches.

The side benefit was that it smelled great :)

I'm not sure how people Actually took me serious, but I had to get in the game!

Larry took the following pictures of me with my customers.

I was actually Emotional when I downloaded them and saw them for the first time.

Whether they were buyers or not, it gave me such joy, 

to expose people, and some for the first time, 

to my idea of story telling with Vintage Items.

It was a brand new concept for many.

I told them, that I have a philosophy, that Art doesn't have to be Flat!

And, that there are more kinds of art than Oils and Watercolors

...both of which I love.

I want my Art to reach OUT AT you and beg you to touch it.

I want it to Move.

I want it to flutter in a breeze.

And most of all, I want it to do that Over and Over again.

I have had patrons tell me that they can see something new 

in my pieces, every time that they look at it.

High Compliments...the Best !

So, Look at their body language as I help them find their own stories.

If that is all that I came away with, it would have Been Enough.

Makes me soooooo happy!

These Mixed Media Angels, are a few of the pieces that found new homes.

I was Thrilled to learn that the angel above, named Beauty, was featured in 

Both the Aspen and Glenwood Springs newspapers.

With so much great art to choose from, 

I was Really Honored.

I was surprised when my friend Janette, still wearing her pajamas,

 appeared at my door with one of the newspapers one morning !

Beauty, was sold to a customer, that didn't know about the features!

I have another theory that can be Patience Testing.

Maybe you already know about it.

The piece above, was called, Thimble Heart and 

was far and away, my most "Favorited" Art item on Hastypearl Etsy.

Way over 1000 people gave me the thumbs up on this piece.

The cost was unbelievably Affordable.

(I have a friend on Etsy that tells me that I should raise my prices:)

So, why hadn't it sold?

Poor SEO? Too much Art on Etsy to choose from? Some other reason?

No.

Here's my theory... 

I think its because it was WAITING for its owner.

I've finally learned that Everything that I sell, 

has a special owner just waiting to find it 

and it makes me Crazy Happy 

when I can introduce them !

I had a wonderful time visiting with literally hundreds of people 

from the Aspen area and Much farther afield.

I made New friends, which was High on my trips Goals list, 

and I visited with others that I had already given my heart to.

Wonderful things happen to ALL of us.

Sometimes, we can believe the lie, that things like "That" just don't happen to me, 

but if we live long enough, Things like "That" happen to ALL of us.

For me, this past weekend will be one that I wont Ever Forget.

My Biggest THANKS to All of You that 

contributed to my Very Happy Weekend! xo 

Thanks as always for stopping by my blog...

I'm so glad that you did !

 Laura aka Hastypearl

...please check my shop as I will be listing many new pieces of Art and Vintage Parts.

It may seem early, but many pieces that I sold this weekend, 

will be gifts for the upcoming seasons!

It gave me great Joy, to hear my buyers say that they couldn't 

wait for their loved ones to see their one of a kind, finds!

Photography Learning Curve

Hastypearl

Understanding Exposure

How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera 

by Bryan Peterson

If you had ever told me, that the hardest part of opening an Etsy shop was going to be the photography, I'm not sure I would have even been educated enough to argue with you.

Now, I know better:)

Anyway, I march on.

I wanted to share with you, a book that Anne Christian Lory's

suggested to me.

I've read it through, thoroughly and now, am going back through

it and taking notes.

I'm guessing that I will do that a number of times.

As another bold step, I've taken the first part of a beginner photography class at the Camera Exchange, in San Antonio.

(also a suggestion of Anne's. I don't know what I would do without you, Angel Anne :)  

I was VERY thankful, that I had read this book first.

To practice what I had learned to date,

I made myself shoot only in Manual Mode,

while we were just in Colorado.

Shooting the same scene, over and over,

while changing the settings helped immensely.

There is Nothing like repetition to bury something inside us.

Anyway, I just thought that for those of you

struggling with your photography,

I would share.

Plus, I JUST now figured out how to blog on my IPad,

which is another thing that has baffled me.

I ask you one final question...

Why do our children grow into wonderful adults and

contribute to our society and yet leave us at home,

to figure all of these things out for ourselves:)

Just listed some terrifically massive vintage scissors over at hastypearl etsy,

HTTPS://www.etsy.com/shop/hastypearl

(Curious to see if that will be a link when I publish...if it doesn't, pop over to Etsy.com and type in Hastypearl...until I figure out how to make a link on my IPad :)

Or, you can see a button on the right side column that will take you there!

Hope you will head over and see what you think:)

Thanks as always, for stopping by to visit.

It makes me so happy that you do!!

Best...Laura aka hastypearl

Marbleizing on Paper Step By Step Hastypearl

Marbleizing on Paper

Step By Step

Hastypearl

I have always been fascinated by old books.

It seems like the details and care taken in illustrating them, are so exceptional.

The end pages are often marbleized and it mesmerizes me to see them.

I happened upon a video of the technique of marbleizing one day 

and thought that only someone with years of mastering could do it.

Then, this past year, Crystal Neubauer came to my home to teach a workshop, 

and as a part of her mark making, she taught us a very simple technique 

that made me think that even someone like novice me...and maybe you...

could enjoy marbleizing. 

Crystal taught us using ink, but while walking around the workshop room, 

I saw that one of the students had used a Pebeo product, 

and I knew that I would order some to try for myself.

It has its Advantages and its Disadvantages.

Disadvantage...its not water soluble, 

so what you use to drop it, is pretty much useless afterwards.

Advantages...it comes in a lot of amazing colors that to me, 

resemble those in the great vintage books that I love seeing.

So, you decide what you want to use.

I found these paint boxes on Amazon and they were each affordable.

I think it could take a lifetime to use all of the paint.

I opened all of the bottles and gathered a flat plastic tray, 

that would accommodate the size of paper that I used.

Choose something that is disposable.

I decided to try using toothpicks.

You will need to stir the paint with one, anyway.

Let a drop of paint fall to the water.

It will sit on the surface of the water.

Drop as many as you want, and as many colors as you want.

Gently stir the stick through the water, or, you can gently blow 

on the surface of the water 

so that the colors move around.

If you decide to use water soluble ink, you can purchase plastic 

transfer pipettes on Amazon.

They are also very affordable and useful to have for lots of other projects. 

The ink or paint, will make interesting shapes.

That is what you will capture with your paper.  

I gathered strips of leftover 140 lb. watercolor paper.

Crystal also used old book pages.

Thinner paper didn't work so great.

Just play with what you have and see what you like.

Gently, lay each strip on top of the water.

When you lift the paper, the paint will have transferred to the paper.

Lay them out to dry.

I used my heat gun, to speed the drying process some.

If you don't feel like you have enough paint on your paper, dip again!

Its fun to see the individuality of each piece.

No two could possibly be alike :)

These were some of my finished strips!

I had planned on making some new journal covers 

and was happy to have some new strips of marbleized papers 

to incorporate into the compositions!

Can you find them? :)

This technique is so easy.

Yes, there are people that have serious skills and you Should Google 

and watch some of the videos.

Most of us don't need to start with such complicated processes.

Its fun!

I think that you will be happy if you invest in either inks Or paints.

* 

We just returned from a trip to the cool Colorado mountains where we 

played as a family with polymer clay's.

I'm thinking, that we may give marbleizing a try, 

next time we get together :)  

Let me know how it goes for you, if you give it a try!

I'm so glad that you stopped by for a visit.

I hope that you are all enjoying your days.

It's the Dog Days of Summer in Texas.

Working in the garden, happens only in the earliest hours...then 

its back inside where its cool.

It really makes me thoughtful for those men and women 

whose jobs are outside, year around.

Best to all...Laura

39 Things About One Photo Hastypearl

39 Things About This Photo

Hastypearl

1. I've lost my mind, to have sold these amazing 1940's Lucite Butterscotch Buttons.

I cant help it! I find amazing things and then list them on Etsy hastypearl. Of course, its only a matter of time, before the Smartest Persons in the whole world find them and buy them.

2. I don't know if the color of the buttons is really called Butterscotch, but doesn't it just Sound delicious?

3. I have sellers remorse. Almost every time I sell something wonderful.

4. I think I'm going to buy some Butterscotch candy, tomorrow.

5. The two rocks are from Colorado.

6. I pick them up on the banks of the Crystal River near my house.

7. I don't know how many different kinds of rocks there are represented by that river, but I own many of them.

8. I don't know why they look like they do, but I want to.

9, They both have a heart theme. One is shaped like a heart, and the other has a heart shape embedded in it.

10, The one with the heart shape embedded in it, is the color of Butterscotch.

11. Now, I really want some Butterscotch.

12. I Eco Dyed the paper in a pot of water, yesterday.

13. I collected the plant material from my garden.

14. I laid it on the paper, rolled it around a copper pipe, dropped it in a tamale pot filled with boiling water, two black walnuts that a friend shared with me, and a piece of iron pipe.

15. When I took the paper out of the pot, I hated the lilac color.

16. I lay the papers on my lawn to dry under a mostly cloudy sky.

17. When I looked at them again this morning, I loved them. I'm pretty sure that there is a lesson about waiting to judge things in there.

18. I got to have an impromptu phone conversation with the person who gave me the walnuts. All because I didn't like the purple. I should remember that and call her again, when I don't like something. It was fun.

19. I photographed this collection in front of a window in my kitchen on a cloudy day. I will do that again, soon.

20. I placed everything on a Vintage French Cutting Board, that was a generous gift from someone that I hardly know.

21. Generous gifts from someone that you hardly know, effect you.

22. Generous gifts from someone that you hardly know are hard to receive.

23. I'm not entirely sure why, but they make me want to give generously.

24. Now that I think of it, the color of boards in the cutting board look like Butterscotch.

25. I think that the grocery store opens at 7 a.m. 

26. I'll set my alarm for early and go there to buy some Butterscotch.

27. I used some yellow Coreopsis flowers from my garden, in the Dye process.

28. You can see the Butterscotch stained color on the paper.

29. There is even a little bit of the petal left on the paper.

30. A generous and talented artist casually mentioned Coreopis to me on FB this week.

31. Maybe I should send her some Butterscotch.

32. I have left the C out of the word Butterscotch every time that I have typed it in this posting.

33. I'm pretty crazy about these photographs.

34. I'm sure that I will think of something that I left out of this list, when I hit the publish button.

35. I think I'm going to publish now, and head on to the grocery store, tonight.

36. I haven't tasted a Butterscotch in at least 50 years.

37. Apparently, seeing this photo, the colors, and writing the word Butterscotch over and over, can be a powerfully persuasive thing. 

38. I thought that I would think of 40 things about these images, but I'm done.

Thank goodness for words...A picture is worth a million of them (That Could count as 39.)

Thanks for stopping by...I'm off to buy some Butterscotch...:) Laura

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additional picture added below two days later...

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I thought that you might enjoy seeing what my sister just gave me for Mother's Day....

She is THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!

I mean....THE BEST....

Laura