Colorado Creatures Watercolor Collage Hastypearl

Colorado Creatures Watercolor Collage

Hastypearl

As you know, I enjoy traveling to the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

It is a Happy and Reoccurring theme, in my life.

While in Colorado one trip, I decided to focus on and to draw and paint, some of the local animals.

I will usually head outside, under giant and ancient evergreens, and listen to the birds, hummers, squirrels and the nearby Crystal River, for inspiration.

I ended up Drawing and Watercoloring a number of animals, two of which are featured in this posting.

I know that I just posted about these, in the previous blog posting, but I thought that I would revisit them, with a few more images and explanation.

Today, you will see, The Barn Owl and the Red Fox.

My Best Animal Treat on that trip, was actually seeing a Red Fox, literally sit down yards from me, while I photographed with curiosity, as to why he seemed so docile. 

I questioned a local about it and he said that unfortunately, people had probably been feeding it, in their backyards.

Irregardless, I had thought so much about the Red Fox, that I was so glad to be able to see him.

All of the Foxes in my Texas neighborhood do what nature intends them to do, which is to Disappear! 

I didn't collage the pieces, until after the trip, and back here in my Texas studio.

Its hard to travel with the perfect papers for projects.

It was fun to continue the process After I got home, anyway.

It was a way for me to remember my trip and enjoy thinking about those special hours, creating.

As I look back over this collection, I see that I had a bit of a black and white theme going.

That combination is dramatic and always one of my favorites.

Please Enjoy!

I love his serious and business like eyes.

It feels like he is locked on to his dinner! Yikes!

He is a set of blank cards. 

I often write in my Etsy, Hastypearl card set listings, that after the recipient enjoys the card, 

its easy to slip it into a ready cut mat, for framing.

The card below, is a black and white version of the Watercolored one, above.

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The three Red Fox pieces below would look great framed as a set, but can also stand, alone.

The first piece and Fox, is definitely the confident Alpha Fox, and Leader of the Pack. 

Sometimes, we all enjoy kicking back, and letting someone else more qualified, do the leading.

I used Vintage Ephemera from my collection. 

Below, is the full shot of the piece.

This second piece, is a pair... maybe they are siblings?

They have stopped, to look off into the distance at something that has caught their eye. 

I wonder what it was?

More Layers of Vintage Papers.

Here they are again, framed in a ready cut mat just to show you just how easy it can be.

Finally, the last piece, is the Fox at the back of the pack.

You've heard the phrase..."I've got your back".

Its good to know that there is always Someone...that has our backs for us, right?

Also on this piece, is a page from a dictionary from the 1800's, 

a small bit of Colorado map, actually near where we stay, 

and some pages from a Vintage Typing School Book.

Below, is a shot of the last piece...again framed.

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It was a Wonderful time of focus on animals of the region that I love.

Both animals are Illusive.

Not naturally interested in posing for photographs.

Meant to be left alone in nature.

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I hope that you enjoyed seeing a few of my Watercolor Collage Pieces.

They are all available at Hastypearl, my Etsy shop.

I would love for you to take a look at them and the other listings that I have!

Thanks for stopping by...for a little time together.

I hope that you are enjoying these Wonderful Days...Whether Winter or Summer...Wherever You Are :)

It makes me so fascinated, to see on the feedjit chart on the right of the page, where you all live!

Its really such a small world, right?

I hope that you will check back in...Often!

:) Laura aka Hastypearl

Mixed Media Collage Hastypearl

Mixed Media Collage

Hastypearl

Here are a few of my favorite Hastypearl Collages!

For me...its just Pure Play.

Line drawings...of chairs.

One of my favorite subjects.

Followed by a quick dig in my found objects bags.

Fibers are usually not far away.

And Vintage Buttons. How essential THEY are :)

Layers and layers of papers....

Some watercolors....

Some curiosity...

And some fleeting friends! :)

Do you have a Subject, that you would love to see in Collage?

Give me a contact...there is a button for that on the right side column...and lets create something custom, together :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Some of these Collages have sold, but some are available at my Etsy shop called, Hastypearl.

I hope you will click over and take a look...

xo Laura

Mixed Media Fiber Art Poppies For A Friend! Hastypearl

Mixed Media Fiber Art

Poppies For A Friend!

Hastypearl

Some time ago, I received a Surprise Gift, from a New Online Friend.

She lives in England, and is a talented artist.

When she decided that she wanted to learn about eco-dying, she bought books, and Taught Herself.

She loves to stitch...boy, can she stitch. 

So, she combined those two disciplines and created a special style...

that is All Her Own.

Yes, this posting is a "step out" for my project, but its also about...Friendship! 

So, you know how sometimes you Stew on things?

I knew that I would eventually..."repay" her with a return gift. 

That really isn't the right word because it sounds more like a Transaction, than a Gift...

but I think that you know what I mean.

It took me a while, to decide on what I would do.

I recently became randomly interested in drawing/ painting...Poppies.

I did what I usually do and that is, I Googeled them.

Of course, that means that millions of images of Poppies, well... popped up!

Great! 

They would be my muse for a treat...for my Friend.

While working on the project, I eventually realized, the significance for Commonwealth Countries...

and really for the World...the symbol for wearing a Poppy on a lapel.

Remembrance Day, November 11, recalls the end of hostilities of World War 1 and remembers the members of their armed forces, who died in the line of duty.

So, even though I showed the process for transferring a drawing to fabric in a previous blog posting, 

for the sake of this project, I will zip back through it again.

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Draw, paint or even simply find an image that you love.

IN AN INKJET PRINTER, according to her excellent instructions, run a sheet of Leslie Riley's TAP or Transfer Artists Paper, through the printer and on it, make a copy of your image. 

I bought my package of TAP, on Amazon. 

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Cut out your image.

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With a hot iron, press your image onto your selected fabric.

I love vintage textiles, so I used a clean vintage hankie.

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Peel off the backing!

Its magic EVERY time I do it :)

Thanks, Leslie!

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I'm lost without my Paper Stash.

I found a piece of my hand painted watercolor paper that complimented the Poppy.

I think this is the last fragment in this my favorite color way...

I've used it Only for my most Special art pieces :)

Guess I will HAVE to make some more!

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I always have piles of fibers and beads in different colors.

I gathered some yarns and ribbons and strings and stitched them together with gold thread that had beads stung through.

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I used painters tape, that will come off easily, to keep the piece in place while I stitch.

I don't know what I would do without tape, in my studio :)

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I've seen pictures of my friends' Lively Wallpaper in her living room...

I'm guessing she would call it her lounge...don't you love the similarities and differences in languages?

Based on her wallpaper and her love for color, I didn't think that I would scare her with piles and piles of colorful complimentary papers, more images transferred to fabric, and heavy textured upholstery tapestries.

I guess I have always operated under the "More is Best" philosophy, 

and that was certainly true with this piece.

I love to layer a piece so that it can be peeled back for new discoveries, over and over again.

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I was feeling pretty good about the composition, and decided that it was time to go to my faithful and original circa 1975 sewing machine, to stitch it all together.

Yes, the bottom thread is Always wonky, despite my repeated efforts to repair/balance...

its just a part of the fingerprint of what I do.

The old machine basically goes forward and backwards...and it has "Cams" that I Never touched. 

Of course, new sewing machines and NASA's rockets are Interchangeable...but not mine!

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So, I stitched through all of  the layers, on to a piece of sturdy watercolor paper.

I glue saw tooth hangers onto almost all of my art pieces.

I've found, that it you put a generous amount of glue, I use Weldbond, and push down on the hanger, 

so that some glue ooozes up through the little holes, it acts like a little nail and holds it on.

It even works on light weight wood pieces.

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So, below, is what the finished piece looked like before I sent it merrily on its way, 

to Surprise my friend...just like she had done for me.

There is this Mystery...Mystique...that can happen on the internet.

I know that you Know about it, or have heard people talk about it.

What started out for me, as a way to share what goes on at Hastypearl, 

and to connect with like minded artists, 

has WAY surpassed my original intent.

Every now and then, there will come a Connection.

One that I know will be for something that I Never anticipated.

A Bond is created.

And a Friendship is made!

I guess, its just a Contemporary version of Pen Pals,

 and I think everyone always imagined how much fun that would be!

So, I'm Thankful, that its happened to me a number of times now and I love it!

The World is made smaller, by these Friendships. 

These last two images may look familiar to you if you follow my blog.

You will know, that Marilyn Stephens, my new online Sister, made this for me months ago.

It is now framed and featured in our dining room, where I can pass by and think about her and 

All of my Special Friends, that mean so much to me.

Friends are one of Life's Special Gifts and I don't think we can have Too Many!

I know that you are Thankful for all of YOURS :)

I enjoyed sharing this easy technique for my Mixed Media Fiber Art piece.

I hope that you will try parts or all of it and I would love to see what YOU create!

You can always leave a comment below about one of your similar experiences, or email me pictures by using the email button on the right!

...and Thanks as always, for checking in with Hastypearl!

xoxo Laura   

p.s....I just saw something that I think this is appropriate for my Theme of Friendship. 

You might have noticed some of my handwriting on the paper on my studio table.

One day I wrote down the lyrics to a song that you might recognize...

Remember, to let her into your heart...then you can start...to make it Better!!!

Here's to Friendship :)

My Wondrous AND Gut Wrenching Trip to Colorado.....Rated "R" for Raw Emotions Revealed ;) Hastypearl

My Wondrous AND Gut Wrenching Trip to Colorado

Rated "R" for Raw Emotions Revealed ;)

Hastypearl

Most of you know by now, that for our entire adult lives, we have dreamed of owning a home in 

Redstone, Colorado, and that our dream recently came true!

I had always fantasized about having a Mountain Home and sharing it with my family and friends. 

That part came true as well, as my oldest son and family recently joined me there.

 Fantasies are just that...we only include good parts. 

We certainly don't include negatives in our fantasies!

Firstly, it became apparent early on in the trip planning stage, 

that my husband wouldn't be joining me, but rather, he had to stay in Texas and work. 

Downer!

I was pleased, that my son, DIL and granddaughter chose to go ahead and come, 

even though Larry wouldn't be with us.

To start, weeks before, I began realizing ALL of the FIRSTS, that this trip would present for me.

First time to travel alone. I know. Im 58, and Ive never flown alone.

Everywhere we ever went, we've traveled together.

But, I WANTED to fly alone, drive my rental...alone.

I WANTED to accomplish that THING.

I did and it went well.

The kids arrived and the fun began!

I told my son, that I was aware, that this was THEIR families vacation too, and I wanted to provide them opportunities to do things on their own...AND for me to be with them.

I think that we accomplished that, well.

God in His Perfect ways, allowed me time with each of them alone.

What a Gift.

There isn't ANYTHING that you want MORE, as a mother, I don't care how Old your kids are, 

than to spend time with them.

Phillip and I did that.

A Gift.

We went on an secret architectural artifact gathering mission and had a great time!

As we walked around, mostly so I could show him a particularly beautiful canyon that Larry loves to fish in,  we rounded the corner, and it was as if it had been lit by the best in Hollywood, was this great Dandelion.

We both love photography, so our cameras started snapping.

A Gift.

Our Grand, Katherine Anne, is 4 1/2 this year.

Living far away, our relationship, has so far been mostly through Skype.

Poets have already battled with trying to describe, the deep emotions that accompany having/loving a grand, so I wont even attempt to better them, but if you have one/them...you already KNOW what I felt being around her.

Little by little, we got to know each other.

Was that made easier by my being there alone...probably.

Another Gift.

There is Nothing but Joy to be had, by being with your family and

watching their dynamics and knowing that you have already done it.

You Know that you are outside of that unit, but its OK.

They are making their way as they should.

Its wonderful to see it happening.

A Gift.

There wasn't anything to be done, but to PLAY, LAUGH, DANCE and fall in Love.

Flashes of remembrance came constantly, of when my boys were her age.

Where do the days go?

Discoveries happened constantly.

Can you see her mouth open in the astonishment of their discovery?

Time. We had it. We used it.

A Gift.

Unprepared, at exactly 24 hours before they left...as if a switch was flipped on, 

I got an intense flood of emotion.

Its hitting me now again, as I type.

I felt Loss.

It was physical. 

Like someone had kicked me in the stomach.

Churning.

It took me hours, just to find a phrase to satisfy.

I thought to myself...THIS is Gut Wrenching.

There wasn't a display. I just lived with it. Slept with it. Woke with it.

You see, I had dreamed of our place in the mountains, to share with people that we loved, 

but I hadn't calculated in, that they would ALL GO HOME!

Yes, I've felt this before. 

Parents feel it, EVERY-TIME, but I have always been in my full time home, 

surrounded with familiarity, family, furry friends, my nest.

This time. I was in a New Place. 

Alone.

Before they left the next morning, the word Visceral, popped into my head.

That happens to me.

God completes the dangling thought.

Sends the word that is needed to spread a salve over the sorrow.

I looked it up...

Visceral. 

of or relating to the viscera "the nervous system" *relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect

gut, deep-down, deep-seated, deep-rooted, inward

My mother has talked about it our whole lives...how we wont ever love her like she loves us.

That's not because we are bad. Its just the design.

When I experience something like this, 

I like to practice thinking about it with interest to the process of how the/my human mind and body works, and I did that.

That is to say...I was aware, of when my body would feel something completely without my telling it to.

It just Did It!

What was happening, was perfectly normal.

It happens to people, to hearts...Every Day.

Its an interesting study when its happening and really the best way to grab the experience and realize that it is just part of the package.

A Gift.

Do we Want to experience Deep Emotions?

Sometimes.

But generally speaking, I think its a good system, that we Only think about the good parts...having a home and sharing it with people that we Love Deeply...and not concerning ourselves with the hard parts like sending them home and staying in a new place alone.

Im glad to say, that Wonderful things flooded in after that...

including watching the moon and stars through a wall of windows all night long, where you are so high up, you feel closer to the sky.

  

I met new people and experienced perfect little surprises, each just at the right time.

The Gut Wrenching faded...but not totally.

I don't want it to.

Its a reminder of how Blessed I am to have people that bring so much happiness and that have enough of a Wonderful Hold on me that my body will feel deeply for and do powerfully weird things...

without me telling it to.

Wow!!! What a Gift.

Thanks for stopping by and reading this blog.

This posting was a bit of a departure from what I usually write, 

but I'm glad for the forum to share my feelings...

If you would like to, I invite you to sign up on the right side of my page, to receive email notices of my postings.

Now, go and have a Emotionally Creative Day!

xo Laura  

Who Said Poppies HaveTo Be Red? ;) How To Transfer Your Art To Fabric Hastypearl

Who Said Poppies Have To Be Red? ;)

How To Transfer Your Art To Fabric

Hastypearl

I have always been fascinated with the concept of Transferring.

Carrie Avery first showed me how to do it in one of her basic technique classes.

Still, for some reason, it has always held this mystery for me.

The mystery ALL went away with Leslie Riley's Transfer Art Paper, or TAP, 

because she has made it SO easy.

No, I'm not a paid advertiser, I just Love this product.

I'll show you in these following quick steps, how simple and fast it is...

however, I warn you, that you are going to be mad in the end!

You see, I've made this as a surprise gift for an unsuspecting friend.

They MIGHT read this hastypearl blog posting, and I'm not quite ready for it to been seen !

You will JUST have to come BACK to see the finished piece...soon! 

So, lets get started!

I recently, got an urge, to paint some Poppies.

I'm not the most literal of people, so my Poppies AREN'T red :)

The good news! 

I Haven't seen the "Accurate Paint Color Police" yet, 

so I think I will stick with that approach :)

I drew and water colored in my journal page, but you could draw 

directly on to the white side of the TAP, if you want.

You can use whatever you want...even use a photograph. 

Its up to you!

Photocopy your art with an ink jet printer.

Some products use laser...TAP uses ink jet.

Trim your piece down to how you want it.

Remember, what you leave is what will transfer.

I ONLY wanted my flower, so I trimmed right down to the outline.

Place your art in your printer. I had room to place three Poppies!

Feed the TAP through your printer.

Leslie has GREAT instructions, that I read and reread.

The flower printed on the TAP paper, exactly as I had painted it! 

Cut out your printed images.

Place your TAP image side down, and press with a hot iron onto your fabric.

My project, is about Fabric, but TAP, will work on paper, wood, glass, canvas, metal...

I guess anything that can withstand the heat of an iron.

Last year, I made my sister a Canvas Bag, with images of her grandchildren eating watermelon!

So, you can see that I transferred onto Vintage Fabrics. 

Specifically, a handkerchief and a napkin.

My studio iron, is kind of a toy...and it doesn't get super hot, and my little toy ironing board, while space saving, doesn't have super padding underneath, so the finished transfer, wasn't total, but because I am always looking for a soft, vintage look, I think the finished result is perfect.

(It sounds like I am making excuses for the results, but it you look back at my paintings, the transfer was actually quite accurate!)

Hotter iron and firmer surface...and you will get a crisper transfer.

So, that's it!

I told you, it is soooo simple.

There really isn't an end, to what you can do with this process.

If you wanted to, you could lay down additional layers on top, 

to build layers of texture and really make it interesting!

OK. 

So, This is the part, where you will be angry with me, for not showing the final project.

I Promise, I will Soon! 

You will just have to stop back in an look for the Continuation of the Story!

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Yesterday, was the Summer Solstice.

I think I may be the ONLY person on the planet, that dislikes the day.

For me, a warm weather lover, it means we are on the Down Side towards the colder half of the year.

Yes, that's half glass empty thinking, which I am not known for, and Yes...we have PLENTY of warms days in front of us in S. Central Texas...its just a THING that I have.

Regardless...the days are beautiful and there are Poppies blooming in my garden right now, 

so we have MUCH to be thankful for.

So, head out with your paper and pen and sketch something to Transfer..Right Now!!

(and p.s....you can paint it Whatever Color YOU Want!!! :)

Thanks Lesley Riley for making us such great products.

I hope that you will Tap the Buttons on the right side of my blog front page, 

to head over to my hastypearl Etsy shop, and see some of my Art ! 

Thanks as always...for stopping by...I'm So Glad that You did!

xoxo Laura