Friday, February 27, 2009

LEbg SERENITY~ Art & More Auction to Benefit Fairview Middle School!


Fairview Middle School's art department is gearing up for it's annual Art & More Auction. This art auction is a fundraiser to help aid and support the arts through hands-on classroom presentations, an annual artist in residence program, student artwork framing, the purchase of fine art prints, and to sponsor the Adopt An Artist program as well as many art-related field trips.

I am very excited and proud to have been asked to participate by submitting one of my own creations. SERENITY is the piece I have created specifically for this auction. It is comprised of a hand cut sterling silver diamond with circular cut out. The feature of the pendant holds a beautiful teal green piece of genuine sea glass found on Great Lake Erie that has been bezeled in the mixed metals of fine silver and copper. Decorative wire swirls accent the piece with a hammered texture. I can't wait to see how the piece is received at the auction which is to be held Friday, March 6, at the Lake Shore Country Club in Fairview, Pennsylvania.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

zJayne ™ A Talented & Insiprational Artist & Friend!


Have you ever come across someone that just makes you want to smile all the time? There are some in this world who have such a postive out look on life that it is reflected in their personality through every thing that they do. Their infectious and contagious nature draws you to them and their happiness overwhelms you. These are the kind of people you want as a friend. They inspire you and make you a better person, too.

I have such a friend. Her name is Jayne Pierce aka zJayne! I met Jayne on-line through eBay of all things. We were fellow artists who happen to join a group of artisans specifically creating ACEO (Art Cards Editions & Original) Art work! I was drawn to her art, purchased a few for my own collection, and began asking her questions. She has always been extremely helpful and has become a source of inspiration for me! Let me show you what I mean!



I love the originality that Jayne has put into these copper ACEO art cards! I had to have her do a custom for myself!

Thus, THE SNOW KISS became....


...SNOW KISS!

Her creativity doesn't stop there, either! My favorite form of art that Jayne created are her altered art dolls!


So, another custom was created!





My grandmother Gottsch...




Jayne created three altered art dolls using this original picture. I gave these art dolls to my mother and her two sisters as a unique and special way to remember their mother, my grandmother.



zJayne's altered art dolls have become a signature representation of her art! She is featured in a book: The Vision Board:
The Secret to an Extraordinary Life

by Author Joyce Schwarz
Published by Collins Design (Harper Collins)

Jayne is also widely known in the art community for her desire to help keep the earth green! Take a look at what she can do by recycling old T-shirts!

Jayne says, "zJayne's Shop Announcement
Paper or Plastic? How about neither. It takes as much petroleum to make 14 plastic bags as it does to drive a car one mile. Upcycled T-Shirt Market Grocery Shopping Bags, Pouches, Wristlets, Lunch Sacks, all handmade from reycled tShirts."



You can learn more about zJayne (Jayne Pierce) and view her work through these links:
Jayne's Blog
Jayne's Etsy Shop!
1000 Markets!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

THUNDER CAKE & WIRE FORGED HEART PINS!

As many of you who follow my blog already know, I am a home schooling mom. My 5-year old, Jordan chose the book THUNDER CAKE by Patricia Polacco to read for our reading circle. The book was really cute and involved a little girl's fear of thunder storms and a wise grandmother's idea of curing her grand daughter of this fear. The Thunder Cake must reach the oven before the storm arrives. The list of ingredients is long...and the storm is coming closer all the time! The fearful child has to over come other fears while gathering the ingredients. Collecting eggs from Nellie peck hen and milk from old kick cow are just steps in over coming her fears. The book was a lot of fun and really captivated my children's attention. The enjoyed the book so much that we decided to use the provided recipe in the back and give it a try for ourselves. You might be surprised by some of the ingredients but the outcome was more than a pleasing and delicious cake! The children and me enjoyed a beautiful story, ate delicious cake, and created a new memory I hope they will cherish for all time! Here is the recipe for Thunder Cake if you should so desire to make one for your self!

THUNDER CAKE

Cream together, one at a time:
1 cup shortening
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs, separated (Blend yolks in. Beat whites until they are stiff, then fold in.)
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup pureed tomatoes



Sift together
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup dry cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Mix dry mixture into creamy mixture.
Bake in two greased and floured 8 1/2-inch round pans at 350Degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Frost with chocolate butter frosting when cool. Top with strawberries.

While enjoying a second piece of Thunder Cake and while the girls were napping, I decided to flip through my latest Art Jewelry Magazine March 2009 issue. There is a beautiful wire forged heart brooch pin on the cover and the instructions on how to make it on the inside.




My dear Aunt Carol from Omaha, Nebraska has recently found out that she has breast cancer and has been going through a gauntlet of chemo therapy and medications. I've been wanting to send her something special that was different than flowers and something unique. This was perfect! I had all the supplies anyway, so I gathered them up, set it all out, and got to work. The end product is superb! I can't wait to send this little piece of love her way!