"Trashy Tweeters" or "Wing Dings"?

That is the question. What to call these whimsical assemblage Birdie Dolls????

This fellow was made for a friend for a personal art swap. Patti created a glorious little Fabric page for me, with a bird theme, and this is my part of the deal!

I have been working extremely hard to dismantle an old typwriter to get at all of the parts. I have strongly resisted the urge to cut it up with tin snips, as all of the parts are precious. I am finding it quite a difficult task!! You never know when you might see part of this typewriter used as bird legs, amoung other appendages!!

The body is the crushed bottom of a soda can and the wings are cut from an Arizona Green Tea can- I just love the floral motif.

There are several more of these Wing Dings in the creative pipe line and I plan to have them posted for sale at http://Elizajean.Etsy.com soon!

Colors of my Garden

After totally refurbishing a long ignored yard and garden last year, (we moved into this house and yard a year ago last March) our efforts have been rewarded. The yard was very sterile and really only had squared off azaleas for decorative plantings. I am not a fan of azaleas especially those that have been shaped!! There are no straight lines in nature!! i guess the previous owners didn't get the memo!!!!

My pansies are still hanging in there and are providing a wonderful filler for my B-E-A-Utiful daylillies. All of the daylillies were chosen to be rebloomers and many are quite fragrant. Most of these daylillies were purchasted from Gilbert and Sons mail order. i couldn't be happier with the blooms that are greeting me each day.

So here is the show!

We have had some pretty warm weather- heat index at around 100-102 and these pansies just keep right on chugging! Got to love 'em!

This beauty is called Joylene Nicole. Each blossom is 5 1/2 inches across and she blooms her fool head off. She is a beautiful pink/ Salmon with pie crust edges. One of my very favorites!!!

I am not sure of the name of this one , she is not as large as Joylene but she is tall and dances high above the garden like huge purple butterflies.

This one is a beautiful clear yellow and beautifully fragrant!

This one couldnot be a more intense red!

Joylene again!

A study in complementary colors!

Some Whirly Gig Nastursiums that seem to enjoy the shady back yard! I just love the deep red against thegreen and white speckled foliage!!

I do so love to be in the garden, it really refreshes and restores my soul. I hope that you have enjoyed my pictures. Get out there and get some dirt under your fingernails!!!

Summer Journal Quiltie

I have finished my Summer Quiltie for a swap on Surface Design. I decided to go ahead and use the discharge dyed fabrics that I posted earlier and I am pleased with how the piece evolved. in fact, I need to go back and make one for myself!!

The tan strips are actually sandpaper that I stitched into the piece. I also added tiny shells from my huge Cape Cod collection, beads, hand dyed cheesecloth and vintage lace to mimic the foam of the waves.

For the back of the piece, I made fabric paper and sewed on an image from a childrens book . Before sewing the image, I caoted it with several layers of Matte medium to "plasticize " it so it woiuld be more durable for sewing. Then, At the bottom edge I stitched on a few more water droplet beads. I will be getting this piece in the mail to Cindy today!!!

Gothic Arches Page Swap

I have just finished 11 pages for a swap at my local Altered Arts group. We will be swapping pages all based on the same template with a Renaissance , Gothic theme. I stamped on acetate transparency using a stamp that I carved myself. Then on the reverse side I painted the stamp in with Twinkling H2O paints. (They are water color paints that are full of mica, hence the twinkle). I layered the transparency over a image by Waterhouse named The Soul of The Rose.

Here you see the front of one page overlapping the back of another page. (All of the 11 pages that I created are the same.)

For the back of each page, I used various patterned papers, over stamped with a swirl stamp and chalk ink and then added an image from a Shakespearean Flower book.

To finish off the page, I punched small holes all along the edge and then stitched bias cut silk strips with gold seed beads.

I will get 10 different pages from the other artists participating in this swap and then I plan to create a book after placing fabric loops on the left hand edge of each page. i am working on the covers of my book right now . i am using fabric, stamps, beads and paint to create the covers in the style similar to that of artist Beryl Taylor.

I will be taking a class this Sunday in Savage MD., at the Queen's Ink Rubber Stamp Store.

Artist Catherine Moore will be teaching a class on Altered Books. I will be taking the class with my good friend Trina, so she and I will miss our Altered Arts Group Meeting.

As soon as I get the other pages from this swap I will share them with you. I am sure that they will be fabulous!!

Etsy Store Up and Listing!!!!!!

Elizajean is finally open on Etsy and features wonderful artwork by Elizabeth (Eliza) and Jean (Jean). Jean is my mother , Jean Smith. She is a fiber artist working primarily with wool. She is a hand spinner, and weaver and she dyes her own fibers. She creates wonderful purses and bags from the handwoven wool and knits fabulous hats, scarves, mittens and vests.

Eliza ( me) will be featuring whatever she feels like producing, so you never know what you will find there from me!! Therefore you are all required to check in often as most of my pieces are one of a kind and will not be made in duplicates. I get bored easily!!!!

I have two new lines of items that I am introducing. The first are my Green Goddess ArT Dolls. They are green because they are made completely from recycled and found objects, bits of old jewelry and altered items; game pieces , books, aluminum cans old typwriter parts and handmade papers and hand painted fabric.

The body of this Green Goddess is a game piece form a childs matching game that I have painted and embellished. Her head is a painted vintage Electrical capacitor, her legs are rolled pages of Chinese text tied with silk thread and her arms , hands, feet and headpiece are all bits of costme jewelry. She is about 8 inches long and will hand nicely in any narrow spot or sit nicely propped up on a shelf.

The second line are my Trashy Tweeters. These are birdie Art Dolls that are again created entirely of found objects.

This little sweeties body is a bottle top of some sort, her wings are cut from a soda can ( then filed so there are no sharp edges) her legs are vintage electrical resistors and her head is a picture from a vintage bird book. She is only about 3 inches long and about 3.5 inches wide.

I have covered the major construction areas on the back of her with some of my hand made paper.

I will be making jewelry (many of the dolls will be Pin Dolls), and I will be listing some of my hand carved rubberstamps as well. i am very excited about this new adventure and hope that you will all swing by to take a peek!!!

Here are several of my pin dolls that are currently listed on Elizajean.etsy.com.

This Pin Doll is my current favorite, in fact, it is kind of hard to give her up!! I found this tin top as you see it, in the parking lot of a local bookstore! She is about 4 inches long and has a pin back attatched to add instant PIZZAZZ to any outfit!

I have backed "Little Miss Hottie" with some of my handmade fusion paper.

This is another Pin Doll that ws created from a leftover piece of mint tin cover. Her wings are from a childs barrette and her head is a painted vintage Electrical capacitor.

All of the above creations are currently listed on Elizajean.etsy.com. This should be quite and adventure and i would love any feedback that anyone would be willing to pass along!!!

On the left hand side of my Blog at the very top you will see a link to Elizajean so you can always get to the shop from here!!