Just For Fun Art

Love this quote by Douglas Malloch so I did a drawing . 8 1/2" x 11" pen, watercolour

it was given as a christmas gift

playing around with Origami... little turtle... 

fun and sure takes some fiddling to get those folds.. need more practice

a host of whimsical beings in my sketchbook, 8 1/2" x 11" , pen and watercolour

doing my paperwork practice... origami kangaroo from brown paper.

and an occasional game of chess, man, do I need practice to remember how each character can move

And...my tattoo artist son, Max, working on a huge fantastical Wolf charcoal drawing. 

He is never without an art making instrument in his hand

Hope you are all doing some enjoyable creative pastimes and letting it carry your imagination away.

Cheers, from Desideratum

That's Life

...from my sketchbook

the process of making a pieced patchwork quilt

...also called a scrap quilt...
Designing and planning in my sketchbook

using all scrap materials that have accumulated over time

lots of pressing all the way along

laying out for colour placement... lots of shifting and moving around of the little blocks

... during the making of the quilt top we were renovating and rebuilding this little old house .. by the time I finished quilting it, we had finished laying the hardwood floors (that was back breaking work that we don't want to do again none too soon)

 the back was pieced

 the batt 

the top ... sandwich is complete... 3 layers... now into the frames

Quilting in progress

 rolled up so it doesn't take up so much room.

end of the first 200 m. spool of quilting thread

unwound and removing from frames

 binding has been cut, sewn into a very long strip, pressed in half and is being sewn onto the quilt

trimming the excess

 hand stitching the binding to the back

just wanted to see what it looked like in the winter light

back

The End ..

 or maybe just the Beginning... 

of enjoying a functional handmade beautiful object.

created at our little old homestead by Gwen Buchanan... with much Love

xo

Working in the Studio - Early 2016

Lots of happy creativity happening in the studio...  concentrated work... lots of mess... 

Long "Winter" earrings.

 combining Moostone, Mother of Pearl, Czech Crystal, Carved Bone Ankh, Fresh Water Pearl, Sterling Silver... 

Love creating these long multi-stone earrings. and in the process I can give them lots of movement. 

The background is a floral watercolour I did in my sketchbook. one of those paintings that you're not sure about so you go away and leave it for a few days and when you come back with fresh eyes, you see something new and then I'm so glad I left it alone..

another view of "Winter" 

 Amethyst, Labradorite, Peridot, Citrine, African Sandcast , large Fresh Water Pearl, Moonstone and Sterling Silver ... long with lots of movement. Handmade at Desideratum. One of a Kind $50.

 "Be the Slave to Your Heart". Solid Sterling Silver Heart pendant... textured and shaped by hand at our Desideratum Art and Jewelry studio. 1 1/4" wide x 1 1/4" long, hung on braided cotton cord. $100. ...contact if interested on any work you might like to have in your little hands

3 shots of the fused Heart necklace.

Here it is displayed on a painting created by my partner John Ackerson. 

I absolutely love this work. so sensitive... 

It is for sale and I will be sad to see it go when it sells.

 Love this amazing texture.

 ... a few pairs of Curling stone earrings are now available they are limited so if anyone is interested in these I have 12 pr. left  ... **Update:Sold Out**

...making the steam that will be fused to the little coffee and tea cups as illustrated in the background.

 ...beginning the fusing phase of the Dragonfly earrings.  There is John over at the other desk cutting out pieces for the next design.  

Just a little note: John also built that arched doorway leading to the next room with the arched windowseat.  

If I could draw it he would make it.  as it went with most things he built everything here.

The Book and The Cat... pic taken on the yellowed pages of a great big 1965 Websters Dictionary found at a second hand store

Cats love a snuggly lap when the owner of the lap finally settles down with their book.

Been a busy last few weeks and we feel pretty good about the designs we have been able to get stocked up on.  Perfect time of year to have a work fest!!

Cheers and happy days to you!