Paper Quilt

Got an idea from one of my magazines using different coloured watercolour paints, cutting them up into squares and then attaching or sewing onto another piece of paper. Just a play around with different colours and designs.

Fused Plastic Bags - Recyled

Have been busy sewing and making things out of my painted fused plastic bags. I made a couple of glasses cases with felt on the inside, note book covers and little clutches. I also created a folder from a cereal box which is my favourite - I can see myself using this and would like to made some more as I use up by cereal! Have taken a lot of photos of each bag and can see me using this as a background for future projects of some sort.

Fused Plastic Bags

Here are photos of my painted fused plastic bags and one cereal box. I have embellished a couple of the bags with some sewing, cord and yarn. My next step will be to "create" something useful from each one. I have used acrylic paint on all of them and then sprayed a matt finish to help seal them. But I have found that you can still scratch the paint off the plastic. So I really need to find a paint that adheres a little bit better to the plastic.

Close up image of one of the embellished bags.

Still working on my fused plastic bag project - should have some photos to add soon of the bags all painted up ready for the next stage. But just wanted to add a note about a new blog I am starting to follow and that is Creative Juice Arts by Chris Zydel a wonderful lady from California. How I wish I lived there so I could attend one of her classes. I connect with everything she writes. It makes me believe in myself, it makes me want to find the time to be creative and paint, it makes me be a better me!! It's all about intuitive process painting not about painting the "correct" way. While I want to paint wonderful correct paintings that wild part inside of me wants to paint without restriction, without rules. So check her out see what you think.

Recyle Month - Plastic Shopping Bags

Melting/Fusing Plastic Shopping Bags

Have spent today cutting up those plastic shopping bags and putting together about 8 pieces for each new piece. Have already discovered that the thicker plastic type of bags don't work that well on their own as they melt into my paper and sticks to it. The grocery type of shopping bag works much better if you have about 8 pieces. Just don't leave the iron too long in one spot as you will end up with holes which can give it a good interesting look if that's what you want. So these are today's "fused" pieces. Now ready for the painting part of the process.

Can't believe its been a few weeks since my last painting. I have been getting side tracked with all the normal chores everyone has, going to work and catching up with friends. It seems if you don't make an "actual time" to stop and create art work and be creative then it doesn't happen. There always seems to be something else that has to be done. Before you know it, weeks has gone past and I haven't picked up a paint brush or pencil and am starting to get a bit grumpy! You go through a slump and nothing inspires you or gets you going. How will I ever get better and improve if I don't stop be creative. How will I ever sell anything or make any income out of my hobby if I don't improve and keep going at it. Will I only ever dabble around the edges and never make a go of it. I feel like I don't put enough effort or time in to art to make it all worthwhile.

Anyway - will make the time to play and try new things or improve on the old. Maybe what I should do is give myself monthly challenges and spend that time expanding on the one idea or thought. I start too many things - something doesn't work like want or I get bored - wait for paint to dry and then start something new and don't finish what I started!! Energy going all different directions - no wonder I don't get anywhere.

So right now I am concentrating on using "recycle" things. Currently fusing plastic shopping bags together, painting on them and creating "new" items from them. Will post when I have created a few. Found this idea in my Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazines which I love and have been wanting to try for a while now.

Chilli Painting

Li-Sa and I have not had any more recent challenges - so I have decided to try and finish one of my unfinished paintings that I started a while back. My chillies are from a painting lesson I did where you put together a series of pictures from magazines, move them around and create a new painting from it. I loved these chillies against the blue door. I keep fiddling around with it changing the leaves, etc - trying to decide if it needs more work - still not sure it it does.