Pin Man

I have entered this Bezel competition on Susan Lenart Kazmers site “Objects and elements”.
I have used a tap fitting from Bunning’s added wings and a vintage image then added her wonderful Ice resin which I just brought back from my holidays in the states. You should try it.
I can’t wait to do her classes next year when she visits, I know there is another lady just as keen we are both huge fans of her work aren’t we Ro!!
Have a look at the wonderful entries on there I think voting closes Wednesday US time which is Thursday to us Aussies LOL.
Wish me luck here is the link
http://objectsandelements.typepad.com/objects_and_elements/I have entered this Bezel competition on Susan Lenart Kazmers site “Objects and elements”.
I have used a tap fitting from Bunning’s added wings and a vintage image then added her wonderful Ice resin which I just brought back from my holidays in the states. You should try it.
I can’t wait to do her classes next year when she visits, I know there is another lady just as keen we are both huge fans of her work aren’t we Ro!!
Have a look at the wonderful entries on there I think voting closes Wednesday US time which is Thursday to us Aussies LOL.
Wish me luck here is the link
http://objectsandelements.typepad.com/objects_and_elements/

Linda's Book

I promised you a look at the book I made Linda, here is the front cover details up close.
This book was a mixture of bits and pieces of pages I loved.
The book was made with my frames I have had made.

This book cover opened to show a poem.

I thought this poem was perfect for our friendship and sisterhood.

These pages were from some of my own good stash, I have always wanted to use cultery on my pages. I have seen them used before some where and I just love it.

Linda loved the bird cage I learnt in Judy Wilkenfelds class so I had to do one for here

I really like the shadow box on the back page it has a sterling silver pocket watch in it.

So if you ever need money Linda break glass in case of emergency LOL.

On another note,thank you to everyone who have been asking how Linda is after her current operation.She is doing well in alot of pain but recovering slowly.The good news is No cancer.

Im off to Melbourne this weekend to teach the swallow book again with 10 students,one is even coming from Perth !!

Jen

The King Lives

Hi everyone! I've finally recovered from our 3-week holiday in the good old USA.
Mark and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in Las Vegas.
I surprised him by renewing our wedding vows with the King himself at the Las Vegas sign. It was very romantic: bus loads of tourists and fire trucks tooting their horns as they drove past us. Elvis sang us two songs.
Later that night we went and saw The Lion King. It was a very wonderful day and second honeymoon. Sorry guys the other photos are censored LOL.
Below is a view from our room over-looking the strip.
Nb: I must say ladies, Elvis was about late 50's, but he had nice buns in that white jump suit gggrrr.

After one week alone (gggrrrrr) we picked the kids up from the airport to travel up to Couer d' Alene Idaho, to be with my Sis (I have adopted her) Linda, and husband Jim, to live the American life style for a week. Linda and I met on the internet over 6 years ago now and we have visited them twice now. It was sure great to show my kids off to them.

The kids had never been on a boat before, so it was great fun watching their faces. Here they are having a tow behind Jim's wonderful boat. Matthew was shouting a few nice words to Jim driving the boat, but we couldn't hear him.

Us girls had a go too. I have never laughed so much in my life. I promised Linda no photos of us on that LOL.

Another day we took the kids up to Green Bluff to pick pumpkins. We returned home to Jim and Linda's so the kids could carve them (another first for them.)

Matthew and Nicole's pumpkins.

We did play in Linda's studio. I made her a camera necklace and we tried our hands at etching as well.

Here is a combined necklace from us both .

Linda's etched necklace booklet I taught her. It turned out so wonderful.

It was such a special holiday for us all, our first as a family for 8 years.

I will share with you a book I made for Linda in my next post.

On a final note, my dear Linda is in hospital as I post this. She has not been well for awhile, having survived ovarian cancer and now more complications from her previous cancer surgery. My thoughts are with you dear Sis. I'm so proud of you. You are a fighter and will get through this.

Love

Jen

Warning Im getting soppy

I put a warning on this blog as I'm going to get soppy,but ! with good reason.I leave for the good old USA on Friday for my second honeymoon.
Mark my dear husband and long suffering one at that putting up with my art needs, LOL, are going to Las Vegas for a week to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary on the 8th September.
(yes I know I could get that for Murder LOL)
We are going to The Lion King on our Annivesary and the rest of the details are censored,but those who know me, know what GGGGRRRRRRRRR means LOL.

A week later the kids are flying over and we will have another two weeks with them.
We are going to stay with my dear american sister Linda and her hubby Jim in Couer D Alene.
I cant wait to see them .
Linda and I became friends on the internet through our love of art, Mixed media, about 6 years ago I think,and we are very close.
Linda is an inspiration to me and her fight against Ovarian Cancer. She was 10 years clear last year,you go SIS .
Cant wait for the beer in the butt chicken, grape jelly, shopping and creating.
Then to Disneyland for the last week.
So to everyone
Bye for now not for ever
Jen

Metal 3D House

Here is my latest piece of Jewerly, I have always wanted to make a 3d metal house for many years this is my first try. It is made from all brass material.
I made one in paper years ago you might remember this one, but my alterment was a metal house (being the metal head I am lol)




I have etched the front of the house only and used an antique tin photo on the front.
My next house I'm working on will have a front opening door like a house locket, as I bought mini hinges from a hobby store and Mini nails about 3mm big, my old eyes aint what they used to be so alot of swearing and nails on the carpet.
I will show you a picture next time if I pull it off.
Jen

New Frames

Well I have been busy making a new book with my new frames I am now selling. I have a new size now which is 110mm x150mm (4 1/4inches by 6" roughly) .

Here is the front of the book. I have added feathers under the rusty butterfly plate.

The first page is from an old book "A Lover's Gift", if you open this cover look what's behind.


This is who the book belonged to in 1879 and he was wanting his lover to read page 145.Then a picture of a lady hidden behind Mica.



Here are my new frames. I'm selling them in packets of 8. I have new shapes now; oval, rectangle, arched with a small rectangle. Contact me if your interested.
binga@netconnect.com.au
And I'm thrilled to say I have sold them to my first shop already. "Scraptivate" in Perth now stocks them for those girls in WA.

I love the rectangle frames as I cover it with cheesecloth for a see-through effect.

I have a love of old keys, and mounted some on to some mica again (Yes I'm addicted to Mica LOL) I have put a thin piece of cheesecloth over the picture so you can faintly see something is there.

The thing with these frames was that it is so expensive to buy an old photo album to rip up, and it is hard to find them here in Australia. So I came up with my own, using plain frames and ageing them with different papers.
Jen

Perth Classes

Well what can I say? Another wonderful weekend with old friends (not age wise LOL) and meeting new friends.

Here is a picture of me flying over Miners Rest (my home) on the way to sunny Perth.

The lovely and very talented Kelsey O'Mullane, was my hostess with the mostess. I stayed with Kelsey over the 4 days. She waited on me hand and foot, also helping me in class. She was my right arm man/women. Thanks so much my "M"

I know not your typical class shot, but I was knackered. The girls were all so lovely, I can't thank them enough. They were keen as mustard which I love. I love to see people who are willing to try new things, and the look in there eyes when they ignite a new passion.



















Saturday's class was the swallow book using my new frames.

Here is Chris's book that she completed. It was just so beautiful. Everyone has their own spin on their work which I love.
This was a very long..... long day class.
Thanks for hanging in there girls I hope it was all worth it.

















Scraptivate: what a great shop! I really mean it, the selection of goodies were out of this world.
Here is Natalie on the right who owns the shop and the lovely Megan who works there as well.
These two were trouble LOL.

















More happy smiling faces, the cheques in the mail girls thanks for looking like you're having fun LOL

Mel let loose with a dremel. You go girl!

More tool action, keep drilling Karen, you will get there girl.

The etching class was awesome, my new passion. It's very addictive.

The girls were all wonderful, some using tools for the first time.

Mel's necklace

Hey Gen! Lovely to catch up with you again.

It was so wonderful to catch up with dear friends. JVO and I have known each other for more years than we care to remember. I fly all the way across the country, she hears I'm coming, and she flies to Canberra to teach LOL. We caught up on Tuesday though. Hoorah!

Hi to Chris Atkins! She came and took me shoppin, and I got to see her awesome studio. Chris is a very talented textile artist. Her work is to die for.

And Hello to Ms Dawnie! It was so great to have time with you .

Thanks girls! I had a ball in Perth.

Jen

Done and Dusted

Well it's finally done and dusted !

I have finally finished the book I started in Judy Wilkenfeld's class last year.

Those of you that follow my blog will have seen the pages seperately but it is finally all together.

This is the front cover.

Keeping with my nature theme, I have wired an old pair of antique binoculars to the cover.













Here is the shadow Box book were I carved out the arch in the middle with a scapel and a blistered hand. The old book was so thick (1/4" inch). I don't know how Judy works doing this all the time.









This picture shows the opening and a small door knocker that actually works.















"Hmm what's inside" I hear you ask? Well those girls at the class will know what it was (after alot of "colourful language") as I am scared of these things. It is now in place.

My good friend Sarah donated it to me, and thought it would be perfect for the book.
















Yes a moth! It is actually beautiful and has a furry body, but I still feel it is waiting to come alive again.

Sarah found it coming to her door every night and one morning she noticed it had died.

Here is the shadow box chained to keep it closed.

The pages are all joined together with hand dyed silk ribbon,and it concertina's out.

I have just bought a old leather belt to keep it all closed.

Now I only have one thing I would like to add which is an old magnifying glass to the tapestry binding as it is so thick

So the search continues for the finishing touch.

I have so enjoyed doing this book.

Jen

Another Class

Yes Another Class I had a private class at my home and three keen and ego ladies travelled up from Melbourne to do an etching class.

I must say it was a lovely Day,one could say "Perfect" eh Lucy

Here from the left Is Eva, Bevlea,and Perfect Lucy.

These ladies are actually all involved in organising the Creative Soul retreat of which Im teaching at next year in Melbounre, with other Aussie girls and American Tutors.I cant wait

The Lovely Eva whos necklace was just gorgeous.

Thanks Girls

Where's Jen??

Where's Jen??
Well I have been quiet from the blog world .
I have been busy though with Family illness and My back I have been a bit slack attending to the blog world.
Thank you to everyone who commented on my piece in the Belle amoire issue with Judy Wilkenfelds wonderful silver cast dolls. I cant thankyou enough for your encouragement in my work.

Now I travelled up to Sydney on the long weekend in June to the Lovely "Etching Wenches Retreat" Our hostess was Margaret Weiss on her beautiful Holiday farm.
We had a weekend of Classes The swallow book, Crystal Necklaces and etching necklace,plus demo's as well by the wonderul Kristy,Christina,Martina and Ruth,to keep our nights busy.
It was a wonderful weekend with Food, company,and play.


























Here is Margaret,Christine and Christina relaxing after class.









Below was our class room where I cracked the whip all weekend Well Not really

This gorgeous necklace was made by Kristy from Adelaide.

I was so happy with how everyones necklace turned out.

Below left is Rob and Myself

Next is the gorgeous Martina who I also met at the Creative soul retreat earlier this year,she is a lovely Soul

Ruth and Margaret hard at work

In the middle of now where I saw this sign and Had to have a picture Crossley Real Estate eh!!

Hmm

The crystal Necklace that was made over the weekend.

Last but not least I was held together all weekend with a wing and a pray but also tape for my back.

It was a wonderful weekend

Thanks Girls