Earrings 365 Challenge Is Finished!!!!!

Yippee!!! Over 365 pair of earrings are completed for my yearly challenge. At the beginning I wasn't sure I would finish this project, but I did!!!! Here is the last pair of earrings I made. To learn more about them click on over to my blog and while you're there, check out the rest of the earrings on the Earrings 365 Page.



The next challenge for me is to do one blog post a day for a year. As I did with my beading, which got me to my beading desk at least once a day, this will get me to my blog at least once a day. And...that cannot be a bad thing, unless I have nothing to say. LOL

June Give-away Winner

The name drawn for June's give-away of a journal and soldered pendant is

wilcoxdesigns.

Please contact Suzanne at sbibelots@gmail.com with your address so that I can get these items out to you in the coming week.

Thank you to everyone for your comments; we appreciate our readers and love to hear from you!

Primitive Pieces by Lenall Siebenaler

Primitive Cat & Fish, I

Primitive Cat & Fish, II

Cucko Bird

These might make fun cards...

Lenall

New Whimsical Paintings by Lenall Siebenaler

"Here Kitty, Kitty"

"Rames the Elephant"



"Gizelle the Giraffe"

 I have a few new whimsical paintings that I just got shot professionally at Today's Photo in Lake Grove.  I plan to make them into new cards and  bring them to "Knack" in Multnomah Village.
Lenall

question of the Month--Where do you go for Inspiration?

It looks like most of our members are off being inspired somewhere this month, but here are a few responses to the question--Where do you go for inspiration?

Dayna:

I am inspired whenever I can be around water. For right now, I'm lucky enough to be living on our boat on the Portland Waterfront and this is my view and inspiration out my side windows for the next three weeks.

Cynthia:

Anthropologie is my go-to place to get inspired. I also like some of the occasional sales around the area, like Tarte in Aurora and the Barn House in Battleground. I should also mention Monticello, as it is a fun place to get inspiration.

Jennifer:

The ocean really inspires me - the patterns of the waves, unending sky and water, just letting my mind float away on a cloud. Also inspiring is a visit to Monticello Antique Marketplace. I never know what fabulous find is in store for me there. Oh...and art workshops - all of those new techniques to learn and creative "problems" to solve!

Jennifer's piece from a recent Michael DeMeng workshop:

Monticello Antiques:

Oceanside:

Mary:

My favorite places that never fail to inspire me are the Portland Art Museum, the Laura Russo Gallery and other art galleries around town. Having said that, I can find inspiration just about anywhere -- nature, picture books, store windows, and people watching.

Steph:

For inspiration I have a few go to places to window shop. Cargo in the pearl, is a feast for my eyes, bright colors, unexpected vintage and unique finds, I always come away inspired.

Robin:

Sometimes I need relaxation and focus to be reinspired. At those times, I like to head to the coast by myself for some quiet work. At other times, I want new ideas for inspiration. One of my favorite places is the small library at Oregon College of Art and Craft. They have a great periodical collection. I often get a cup of coffee and spend hours browsing through the latest magazines. I also love to go to the Goodwill bins without a specific project in mind. I just browse through and see if an old bit of linen or an old curtain from the sixties catches my eye and gives me ideas. And walking and window shopping in any city always inspires me.

Give-Away for June!

This month's give-away is a "Timeless" package of a hand-bound journal AND a soldered pendant necklace from PAC artist, Suzanne Reynolds. The covers of the journal/sketchbook feature one of Suzanne's photographs printed on fabric and is filled with blank 90-lb. paper, suitable for wet or dry media. It's bound with linen thread over leather tapes in a way that allows the book to open flat
The necklace has a soldered glass pendant with a roman numeral clock face image on one side and a fragment of vintage dictionary page on the other. The pendant hangs from a 22-inch chain with handmade hook clasp and small bead accents; all has been given a vintage patina.

Just leave a comment at the end of this post and you may win these items when a name is randomly drawn at the end of the month--that's only 2 weeks from now!

You can see more of Suzanne's work at her blog .

Michael de Meng weekend workshops

"Pretty Vial Things" - Vial created by Jennifer Campbell using techniques learned in the class.

I took three fantastic Michael de Meng workshops over the last several days. Collage on Alberta in Portland was the site of the fun. I always learn so much in Michael's workshops and all of the laughter throughout is a plus. Inspiration was provided by the techniques we learned from Michael, the projects we watched each other create and especially the critiques at the end of each class.

"Cold-blooded Journal"
I used Apoxie Clay and KromaCrackle along with Golden paints.

Name of the class was "Dr. X-Ray's Portrait"

My piece was created using the interior of a vintage camera, antique lace with gold threads, and a transparency using one of the techniques taught by Michael in the workshop.

Jennifer Campbell

It's not quite the dog days of summer... by Lenall Siebenaler

But I thought I had better get a head start.  I have been doing a lot of different whimsical animals and birds in the past year.  I was steering away from a dog series as I knew that a lot of dog lovers were partial to a particular breed.  Cat lovers tend to love most all cats...

Last weekend, I wanted to make some cards for Tory, and I came to the realization that doing a dog card for her was just what the doctor might order.  So it was "Winnie to the Rescue."  As always, I can't seem to stop once I start and I had 3 other dogs and a cat done.  Today, I intend to take them and get them copied and then embellish further with dog quotaions in the background. I'll post those when I finish.  Believe it or not, I am going to do more.  They were fun.


"Winnie to the Rescue"




"Bandit the Beagle"




"Fifi the Poodle"

"Pacino"

"Snickers"



"Pride"

For more posts showing my past weeks work check out my blog at:
http://www.lenall.blogspot.com/

Lenall 

Sunday Adventure

I decided it was a day for a treasure hunting adventure! Here's a pic of some of the treasures I found at a fabulous flea market today. Wonderful day for a drive through wine country with a Chris Botti CD as my background music.

After all of that scavenging (and a latte, of course) I stopped at Blue Goat Cafe in Amity for interesting conversation with the wait staff and yummy smoked chicken crepes...oh and a Cascade IPA. All of that excitement called for a nap when I got home.

Can't wait to use some of the stuff in the Michael de Meng workshop I'm taking. The brass whistle was from England - couldn't resist it!

Blog Giveaway Winner...

Lyndsay Anderson is the lucky winner of the wine journal made by Laurie Weiss. What a fun way to keep track of your favorite wines! Lyndsay, you can contact Laurie by going to her website: www.blackdogbookarts.com. Just send her an email with your address and she will get your wine journal off to you.

Other readers can visit Laurie's website to see her beautiful handmade books.

Congrats, Lindsay!