Today, without going into details of why I can't leave comments on blogs with embedded comments (see any previous post), I wanted to show the only three Christmas gifts I have finished to date. A very slow process, which I didn't really expect. It seems the longer I have to make art, the more I seem to procrastinate. Of course, all that sunshine glowing in the window isn't helping any. This winter southern exposure is deadly for photographing my art this time of year, but along with the beautiful weather, makes it nearly impossible to stay on task.
This gift is for my friend Kathy, whose craft studio is zebra themed. See
this post or
this post to get a peek at Kathy's redecorated craft studio. I covered a block of wood with zebra tissue paper, then painted wood pieces black. To those, I added hearts I hand cut from various vintage papers. I then added embellishments to fit the color scheme.
Really bad photos accompany this block of wood I covered in an old book page, then colored using brown pigment ink. I added a few embellishments, including the counter top sample I got years ago, back when I was collecting freebies from the home improvement stores.
A children's domino type game piece graces the roof (like a cat on a hot tin roof), while another game piece was colored using a gold leafing pen.
The sentiment, shown on the front, reads "This home is built with love." It seems the "house" in the background is in better focus than this one.
Kathy's black and white gift in the background is in much better focus than this house I covered with collaged images and tiny bits of leftover papers from previous projects. I also used a countertop chip (some people call them "formica chips," but this one came from Wilsonart) for the door, along with an old button. The sentiment reads "Our home is filled with love."
This one took the longest, because I spent so much time collaging all those papers together, and deciding what went where. There is a game piece on this roof, too.
I have at least three more of these to make, so I must get busy. Maybe a deadline would help. Have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy this time right before silly season takes over and turns into panic season. Don't allow panic to spoil your holidays. After all, there's always next year and understanding friends!
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11 thoughtful remarks:
I love all three of your wood creations but that blck and white zebra theme really grabbed my eye-love it!
I don't know if this will help you on your pictures but it's the "automatic focus" that is messing up your close up shots. That's why the objects in the background are in focus but not the image that's closest to the camera lens. It does the same thing on my camera. It's better to take a picture from a distance and use an editing program to crop for a close up. It's an extra step but it will make your pictures a lot clearer. There are a lot of free programs I can hook you up with if you need one. waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)
All three pieces are delightful! Handmade gifts are the best kind...you have put so much of yourself into each one. Your friends will love them.
What great gifts these are. Lucky friends.....xox
Elizabeth, "automatic focus" is what your camera is set on. It's a factory setting. ALL cameras are set up with it, and I wish you did live closer so we could play in my craft room together.
I've been waiting to see how you transformed those blocks of wood into houses! Excellent job--I'm sure your friends will be pleased.
Love all of your creations.
Beautiful gifts, Elizabeth!! I love all your work with wood and your endless creativity. I know what you mean about photographing in this light - it is almost impossible. I encounter this when I want to take pictures for my Etsy shop - I either have to do it early in the morning or after the sun has set, which means a lot of editing in Photoshop! Or waiting for a rainy day (which we have at the moment).
Out of focus or not, they are beautiful!! I must update my blog, not that I have anything crafty to show for my time... but i do have a small parcel to go in the post to you, you will probably get it in the New Year!! LOL
Your wood blocks are really great. It must be fun to go through all the bits and pieces you have collected and deciding what to use.
Darla
Lovely work....and no doubt will be well received.
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