the Deepster's Dizziness

Exploits in art….

Belts and bracelets

August17

Inspiration strikes at the oddest times, and after months of poking around for a new project, I found myself inspired by Christy Tomlinson’s terrific “Belt Bracelet” workshop, which is about taking old leather belts and converting them into bracelets.

WWJD

WWJD

I’ve done many of Christy’s other workshops – Art Society, Behind the Art, She Art, New Boot – and Belt Bracelet really grabbed my imagination.

I love practical projects and this one appealed to my love of finding new uses for stuff I’ve hoarded for years and have long since forgotten about.  A practical project like this is also good for using up old embellishments – brads, gems, sequins, etc – stuff I haven’t looked at since my days of making cards, altered books and ATCs back in another decade.

Many of us have old belts that once accessorised a nice outfit, laying unloved and forgotten at the bottom of a drawer or wardrobe.  I found a couple of old belts I could happily live without and picked up four more from the local charity shop, just to give myself a few more options.

Chunky bracelet

Chunky bracelet

Working with the hands of Mary Ann, I looked at the various options and settled on two different leather belts that would “accessorise” nicely – one chunky and one thin. At this point, my main aim was to use up my old embellishments and make some good looking jewellery, but without really thinking about it, a theme of faith began to emerge as we started work on the bracelets.

Once we figured out what to do, it was a lot of hole-punching, sanding and hammering on an anvil, which Mary Ann probably found quite cathartic.  Over the course of a couple of afternoons we finished six bracelets, with three of them eventually going to lucky nieces.

I’m really happy with the way the bracelets turned out.  It was a great way to make something new from old and personalise it in a way that means something to me. I can’t wait to get started on the next bracelet.  If you have a spare afternoon and fancy  doing something creative with your old leather belts, you’ll find yourself inspired – I did.

Belt Bracelet

Belt Bracelet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Yes & Amen…

May21

Pink acrylic paint, washi tape, alphabet stamps and embossed metallic lettering

I got this verse from a website called ‘Yes & Amen’. It’s from 2 Corinthians 1:20, and the whole verse is “All the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory.”

I wanted to make art about this, so took the lines:

“All the promises of GOD find their YES in HIM.  That is why we utter our AMEN”

I’ve been smoking all sorts of things since I was 17, but the year before last I started using e-cigarettes and then totally stopped.  It wasn’t quite that I decided, it was that I just didn’t feel I needed to smoke anymore. Smoking has always been part of my life – I remember being sent to the shops by my Dad to get cigarettes for him.  But when he caught me smoking myself, I was in Uber-trouble. My sisters found out, everyone could smell it on my clothes…but I never admitted to it.

Even now, after we’ve been out for the day, I sometimes think ‘ooh, time for a fag.’ But then I remember I don’t smoke anymore – wahey!  It’s not a craving, but it’s a habit to think about it.  I don’t think I had to work hard to give up.  My friend Mary-Ann disagrees though – she says I showed a great deal of courage when quitting smoking. To make the decision, stick with it and never go back on my promise to myself.

The truth is, God promised me life and Jesus gave up his life for me, so giving up smoking is nothing in the grand scale of things.  But there are other things in my life that are difficult, and there are things that I am truly thankful for.

It’s not always easy to navigate life.

This journal page is about me hoping that I can say ‘yes’ to God.  After I’ve told him I’m sorry for all the awful things I’ve done. Then I say ‘Amen’- thank you.

It feels to me like all of God’s promises find their yes in Him.

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Yet another occasion when I haven’t recognised someone famous

May16

Years ago when I lived in Portobello, I did not recognise Damon Albarn. At the time he was one of the most famous musicians in the country.

I once approached the singer from Erasure in a pub in Hampstead who immediately raised his eyebrows, thinking I was a groupie.  No, I just wanted him to keep an eye on my bag while I went for a leak.

Today I went to the Primrose Bakery, a cupcake emporium which is just round the corner from me, and failed to notice Jude Law…Hollywood actor and apparent heart-throb.  IMG_7936

 

It’s unusual for me to leave the house but there was the promise of cake at the other end. So kicking and screaming I went.  For the promise of cupcake.  I was with my friend Mary-Ann (who is slightly famous but I DID recognise her).

Anyway, when we got to the cupcake shop we sat next to some bloke.  He was eating a cupcake.  I didn’t recognise him at all, but turns out it was famous Jude.

I’m guessing both Damon, the Erasure guy and Jude were quite pleased that I didn’t wave a piece of paper in their faces, asking ‘please Sir, can I have your autograph?’ or want to have a photo with them.  Then again, they might have been sitting there thinking, ‘how can this woman not realise who I am??!!’

The moral of this post is not that you should go hang out in the places I’ve mentioned, on the off-chance you’ll see famous people.

It’s that the cupcake shop is pretty cool. They do uber-amounts of cupcake flavours there.  That’s not to say I like cupcakes, oh no, don’t jump to that conclusion, but it’s good to try new things at least once a day.  I had a mojito-flavoured one, complete with frosted mint leaf. Mary-Ann had salted caramel, with a crushed up Werther’s Original on top.  We don’t know what flavour Jude went for.

Before I wrote this post I had to look up on the internet who the hell Jude Law was.  Sorry Jude.  I hope the cupcake bakery gets plenty of business from the people who read this blog – either because they luuurve cupcakes, or because they like Hollywood-acting, cake-eating heart-throbs.

Mary-Ann did draw the line at enabling me to purchase a fabric carrier bag advertising the bakery, with a huge cupcake on the front of it… don’t know why I’m still mates with her!! Ho ho.  I’m glad she came over today – not only did I get the chance to not recognise someone famous, I also got to eat cupcakes! Yee ha!

Me, myself and I

March3

We discovered a very cool app called Turbo Collage for Mac.  You just add a bunch of images, choose from one of five layouts, hit shuffle and hey presto!  This is a collage Miles did of me through the ages……lol!

Deepa Collage

 

 

 

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Valentine’s Day 2014

February14
Valentine's Day 2014

Valentine’s Day 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Yes and Amen

January26

Another retrospective blog – I must have been very productive in January.

This one is based on a StencilGirl stencil I got through the monthly membership package with her.  Each month you get a nice video and a bunch of very good stencils.

Yes and Amen is the name of an art website I find very inspiring.

IMG_0738

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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So Green with Envy

January26

I’m doing some retrospective blogging – I’ve been doing the art, just not uploading it to here.

IMG_0740

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is another work with Andrea, I’m quite happy with how it turned out, and it’s another one in my series of pieces that reflect a saying – “Yes and Amen, Felice Navidad, When I’m Feeling Blue, and Hot, hot, hot!”

 

 

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Feliĉan Novan Jaron

January1

Happy New Year, or as my carer Andrea would say, “Boldog új évet”.

I’m not a great one for New Year’s resolutions, but I do promise to keep going with the art and blogging about it as often as I can. I’ve got a few new pieces I’ll share with you all soon, including a Chrimbo canvas I did for dear husbundy.

Husbundy being the historian he is tells me there’s one thing 2014 and 1986 have in common, and its that the dates are exactly the same.  Apparently 1986 calendars are doing great business on eBay.

Thank you to everyone who shared 2013 with me, I look forward to being in your 2014.

Deepa

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Felice Navidad Mon Amore

December26

When asked what he wanted for Christmas, my hubbundy said that all he wanted was for me to make him a canvas artwork. And so I did, plus the odd trinket or two.

Felice Navidad Mon Amore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this painting I used Jane “danger” Davenport’s stencils for the two faces.  At the bottom of the canvas I found three bags from an old stash of embellishments.  People kept asking me if they represented frankincense, myhr and gold, but no, they represent the three other presents I got for hubbundy.  My husband says they represent the mountain of  Kipling bags I have (ha ha ha!)  My carer, Andrea and her daughter came up with the tree and the stars.

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LONG Time, NO Blog

November10

I hope you’ll forgive me for not sharing any art since my last post in July – I’ve busy arting, but not necessarily blogging, so lots to report.

First up, I finally got around to Gel Plate printing.  I had tried making my own gel plates with gelatine from the local supermarket, but that didn’t really work very well. The gel wouldn’t set properly, and when it did it cracked and became too difficult for me to handle.  I finally relented and forked out for a proper Gel Plate from Gelli Arts, and with some help from the very creative Edina, we spent an afternoon experimenting with various combinations of colour and texture.  I’m very pleased with the results and I especially like the black and white one which reminds of the streets of Camden.

Black and white gel plate print

Black and white gel plate print

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swirly gel plate

Swirly gel plate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see the full set of gel plate prints on my Flickr page.

Secondly, I’ve even been making some foam core stamps, with help from Chloe and Andrea.  DIY stamps should stop me from buying more as I already have a HUGE amount of rubber stamps I’ve accumulated over the years, and I thought making my own would be more fun.  The rubber stamp is mounted on the foam core.  Chloe was particularly good at cutting the patterns, a skill she obviously picked up doing engineering at college.

Home made stamps

Home made stamps

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More home made stamps

More home made stamps

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thirdly, it’s taken a year, but I’ve finished my first art journal.  Looking back at the journal, my first spread was my artistic journey and hopes for 2013 for LifeBook 2013.  That piece seems like a long time ago now.  Did I achieve any of those aspirations?  A little bit, yes.  On the one hand I’ve managed to stay smoke free, I practised art, took part in Life Book and Book of Days and, for the most part had well behaved cats.  But on the other hand I’m still struggling with want and need and spending more time on my faith.  I have found some very good art and faith classes at Soul Food and MadeGod, so check those out.

After years of craft, these are the first two art journal entries I did…..

My Journey

My Journey for LifeBook 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Art Mother

Fairy Art Mother LifeBook 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In between I did lots of stuff for Life Book and Book of Days and some experiments that had mixed success.  And this is the last image I did, a birthday spread with Andrea for the birthday girl (me), in my old journal.

Birthday Girl

Birthday Girl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fourth, I’ve started a new journal.  I must have a dozen blank journals on the shelf, and it took me a week to decide on plumping for a Dylusions art journal made by Ranger.  I also have the mini Dylusions journal, but I’m saving that for smaller works of art.  Anyway, I’ve already started work in the big journal with more birthday themed spreads.  Having cake stuffed into your face at a birthday seems to a family theme……Again, you can see the full set at Flickr, so enjoy the cake!

Face Cake

Let Her Eat Cake

 

 

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