Art and Christmas

Like most people I am usually pretty busy at this time of year but I have always taken time to paint original Christmas cards for my children and grandkids.

Christmas Card 2009

Sometimes I like the card so much that for the next year I get a number made to sell.

2010

Sometimes the cards are based on a painting I have done but most of the time they are right out of my imagination.

2012

The cards might be a complicated scene or just an expression of a winter bursting with color.

This year I was so busy crocheting Christmas ornaments to sell locally at Christmas fairs and through a local 'Buy & Sell" on Facebook that I forgot all about doing cards and ending up sending each of my kids one of the mass produced cards.

As always, I got carried away and just kept making more and more. Some designs have sold out but I will still have enough left to sell again next Christmas. I really enjoyed making the ornaments and changing the patterns so that many of them are unique.

I particularly like these little angels and ending up making a wreath so I could display one, as well as some of the other ornaments.

 While I broke tradition by not sending my kids personal cards I did send them each a snowflake with the mass produced card - I hope that satisfies the personal element!

I imagine the next few week will be busier still so ....

    MERRY CHRISTMAS AND BEST WISHES FOR A NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!

And one idea leads to another and another...

I took a card making class last winter at The Bamboo Room near Bonners Ferry, Idaho  -https://www.facebook.com/BambooRoomCrafts. Since then ideas have been knocking around in my head, just gelling and gathering strength.

 My first idea was to use a crocheted Christmas wreath as a frame. I added a photo of my granddaughter and  a couple of other things I had around. Not bad, BUT...

           I needed some designs, so I made some stamps, (these are just a sample)

            I painted and stamped some paper in sizes that would work for cards,

I crocheted more mini frames and then, flowers, leaves, stars, butterflies, hearts and a number of other things that came to mind.

 And then I put some of these things together in kits for other people to make cards or to use in scrapbooks and journals.

 In some cases, instead of the mini frames, I added an original pen & ink drawing on watercolour paper to be coloured or painted .

Although I hope that these items will sell (they are available from my Etsy shop -https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/MellowoodArtGallery?page=1 ) 
I enjoyed making them and will probably continue to design my own stamps and crochet patterns and to put together more kits.

So, as you can see, one idea led to another and another and another but it is okay because the joy is in the creating and ideas are always welcome!

Going Overboard

I have noticed in the last few years that I have a tendency to go overboard when I find something I like doing. I think it started with the purses I sew and paint.

Bell Flower purse

Daylily & Hummingbird

I really enjoyed coming up with new designs and figuring out what to paint. The first year I made them, the bags sold well, so I made more, and more, and... well, you get the picture.

I think I was alright for a few years, just doing my normal painting, in between housework and volunteering. Then I took a mixed media workshop with local artist Win Dinn http://windinnart.blogspot.ca and discovered a new toy.

Gauze Scarves

tar gel brooches

Once again I went overboard! I was having so much fun playing with color and shapes that I made so many of these items I might never sell them all. It is a good thing that I enjoy wearing them!

There may have been a few other things between then and now, but this winter I found a new creative outlet that has (almost) taken over my life. Crocheting! I learned to crochet when I was young and over the years have made a number of afghans - useful but time consuming. Just before Christmas I saw some crocheted ornaments and I thought "I can do that".


I found a number of patterns on line and started making things, then I adapted the patterns and made more, then I started making my own patterns. Before I knew it I had gone through 2 balls of crochet cotton and now I have enough ornaments to decorate a tree. I plan to sell them at this year's Wynndel Christmas fair.

I ran out of enough of the cotton to make another ornament so I made a few earrings - white, of course. My granddaughter commented that she wished they were in color and there I was, off on a new venture.

Not content with just earrings, I have started to make some pendants to match them. I have no idea if I will be able to sell these items but they are so much fun to make I just can't help myself. I continue to make up more patterns for the earrings and the pendants.

  
  Every time I come up with one of these 'crafty' ideas my husband suggests that I wait to see if they sell before I make too many. Unfortunately, once I get started I almost always end up going overboard because I am enjoying myself and that is what counts most!