Kalaya Steede

I am experimenting with this new app called Diptic.  I used this app for all the pictures you see on today's post.  It was real easy to use and I like that a lot. I like it especially for when there are going to be lots of pictures and this post will have lots of pictures! Here is my Valentine's gift for my valentine this year.  I decided to make a piece of wall art which I have NEVER done.  Yay, a challenge! Basically I took a piece of wood, applied gesso, painted, and was going to mount this paper clay heart, that I sculpted, on top.  It was all ready to go when I decided that it needed MORE!!!   It needed dimension. It needed a top, a bottom, and some wings.  But how does one attach such things?  That is when plaster came to mind. I will make the parts out of card board and then use plaster wrap to put it all together. Looks easy enough.  Thanks to this book by Stephanie Lee & Judy Wise. I used maskin...

Wow!  Last night was a blast!!!  The traffic started building up around 3pm in our neighborhood.  No parking spots to be found and the first Krewe does not roll for another 3 hours! So...we had some time on our hands.  Since it was my friend Ty's first Muses I decided that we needed a sign.  We had to have something for those beautiful Muses to see us with.   First, we must make a sign with some clever saying (which isn't easy to come up with)... We came up with this... Tysheena's VERY first shoe! Our favorite two Muses who loved our sign and rained shoes upon us!!!  They asked to have our sign.   Who can refuse to give to a Muse???!!! Our Muses showing us lots and lots of love... I absolutely LOVE this picture of my friend Shon.   Stunning!!! Our Shoozes.  We received a total of 7even!!! Well...now I am Le Tiired but have to get ready for Krewe d'Etat tonight!...

Not I!   I go every year (except for when I'm deathly ill). ;( It is the weekend before Mardi Gras (I know it is only Thursday but that is when it starts for me) and tonight it begins with the Krewe of Muses and then the whole city will shut down for the show!  At least that is how I feel.  The first parade I attend (after Joan of Arc back in January) is Muses. I am so lucky to have already received a glitter shoe from my Muse Shon.  Eeeee!!!   Can you tell what her float theme is? I must say, that is one good looking shoe!   Merci, Merci Buttercup! So...come out, come out, and catch a fantabulous glitter shoe from the Krewe of Muses tonight and be on the look out for my Muse.  She has already left the studio to join her Krewe in preparation for tonight.  I know she will have a GREAT time!   Have a great Thursday and weekend.    Namaste Kalaya

Stop the flow of your words, open the window of your heart and let the spirit speak. ~Rumi~ Namaste Kalaya

(progress not perfection is what I am after) After years of buying crimp ends for leather I thought it time to start making my own.  I ran across this wonderful blog by Objects and Elements showing how easy it was to make your own ends for leather.   I used 16 gauge copper wire instead of their suggested 14 gauge.  I had some 12 gauge bronze but was not going to touch that!  I find bronze hard to form but the tutorial said you will get accustomed to working with heavy gauge wire.  Okay, surrre. :-) It was pretty simple to do and I like the look.  I did not want to ruin my leather with my liquid patina solution and so I left the copper to patina naturally.  The tutorial used Gilder's Paste to "mellow out the piece".  Hmmm...time to buy a new toy!   Surprisingly the ends were secure.  Yay! Milagros (mostly hearts) These came from The Bead Shop . I went through all that they had with help from Sue and Sarah. ...

I totally flaked out on my first giveaway!  I thought I had another week.  I am three days behind and that is just like me. Ha!   Sorry about that.  With no further ado. Introducing the players. All seven names were put in a hat (actually a bowl) and my sweets did the honors.  And the winner is... Yay Conchita! Thanks for playing everyone!  I hope to do more of these giveaways during the year.  It is so much fun! Have a great rest of the week. Namaste Kalaya