Birthday Cards

Back in June I printed with a few of my new blocks -

you can read about it here...

New Prints

Once prints are dried and cut apart they are ready for...

A little dab of watercolor and sewing them to handmade cards..

Here are some finished products-

Birthday Cards

Multicolor Birthday Candles

Some subtle, others vibrant!

The stitch line adds a nice touch.

Flames don't have to always be yellow.

The print is a deep blue-black color which is complimented nicely 

with the lighter shade of blue around the candles.

It's one of my favorites thus far.

Gradation of color always speaks to me.

I try to include it in almost every print.

A variety pack appeals to everyone.

A special birthday card for someone special.

Treasuring the small cuts of a linoleum block that mean so much 

when put into a card on this artist holiday,

hannah

Inspirational Hike

Recently we took a family camping trip to 

Pilot Mountain, North Carolina

Cutie the Camper is set up and ready!!

We love camping so much!

It's our little home away from home we've already taken to 4 states.

But aside from the wonderful time camping,

we also hike, fish, kayak and take in the beautiful sights all around us.

Check out these photos I snapped as we hiked around

Pilot Mountain.

Look back at the first photo and see the mountain in the background.

These next photos were taken there.

It takes about 45 minutes to hike around the entire cap!

All I wanted to do was look up the entire hike!

We caught a beautiful day too.

Lines, repetition and texture.

Angles, curves and layers.

Delicate color.

Worn and aged.

I felt so small standing next to this gray beauty!

My girls taking it in... this says it all.

I could see fragments of lines in the rocks separated from one another.

The bottom of a rock showing the effects of dripping water.

So inspring!!

As any artist would say, they are inspired by nature.

And I am no different.

I am inspired to draw, carve linoleum and paint.

I am inspired to write and journal.

I am inspired to see more than I can take in.

I am inspired to stop and cherish that moment.

I am inspired to share what I see with others.

I am inspired to create.

A campfire with a view...

what more do you need?

Read more about Pilot Mountain, NC -

here

sharing North Carolina's beauty and beauty that inspires me 

to keep going as an artist on this artist holiday,

hannah

A Clay Work-Out

Clay Extruder Work-Out Fun!!

This is the clay extruder in the clay studio at the

Smithfield Recreation and Aquatic Center!

Since I have been coming in the studio I have seen it and

wondered about it, but never really played around with it.

That is until I met my new friend, Marsha!!

She is wonderful, SO knowledgable and even provided the studio

with more templates to use!!

It was under Marsha's guidance that I learned how to operate this

amazing device to get really fantastic shapes ready for my creative touches.

Thanks Marsha!!

Here is the template, nuts and bolts ready to be put together...

This is what it looks like put together and ready for the extruder!

Also, I have wedged and prepared my clay and inserted it at the top of the extruder.

Once I press on the lever really hard....

(this is the work out part)

Clay begins to be pressed through the template!!

This photo was taken underneath the extruder.

Here's the clay coming out further as I continue to press on the handle.

After pressing all I could to get as much clay out as possible...

this is what I created!!!

I was so excited and my mind's wheels were turning 

to figure out what I could make with

this wonderfully shaped piece of clay.

I cut apart the coil into smaller pieces and...

I made short pieces...

I made tall pieces

I added lots of texture!

And lots more texture...

I also drew into the clay!

Maybe a unique flower vase...

I sculpted the edges, using my clay tools in new ways!

This was the piece with the curve in it and I did not want to lose that.

So I flattened the bottom edge to give it a unique foot-like shape.

A work out in the beginning and a delicate touch in the end.

Thank you to the Smithfield Recreation Center for such a wonderful studio

and my friend Marsha!

Seeing more and more possibilities with clay 

incorporating the clay extruder on this artist holiday,

hannah

VBS Day 5 Weird Animals

Day 5

WEIRD ANIMALS
Group VBS

Vacation Bible School

Today's Bible Point:

Even when you're afraid... Jesus loves you!

Today's Bible Verse:

"Don't be afraid... Take courage.  I am here!"

Matthew 14:27

Our final day in Imagination Station was all about drawing!
Drawing weird, cool and awesome creatures!!!

The children loved this step by step activity.

I tweaked the directions from one of my favorite books right now-
52 Creative Exercises to make drawing fun!
Drawing Lab by Carla Sonheim


Check out her website
The Art of Silliness

Here's my take on the project:
Step 1- Draw an eye.
Twist the page
Step 2 - Draw another eye, but different than the first.
Twist the page.
Step 3 - Draw a nose.
Twist the page
Step 4 - Draw a shape (circle, square, rectangle) around all the parts to create cohesiveness.

The children did well following directions.
I also made it fun because when we were finished with each step, they had to do something silly!

Maybe tug their ear or make a silly face or put their hand on their head!!

Check out these WEIRD creatures-

After we completed the step by step directions,

children were given colored pencils to finish off their drawings.

Yet again, I was so impressed!!

And you should have heard them talking about their drawing -

the papers were coming to life with fantastic stories!

Yep, that's me!  Each day I tried to look more weird than the day before!

I kept asking the kids... do I look weird today??

Not only did I wear a large hat from the circus, I brought in our very own weird pet -

Thunder, the guinea pig!!

I shared that I wanted to introduce him to my new friends that I made this week.

There were a lot of "awwww.... he's so cute!"

And I ended each class today with a parting thought....

Embrace who you are,

Love yourself, 

and 

remember

Jesus loves you no matter what!

I hope I remember these words as well.

I had so much fun this week!

I want to sing the praises of my volunteers who worked tirelessly for me each day.

You are incredible and make my teaching easy!!!

Thanks from the bottom of my heart!

Thank you to our VBS Director and my friend, Kathleen Stuckey for making our VBS work seamlessly!

Thank you to our Children's Minister and also my friend, Pam Russell for gathering my supplies and believing in my craft ideas!

Thank you to all the many many teachers that brought kids to and from my room, quietened them when necessary and help carry the craft load when needed!

And finally thank you to Horne Memorial United Methodist Church and Group VBS

for supporting us all!!

As customary here's the final figures for this week's Imagination Station -

1,160 Wikki Stix distributed and played with,

435 paint drips to make 145 paint blobs,

900 Washi tape pieces torn,

and

300 wiggly eyes glued to 145 rocks,

just to name a few!!!

Believing seeds of love were planted this week on this artist holiday,

hannah