Absolutely the last entry for 2010

Art outside of a bookstore/gallery on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans. FM Books in the Marigny I believe is the full name.

(I posted the wrong entry to this blog.)

As the year comes to a close I start thinking about some of the things I saw this year that I could create. Some of them I did create over the holidays. I decorated wine bottles and filled them with M & M's which added to the Christmas theme.

I had thought about buying chargers, but I could never find the color I wanted and the price I thought was a bit much at $1.99 or higher. I finally caught a sale at Wal Mart when they were have price, 4 for $2.50 which put them at about .62 cents each.
They work well with the decor and now I can decorate them to add a little more style and art. I'll have two that I can display as art and if I like the way it looks then I can decorate the ones on the table in a similar fashion.

Since I'm big on recycling, the possibilities are endless as to what you can do with the stuff that you have.

You really don't have to spend a lot of money because most of what you need is lying around the house. Candles, scrapbook paper or newspaper, hole punch, glue or hot glue and photographs. You are only limited by your imagination.

Thank you for stopping by and do come back next year as I present more art and craft ideas.

Last Entry for 2010

Can I take a trip? I had been going back and forth with this for quite some time. I wanted so much to actually get away to clear my head. Work on some art and immerse myself in my creative process. Every now and then it is good to have a change of scenery and to be with different people.

I’ve been wanting to go back to the Big Island to create some art and to spend time with a friend and pick up my belongings. I know when the time is right it will come together. I had opportunities to go other places, but I just didn’t feel it at that time. I believe in going with the vibe in just about everything that I do.

As this is the last day of the new year this is the last entry of 2010. For most of us it was a scary year. We didn’t know if we were going to have a job, funds to pay bills or even stay in our homes.

2010 was filled with happiness and sadness for some of us. I tried to get my own talk show and even be a part of Good Morning America, but it wasn’t meant to be. We had the opportunities to be with family and friends. We tried on new hats and took time to reflect on what life offered us. No matter what happened, we are still hear and we can make a change in the new year. Exercise, get healthy, quit smoking, etc.

I’m doing laundry and getting the house in order. You want to start off the new year with clean clothes and a clean house. Of course I’ve always spent the new year by myself which means I end the new year by myself. It just depends on how you look at it and it is after all my choice.

The new year will bring lots of new opportunities and I will begin a new journey. I hope to bring out even more of my creative flow and that I can share it with a larger group of people. You can find out more by checking back to see how this journey unfolds. I want to thank all of you who came back on a regular basis. Those that became followers and maybe I helped to create a conversation between you and your friends.

Have a safe evening, and I lift my glass in a toast to wish you all a happy new year.

Coming up: Writing the Levee Board

If you cut a past the links below you can access some of my work.

http://picasaweb.google.com/ArtographybyDlonzo/OpenYourMind05?authkey=Gv1sRgCJSywryBj-P3XQ#


http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1482690&l=a6c1abc89d&id=763163743

www.cocanola.com

www.artbydlonzo.blogspot.com

http://filmlover4pg.blogspot.com

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=104918806

Creating gifts and decor for the holidays

One of the crosses that I created in 2007.

There are many things we can make ourselves that we can share or use to decorate our spaces. We first learn to do this when we are kids in grade school. We learn to make cards, or small Christmas trees. We then move on to creating larger works of art or crafts.

I surround myself with my art as well as that of other artists. I have countless books that I look through to get inspiration from time to time.

During Christmas you see so many things that you'd love to have, but you either don't have the space or the price seems a little rediculous. For me I have to look back and think because I know I can make something that I see for little of nothing. I usually stock up on supplies when I find a bargain so I have most of what I need.

I've always admired the angels that you see, but I'm not going to pay $24.99 or higher for something to use once a year. I thought wouldn't it be great if I designed something that I could just leave up all year round. Then you don't have to worry about where to put something as you have placed something in that spot after Christmas. If of course that is the case then make sure you take photographs and you can remember where everything was the previous year. Then you can make changes accordingly.

If you are going to make a seasonal display here are a few ideas I'd like to share. Take a jar, or grits or oatmeal box and removed the wrapping. Cover it with colorful ribbon or scrapbook paper. Fill it with your favorite candy or flowers. You can also buy some candy canes and put them all the way around and still fill it with other candy or flowers. It's a multifunctional center piece.

Back to the angel. If you take a wine bottle with a long neck you can decorate it with some felt. Depending on if you want it to be only used for Christmas or leave it up all year round pick a color that will work for any season. Felt comes in all different colors and styles. You can even find embossed or glittered felt.
Cur out your wings from cardboard and cover them with felt. You could even do two sets of wings and that way your only changing the wings for the holidays.
Take a doll head or a round wood block and glue it to the top of the wine bottle. Paint or draw on the eyes and mouth. Attach a halo and finish decorating your bottle with some sheer ribbon or fabric. This can also serve as giving you a seasonal look that can be removed after the holidays so that your angel can remain out all year round. You can create arms using colorful pipe cleaners. The possibilities are endless, just use your imagination.

You can also take a wine bottle that has a bowl shape to create the face of a Santa or an elf. After removing the label, put on some squiggly eyes, a beard, mustache and eye brows. Use the long neck at the hat. Cover it with felt and add a pom pom at the top. I've given you the tip now make the idea your own.

How Many Times?

How many times have you walked into a store and saw something that was really interesting, but the price seemed really high. Then you might think to yourself, I wish I could make that myself. As an artist depending on your medium, you might be able to do it. You can even take a course. There are many things I have thought about doing. One is glass blowing, but I can't take being around too much heat. I used to create my own ceramic jewelry and other objects. I have a few pieces I am still working on, but they won't get a final firing. I'm just painting the bisque to give it a natural look. The items range from really small images to large scuptures to hang on the wall or drap over a mantle.

It seems to cost a lot to create art, but usually you can make several projects for the price of just one item.

The next time your out and about, keep a small note pad with you. When you see an item you like. Make notes of what you would need to make the item and compare the price to the materials. If its a sale you can't pass up then go ahead and buy the item if you are going to use it and its not just going to take up space.

Thanks for stopping by and come back again.