My classes at the HBAC are in full swing and I’m not the best about taking pics but I did manage to snap some from the little balloon project I did in my Parent & Me class.  Here is a tutorial for our Paper Mache Hot Air Balloon:

Materials needed:

balloon
tissue paper
white glue
brush
paper cup
string
tempera paint and glitter
pipe cleaners
hole punch

Instructions:

Blow up your balloon about half way. In a bowl, dilute your glue with water, equal portions. Begin to cover your balloon with strips of tissue paper, covering each piece with glue mixture. Start with white tissue paper for the first couple of layers. Cover the entire balloon with at least 5 layers of tissue paper for strong tissue paper mache cast. Let dry overnight or longer until bone dry.

When fully dry, pop the balloon and carefully take it out. Cut a circle in the dried paper mache where the balloon comes out, large enough to be able to fit your hand inside the cast. Pop out any spots that caved in. Poke a hole on the opposite side of the balloon, to which you feed the pipe cleaner through. Tie a loop on the other end of the pipe cleaner so it does not fall all the way through the balloon. This will be how you hang your balloon. Punch three holes on the bottom of the balloon to which you tie your paper cup basket to. Punch three holes in your paper cup. Paint the cup and balloon with tempera paint and glitter. Connect your cup to your balloon with string, tying each hole to each other. Now you’re done!

Well I am doing my second craft show, this time at Piecemakers in Costa Mesa as part of their annual Harvest Festival, which will have over 80 vendors, live music, food and a hay ride.  And it’s all Halloweened out so it will be fun!  If you’re in the area tomorrow between 9 and 4 p.m. stop by and say hi!

I was scanning through my image library and I had nearly forgotten the kind of disaster my place was when I first moved in.  I still of course have temporary bouts of dishevelment, especially after my craft fair a few weekends ago (I’m still trying to figure out where to store the tent and tables, and all the displays), but overall it is a long voyage from where it once was.  And it is sooo good to feel at ease and more organized in ones space.  Here is a little picture book of some of the transformations…

Well I just finished and added some new necklaces to my shop which are miniature little paintings covered in resin.  They are fun and different to make, and I can’t wait to make more different kinds.  Even little dried flower ones.  There’s so much that goes into making jewelry!  I’ve done it for hobby, but now doing it for my shop is much more time consuming.  Searching and finding the pendants, and chain, jump rings and lobster clasps (and all the metals have to match), and then there’s the packaging…there’s so many little pieces that don’t have anything to do with the artwork.  Luckily I’ve done resin a lot before, so that part was not new.  Although I did kind of have amnesia about how finicky a material it is.  Bubbles and hair and dust, oh and the MOTH!

Making these necklaces is a nice break from…my screen door which I just made!  I thought I was crazy to attempt it (and so did everyone else) but what am I supposed to do when my door opening is 42 inches wide?  That’s like hospital size.  There are no screen doors anywhere with those dimensions.  So, being an artist, naturally I would just make one.  Hours and hours later, it’s done.  I’m almost surprised it turned out good and I totally am happy I have one now.  I can enjoy the breeze.  I will never make a screen door again.  I would help someone else make one though.  Maybe I’ll do a tutorial, but in the meantime, here it is:

Yes, my interior door pull is a glitter bangle.  I still need to Lily proof it (add a little hook) but other than that it’s done.  I made it just in time for the Open Studio last weekend, which was awesome!  There was a good turnout of family and friends and it was really cool because my neighbor Salvage Vintage had a big party too.  And the backyard looked soo pretty, like a wedding could take place.  I’ll share some pics as soon as she shares some pics.  In all my last minute amnesia, I did not bring out a camera at all!  I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Next weekend (Saturday, August 20 from 7-10 p.m. to be exact) I am hosting an Open Studio event in my live/work space in Long Beach.  My neighbor, the very beautiful vintage boutique Salvage Life is having their grand opening party on the same night so there will be lots of things to see and things to do.  The shop owner Beth is having a fashion show, on-site screenprinting and a DJ and I’ll have refreshments and beverages.  If you are in the area, stop on by!  In the meantime, I’ll be cleaning….for more information on the event, go to the event’s facebook page here.