Tag: hand made

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Day 329 – Pin Cushion

Art Apple - Day Three Hundred Twenty NineInfusion day always feels a little like human pin cushion day!

My infusion nurses are awesome and my nurse today knows and empathizes like few could – you see, she too has AS.

I’ll be feeling great in no time – love my Remicade but it does knock me flat for a day or two so I’m going to cut my post a bit short tonight…

Until tomorrow.

Jenna

Day 329 was created with a piece of 140lb water color paper (nice thick strong paper) a bit of beige metallic embroidery thread and lots of pin pricks!

***Added 8/26/2011 – I was so tired last night so I didn’t let you all know where the inspiration cam from for this apple but I want to make sure to link now. Here is the amazing work that inspired this apple. Her pieces are much more involved and intricate and I’d love to experiment with this technique more and learn how she does what she does!

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Day 328 – Bead Me Up!

Art Apple - Day Three Hundred Twenty EightBead me up Scotty…

Well, you know the rest. I definitely feel this way driving in city traffic, watching Jersey Shore (I may be one of the only people on the face of the planet who’s watched it only once), and when dealing with health insurance billing issues!

I continue to love making the fabric apples and I think I’ll do one more tomorrow although I go for my infusion tomorrow so we’ll see how much uumph I have tomorrow afternoon!

I created this piece and loved the simple graphic nature of the shapes but I felt it needed something more so I pulled out my beads thinking I’d put some around the edges and then the creative beast took over and decided that this apple had to have a seed bead in every juncture of the checkerboard fabric. Which took forever but I’m glad I followed through and did what I saw it needed regardless of the time it took. The hand sewing of putting the tiny beads on the apple was almost meditative and definitely relaxing but ambitious for the day before my infusion when my energy is waning.

I was thinking at one point when I was only half way through that if Captain Kirk had transported into my living room and seen what I was up to he would have undoubtedly uttered those famous words – “Beam me up Scotty, there is no intelligent life down here!”

Until tomorrow.

Jenna

Day 328 was created in fabric, seed beads, silky thread, and yellow fabric paint.

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Day Fifty Nine – Which hue?

I love picking out paint colors.  There is something glorious about walking up to a wall of colors that exhilarates me – I get the same rush when I go to the art supply, fabric store, yarn shop or even Pottery Barn or Nordstom’s for that matter.  The possibilities abound and whether or not I’m choosing colors with a purpose or wild abandon – I love a well combined pallet!

For a few years at the beginning of dealing with my AS, I was on a lot of medications for the pain and I just couldn’t see the colors or maybe I didn’t care – dealing with chronic pain takes simple joys out of life in so many ways.  I’m not sure how to explain that but I didn’t get the thrill from my art that I get now that I’m on the Remicade and feeling relatively well.  The disease had me in it’s grip and the initial medications didn’t allow me to be me – that big piece of who I am.  I am so grateful for Remicade and how much of my life I have back since starting on it.  There are many people dealing with AS who are either afraid to start a biologic medication for fear of the possible consequences or they aren’t able to access them due to insurance reasons.   This is a big problem and people need to know that life is better for so many on these types of medications and we need to help figure out a way to give people more access to this care.

Until tomorrow.

Jenna

Day 59 is a collage made with paint chips.

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Day Fifty eight – Dash of this, some of that.

A dash of this and a hint of that  – and mix it all up.  Mixed media or collage are such a boring names for throwing it all together.  Maybe I’ll start calling mixed media pieces “everything but the kitchen sink” or “visual carnival” or perhaps more appropriately, “disparate madness” – ooh I like it!  If I use any of those maybe I’ll loosen up a bit with them.  How can you take something too seriously if you call it a visual carnival.  Here’s a great quote I just recently came across – “Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious.” –Brendan Gill

I think he’s right.

Until tomorrow.

Jenna

Day 58 was created with everything but the kitchen sink.

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Day Thirty – Apple n’ Bones

I had such a creative block today.

Tomorrow for Halloween I have an Apple o’ Lantern planned but I think I’ve done every conceivable Halloween image possible.  At least it seems that way but with 365 days of apples needed, I will be creating Art Apples that are relevant to the calendar, current events and happenings so please humor me with a few more Halloween apples.  LOL!

Doug was wonderful help to me talking it out and giving suggestions.  I thought maybe a caramel apple or a Beetle Juice apple (I would have loved to do a Beetle Juice Apple but I couldn’t face doing a Tim Burton inspired apple and risk not doing it justice.)  So…  One of my thoughts was to do a skeleton but I couldn’t figure out a good way to incorporate the apple – but my sweet, clever husband came up with a solution.  He did however think I should have added some color but I love it just black and white.  Hope you do too!

Until tomorrow.

Jenna

Day Thirty was created with archival black ink.

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Day Twenty four – Halloween Week!

This week will be very fun – cuz what’s more fun than Halloween?  And there might be a few surprises as well – don’t forget… you can sign up via email on the bottom of the page to get an email notice when I post my Art Apple each day.  And if this is your first time here, don’t forget to check out the older posts to see all the apples – who knows what day might be your favorite.

Until tomorrow.

Jenna

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Day Twenty three – Green Pastel

I decided to make chicken soup, cauliflower soup, and chicken enchilada casserole – this afternoon!  I’ve pretty much figured out that if I’m going to work full time, have a life,  and create my apples then something has gotta give.  So I’ll need to prepare some food ahead.

So, before starting on chopping onions and picking chicken (I hate to pick chicken) I thought that I would run into town – ha – it’s 15 miles, and go to Guiry’s for some new paper and new  pastels.  Some women covet handbags – I want more art supplies – I could really care less about what I carry my stuff around in ( ok, maybe I care a bit – lol).  I’ve got my eye on a new red sable watercolor brush because the one my grandmother gave me (oh my goodness – almost 25 years ago) has the paint all flaking off the wooden handle and is all loose where the metal holds the hair.  It still has a nice point on it but it isn’t quite how it used to be but it’s really the only watercolor brush I use and it has a lot of sentimental value.  But seriously, check out the point on this No. 6!

Ok – I’ve gone off track a bit.  I put my pastels to the test in today’s apple and I wrote down around 40 ideas for apples to come…

Until tomorrow.

Jenna

jenna@artappleaday.com

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Day Twenty two – Save the Cat Apple

So, I was thinking today about why cats go running up trees.  Do you think they know that they may not find their way down or that they may get stuck and need help?  It seems that it is just their nature and they head that way regardless.

But, isn’t that what we all do – go running full steam ahead without any idea where we’re going.  Isn’t that the point of life – lead it – full steam ahead.  So – for all the non cat lovers out there perhaps they are smarter than you think and perhaps they just want to see the view from the top.

Personally, I’m a cat person!

Until tomorrow.

Jenna

jenna@artappleaday.com

P.S.  Please send me your ideas – I’ve got another 343 days left.

P.P.S.  In memoriam FDNY 343

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Day Twenty – Wallpaper mixed media

Great to be home!

My cat Bittie couldn’t stay off my lap today – and Ella my sweet Border Collie/Aussie mix was attached to my side.

I’m very excited to have my studio and plethora of supplies at hand.

I have to share with you a couple of emails I got from my Dad tonight – see below – perhaps we can all tell him he needs to blog here at The Feeding Edge!  He’d be great at posts on food and travels.  He’s an amazing poet too!

Email one, subject – Observations:  Driving through southeastern Wisconsin this afternoon, I tasted the finest apple in existance… I’m quite sure it was a Honey Crisp.  Magnificant!  Pure Mana from the gods.  The farm had the most incredible barn; perfectly round with a stone foundation up 6 or 8′ and a wood shingled roof.  I did a u-turn and went back to photograph it and wantered into the garage to view an assortment of 15 or so varieties of orchard fresh apples.  Three were recommended and I tried the Honey Crisp… lucky me!  the farm has been in the same family for an incredible 171 years.  Oops, they just served my salad.  Eat more apples!

Email two, subject Saga Continues:  So when the Ceasar arrived it was under dressed so I sent the poor bartender back to the kitchen.  More thick, heavy (this is Houlahans’s but dressing like Outback) dressing was a major improvement.  The salmon arrived dried up and I let the bartender insist on ordering another; much better the second time.  I should really wear a t-shirt denoting “warning’ I’m the most particular patron you’ve ever served.”  Bon Soir

Until tomorrow.

Jenna

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Day Nineteen – Pink Apple for Breast Cancer

Just under the wire tonight.  I’ve been wanting to do a pink apple for my friend Sandy and all women dealing with breast cancer.

I spent the evening flying back home to Denver and I drew this somewhere over Iowa and Nebraska and got home just with enough time to watercolor the design.  Whew!

Until tomorrow.

Jenna