Friday, June 22, 2012

Crazy, Happy, Crayons!


 What do you do with a couple of bored little girls when it is 90+ degrees outside and the pool is not an option?


You make crazy crayons!!  We started by digging through our crayon bucket and gathered lots of broken crayons (a lot of yellow, brown and red it seemed).


Then you break those crayons up into tiny pieces (I helped and used a kitchen knife - it was not difficult) and place them in mini cake tins.  We only had a heart shaped one but you can get stars, circles and more at your local craft store. 



Once you have chosen your color combinations and put all of your crayon pieces in the tins, put them in a 170 to a 200 degree oven (temperature depends on your oven - experiment) for about twenty minutes...


When they have all melted take them out of the oven and allow to completely cool. They should pop right out when cool. You can also place the cooled tin in the freezer for about two minutes - this will help the wax to pull away from the side of the tin.

The next step it to use them!!!  Go create some wild and crazy things:)  This little project kept my girls busy all afternoon.  The only part that they got frustrated with was peeling the paper off of the crayons.  Some of the crayon's paper was difficult to get off.  But all in all they loved this.  I had fun too:)  So what do you do when you are bored?

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Happy Father's Day!


Happy Father's Day!!  My hubby is away in Europe for the next couple of weeks for work so the girls made this sign for him and posted it on Facebook.  Technology is really a wonderful thing:) 


 I will admit to being a little resentful that he gets to see Brussels, London, and France and I am here taking care of the kids and a crazy dog.  This leaves me little time to create.  But thanks to my good friend Charlie Doyle at The Fair Publishing House http://fairpublishing.com/index.php here in Norwalk, I have something to really be excited about!


Fair Publishing supplies publishing needs for Fairs and all kinds of things.  He was able to scan one of my original background collages and create a blank 5 x 7 card.  I can now work on creating card making kits...


 The idea is that each kit will contain the blank 5 x 7 card and the person buying the kit gets to put the card together with the included words and ephemera.


Now all I have to do is get the kits put together.  I really need to learn to stay up late.  I could get so much more accomplished!  My biggest problem is that after I put the girls to bed around 9:00pm I'm usually pretty wiped out.  Sometimes coffee works but I don't like drinking that much caffeine so late at night.  Anyone got any suggestions??  I hope you all have a Blessed Father's Day.


Thursday, June 14, 2012

Trying A Little "Drawing"...


One of the things that I wish I could do better was draw.  I don't mean doodle flowers - I love doing that but sometimes I wish I could really draw, you know, like illustrate scenes...


I have really given thought to taking a class, but every time I have looked into it the class schedules just don't match up with my family's schedule.  So I decided that if I just started "drawing", and practicing I will get better at it.


 So here it my first real attempt at drawing a scene. I drew a picture of a place that makes me happy and relaxed.  My family always camped while I was growing up.  Some of my fondest memories are at a campsite.  So it just seemed natural for me to start with that.  Perhaps that is why I like doodling flowers so much - I seem to have a strong, calming connection with the outdoors.


Even today, my parents have long since "upgraded" to a permanent campsite with a big RV kind of camper.  But as soon as we are packed in the car and headed to "the camper" my whole sense of being relaxes. My girls are the same way - they love to be outside, with a campfire, and lazy days and nights.  Have a Blessed week everyone!

Saturday, June 9, 2012


It has been Ballet Recital week here at the Shella household.  Please enjoy these photos - I will be back to crafting on Monday:) Where I have stepped out of my comfort zone just a little bit when it comes to my doodling...


Alexa was a sheep in Little Bo Peep had lost her sheep!  The wolf even tried to catch them!




Fiona was a Maypole Dancer...


These girls worked really hard all year and it paid off:)  They performed beautifully...


I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.  We will be danced out by Sunday!  I will post my "out of comfort zone" doodle on Wednesday - stop by and check it out...

Sunday, June 3, 2012

The Calmness of Coloring...


I love to color; doodle, journal, make squiggles, whatever you want to call it I love to do it.  There is something very soothing about just putting your pen, or marker, or crayon to paper.  Not really thinking about what to draw - just drawing...


I tend to draw flowers, lots and lots of them.  In fact I sometimes wish I would draw other things.  But then I start thinking too hard about it and it's no longer relaxing.  So I have to remind myself that I am drawing for me, no one else, and if I want to do nothing but draw flowers and squiggles around them that's okay...


I have been very busy with life lately, all good things but stressful just the same.  Busy to the point that I have not made enough time for me to do what I love - making art!  As most of you moms/artists know, that little thing called guilt (guilty for not doing the laundry, for making art instead of cleaning the kitchen etc.) can really get the best of us.  So I spoke with Lesley Riley at http://www.artistsuccess.com/ and boy did she kick that old guilt right out of my head...


I completed a questionnaire that had me thinking about what my goals are and what I really want to do with my art.  It ended up being pretty soul searching.  Then I had a thirty minute phone conversation with her.    Just hearing the things that I already know from someone else  - especially when that someone has been making art for more than thirty years and has been in my shoes,   really made  a huge difference in the way I see my art making.  It made me realize that it's OKAY for me to say "today I am making art".  THANK YOU Lesley for giving me the boost I needed!


And finally - I have decided to send all three of you lovely ladies that posted your favorite summer memory a magnet:)  Please send me your email addresses at cshella@yahoo.com.  And keep doodling!  It lowers our blood pressure:)