~Mermaid Swap Goodies Show and Tell~

Hello my wonderful and fabulous Bloggy Friends!!

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while!  Though I was warned against it, I started a studio re-organize thinking it couldn't possibly take so long....well....2 weeks and a few projects behind, I finally have a clean space to create in.  I now have a dedicated shipping area so I don't have to move what I'm working on aside to package up orders!  Loving it so far!

Anyways...on to why we are really here. To see some Mermaids!!
This proved to be an awesome swap, and though I am still waiting on one last Mermie girl from Heidi (she was sick, so I gave her an extension.....that's the nice thing about making up your own swap....you can bend the rules, too...haha!) I knew this was going to be a photo and link heavy post. 

I'll be sure to show you what Heidi sends on my next post.

You might want to go get something to drink...and maybe a notebook to jot down some newfound blogs.  I know I not only got to swap with some of my favorite artists and friends here in Blogland....but, I got the pleasure of meeting some new ones, as well :)

...Oh, and before I get started, I wanted to thank everyone for all the extras that were included in my packages!  I loved recieving each and every piece of mail and am just tickled that you all wanted to participate to begin with!
But, in the interest of keeping the pictures to a minimum, I am just showing the main/mermaid related art/goody for each participant :)

Okay....these are posted in no particular order....get your diving caps on...and let's go swimming!

 

Art by Marfi of Incipient Wings

 

 

Art by Sherry Gadel

 

 

Art by Debi at Puddleduck Grange

 

My first Mer-Crow art by Stacy at Magic Love Crow

 

 

Embroidered pillowcases by Heather at Ramblings from the Animal House

 

 

Art by Lynn at Sunny Room Art

 

 

Art by Lisa at The Wright Stuff

 

 

Art by Manon at Manon Popjes Art

 

 

Siren Paper Doll by Erin at The Mucha Cafe

 

 

Digital Art by Wini at Art, Love & Joy

 

 

Art by Joyce at Joyce's Art Blog

 

 

Painted Rock by Andrea at Falling Ladies

She said she tried to think of what a painted rock for a mermaid would look like :)

 

 

Art by Pen at Rosa Lily

 

 

Art by Frances at We Three 3

 

 

Art by Kristin at Twinkle, Twinkle

 

 

Art by Heather at Little Red Henry

 

 

Zippered Pouch by Amy at Salamander Dreams

 

 

Mermaid Paper Doll by Rachel at Wonderings

 

 

Art by Devon at Monkeying Around

 

 

Art by Natasha May at Natasha May Art World

 

 

Art by Trish Lovato

 

 

Art by Micki at The Secret Hermit

 

Great stuff, huh?!

I am one lucky mermaid lovin' lady right now...heehee!

 

Thanks, again to everyone who created a little mermie something for me!

And to you all for stopping by for a visit!  I just adore it when you do :)

 

Saltwater kisses and sandy hugs,

Cameron

My Art is Deadly

.....in a good way!

Day of the Dead, that is! 
I was in the mood to paint some calavera catrinas girls this week.  After lots of controlled lines and small details on the mermaids I've been doing lately, I felt like splashing a little paint around!

Here's the Series all together.....

 

Each is a 6 x 6 inch gallery wrapped canvas.

 

 

This is "A Flower for the Dead"

 

 

I  used vintage dictionary pages on them and incorporated the defined word into their names.

 

 

This is "Lost in a Memory"

 

 

 

....and this is "Eyes that Haunt"

 

 

I wanted her to look a little spectral with her sheer veil and thin features....but then have these big, captivating eyes....

 

 

Of course, her word is "Haunt"

 

 

Hope these get you in a spooky kinda mood ;P

 

Oh, but wait, I almost forgot to show you something new I'm trying out! 

 

....bookmarks!

 

 

 

What do you think?

 

I think these would make great teacher gifts, a cute way to dress up a gift bag or a wonderful companion to a bookstore gift card.

 

I've updated the shop to include these new offerings :)

 

Hope you are having a creative weekend!

Lotsa Hugs!

 

Cameron

Jump in, the Water's Fine!

This week is the last call for all Mermaid Swappers!
If you have already emailed me, keep in mind that the last day to have your envie postmarked is Friday, Sept. 21st.  It can arrive anytime after that.

I've had people ask me if it's too late to join....Nope.
You can email me on Friday and say, " I'm running to the post office, I want to send you a mermaid, what's your address?'
Well, you probably won't, but you could :)

When a mermaid comes in, one of these new girlies might go out in it's place....

Sea of Stars

 

Namaste

 

Little Star

 

Ancient Symbols

 

Narwhal Love

 

 

I've painted 18 mermiads so far....and still have 6 more to have enough for all who are participating.  If you did intend to join in, but Life has gotten too hectic, please just let me know.....

 

If I'm able to paint a few extra, I'll list them in my Etsy store :)

 

Well, I gotta run!



Give your family, friends, narwhals, etc a big hug today!

Cam



Quick Update

Hello All!

So glad to have you here again!  I've been keeping busy, busy, busy!
This is my favorite time of year.....and my mind won't stop swimming with new ideas....and my to do list grows perpetually longer :D

Here are some things that have crossed my work desk lately.

 

2 more mermaids in progress.  I've been getting some wonderful pieces from talented ladies who have signed up for my Mermaid Swap.  There is still another week to get those mermaids in the mail! 

 

I will do a huge post at the close of it to show off all the lovely things that are now mine, all mine....mwuahaha!

 

Hmmmmm.....these look interesting!

 

All the brown is pigment ink from hand aging a million witchy jar labels for my shop.  You can see them there in the photo below.

 

 

There also sits a little black lump.

 

I had an old empty spool and wondered what it would look like if I added a head and threw some clay over it all.  I think he turned out quite nicely :)

 

 

I just love making black cats.  I've made some before, if you remember....and I'm sure there will be more in my future ;P

 

 

...and what of those weird golf tee looking things from before?

 

Well, they became these!

 

 

 

 For the discerning Collector to enhance their Cabinet of Curiousities!

 

These items are sitting on the shelves of my humble shop.

 

Thank you so much to all of you who come back here again and again to visit with me! 

 Having you as my peers and friends makes doing what I do so much richer...

.....and a whole lot more fun!

 

Candy corn kisses,

Cam

Letting it Come out in the Squash

Hello My Beloved Bloggy Friends....

Sorry for my absence.  I've been up to my gourd in pumpkins lately!
Harvested from a bag of felt scraps and a box of random buttons....I have made my own patch....haha!

 

10 in all....each a little different...

 

 

...with varying expressions...

 ( I love the face on that one on the left. If he had legs, I'm sure he'd have run away by now....haha!)

 

 

Oh, but look at what's on their butts!  My very own label!

Makes them look so professional, don't you think? 

I bought them on Etsy HERE :)

 

 

I have fun making these fellows....but have to admit, I need a vacation when I'm done....

 

 

My neck takes a toll from the constantly looking down....

So, I'm off to relax a bit, but I have something new to share with you!

 

 

All the love and care of the bigger Jacks....but in miniature!

 

 

....and portable!  That's right. Pins!

 

 

A new idea....and there are more swimming around in that noggin of mine :)

These guys are all in my shop, if you feel like picking a pumpkin or two....heehee.

 

I'll be around tonight to come visit with you all.

Now, to go relax my head for a bit!

 

Love ya bushels and a peck,

Cameron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finding Some Style

Hello Bloggy Buddies!

I don't know if any of you have noticed, especially if you go on Pinterest at all, the trend to re-purpose/re-style clothing that you would otherwise donate.  T-shirt redos are very popular, too.

With Maggie growing like a weed, she is always in need of new, comfortable clothing.  She is only 6, but very tall for her age, and I'm just not happy with a lot of the choices available in her size but geared for older girls.

So, armed with a bag of clothes, a sewing machine and my limited stitching skills, I gave it a try.
Now, I will repeat, again, I am a novice sewer, so I'm warning all you accomplished sewers now....there will be visible wonky stitches, raw edges, crooked cutting and other sewing don'ts....haha! 

A friend of mine gave me a shirt that was much too big for her daughter, and not the style or color that she liked....but, c'mon...it's Hello Kitty....every little girl wants a Hello Kitty shirt, right?

 

So I started by cutting off the neckline and sleeves...

 

 

Then I added a black and white striped ruffle and made a cute flower with the stripes and a bit of leftover T shirt material.  Luckily, Maggie doesn't care about that awful wavy stitching....haha!

 

 

I forgot to take a picture of it before, but I found this cute raglan top at the 99Cent Store of all places!  It is a nice, thick shirt, too!  I took some of the cat fabric leftover from Maggie's room decor and appliqued this cute heart onto the front.

She says it's perfect because she loves cats :)

 

 

Last time we went to the Thrift Store, she picked out that tie dyed shirt on the left which is cute, but plain.  The dress on the right is too small for Maggie now, but I just loved that ruffly part on the bottom (which I just now realize you can't see in this picture.....oops!....haha!  You'll see it in a minute) :D

 

 

I took one of my Hubby's old Tshirts and added a collar insert and a second layer to the bottom to make it look like a layered Tee....and give her more time before it's too short to wear.

 

 

It's a little more interesting now without taking away from the tie dye design...

 

 

 But, but, but......I've discovered my most favorite thing to do to clothes!

Well, I'm getting ahead of myself, let me first show you this....

 

 

Yes, this was mine.  Love this shirt....hate the pit stains....

 

I wanted to marry the top of this shirt (sans stains, of course...haha!) with that ruffly skirt I mentioned earlier....well, that didn't work out so well.  I made the top part way too small for Maggie.  So as not to waste that cute ruffly part, I made it into a skirt and sewed some of the flowers onto it to make it more girly.

 

 

It's awesome that Tshirt knit won't fray.....I also love that with this kind of style, I don't have to be as exact with my sewing and can keep it loose and artsy :)

 

Here is what I wanted to share with you!

 

 

Even though I made the bodice too small for Maggie, I finished this dress off with a Tshirt ruffle from that same shirt of Hubby's to give to a friend. 

Look at this flower!

 

 

This is my new love!!  Cutting bits of clothing into pieces and sewing all crazy over the bits...and add a button...voila!

Pretty flower! 

I think I may need to do that to some of my shirts!

 

...and, in keeping with finding a little style, I finished this Mermaid with an edgier vibe to her.

 

This is "Roxy and Spike"

 

 

Isn't Spike a cutie? ;P

 

Well, we're getting ready for a 3 day weekend here in the States.  But, I wanted to make sure I checked in with all of you before picnics and sandcastles beckon.

 

As always, I treasure you coming here and visiting!

Sunshiney wishes,

Cameron