With all the flowers outside...

...my mind turned to vases and vessels , and here's what happened.

This little vase measures about 3 inches in height (sans flower).  With the tail included, it's about five inches wide.

Created from a piece of painted cheesecloth (you'll find the tutorial video just below) it has been stiffened with Golden GAC400.  While wet, I wrapped the cheesecloth around a small plastic bottle which had been liberally (and I do mean liberally coated with Vaseline).

I let the GAC-stiffened cheesecloth dry overnight and then used my palette knife to free the bottle from the vase.  Both survived, although the bottle will take a lot of cleaning if it's to be reused.

I do love the look of the cheesecloth,

and rather suspect I'll be playing more with this technique.

Of course, I'll need to paint more, and larger, sheets of cheesecloth if that's going to happen.  And I'll need some more container shapes, and does anyone know where one can secure some bath sheet-sized bits of cheesecloth and gallon drums of Vaseline?   Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

What's happening with you this week?  I look forward to hearing about it all.

Playing, testing, experimenting...

is always my favourite thing to do.  I realise that for me, it's all about the process (which means making deadlines for shows is very stressful).  I'm happiest trying new things, creating new techniques, pushing old ones and going nuts with upcycling.  I thought I'd show you some of them this week.

This particular piece is made from painted dryer sheets .

I started with a stack of them, a bottle of Golden GAC-400 (a fabric stiffener), and a toilet paper roll wrapped in plastic and coated with Vaseline.

Soaking each of the painted sheets in the GAC-400, I placed them around the roll, and secured them with elastics.

Once dried, the gauzy stiffened fabric stands up well - all it needs is a small glass insert to make a gorgeous vase (yes, I know - I should have built around one, rather than the toilet roll cardboard, but it was an experiment after all).  Live and learn, right?

I've been playing in one of my journals (I have several on the go), and as I was feeling grateful for the small town in which we live, I got thinking about how challenging it may be for those who are obliged to live in the city. Hence this spread, Sleeping Tight,was born.

The other page completed was one I started some time ago, playing with patterns.

It's so dense with them it really needs a dozen close-ups.

Tell me, what have you been up to in the studio recently?  Are you a process lover, or a product artist? If the latter, will you send me some of your energy?  With another show to work towards in February, the push is on!