Buddistuff gourds and more! Come in and look around!

Today I want to write about creative block!!!!  I actually have felt a spurt of creativeness - so much that I can't seem to stick with one thing!  Gourds are my first love in the arts and crafts world of course - just look at my barn and you'll see

However, working on gourds has led me to many possibilities and more surfaces to work with!!  I am finding I get sidetracked easily.  Then I go back to work on a gourd and I'm stuck.  Is this crafter's ADD?   Last week I went to Joann's and bought some 'stuff' and this week I broke down and ordered the Ranger Melting Pot which should be delivered today. Yay! 

I started a simple project on a gourd on Monday that should have been done by Tuesday. But, no.  I had to make a new sign for my display shelf

Bubba had to get in the picture!!  Anyway it turned out cute. Then I played with some alcohol ink on a cool vase I got for a buck at a flea market.  The pic doesn't do it justice but in real life it looks like official amber glass LOL

and on and on it goes.............

How do you stay focused and finish one thing at a time?  And what am I gonna do with all this stuff???  Maybe it will sell here http://www.facebook.com/#!/collettesvintage

Yesterday I was messing around with metallic paint and alcohol ink on a gourd.  I could swear I tried this before!  First I put down a coat of purple metallic paint.  After that dried I threw on some different colors of alcohol ink - just splashing it down.  A few minutes later when I thought it was safe, I picked it up thinking it was dry, handling it with my latex gloves still on - the areas where the AI was stuck to my glove and pulled the ink right off!  It easily came off everywhere (the ink with paint) so now I have a blotchy mess.  That was last night.  Now it is dry completely and we will see what happens!  I think I may sand it down and start over!!!!  The paint I used was a rather dated bottle - in fact it was something someone gave me years ago so maybe the paint was just old and funky.  I threw it out just in case.  Mistakes are fun!  (sometimes).

I got some small blank canvas pieces at Michael's the other day and have been playing.  Here's my first attempt.  It was FUN. 

OK still playing with this blog stuff.   The next thing I want to play with is embossing powder.  I took a class in making tiles using UTEE and pigment powders but after that class (a year ago) never did another thing with it.  So I am hoping to figure it out before I invest too much $$!  Boy it is tempting to buy every craft supply on the market though......................must...........have.............restraint..........

here's a special order I recently finished

The fun is just beginning as I explore mixed media and more than just gourds!  JUST gourds?  Don't get me wrong, I love first and foremost working with gourds but there's so many other things I want to try!  I have been turning some of my plain glass into 'faux stained glass' using alcohol inks.  

Here's my first attempt:  what a blast!