Rest in the warmth (cardboard art)

This is the latest piece of cardbard art I have been working on...

Capturing the process

Picking and adding warm colors.

     This is what I have so far...

REST IN THE WARMTH ~cardboard art

 I am not ready to call it finished...something is missing. I put it away though because, well I needed to clean up my dining room table for guests and I am hoping that time away from it will bring fresh ideas when I see it again. Thanks for sharing in this process with me.   

 Be patient in the storm as you rest in the warmth...

In my west corner. 

becky

Welcome art (Hoşgeldin)

Welcome. 

A little piece of wood art. 

This is your first lesson Turkish lesson to all you none Turkish speaking readers out there. 

Hoşgeldin (hoshgeldin) = Welcome 

Still would like to add a wire so that it can hang, I also think that will make it look more complete. :) 

One fun thing about this piece is that I stained the wood with black tea, brushing it over the wood on and off for a few days and then letting it dry. 

I have a sweet friend I want to give this too. I am saving it for a Christmas gist. :) 

Off to make dinner. In my beloved west corner. 

Becky

Mixed media houses

Here are a few mixed media houses I have worked on over the past several months on and off.
I guess you could call them recycled pieces of art. :)

Now that they are individually done I am trying to figure out how to work them as a corporate piece?? 

I am not too sure if I should do them together or independently.

These pieces were made primarily from cardboard and acrylic paint. Pieces of burlap, magazine clippings, pages from an old book, scrap book paper, ribbon, small pieces of wood, hemp, felt and fabric. Oh yes a a few beads and buttons too.  All the pieces  held together with Mod Podge, thread and a glue gun. 

I have thought a lot about how each family/household has a distinct thumbprint (personality) and these houses represent that to me.

 Each family has a unique style and way about themselves, not needing to compare themselves with the next household because that household is made up of uniquely different individuals with their own set of strengths, weaknesses and style.

Anyway there you have it. I would love any input if you think I should do a piece with all the houses or do 3 individual ones....?

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Eph. 2;10  

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Gen. 1:27

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Ps. 139:14

Bye for now. :)

In my little west corner,

Becky

"put off" or "put on" - what to wear?

My quick little piece of quiet time art for today. :) 

My choice for today.... :)

In my little west corner...choosing gratitude. 

~Becky

My first humble piece of art. Celebrate ~what you don't see

If you have been following this humble little blog for awhile now you know that after I moved to E-city    my gift for being creative really grew.  I embraced a lifestyle of "use what you have', in regards to creating and it has spilled out into all areas of my life. 

At first my creating and creativity were simply with my kids and for them. We have had, and will continue to have so many fun memories of creating together and watching little pieces of art and homemade toys come together out of basic items at our house or the favoured cardboard boxes by the dumpster. 

Over the past few years I have had a growing desire in me to create art. It is has been a quiet longing that has grown and grown. I don't claim to posses any formal education or even any great ability. However, I am just beginning to explore and express myself through small pieces of art through different mediums. My one piece of assurance in regards to being such an amateur and feeling of inadequacies is that the God who created all that I see around me is the God who created me and He is by far my best instructor. 

Here is the beginning of my creative process for this piece. :)

 I enjoy capturing moments while a create, it inspires me. 

 

So I humbly share with you this little piece I have made. I really enjoy it and in some way would love to keep it.  However I feel certain that I am to make pieces of meaningful art to giveaway. 

Sure I will make some pieces for my family and for me...but today this piece is not meant to stay in my home. 

Here is the full piece. 

Celebrate (what you don't see)

It is a mixed media piece. I used jean material and cotton fabric along with brown paper. Acrylic paints, sharpies and my sewing machine. 

This piece will be flying to the U.S. soon to go to my two friends who together have breathed courage in me to try new things and have helped me be a more creatively generous follower of Christ.

I really believe God has enhanced and touched my abilities regarding art out of His love for me. Let me be clear to say it is not that I am excellent at this or that I have some special talent, no. It is that I have acquired a deep passion and longing for colour and when I do it, it meets a need in me and fills me up. I also feel very near to the Lord when I am creating.  I guess a special gift from God that has come out of the struggle of isolation and loneliness I went through. You can read that post here: Sweet isolation
I am confident that our amazing creator will never leave us empty when we follow Him but freely pours out on us surprises and life giving abilities, that fill us and enhance our lives to enjoy life and to pour out on others. Surrender to Christ is a precious cycle. I remember the day when I quit asking God to change the isolating situation I found myself in and I surrendered, it was that day 'art' was born in my soul.

To all of you living in Turkey the meaning of this piece of humble art is for you. ~
In my west corner, (using what I have...today it is the gifts God has granted me.)
Becky

Mixed media art bookmarks. It is well with my soul.

I hope you enjoy the courage and simplicity of these little pieces of art. 

After my last  post, I wanted to share these bookmarks I made for some ladies that passed through my home the other day.  They too each have situations and hardships in their lives that have or are teaching them to say 'Whatever my lot, it is well with my soul.' 

Both these bookmarks are made out of cardboard pieces.

In my west corner using what I have to create courage for my soul,
Becky

RAndOm fUN foR the DaY and Cardboard art. :)

Here is what I am working on....

My heart was so happy to have time this last week to create something. 

RAndOm fUN foR the DaY

This song has made me smile way down deep. I had never heard it have you?

Crayola Doesn't Make a Color For Your Eyes.

Celebrating the fun of life today. Sometimes you just have to choose to celebrate to say THANK YOU GOD for this time in life.

off I go to take my girls to there FREE gymnastics class that they ADORE and then to help my husband bring a little life to that office of his. :)

In my west corner choosing to dance just because God is doing thing even though I don't see it all.
Becky

Cardboard Mixed Media art with kids

Hi all. Happy day after lovers day. :) 

Here is our novice ideas of mixed media art. :) Enjoy

Each child was given piece a of perforated cardboard.

I just peeled off the top part of the cardboard for this look.

I had them paint the base colour white. 

Autty is using a tooth brush here. :)

This part is pretty important I think!

Use a blow dryer to dry the different layers of paint it really helped keep us moving.

Then they used water colours over the base colour. 

One thing the kids really liked is holding up there cardboard and letting the water colours run down or across the cardboard to give texture to their pieces.

We used:

Acrylic white paint

Blowdryer 

Water paints

Lots of brushes (tooth brush, foam brushes, etc)

Alphabet stamps and black stamp pad

Markers (permanent)

Pieces of paper (scrap book paper, newspaper, etc)

Glue stick

Mod podge

Our Cardboard Mixed Media Art pieces:

I gave a few instructions and then really tried to let them create as they desired.

I also gave it a try the day before and here is what I came up with. :)

(I made this specifically for a friend

who is in need of wisdom.)

The verse on the piece is James 1:5

"If anyone lacks wisdom let him ask of God who gives liberally to all who ask for it." 

Truth is I am not a Mixed Media artist myself (shocked are you?) ;)...but I love art and these days have a special infinity for Mixed Media art especially. 

The electricity went out for about 15 minutes while we were working on this. 

Ode to my life in Turkey. It keeps life popping. 

The kids and I tried our hand with what we had: Cardboard! (of course) 

Thanks for peeking in at our humble pieces. :)

In our west corner of Turkey using what we have to create,

Becky

(Yesterday I went to Lydia's 1st grade class and did my first craft for her and her classmates. :)  I'll be starting up my 'Investing in our Neighbourhood' posts again soon. I love that they all call out Rebekah Teyze. :)) (Aunt Rebekah)

Felt Art for my girls room.

Piecing together some felt for my girlies room.

What do you think?

Patterns and me, well we forget about each other, until half way into a project.

This  piece  "love on a hill" was made with the very LITTLE felt I had left.  I decided to cross stitch a bunch because of my lack of felt and I am very glad I did because it helped me try something new and add texture to the picture. I also overcame my intimidation of black thread. I really enjoy how the black outlines the hills. I used a few beads...one for the door knob and red ones coming from the chimney. :)

I am excited to add this sweet colourful piece of heART to my girls room.

Free art for the wall! 

Do you think it looks finished?  I was thinking about a cloud? 

This is what my kids were doing when I was sewing this project:

They were colouring in a doodle that quotes Julia Child:

"Find something you are passionate about and stay tremendously interested in it." 

I am determined to create. Creating with and around my children often makes the projects longer, and can test my patience, but I love to ask their thoughts and advice, I also love seeing them use their own God given creativity. For me creating is like breathing, if I don't do it I get a little dizzy in the head. :) Creating keeps me clear and focused. 

I have the girls room 80% finished. I have even begun the painting process in their room.  I look forward to capturing all the 'use what I have color in their room' it in pics and then sharing about it.

Good evening to you all. Iyi aksamlar.
Using what I have to create a little piece of heART in my home,
From my west corner,
Becky

Day 18 of helpful words

For me today..and maybe for some of you too.

Grace of Grace Etsy shop.
I enjoy her prints!

I am reading The Ministry of Motherhood given to me by my sis-n-law. Thank you Chrissy

There are just enough nuggets in this book that I wanted to share it with all of you. 

This book has been a great to read along side my '30 days of Helpful words'. 

Practically: When I pray with my kids at night I have really started praying words of life and faith.

Building them up as I pray and seeing them in faith. I have started to look forward to this time with each of them, as before it was just a standard almost routine goodnight prayer. 

For example: Thank you God for Lydia and all the talents and gifts you have given her, please use her love to dance to honor you. Thank you for putting her and her laughter in our family use her to bring joy to others as she grows. Help her not to keep the gifts and talents you have given her to herself.  etc.

As I pray in faith for my kids it really has helped me during the day to see them in faith and to speak more encouraging and helpful words. 

Humbly yours,

 in my west corner, desiring to give life with my words,

Becky

Simply Beautiful ~ EBRU

Beauty is simplicity to me. 

I love the simple things in life. 

I especially love color in all it's ranges. 

This post is celebrating the beauty of Turkish Creativity. 

Enjoy the color.. and enjoy Turkey for a moment too.

This last weekend we as a family went to a Muesum here in our city and there is a husband and his wife who do traditional Turkish art called paper marbling or in Turkish EBRU.  I have included pictures to record how fasinating and beautfiul it is.  Everything they use is natural and each piece is unique, no two pictures are the same. 

EBRU (marbling paper): is the art of transferring the patterns prepared on the surface of the water to a sheet of paper.

The girls are so interested and I love that they were able to sit so close and watch everything.

Here he is flicking differnt colors of paint unto the surface of the prepared water.

He uses differnt tolls, like a scredriver to move the colors around.

Tulips originated from Turkey. Tulips are literally everywhere in the spring here.
Usually the paintings are of differnt colors of tulips.

This is just a normal piece of paper where the image will be transferred onto.

Simply Beautiful!

Autty gave this gentlemen a flower (weed) she had picked so he gave her his demenstration picture.

What a great gift for her. It is very fitting since she herself is a rainbow of colors and creativity.

If you can see there are lots of paintings in the background done by him, his wife and daughter.
The pictures range from 10 lira to 60 lira.  They are amazing.

These are both demenstration pictures, they end up selling the demenstration ones for just 10 liras.

(About 7 U.S. dollars)

The more expensive ones are flawless and have an amazing range of color and detail. I would like to go back and buy one but these two are for the girls for now. The experience was an absolute joy.

When we got home I kept thinking about how we too could try marabling,  we ended up with some fun prints of our own...but that is for next time. :)

Update:  

Paper marbling with shaving cream. Check out our experiment at home with paper marbling. 

It was a lot of fun.

Click  here to visit our marabling with shaving cream post.

 I have been considering doing a GIVE AWAY based on 'Celebrating Turkish Creativity'.  I thought these paintings might be a good option.

Tell me what you think? 

 I would love to know if others would want an origanl Paper Marbaling piece of their own from Turkey?