Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Thought I would start October out with a spoooooky tutorial...okay it may not be that scary but it is one for the books...or is that one for the blog ????


You can find the full tutorial at http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/10/diy-project-evitas-spooky-silhouette-candleholders.html

Till tomorrow .. keep creating !
Tina aka Daily Muse

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Here in Texas the summer heat is already moving the temps up and we are at a point where you can no longer open your windows unless you want everything to have that soupy wet feeling to it. I may have told you all that we moved from Iowa to Texas 10 years ago, and one of the things I miss is the true season changes ...I love being able to have my windows open even in the dead of winter to get fresh air in the house.

Today's recipes are my way of freshening up the house without a lot of commercial sprays.

Spray Vanilla and Cloves Air Freshener Spray
Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup household vinegar
1 TBS vanilla extract
1 tsp cloves

Directions
Bring all ingredients to a boil then simmer over medium heat for two minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Strain cloves then pour liquid into spray bottle, shake and use as needed.
Note: You can increase/decrease the vanilla & cloves amounts to your preference.

Lemon Air Freshener Spray
Ingredients
2 cups hot water
1/8 cup baking soda
1/2 cup lemon juice

Directions
First dissolve the baking soda in hot water then add the lemon juice. You can use ReaLemon for this (expired is fine).

Quick Tip: Easy Homemade Deodorizer Sprays:
You can also whip up some good, fresh smelling spray with just two ingredients: water or vinegar and essential oils.

Simply fill a spray bottle with water or vinegar, add a dozen or so drops of your favorite essential oils and spray away!

Salt Packed Citrus Shells: DIY Air Freshener
 
I just love the smell of grapefruit:
 
Cut an grapfruit in half and remove the pulp;
Fill the empty shell with some salt;
Put in the back of your fridge as a fridge freshener;
Keep the grapefruit shell in a small bowl so it won’t tip over and spill the salt.

The salt absorbs stale and nasty odors while the shell releases a fresh, orange smell. I also tuck one of these behind the toilet in our bathroom.

This would also work for other citrus fruits like lemons and oranges.

Another way you can do this is cut an orange in half and coat the exposed flesh liberally with salt. Since we love eating oranges I always remove the pulp first.

Till tomorrow ... keep creating !
Tina aka Daily Muse

Monday, June 7, 2010

I just love the grace and feel of a wonderully wood carving... Dick has has an amazing talent .. let's begin getting to know this artist and his work !

DM: What is your artistic medium?
DK: I carve entirely in wood, primarily Basswood but some others.


DM: Where can your art be seen?
DK: The best place to see my work is on my ETSY website ...

DM: When did you become interested in your medium?
DK: I have carved off and on for about 8 years but never with regularity. Before starting to carve, I built and sold pine furniture both as a hobby and to sell in local gift shops.


DM: Once you decided to pursue your art, how did you start off, trial and error, books, classes, videos, formal schooling?
DK: Although I have taken a couple of 2-3 day courses, I have learned most of my skill through good old trial and error. Some of my first carvings weren't too good.


DM: Out of what you tried, was there any particular thing that you would recommend to someone just starting out?
DK: Basswood is about the best to start with. It is reasonably inexpensive and carves pretty easily. Don't buy junk wood, buy good wood, it is so much easier to work with.


DM: What do you enjoy most about working with your medium?
DK: The creativity and challenge, especially when carving a custom item for a client.

DM: What do you find the most frustrating?
DK: Usually, that I don't get enough time to carve.


DM: Where do you find your inspirations for what you create?
DK: Since I do mostly custom work, my clients tell me what they want. Otherwise, I just carve something I see or imagine that I like. It may be a picture, a nature scene, sometimes a carving by some other artist. I never copy someone else's work but I do use them to generate ideas of my own.


DM: Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations:
DK: My favorite creation was of a pair of brown bears wrestling. I did it as a surprise for my son. I also like to create custom walking sticks, with a theme that reflects the users interests. Although I have not placed any in my shop at this time, I would be happy to create some for my clients.


DM: Have you ever experienced artist block and how did you overcome it?
DK: No, I haven't had this problem, probably because I carve for clients, and they give me the theme of whatever they desire.

DM: What is the biggest mistake you have ever made as an artist? What did you learn from it?
DK: Under-estimate the time it will take to produce a piece of work. I've gotten better at this.


DM: Would you please tell about your studio set-up?
DK: Today, I work out of my attached garage, where I have an area set aside for my work area. As my sales grow, my dream is to build a separate shop on my property.

DM: When is your favorite time to create?
DK: I enjoy carving about any time, day or night, as long as I'm not physically worn out from some other activity.

DM: What advise would you give someone starting out in this medium?
DK: Buy good, sharp tools and keep them sharp. Also, use good wood. Nothing is as frustrating as trying to carve with a dull tool, unless it's trying to carve a bad piece of wood with a dull tool.

DM: Are there any artist that inspire you or that you admire?
DK:Not in particular. I enjoy about anyone's work. Just being able to use God given gifts to create is beauty in itself.

DM: Tell us a bit about yourself.
DK: I have been retired for about two years and still carve on an as-time-permits basis. Of course, I have to schedule my time a little better when I'm working on a clients piece but I still try to maintain a "retired" life style. My wife and I enjoy traveling and I often work while traveling, so a piece of work may have been done in multiple locations.


DM: Anything else you wish to share?
DK: Only that anyone with a creative gift should make every effort to use it.

Thank you Kent for sharing more about your passion and your art ! We wish you the best in 2010 !

Until tomorrow... keep creating !
Tina

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Hello dear reader, I know that you'll be expecting to hear from Tina, however, there are problems in blogland and all is not well! At the moment, Tina cannot get in to create new posts, but hopefully the difficulties will be resolved soon.

At this point I should probably introduce myself! I am Alita and I am going to be helping Tina with "Your Daily Muse News". Please bear with me while I familiarise myself with the blog, I just hope that I can be as entertaining as she is.

Being a practising artist, I am, like most of you are I imagine, fascinated with the work of other artists, which is what led me to find "Your Daily Muse News". What a great idea, I thought, to showcase such diverse artistic disciplines and thereby give inspiration to others.

When Tina announced that she would like some help with the blog, I jumped at the chance to be involved with such a worthwhile site.

Till tomorrow ... keep creating ! Alita on behalf of Tina aka Your Daily Muse News

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Got back to Texas around 1 am Monday morning... needless to say slept till noon but WOW WHAT a WONDERFUL class, my mind is on overdrive with everything I learned this weekend !

I was laying out on the hammock enjoying some great Texas sunshine (let me tell you, I LOVE my hammock) and every time I would see a flower or a little lizard my mind would start whizzing with color schemes ... I have a new outlook thanks to Julie and her take on colors !

I must say Julie Picarello is just as sweet and fun in person as everyone had said she would be AND her teaching skills are AMAZING !!

I walked away with 3 or 4 newly made pendants and yes I promise to do a better write up later this week sharing even more about my wonderful time and some great pictures, but I am exhausted and planning an early night.... then the day job take over and I may not get a chance to post again for a couple day ... but rest assured, YDMN will soon be back on track !

I also want to put a huge thank you to the
CMSPCG (MS PC Guild) for being so welcoming, talk about southern hospitality, I never felt so at home ! I will be writing more about this outstanding group also !

For now... off to bed and till later this week ... keep creating !
Tina aka Your Daily Muse News

Monday, April 26, 2010

Yosi works with such passion and grace with each wood sculpture, it was a pleasure to interview him... let's begin !

DM: What is your artistic medium?
YP: I work with wood, natural olive, cherry, oke, mahogany and others. My material is mostly trees that ended their lives. I work with them and give them a new life. I sometimes combine glass, mirror, metal or stone materials in my works.

DM: Where can your art be seen?
YP: At my home studio and in olivetreeart.etsy.com and I'm also working on a website.


DM: When and how did you first become interested in your medium?
YP: Since I was a small kid in the "Kibbutz", I used to spend hours in the local wood workshop.
I've been working with wood all my life.

DM: Once you decided to pursue your art, how did you start off, trial and error, books, classes, videos, formal schooling?
YP: Many trials and errors, watching skilled craftsmen at work, and a continuous self-exploration of various materials such as wood, metal, glass and stone.


DM: Out of what you tried, was there any particular thing that you would recommend to someone just starting out?
YP: Combine your own personal originality with the endless experience of others. Be open to absorb, and give your heart the freedom to create.


DM: What do you enjoy most about working with your medium?
YP: The most magical feeling I experience when working with the natural wood, is when two points meet together: The original tree's expression, enhanced by my inspiration and touch.


DM: What do you find the most frustrating?
YP: When reaching this "meeting point" is delayed...


DM: Where do you find your inspirations for what you create?
YP: Most of my inspiration comes from daily-life experiences, and when I come in contact with the "right" tree or wood material. In many cases the tree itself is the trigger to the creation.



DM: Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations:
YP: My favorite creation is my last creation - a 2.5 meter high Olive tree mirror. This work is a combination of wonderful raw material and all my gained experience up to this point.


DM: Have you ever experienced artist block and how did you overcome it?
YP: Yes. Frustration is sometimes a part of the creationism process. I try to get the most out of it, by using the energy of those pressure points to the benefit of the work.


DM: What is the biggest mistake you have ever made as an artist? What did you learn from it?
YP: It's really hard to choose one example. Mistakes take place many times and make grate contribution to my artistic progress.

DM: Would you please tell about your studio set-up?
YP: The studio set-up is defined by the specific project I'm working on. My studio contains professional machinery. I have a large collection of hand tools, since most of the work is done by hand.


DM: When is your favorite time to create?
YP:In the evening.

DM: What advise would you give someone starting out in this medium?
YP:Don't let the fear of frustration hold you back – if you keep trying and follow your truth – you will succeed.


DM: Are there any artists that inspire you or that you admire?
YP: I deeply respect Salvador Dally and Auguste Rodin.


DM: Tell us a bit about yourself.
YP: Born 1959 and the father of two sons. I grew-up in Kibbutz Ein-Gedi in Israel.
I spent about 10 years living in the United States and Canada, learning to work with different types of wood and carpentry techniques. Today I live and create in Israel.


DM: Anything else you wish to share?
YP: Thank you Tina and Your Daily Muse News for the platform.
I would love to get replies and questions to my email: yosi265@bezeqint.net

Take care and keep creating !
Tina aka Daily Muse

Thursday, April 22, 2010

I am so excited, I am off on a four day road trip to MS to take a class with Polymer Clay artist Julie Picarello, this is one of her last guild teaching for 2010. If you are not familiar with Julie's work, I have grabbed a few pictures from google to show you what I am looking forward to learning. Please take some time to enjoy Julie's website, I think her work is just amazing (yes I am a little star star struck) !

Julie won the second place award at last year’s Bead & Button Show Bead Dreams competition. She has put her own twist on on a polymer version of Mokume Gane. I also love that she incorporates metal work into her finished pieces.

With any luck, I will come back with some great pictures from my road trip and some new mad skills I can share with you all !






You can see more of this artist work at her
♥ Webpage: http://www.yhdesigns.com/

Till tomorrow ... keep creating !
Tina aka Your Daily Muse News

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