Friday, January 14, 2011

Leap!

Betsy, an amazing friend of mine, has chosen the word "leap" as her "One Little Word" this year. It is just perfect for her and I am so inspired to see her living it every day! She mentioned one evening over dinner that she would like to have something tangible that says "leap" that she can look to as a daily reminder...and my mind just started going crazy with ideas.

Late last year I discovered this fabulous group of publications from Stampington & Co that are dedicated to artists, their work and inspiration and where they create. My favorite one is called "Somerset Workshop" and it actually walks you through, from start to finish, the process of creating some amazing things! I was blown away by an artist named Vanessa Valencia (how cool and artsy is that name??) who makes incredible mixed media canvases, and immediately wanted to try my hand at it. Most of them are dancers that she mod podges to the canvas, and then adds gorgeous skirts using sheet music, vintage book pages, etc. Here's my inspiration (she has an etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/AFancifulTwist?ref=top_trail):





So, back to Betsy...I decided that I would make a canvas for her to illustrate her word.  It was the most FUN I have had working on a project lately, and when I finished the other night at 11pm, I went to bed just GIDDY. This is certainly not a masterpiece by any stretch, but I had a great time with it and will definitely make more. I used book pages for the background and pages from the phone book for the skirt. I can see one hanging in Kendall's room, perhaps.


Betsy sent me this pic yesterday after being so sweet as to hang this in her office at work!


5 comments:

betsy said...

YOU ROCK!!! I LOVE it and am so thrilled to be able to focus on it everyday and remind myself of what a great year it is going to be! Thank you, my dear friend!!!

Carrie Valium & Thor Hammer said...

Absolutely beautiful! Betsy sounds like a fabulous woman.

Kim Woods said...

Erin that is so amazing! I love her blue ballet shoes! I need to do this for myself!

mandi said...

Um. I think it is a masterpiece. And thanks for the great link. Also for the link to the Brave Girls daily e-mails. I think I need that in my life. All of this in fact. I think I might make a ballet princess for my girlie tomorrow. Or maybe tonight. Hmmm...

Anonymous said...

Your interpretation is STUNNING! I love everything about it! I originally stopped by to thank you for your lovely comment about getting published in Somerset Life and had an extra treat after seeing your work...I'll be sure to stop by again.

Have a wonderful week!

Abby

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