Cheap crayon creation! My hydrangea and Lavender posy

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Art, Artist and crafter, Artist's rough cotton sheet, Artistic moment, Arty, Caren's creative canvas and craft, Coloured crayons, Crafty creations, Crayon drawing, Creative crafting, Dried flower posy, Flower sketch, Original, Original flower drawing, Playing with crayons, Still life

My hydrangea and Lavender posy crayon sketch is the direct result of being terrorised in my workspace by a huge lurking arachnid! I simply refuse to move any storage boxes to gain access to my painting supplies for fear of disturbing it again!!!!, So, instead, I found a cheap tub of children’s crayons, some heavy duty rough cotton artist sheets, grabbed a seam ripper and played instead…. 🙂
My daughter picked these little flowers from our garden as a birthday posy for me which I have since dried, but still keep on my ledge by the kitchen sink, as the colours tone in so well with our duck egg blue kitchen….a colour it acquired from a previous bored moment!!! ;-/

Playing with crayons whilst hiding out from a huge spider which seemingly enjoys playing ‘Hide and seek’ in my workspace!!! It hides…then seeks me out when I least expect it  ;-/! I have even taken to wearing rubber gloves before putting my hands into my fabric and storage boxes…just in case OH, and of course tucking everything into my high boots for good measure!!!

Cheap crayon experimental sketch stage one…with equipment !
Also, I found it really useful to have an old artist brush handy to flick off the little bits as I drew…I’d quite forgotten how messy crayons can be! I might have removed the excess from my picture but now the tiny flecks of wax crayon seem to be welded to my glass worktop ;-( There’s my next job…hopefully the scraping and squeaky cleaning won’t disturb the big beastie…..

As you can see I used a bit of artistic licence and only drew a section of the original dried posy….I hope the coast is clear to get to my watercolour paints soon…though without moving things I will never know ??? If you hear a loud scream in the distance…You’ll know it is still here!!! :-@

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Stonehenge done my way :-) !

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A mural, A poem, Art, Artistic, artistic images with poetry, Artistic moment, Arty, Caren's creative canvas and craft, Constable, Crafty creations, Creative crafting, Creativity, Emulsion paint, Inspiration, John Constable's Stonehenge, Mural, Mural of Stonehenge, My Muse, My Stonehenge by Caren Taylor, Original, Painting, Poem, Poems and art, Poetry, Solstace, standing stones, Stonehenge, Unique, w, Welsh stone, Wittering of a wild woman

”…..Sometimes…..’ A poem  by ME!

Caren Taylor copyright 2014 (for both picture image and poem)

‘…..Sometimes…..’

Sometimes we need something ???

but, don’t know what it is…?

Sometimes we want something ???

but don’t know how to get it…?

Sometimes we feel something ???

but don’t know how to respond…?

Sometimes….. things just happen

And…It’s the best feeling in the World..! 🙂

—————————-CAREN TAYLOR 2014 (C)

One day…I knew I needed to paint another mural, but though I knew what I wanted, and, I had a feeling of what it should be, it just wasn’t becoming how I envisaged… in fact it was about a million miles away from making me happy! Then…a Eureka moment! Life is all about change…! So, scrap the first plan!!! Pensively, drawn from one situation to another and seeing things from two different perspectives within my head, there was only one realistic outcome to achieve my aim, I based my creative crowning glory on a Constable! An atmospheric artistic arrangement in my own colours of His ‘Stonehenge’! Painted ferociously with everyday emulsion paint in a matter of hours…when you know something is right…… go for it!!! Was I a Druid in a past life?!?…Maybe?!? Am I happy with the outcome?!? YES!!! I can stand anywhere and look into the perspective of the picture to give me perspective on life, I can sit and wonder in the forefront of my thoughts, or I can delve back and take a deeper moment of thought of what things could or should have been…! Constable’s reasons for painting his picture were his… My mural makes me muse over matters and moments of my life…for ME!

Stonehenge Mural – done my way! But, inspired by Constable!

A simple emulsion painting (using only tester pots and cheap decorating paintbrushes))  which has brightened my days for many years now – I cease to tire of it 🙂 Oh! and I also built a mini Stonehenge at the bottom of our garden, using old stone paving edge stones I dug up – a post for another time, maybe!!!

On many of my posts I have photographed my craft items on our large sofa in our back living- room, which is directly below my huge mural of my beloved Stonehenge. Our back room leads directly through to my painting/drawing/crafting workspace in the conservatory…as a south facing room, it is perfect to work in, maybe for two or three days a year!!!, making for one giant place to work and create! On some of my crafty posts, a snippet or two of the photos, may have included bits of the painting, which was unknown to the viewer …so I am now unveiling what sits above!

For whatever reason…I have been drawn to Stonehenge for years, and, was fortunate to have visited the site…on a surprise trip! – which made me doubly sure.. I must have been some kind of Druid in a past life ;-/! (for the fulfilment if being there, was just indescribable)  – it was the best thing I could ever have wished for and experienced! I have much to thank my Dearest one for, because, the experience, and, even though he didn’t understand my drive to be there… he still took me 🙂

After doing many murals both for my own children in their bedrooms as they grew up and for friend’s, and, sometimes even for their children too, over the years, I suddenly felt the urge to create one for myself!!! Not really knowing what else to add to the unveiling of my wall…I thought I would stick a poem underneath, which also seems a little disjointed from reason too! So they make a perfect coupling :-)!

One amazing purely random fact I want to share………t I have a mirror centrally placed directly opposite the painting, and, if the sun hits the mirror on the summer solstice, which it has done a couple of time over the years, it lights up My Stonehenge in the most amazing way, taking a beam of light through to the back of the painting and through the two furthest stones!

 

PS. Having first been an untitled poem by myself, I was spurred on by the lovely Mrs. P. to give it one…so, after much deliberation……….and then some more……….I came up with the apt new title of, ‘…..Sometimes…..’ 🙂

Petit Pillow Pals/Cute cushion character creations – Who knows?

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'Button Buddies', Art, Artist and crafter, Artistic moment, Arty, Button art, Button characters, Button craft, Caren's creative canvas and craft, Carens canvas and craft My ETSY shop, Crafty creations, Creative crafting, Individually unique, Original, Recyclying buttons, Unique, Using old and new buttons, Wall plaques, What to do with buttons

Have I lost the plot??? I just can’t stop making things and adding buttons!!!

 

I have more scraps of fabric than I know what to do with, so, I started making little cute fun fabric ‘pillow pals’/’cute character (mini) cushions’. These are what happened after a day of supposedly tidying up!

It gave an new outlet to the many million buttons I need to give a new home to. Oh well, never mind to the new mess I made as well, I suppose 🙂

”Doorstop Dumpy” – Pink checked pig – ”Doorstop Dumpies”

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One of my own creations ”DOORSTOP DUMPY” PIG

This is one well fed looking character ”Doorstop Dumpy”

For those who may not have seen MY ”Doorstop Dumpies” before, this is one of the new ones, (Others I have previously made, can be found in the Doorstop Dumpy section of my about page – OR you can commission your own to fit in with your own decor – I am always up for a challenge feel free to contact me if you want a unique not yet made idea put into creation)

I created and designed and hand make from my own patterns a unique range of doorstops that I have called ”Dumpies” They are quite substantial and once the weighting element has been put inside by their new owner, they certainly do the job they have been designed for!

For reasons about shipping ie cost for weight and custom restrictions on sand/soils/grit (which can be viewed on my Etsy site under the ”Doorstop Dumpies”) you will see I have made them with a zip underneath the base for easy to fill access into a pre-inserted zipped bag.

So, if you are getting excited about the warm weather – that’s just around the corner!!! (let’s hope) Then, you might just be needing a character ”Doorstop Dumpy” to hold open your doors to let in the warm refreshing breezes, that is if you can ever stop cuddling it and put it down on the floor to do its job! 🙂

Perfect pink pig pose No.1

Perfect pink pig pose No.2

Perfect pink pig pose No.3

Perfect pink pig pose No. 4.

 

Creative Patchwork and Appliqué – White sheep knitting – fun framed fabric collage

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Art, Artist and crafter, Artistic moment, Arty, Caren's creative canvas and craft, Colourful craft creations, Countryside scene in fabric, Crafty creations, Creatiuve craft ideas, Cute fun craft, Fabric art, Fabric collages, Fabric pictures, Framed collages, Fun art, Handmade and designed pieces, My Etsy Shop, Original art, Original craft ideas, Patchwork and applique, Quirky art, Scrap fabric ideas, Sheeep knitting

WHITE SHEEP KNITTING FROM DIP DYED BLUE SHEEP A quirky creation from Caren’s creative canvas and craft!

Just look at the quality of that knitting! told you I was getting good with those toothpicks!!

There has been such a demand for sheep knitting pictures, since I created my first one from my own drawings, I think I have been making them in my sleep. No two are ever exactly the same, so even when I have made another from my own drawings, different combinations of fabrics, positions of sheep etc, make each and every one different and unique!

This little lamb in the sheep dip has the most wonderful colour of blue felt for its fleece, which I managed to match perfectly with some embroidery thread that I used for the little knitted piece.

I love to give the pieces some individual character when I am making them, this one I decided to make the knitting sheep look deep in concentration – you can almost hear the sheep counting stitches!

Framed fabric art Collage – Sheep knitting

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Sheep knitting
Framed fabric art collage

This little picture has been made from a selection of different fabrics to create a cute quirky scene. whilst I have machine stitched the background fabrics together, all the little applique pieces after that have been hand drawn, cut then stitched in place. The sheep sitting on the fence is one of my own drawings and though I may do a similar scene no two are ever completely alike, making them a unique piece of art!

If its been made by me at Caren’s creative canvas and craft there is only ever one like it in existence. If you find there isn’t something you want on my Etsy shop, please feel to contact me about a new creation idea! Items seem to ”fly off the shelves” sometimes before I even get to show what I have made, as in this case, which I don’t mind at all, but if you feel you might have missed out on something, a request can always see another unique similar creation happen!!

For fun I knitted some embroidery thread on two tooth picks to give the impression that the sheep is knitting from the wool of the smaller green sheep in the dye dip tub. For the effects of fencing I used small strips cut from a tapestry backing and stitched them in place too. Some simple embroidered grasses and flowers to decorate the foreground, with the final finishing touch of placing it on a felt backing and bordering it with cream cotton and then quilting the sky fabric to create texture on the plain fabric!

Photographed again without glass for added detail without reflections then safely mounted and glass replaced.

Now back to that ever growing pile of fabric……

Framed fabric art collage – ‘ Don’t rain on my parade’

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Appliquéd ducks, Applique, Art, Art and craft, Artistic moment, Arty, Caren's creative canvas and craft, Colourful countryside art, Colourful creations, Cotton fabric scraps, Craft, Crafty creations, Creative crafting, Creative imagination, Cute art, Cute creations, Cute fabric pictures, Designer fabric pictures, Embroidered flower border, Felt, Handmade original ideas, Imagination for art, My Etsy Shop, New, New fun art, Original, Original art, Original craft ideas, Patchwork, Patchwork pictures, Quilting, Threads

”Don’t rain on my parade”
Framed fabric art collage

Creating little pieces of art from fabric .

This little picture has been made from a selection of different fabrics to create a cute quirky scene. whilst I have machine stitched the background fabrics together, all the little applique pieces after that have been hand drawn, cut then stitched in place. The little line of ducks is one of my own drawings and though I may do a similar scene no two are ever completely alike, making them a unique piece of art!

Ever the artist, I turned the green fabrics round in the foreground to give a little perspective to the picture, by having the lines on it converge in the background. Some simple embroidered grasses and flowers to decorate the banks of the ”river”. On the back face of the picture I placed a piece of felt and then a cream fabric border around the whole piece with the final finishing touch of diamond quilting the sky to create texture on the plain fabric!

As I have done before, I photographed without the glass in the frame for more detail to be seen, without reflections getting in the way, then replaced the glass to keep dust off.

I must say, the pile of things on my table seems to be growing rather than diminishing as I create these little pictures… no rush to tidy though, we only sit around it at Christmas now, the unwritten rule, Its’ MY space for the rest of the year! 🙂

Perfect pair of penguins x 2

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Art and craft creations, Artist, Artistic moment, Arty, Caren's canvas and craft, Caren's creative canvas and craft, Character dolls, Christmas decorations, Christmas penguins, Cotton Penguins, Craft for Christmas, Creative crafting, Creative cute characters, Cute character Penguins, Cute craft creations, Decorative soft animals, Handmade craft ideas, Handmade decorations, Handmade penguins, My Etsy Shop, Novelty decorations, Original

”Carol singing” Christmas decorative penguin characters.

These cute little handmade penguins are my creations for today! Having had a ”TIDY” table ALL weekend, well almost… as my children were home for a short visit, So, to fill the void of them leaving, this morning I set about ‘untidying’ by getting all the fabrics ready to create my penguins. They are little characters I have been making for the last couple of years as Christmas presents for friends and family. Each and every one of them is just a little different. I created a simple little pattern and use small left over pieces of fabrics to adorn them with little scarves, shawls and hats. In this case some red tartan pattern cotton. Once I have the small fabrics cut out I painstakingly scratch away with a needle to fray the edges to give a fringe effect to their clothing. Once I have all the accessories ready I make the simple body shape which I stuffed with a synthetic wadding. Then I cut out, with pinking shears, the white penguin head and breast shape which I hand stitched together. After sewing the hats, scarf and shawl to the stuffed shapes I cut a small rectangle of orange felt for the beak and rolled it into a tight tube shape. After stitching it in place a couple of tiny beads were added for eyes, a couple of flipper feet also in orange felt then a tiny jingle bell to finish.

Never satisfied with making one of something I decided to make a second pair this time wearing green tartan pattern fabric!

 

 

Recycled buttons and bells as Christmas decorations

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be original, Button craft, Button ideas, Buttons, Buttons and beels, Caren's creative canvas and craft, Christmas button trees, Christmas decorations, Colourful decorations, Creative crafting, Creative ideas for craft, Eventually debt free!, Going solo, Goping somewhere, How to create, Inspirational craft, Making a business work, My Etsy Shop, New ideas, Original crafting, Originals, Recycliing old buttons, Soldiering on, There is a point, Unique, You can do it

Recycling old buttons

As ever I am looking for inspiration, a couple of little bells and a few old  buttons provided the answer to a creative day. I have produced a set of button tree decorations which can be used year after year and unless blown up probably will not fall apart, unless purposely decommissioned.

Sadly, you might think, but happily to me I sat a whole day sorting through old buttons to  colour match and create a range of thirty two button decorations for an up coming craft fair which I have organised into sets of two and displayed on a little card. Just in case anyone might be interested in having a unique Christmas decoration for years to come I have put a set of six on My Etsy shop -Caren’s canvas and craft – at a reduced cost. Next week I am planning on adding a set of original artwork to my shop which some of you may have seen displayed earlier on WordPress.

That concludes how I have spent my last two weeks since making seasonal greetings card and the abolishment from my system of gingerbread guys!

‘Freedom’ by Caren Taylor

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Butterfly, Caren's creative canvas and craft, Forget-me-nots, Freedom, Garden flowers, Nature, Phlox, Photography, Poems, Poetry, Something different, Wild and free

‘Freedom’

‘FREEDOM‘ by Me

‘Don’t catch that butterfly – it’ll only die’

They told me – ‘Let it have a life, let it fly

Its time here is so very, very short

If trapped its beauty fades – then mort

So leave it to enjoy flying wild and free

Its fate not for us to control – just for us to see…’

Published in Daily Reflections 2002 – Triumph House Copyright Caren Taylor.

Photography is not my strong point, but I did capture the butterfly ‘almost in focus’ before it flew out of my garden!