Glass Tile Pendants

My glass tiles arrived on Friday, so on Saturday afternoon I got stuck into making my pendants.  I followed the tutorial from Tracy Yarbrough  at Chickpea Studio and this video by Tam from willowing:

Here are some of the photos I've taken over the weekend of the pendants:

I found some photos of my art and printed them out onto card - you can see some of the glass tiles glued onto the prints.

The blue scrapbooking paper behind the board of pendants is the paper I used on the back of the tiles - this is one of my favourite papers and I should make a pendant out of that paper.

I cut out card and wrote on the back -'Glass Tile Pendant is NOT waterproof so please avoid getting wet. Thanks, Michelle.  www.shellsinthebush.com.  I have added my biz card to add a bit of colour and so the buyer has some info about me in case they would like to purchase a painting/print/pendant etc.

I even managed to find an old box to put them in for selling and have an nice notice board to display some on too - to sell at the community centre art show next weekend.  Ten pendants were completed this weekend as I ran out of supplies, so will buy some more ribbon and card and get to making some more during the week.

More exciting news - my friend June whom I'm planning an exhibiton with next year - her painting at the arts festival sold - so very happy and excited for her - Congrats JuneBug!!!  :D



Hope you are having a great weekend.

Painting Sold at the Darlington Arts Festival

Last night hubby and I went to the opening night of the Darlington Arts Festival and there was good news for me - my painting had sold already!!! Such a thrill to see that little red dot against my painting's number.

Here's the painting which I had to title not long after my dog died, so I titled it 'Thinking Of You'.

Thinking of You  Acrylic on Canvas 51cm x 76cm Sold

Here's  photo of me with my new hair colour and style....

Thank you to everyone for your support, I really appreciate it.  Hope you all have a great weekend and I'll be back tomorrow with Sunday Snippets and hopefully some successful glass tile pendants.....  

Scones with Jam and Cream

Before I painted I used to bake - cakes, cookies and slices.  My parents came over for morning tea so today I made scones with jam and cream - if you have a cup of tea with them, as I did, it is called a Devonshire Tea.  I made Lemonade Scones as these are so simple and I got the recipe from Taste.com.

Ingredients

• 3 cups self-raising flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup lemonade

Method

1. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in cream and lemonade.
   
2. Mix with a knife until mixture comes together. Turn dough onto a lightly-floured surface. Knead gently until smooth and pliable.

3. Cut scones into rounds using a scone cutter. Arrange close together on a lightly greased tray.

4. Bake in a very hot oven (220°C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.

Serve with jam and cream. Freeze if desired.

This afternoon I am off to the hair salon to have my hair cut, coloured and styled as the Darlington Arts Festival Opening Night is tonight - photos of my painting and my hair in tomorrow's blog - so stay tuned.

Kanchan's Collage Print Arrived

A few weeks ago I ordered a print of Kanchan Mahon's Golden Afternoon from DeviantArt and it arrived today.  I am so pleased and will have to find the perfect frame for it.

Fly Tribe Blog Hop - 100th Blogpost

I'm participating in a Blog Hop with the other girl's from Kelly Rae Robert's Flying Course.  My blog post is to be based on my experience with the course and the piece of art I created that was inspired by the course.

I chose a butterfly because of their metamorphosis from caterpillars to butterflies. 

ButterFly Girl

ButterFly Girl - a few layers and an outline.

ButterFly Girl in progress.

 

My artwork being used for the logo of the blog hop.

This course has changed us.  It has changed the way we think about ourselves - I am an artist.

Painting demo at the art centre.

It has changed the way we act - "Hi I'm Michelle and I'm an artist and here's my business card."

It has changed us emotionally with the friendships we've made, some are in Western Australia, some are in Melbourne and Sydney and New Zealand, whilst others are in the US and the UK.  We've been encouraged and praised and cared for and helped and inspired by and been an inspiration too as well as supportive of each other over the past few months and our friendships will only grow and deepen as the days, months and years go by.

It has changed our belief in ourself.  Before we started the course some didn't have a facebook account let alone a facebook artist page, a website, twitter, Pinterest, Etsy, redbubble,  plans to have a booth, a stall, enter art awards and shows and have exhibitions.

We now have more self confidence and self esteem, pride in our art/creations, joy in creating, and bravery.  We have listened to our inner whispers, grown our wings and taken a brave leap into the creative business world.


To all my Fly Tribe I say thank you for being you and your part in my life over the past couple of months.


Here are all the other participants of the blog hop – many of them are artists so enjoy the beauty of hopping!

Amaranthine Violet http://magic-gypsy.blogspot.com/
Amy Hillenbrand  http://amyhillenbrand.blogspot.com
Beatriz Peñas B. http://beatrizbepe.blogspot.com/
Carmen Patti – http://carmenpattistudio.com
Carol Bray     http://theredpaintedcottage.blogspot.com
Christina Fajardo http://christinafajardo.blogspot.com/
Cindy Jones Lantier – http://www.lantier.org
Connie Rawlins - http://www.dabblinginlife.blogspot.com
Dana Brock - http://www.dzynbydana.blogspot.com
Deborah Velásquez-http://deborahvelasquez.blogspot.com
Elissa Brown- http://thefreckledarmy.blogspot.com
Hillary Courson – http://www.hillarycourson.com
Jacquie Williamson – http://www.jacquiewilliamson.blogspot.com
Jane Paynting  http://inkspiredwings.wordpress.com
Janet Forrest http://tatterednworn.wordpress.com/
Jennifer DeVille http://jenniferdeville.com/blog
Jill Lambert – http://www.jill-lambert.blogspot.com
Julie Hamilton   http://spaark.wordpress.com
Kanchan Mahon - http://Kanchan-Mahon.blogspot.com/
Karen Claverie http://giddyupletsride.blogspot.com
Kari DeSaulnier - http://karidesi.blogspot.com/
Kathleen Conard http://newfromoldcreations.blogspot.com/
Kathleen McKinnon- http://harmonyschoolhouse.com/expressions-blog.html
Kathy May-http://kathymaydesigns.org
Kelley Miller http://www.kelleymillerartworks.blogspot.com
Kelly Corso- http://birdinatreecreations.blogspot.com/
Kelly Hoernig – http://kellyhoernig.blogspot.com
Kim Hyer-http://www.apaperaddict.com/
Kris Lanae Binsfeld -  http://cherishdesigns.wordpress.com
Lenore Angela -http://www.lenoreangela.blogspot.com/
Linda Barutha –http://lindabaruthadesigns.blogspot.com
Lisa Michele Products - http://www.lisamicheleproducts.blogspot.com/
Liza Zeni Baker – http://www.lizazeni.wordpress.com
Lori Leissner–http://leissnerart.blogspot.com
Lori Moon – http://lorimoonstudio.blogspot.com
Mary Sterk - http://justmarydesigns.wordpress.com
Megan Schmitt  http://schmittenwithwords.blogspot.com
Melanie Douthit http://douthitgallery.blogspot.com
Michelle Dwyer http://www.magnetisedbylife.com/
Michelle Reynolds - http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com/
Rachél Payne (Rae)  http://collectingyourself.wordpress.com/
Rain Hannah - http://honeyandollie.com/
Rhiannon Connelly - http://www.starrybluesky.wordpress.com
Ruth-Mary Smith http://patchworkfamilieshub.blogspot.com
Sherry Richert Belul - http://simplycelebrate.net/cherry-blossom-soup
Shirley Ann http://leonardarenaissancewoman.blogspot.com/
Stacey Chadwick Brown –  http://staceybrownarts.blogspot.com/
Susan M. Walls-Beverly - http://www.susanscharmingtrinkets.blogspot.com
Teresa Cash-Czech http://asmilemaker.com
Tina Carlborg – http://tinachicky.blogspot.com
Tonya Love –  http://passport2creativity.com
Ursula Smith http://www.EasyScraps.com/blog
Zulma Cadena  http://edustory.wordpress.com

Prices for Paintings for Art Show

Today I had to decide which paintings to go on display to sell at the community centre art show and cocktail party on Sat 12th November.  Prices are always difficult to decide on and it was suggested to me to show my lower price paintings as the lower price items are more likely to sell, which meant Ribbon town was out but I will take that with me on Sunday 13th Nov when I do a painting demo at the community centre for the opening of the new kindergarten/school for 3 year olds that the community centre fundraised and built.

Paintings aren't selling at the moment in Perth, I've been to few galleries and shows in the past couple of months and there were very few red dots.  I've also heard this from others who have been to exhibitions/galleries/shows too.

I live in the Perth hills where there are a couple of galleries and a small art community.  People of a variety of incomes live in the same suburb - I guess you could say middle class - what ever that really is.  The wealthy suburbs of Perth such as Subiaco, Nedlands and Dalkieth have quite a few galleries with higher priced paintings in.

So how do I price my paintings???  I have a middle price and depending on the commission of where my painting are to be sold  will affect the mark-up on the painting.  I have a family price and that recovers the cost of materials and a little time.  I also have the lowest price I'll go before selling this painting at that price leaves me feeling icky.  I tell the ladies in my class don't make it so low that if you sell it at that price you are left feeling yucky and regretting it.  Some art awards take 30% but the community centre ask a 10% donation - which is great.

Kelly Rae Robert's Etsy article on pricing is the best one I've read and recommend it if you are having trouble deciding on how to price your paintings.

Spring Blossoms Acrylic on Canvas 24" x 24" 61cm x 61cm

York Art Show $300
Community Centre Art Show $250 (less commission means I get $225)
My lowest price before it leaves me feeling yuck is $200.
Family price is even lower because I'm happy that it's staying the family and I can go visit my painting - no on selling though....

Butterfly Windows Acrylic on Canvas 24" x 24" 61cm x 61cm

 York Art Show $300
Community Centre Art Show $250

My lowest price before it leaves me feeling yuck is $200.
Family price is even lower because I'm happy that it's staying the family and I can go visit my painting - no on selling though....

Butterfly  and  Dragonfly  Acrylic on Canvas 46cm x 46cm (18"x18")

Community Centre Art Show $150 each

The Vase Acrylic on Canvas 25cm x 51cm

 Community Centre Art Show $75

The Tulip Acrylic on Canvas 25cm x 51cm

Community Centre Art Show $75


So what do you think of my prices???  Too high???  Too low???  Shells, you know best???

I guess the real question is How much will someone pay for my painting?  I wonder how much the price will change when I'm still trying to sell them in a year......