She Who Doodles

How do you get your ideas?  Sometimes for me it's just sitting down and going thru all the stuff I've collected.  Like these recycled items I have setting around my work space.  I pulled out the old weathered fence slat, then started playing around with the branches I had dried.   I recently picked up at a thrift store a bag of little birdhouses so I added one.  Moved the branches around, then set it aside for a few days, when I came back to it with the birdhouse which I had covered in paper, torn from a used brown paper bag.  I rearranged it a bit and decided it needed something more.  So I cut some leaves from paper scrapes and old book pages.  Slowly I can see it coming together.  Yesterday I thought of adding another birdhouse.  The birdhouse is going to get some doodles yet.  Still not sure if I'm ready to secure it all in place.  It helps to just let it sit a day or so and come back to it.   It's kinda...

Summer has finally ended, Fall is here.  Most of the leaves are down, but still haven't had frost on the pumpkin. I decided not to do any holiday sales this year, finished my last sale early in October.  I just don't do that well this time of year with all the holiday sales and bazaars.  So after loading everything back into the house and trying to find a place for some things I just hated to pack away I finally hung some of my original work.   I have a few older work on my walls but hadn't hung a lot of the newer work.  I had a lot of my earlier mixed media work on my walls but none of my recycled art or original doodles.  A pretty diverse mix of work.  I do get bored doing the same thing all the time.  Always like trying something new.  At least now everything isn't packed away in bins for Spring sales.  I really hate packing my framed originals around with me, so this is nice to find a place for them.  Update fro...

It's football season again and the three grandsons are all playing.  Two in high school and the third in a local lead, he is in middle school this year.  This last game on Friday was especially exciting, not only did their team win but both boys were on the field at the same time.  One on the line the other receiving.  A first for this proud family.  My grandsons with their mom, my daughter.  Mom and dad were really excited to see them both on the field, and both made plays that got them recognized.   Dad is a defensive coach and the younger grandson is usually on the sidelines as ball boy.   The rest of us are in the bleachers cheering them on.        Me, I'm still doodling.  Only one show left this year, you can see the info on my Events Page .   I've been a little discouraged, sales have not been good this year and I can't decide which way to go next.  Hauling all my art around to...

Was so greatful to be the featured artist on Folt Bolt June 18th.  It is always exciting to be recognized for your talent. If you haven't seen their blog post you can see it here: http://www.foltbolt.com/#!Cyndee-Starr/cy7d/557f6f7e0cf201107e2bf4bc    One week left before the Vancouver Recycled Arts Fair and keeping busy finishing up some pieces.  I'm trying to include as much of my doodles as possible, which isn't really very hard since I doodle on almost everything these days.  One of my projects has been to coordinate a recycled picture frame with one of my doodles for framing. Another project, not yet complete is a small bench a friend gave me.  It's been great to have friends on the look out for items I might be able to use.  This bench came from my friend Michelle Lund of Buttons and Shanks . She also found me a coffee table and small round end table recently.    If you are in the Northwest and can come by I'd love...

Just a little up date on the WIP last posted.  The fry pan has now become a clock, can't you see it hanging in the kitchen? And the little black box, is still a little black box but embellished and lined with red felt.  Two more items for the recycled art show I'm doing the end of June.  These are projects are fun to shop for and fun to create.  I never know what I might find at the thrift stores.  The weekend is just about over,  Game of Thrones tonite.  Outlander last night, not sure how I felt about that episode,  really dark.  I didn't read the books so have no idea whats coming.  Hope you had a great weekend.  Thanks for visiting. Hugs Cyndee

There is just no end to what can be done with odds and ends of recycled materials.   Holding true to the meaning of collage "an assembly of diverse elements".   Here is my finished piece, haven't figured out what to call it yet but thinking "about time".   Appropriate because some of the parts come from a digital clock.  It's only 8 x 8, haven't figured how to hang it yet, thinking about using an old coat hanger wire.  Along with the clock parts, you'll see a piece of floor vinyl, cedar board, mesh meat bag, and a broken piece from a industrial furnace.   It's all about the arrangement. It's fun working with scraps.  I'm hoping to get into a couple of recycled art fairs this coming summer.  With all my recycled frames and other stuff I've been doodling, I've collect enough to quality for the shows. It's another beautiful sunny day in the Northwest.  Just can't believe the winter we are having compared to the eastern ...

It's a beautiful Spring day here in the Northwest.  But it is only February.  The neighborhood flowering plum trees are blooming, I saw a Rhododendron in full bloom, even some Daffodils.  My Daphne is blooming and wafting all over the yard and into the house. It is so nice to open the house and let that fresh air in.  Fritz is loving the door open so he can run in and out as he pleases.  He's been sitting just out the door in the sun on the door step.     I just finished framing a print of one of my newer pieces.  I saw the frame on sale at Craft Warehouse and thought surely I have something that will fit.   Lots of glare on the glass, I didn't have another place to hang it for the photo, and hit had to be hung.  I've kind of been all over the board with my work lately.  I've been doing a lot of these doodles over a photo.  Mostly flowers but tried doing a house, then a pic taken in San Francisco.  That wasn't...

Just a few little tweeks here and there.  Change is always good.  New year new ideas, not that there is ever a shortage of ideas.  Usually too many to keep up with. I signed up for a recycled arts show for this summer,  so thought I better get busy with some new pieces.  Here's a couple I just finished.  It's really fun working with scrapes of stuff from the Reclaim It store in Portland.   This one is made with rusty chicken wire, and digital clock parts.  Mounted on a cedar board. This one actually has a title, "no day is complete without music".  Around the edges is pieces of our roof shingles that blew off during a recent storm and of course a piano key.   It's been a slow start to the new year but things seem to be picking up a bit.  I have my first show of the season this weekend at the Confluence Vineyards & Winery .  It's wine and chocolate affair.  It will be outdoors in a big heated t...

Just a few new doodles. The last photo is one continuous line.  The pen never left the paper from beginning to end.  Just something I had to try, to see if I could and if it would look like anything.   You'll have to be the judge. A little recycled table I just finished painting and doodling.  I'm selling this for $75 (US) if you are interested contact me.   It will not be posted to my Etsy Shop. I'm always doodling on something.   Check back to see what is next.  Thanks for visiting. Hugs Cyndee

Burrr....................chilly and windy here.  The forecasters say we are going to get snow by the weekend.  We've only had a little dusting so far this winter.   Can't complain after seeing what is happening in the rest of the country.  It has been a strangely mild winter so far,  and way below average rain, and snow fall in the mountains.  I've been busy, finished the chair.  I'll post as picture as soon as my honey finishes the final coat of polyurethane.   The last two Tuesdays I've been trying something new during the off season for sales.  I've had an open studio hoping to bring in a little business.  Didn't go so good.  Don't think I will continue.  The only sales I made were items I had posted on FB to advertise the sale.   You don't know until you try. I've been posting alot more on Etsy.  Recycled picture frames and boxes.  Here's a couple I just finished yesterday.   This one sol...