Thursday, April 22, 2010

Lady Artisan Flask Funnels

Today I worked on a silicone mold that needed to be repaired for the third time! I now know why the mold is tearing so this time the repair should last.






Lady Artisan Flask Funnels are quite popular. They are a visually pleasing way to be certain not to lose your good spirits as you fill your flask. These Flask Funnels are designed so that you can hold the flask and funnel in one hand as you pour with the other.

The Dragon Flask Funnel has an imperfection in the narrow tube section of the funnel that rips the mold as the cast metal is removed from the mold. This happens after about 20 castings. To fix this permanently took several steps.
  1. I worked on a cast Dragon Funnel, not the original sculpture, using wax to fill in a tiny hole that catches on the silicone when the sculpture is removed from the mold.
  2. I put the cast Dragon Funnel back into the mold.
  3. New silicon was poured into the damaged area of the mold.

If this repair works the mold will provide castings for years to come. If it does not prove resilient then I plan to replace the problematic part of the silicone mold with steel.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Lady Artisan Preparing For New Shows.

Today I spent most of the day preparing to apply to several excellent Renaissance Festivals.
  • The paperwork is filled out.
  • The photographs are developed.
  • Hard bound presentation binders are purchased.
Now I have to put the presentations together.

Lady Artisan may join:

The process to join a Renaissance Festival can take years.

  1. The festival must determine that your work is a good fit for this venue.
  2. A need for your media is essential. Too many artists of any one media are not allowed.
  3. Someone needs to leave the festival so there is room for a new artist.
  4. The location that is available needs to be the right one for your shop. Festivals do not put artists of similar media, style, or product close to one another.

I will keep you informed as I find out which shows have a place for Lady Artisan Sculpture.

May the pursuit of your dreams be all that you wish it to be!

With Love,

Lady Artisan

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Lady Artisan Travels

It has been a few months since I have posted a blog. Major changes in the life of this artist have been in process. Many of you are aware of how I have been altering my life to that of a full time traveling artist.

Currently I am in Texas, at Scarborough Faire. It is a lovely faire and I hope that all of my Texas Patrons will stop by and say hello, and those from other states are able to travel down to this festival. It has been a delight to visit with you who have already stopped by! Remember that I keep ice on hand for your bodice cooler and flask. They really are heaven in a bottle!

Traveling across the country, living away from home, and learning to work on the road is a huge transition. I am still adjusting but love the change of lifestyle. As I have always said, the Festival is a fantastic venue because I am able to meet you my patrons and spend time with you. Now I will be able to do that year round.

From Scarborough expect to see Lady Artisan in Colorado. A place in Colorado is pending. After Colorado I will be back in Minnesota for the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Then the plan is to return to Texas for TRF. A place at TRF is pending. Hopefully this year Arizona can find a place for my booth. Other state festivals are in the plans and I will let you know where I will be as contracts are finalized.

Today I prepared photographs and applications to new shows across the country. One of the adjustments to being on the road is that the vendor I need may not be in the area. Many photographs of my art are not cropped to standard dimensions. They are cropped to display the art at its best. Many photo finishing outlets cannot print a photograph that is not a standard size without cropping out vital parts of the photograph. Tomorrow I will resume my search for a lab that can do the job. A trip to Dallas may be required.

May all of your dreams be just what you wished for!

With Love,

Lady Artisan

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Tilttoo Shop for Crafting Fun

This blog topic is for my friends who love to create using fabric. Some of you sew, others scrapbook. And a few of you create all manner of fun things.



I have found a shop on Etsy that has fabric for sale.


The shop is run by Theresa of Tilt Creations.

Check it out. These fabrics can be a great gift for someone you know who would love to use them!


Theresa also sells patterns for those who love to sew their own clothing,. You know who you are and you are not me. (Lady Artisan Cannot Sew!)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/tilttoo
Theresa does her own sewing. She designs hand bags! You can find the hand bags at another of her etsy shops. http://www.etsy.com/shop/tiltcreations. Hand crafted bags are the perfect solution for those of you who would like a unique bag that screams YOU!

Lady Artisan would like to thank all who have sewing talents. Without those talents Lady Artisan would not have anything to wear!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

A Lady Artisan Favorite

Today I would like to introduce you to Dora Themelis.



Dora is a watercolor painter. Her use of color is not only mature and skillful, but full of joy, light, and intensity. This is the kind or art that brings a positive energy into the place where it is hung.



What Dora says about her work:

"When painting in watercolor, I really find myself playing with the way the colors merge on the paper, finding places to travel and mix together, Sometimes I have a scene in mind and other times I just like to play in an imaginary landscape. "

Like most artists Dora also likes to create other types of items. Visit Dora's shop to find her wearable creations, as well as her cheerful watercolors.

Here is where you can find Dora Themelis and her art:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/doraartdesignstudio

http://twitter.com/DorasPaintDrips
http://coffeeandpaintdrips.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/Art.DesignStudioByDora?ref=sgm

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Lady Artisan Discussion 1 on Staying in Shape

Those of us who work sedentary jobs, especially if the job requires a lot of brain energy, have our work cut out for us to stay in shape.

What Lady Artisan Has Learned

There is a physiological reason why those who do intellectual yet sedentary work tend to gain weight. It has to do with brain energy. Sitting in a chair and working does not burn many calories. Yet the brain uses glucose as if you were working a physically demanding job. Low glucose leads to hunger. To refuel, you need to eat more calories than your body has burned.

What Lady Artisan Does To Keep In Shape

Taking care of your health and weight takes planning when you work a sedentary job. There are a number of ways to manage weight and fitness when your job compels you to eat more calories than you burn. This blog post talks about the standing work station.

Lady Artisan Uses Standing Work Stations

For Your Computer

Standing work stations allow you to burn calories as you work. Lady Artisan first read about these standing work stations online. The Mayo clinic has created a treadmill that allows you to work on the computer as you slowly walk. Over the course of a day about 900 calories beyond what would be burned by sitting and working are burned on this treadmill.

The treadmills are expensive. You might want to try what Lady Artisan has done. Office stores have keyboard and laptop adjustable stands that allow you to adjust the working height of your equipment. Try moving your monitor to a shelf or wall that puts it at face level. Put your keyboard on the adjustable stand so that you can stand while you work with your body in an ergonomically correct position. If you have back problems the standing work station can eliminate the pain that results from a sitting work station.

This is the mayo clinic link on the treadmill work station.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/treadmill-desk/MM00706

When using your standing work station at the computer shift your feet or walk in place. You can do this by keeping your feet on the ground and gently lift your heals, alternating feet, as if you are walking. Use those short periods when you are waiting for a page to load or program to open to jog in place or stretch your body.

For Your Art

Set up your easel, sculpture stand, or drawing table so that you can stand while you work. Standing has the benefit not only of helping you to keep your body at a healthy weight, but reduces the strain on muscles and joints that result in pain or overuse injuries.

This page provides information on how to set up a standing work station based on the type of activity you do. http://www.scif.com/safety/ergomatters/StandingGuidelines.html
Working on creative projects like a drawing requires precision that body movement will prevent. Stop frequently to stretch, change position, or do a minute of running in place. This will not only help you to stay fit, but can prevent the overuse injuries that are common to artists.
Next Lady Artisan Discussion
Next Lady Artisan will discuss how to fit tiny fat burning workouts into your work routine.
Your Work Station
Share with the readers of this blog how using a standing work station has worked for you, or if you would like to try one for the first time. If there are any obstacles to your use of a standing work station tell us what those are. Lady Artisan or one of her blog followers might have an idea to help you out.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Lady Artisan 2010

Lady Artisan has exciting plans for this new year.


Many of you in Texas have asked Lady Artisan to visit your fine state. You have asked Lady Artisan to travel south for many years now. This is the year you have been waiting for. Lady Artisan plans to go Texas!
There are two Renaissance Festivals in Texas where you may find Lady Artisan in 2010.
Lady Artisan at Scarborough
http://www.scarboroughrenfest.com/
Applications will soon be reviewed for new Artisans at Scarborough. If Scarborough has room for a sculptor and a place for her shop then you will find Lady Artisan here.

Lady Artisan at Texas

You can find many of Lady Artisan's friends demonstrating their craft and selling their wares at this festival. Although not until October Lady Artisan will apply to this Renaissance Festival soon.

Lady Artisan at Minnesota
You will find Lady Artisan at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival as always. 2010 will be a year of festivity for Lady Artisan and her patrons.

Lady Artisan introduces Nico Designs

This month Lady Artisan and the Etsy Bloggers are profiling a gal with both creative and teaching skills. Her blog is full of tutorials that range in topic from running an art or craft business to step-by-step creative projects.
Erica of Nico Designs is the Etsy Blogger of the month. http://etsybloggers.com/
Check out her blog to learn how to create an Upcycled Sweater Hat. Lady Artisan is now racking her brain to figure out if she has a sweater to turn into a hat. http://designsbynico.blogspot.com/


At Nico Designs Etsy store you will find a variety of fashion clothing and bags. http://www.etsy.com/shop/NicoDesigns
The stylish diaper bag pictured above is designed to look like a purse! Excellent work Erica! Lady Artisan knows a new mother that would love to have this diaper bag.