I had the day off of work, and for the past few weeks I’ve had a hankering for paper mache bowls. I have never attempted to make them, but when I was in elementary school we made dinosaur eggs out of paper mache and a balloon. Since this is the only technique I could recollect, I went with it. I used cut up Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters catalogs, and on one just some natural paper and some elephant poo paper.

my hand covered in paste

the flash did something weird

supplies

They came out just as I had hoped. There is something very satisfying about making things with paper mache, and I am seriously considering making these and selling them on Etsy or something. They’re super cheap to make- balloons, paste mixture, paper from whatever source. I spent about 3 hours and made 3 bowls, which is pretty good (a bulk of that time was spent just ripping up paper.) I think it would be cool to dip them in clear resin or something of that nature. In the future I’ll invest in some bigger balloons. There is so much to expand on… Who knows, the sky is the limit!!

I have also been having some pretty sweet ideas the past few days, such as kite earrings and temporary tattoo autographs. I’m really enjoying this recent spark of creativity, I think its because its spring… EVERYTHING is ALIVE AGAIN!!

Have you had some pretty sweet ideas/ inventions recently? I want to hear about it. Drop me a line friends!

<3

P.S- I just discovered this website, and it’s been very inspiring.

The mystery object has founds its way to where it needs to be. I wont know anything more about it for a few weeks, but once things have settled, I can finally reveal whats going on.

In the meantime, I needed to do some art. I thought about painting but decided I’d rather do something fashiony. And, thinking back to my older style, I used to pair the dangerous with the beautiful (this usually makes for an interesting juxtaposition.) So today, I decided on the Japanese hornet. I saw these a while back on National Geographic (LOVE) taking down an ENTIRE colony of honey bees. It was brutal, let me tell you. Aside from that terrifying trait, any of my friends could probably tell you that bees, wasps, hornets and even flies scare the living daylights out of me. But-

WOULDN'T THIS SCARE THE BEJESUS OUT OF YOU TOO?!?!

Japanese hornets are the BIGGEST hornets in the world, measuring up to 3 inches and, on average, are responsible for at least 40 deaths each year! WHY is this person in the picture HOLDING one.

Enough, this is what I drew today

Please don’t kiss that thing, lady. It WILL eat your face off.

SS/10 Balenciaga sandals, apparently (according to this.) I don’t really know what the rest of the outfit, or even the concept was inspired by. But I think I saw something similar while perusing the New York Public Library digital gallery of posters from the turn of the century. (I’m a sucker for anything art nouveau, not to mention NYPL is an ARTGASM altogether!!) If I can manage to find the original image I’ll put it up later. You should check out the NYPL site, there are some really awesome images to draw inspiration from.

In conclusion, even if things make you freak the geek out, it doesnt discredit how beautiful they are. I really enjoy learning about insects and their designs and tactics and what not. I’ll just enjoy them from afar…like on tv or behind glass.

-Jen

I finished it! Yes I did. Hopefully you can figure out what I made. Once again, a predominately photo-centric post.

Remember this?

Well, I ripped it apart.

Cut it up, glued it, nailed it…

Sliced it.

Put it in its place.

And made the coolest box ever!

I used power tools. Oh! The power tools! I used a circular saw, drills, and a jigsaw…

I couldn't help myself.

It is so satisfying to work with my hands like this. It was very relaxing and challenging at the same time. I really enjoyed learning how to do everything, and getting the chance to think in 3D. I still cant tell you what it’s all about. But I will let you know soon, I promise!

There are still a ton of leftovers and I’m trying to decide what to do with them. My mom suggested coasters, but thats a little boring for my taste. Perhaps a small box? Picture frame? I dont know, do you have any suggestions? I would love some feedback.

Use your hands, the outcome is rewarding!

-Jen

I have made even more progress on my mystery object. This post is mostly photos, ok?

Rolled up magazines and the frame I made the other day

It was so nice yesterday I just took all my supplies to the park and worked on this. It was very cathartic, and I listened to ‘The Path to Enlightenment’ by the Dalai Lama. VERY relaxing, let me tell you.

almost done!

badda bing!

trimming the edges

the view from the back

remnants

Some of the clippings would make great beads, so I think I’m going to clear coat them somehow and see what I can do. Use the whole buffalo, right?

Finished!

I clear coated the CRAP out of this. I still need to sand down the edges a bit and make sure it looks immaculate. I finished part of the mystery project, and it feels GOOD. But there is still more to come.

Also, I got this sweet thing in the mail today. I have no idea who its from, but it made me laugh pretty hard. Whoever it was must have known that I dislike football greatly.

Does this qualify as fan art?

More and more mysteries, all the time. I like it. I feel like Harriet the Spy of art and life. We should all feel that way at some point I guess. It keeps things interesting.

-Jen

As you may remember, in my last post I introduced you to my mystery project. Unfortunately I cant tell you what it is until later down the line, I cant even tell you it’s purpose or why I’m making it. But I can tell you, it’s juicy. It’s a good mystery that even keeps me guessing.

Today I FINALLY made some progress AND I got to learn how to use a circular saw. I feel so handy! I want to be one of those awesome ladies thats like, “pssh, I built that!” Pandoras box has been opened my friends, and the future looks to be full of handy lady craft.

Before

After

This was taken on my lap desk, the black thingy behind it. That has nothing to do with the project- just the wooden frame of some kind. Just to be clear, this is NOT the finished product, just part of it.

I’ll post more on my project tomorrow when I make even more progress!

Also, on a completely unrelated note, listen to this. It’s my new favorite song.

Jen

I have been up to something, dear readers! I can’t tell you what it is yet, but I can give you little tidbits.

supplies

I disapprove of flash

No, I haven’t been sitting around drinking cases of vintage Scottish Whiskey.

lace and spray paint

rolled up magazines

I got this idea from this blog.

Also, I have some announcements- I have a twitter account! I promised myself I’d never be one of those people who tweets but I figure, heck, if Conan does it I can do it.

One last thing- according to Google analytics, both Russia and Pakistan have viewed this blog at least once. But I’d like to thank those people in Australia for viewing this blog more than any other (non American) country, and a special thanks to those in the town of Adelaide. Thanks y’all!

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.” – Henry David Thoreau

Jen

Have you ever felt like you are spinning your wheels and you aren’t getting anywhere? Well, thats the story of my life at the moment. I have a million spinning plates and I am waiting for some of them to come crashing to the floor while the others keep spinning. I feel like a grape suspended in Jello salad- not going anywhere. Enough with the metaphors. I needed an outlet, and today I finally got a day off and some good ideas I wanted to try out. I hadn’t done a fashiony drawings in a long time, and I’m not gonna lie, this girl (particularly this entry) had something to do with it. (She’s pretty talented!) Is it creepy to tag someone’s blog in your own blog when you don’t know them? Whatever.

Here are the results

Fashion sketch

I wanted to scan it before I erased my sketch lines and colored it in. This was also partially inspired by this girl as well- you gotta give credit where credit is due! Plus, I just met her the other day when she came into the place where I work.

I wanted the colors to be a bit more muted, but oh well. I also made her legs WAAAAAAAY too long.

I feel like lately I have been doing a lot of experimentation with media and style, and as a result my art has been rather up in the air. Out of those experiments, I have completed nothing (which isn’t to say I haven’t gained anything, I’m learning. But hey! Gouache isn’t an easy medium!). I suppose I just need to feel grounded in some way, which I why I’m revisiting the old Jen.

2007

2007

A few things to notice- no backgrounds, I rarely used color… many snakes. I don’t know what my deal was, but hey, there were some pretty good results.

In the meantime, I guess I’ll just try to take it as it comes and remember that the journey is as important as the destination. My current situation isn’t just a means to an end.

-Jen

Do you ever take a look at who your friends are and say to yourself- man, my friends are awesome…WAY cooler than I am, but I must be pretty cool to have friends like these! Well, in a nutshell, that’s the story of my life. My friend Adam is living at home until he relocates for a new job later this month- and it’s been really cool getting to do artsy stuff with him. He is an AMAZING photographer, musician, bike repair expert- pretty much all that and a bag of chips. We always talked about collaborating and this past week, we finally got around to doing it! He is best friends with Justin- aka Har Herrar. Justin, too is all that and a bag of chips- an organic, biodegradable bag of chips. Har Herrar is Justins’ music project, and I gotta tell you, It’s worth a listen. He has such amazing lyrics. But thats beside the point- Adam and I teamed up to design a tee shirt for Har Herrar, which we plan on silk screening- cant wait! Here is a look at the design- albeit, the rough draft- it looks much more refined on the transparency- (we made the line width vary,the cracks in the glass and the interior of the car is a much thinner line weight.)

Har Herrar

The coyote in the back represents Justin- he asked me to draw this for him a while back but I never had the time. Finally, I got it done.

As if doing sweet designs with Adam wasn’t enough, he also modeled for Drink n Draw this past monday- so I got to draw him as well!

Adam

Aside from having sweet friends- I also have a kind of awesome family. Here is a picture of my grandad, Jack. He was an animal lover, probably one of the kindest souls I ever knew. He was driving through Idaho (where he was from, where this picture was taken) with some friends and he bet them that he could get a deer to come over to him, and obviously, he did.

Grandad Jack

Even in his old age when most of his vocabulary escaped him, he always would pull this photo from his wallet and talk about it in fractured sentences. Ah, so endearing.

It’s ok to be sentimental about how talented and awesome your friends and/ or family are. It’s good to reflect on this, and be thankful. Do what you can for them.

-J

These past few weeks have been so intensely busy- readers. I didn’t want y’all to think I had forgotten about you, so the other day when I was looking through my sketch book I came across something I hadn’t scanned last week when I posted about my travels. So, here you go!

This was a continuous line drawing I did on the plane ride back from Savannah. I like the wonkey perspective and proportions.

Also, I have a new goal- I want to illustrate a kids book with the lyrics of the song ‘Little Cloud‘ by the Incredible String Band. The song is very cute and I think it would make an awesome kids book. It will also give me an opportunity to dabble with some Mary Blair esq style mixed with my own. Now, if only I could afford gouache and oil pastels…

Have a great week y’all!

Jen

I love Google analytics- it’s kind of amazing. I have analytics set up for this blog, and I want to give a BIG thank you to those of you in such places as Brazil, Germany, Iran, the Philippines, India, and South Africa (you know who you are.) However, there are many more regions that have never even seen this blog- I’m talking to you Australia and New Zealand. I am huge fans of both of these countries, and I want you to be fans of me! This post has nothing to do with either of these countries, I just wanted to get their attention via search engines.

That said, I recently got back from a small vacation in Savannah, Ga- where I went to school. The trip it’s self was blissfully disappointing, but thats a long story. The short of the story is that I feel so blessed to know that I have such awesome friends all over the country (such as those awesome people in Savannah, and eventually all over the world as soon as New Zealand and Australia gets on board.) I had the best room mates ever and the boys that lived below us were the best! I truly feel blessed to still have all these people in my lives, and I am so glad I got the chance to see them again because lord knows how much I miss them!

While I was in Savannah I stayed with a friend who is an avid collector of guns, grenades, knives, booze and action figures- how could I NOT compose a still life?!

Deadly combinations

Let me just say that it’s pretty difficult drawing a ‘realistic’ still life with a mechanical pencil and a 8.5″ x 11″ newsprint spiral that I got for 3 bucks at Hobby Lobby. (Oirgionally I was going to bring my graphite stick but I realized that it looked like a giant nail, and there is NO WAY it would have passed security.) But I did what I could with my trusty mechanical pencil and cheap sketch book.

More crazy stuff, day 2

And, as promised in the last post- I’m doing more continuous line drawings…

Continuous

Also, a few weeks ago for my birthday my parents took me to the Dallas World Aquarium. I don’t know what it is about aquariums, but I love them. If I could I would a) become a mermaid or b) have all the walls of my dream house erected out of fish tanks or just live in a submarine. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I’m an Aquarius and I have that natural draw to the water- or maybe the fact that I’m a woman and am ‘in sync’ with the ocean. Anyway, here are some photos that I took- sea creatures are SO INCREDIBLE-

very small starfish

the most beautiful sea horses I have ever seen!

I would chill there too if I were a fish

Also, here in Dallas we got record snow a few days ago! I like taking pictures in the snow because when the flash goes off it looks like outer space. Or when you drive in it at night and it looks like you’re driving at warp speed- snow is the best!

Snow!

snow!

The aquarium and the snow has nothing to do with my art at the moment, but I’m sure I will draw some inspiration from both events. I really want to do something with those sea horses!

As a closing thought, my personal mantra (which I’m sure I’ve posted before)

“As if you could kill time without injuring eternity!” Henry David Thoreau

-J