I recently had surgery on my left foot last month, unable to walk around much I am confined to a chair more often than I like.  I have tried to make jewelry but I just can’t seem to say focused and I neve seem to have the supplies or tools I needed within arms reach so I quickly became frustrated.  I have often admired watercolor painting and thought I’d watch a few videos to get an idea if this was something I thought I could actually do.  I was intrigued by the soft flowy effects by some of the skilled artist.  They made it look so easy… like anyone could do it.  So, I thought why not give it a go.  I borrowed paints and purchased paper and sat down to paint.  Well, as it turns out it’s not so easy.  There are things that ya just don’t know until you invest time and yes, money too.  Like for instance that quality paint, paper, and brushes are essential.  You don’t have to break the bank but if you think this is something you will enjoy it’s worth spending a little extra time and money to get decent supplies.  I did just that.  Not the best but got good enough to learn with without getting frustrated that my painting was working like the demonstrators.

My first painting I started was of bumble bees.  I followed what the demonstrator was doing, making modifications with the colors of paint I had and starting painting a bee! I was so excited that my bees were actually looked like bumble bees.  This was encouraging to say the least.  I had to stop for the day, but I was hooked and I ordered a few more paint colors.  The next time I was able to open my paint set I thought I’d start with something easier for a beginner where I could learn more about brush strokes and how to mix colors.  I found a one hour tutorial on the Michael’s website.  Admittedly it was a fast class for someone with on watercolor experience, but I was able to stop the video till I was ready to proceed.   I’m no Picasso but I think my Eastern Blue Bird looks pretty good for my first bird painting.

I find watercolor painting relaxing and good for the soul. As an instant gratification kind of person, I like that I can finish a painting in one setting, I don’t have to wait too long for the paint to dry before I add another layer. My mind is relaxed and I don’t even notice the pain in my foot.  It certainly keeps me still and occupied which is making my recovery more enjoyable.   As an added benefit it’s easy to take anywhere.  There is little to pack and sets up quickly. 😊
Photos
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If you want to give it a try here is the video I watched. 
Here is a printout of the drawing of the blue bird you can trace if you don't want to free-hand the drawing.
Here is the printed instructions from the video 

I  did not have all the colors or supplies listed on the video but here is a list of the supplies I used:

• Paint: Windsor & Newton Cotman tube watercolor paints set of 12 – purchased at Michaels
• Paper: Strathmore Watercolor paper 140 lb.  purchased at Michaels
• Brushes: watercolor set that starts with size 0, I prefer some sort of hair as they seem to hold more water or a blend of hair and synthetic
• Tim Holtz Mini bottles: Refillable bottles for water, purchased at Michaels
• Paint Pallet: Plastic reusable tray to mix colors, purchased at Michaels
• Masking tape
• Pencil and Eraser
• Clip board with a flat clip, purchased at Walmart

If I do give watercolor painting a try, post a pic on social media and be sure to tag me @crowsnestarts1 #crowsnestarts so I will be able to see it.
I'd enjoy hearing from you drop a comment below.​  Enjoy!

Back in March on a whim, I entered a giveaway through Wubbers University, they were doing a giveaway for Spring.  For those who are not familiar with who or what Wubbers is I will explain.  Wubbers is a jewelry tool manufacturer known for their mandrel shaped pliers.  They make forming wire into various shapes easy.  I own a few of the round plies and use them regularly to shape wire and thin metals.  To enter the giveaway you had to follow their rules/terms and conditions.  It was easy and clearly stated, so I submitted my information along with a photo of a ring I had made using their pliers and turquoise chips.  I kind of forgot about it, because I rarely ever win anything, so I just put it out of my mind.  Needless to say, a few weeks later I received an e-mail of Congratulations YOU WON.  I was so excited and replied immediately with the required information.  A short time afterwards, I received a treasure box of 2 new shaping plies, a couple strands of beads, several loose cabochons, a pair of earrings, and stick-on nail color.  What a fun treasure box that totally brightened my day.   I am excited to try out the new pliers and add those cute beads to a new design.  I’ll keep you posted on what I make.
You can check out the tools and more on Wubbers University on Facebook😊

Have you ever wanted to make jewelry for yourself or as a gift?  I can show you how in a private or small group, or zoom session.  Theses sessions make great gifts too.
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​I love Christmas.  It’s a time when I get to be with most of my family, celebrate our faith, and enjoy the festivities together.  The Crow’s Nest is usually the gathering place for our east coast family, everyone comes and goes as their schedules allow and it’s a wonderful time of laughter, games, lots of good food, crafts and projects all going on at the same time for about a week.  I love how everyone pitches in and reconnects after a busy year apart.  Last year my angel tree topper had finally fallen apart, she was given to me many years ago by a dear friend.  It was time to repair her and give her an updated look.  I’m a country gal at heart and happen to have four pairs of cowgirl boots in my closet in various stages of worn and worn out.  Naturally when the farmhouse style became popular, I was thrilled. This year my angel was going country!  I remade her frame and sewed up a gray plaid skirt my momma would be proud of.  My niece helped my find the perfect cowgirl boots to complete her new look. 

I loved how my country angel so much I even added cowgirl boots!  I had extra gray plaid fabric so I traced the shape of our existing tree skirt and sewed the edges. Cute!!  I then decorated the tree with gray buffalo check ribbon and added the ornaments.  Love it! 

Let me know if you make or remake one, I'd love to see it.  Merry Christmas!

I’ve introduced you to Camp Breac back in January with our “Leaping Trout” chainsaw sculpture project.  Now I’d like to share with you a bit more about Camp Breac’s mission and how we made a boot rack into art.  Camp Breac is a historical site and is a fly fishing community for our military, veterans, and their families with the mission of conservation of natural resources, the arts, & education conveniently located on Spring Creek in Bellefonte, PA.

It all began in September with a phone call from Jim Lanning.  If you ever met Jim, you know you are going to spend some time…as you enjoy an Irish Coffee or a cold beer from the tap while you are brought up to speed about the latest happenings within the camp.  Jim relies on many volunteers to help with projects ranging from stream improvements, land and facility upgrades and maintenance.  Always with conservation, community involvement, and recycling in mind. 
During one of these chats, Jim shared a problem, a wet stinky problem.  As part of the camp’s mission to educate they offer fly fishing education, hands-on training, and even supply the equipment needed.  The problem was lots of wet smelly fishing waders and boots.  After a great day on the stream fisherman and women hang their boots and waders up on hooks in an upright position indoors.  The result is they don’t get completely dry.  Jim’s needed was a growing concern and he desired to have an outdoor boot rack conveniently located allowing the boots and waters to dry out in the fresh air before being stored indoors.  As easy as this may sound to do, Jim had some pretty interesting requirements…

First it had to hold at least twelve pairs of boot and tall waders. Next, it had to be constructed of recycled materials, materials sourced from the camp itself or locally.  It also had to fit within the camp’s theme and mission.  The location had to be easy for the fisherman and women to get to and close enough to the indoor storage area. Jim, Ed, and I scouted the landscape and agreed upon the location.  With such a visible location Ed and I knew a board and some pegs just wouldn’t do.  We truly wanted to show our appreciation to the many veterans and service members visiting the camp.  We left the camp with a 14’ board laying on the passenger side mirror and tied to the side of our pickup truck.

 Ed and I were excited about the project and discussed ideas all the way home.  After tossing around several ideas, we landed upon one we both had passion to build.  It started out as a simple and relatively easy project and grew into a very large and detailed project.  We took great care to use recycled materials, selecting materials sourced or manufactured in Pennsylvania.  Thanks to the Penn State students who unknowingly suppling us with wine bottles, and Yuengling beer cans as we pilfered through their recycle bins.  And a big shout out to the staff at Champs on North Atherton as they collected bottle caps and shared in our enthusiasm.

The Crow’s Nest was buzzing with activity.  Ed started his chainsaw and chips were flying everywhere.  When the saw stopped, I hardly recognized the plain flat board we brought home.  After large holes were drilled into the textured wood, I began painting.  Using colors native to the creek at the camp the board was no longer a board, it had been transformed into a flowing stream that 2 large 4’ trout were going to be leaping out of to catch a tasty handtied fly.

With the vision of the art piece was clear in our minds, it was time to prepare the site, the location where the art in boot rack form would like.  I was very grateful to be accompanied by Jim, and two volunteer veterans Chuck and Godfrey.   They made quick work of pruning and weeding.  Chuck being skilled at building rock walls took on the task constructing rock tiers within garden area and Jim filled in the platform with pea gravel.

It was a large project and admittedly I felt overwhelmed, not just by the size, but I had underestimated how much more difficult it would be to turn recycled materials into usable pieces and how many hundreds of pieces I needed for just one 4 foot fish.  I truly understood the saying “Nothing is ever as easy as it looks!”  Thankfully my mother, Sandy stepped in to lend a hand with cutting hundreds of rows of scales out of aluminum cans. 

The rest of the story is better told in pictures. Click here to view the album of our visual story making the fish boot rack.
On Veteran’s Day, November 11th, 2020 we honorably dedicated “A Good Day Fishing” aka Art in Boot Rack Form with everyone wearing masks due to the Covid 19 pandemic, to all veterans and service members who were there and will visit Camp Breac.  We thank you.

A pair of empty military and a pair of fishing boots in honor of those who served and did not return home will be bronzed and place under the rack on pedestals as soon as possible.

I encourage you to visit Camp Breac, meet Jim Lanning, and see if he has time for a tour and a beverage. Tell him “The Crows sent you”.
Comment back to me and tell me all about your experience at Camp Breac and how you like our art work.

​"It is with great respect and appreciation to our family, friends, and community who have served in the armed forces, we say thank you.  May the one that got away, be as large as our Yuengling Trout."   Janise & Ed Crow

Veterans Godfried, Charles (Chuck), Walt, & Jim
Sandy, Tani, Holden, Sparkles, Ed, & Janise

We love to support our local community with art projects. This project is near and dear to our hearts as it's for our local veterans at Camp Breac, The Spring Creek House in Bellefonte, PA.   Their mission of serving veterans and families, preserving, recycling, and educating meshed so well with ours, we were happy to see what we could do to solve a problem they had.  

The problem:
Lots of wet fishing boots and waders inside the lodge causing musty storage room.  The host, James Lanning needed a place for the fishermen dry their wet boots before they enter the lodge and store the boots. 

Criteria:

• Outdoors
• Use of any natural materials around the camp
• Recycled materials made or used locally in Pennsylvania
• Size: hold a dozen boots and waders
• Theme: Fly Fishing and Armed Forces
• Serve, preserve, recycle, & educate

We set to work... brainstorming, designing, and prototyping.

It is one part of the larger 14 foot outdoor art piece that will also serve as a fishing wader boot drying rack.  This project was more challenging than I anticipated.

​More on this to come along with the finished fish.
​ Got questions? COMMENT BELOW

Neighbors encouraging each other.  We invite you to participate and add your painted rock.

After some pretty strong winds our sign had fallen and broken.  I knew I had to get the paints out and make a new one.  I used a recycle floor tile, craft paints, and sealed with several coats of clear acrylic.   It was a fun project.  I made it much brighter in color.  Ed and I designed a frame that now hangs the tile securely in place.  The garden is growing, it's so fun to see others thoughts, art work, and words of encouragement.  For me, it rewarding to have neighbors and park visitors stop and chat about the rocks and brainstorming what they plan to paint on a rock.  I hope to see more painted rock and encourage anyone interested in adding to it.  I look forward to seeing your rock soon.

If you need directions: see this previous post

​The Process:
Design: size built to hide the air conditioning units, visually pleasing, colorful
Bottles: collect used bottles, sanitize, remove labels, drill holes, and rewash
Spacers: collect items to use as spacers in between bottles, we used gears on this project
Build Frame: purchase pressure treated lumber, cut lumber, assemble with screws and bolts, drill holes, stain and seal, and then mount in location.
Bottle Rods: cut rods to length, string on bottles  & gears in desired patterns.
Final Assembly: place rods with bottles through holes in frames, add top bottles.

This is part of a bigger custom garden re-landscaping project using recycled materials. Yes, Ed did have to hold on to my feet a few times as I had to dig pretty deep in those recycling bins! Haha! The gears were left over from Sarah Etchells and Will’s wedding decor.

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