|
These decorative cinder blocks are part of a larger project to makeover a tired and underutilized garden area. The area was flat with some existing plants and river rock, but pretty lifeless and boring. Keeping with our mantra of to cut down on waste in the landfills we planned an echo friendly project using as many recyclable objects as possible. The inspiration came from Mexican style tiles, I love the colors, and the feeling of playfulness in the artistry. Color, height, durability, and function were key elements in our design process. The Process:
Design: height with visually pleasing, colors, playfulness, and holes for plants Concrete Blocks: collect used blocks from around the house, clean, prime the blocks Color & Design: researched the web for design ideas, and rummaged through paint stashes to come up with a color pallet Hand painted each block, some needed several coats, then sealed with block sealer, and allow to dry for several days. Want to work with Janise on your own DIY projects? contact Janise On to the next items needed. I will keep you posted on the progress of the larger garden makeover. Follow our updates on Facebook
0 Comments
"To others this may appear as a unique piece of artwork but for me it represents years of memories with my Dad. This carving opens conversations with friends as they visit our home and we are able to share a piece of his story and our memories together. Thank you Ed and Janise for helping to keep his memory alive as he lives on in our hearts each day." CJ & Crystal I like to carve using a chainsaw. Better, I like it if i can put a story behind the object. It's what changes a carving into a sculpture.
It was a privilege to work with Crystal to surprise her husband CJ to honor the memories of his father who's motto was "Never Give Up". Ed Leaping Trout Chainsaw Carving I want to tell you about a little-known place that is making a big difference. It’s called Camp Breac and is located in historical Bellefonte, PA along Spring Creek which is a popular trout fishing stream. It’s proprietor James Lanning, Jim for short, has a heart that is bigger than his body. Jim is a retired police officer from California whom has continued his public service by acting as an advocate for military veterans, public service members, and Clearwater Shed. Jim and his wife, Denise’s compassion, hospitality, and vision are contagious and all who meet them are quickly brought into the fold. That’s how it was for Ed and I. What started as favor for a friend to look at an old tree that had fallen down leaving a rather tall ugly stump standing in the center of the front yard, quickly turned into a lifelong relationship. After a tour of Camp Breac and one of Jim’s famous Irish Coffees made with local spirits from Big Spring Spirits the place begins to feel like home. You quickly settle in and the many faces you meet are new family members that you share a common connection to. For Ed and I, we are children of veterans with many family members that were part of the armed forces. I particularly felt at home. As I sipped my coffee, surrounded by veterans listening to their stories, my mind drifted to images of my childhood surrounded by military and civil servants and the feelings of comfort and a sense of belonging came over me. Memories of my father, an Army veteran, came to mind as I sat chatting with and observing several more veterans. I wondered if they realized how simply being in their presence brought me joy. We left that day honored to be a part of Camp Breac’s mission and became part of the family. Jim had a dream to turn that ugly stump into something special for everyone to enjoy. As family members do, we help each other out with time and talents, it was not different to Ed and I. We agreed to take on the project and understood why Ed was recommended for the task. Ed is known for his giant leaping fish carvings and this tree stump was perfect for one. It was winter when Ed began cutting into massive stump with his chainsaw. It took him two weekends to carve the “Leaping Trout” that stands about 9 feet tall and faces Spring Creek. After the color was added to the base to resemble the creek, Jim and veterans painted on the clear sealant coat. Another avid fisherman tied the large fly that hangs above the trout. Art in the outdoors is part of our mission and teaming up with Camp Breac is a natural fit. We look forward to meeting more of our community and working on projects together in the future. You never know what can build a community, for Camp Breac, in Bellefonte PA, it’s fishing for trout. Jim and Denise Lanning had a vision to create a place for veterans and their families to enjoy the outdoors, fish, and most importantly connect with others veterans, families, and supportive community members. We are honored to be a part of this family and are happy to share our time and talents. Many volunteers help out at Camp Breac. Kris Edson was tasked with taking out a large old Norway spruce had that had died. He thought the tree and location was perfect for a large trout carving and contacted Ed who is known for his large fish carvings. After Kris cut the large tree it to proper size, Ed carved this beautiful wild brown trout leaping from the water. And Janise added the finishing touches with a bit of color to the water at the base of the fish. The trout carving is finished with a protective clear coat. Lastly, Army vet Daniel Kerstetter created very large Light Cahill fly for the wild brown trout to chase and it now hangs above the carving.
It is our hope that many conversations and connections are made around the old spruce, now a brown trout that serves as welcome to everyone visiting Camp Breac. When you meet Jim, tell him "The Crows sent you". :) Estate sales make for interesting finds.... You can make some really cool stuff. I love upcycling vintage bottle caps because they have such a rich history in our culture. They make unique fun jewelry. Here I domed each bottle cap and added a band of vintage Chez seed beads for added interest and color. They are light weight and are certainly to bring complements and envy from those who appreciate handcrafted eclectic jewelry. You can find these necklaces and bracelets here        
Janise's Process:
Style: owner's chosen style is retro / eclectic vintage Transformations:
Follow our updates on Facebook The problem: not enough storage space in craft studio area This was part of a craft studio remodel project, look for next posting about the entire room.  The Story
My good friend Michelle's mother was down sizing and relocating her home of many many years. She asked me to assist her with cleaning out her mother's attic which had been use by many many family members as storage. Little did she know, I was thrilled to do it. My inner child came out and I was imaging all the forgotten treasures, special memories of tokens, keepsakes, dishes, wedding dresses, hats, toys, movies, photos, etc... My imagination went wild thinking of all the possible oddities that await in the attic. It was clean out weekend... we ventured up the stairs to find an attic full of stuff that needed to be gone through and sorted by what to keep, trash, sell, or donate. As we sorted through, the memories and stories started to come to life. The experiences of those who came before and childhood memories filled the air. It made a dirty job very rewarding. The Process: Out of the trash pile I gathered these old suitcases. Design: to create a side table that doubles as storage.
Purchased ready made legs from hardware store along with appropriate hardware. Stained and attached the legs Use double sided sticky Velcro in between the suitcases to secure one to the other, also allows for easy removing to access the storage areas. Want to work with Janise on your own DIY projects? contact Janise Follow our updates on Facebook
We are very happy to announce that we have completed the large task of making 15 farm tables and 30 benches. A true labor of love and each table set has it's own distinct characteristics. We can't wait to see them in place as we celebrate our daughter and future son-in-law's wedding. :) Read more about it
Ed assembling the legs on farm tables
Want to see the whole process? Check out album here.
As with most everything the Crows make, there is a story. Ed, the “Father of the Bride” and a wood worker, wanted to make something special for his daughter and future son-in-law's wedding. He loves projects, so in keeping with the venue of the wedding and his daughter's dreams for her special day, he decided he would hand make tables and benches. Ed poured over design ideas, local resources, and came up with a design and plan. He made a prototype table and two benches (which are shown here). Janise researched and experimented with many stain and white wash techniques and finally came up with a finish that was exactly what they hoped for. The test was to see if the future bride would like the prototype and want to use dad's hand made tables for her wedding reception. She loved them, now Ed had his wish come true, a special project for his daughter's wedding day, 15 handmade custom farm house tables with benches, in a gray white wash finish. We will post our progress of making the 12-15 tables and 24-30 benches along the way, so keep following us. |
Categories
All
Projects by Date
April 2021
AuthorHi, I'm Janise Crow a jewelry designer and mixed-media artist. Here you will find our latest projects, experiments, and even how to's. |
RSS Feed
