I made this just a couple of days ago. I want to make a whole series of scarves like this with woodland creatures on them. So fun!
Available for Sale in my Etsy shop – Virtualdistortion
Ferret Cutness Post
Recently I was hanging out with some friends and there was a show on TV about people showing ferrets. Y’know. Crazy ferret people with “I love ferrets” Tshirts and tattoos.. giving ferrets more personality and love than their own human children. hehehe. Needless to say we giggled about it and talked about ferrets for awhile. I had to divulge the fact that I had many ferrets (up to 6 at a time) for about 5 years. Now I started sounding a little crazy and it was a good thing I didn’t get that one tattoo…
I thought of this little story because of this adorable ferret photo I took of Oscar winter of 2011 in MN:
Change
Life is always changing. I feel like a phoenix rising from the ashes…
Ready to embark on a new adventure.
Almost a year ago I made a pretty big move. I thought a lot about me would change but it really has not. I did some much needed healing, formed a few new healthy habits that I aim to keep and solidified who I really am and what I want out of life. Or at least what I want to feel like. I’m truly open for change because I know I always have a permanent home in Minnesota that I actually dream of being able to live a sustainable life at some day, as well as family and friends that love me for me. There is always room to grow and change and even if everything we work so hard at attaining is wiped away, we can rebuild. Re-invent ourselves. If we stayed the same our whole lives we might as well not be alive at all.
Abstract Oil Painting
Oil painting is something I have dreamed of doing for many years. I am so thankful I can dig into it now. It feels as though a lot of my other art is CRAFT but painting is definitely real ART. Painting is a challenge – especially oil painting – because it is harder to deal with the paint and chemicals than one would think. I just dug in and taught myself…. figured it out by DOING (and getting paint all over!). It will a be a never-ending process of learning how the paint moves and “see” more clearly what I want my paintings to look like and get my brushes and knives to make it come to life. I’m starting with abstract paintings and will move on to more visualized paintings some day.
This painting I finished last night. I started it a couple weeks ago by painting the canvas black. Then I cut masking tape into thin strips and stuck them on… painted.. and peeled them up when I was done. It was so FUN to see the painting change even after I was done pushing the paint around. I found out that I am very good at making BROWN! And that a dark maroon red mixed with manganese blue instantly looks black. My favorite part of this painting is where the orange has some blue on it. What’s your favorite part?
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This painting actually is on its 3rd transformation. The first photo is the first rendition, the 2nd one can be seen in the corner of the photo at the bottom of this post because I didn’t actually take a photo of it by itself – I didn’t like it enough at that stage! – but that was good because it motivated me to make it what you see here in the 2nd photo. Much more abstract and wild. I can’t say that is is finished yet but I am going to wait for it to be mostly dry to add more and finally sign it.
The small square one here is the only one that is complete. Although I have not signed it yet either. I’m thinking I should sign my paintings with my Z rather than my given name. More “Me”.
Art Advertising on Etsy – September 2011
I wrote this up and posted it on the forum of an Etsy team that I just joined called Indie Designers. I like it so I decided to cross-post it here to my own blog.
Hello! 😉 My name is Ginger and I make LOTS of different kinds of art… I can never really stick to just one medium or I would get burnt out on it. Whenever I sell at local art shows I see that each person likes something different so a variety really is the way to go! I have all of what I make in my one etsy shop. Here are some of the different kinds of things I love to make…
*Wool Sculptures* Something I got into just a year ago and really enjoy. I do the best with free-form art .. I get the material in my hands and it just magically transforms into something by the end!
Snowman & Alexander the Owl
*Photography* A long time passion of mine. I’ve got lots of print-worthy photos, only some listed on Etsy so far. I shoot all of my own product photography and have done it for other people and companies too. I’ve done portrait sessions with families and even a couple weddings. I have a Canon DSLR camera that goes with me everywhere.
Butterfly Print & Sunflower Print
*Hand-cut Vintage Hollow Books* Everyone has a different idea of what should be kept in a hollow book! I love making them — especially hunting out cool, vintage hard cover books at thrift/antique stores and garage sales and doing the finishing touches of adding decorative paper and paint.
Vintage Secret Stash Box Hollow Book – Orchestration & Vintage Secret Stash Box Hollow Book – Pet Sematary by Stephen King
*Copper sculptures* My brother got me started in the shop working with a mapp gas torch back in 2003. My favorite thing to make are roses! I do make other kinds of incense burners, fishermen decorations, orchid pots, flower pot decorations like butterflies, dragonflies, mayflies.. etc.
Copper Metal Rose Sculpture & Copper Metal Rose Bud Incense Cone Holder
*Fresh Incense* Aromatherapy is a wonderful thing. I have some repeat customers that swear by my scents and that makes me very happy. I get to burn it in my studio all the time too. I’m low on supplies for now but will be re-doing my incense line this fall/winter.
Sap & Moss Incense Sticks
*Cold Process Soap* My aunt who is also a multi-medium artist taught me how to make homemade soap this winter! I will forever keep making it because the thought of going back to store-bought soap is terrifying!
Oatmeal, Bees Wax & Orange Soap & Blackberry Sage Soap
I make the ONLY “vampire bite” wool scarves on Etsy! (So far.. I guess..) Which I am going to be making a lot more of because people really seem to like them. I make other scarves out of wool and sometimes silk, too.
Vampire Bite Handmade Wool Scarf
Thank you so much for inviting me to this team and taking the time to look over my creations. I really love Etsy and all of the wonderful fellow artists and art lovers that I have come in contact with!
XOXO – Ginger // virtualdistortion.etsy.com
Half Open or Half Closed?
I love sunflowers!
Wedding Photography
Let it be known! I enjoy wedding (or any event!) photography. I was the solo wedding photographer for my good friends, the Edwards, in 2009. I attended the rehearsal, ceremony and reception. It was a blast and I got a lot of great photos that they will cherish forever…
I’ve done video and photos of another wedding a couple years back too.
Editing is something I really enjoy after the shooting of the event. I am great with color correction, blemish/imperfection removal, effects….!
Calculated Miles So Far
I have not done the 7 mile loop yet. Two days before my goal to do so (the 10th) I strained my ankle! I could barely walk around the studio so I took it easy for about 4 days. Of course taking that much time off from walking/jogging and being busy with work stuff didn’t make it easy to get back into the swing of it.
However, now that my ankle is 100% and the weather is so nice I have been hitting the trail really hard. Just in the past 3 days I have gone 11 miles. Tonight I did a little over 2.5 miles in about 25 minutes.
I’m starting to care less about the idea of doing the 7 mile loop……. it’s gravel and not pavement like my usual path and sometimes my feet are pretty worn out by the end of 4.2 miles… Hmph!
I calculated my miles so far this month and the grand total is 20!
It’s less than I was hoping for but hey, my goal isn’t to be hard on myself, it’s to feel GREAT …and I do 😉
In other news, I keep busy! Today I made wheat/flax tortillas from scratch for the first time that turned out quite delicious. Also a fresh sweet corn & beans mixture to put in the tortillas with spinach, tomatoes and taco sauce. Mmm. Once that was done the kitchen required quite a cleaning so I dug into that. I have also been making more wet felted (“nuno felted”) scarves to offer for sale at an art show that I’m participating in @ Buffalo, Minnesota this weekend of August 20th and to go into my Etsy store. I also make time to journal, read and watch movies that I enjoy. I’ ve been researching and pursuing a few more non-art work opportunities. OH, I visited with my friends and family this past weekend too…! I feel like I really get around. I’m making the most of the end of this summer and really look forward to the fall. I can’t wait to rake leaves and go jogging with a hoodie on! I feel so “weird” and unique. I’m so happy. I know a big key to that is my desire TO be happy and work hard for it. I really look forward to the future. It’s all in my hands and it’s big and bright…
Still Jogging :: 4 Miles
Yup! Still jogging (with a bunch of walking, hehe) regularly. I can go farther! faster! easier!
I’ve been doing 4 miles the past couple of times out. I’ve made the goal of going on the 7 mile loop by August 10th, that’s just over a week away! I might drive the route and drop off some water bottles in the middle because that’s a long way to go without water and I refuse to carry water with me… only my trusty half-broken ipod nano.
Right now in my life I’m going through quite a few things that don’t make me feel the best. When I’m out jogging I can let it all go and feel very strong and powerful. I love it. I typically go at night now because it’s just too hot during the day. I get to see shooting stars!
Sunflower Photo Prints!
** I had photo prints in my Etsy shop for awhile but I took them down. If you find this and are interested just contact me 😉