The instructions for the Perpetual Blooms are done, with illustrations it is 7 pages long. There are 18 steps. I have spent years perfecting these and they are unique, there's a few special 'secrets' included to forming them and making them last. ALTHOUGH I ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO CHARGE FOR THEM I CHANGED MY MIND IN THAT RECYCLING ARTS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED...SO THEY'RE FREE. HOWEVER, I DO NOT HAVE THEM ON MY COMPUTER AND THEY ARE ONLY AVAILABLE BY SNAIL MAIL SO YOU NEED TO SEND ME YOUR EMAIL AND I'LL GIVE YOU FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO GET THEM.

Another show coming up - some of my re-cycle projects: Crazy Clocks and mannequin art at the EDEN MILLS ARTS FESTIVAL on May 28 and 29. More details to follow.

Back on the art trail. Will be participating in BLOOMIN EARTH, an Earth Day celebration/art show of recycle/reuse/repurpose artists to be held April 16th in front of the Kitchener City Hall in Ontario. Hope to see you there...look for PERPETUAL BLOOMS - I'll be showing my 'pop bottle flowers'.

PLEASE NOTE: For all those requesting instructions on how to make these, I will be selling a small manual on the process. There are 18 steps so it's a time intensive project, but anyone who can use sissors, a utility knife and a glue gun should be able to do it. Optional aids are a rotary tool and a heat gun.

Nutcrackers stand guard

Made from 6x6s and scrap pieces of wood to form details like the noses, ears and arms. Purchased at a decor/crafts store they would cost you in the range of $200. each The cost to make yourself...less than $15. If you know someone building a deck or other structure you can use a leftover cut off , mine are 3' tall. I purchased my 4x4, it was $30. and I got two 3 foot structures plus a leftover of 2 feet, with which I will create another work, perhaps an animal for the garden. You can also make similar nutcrackers with the more traditional 4x4s. Again, use acrylics and a coat or two of Diamond Finish.

Inexpensive diorama

Saw some really cool work in Small Crafts by high school students today. Lots of possibilities, make up your own. Go to DOLLERAMA and purchase an unpainted shadow box...the kind with a window. Inside (re)create favourite scenes, use your old photos, cut out pics of friends and family and glue the figures on cardboard to be placed in the foreground - add real objects to heighten the depth illusion, like brances for trees etc, overlapping items to make it interesting. A neat way to display pics, or give as gifts to remind folks of special times you have shared.
I'm going to create VanGogh's bedroom at Arles to hang on a large screen I am making - I bought six 6' hollow wood doors at an auction and hinged them together to pull across my sliding doors. On one side will be an enlagement of same painting...I think it will be kinda interesting to have two 'perspectives' on it. On the other side I'm going to create a collage of collected patterns and textures from magazines - mixed with sheet music that was being thrown out. I'll start to post the process as I go thru it beginning in a week or so.